Five Reminders For A Better 2023

This comes from Jonathan Buttry in Holston. Tennessee. Brother Buttry is an active teacher and leader in the Primitive Baptist Universalist community. I have relied on them to help me understand a few weighty religious or spiritual concepts over the past couple of years. I think that there is some real wisdom here.

5 reminders for a better 2023

1. "Honor your father and mother" should never mean accepting their manipulation, abuse, or toxic interactions or behavior.

2. Being a "person of faith" should never mean that seeking professional therapy is a sign of weakness.

3. "Taking up your cross" should never mean denying your needs, desires, or individuality.

4. Being a "Godly woman" should never mean assuming a posture of inferiority, submission and appeasement to men, to tolerate domination and abuse.

5. The "fear of the Lord" should never mean living in a state of anxiety and uncertainty about being unconditionally worthy of acceptance and love.

Some thoughts on where we come from

 Waiting for the northbound train in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1921

during the Great Migration.

Youngsters from Washington D.C. in the early 1940s.

The following was written by Bobbie Rutledge and appeared on the Appalachian
Americans Facebook page:

I knew a man, he was a poor man but an honest and hardworking man. He pulled corn for $.25 cents a day. He graduated from high school in a time, where most young people did not. He wanted to go to University of Georgia to become a Soil Conservationist since he came from sharecroppers. He wanted to import their lives and see that they could own their own land. However he got a letter from Uncle Sam that he was needed. This man, who had never gone any further than 25 miles from Georgia went to Texas, California, Florida, France, and Germany. He drove a tank. When he got back he farmed along side his parents. He picked cotton from sun up till sundown with no complaints. He married a beautiful black haired lady. They had a child that was their world. The year the child was born his cotton crop made $50 and the hospital bill was $48. He finally decided that farming wasn’t gonna get since child any future. So he went to work driving he’s y equipment for the county he lived in grading roads thru the farm land he used to farm. That broke his heart. But life goes on. One day he was driving with his son in law , in the SIL new trick when they turned wrong and the SIL got on ONSTAR to find their way back. The man listened to the directions given and when they were back home, he turned to my hubby and said that was nice of that man to stay in the phone with us. Hubby laughed and said it was a computer. Daddy said well I swear, this came from a man, who walked to school, did his homework by lamplight and saw electric light come into his house. Saw TV come into it’s on. Finally got a telephone at the age of 40. This man who went without dinner so his child could eat. This man. Is who Americans have to thanks for being what we are today. This man is my Daddy, thanks Daddy, I sure miss you.

A Victorian street scene

From Journey of a Mountain Woman:

When I was growing up when a person was near death, the Drs would say 'call the family in' and in most cases no matter where they were they would go back to the old home place in the mountains. It was a duty and a thankfulness, and A loving grateful opportunity to say goodbye. we all dreaded to hear those words...call the family in. Things have changed but us old folks remember...we remember the goodbyes, the casket set up in the living room, us sitting up all night, drinking strong coffee, that last time. The house smelled of flowers and fried chicken and the table was laden with food brought in by neighbors. Many of us will grieve this Christmas for those who have left us. Many of us are the only one left of a large family and we will smile through the tears as we remember those sad words...call the family in. Have a good night and God bless.

"Not Much"---A short film from Palestine with English subtitles

 

This short film from Solo Production and the Oasis Society in Palestine (Beit Sahur) aims to highlight the right of persons with disabilities to work and integrate them into Palestinian society. It is moving and touches on many themes. You can find Solo Production on Facebook and Youtube. Please supportt them.

Two from the Midnight Mom Devotional

Tonight we pray for the momma waiting for "someday". Lord, maybe she thinks to herself, "Someday I'll have a break, or it will be easier, or health will come, or money won't be so tight, or I'll have more time or I won't be so sad". Lord whatever the "someday" is that she's is waiting for help her know that You are with her now and will be with her when her "someday" comes which will be in Your perfect timing. Please give her peace and rest. We ask in Jesus’s name, Amen.


Tonight we pray for the momma who is exhausted to her core. Lord, she’s not just tired. She is at the end of herself. She has given every last ounce of her strength. Maybe it was something unexpected that came up or maybe it was just a little bit of everything this week. No matter the cause of her stress, Lord, we are asking You to help her. We are asking You to supernaturally strengthen her mind, body, and spirit. Remove all anxiety, worry and exhaustion and replace it with peace, joy and hope for tomorrow. We ask in Jesus’s name, Amen.

Please check out the Midnight Mom Devotional page on Facebook and their book of devotions.

A Prayer For Freedom---From The Midnight Mom Devotional

Tonight we pray for the momma who wants more freedom. Lord, she might want more freedom in her schedule. She might need more freedom in her finances. She might be desperate for freedom from past hurts or regret. She might just want more freedom to be herself or to do what she really wants to do. Tonight, Lord, we pray that this momma would find fresh hope, opportunity, and freedom as 2022 comes to a close. We pray that freedom would flood into every trapped and frustrated place in her heart and life. Give her an anticipation of hope to replace every anxiety. We ask in Jesus’s name, Amen.

We're all going to be dealing with this...

 

Why do moms yell?

A friend of mine in Virginia posted this on her Facebook page last night. I know that she's a good mom, and I know that she gives great advice, so please pay attention. She got this post from 1000001 Useful Info. I don't know anything about them, but they seem like compassionate people. We used to say "Mama is always on stage," meaning that everyone watches a mama but very few people offer to help. Sometimes when you see a mama getting a little upset you might say something like "My, what a wonderful child you have!" or just offer a kind word or smile. Help her out.

Why do moms yell?
Because we’re overwhelmed.
Because no one’s listening.
Because our kids are about to get hurt. “Don’t put your hand in there!”
Because the mess keeps piling up, and we're the only ones cleaning nonstop.
We yell as our arms charge up and down into the air.
We scream as our voice accelerates and our cheeks flush.
And then after we do, we feel immense guilt, defeated, and like we want to break down into tears.
We don't want to get to that point. We hate when it happens. But it does more than we'd like to admit.

Are all moms angry, and that's why we yell? No, we don’t wake up this way.

We find ourselves losing it because this parenting thing is hard.
We lose it because we have so much anxiety and no outlet.
We lose it because we’re exhausted to the point where our brain is functioning at 10% battery, and we need more than a good night's sleep to recover. We need a break: because we’re tired of doing everything, of nobody listening, of not being appreciated.

But just because we lose it doesn’t make us bad parents. We’re just humans who care more than anything in this world about our children and the type of humans they'll become, all while wanting to keep them safe, that we get frustrated with them and mess up ourselves.

We don’t want them to be brats. So, sometimes we yell.
We don’t want them to hurt each other, and if they do that to each other, they must do that to other kids. So, sometimes we yell.
We care so much about them that we get run down from trying so hard all the time…
…so, of course, we lose it.

And you’re not alone in this constant battle of losing it and feeling bad. Every single parent struggles because we’re human, and parenting’s messy, so we aren’t going to stay calm every confrontation of the day.

So if this is you today,
give yourself grace,
apologize for losing it,
and try better next time.
You’re still a good mom.

: This Mama Doodles
: Living FULL
For more stories/posts like these follow us at: 1000001 Useful Info

The walks are getting harder and shorter but his passion is still as strong as ever.

He first walked this path when he was three years old with his Papa. He’s walked it dang near every day since. The walks are getting harder and shorter but his passion is still as strong as ever.

---Treff Watts at Appalachian Americans

Some encouragement for today

I pray my daughter is stronger than me. I pray she doesn't accept things I've accepted. I pray she knows when to fight for something/someone and when to walk away. I pray she never feels abandoned, unloved, and unappreciated. I pray she knows her worth. I pray she knows how special she is even if I'm the only one assuring her. I pray she knows that no matter what, she always has me whether it's physically or spiritually. My precious baby girl, I pray she's so much better than me.

A mine worker and his son go to a ball game and...

This very touching photo is making the rounds among my Facebook friends and many Facebook groups that I belong to. The photo is said to show a coal miner coming straight from work to this past  weekend’s University of Kentucky Blue-White Game in Pikeville, Kentucky with his son.

University of Kentucky Head Basketball Coach John Calipari was touched by the picture and posted the photo on his Facebook page this morning and committed to providing VIP tickets to the miner and his family at a home game at Rupp Arena. The coach used his post to talk about his family's ties to mining.

We all want this photo and the story going around with it to be true. We want to live in a world where parents bond with their kids. We deeply appreciate the sacrifice and the exhaustion captured in the photo. We want this to be a good lasting memory for father and son. We know that look on that mine worker's face and we can see ourselves in it. We appreciate Coach Calipari remembering where he came from and his generosity, and we wish that others who have moved up and moved out would do the same. It is so tough in the mining towns and hollers, and especially in Southeast Kentucky, that people need a stand-in who sacrifices and gets recognition and a reward. That mine worker could be so many struggling and deserving people who want to bond with their kids and grandkids. Whether the photo and the story are what is being claimed or not, there are great truths here.

God bless that man and his son and Coach John Calipari.

God bless every parent and grandparent who gives or tries to give to their young ones.

God bless every hard-working person and every unemployed person with that look on their face and everyone who knows and feels what that look means.

There is an opportunity here to consider some important questions. Why don't parents and grandparents have more time with their young ones? Why are we so tired so much of the time? And what about all of the other people---moms who work in their homes and factory workers and white-collar workers---who also run from their work to pick up their kids and get them to an event that they can share in? Where is their recognition? Why aren't there more Coach Caliparis? Why are the media companies, the social media companies, the electronics industry, top performers, the so-called "influencers," and so many others trying to separate parents and children with tablets, phones, TikTok, and so many other forms of individualized forms of entertainment? Why is it that a father and son at a ball game without a phone in their hands is news?

My final thoughts on this are kind of simple. We needed help getting Black Lung legislation passed recently but it was hard finding allies. We need help now with the Warrior Met Coal strike in Alabama as those mine workers have been on strike almost eighteen months. Those workers and their families need our support. I am so happy to see support for this great man and his son, but some of that support is coming from folks who would not live next door or sit next to this man and his family, much less support mine workers when the help is urgently needed. Let's make solidarity with one another and care for all of our kids a lifestyle, something we do 24/7 and become famous for.  

An important reminder to non-Native parents before school starts

Taken from the Native American/Indigenous Ministries of the Episcopal Church and Native Americans Facebook pages:

As summer comes to an end and the school year begins, if you have non-Native kids please take the time to help them understand that many Indigenous children wear their hair long and/or in braids.
Hair is sacred in many Indigenous cultures, our hair is a symbol of strength, wisdom, and identity. Some teach that your spirit lives at the base of your neck and spine which protects you. The longer the braid grows to the earth the more grounded you are.

 
#BackToSchool #LongHair #NativeCulture #IndigenousTradition

Pic: via Pete Cardenas

A prayer for the momma who has someone in her family struggling with the swamp of addiction AND exciting news from Midnight Mom Devotional

Tonight we pray for the momma who has someone in her family struggling with the swamp of addiction. Lord, this is a difficult road to travel for everyone involved. It is such a rollercoaster of emotions and life. Tonight Lord she needs Your guidance and Your strength and Your peace. She needs wisdom to know what to do next. Please be with her as she takes the next steps for her family. Please grant her sweet rest. We ask in Jesus's name,

Amen.

Exciting News!

Y'all Becky is reading our nightly prayers over on our Instagram account with soft background music. Check out our new reels. It may be just what you need in this season. Find us at midnightmomdevotional on Instagram.

From the Midnight Mom Devotional

Tonight we pray for the momma who has nothing left to give. Lord, she has reached the end of the day and is staring at the beginning of a new week and she doesn’t know where the strength is going to come from. She’s tired. Lord, she is so so tired. She’s tired mentally, physically, and emotionally. She’s tired to her core. But, Lord, You are the God of Hope. You are the One who strengthens her. You are the One who makes her heart new every morning and You are breathing fresh life into her right now. Whatever she has to face this week, You’ll face it together. Give her rest tonight. We ask in Jesus’s name,

 Amen.

Please catch up with the Midnight Mom Devotional here.

From The Midnight Mom Devotional

Tonight we pray for the momma who has to be both momma and daddy for her children. Lord, whatever the reason, whether out of town work, divorce, separation, sickness or grief, this momma has to manage both roles. There are such big challenges that surround this situation that it can often times be overwhelming. Tonight we lift her up for strength, peace and comfort. Please be with her and grant her sweet restorative sleep. We ask in Jesus’s name,

Amen.

From The Midnight Mom Devotional

Tonight we pray for the momma who is pushing thru. Lord, she may be pushing thru pain, thru sickness in her family, thru weariness, even thru grief. She may not be able to stop and rest and process like she really needs to do. So she just carries on. Tonight we pray that You would help her on this difficult journey. She needs an abundance of Your grace and peace and strength. Please help her tonight. We ask in Jesus’s name,

Amen.

From the Midnight Mom Devotional

Tonight we pray for the momma whose anxiety makes doing everyday tasks feel overwhelming. Lord, sometimes she sits in the parking lot of the grocery store trying to go in and planning the fastest route to get the things she needs. Sometimes she's wants to attend a wedding, or a party, or a dinner and it feels so overwhelming she finds an excuse to stay home. Sometimes her heart races, sometimes she can't sleep, sometimes she literally shakes with fear. Lord, tonight, she needs Your peace. Please calm her heart. Please bring health and wholeness to her heart. We ask in Jesus's name,

 Amen.

If these posts from the Midnight Mom Devotional speak to you, please go directly to the source and check out their website and consider ordering the book. Go here to get in touch with Susan Pitts and Becky Thompson, and find them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.  

From the Midnight Mom Devotional

Tonight we pray for the momma who is a teacher or works in education. Lord, she doesn’t know fully what 22-23 will look like for school with still so many uncertainties. Please help her know that You will help her navigate each change and challenge. We ask for peace and comfort. Please also bless the school board members, superintendents, paraprofessionals, secretaries, principals, school nurses, cafeteria workers, bus drivers, custodians and counselors as they prepare for the days ahead in this new school year. You are with them. Bring them peace.

We ask in Jesus’s name, Amen.

From the Midnight Mom Devotional

Tonight we pray for the momma struggling with anxiety. She isn't talking about it because she feels like she's said it before so many times. Lord, we ask that You fill her heart with Your peace and bring her calm like a warm blanket. You are so good and so kind to us. Help this momma to find the resources that she needs for healing. Help her to rest tonight. We ask in Jesus's name, Amen.

From "Journey of a mountain woman"

This comes from the "Journey of a mountain woman" Facebook page. I think that many of us can fully identify with it. I do worry about the children who are growing up in environments where manufactured games and tech are the first go-tos for fun and attention. Here is the post:

Good morning! My great grand daughter is eighteen months old and loves anything electronic. She also loves empty plastic bottles, puzzles, her shoe, and a myriad of other things that have nothing to do with today's modern world of computers. I think about that. She is not capable at this age to make a good decision so we do it for her. I try to make my own decisions to be good ones but I often fail. I have messed up many times in life but I keep trying. There's a lot to be said for 'trying' so this Sunday morning don't beat yourself up for failure but thank God for the strength of trying. We are so hard on ourselves, more so than we are to anyone else in the world. Think about it. When you wake up at three in the morning do you count your blessings or think of the failures? So for today be kind to yourself...give yourself kudos for trying. Love you my friends. Have a happy Sunday.

 

From the Midnight Mom Devotional

Tonight we pray for the momma who needs You to step in. Lord, she needs You to make a way. We don’t know what she is asking You to do, but You do. You know that one thing in her life where only You can come to her rescue, provide a solution, bring an answer. It might be relational, or financial, or emotional. It might be something with her family or her marriage or her job. It might be something she hasn’t even whispered out loud. But You know all about it, Lord. So we ask for a miracle. We ask You to do what only You can. You are able and we trust You.

We ask in Jesus’s name,

Amen.