16 and Pregnant

Ok. So, although I'm 28 years old, I can't help but watch MTV's 16 and Pregnant, because I enjoy watching people deal with motherhood. All through college my roommates and I would watch TLC's A Baby Story with fascination and longing. We would coo and aahh while looking at the sweet little bundle of joy and daydream about the day when we would one day hold our own little newborn.

I still watch A Baby Story and Bringing Home Baby, along with 19 Kids and Counting, when I happen to catch it on TV. I am usually entertained and enlightened while watching other people deal with their children. For some reason, it makes me appreciate having children all the more. I have to admit that watching these reality shows are one of my indulgences at night after putting the kids to bed or while they are napping.

Anyways, so I watch 16 and Pregnant for those same reasons, except that it's more depressing to watch. Yes, I watched season 1 and Teen Mom. Is this sad to admit? Ok, so I watched last night's episode, which was particularly depressing because the girl has a child with a very, very immature boy. He basically treats her like nothing, and she just sweetly holds out for him to change and take her back.

I felt so sad that I couldn't even finish watching the episode. Having a baby is a blessing. It is. But, waiting for marriage is the best way to welcome a child. And, even then, raising a child is hard work.

I pray for teen girls, and young ladies in general, to understand their value. I pray that they realize that they are precious. Their bodies are precious. Wait until marriage for sex. And, CHOOSE WISELY WHEN YOU MARRY!!!!! Because, not choosing wisely leads to more heartache.

What can we do to help young ladies make better choices?

1. Mentor
Every young woman can be a mentor to a teen. Because, we have all been teenagers before, and we can share any bit of wisdom that we can to help another avoid similar pitfalls, or share successful ways that we handled relationships or staying pure.

2. Pray

3. Volunteer
Volunteer around your community with organizations that promote abstinence, or even that help teen mothers. Teen mothers need support, just like other mothers do, and you can help her make better decisions for the future.

Do you know of other creative ways to help young ladies remain ladies, and save sex and children for after marriage?

Homemaker and Civil Rights Activist

Coretta Scott King, Dr. Martin Luther King's wife, was an inspirational woman for her class, poise, and dedication to her family and the Civil Rights movement.

She was born in 1927 to a truck farmer and a homemaker. She excelled in school, and graduated valedictorian of her class, and accepted a scholarshop to Antioch College in Ohio. After receiving her degree in music and elementary education, she accepted another scholarship to continue her musical training from The New England Conservatory of Music, located in Boston. She received a degree in voice and violin.

It was there that she met Martin Luther King, and they courted, and eventually married. When she started her family, she put her musical ambitions on hold. As time went on, while raising her four children, she used her musical abilities to contribute to supporting her husband, by holding Freedom Concerts as fundraisers to support the Southern Christian Leadership Conference.

Coretta Scott King was a woman who was dedicated to supporting her husband and raising her children, while putting her career ambitions on the shelf. She was considered to be the First Lady of the Civil Rights movement, and the title is well-deserved.

Work From Home Wednesdays: Demand Studios is Hiring

Demand Studios is looking for writers again, so if you have not already signed up with them, I encourage you to do so. I have gotten back into writing articles for them, and they have sooooo many articles to choose from. So, there's plenty of work. The pay is $7.50 or $15, depending on the type of article.

If you need a few extra bucks to spend, then it's a great opportunity. And, you get paid weekly!

Influencing Your Husband towards Christ

I love the courtship story of Mark and Desiree Jackson. He is a former NBA player, and she is a gospel singer. The story of their courtship, and how her commitment to Christ led Mark to Christ is inspirational.

Young ladies, be inspired to be bold in your faith, and not to lower your standards. God will bless your faithfulness!

I am not tech savvy with showing clips, but you can go here. Click on the Feb. 4th show to watch their testimony. Move the green line to an hour into the show, at 1:03:00.

I was really blessed by their testimony, and her strong values as a young woman.

Love and History

This month is Black History month, and in celebration of it, and Valentine's day, I'm going to share inspiring love stories of Black couples throughout the month. I love reading about love, romance, marriage, and family, so why not post about it on the blog?

I'm going to start with one of my favorite love stories, that of Jackie and Rachel Robinson. As many of you know, Jackie Robinson was the first Black to enter the professional baseball league. He was an extraordinary man, and his relationship with his wife, Rachel, was special.



The courtship and marriage of legendary baseball player Jackie Robinson, and his wife, Rachel Robinson is inspiring and beautiful. Their marriage was based on mutual respect, love, admiration and commitment. It inspired me so much, that I became determined to marry a man with Jackie Robinson's qualities. There was more to the man who broke racial barriers by becoming the first Black baseball player to play in the professional leagues.

Jackie Robinson was a man of strong moral courage and conviction. Raised by a single mother whose husband deserted her with five children to raise, Jackie had a close relationship with his mother. Although he was close to following a rough path in life, a young Pastor took him under his wing, and inspired him to develop a stronger faith in God. Jackie Robinson was known as a man who tried to do the right thing. He had character and class.

He met his wife, Rachel Robinson, at UCLA, where they attended college. He was a senior and she was a freshman. She was a nursing student, who was serious about her studies, and a very classy lady. A mutual friend introduced them, and their romance blossomed. They courted for five years, because Rachel wanted to wait until after she had graduated from her 5 year nursing school program. After they married, Rachel became a homemaker, and focused on tending to their home and supporting her husband.



What makes their marriage so inspiring and beautiful is because Jackie Robinson was an athlete who withstood temptation and chose his wife every time. Teammates joked and teased him about his fidelity to his wife. While most of his teammates chased women, drank alcohol, smoked, etc, he remained steadfast to his commitment and loyalty to his wife, and to living a life that was above reproach. His teammates attested to the fact that he was so straightlaced, and did not have other women.

One of his roommates, Joe Black, said, "When he'd be on that phone talking to Rachel, I mean, you could feel the excitement exuding through his body. You could feel the love going from his voice to her, flowing to her."

In a letter that he wrote to her he talked about trying to be the best husband that he could be, and he tells her, "It seems my habits make you sometimes doubt me but there is no question in my mind that my marriage is the greatest thing that could have happened to me. All the other honors are really secondary and Darling someday I'll prove it. I hope it will be soon. I will do everything to prove it."



He credited her for much of his success, saying that she, "was the one person who really kept me from throwing up my hands in despair many times; she was my strongest support during these trials. . . She always had the wise suggestion, the comforting touch, the encouragement to go on which carried me through. . . I can truly say that my rise to baseball fame is mainly due to my wife."

Jackie and Rachel Robinson are role models. Not only for what they accomplished as breaking barriers in baseball, but for what they stood for as a couple. They exemplified true commitment, loyalty, respect and love. And, it's an example that is needed for many couples today.

Gentle Mothering

I have several goals for 2010, and one of the big ones is to strive to be the best mother that I can be. Of course, that has been one of my goals ever since I became a mother, but I really recognize glaring deficiencies in my mothering. The main thing that I wish I could exhibit more of: PATIENCE!!!

Prior to having children I thought that I was a pretty patient and nice person, but I was deceived. And, I want to change it. What started me down this path of self-reflection was watching, "18 Kids and Counting" the show about the Duggars. I started watching regularly a few months ago, and the show really ministered to me.

I was amazed watching Michelle Duggar deal so sweetly and gently with her children, and they all seem so well-mannered. I have never seen her raise her voice. She does not seem to lose her patience, and she has 18 (now 19) kids!! And, I only have 2!!! And, I cannot deal with my two children with the same patience and gentleness that she displays. And, I sooo want to.

I did read that she said that she stays in God's word daily, and that helps her to have patience and not raise her voice and not react in anger towards her children.

I am commited to saturating myself in God's word like I should so that I can bear the fruits of God's spirit in my life, and with the way that I deal with my children. I get exasperated often, I get frustrated often, I lose my patience often, and I feel like yelling at least twice everyday. I don't always do so, but I feel like it. And, I don't want it to be that way.

Being a mother just reminds me of how important it is to stay connected to God. When you try to do things in your own strength, you fail. Having a close relationship with Christ does produce more peace, joy, love and kindness inside of you, and you are able to pour those things out to others.

This year I am commited to cultivating a deeper relationship with Christ, and also being sure to raise my children with gentleness and love, but also being firm and consistent in my expectations and training.