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September 19, 2015 by Kim Muench Leave a Comment

War Room: Prayer is a Powerful Weapon

Fortunately for me I married a man who let’s me pick the movie.  Even when it’s not something he’d actually choose to spend money on or take the time to see.  And especially when he knows I won’t return the favor by going with him to a flick more to his liking…which would generally involve a lot of action, blood, gore, and maybe even some scantily-clad women.

The other night Tom and I went to see the movie War Room.  The Kendrick Brothers, out of Georgia, are the creators and have brought to light many family-based, Christian films over the past several years, including Courageous, Fireproof, and Facing the Giants.  Like all of the others, this film does not disappoint.

A quick synopsis…

Once upon a time, there was a lovely family (which includes a mom, dad, and a lovely, vibrant 10-year-old daughter) who live in a beautiful home, they drive beautiful cars, and they attend weekly church services…you know, they appear to be a happy, well-adjusted, wonderful people.  However, that is just what you see on the outside surface.  

Behind the front door you get a glimpse of a totally different picture.  

While still surrounded by the beauty of their interior decor, the husband and wife are in the middle of a strained, disconnected relationship which can also be seen in the interactions between each of the parents and their daughter. However, through a series of events (too lengthy to explain here), the family, on the verge of completely breaking down, is (by the grace of God) able to turn itself around through prayer, compassion, and a change of heart.

I know, it sounds like a really neat, pretty, and clean two hour experience.  But, here’s the thing…it’s NOT.

In fact, there is a whole lot of ugly going on.  And, if your family is anything like mine, you can identify with some [if not all] of the unhappy patterns reflected in the film.  Mom is distracted by her busy real estate career, dad is pumped up by his pharmaceutical sales numbers…and by the cute female coworker, child is often ignored when needing to be heard the most.

I’m not gonna lie, several scenes in this movie brought me to tears, because they hit a little too close to home.  I could see variations of this playing out, at times, in my marriage and parenting.  

You see, like many people, I spend a lot of time wanting to appear put-together, an “everything is rainbows and puppy dogs”,  we-got-this-down-as-a-couple-and-as-a-family kind of gal.  But that’s just not always the case.  

Not even almost always, really.

So, now that I have burst your bubble, I bet you’re thinking, “Kim, why the heck would I go see a movie that could potentially make me cry and feel bad because I can see my marriage and family in the characters on the screen?” “Why would I spend two hours of my precious time sad about the state of marriage and family life today, what good could come from it?”

In my opinion, the good from the movie War Room is that you remember there is HOPE for marriages and family life to work out.  And, while I am not a Bible-based gal, the most important message I personally received from the movie was how much I need to be praying for my husband.  Not the “God please don’t let him lose his job” kind of prayer, but the kind of prayer that tells God I hope He will find a way into my husband’s heart and to help me stay focused on being the wife and mother my family needs me to be.

Because, bottom line, as human beings we are here to connect with one another…not through illicit affairs, or by trying to keep up with big houses and perfect looking children…but through honest, real life give-and-take.  By slowing down the pace of our daily lives and taking the chance on being truly seen and vulnerable with the people you love the most.  Letting them see who you really are and how dear they are to you.

My husband is a man of few words, especially when it comes to religion and spirituality, but I think he took something good away from the movie as well.  

Maybe someday soon he’ll open his heart and share it with me.

Go see the movie, I promise you will not be disappointed.

Filed Under: Family, Kim's Journey, Marriage Tagged With: christian story, family values, movie review, War Room moive

June 16, 2015 by Kim Muench Leave a Comment

Backlash from a blogpost

I decided to do something different this week.  Instead of writing, I thought I’d create a video.  

In April, 2014 I wrote a post which got picked up by a fair-sized parenting website called mamapedia.com.  The post was about my daughter Mia watching a video at a friend’s house and then coming home to tell me about it. My reaction, and the subsequent loss of friendship, is what you’ll find in the video below:

Writing and publishing on this site is a risk. I take it because I have found it helps me to connect with other people.  I had no idea, until age 43, that I even had a desire or an ability to write.  At almost 47, I feel like writing is both a passion and a calling.  Sharing my thoughts on this website has allowed me to hear from so many other people, all going through their own challenges, who feel they can reach out to me because I have chosen to publish my feelings on various parenting/marriage/faith/personal growth topics over the past several years.  

It is a blessing!

And, writing here has also allowed me to get published on a number of other websites as well as to write for our local newspaper.

Not everyone has agreed with, or appreciates, what I have to say.  Part of the process of writing for me is as a tool to become more authentic.  What I’ve learned over four years of blogging is that I can’t publish something and then behave differently in my life.  This allows me to “be” more of who I really am, and not pretend to be what others (or society) wants me to be. Working through the negative comments or backlash from my writing has been a great growing process for me as well.

The loss of friendship, though painful, was to me a sign the relationship was meant to end.  People come into our lives for a reason, some stay longer than others.  Some leave long before you want them to go…but, all have a lesson to share.  Mine, in this case, was to understand that while I don’t write something to intentionally hurt another person, I also don’t want to compromise (now, or ever) who I am.

Send me an email (mymothersfootprints@gmail.com), or share your thoughts below…you know how much it means to for me to hear from you!

 

Filed Under: Just for Fun, Kim's Journey Tagged With: family values, Miley Cyrus, parenting, vlog

December 11, 2014 by Kim Muench Leave a Comment

Cat & Mouse

I am blessed to say I have a friend who likes to send me website information and blog posts she thinks I will find interesting,  I usually get a lot out of what she shares with me.  The other day my friend messaged me the link to a recent news story which aired on CNN called 28 Internet acronyms every parent should know.  Here is the link if you have a minute to watch the story:

http://edition.cnn.com/2014/12/08/living/internet-acronyms-every-parent-should-know/index.html?hpt=hp_c3

My friend thought I would already know the acronyms mentioned in the piece…to be honest,  I had no idea GNOC meant Get Naked On Camera or that IWS means I Want Sex.  Neither of these surprise me, and I’d by lying if I didn’t also admit there are likely dozens more acrynoms I don’t know.  The one thing I do know is new acronyms are being conceived everyday.

Just like there are new drugs being created and introduced all the time.

It is highly unlikely we [parents] will ever be able to keep up with the lingo and the many other changes inherent to teenagerhood.  If you are the parent of a teen you might think you can keep up with your child, or even be one step ahead of your kids behavior/choices/actions…but, we’ve all been teenagers so I know we understand one of the basic rules about coming-of-age is:  when parents get sneaky, kids get sneakier.

Take for example, cell phones.  In the news story, the reporter states many parents will say something along the lines of “I pay for your phone, therefore I can look at it anytime I want to.”  Which the other reporter agrees is an acceptable approach.  While I absolutely believe parents should check their kids phones when they feel it is necessary, the way you approach the situation has everything to do with the success of your mission. If you sneak around to try to gain access/information and if you have to put tracking devices on your kids phones, there is already a problem.

Because when you engage in a power struggle with your teen the games begin.  The best way I know how to bring a child through adolescence is to continually work at building a strong relationship.  It takes time, shared interests, mutual respect and (on their part) a genuine sense you are on their side.

Which in no way translates to being their friend, or giving them everything they want as a way of bribing them into the behavior you seek.  It means having a clear understanding of what your morals and values are (a/k/a what your family stands for) and then consistently working towards sharing them with your child in ways that don’t threaten them.

Getting your kid from point A (preteen) to point B (adulthood) requires a great deal of mental demand.  At least as much as the physical demand that is placed on parents of babies and toddlers.  And you cannot help your child successfully navigate through this stage of life unless YOU are working on yourself through the process of it and learning from the experiences you are having with your child.

I have some great resources and tools to share if you have interest in learning more about being the best parent you can be (notice I did not say perfect…cuz that just don’t exist), I would love to share them with you.  Send me your thoughts at mymothersfootprints@gmail.com

 

 

Filed Under: Family, Kim's Journey Tagged With: conscious parenting, family values, kids and cell phones, parenting

Kim Muench



(972) 689-0250
realifeparentguide@gmail.com

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