Mother's Day Inspiration--A Gift Mom Will Love

A gift for Mothers.

All true stories.

(My story is included. :)   It was a hard one to write, but is needed. :))

 

Buy Now

Covenant Communications did a beautiful job with this book, full of essays.  

Available at Deseret Book, Seagull Book, and Amazon.  

Making CREPES and Putting on the Whole Armor of God

A few weekends ago, I created an impromptu crepe’ bar to entertain my teenage daughter and her friends. I rushed to the store to buy some mud masks and whipping crème and informed my daughter that it was Spa Night at the Robinson household. Crepes would be served promptly at seven. Why crepes? And not a five-buck pizza? Pizza would be so much easier. Plop the cardboard box on the counter and wall-ah! I’m free to go read the paper. But this mom had a plan! You see, it takes a long time to make crepes. And that’s a good thing, because it gives me time with my daughter and her friends as they hover around my kitchen counter watching and waiting as each crepe is made. By default, I am able to join my teen’s social circle by pretending to be a make-shift chef. It’s the perfect covert operation. While I mix and pour, they talk and laugh. And I listen and laugh with them. It’s all part of my plan. You see while we’re all “hanging out” making crepes’ I get to interject teaching moments, here and there. And just like that pinch of salt that I flick into the batter, they don’t even notice it is happening.

“Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand” (Eph. 6:13).

With each layer of batter I pour, I’m teaching. I’m layering on their spiritual armor. Subtly, of course. Like cracking an egg ever so slyly as not to disturb the yoke, I carefully listen for cues and turn them into teaching moments in good faith that on another Friday night, when my daughter and her friends aren’t hovering around my counter that they are protected by those layers of armor.

Years ago, I had no idea that crepe-making had anything to do with putting on the armor of God. But it sure does! It’s called T-I-M-E. And I use that time to advise, teach, set expectations, and build relationships of trust with my teens and their friends. And guess what? I do it with more than crepes. That’s why you see me driving a mini-van full of girls to Arctic Circle for shakes on a school night or to Ulta to buy lip-gloss! I’m creating those moments when I can add another layer of armor. So much happens in the car ride and around the kitchen counter. And it’s a beautiful thing to “be there” adding layer, after layer, after layer.

Oops! I dropped an egg on the floor. And laughter ensues. And it’s a beautiful thing.

RECIPE: Basic Crepes
Recipe by Our Best Bites


2 eggs
2 Tbs canola oil
3 Tbs sugar (omit if making savory crepes)
1 C flour
1 1/3 C milk


Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend on low speed until combined, or whisk by hand until there are no lumps. Heat a non-stick skillet to medium-high heat. Hold pan with one hand while you pour the batter with the other hand. Twirl the pan in a circular motion pouring just enough batter to coat the bottom of the pan. Place on cooking surface and cook until edges are set and you can easily run a rubber spatula around the edge of the pan, 30 seconds. Flip crepe and cook an additional 15-20 seconds. Remove crepe from pan and either keep warm in the oven or cool to room temperature. Fill with your choice of savory (meat, cheese, vegetable) or sweet (pudding, mousse, pastry cream, fruit) filling. Top sweet crepes with with Strawberry Sauce, Buttermilk Caramel Syrup, Hot Fudge, or just a dusting of powdered sugar and sweetened whipped cream. Unfilled crepes can be stacked between sheets of waxed paper and refrigerated or frozen. To thaw, leave at room temperature. Makes 12-14 8″ crepes.

The BEST tutorial for CREPES I've found is on the Our Best Bites website. Here’s the link: Our Best Bites

My Healing Fields

In memory of September 11th, we visited the Healing Fields in Sandy.  I took my youngest daughter and two of her friends.  We walked through the sea of red, white, and blue, looking at the names on the cards attached to each one of the more than 3,000 flags.  I tried to teach the girls the significance of what they were seeing.  But, being young, they could not resist a sunny day, the fresh air, and green grass. 

They had to dance. 

They healed me that day. 

And reminded me we can do hard things

if we stick together and find time to dance and play along the way.

I am proud to be an American.

Red, white, and blue . . . through and through. 

Are you ready for wings?

Rip off the band aid! Just rip it off!



Not exactly the words I wanted to hear but they needed to be said. This morning, I brought my youngest daughter to her first day of kindergarten and "rip off the band aid" is what the teacher told ME to do.


"It will hurt for just a minute," she told me. "She'll be fine. You'll be fine."

At first it seemed cruel. To wave goodbye and walk away just moments after we arrived at the coat rack inside the kindergarten door. As the teacher showed her where to put her backpack, my daughter looked worried. Her uneasiness made me want to rip off my fake smile and say, "Forget this. We'll just do home preschool again." But I didn't. I couldn't. I knew she was ready for more.  So, I put on a confident smile knowing she would follow suit. And she did. It took her barely a minute to find a friend she knew and claim a spot at the cutting table. She was going to be fine. But was I?


I didn't think I could do it.  I'm very attached to this little one who clung to my leg like peanut butter on jelly. (Part of me wanted to cling to her leg!)  Secretly, I've been dreading this separation for weeks because I'm losing my little side-kick who’s been with me for five years while the other kids have been at school. Besides, turning over your child to a teacher you've barely met for 30 minutes at a meet and greet the day before begs a mother's trust. Was I ready? No. And Mrs. Scott could tell. She was a great coach, though. Rip it off, she said to me. It will hurt for just a second. I hated that thought and the anticipation almost killed me. But in the end it all turned out okay.

Once again things have changed at the Robinson household. Sometimes I wish we were like butterflies and had to spin our cocoon only once and be done with it. But instead, a mother's cocoon evolves and changes continuously and that's how God intended it.

As the mother of four children, change is what I do. My children are constantly changing and growing and because of that I seem to change a lot. I don't always like it. And sometimes it hurts when I feel the initial "rrrrrrip"! But it usually turns out to be the best thing that has ever happened.

The first day of kindergarten and I had three hours all to myself. At first, that sounded like heaven. But ouch! Ripping off that band aid hurt! I know my little caterpillar has a new pair of wings and that’s a good thing. In fact, it is a very good thing. But it will probably take me some time to embrace these new wings. It seems like just yesterday I was carrying my Zoebug in a shoulder pouch I referred to as "her house." I wanted to keep her as close to my heart as I could. And I still do. Before school, I gave her a little heart-shaped stone to put in her pocket while she was at school so when she missed me she could rub it and know that I was thinking of her. Funny thing is I had to buy two. One for her and one for me. (During those three hours, I had to rub mine three times.) I doubt she even thought about the heart in her pocket because she was so busy cutting, coloring, and singing on the blue rug. It's all good. Growing wings is good.

Rip off that band aid and you'll feel a little sting. But in the end you'll see the blessings of giving your child wings.