Will Work for Skittles!

One of our members of our leadership team, Elizabeth Fowler, sent me this funny story and I just had to share it with you. Maybe you can relate and get some creative ideas of your own! She wrote:

"I have a cute idea to share with you.
We always talk to the kids about seeing something that needs to be done and doing it without being asked (not to mention just picking up their own stuff). I have noticed lately that I am doing way to much picking up around the house.
Yesterday the trash was over-full & I am the one who would do it. I decided to leave it in there to see if anyone else who lives in our house might see the need and take it out. However, I put a mini-pack of skittles under the bag for the person who took it out to find and enjoy (as a special surprise reward) for their servant heart.
You know how it went. Even though it was tied up in the container (HINT, HINT), everyone just stuffed more and more trash in. Someone even set a piece of trash on top of the tied up bag. What is that!?
So this morning, we talked about leadership, serving, seeing needs around them, etc & I showed them the skittles.
Then I told them that for fun, I would hide the skittles every day in or by a job that needed to be done. With a one year old in the house there are always toys to be picked up, food to be cleaned up, etc. They were so excited.
Maybe I'll even put some in the dishwasher this afternoon!!!!"

Thanks for sharing, Elizabeth! But beware of leaving candy around!!! Have you read my post about the mice???? They don't help out like the ones on Cinderella! If only......

God Bless!

Get to know.....GINGER PELLETIER!

On this "get to know..." post, I want to introduce you to Ginger Pelletier. Ginger has been with Legacy Moms from the beginning....and many years before our little group turned into Legacy Moms! I first met Ginger and Jeff when they were pregnant with their first baby and they attended a parenting class we were helping to teach. It has been such a privilege and joy to see what God has done through them as their family has grown and how they now minister to others through parenting classes and marriage classes. If you were at our annual "Dad's Night" this summer, you got a chance to hear Ginger and Jeff talk about marriage and you saw first hand how great they are. We are so privileged to have Ginger on the team!

Ginger, describe some of the things you do at Legacy Moms?

I serve as a table facilitator/ coffee maker/ encourager to mommies!


Tell me about your family.

My husband, Jeff and I celebrated our 13th anniversary on August 19th! Being married to him has been a blast. Our oldest son, Justin is 9 years old. Our daughter Maegan is 7 and youngest son, Ryan is 5. The older two children attend Coram Deo Academy. This school affords them the opportunity to have classroom instruction two days a week on campus and spend the other days at home with me…making sure that they complete all their assignments before the next day of class. I’ve decided to have Ryan stay home from pre-school this next year and hang out with me. Being the third child, I feel like he gets the short end of the stick much too often and I’m enjoying the hang time with him! We have a dog, Charlie. He’s a mutt and we love him. As a family, we like to snow ski, hang at the beach, bike ride, camp in a tent, go to the lake and read together.

Where do you go to church and what sort of things are you involved in there?

We have been members of Fellowship Church for 12 years. Jeff and I enjoy serving together in ministry. We serve in the married life ministry where our purpose is encouraging and strengthening marriages. Serving in the Parenting Ministry allows us to minister to families as they maneuver through some of the toughest season’s of their lives. And last, but not least, we love to help in the Kids ministry during special events. Serving at kids’ camp for the first time this summer was wonderful!

What is the most rewarding part of being involved in LM for you?

Gleaning wisdom from Kym! God has used her to shape the way that I view my role as a wife and mother. I have been equipped in parenting and can partner with my husband and the Holy Spirit to bring these little ones to moral maturity…God willing! When I am not doing such a great job, I can rely on my Legacy friends to lift me up, put things into perspective and set me off on the right path. I have a safe place to go when I need to admit my inadequacy, failure, struggles and needs. It’s a blessing to have their support and this is why I serve in this ministry; to give other mom’s the same safe place! It’s both rewarding to give and receive!!!


When did you become a Christian?

In college. I lay in my bed one night crying because of the mess I made of my grades, friendships and work situation. For the first time in ever I got an overwhelming knowledge of God. I was so embarrassed that I had not thought about Him or lived for Him…ever! I asked God to forgive me and to please help me out of the mess I made of my life. I had no idea how to get to God. A week later I was at work as a waitress and a handsome young lad was sitting at one of my tables. I realized that I knew him from my hometown. So we made the connection with one another and went on a date….water skiing! He then began to take me to church and introduce me to Jesus and encourage me to trust in Him. I accepted Jesus into my life a few months later and then married the boy!


Finish these statements:

If you see me around town it would most likely be at: The grocery store! Why can’t I seem to make just one trip? Lifetime Fitness in Flower Mound….Love It! The Lewisville Library.


The last great book I read was: Lord, Change My Attitude before it’s too Late by James MacDonald. I didn’t know I had an attitude problem till I read this book. It’s great!

My favorite part of being a mom is: Hanging out with these cool kids. Now that the kids are a bit older, we have the best time together. Conversations are meaningful and thought provoking, recreation is more fun than a beating and it seems like we work more as a team to keep the house running than me doing everything for everyone all the time!

The most challenging part of being a mom is: Parenting! Pinpointing behaviors and putting wise words to correcting attitudes is challenging for me. Balancing time between the three is seemingly impossible and I constantly feel like I’m failing someone. If I get all my chores and to do list done, I find that I’ve ignored the kids all day. Will I ever learn to do both? Who knows! I find myself staying up late to get things done and telling the Lord to help me cherish every moment of these child rearing years because once they are gone, I’ll miss the commotion. I sure do love my kids!

The best advice I have ever received was: This is just a season of your life and you should embrace it instead of wishing it away. This was most helpful when I had three children in preschool/diapers. I remember it being very challenging physically, emotionally and relationally.

My family would describe me as: Just asked my kids. Justin said that I “am loving, joyful, happy, spiritual and strict”. Maegan said that I’m “nice, cute, helpful and that’s all”. Ryan says that I “praise Jesus, like daddy, and like our hamster”.

The lesson God has been teaching me lately is: To have an eternal perspective with my husband and kids. He’s been helping me let go of feeling like I should always say “yes” to every volunteer and social opportunity. I spend as much time as possible at home. I don’t talk to my friends nearly as much as I desire, but am honoring God by keeping my schedule manageable for our family’s sake. And keeping myself available for Kingdom Moments!

When my kids are grown, the thing I hope that remember about me the most is: I loved every minute spent with them. That I always encouraged them to lean on Jesus and develop a personal relationship with Him. I pray that they will always know that it was not I who raised and parented them; it was the strength and wisdom of the Holy Spirit through me that did it. All glory be to God!

What I wish I had known when I first started having kids that I know now: Everyone talks about how your life is changed when you have kids. “You’ll never love anyone as much as you love your kids” I wish that I would have known how much my marriage was going to change. Jeff and I had never had a disagreement before these little munchkins came along. It is a constant battle to stay connected both to one another in our marriage relationship and stay on the same page in parenting. We have grown so much through our parenting experience.

Thank you, Ginger, for sharing your heart and your time with us!

Get to know....Shelly Moss!

Shelly is such a fun person and really, deeply, cares about people. God sent her to Legacy Moms during the development stages and although I knew then it was a blessing, I didn't fully understand or appreciate what an absolute GIFT she would be to the ministry! We could not have gotten Legacy Moms off the ground as quickly as we did without her tireless work and expertise. I'm excited for you to get to know her:

What is your role in Legacy Moms? I am the legal counsel (and board member)

Tell me about your family? My Husband is Rodney Moss and we have 4 children, Hannah 15, Ian 13, Olivia 10 and Sophie 9. We also have 3 dogs, a guinea pig and a hamster.

Where do you go to church and what sort of things are you involved in there? We attend Fellowship Church. We have done volunteer work, Hometeam Leadership and we are about to get involved in the mission trips.

What is the most rewarding part of being involved in LM for you? Sharing. Knowing that as Christian Moms that we are not alone. We have Sisters in Christ how can stand with us as we raise our children to know Jesus.

When did you become a Christian? I became a Christian at the Calgary Baptist Church in Paris, Texas when I was in third grade. It was my Grandmother’s Church and she took me there when ever we visited. She never missed Church and she is still one of the Christian women I look to as a role model.

Finish these statements:

If you see me around town it would most likely be at: a sporting event for a child

The last great book I read was: Same Kind of Different as Me. It is an awesome book and everyone should read it!

My favorite part of being a mom is: Just being there, being part of their lives, dreaming of what they will do and who they will become

The most challenging part of being a mom is: Discipline. To discipline in a meaningful way, as a correction, not as a result of my short temper.

My favorite saying: You can ask for anything as long as you are willing to accept “No” for the answer.

My family would describe me as: Caring. They know that I care about each of them and what they are doing and how they are feeling.

The lesson God has been teaching me lately is: That I can’t please everyone. I have please God and He will work out the rest.

When my kids are grown, the thing I hope that remember about me the most is: That I loved God first, My Husband second and them third. I hope they go on to do the same.

What I wish I had known when I first started having kids that I know now: That the time really does fly and you should enjoy every single moment and I mean every moment!

Thanks, Shelly! We are blessed to have you on the team!

Get to know.....MICHELE RICHARDSON

Hi there!

One of the greatest privileges I have in my life is being involved in Legacy Moms, mainly because I get to be surrounded by the incredible women that make up our leadership team. They are truly remarkable women and I am really humbled to get to serve alongside them. I have learned so much from them. These are the women that sharpen me, hold me accountable, and listen when I need a friend. I would love for you to get to know each and every one one of them. So, every now and then I will feature one of them in The Journal. I hope that as you read the interviews, you will feel like you just sat down over a cup of coffee and got to know them personally. I also hope that as you get to know more about different people on our team, you will come to Legacy Moms, sit at different tables, and let us get to know you, too!

It is only fitting that I start with Michele Richardson, who is really the "hands and feet" of Legacy Moms, one of my dearest friends and someone I admire greatly:

What is your role in Legacy Moms? Co- Founder, VP and administrative coordinator to the leadership team

Tell me about your family. I have a godly husband, Toby. We have been married 16 years. Our three children are Graham (13), Kayli (10) and Ty is 7 years old. Toby is a territory manager for a company called Secure Computing. He works out of our home office which can be a blessing but also difficult in the summer with three loud kids who have friends over all the time! My children go to Liberty Christian School and love it! Graham is on the 8th grade football team. Kayli plays select softball with a group of Liberty friends and is very social. Ty is my outgoing, never met a stranger type of kid... He makes friends so easily. He loves Legos and action figures and can talk to a wall :)!

Where do you go to church and what sort of things are you involved in there?
We have been members at Fellowship Church for 16 years. Over the course of 16 years we have served as Sunday school/preschool teachers, Kindergarten leaders, HomeTeam leaders, Adventure Week volunteers, Prep. For Toddler leaders, Prep. For Parenting leaders, Growing Kids God way leaders, Reflections of Moral Innocence helpers and First Time Visitor Guides. We are currently HomeTeam Leaders in Southlake. We recently moved to Bartonville (Argyle) to be closer to the kids school which is making the drive to church more of a challenge... Especially the youth Wednesday night activities. So we are in prayer as to God’s will if we should find a new home church. What a difficult decision when we have been so blessed at FC for so long!

What is the most rewarding part of being involved in LM for you?
I love sitting around the table each month and hearing all that God is doing in the lives of the women at my table. Their stories encourage me and uplift me to be the best mom I can be. It is as if God has given Kym the perfect topic each month just for me to speak to my heart .

When did you become a Christian?
September 27, 1988. I was a sophomore at TCU and met a guy who loved Jesus. His example was so powerful in my life that I finally realized that all I needed to do was ask God to take control of my life and accept the gift of salvation without having to be perfect.... His grace was all I needed! So, in my dorm room that night, I got on my knees and asked Jesus into my heart and life hasn’t been the same since.... What a joy filled life I now live :)... God is so good!

Finish these statements:

If you see me around town it would most likely be at: the gym taking step classes, jogging around my neighborhood or playing tennis in Southlake.

The last great book I read was: The Shack by William P. Young.... Great book!

My favorite part of being a mom is: the hugs my 7 year old still gives, my sweet daughter always telling me she loves me and the deep talks about God I have with my teenager.

The most challenging part of being a mom is: Seeing my kids go through challenging times and letting God help them through it. I so badly want to go in and try to “fix it” for them.

The best advice I have ever received was: My mother-in-law is always giving me great godly advice and she is the one who has told me to let God work in my kids lives at a young age because she felt like she always went in the “fix” their problems and therefore they had to go through them again as adults etc...

My family would describe me as: Laid back and spontaneous.

The lesson God has been teaching me lately is: to trust my husband with all the decisions for our family. God has put him as head of this household and I need to follow his lead. I have known this for 16 years of marriage but when hard times come, I want to take control myself!

When my kids are grown, the thing I hope that remember about me the most is: My daily quiet times in the mornings... Praying and studying God’s word.

What I wish I had known when I first started having kids that I know now: what a great responsibility God has given me to raise these kids to follow Him and be servants for His kingdom. At first I thought it was all about the joy of having a family (and the tough times of nursing them and diapers etc..... )... now I know and hope my kiddos will grow to love Him with all their hearts and serve Him deeply as adults. I can’t wait to see what God does in their lives.

Thanks Michele! You are a blessing.

A Boy Story

We have a lot of wildlife around our house. We live near a river and have lots of trees, so we get to experience a lot of different "critters." For example, in the past three months I have witnessed a group of five (yes, I said five) armadillos making their way across our backyard, I've looked out the window and witnessed a hawk swooping down to pick up a snake, then backing off when the snake reared up at it, and we had a few mice move in with us (temporarily) when I went out of town unexpectedly and my children left a pixie stick and a Tootsie-Roll pop in our garage, along with a trail of Goldfish crumbs leading to our kitchen and practically hung a "Welcome" sign on the door. We also had a blue-tailed skink (I really have no idea what that is, but that's what Cameron called it) running around our living room last week which he had to catch in a jar and take outside before I had a meltdown.
In case you haven't figured it out yet, I'm not a big fan of little critters when they are in my living space! Don't get me wrong, I love the bunnies that live in our yard and the squirrels don't bother me a bit, but the creepy things literally make my skin crawl! My boys have learned that I do not really want to see the frog, or the lizard, or the dead anything that they found outside.
Well, today just takes the cake! You see, we were running late to football camp, so I told Cameron to grab his football shoes (which are kept in the garage) and put them on in the car because I didn't have time to wait for him to tie them. (That is a whole other story that you are probably familiar with if you come to Legacy Moms!)
Anyway, we are driving on the highway when Cameron sticks his foot in his shoe and yells out, 'Oh, Man! That is gross!" First of all, I'm trying to drive on the freeway. Suddenly yelling out was mistake #1. Secondly, I know those shoes have been in the garage and my mind is spinning....is something about to come out? What if it touches me? How quickly can I pull over and get out of this car??? Thirdly, do you have any idea how gross it must be if HE things it is gross???
So I ask Cameron what it is and with a look of disgust, he tells me that there is a baby snake, cut in half, now smashed inside his shoe. He then goes into detail about how the blood and guts are all squished inside his shoe and the eyes are still looking up at him. At this point, I am about to get sick (especially since I am getting over a little stomach bug as it is!)
We pull over and Cameron shakes the smooshed baby snake carcass out of his shoe and then proceeds to just put his shoe back on! As if nothing happened! When seeing my look of horror, he looks at me and says "I'm just glad I have socks on!" Then he laughs and says to me "Hey, mom! There's a snake in my boots! Ha Ha! Just like Woody in Toy Story!"
All I can say is, I sure am glad I have a mini-man in my life that can handle all these traumatic events for me when the Big Man isn't around! And then just laugh about it! That's my BOY! He's gonna make some girl a really good husband one day!

God Bless!