What’s the plan for A Moment with M.O.M in 2011?

HAPPY NEW YEARS dear friends!!!!

Today is the official start of a new year! I’m sure we all noticed the excitement in the air as people closed the chapter to one year and opened the next! Some of us try to 'flip’ through the pages and project the end of the story. Others hesitantly turn the page and with trepidation, peeking out one eye, looking forward to see what God has planned. At a Moment with M.O.M. We’ll do neither!! We are resolved to not guess what God has in store for us, our family, our business, or our ministry! We won’t become anxious over any of the details or be slothful in our duties. Instead we will acknowledge Him in all we do and allow Him to direct our paths. We will rejoice in each day; waking with confidence that His mercies are new each morning. This doesn’t mean that we aren’t prudently and prayerfully making a plan for our year. We are excited to see what God has in store for us, YOU, and His plan for the blog in 2011!!

I thought it was important to share how A Moment with M.O.M came about, what we prayerful see as our purpose online and what our desire is as we continue to leave the ‘windows’ open and allow others to ‘peek’ into our hearts and home. I will also share with you what you will and won’t find here on the blog! I hope you’ll take time to get to know us more, pray for us as we strive to glorify Him as we serve others!

How did A Moment with M.O.M. come about anyway? We have blogged since 2006 on a regular basis. I have kept a journal that my children love to hear me read to them. Many friends have heard about my journal and asked if I would share online through a blog so they could keep up with the Wood family (we moved often so this seemed like a reasonable way to share our lives and only have to write the letter once). I didn’t start the blog on my own wisdom however, it was my dear Joe that asked me to start the blog. In fact, it is Joe (and my mother) that keeps me faithful in posting on the blog!  As you all know blogging does take time to do; I am continually evaluating myself to ensure that I am still giving 100% to my first ministry here at home, my family!  In 2008 the blog moved to Blogspot and became A Moment with M.OM. instead of the title, Bought with a Price that it had been called earlier… and before that it was, Blessings Abound. Some of you have followed us long enough to remember the reasons for the names but that’s another story! Let’s talk about A Moment with M.O.M…. The Lord made it clear that He was allowing our paths to cross with younger mothers and wives and wanted us to share with them. It is an honor to share, just for the record! I started thinking back to when I was a young momma and what my most cherished memories were. The one thing that kept coming to mind was all the moments, no matter how brief, that I was able to share with my mother. I loved to hear her wisdom and insight even if it was just small tid bits. I loved to sit for hours and glean from her. I never grow tired of hearing her stories and her heart!  Being a mother of many children we decided to play on the word “mom” by calling it M.O.M (mother of many) something I have been called since the time I only had three children (Now, that I find funny!). We decided to open up the blog to email so you could privately send your questions to an “older” Sister and I could pray with you, share with you, and encourage you in His Word using Titus 2:3-5 as our guide. “The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; that they may teach the younger women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the Word of God be not blasphemed.” I have enjoyed every moment of this!

What is the purpose of A Moment with M.O.M.? Our only purpose is to glorify God through all our actions, including our blog. We desire to be a mirror that has nothing to offer on it’s own.Rather was created to reflect Him!! We follow some basic Biblical principals to accomplish this goal.

First, it is our goal to abide by the Philippians 4:8 rule. “Finally, breathern, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things!

Secondly, we don’t share because we think that our lives are anything spectacular to share about that others just MUST hear about. Quite the contrary! We share to esteem others! Philippians 2:3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. This is also why all comments are moderated so we can insure that there is no “strife” on the blog rather, it is a safe and peaceful place to visit! We share transparently with you so that you can see the mighty hand of a Living God at work in a Sinners life!! His handiwork is something to praise isn’t it dear friends?

Lastly, we share out of Hope. A Hope that is not wishful thinking rather a confidence that His Word will NOT return void! Isaiah 55:11 So shall my Word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

What is your goal and desire for A Moment with M.O.M? It is my desire that women who visit the site, no matter how long or short their visit is, will turn their hearts to their home.  It is my prayer that my posts will challenge you to learn more about God in an intimate and real way. That women will find joy in their ministry at Home, be encouraged to love their husbands and delight in their children! I pray that His strength will come upon each of you and you will be feel His wings cover you as you take on this awesome task of being a helpmeet and mother! Simply put, it is my desire to see Christian Homes become victorious through His Grace!

What can I be guaranteed to find on the blog when I visit?

• Grammar errors! It drives me crazy but it’s true! I am always praying that He will allow people to hear the message of the posts instead of the grammar of the posts!
• Truth! Truth from His Word and truth about who we are and how we live. As I often tell people, “It may not be pretty but it is the truth!" In that we can find beauty don’t you think? People are often asking Joe, the children or myself questions as if home isn’t what it really appears to be… it is! We don’t’ do the whole “fake” thing very well! What you see is really who we are!
• My mother will continue to share as her health permits each weekday our Moments in Proverbs. I invite you to join us and post your thoughts and comments on the passage. I will reply to the comments so we can grow in grace together!
• I will continue to answer emails about mothering, being a wife and then posting those answers here for you to read as M.O.M.’s Mailbox. I DO NOT post names to the questions out of respect for your privacy. I thank each of you that let me share your questions with the readers. I can not tell you how many emails I have received saying, “I had that same question…..”

What can I be guaranteed I won’t find when I visit?

• You won’t find a perfect person, wife or mother! You WILL find a forgiven Sinner! “This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.” 1 Timothy 1:15

What are some new changes that I can look forward to at A Moment with M.O.M.?

• Contrary to public opinion we are “technology challenged”! However, we are going to try our best to begin posting clips of real moments in our home. We will be sharing simple how' to’s from making butter, to embroidery stiches, to Bible Study in our home, and much more!
• Bekah, Beth Joy and Sarah-Grace are still aiming to share on the blog. In fact, I was told by Beth Joy that she had a post to share so I’ll have to get that up for everyone soon! Bekah has spent time going over ideas from the Kitchen for you. If you have something specific you would like her to share about please let me know. It would really help her as she is in the planning stage. Sarah-Grace and I are creating a mother/daughter book and are excited to offer that on the site sometime this coming Spring. We’ll keep you posted on the details! Of course we post freely. Matthew 10:8 “…freely, ye have received, freely give.”
• We won’t be sharing the every day “glimpses” in our home on Facebook as we have. When we were first asked to join Facebook, by several of our readers, we were hesitant simply because of the time it takes (you have to remember I am still homeschooling 8 of my 10 children and running a farm while my husband is gone for great lengths of time in his business!) I do try to do it “all” but my Superwoman powers are running on low. Actually, I know my limitations and that’s a good thing. I’m not willing to give up the peace in my home for anything, no matter how good it looks! I have learned to guard the peace that He pours down in our home each day. If I get too busy trying to accomplish “good” things, that peace fades as I neglect the “excellent” things! We love the friends that God has allowed our paths to cross with on Facebook. It has even brought a few of you to our home as you traveled across the country. We have been richly blessed! Facebook has allowed us to get to know you better as you share with us. I can’t tell you how many of you we pray for in our devotion time together as a family. Please don’t take me as saying we won’t be on Facebook at all or that we think it’s “bad,” that’s not the case. It’s just a season of change for us in the area of Facebook.

Well, there you have it! That’s what we have prayerfully decided. We look forward to getting to know each of you more and seeing His grace at work in your lives and ours!

Because of His Love,

Mrs. Joseph Wood