Dear Mom / Mama's Got a Fake I.D. Blog Tour

Every mom knows how communicating with a teenage girl cn be difficult, even impossible at times. One-word answers. defensive conversations. Daily arguments. How typical for teens to put up with barriers. All the while, moms truly long to know what their daughters really think.

Best-selling author Melody Carlson, whose books for women, teens, and children have sold more than three million copies, bridges this chasm with trusted insight. She speaks frankly in the voice of the teen daughters she's written for and she tells it like it is: struggles with identify, guys, friendship, and even parents--it's all here. The straight-talk to moms covers such things as "I need you, but you can't make me admit it," "I'm not as confident as I appear," and "I have friends. I need a mother."

Instead of focusing on outward behaviors, Dear Mom looks at a young woman's heart and reveals to moms:

• how to talk to teens so they hear,
• how to connect despite the differences of perspective or years and experiences,
• and how to strengthen the bond every mom and daughter ultimately wants.

The lively chapters in Dear Mom can be dipped into topically or used as a read-through tool by moms and daughters alike to understand what motivates or deflates, troubles or inspires--and just in time for Mother's Day and all the Mother's Days ahead.

Author's Bio:

Melody Carlson is the award-winning author of more than one hundred books for adults, children, and teens, with sales totaling more than three million copies. Beloved for her Diary of a Teenage Girl and Notes from a Spinning Planet series, she's also the author of the women's novels Finding Alice (in production now for a Lifetime-IV movie), Crystal Lies, On This Day, These Boots Weren't Made for Walking, and A Mile in My Flip-Flops. A mother of tow grown sons, Melody lives in central Oregon with her husband and chocolate lab retriever. She's a full-time writer and an avid gardner, biker, skier, and hiker.

Dear Mom: http://www.randomhouse.com/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9781400074914&ref=externallink_wbm_dearmom_sec_0330%20_01

Mama's Got A Fake I.D.

Formula for identity loss:

1. Take one multifaceted, intriguing human being
2. Bless her with a child
3. Mix with today's cultural assumptions
4. Add the demands of motherhood
5. Presto! all identity escept Mom disappers
   

For every woman wondering what hapened to the unique combination of gifts and abilities she was knwon for beforekids came long. Caryn Dahistrand Rivedeneira has good news: in Mama;s Got a Fake I.D. Rivendeneira helps moms reclaim their full identity as creative beings, gifted professionals and volunteers, loving friends, children of God--and mothers.

This inspiring and practical guide shows women how to break free from false guilt, learn a new language to express who they really are, and follow God's lead in sharing their true self with others. After all, motherhood doesn't have to mean losing one's identityu. Instead, being a mom makes it possible for a woman to discover a more complete identity as the person God made her to be.

Author Bio:
The former managing editor of Marriage Partnership and Christian Parenting Today, Caryn Dahistrand Rivedeneira has been a trusted voice writing and spreaking to women for more than a decade. Today she is the managing editor of GiftedForLeadership.com on line ommunity for Christian women in leadership. Rivadeneira works from home in the Chicago suburbs, where she lives with her husband and their three children.

Mama’s Got a Fake I.D.: http://www.randomhouse.com/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9781400074938&ref=externallink_wbm_mamasgotafakeid_sec_0330%20_01

Nurse/Grammy/Mom/Friend

I would like to introduce you to a really incredible woman. The term "nice" just isn't adequate. Lynn is one of those people you meed in social media sites that is--there--you can feel her presence. Do you know people that just emit a love you as you are hormone? Well, that's Lynn. Her love of people and genuine caring about what is going on with her virtual friends is incredible.

She has been chosen for a 365 Love Award because of the qualities over the year that she has demonstrated when people have asked for prayer and/or encouragement. Her beautiful comments come at just the right time. I laughed when I found out she had been a nurse--she is truly a caretaker of the human soul. Here is a bit about her life, and for me, it made the choice very easy to give her the award. So any others that I know have disabilities, in pain and suffer greatly, but they sort of give up on life. Lynn has chosen to live beyond the expectations.

"My life has been very blessed even in the hard times. And there have been plenty of those. God saw a way out of an abusive marriage for me and helped me to raise two sons with no support. My sons are now 33 and 35 and I've remained single for 32 years. They are both Christians now. God helped me get through nursing school 23 years ago.

I found through nursing God had much work for me to do for Him. You meet many with many needs in that field of work. Some are Christians needing support and some have no faith at all and there you can introduce God to them. I have survived uterine cancer at the age of 26 and presently have lived with 6 tumors from a diagnosis called firbromatosis that ended the nursing 8 years ago.

God still uses us even if we're sick or crippled. Doctors said I should be in a wheelchair but God knew better. The doctors were shocked that over the last 8 years I keep going do9wn on the pain meds instead of going up. I can't physically handle the meds so I tell them I'll keep trusting my Lord to help me manage the pain. I have wo granddaughters that I take care of while their dad, my son is in Iraq for his second tour. I go this next Tuesday to see a new doctor at MD Anderson in Houston. So far all I've heard from the medical community is I'm inoperable with no options but to plan on being more crippled. Regardless of what he says, I believe God will heal me in good time and continue to manage me until then. Anyways this is only a shell we live in on earth, its our soul that matters."

"Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience, and longsuffering with joyfullness." Colossians 1:11

As an update since Lynn sent me her story, she has been to Houston and is now back home awaiting the doctors opinions. If favorable it would mean 5 weeks in Houston having Proton radiation treatments. If not, she will be going to the doctors in her area for mri and CT scans to follow the diagnosis and offer whatever can be done. When you think of this story and Lynn, send up a prayer on her behalf. The prayer of agreement is strong! (Matthew 18:19)

Someone You Might Not Know

What an awesome day to be alive, and to know that each of us are leading somebody somewhere. Well, that might take the steam out of some agenda items today if you really knew who was watching you. My kids remind me often of small and seemingly insignificant details that are still in their memories that made a difference in how they live their lives.

Kids watch everything, even when we think they're playing or not paying attention--yes they are! The video below really just speaks so much more than mere words. A big thank you to the moms and dads, loving adults who do take a participant role in the life of kids, and many times not just their own. YOU do make a difference to somebody. Each success starts with one step and one word. Someone you might not know--is watching you and creating a future.