Life After 40 Podcast with Mary Hess and Elaine W. Miller

 

 

Life after 40.

 Yay! 

You've made it to the second half!

 Hold on! 

Don't quit now! 

God has much more and even better waiting for you in the back 40. 

Hear my heart as I share with Mary Hess' on The Back 40 Podcast

God's call to write after age 50, 

Tips on preparing your marriage for the empty nest. 

Prioritizing your marriage.

Your last child leaves home. Now what? 

The great gift Dan gave me for my 50th birthday. 

God's purpose in old age.  

God's plan in an intensive care unit.

What a fun podcast! Thanks Mary Hess for loving and encouraging people to thrive in the back 40 of life. 

Please listen here for the podcast:

 https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fpodcasts.apple.com%2Fus%2Fpodcast%2Fsplashes-of-serenity-elaine-miller%2Fid1639601043%3Fi%3D1000594829490%26fbclid%3DIwAR06aN15_egpCL5yYV3NxTyIrAz8jYIaS1WemG8KpWmdX9CsO8mkjtlearA&h=AT109qCDv-6278XuN4tealBzSYvO9iv6gnkWbZomXF1fFM1pOQg-b1AqyFG0dAPrm3cFJDO33W_12UTD0SP4_Km1MeYRwAvYYxP6dOIxJzVIEB-vq6sxWj5_YqOIm1Ay-A&__tn__=-UK-R&c[0]=AT1eW5fbL4EsVbc7DfJ2AJIElfDGNx7DiFvOiP-7KXs5d91dH64CwFaPMArQX7AuRTkbzuatvMGhG9SokXTgoQjs-m9JetveUeHJwR-D0ZsstRo29soHt0tRUxgbTItIHmEkt211v-zrYn8Or7FB3WCsfHTX9kNeXXGaGw0ttgU_gfgbhsTzAg

" . . . all the days ordained for me were written in your book 

before one of them came to be." 

(Psalm 139:16)

Have a splashes of serenity kind of a day!

Dan and I Share the Better and the Worse of our 51 Years Together

Lots of great marriage help here as Dan and I share the ups and downs of married life. 

 

May your marriage be blessed!

Nurturing a Marriage While Nurturing a Child

 How do I satisfy the needs of an infant in need of feeding 

and a husband in need of loving?  

Good question!

 I can relate. After five years of marriage and two doctors telling me I would never have children, I gave birth to my first child. She became the center of my universe and my dear husband was somewhere in space orbiting around us.

 Trying to mother and to wife seemed impossible.
 I just could not do it all.  

One day my husband jolted me with the truth,
 "What good will it do our baby if we end up divorced?"

  The best thing we can do for our child is work at and preserve our marriage.

 

Still, children take care and time and cannot be put back in the toy box until another day. They have needs—not just wants.

So, how do I balance my time and make my husband a priority?

Both parents need to exercise patience realizing this is a busy season in your life.

At the same time, there are things you can do to show your husband he is important to you.

• Walk in his shoes. He may be feeling left out. You carried the baby in your womb, you delivered the little one, and for some, your breasts are feeding the baby. Some men feel jealous of the attention you are giving your baby. Your husband needs assurance that he’s still “The Man!”
• Date him. Don’t fear leaving your children with a baby sitter. Nurture your marriage through a regular date night with your husband.  
• Kiss him. Really KISS him. Pack some passion behind that pucker! Show your children how much you love their daddy by greeting him regularly and as a surprise with a kiss.
• Make your bedroom a love sanctuary. 1 Corinthians 7:3 says “Husbands and wives should satisfy each other’s sexual needs.” I don’t read, “unless there are children in the house” in that scripture. I know moms are tired. I also know a husband can feel like someone stole his wife when the baby is born.  
• Take care of yourself. Eat healthy, sleep when you can, and exercise. I know that seems impossible, but you’ll benefit (and so will your marriage) if you care for yourself.
• Read a book on marriage. My books were written for drained moms and drained wives to be read in five-minute snippets. I know they have helped marriages get back on track. 
• Pray. Ask God to help you prioritize and be the wife and mother He created you to be.

As moms we want to give our best to our children. It begins by giving our best to our husbands. Nurturing your marriage really does go a long way toward nurturing your child.

I’d love to hear other suggestions. How do you let your husband know he is important?

Mother's Day Book Give Away

Happy Tenth Anniversary to my first book Splashes of Serenity: Bathtime Reflections for Drained Moms!

Little did I know when I attended my first writer's conference without a clue how to write a book, that God had great plans.

 "Write what you are passionate about," said the writing teacher.

Hmmm. What am I passionate about? My bath! I'm passionate about my bath. And. I'm passionate about being a mom. 

And so was birthed my first book Splashes of Serenity: Bathtime Reflections for Drained Moms.

A timeless treasure, this first book has withstood the test of ten years. In its third printing and  still ordered regularly by repeat customers.  Churches continue to buy in bulk to give to first-time moms. Still hearing from moms how Splashes of Serenity gives them just that — a splash of serenity.

With praise to God for putting His call to write into my heart, His writing conferences and writer friends to teach me to write, His blessing in 4,000 copies sold in it's first few months, and then there were these:

— The sweet moms who allowed their stories be written within the pages of S.O.S.

— The mom who buried two children and lived in fear her third would be taken. She opened S.O.S. and read Exodus 14:14 "The Lord will fight for you. You need only to be still." She thanked me for her first nights sleep in months.

— The mom of a brain-damaged boy who opened this book and cried tears of joy as God assured her "God Never  Says 'Oops!'"

— The grandma who learned her grandbaby would never walk. She opened S.O.S.  and realized God's love and care for her and for her granddaughter.

Are you a drained mom? Do you know a drained mom? My answer to both of those questions is "Duh! What mom is not drained on any particular day."

Splashes of Serenity: Bathtime Reflections for Drained Moms is a book filled with true stories of hope from moms facing the most difficult challenges of parenting and moms drained by every day frustrations.

To celebrate this tenth Anniversary and Mother's Day:

I am giving away one free copy. To enter, please leave a comment on this blog and I'll put your name in a hat.  If you share this blog post, I will put your name in the hat twice. Please let me know if you shared. Thank you. Contest begins immediately and ends May 3 so I can send the book in time for Mother's Day. 

Congrats to Judy Pencek, the winner of a free copy of Splashes of Serenity: Bathtime Reflections for Drained Moms

Thank you, readers, for blessing me for ten years. If you haven't read Bathtime Reflections for Drained Moms recently, please read it again. This is a book that grows as your children grow.

I'd love to hear how Splashes of Serenity blessed you.

All of my books are available at the bookstore on this website. I'd enjoy sending you an autographed copy.

Happy Tenth Anniversary! Wow! Thank You, God, and thank you, readers,

Children Have A Lot to Teach Adults

I don't ever want to grow up. I want to stay like my grandchildren, thriving in the beauty of God's nature oblivious to the ugly in the world.

Oh, how I wish I could protect their tender hearts from pain and worldly desires and thinking. How I yearn to protect myself from this as well. It's scriptural, after all.

Jesus says in Matthew 18:3:

"I tell you the truth, 

unless you change and become like little children, 

you will never enter the kingdom of heaven."

God wants me to change and become like a little child.  So, what are little children like? To find out, I study little ones and learn all they have to teach me. Recently, I discovered this piece in my journal written many years ago.

 Sitting on a beach one day, I watched toddlers play and I wrote:

"Children laugh.

They are flexible, 

kind, 

affectionate, 

loving,

 and non-judgmental.

They are so friendly,

 they'll go right up to a stranger on the beach 

and poke their fingers in the stranger's belly button.

They have no expectation of life or people.

They don't worry about tomorrow.

They laugh today and live for today.

They play and make friends with anyone.

They don't care what kind of car they drive.

They play with people without asking where they work 

and trying to figure out how much money they made last year.

They don't care how people dress, 

their education,

 or their social standing.

They don't gossip or spend their days thinking about or judging what others are doing.

Children live life to the hilt 

because they don't carry adult baggage."

I'm working at shedding adult baggage every day and becoming more childlike. That's my goal. What's yours?

Springtime Splashes of Serenity,

When Your Child Does Not Do Well in School

Is your child struggling in school? I did. For me, school was about socializing, not about studying.

I loved people and, apparently, I loved to talk, as I was reminded at my mother's funeral last winter.

My 92 year old high school teacher greeted me at the calling hours:

 "Do you know who I am? (I didn't. It's been 48 years since high school!)  I'm Mrs. Haskins, your home room teacher."

"Oh, Mrs. Haskins! How sweet of you to come!"

Her next comment surprised me, "Have you stopped talking yet?"

I laughed and reported, "Well, now people pay me to talk!"

She wasn't impressed.

Years ago, I found my husband's report cards. I laughed when I read under the teacher's comments, "Mrs. Miller, I appreciate Danny's sense of humor, but he really needs to settle down in class." My husband grew to become a pastor whose sense of humor and powerful (and often funny) preaching endeared him to his congregations. God used the class clown to reach many for Christ.

I was impressed this summer when I discovered this row of books in my local small-town library, all written by Debbie Macomber.

Who is this Debbie Macomber, and how does she write so many books? As the author of three books, I know writing isn't easy. What type of person has this many words and ideas inside bursting to come forth on the written page?

Debbie Macomber must be an amazing women. I suspect she was a straight A student. Right? Wrong.

Debbie Macomber struggled academically. She is dyslexic. As a child, she could not  read. Teachers didn't know why, so she was placed in the lowest reading group in her school.

Today, this New York Times best selling author's books have sold over 100 million copies in 23 languages.

We parents and teachers become discouraged when children won't stop talking, they are the class clown, or are placed in the lowest reading group. Take heart! God isn't finished with your child yet.

When my own  at times struggled, I reminded myself, What is the most important thing I want my children to learn in school? 

Kindness. I wanted my children to learn to be kind. I'd rather have a kind child than a mean one who excels academically or on the playing field.

What is the most important thing you want your children to learn in school? I suspect it has nothing to do with math or science, but a lot to do with character.

This is my prayer as school begins: That children will grow to be kind and sensitive to the needs of this world. That teachers will be patient and kind and not miss the potential in each precious little one entrusted in their care.

May this splash serenity on the day of any concerned parent. Praying for our children. Won't you pray too?

Lessons to Moms and Wives from the Pen of my 8 Year Old Son.

I found this precious essay while emptying file cabinets into boxes as we downsize and move to our retirement home. My little boy's words speak volumes to moms and wives about what our children need.

Be fun! Don't take life so seriously. Your child cherishes laughter and  fun.

Hug! Little ones need to feel your love, not just hear it.

Be nice. Trust me, Sam could have written "She is mean." Thanking God that with all the discipline I enforced every day, he still wrote that I was nice. A gentle reminder to us all  that when upset with our child, we can still be nice.

Date your husband. Little hearts break when mommy and daddy drift apart. Keep love alive by showing affection and dating. Some parents don't want to leave their children home alone, but seeing mom and dad love each other brings joy and security to the family.

Look great!  Eat healthy. Exercise. Care for your physical, emotional, spiritual self. You'll feel better, look better, and have more energy to be fun, hug, be nice, date your sweetie, and look great!

That's my splash of serenity for you on this summer day! Go out and have some fun, hug your family, make nice, arrange a surprise date with your honey, and take some "me" time to care for yourself.

 I return to my packing knowing lots of paper is being thrown out, but I'm keeping this treasure!

The Secret to Successful Parenting in the Parsonage

Mother's Day is near, and I'm reflecting on the challenges of raising children in what some say is a glass house. Entering the ministry with three little ones, I remember my fears and prayers for the Pastor's kids I called mine. My toddlers are now grown with babies of their own. With praise to God and encouragement to you I report they all love the Lord and thrived with parents in ministry.

What's the secret to successful parsonage parenting?

Prayer, for sure. But also, mom's and dad's attitude about your child and ministry.

Don't put expectations on your children because they are the Pastor's Kids.  Going to church every service, memorizing Scripture, having devotions, living a God-honoring lifestyle should be taught and expected by every Christian parent — not because their dad is Pastor, but because they are Christian.

Don't expect perfection from your child.  We all make mistakes and every person sins. There are times our children will disappoint us, no matter what roof covers their heads. We cannot expect perfection from any child. The Pastor's offspring are sinners too.

Focus on the positive aspects of ministry throughout your child-rearing years. Think on these benefits when negative feelings and fears creep into your mind:

1. The Pastor's hours are flexible. He's able to run home in an emergency or work from home if mommy is sick and needs help.

2. The Pastor is gone many nights, but he can be home in time to see his children after school. When my husband had night meetings, he came home in the afternoon for special time with his kids. Remember there are some CEO's who work every night until 9:00 and see their children on weekends only.

3. Opportunities abound for the Pastors' kids to learn about the world as they meet and interact with International Workers and hear of the worldwide work of Christ. Take advantage of moments to expose your children to God's servants.

4. Ministry may mean moving. Changing locations brings short-term trauma, but long-term strength as siblings unite and conquer new places of ministry.

5. The Pastor's children are under the influence of their father's weekly preaching. What a blessing. Some children know little of what their dads do all day. Not so, the Pastor's kid.

6. Pastors' kids may share in ministry with their parents. My husband loved taking our children with him to visit dear ones sick at home or in nursing homes. Oh how the elderly love seeing little children.

7. Camping vacations were all we could afford in the early days of ministry and became our children's favorite memories. Who doesn't love camping! Theme parks weren't in our budget, but the family fun of a grand hike up an Adirondack mountain with lunch tucked in our back packs and enjoyed when we reached the peak created memories our children are repeating with their children. Use your imagination and create fun that doesn't cost dollars. Those are the days your children will treasure.

8. Your children are known by name, loved, and prayed for by an entire congregation, your denomination's leaders, and workers around the world. Perhaps, those prayers are the greatest benefit of all.

Dan and I weren't perfect parents and we didn't raise perfect children. But, we did focus on the postive aspects of ministry thoughout our child-rearing years. Give yourself a splash of serenity and enjoy the life God called you to live, trusting the One who placed you exactly where He planned before any of your children were born.

Please bless me and other readers by sharing your secrets to successful parsonage parenting.

"All the days ordained for me were written in your book
 before one of them came to be." 

Psalm 139:16

Splashes of serenity prayed for your parsonage!

Dad, Your Little Girl Needs You

Without a word, this picture speaks to my heart. Our sweet little grandbaby Lillian Kate, born 5 weeks early, holding her daddy's hand.

 I imagine this is the first of many father/daughter hand holding occasions. Sweet Lily will hold her daddy's hand on walks and talks and fishing trips. During thunderstorms she'll run to her daddy for comfort and dance with him in delight through summer mud puddles. They'll hold hands and play ring around the rosey and skip to my lou! He'll hold her hand at the edge of the pool encouraging that first jump into the water and he'll dread letting go as she takes off on that first bike ride. Her dad will pat her hand walking down the aisle on her wedding day, and if the Lord allows she'll  pat Sam's at his death  (as I held my father's hand when he breathed his last and God took my daddy's hand from me). Hands are precious to God.

Being a little girl's daddy is a big responsibility because a father holds his little girl's heart in his hands. She isn't a baseball or a fly fishing rod, so be tender. Don't toss your daughter's heart to and fro because:

She'll watch her daddy to learn what God is like.

She'll look to her daddy to learn how a husband treats a wife.

She'll look to her daddy for her own self-esteem. 

Fathering little girls is scary business, Dads, but remember that God is holding your hand and He says 

 "For I am the Lord, your God, 

who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, 

Do not fear; I will help you."
Isaiah 41:13

 Call on Him and you will find Him helping you through all the joys and sorrows of your little girl's life.

With joy I welcome sweet little Lillian Kate into our arms and family. 

You are blessed, my 9th grandchild,

 for you are loved by many even before we kiss your lovely Lily face. 

Most important, 

you are loved by God, 

Who created you. 

You will hear of Jesus's love early in your life.

For that I am thankful.

 I know mommy and daddy already told you the wonderful news that

  you have a Savior who died so you might live.   

 Be blessed, my grandgirl. 

Love Jesus. 

He is holding your hands and 

He'll never let you go.

Grandchildren are sweet splashes of serenity to my soul,

12 Steps to Becoming a More Organized Woman



Ha!  Lane P. Jordan's book 12 Steps to Becoming a More Organized Woman was the book for me. I knew the moment I lost this book in all my mess, the time had come for me to get serious about clutter. 

12 Steps to Becoming a More Organized Woman is not your typical get-rid-of-the-clutter book. Jordan teaches to first declutter your heart and your brain and organize your day to streamline your life.  Join Jordan on a journey deleting the stuff that robs you of joy and adding activities that enhance your life. You'll soon have an organized home as well as a peaceful one as you focus on the beautiful instead of the mundane and move from existing to living.

Jordan teaches you to:

Organize your time for priorities like reading to your children.

Work on your marriage

Balance a career and family

Organize your finances.

Get rid of stressor and unhealthy food to optimize your life.

And so much more.

Weaved within these life-changing topics, Lane Jordan teaches the greatest truth of all:

Apart from Jesus you can do nothing.

Available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Christian Book Distributors.

You won't want to miss the splash of serenity these 12 steps bring to your home,

A Merry Married Christmas!

All your children really want for Christmas is for mommy and daddy to love each other. Read more of my thoughts for a Merry Married Christmas on http://dev.thelegacyconference.com/?p=2375.

Blessed to be a guest blogger on www.LegacyConference.com.

Christmas serenity prayed for all,

Keeping Christ the Center of Your Child's Christmas

As a parent, do you struggle keeping Christ the center of your child's Christmas? The world draws our little ones away from Jesus in so many subtle ways — especially at Christmas. I strive to give my loved ones presents that bring inquisitive eyes and easily-influenced ears back to the One Whose birth we celebrate December 25.

 Storytime — A 52-Week Bible Storybook for Families is the book I bought for my grandchildren this Christmas. If there is one book to buy for your little ones, please buy this one.

 



Author Catherine DeVries takes your family on a Bible adventure from Genesis through Acts. Written for children ages four and up, DeVries and her publisher, David Cook, produced a magnificent, beautifully illustrated, hardcover, interactive Bible devotional book for the entire family.

Storytime equips parents (and Sunday School teachers) with a weekly plan for an entire year of doing devotions together with their children. Each devotion only takes about 10 minutes. The heart of the book is Family Talk Time, in which you can remember and discuss the stories together, discover the Bible theme, and then share thoughts and experiences that relate to you personally as a family.

 Storytime includes:
 52 Bible stories;
 52 modern stories about families like yours that include colorful illustrations, comic books, and rebus formats; and
52 devotions exploring what you learned and closing with a prayer and memory verse.

I'm wrapping two for Christmas. I hope you do too!

You can purchase Storytime on Amazon.com at http://www.amazon.com/Storytime-52-Week-Bible-Storybook-Families/dp/0781409926/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1386015119&sr=1-2&keywords=Storytime

Give your family a splash of serenity at Christmas with a present that teaches His Presence,

A Working Mother Shares Her Heart

#workingmoms #allmoms #don'tgrowup #grabtissues

A working mom shares special thoughts from her journal. Enjoy. Grab tissues.

"My son, today you watched me paint my toenails.  Before school...work — who am I fooling?  You plopped your tough little self down beside me on the carpet at 7:15am and watched as I did my toenails.  How ”tough” can you really yet be, to still be so intrigued by this task? 

Yesterday I watched your first Little League practice.  So excited were you.  Running so fast, hitting so hard, throwing so far...running over to me “mommy are we going to play a real game now?”  Turning to catch my eye and wave from your grounding practice station.  Such a little natural.  So naturally sure of yourself with a ball in your hands and a team around you.  So grown up.  Or so not...

”Mommy sleep with me, on the floor, and DON’T LEAVE!  You can grocery shop TOMORROW AFTERNOON!”  Lining your Critter books up for me to read to you.

 I’ve stopped grumbling about that, ya know - knowing in my wisdom that all this will end.  In knowing that my deepest but most painful wish for you will be for it to end someday.  For I do want you to grow up — I wouldn’t wish for you to not grow up — that’s not what mommies do.  Not that they don’t want to.  Maybe we could find some way to freeze time in its place.  Yes, that must be the solution — just freeze these moments.  Move on when we’re READY 😊  Will mommy ever be ready?  No I think not. 

 

Back to the toenails... “What does it feel like mom?  Paint mine!”

“No son” I told you, “Boys don’t use nail polish.”  But there I go again projecting “bigness” onto you.  BIG boys don’t use nail polish but little boys might sometimes have a painted nail...because they have plopped down next to their mama while she does her nails before work.  And so I kissed you goodbye and had a lump in my throat all day because I did not paint your toenail... while I still could."

 

Praying for working mom's today. Praying for all mom's today. Treasure these moments while you still can. Let them be splashes of serenity to your soul in the chaotic world of mothering,

 

Praising God for Creating a New Life for Me to Love!

What a thrill to receive this announcement from Katie, my daughter-in-law, yesterday:

Baby Miller is our ninth grandchild, but no less exciting for us. Babies are miracles. Precious gifts given by a great God. Dan and I are honored to pray for and love this sweet package being knit in Katie's womb.

I remember the birth of my three children. In awe I touched their sweet faces and wondered,  How could anyone see a newborn baby and not believe in God? Each one such a miracle.

What were your first thoughts when you saw your baby?  I'd love to know.

Praising God for creating a new life for me to love!

"For you created my inmost being;

you knit me together in my mother's womb.

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

your works are wonderful,

I know that full well.

My frame was not hidden from you

when I was made in the secret place.

When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,

your eyes saw my unformed body.

All the days ordained for me

were written in your book

before one of them came to be."

Psalm 139:13-16

 

When I think of splashes of serenity, I realize in March there will be a big splash and I'll be a grandma once again! Hallelujah!!! The greatest splash of all!

 



Words Matter: What we say, pray, and write can change our families! Book Review

The words we say serve or suffocate our spouses, our children, and our world. It's time to change the way we talk to each other.

I gave a five star review to Words Matter — What we say, pray, and write can change our families! I wish I could have given a TEN! This is a must-read for every family.

In a world where bad language and disrespect screams on the air waves and highways of life, I wonder how we can change this behavior. Janet Lynn Mitchell tells us in her must-read book, Words Matter — What we say, pray, and write can change our families!

Packed with Scripture teaching God's Word how we should communicate, Words Matter is a parenting and marriage book that belongs in every home and read by every person. Mitchell addresses how we should respond with words when a child lies, is rude, or inappropriate with their language. Learn how to teach your child to apologize and break the habit of making excuses and blaming. Teach manners. Stop the bullying!

If every person would read this book, it would not only change the family, it would change the world. I know it changed me. I will keep it close by as a ready reference because Words Matter and what we say, pray, and write can change our families!

If the world would speak the way God teaches, what a splash of serenity we would be to each other! Let's change the way we talk. It begins with me and you.

For more information, see Janet's website www.JanetlynnMitchell.com or check it out on Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Words-Matter-What-change-families-ebook/dp/B009JQLD34/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1355321117&sr=1-4&keywords=Janet+Lynn+Mitchell

Merry Christmas!

Why I LOVE Book Signings

I LOVE book signings. Being a people person, I crave meeting readers face to face. Screen time can frustrate an extrovert like me. Get me out into the public — now!

Plus, the God appointments at each signing leave me amazed at how God works.

I remember my first book signing of my first book, Splashes of Serenity: Bathtime Reflections for Drained Moms. I stood at the store's entrance and handed a book to every person who walked in. Inviting them to take a look, I assured them they didn't have to buy and explained Splashes of Serenity: Bathtime Reflections for Drained Moms were short devotional stories of real moms whose lives have known pain and experienced victory.   

One customer listened to my "sales pitch" and started to cry. She shared with me:

 "I'm visiting my daughter. She just learned her 18 month old daughter will never walk. She and her husband are at their home devastated. I decided to give them some time alone and I went for a walk. I've never even seen this book store. I'm not from this city. But as I walked down the street it was as though God told me to go into this store. Then, the first person I meet is you who hands me this book for drained moms. I know I'm to buy it for my daughter."

 I prayed with her and stood in awe at God's divine intervention at a book signing. I will share similar stories in the future as my book signings often bring a stranger in need.

If you are in the Syracuse area, I'll be signing all three of my books this Saturday, September 8 at Sacred Melody bookstore (the same store where the above happened), 3501 James Street in Syracuse from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. I'd love to meet you.

Please pray for me as I am a guest on Bridge Street, News Channel 9 WSYR TV this Friday, September 7 live at 10:00 a.m. and recorded at 8:00 p.m.

 

 

May we never miss the opportunity to be a splash of serenity in someone's life.

Thanks for your splash of serenity to me!

Marriage! Having Fun Yet?

On the merry go round of life, are you and your honey having fun? I hope so. Dan and I work at playing hard. Aferall, God says we are His kids. I plan on acting like one.

Please, for the sake of your marriage, work at having fun with each other.


Schedule those play dates. 

Remember what you did when you first fell in love? Do it again.

Re-visit where you said "yes" and where you honeymooned.

Find a common interest. Dan loves to golf. I didn't, but I gave it a try. Now, I love golfing too. The quietness of the course, the sweet conversations as we walk the links, and the fun competition. Ha! There are days I outdrive him! Fun!!!

Dan insisted that twice a year we honeymooned, just the two of us. When I balked and said we couldn't afford it, his answer rang true, "A weekend away is cheaper than marriage counselling or a divorce." How I treasure those two days twice a year celebrating our love. Our children didn't suffer. They learned that mom and dad made their marriage a priority. That is a comforting thought each child deserves.

Last weekend we enjoyed a day at Saranac Lake and took a spin on the Adirondack Carousel! What a beautiful and fun place.

 The Carousel is unique with all hand-carved Adirondack animals.

My favorite is that pesky black fly!

 A trout picture for son Sam. He's still looking for this one!

A snapping turtle gave me a whole new reason for keeping my fingers inside my kayak.

Dan's always promising to catch me a delicious bass! Check out the loon behind us. So cool.

Many of our weekends away happen in the Adirondack Mts. So, this Carousel holds a special place in our hearts.

Create memories with your beloved. Grow old together laughing and loving and acting like kids.

Splashes of Adirondack Serenity and fun prayed for your marriage today,

Hold On To Your Hat! Don't Let Your Marriage Go!!!

"Hold on to your hat!" a writer said to me last week. Here come the radio interviews. I'm excited for all opportunities to share my thoughts and life as a wife, mother, grandmother, author, and a woman who loves God.

Please listen and enjoy:

Patricia Durgin's 68 minute interview with me on the Tip Tracy Radio Show. We talk about writing and marriage and We All Married Idiots. This interview is packed with some great marriage advice. You can listen at http://tiptracy.com/elaine-w-miller/

Balancing Marriage and Parenting is the topic on The Parents Plate where Brenda Nixon interviewed me today. Brenda wrote afterwards, "Wow! Elaine W. Miller was fun, funny, filled with fabulous fixes for frail marriages and parenting." You can listen at http://www.toginet.com/shows/theparentsplate On the top right corner is a listing of the shows. Mine is on 6/19/12.

Sandra Ardoin featured We All Married Idiots: Three Things You Will Never Change About Your Marriage and Ten Things You Can on her Trailer Tuesday blog. Check it out at http://sandraardoin.wordpress.com/2012/06/19/trailer-tuesday-we-all-married-idiots/

Thank you Patricia, Brenda, and Sandra for promoting my journey to strengthen marriages and families. Thank you to my prayer partners who keep my hat on my head during the ride. Love you all.

Thank you readers and listeners. May God use my words to encourage you to hold on to your hat and not let go of your marriage.

Splashes of Serenity!

Remembering the Day I Became a Mom

My only goal in life was to be a mom. I remember well the day I gave birth and God gave me a precious gift fresh from Heaven. Thanking God for the joys of motherhood, I share a reflection titled "Cheek-to-Cheek" from my book Splashes of Serenity: Bathtime Reflections for Drained Moms.

Words fail the feelings in my heart as I anticipate the arrival of my first-born child. Not as eager to greet me, she enjoys her peace and rest in the solace of my womb. I sing to her, talk to her, and jokingly name her "Hank." She is so loved and wanted in my life.

Her stubbornness showing even in her birth, she lingers too long and fights the muscles miraculously working to bring her from my womb into my arms. Hands strapped to my sides in preparation for an emergency C-section, I am thankful to be kept awake and alert. I don't want to miss any of her life. Her first cry brings big tears of joy and relief to me. Unable to move, I plead to see her and to touch this miracle. My arms ache more from desire to put my child in my arms than from the operating table restraints.

A faceless nurse brings still-crying Joanna to me and places our faces cheek-to-cheek. Our tears melt into one as a final farewell to our oneness. I smile and speak a simple, "I love you, Joanna." Her crying immediately stops as she hears the familiar voice of her mother. We are bonded forever. I long to dance through life with her cheek-to-cheek. To never leave her. To always assure her of my love. To share every tear and celebrate every joy.

God is like this. He desires to go dancing through life with us cheek-to-cheek, our tears meltng with His. He is always eager to say, "I love you, my child." How often we resist Him as we seek every road and piece of advice but His. We don't want to be born into His kingdom. We like it in our worldly womb. All the while, He is calling us to Himself, waiting for us to stop struggling in our own strength and to come to Him. He longs to hold us, comfort us, and help us through life's joys and trials. He is our "Abba"—Daddy, and He wants the first dance.

Oh Lord, I remember the joy of holding my first-born child. Remind me that you experience the same joy when I rest in Your arms. I don't want to dance through life without You. Let us go cheek-to-cheek together and let me always follow your lead.

Autographed copies of Splashes of Serenity: Bathtime Reflections for Drained Moms are available on this website. Thank you.

Blessed Mother's Day! Enjoy the treasure God gave to you when He gave you a child to love,

Why I Write and Why You Should Too

This morning's Scripture reading was a beautiful reminder of why I write and why you should too!

"... Future generations will hear about the wonders of the Lord. His righteous acts will be told to those not yet born. They will hear about everything He has done." Psalm 22:30-31

Years ago I began writing journals so that one day when I am dead, future generations will read them and know what God has done in my life. They will know the wonders of the Lord.

The world is filled with such tragic news. May we not be guilty of hiding the Good News from our grandchildren.

Do you journal? Wouldn't you love to read your great, great, great grandmother's thoughts? Leave your words and God's Word as a priceless inheritance to your children and your children's children's children.

Splashes of Serenity,