Mother-Daughter "Tug of War" over a magazine?

     Our house is generally quite peaceful.

     Even with pre-teen and teenage daughters in our home (we prefer to call our 13-year-old a "young adult" because that's what we expect from her behavior), it's unusual to observe fighting and bickering.

     Oh, yeah, you'll find the girls nitpicking each other occasionally, or getting on each other's nerves from time to time, but it's usually fleeting and doesn't last long.  And, it's pretty quiet.  No screaming or yelling.

     I feel so blessed.  Yeah, we're human, but we're all really trying to live in a godly way with each other.

     Until something arrived in the mail that began to create some playful strife - and even, tug-of-war in our home.  Between sisters.  Between mother and daughter.  No, Dad didn't get involved.  Thankfully.  That would have been U-G-L-Y, because Daddy always wins.  He's bigger, stronger, and generally outwits us all.

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What caused all this uproar?

It was simply this:

www.EternalEncouragement.com

     Huh?

     A magazine?

     Some little magazine that arrived in the mail turned a fairly peaceful home into chaos?

     Okay, not literal "chaos", because my house right now has looked cleaner and more organized in the last month than it has in the last couple of years.

     And no, the females in our home weren't really fighting fist to fist over a magazine.  Ha!

     But we were finding ourselves all wanting to read through the articles in Eternal Encouragement at the same time. 

     One magazine...three people wanting to read it at once...

     I know I'm "the Mom" - I can just make them give it to me NOW if I want to.

     But what mom wants to discourage her daughters from reading something biblical, heartwrenchingly honest, and life changing?

     NOT  me.

     After letting the girls browse through the articles in the April 2011 issue of Eternal Encouragement, I finally told them that it was MY turn.  After all, I had a deadline - I needed and wanted to read through the entire magazine before sharing my thoughts about it here with you. 

     They understood, and let me have my turn.  Hooray!  :)

     As I began to read in little snatches of time here and there, I began to see what drew the girls in to the articles.  I think they were reading about some of the failures and frustrations of other moms, and how the Lord was using those women to make a difference in their world.  That probably gave them hope about their own mom.     :)

     I think they also liked reading about the mother/daughter relationship and comparing how I've nurtured a close friendship with them with what they read in "Lady in Waiting," an article about how to help mothers and daughters to be best friends. 

     This quarterly issue focused on the use of TIME in our schedules, households, and relationships, and it was definitely beneficial for both the girls and I to read through the articles.  We all enjoyed reading the different perspectives on mothering, housekeeping, discipline, and home educating that were presented in Eternal Encouragement.

     And you know what?  I find this interesting.  Maybe you will, too:

        I have a box of really great, biblical or useful homemaking/home decorating magazines that I've received in the mail over the last year or so, and none of these good magazines have received the attention from my girls as Eternal Encouragement from www.eternalencouragement.com did this last month.

     Seriously. 

       These nice magazines have been sitting here for, well, probably over a year now.  When they arrived in the mail, the girls gave a glance to the front covers, and that was about it.

     But not this issue of Eternal Encouragement. 

     To me, that speaks volumes.  Maybe, at first, it was due to its smaller, less intimidating size.  But once they began reading, I could hardly wrench it away from them!

     So, while those magazines in a box, which I really don't have time to read, are probably going to be given away to my local pregnancy center soon, I think I should frame this quarter's issue of Eternal Encouragement and hang it on the wall. 

     Not really.  Then, I wouldn't be able to do with this issue what I plan to do next:  start at the beginning of the magazine again, and read one of the 24 articles every morning.  Then, I'm going to use the index in my Bible to look up additional Scripture verses that go along with the theme of that article, and spend some time meditating on God's valuable principles that can really enhance my life and bring me peace, if I'll let Him.

     While all of the other magazines I receive at home are either free subscriptions to me, or were gifts, Eternal Encouragement will be one magazine that I'd like to continue receiving every quarter.  As my girls grow, they will gain even more from the godly articles contained inside its pages.  The girls and I always enjoy spending time together reading godly writings and the Bible, so this will just enhance what we're already doing. 

      Interested to see for yourself what's inside Eternal Encouragement magazine?

     Here's the Table of Contents for the Spring 2010 issue of TEACH Magazine, before the name changed to Eternal Encouragement.  This will give you an idea of what you'll see in their magazine (new name, but same godly content):

     If godly articles like these sound like something you'd enjoy bringing into your home for hope and faith-building reading for you and your daughters, you may want to consider becoming a subscriber. 

      Most Christian magazines these days have tons of advertisements and very little content.  Eternal Encouragement magazine has tons of content and no ads except a couple of references to other products available from Eternal Encouragement.com. 

     When my girls are grown and out on their own, this will be the magazine I'll be renewing for them each year as a special gift of love and encouragement for them.  Then, they can have their own tug-of-war with their own daughters over their quarterly issues! 

     A special "thank you" to Eternal Encouragement magazine and The Gabby Moms Blogging Program for introducing me to such a wonderful way to spend my day, reading articles of faith and hope and encouragement. 

I received one copy of Eternal Encouragement magazine in exchange for my honest review as part of The Gabby Moms blogging program.  All opinions expressed are solely my own.

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