What is a Sweet Monday anyway?
"Women are busy, but many are isolated and lonely. Seeing this need 13 years ago, I opened our home the first Monday night of each month to any woman who wanted to come. I served a simple dessert, full of fat, decaf coffee, and candy at the door to go with the theme called "A Beauty Full Evening." And, because God promises that His word never returns...
Need to celebrate differences in your marriage?
"My husband and I are so different by God's sweet design! When we go on vacation, I'd rather splurge and he'd rather stay longer and stretch our vacation budget! Opposites do attract. When I stopped teaching school to be a stay-at-home mom, we suddenly cut our income significantly. As hard as it was for me, I needed to help my husband with this new budget....
Do you ever need spurring on to complete a task?
"Besides God's word, I learn the most from other women like you. I walk around my home and point to things I've been spurred on to do because Lovely Linda taught me that or Precious Paula taught me that at a Sweet Monday. We all benefit from the suggestions of others encouraging us in specific ways to love. For example, my linen closet looked presentable only...
Want to reflect more sweet and simple in your life?
"I don't think there's one of us that would say we don't want our homes to reflect good taste--especially if we're inviting women to our homes for Sweet Monday, or Sweet Tuesday, or a Sweet Monday on Saturday. (Really, whatever day of the month suits your family best to host a Sweet Monday.) I'm continually thinking of ways to sweeten and simplify my home, so...
Are You Lonely?
"When I stopped teaching school to be a stay-at-home mom, I was lonely for the very first time in my life. I remembered asking my husband, Mark, if he thought there was something wrong with me. He assured me that I was "just fine" and it was just a different season in my life. But I don't know what woman who wants to be "just fine!!" Being on the baby's...
Did you know you have swEEt-mail?
"Better than e-mail, bulk mail, junk mail and bills, you have swEEt-mail! It's that sweet mail that tells you that someone is thinking of you. Someone is thinking of you today. This Someone says His thoughts are so many toward us that they would outnumber the grains of sand. This Someone, who is perpetually thinking of us, is perfect and loving. It is like each one of our mailboxes being...
Have you forgotten anything recently?
"I had the privilege of speaking at Sweet Shannon's Sweet Monday in another neighborhood. Her theme was "Pretty in Pink." Deliberately choosing the pinkest, fluffiest (some may say gaudiest) pink sweater set to wear was so much fun. When I arrived, her two young children were peering out the glass front door. They were in their pink pajamas, anxiously awaiting the arrival of my pink...
Need power in your life?
"It seems as though I can't go into a store without seeing "girl power" written on some fun, feminine item. Because I was a schoolteacher for almost 10 years, I have a schoolteacher "red pencil" in me that wants to come out and change "girl power" to God's power every time I see it! On our own strength girls, we don't have everything we need for life and godliness. I...
Do you recognize your need for Christ?
"I honestly didn't know I was a sinner until I got married. I thought I was pretty clean. Then the week after our honeymoon, it became apparent that I wanted my own way and had fallen short of God's standards of perfect holiness. To my chagrin, I remember vividly marching into Mark's office where he seemed to be hiding and pushing all the books off his top...
How in the world is it possible to pull off a Sweet Monday in one day?
"I believe God has given you and me, in Christ, some simple cases to handle. He has already equipped us as He promised with everything we need for godliness. I believe the key to pulling off a Sweet Monday in one day is the word "simple." Every Sweet Monday, my goal is to keep it so simple that I never dread it. Think of...
Are you in need of encouragement?
"Sometimes I wake up discouraged and God doesn't want me to be. So, I just ask Him first thing in the morning to encourage me today. God gives courage to my heart when I open up His word and hear Him speak. For the longest time, I thought He only spoke to the big people at church, the pastors, the evangelists, the Sunday school teachers and the Bible leaders. I...
Need exercise?
"Like I tell my daughter, we cannot be good in everything. And I don't seem to be that good in physical exercise...yet. My lack of discipline in this area is probably why it took me seven years worth of Sweet Monday before I featured a theme on exercise!! We called it "Sweat Monday." A sweet personal trainer came to our home and shared with all...