Christian Work At Home Moms Article

Welcome to Every MOMent Counts! Here you will find words harnessed together by energy and enthusiasm that I hope will provide encouragement and empowerment to you as a mom.

You see once God blessed me with the title “mom” my entire outlook on life was forever altered, tipped away from self and towards legacy. Suddenly my desire to glorify God was transcended from my life and into the life of His great blessing to me…my children. I was being entrusted with these tiny little lives to love and mold into “His little soldiers” as my younger brother declares.

In today’s world of “meism” the ability to place one’s personal desires aside and contemplate daily life through the lens of selfless motherhood can only be done… well, through the power of the Holy Spirit. And lest you think me a prideful, perfectionist, ninnymuggins; allow me to assure you my selflessness exists successfully only when I am well girded. The daily battle against self continuously screams loudly in my momlife.

Actually, so loudly does it scream that I am compelled though necessity to spend daily time in the word at most, and seek out scotch taped index cards streaming with Bible verses at least. My home is frequently alive with the cascading sounds of Christian contemporary music to wage war against my selfish thoughts. And on the days I really need some serious refocus – very loud, foot stomping strains of LeCrae, Skillet and Third Day are at a fever pitch level!

My children have always been the integral part of my life. They matter. I make time for them. I set aside my wants for their needs. I spend intentional time with them. I am always a teacher. I fail. I apologize. We keep moving forward. We make memories. We play. I am silly. I dance. I sing. I instruct. I have “do nothing” days. I cook. I am busy. I err. I ask for forgiveness. We rebuild. We laugh. We cry. We create. I take pictures – lots of pictures. We make memories. I am an intentional mom.

My children are now teens. We have a relationship…still. I am part of their lives. They talk to me about things. I know all their friends. They hang out at our home with their friends. They continue to accept instruction.

Why? How?

Intentionality works.

Remember…every MOMent counts!

Blessings.

Tracey

Tracey Eyster is the creator and senior editor of MomLife Today and has served with FamilyLife.com as a writer for three years. After becoming a mom, she “retired” from her career in public relations and marketing but continued to serve by volunteering on many committees and boards. She is passionate about momlife, encouraging other moms through speaking and writing, and is in the process of publishing her first book. Tracey is happily married to Bill has two teenagers at home (and several extras always looking for some fun n’ home cookin) and they live the simple life on a small ranch – horses, four wheelers, go carts and dirt bikes included! Always known as the “fun mom”- she embraces that title and challenges other moms to lighten up and make memories because … Every MOMent Counts! You can find her at www.momlifetoday.com, www.momlifeoutloud.com , www.blog.familymatters.net follow her on twitter at www.twitter.com/momblog, and hear tips from her on parenting at www.iquestions.com.


Great article I hope you enjoyed it!

To Your Success!




Lori


Lori McDowelL
Internet Ceo Moms
Helping Families Work From Home Since 1999!

Top Ten Reasons To Become A Customer!

I have been a customer of Melaleuca for 3 years and it is the best decision I made for my family for a number of reasons.

1. These products are the best products I have ever used! They actually do what they are suppose to which is awesome. We have improved our way of life by just switching stores and becoming a customer.

2. They are green products, so there are no harmful chemicals in them. I had no idea what the chemicals in our every day products are so hazardous to our health! These harmful chemicals can cause asthma, breathing problems, allergies, etc. No thank you, I am sticking with Melaleuca! Plus, everything is recyclable. Melaleuca has been a green company for over 25 years, they were a green company before it was popular.

3. These products help so many people with who have conditions such as, asthma, allergies, eczema, psoriasis, and so many other.

4. Melaleuca saves you money! The products are concentrated so they last longer! Laundry detergent, cleaners, shampoo, hand soap etc., will last you at least 3-4 times longer. Sometimes they last longer than that! The products can be mixed together and become multi-purpose cleaners as well as bug repellent.

5. Melaleuca gives you loyalty shopping dollars which are great and another way to save money. Melaleuca gives all new customers $20 worth of free products for the five months and then you accumulate them every month after that. I average $30 worth of free products. Plus you get 30-40% off the retail price just for being a customer.

6. Melaleuca will replace your trips to Walmart or Target because Melaleuca offers your everyday products. They have the following lines of products; Bath & Body, Skincare, Cosmetics, Dental, Laundry, Cleaners, Nutritional Food Line, Vitamins, Pharmaceutical, Kids, and Sports Nutrition. Think of the time you will save and gas money. I can tell you I love not having to take my son to Walmart or Target, we save money just staying out of those stores. This is all because I decided to try a new store and it was a great decision.

7. Melaleuca offers so many other services like discounts on cell phones, security systems, health care and the MarketPlace is great. The MarketPlace allows you to order from your favorite stores like Target, Kohls, Best Buy, Overstock.com, and about 400 other popular stores. You get anywhere from 5-15% off plus, Loyalty Shopping products to use to get free products.

8. Melaeuca offers coupons every month to give you even better savings for your favorite products.

9. Melaleuca will send you a thank you check for referring new customers. How many stores do that? You can refer as many customers as you would like and every time they order what they need, you will receive a monthly thank you check. I can tell you I have been receiving a check every month for almost 3 years and it more than pays for my products every month. It is like getting free products and making a profit. I do not know any stores that offers that. Plus, I love sharing these awesome products/store with others.

10. Melaleuca is usually only $29 a year to join and $12 annually, but this month it is only a $1 and there is no risk to join. Everything is guaranteed and you can cancel at anytime. It is a month to month membership. There is no penalty to cancel at any time.

There are several more reasons to join Melaleuca but I will stop there. I love Melaleuca because it is a Direct Consumer Company, not a MLM or Pyramid. There is the option to build a business with Melaleuca with great residual income. The great thing is people can just be customers and not build. The products are so great most people end up sharing it with the people they love and therefore they receive a check. It is a great company with Christian values and it all starts with the CEO. Melaleuca has been in business for over 25 years and has won several awards for providing excellent service to their customers as well as their community. That is what really impresses me. Check out Melaleuca's awards at the top of my blog. They have grown every year since they opened their doors in 1985.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me at lannmc@live.com.

I hope this information is valuable to you!

To Your Success!

Lori

Lori McDowell

What An Inspiring Way to Teach!

Fifth Grade Assignment

Wouldn't this be great if it was taught in every school.


A fifth grade teacher in a Christian school asked her class to look
At TV commercials and see if they could use them in 20 ways
To communicate ideas about God.


Here are some of the results: scroll down.





God is like.
BAYER ASPIRIN
He works miracles.

God is like.
A FORD
He's got a better idea..

God is like.
COKE
He's the real thing.


(This is great)

God is like.
HALLMARK CARDS
He cares enough to send His very best.

God is like.
TIDE
He gets the stains out others leave behind. ..

God is like.
GENERAL ELECTRIC
He brings good things to life.

God is like.
WAL-MART
He has everything.

God is like.
ALKA-SELTZER
Try Him, you'll like Him

God is like.
SCOTCH TAPE
You can't see Him, but you know He's there.

God is like..
DELTA
He's ready when you are.

God is like.
ALLSTATE
You're in good hands with Him.

God is like.
VO-5 Hair Spray;He holds through all kinds of weather

God is like.
DIAL SOAP
Aren't you glad you have Him? Don't you wish everybody did?
(that one is my favorite)



God is like .
The U.S. POST OFFICE
Neither rain, nor snow, nor sleet nor ice will keep Him from
His appointed destination.

God is like.
Chevrolet. . . .the heart beat of America

God is like
Maxwell House. .... .
Good to the very last drop


God is like.
B o u n t y . . . .
He is the quicker picker upper. . Can handle the tough jobs. ....
And He won't fall apart on you

BLESSINGS FROM
MY HOUSE TO YOUR HOUSE
Peace, Love and Prosperity to all!

Lori

Lori McDowell
Internet Ceo Moms
Helping Moms Work From Home Since 1999!

Handling Change

Change: We can actually choose to embrace it; or completely resist it!

We are at a time in our lives when there is much change occurring; and we are more frequently being faced with choices! We often don't see them
as choices; but that's what they are!

We are being given a multitude of opportunities to actually embrace change; or to resist it! This applies equally in our business and personal lives.

Sometimes the necessity for change just happens, and sometimes it is forced upon us quite unexpectedly!

Either way, we are often faced with tough decisions to make and our attitude towards our circumstance s are critical to whether we just survive, or come out thriving!

At other times we need to investigate the change ourselves: and its times
like these that we often have to admit to ourselves that something, or
someone, just isn't working in our lives any more. You might be feeling
like you're in one of those ruts which creep into our lives from time
to time? If you are, remember that a rut is really a grave with the
ends kicked out of it, and it is time to do something, perhaps!

Sure, we have very challenging choices to make when this sort of stuff occurs
in our lives; but we need to make those choices; act upon them; and
move on as wiser people.

Whether you are faced with change that creeps up and bites you on the butt; or whether you have to create a change for your own sake; the ability to accept things as they are, and move forward, is critical. One door closes; another one opens!

Do your best to remember this paradox of life: We can often stare for so long at the door which has closed; that we can miss a new one which has opened!

It is actually very easy to resist change; but keep in mind that resisting
change is actually hard work! Quite often, we don't even know that we
are resisting it; so like most other things in life, it's about being
aware!

Right now, change is being forced upon us in many ways; and for some of us, that could possibly be overwhelming. My suggestion for anyone who is feeling the pinch, is to remember that, necessity is the mother of invention so if you can get yourself into embracing the change which is forcing itself upon you, and get creative, then you may come out of your own situation absolutely shining!

Yes folks, our attitude towards change, does make all the difference!

We can choose to Embrace it ... or Resist it!

Remember: None of us have to do it tough on our own ... ever!
Because: doing it tough on our own ... is also a choice!

Phil Evans
Phil Evans is a Motivator, Business Coach and Inspirational Writer based in Australia.

I love this article and it is so true, it is all about how we respond! So, I choose to embrace it!

I hope this has helped you in some way.

To Your Future!

Lori

Lori McDowell
Internet Ceo Moms
Helping Families Work From Home Since 1999

Advertising Your Business

The following is a great article by Marilee Parrish. It contains great information.

Today we’re going to discuss the remaining avenues you can utilize to advertise your business.

Newspaper Advertising

Advertising in the newspaper may be a good avenue for your business if your target market is in a certain age-range (40+).

Cons: Newspaper subscriptions are down all over the country. Most young families read their news online instead of leafing through a paper. It is also generally very expensive to run an ad in the paper.

Google and Facebook Ads

In my opinion, the top 2 places to advertise online are through Google and Facebook Ads. I have used both successfully, but I prefer Facebook ads over Google ads because Facebook setup is much more user-friendly and I also believe that the Facebook ads generate more long-term interest. In both cases, you can select your target market by using keywords that apply to your audience. In my case, I always prefer to post my ads on sites that “Christian Moms” visit, so I use those keywords. If you run these ads for a few days at a time, you can make a great impact on your market at a low cost.

Cons: Running the ads for long periods of time can get pricey. Make sure you read all the directions before you begin (especially with Google!) and set a daily price limit and run dates, otherwise you’ll end up paying a lot more than you think!

Ads on Prominent Sites

Many active websites sell ad space on their sites. The going rate varies but usually runs between $25-$100 a month. You will have a 125×125 “button” created and sent to the website. Sometimes the website owner offers to create the button ad for you at an additional fee. A few sites that I recommend for women to advertise their business on are: CWAHM.com, Market Mommy, The Work at Home Woman, Mommy Perks, SITS, and Living My Moment.

Cons: You may get clicks and you may not. You want to make sure that your “button ad” stands out from the rest to get maximum exposure.

PR Firms

As opposed to have just a button ad that sits on a website, which may or may not generate any interest, you can hire a PR firm to create content about your business and your products. Content draws interest much better than button ads. Ads on websites are often ignored whereas if a subject is interesting and an entire article is created about it, you’ll get readers excited about your product. PR Firms will often run a giveaway for you as well which helps generate even more buzz about your business.

Cons: Good PR can be expensive! Finding the right PR firm who will do a good job for you and is affordable can be a costly nightmare.

My recommendation: I have used these firms before and have found that Mommy Perks offers the absolute best service and has many affordable options. Mommy Perks is owned by Shara Lawrence-Weiss and I have never met another person who works harder to see her clients succeed.

Free Advertising

You want to make sure that you get your business out there on as many free sites as possible so that your brand and business becomes recognizable and its great for SEO (Search Engine Optimization). Place ads on Craigslist, Backpage, Living My Moment, you can post about your business in appropriate places on sites like CafeMom and SocialMoms, too. Never underestimate the power of a Facebook Fan page and a twitter account either. There are lots of free options out there to help you take your business to the next level.

Cons: Posting about your business online is very time consuming. Make sure you are updating your info regularly or it will get ignored.

MariLee Parrish is a Christian author of over 10 books and the founder and CEO of Mommy Bag Marketing, Inc. where their vision is to spread joy and Christian resources to moms across the country…one bag at a time! Please visit her website at www.mommybagmarketing.com to learn more.

I hope this information has helped you!

To Your Success!

Lori

Lori McDowell
Internet Ceo Moms
Helping Moms Work from home since 1999!

The story behind Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer

This is a great story! Very inspirational! We can all learn from this story!

The True Story of Rudolph

A man named Bob May, depressed and brokenhearted, stared out his drafty apartment window into the chilling December night.

His 4-year-old daughter Barbara sat on his lap quietly sobbing. Bob's wife, Evelyn, was dying of cancer Little Barbara couldn't understand why her mommy could never come home. Barbara looked up into her dad's eyes and asked, "Why isn't Mommy just like everybody else's Mommy?" Bob's jaw tightened and his eyes welled with tears. Her question brought waves of grief, but also of anger. It had been the story of Bob's life. Life always had to be different for Bob.

Small when he was a kid, Bob was often bullied by other boys. He was too little at the time to compete in sports. He was often called names he'd rather not remember. From childhood, Bob was different and never seemed to fit in. Bob did complete college, married his loving wife and was grateful to get his job as a copywriter at Montgomery Ward during the Great Depression. Then he was blessed with his little girl. But it was all short-lived. Evelyn's bout with cancer stripped them of all their savings and now Bob and his daughter were forced to live in a two-room apartment in the Chicago slums. Evelyn died just days before Christmas in 1938.

Bob struggled to give hope to his child, for whom he couldn't even afford to buy a Christmas gift. But if he couldn't buy a gift, he was determined to make one - a storybook! Bob had created an animal character in his own mind and told the animal's story to little Barbara to give her comfort and hope. Again and again Bob told the story, embellishing it more with each telling. Who was the character? What was the story all about? The story Bob May created was his own autobiography in fable form. The character he created was a misfit outcast like he was. The name of the character? A little reindeer named Rudolph, with a big shiny nose. Bob finished the book just in time to give it to his little girl on Christmas Day. But the story doesn't end there.

The general manager of Montgomery Ward caught wind of the little storybook and offered Bob May a nominal fee to purchase the rights to print the book. Wards went on to print,_ Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer_ and distribute it to children visiting Santa Claus in their stores. By 1946 Wards had printed and distributed more than six million copies of Rudolph. That same year, a major publisher wanted to purchase the rights from Wards to print an updated version of the book.

In an unprecedented gesture of kindness, the CEO of Wards returned all rights back to Bob May. The book became a best seller. Many toy and marketing deals followed and Bob May, now remarried with a growing family, became wealthy from the story he created to comfort his grieving daughter. But the story doesn't end there either.

Bob's brother-in-law, Johnny Marks, made a song adaptation to Rudolph. Though the song was turned down by such popular vocalists as Bing Crosby and Dinah Shore , it was recorded by the singing cowboy, Gene Autry. "Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer" was released in 1949 and became a phenomenal success, selling more records than any other Christmas song, with the exception of "White Christmas."

The gift of love that Bob May created for his daughter so long ago kept on returning back to bless him again and again. And Bob May learned the lesson, just like his dear friend Rudolph, that being different isn't so bad. In fact, being different can be a blessing.




I hope you have enjoyed this and has brighten your day in some way!


Merry Christmas 2010!

Lori
www.momsforgreen.com

A prayer that might help

Almighty God,
help me to remember that
You alone are perfect.

You alone possess infinite patience.

When I expect perfection from
myself, teach me humility.
When I seek perfection in others,
give me patience.

Help me to treat others as I would
have them treat me, knowing
that we are all imperfect mortals.
Rid my mind of pride and power
this day and always.
In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

Submitted By: Jack Henry


I hope this helps you everyday!

Lori

HANDY LITTLE CHART - GOD HAS A POSITIVE ANSWER:

YOU SAY
GOD SAYS
BIBLE VERSES

You say: 'It's impossible'
God says: All things are possible
( Luke 18:27)

You say: 'I'm too tired'
God says: I will give you rest
( Matt hew 11:28-30)

You say: 'Nobody really loves me'
God says: I love you
( John 3:16 )

You say: 'I can't go on'
God says: My grace is sufficient
(II Corinthians 12:9 & Psalm 91:15)

You say: 'I can't figure things out'
God says: I will direct your steps
(Proverbs 3:5- 6)

You say: 'I can't do it'
God says: You can do all things
( Philippians 4:13)

You say: 'I'm not able'
God says: I am able
(II Corinthians 9:8)

You say: 'It's not worth it'
God says: It will be worth it
(Roman 8:28 )

You say: 'I can't forgive myself'
God says: I Forgive you
(I John 1:9 & Romans 8:1)

You say: 'I can't manage'
God says: I will supply all your needs
( Philippians 4:19)

You say: 'I'm afraid'
God says: I have not given you a spirit of fear
( II Timothy 1:7)

You say: 'I'm always worried and frustrated'
God says: Cast all your cares on ME
(I Peter 5:7)

You say: 'I'm not smart enough'
God says: I give you wisdom
(I Corinthians 1:30)

You say: 'I feel all alone'
God says: I will never leave you or forsake you
(Hebrews 13:5)


I hope this helps you in some way!

Have a great day!

Lori
www.momsforgreen