Loving Me for Me

It feels good to finally be at a place in my life where I am happy being me. I was raised to be strong and confident in who I am as a child of God, wife, mom, business woman and friend. Still, this was a struggle for me because of the negativity around me. When I was confident, they called me cocky. When I stood up for what I believed in, they called me opinionated. When I was silent, they called me stuck up. When I second guessed myself , they called me weak.

I felt like I was in a lose lose situation. My life dreams were beginning to feel like nightmares. But then one day a light bulb went off and I heard the voice of God say "When it comes to giving gifts I make no mistakes. I gave you your gifts and talents now go use them with much confidence and faith in me."

And so here I am comfortable in my own skin. Loving what I see in the mirror. Writing with purpose and speaking with joy and authority. I understand that it's not me, it's the God in me and I can't second guess God.

I encourage you to love who you are in Christ. When you look at life through God's eyes, all you will see  is greatness!!!

Quick Minute Tip: Grocery Bag Storage Solution

 

Please click below to watch my Quick Minute tip on storage solutions for your grocery shopping bags. Enjoy!

 

 

 

The Hypocritical Parent?

As a parent, do you practice what you preach or do you live by the saying "Do as I say not as I do." Some parents take for granted the influence they have on their children. I am so blessed to have the parents that I have because they set the standard of practicing what they preached. They taught me the importance of living by example. Some of my fondest memories of my children growing up were when they went through the phase of mimicking everything Travis and I did. There were times when as I typed away at my computer my daughter would sit at her little Elmo desk making typing sounds with her little fingers. My oldest daughter loved (and she still does) playing dress up in my closet. When our son was two years old, he went for weeks without eyebrows because (without our knowing) he decided to shave just like his daddy. (It was nobody but God that kept him from cutting himself)

The reality is even though our children grow up and act as if they don't need us, they never stop watching us. How many times have you said "Now he/she is the splitting image of their mom/dad." Whether we be the best parents in the world or the worst, our children will eventually inherit part of who we are.

Generational curses are created or broken based on how we parent. If we set a Godly standard in our households, our children automatically become destined for greatness because they will then have principles to live by. You can't expect your children to live a life pleasing to God if you allow worldly influences in your home. We say we want the best for our children. We say we want for them to go farther in life than we did but then we introduce them to obstacles that could hinder their growth.

It's important to establish Godly principles for your children to live by because outside influences will eventually arise. There will come a time in your child's life when curiosity will set in and they will want to experience new things. Pop culture for example, has one of the greatest influences on our youth. Celebrities and artists set trends for fashion, how to talk, how to act and even how to handle relationships. We as parents become fans of these celebrities despite the negative influences they have on our children. We justify supporting their work by saying "Well I don't agree with how they live. I just love their music." We become blinded to the fact that while we are mature enough not to mimick what we see our impressionable children are drawn to it. These artists are about making the dollar first and being a good influence whenever their PR agents deems it necessary. Still we allow these same people into our homes via music videos, Ipods and YouTube.

Why do we tell our children not to be a certain way but we constantly watch that "certain way"? If what a person is doing disobeys the word of God, why do we allow it into our homes? Proverbs 17:4 says " A wicked doer giveth heed to false lips and a liar to a naughty tongue". This scripture took me by surprise. I didn't realize that for every time I entertained vanity and profanity, God considered me to be a wicked liar as well (and we wonder why our children lie and rebel).

With all of the tragedies and havoc going on in the world, my husband and I have chosen to add more caution to our parenting.  Our children know to only accept the best;role models have to come with the whole package. Anyone who's willing to compromise their dignity, expose their body, use foul language and most importantly not live for Christ for the sake of fame and fortune, does not meet the criteria. It's all about the standard. Travis and I may not be perfect parents but we refuse to be hypocritical ones.

Raise Your Standard

Even though their motto says "Have it Your Way", you wouldn't walk into Burger King and order a Big Mac out of respect for the business and their standards.....Ladies, a man who respects what you stand for would never ask you to move in with him...He would ask you to marry him. What standard are you projecting to those around you? Check out my latest video blog...

How Not To Go Off On Your Child's Teacher

Click below to watch my latest vlog/testimony on How Not to Go Off on Your Child's Teacher. Based on a recent experience, I choose to keep it real in this video about my emotions and how through prayer I was able keep a cool head in a semi-heated situation. As children of God, our flesh will be tested on the daily basis. It's important to remember, a TESTimony is born ONLY after we pass the TEST and YES I passed the test!

Three Items That Will Keep Your School Year Organized

 

Click below to watch the video on how these items are helping to keep our school year organized and insanity free!!!  

 

 

 

Sweet Tomato Poppers & The Butler Movie Review

Hello Everyone! Please click below to watch my latest video blog "Cooking and Convo  where I show you how to make Spinach Chicken with Sweet Tomato Poppers while giving a movie review on The Butler. Enjoy!

Fire Roasted Chicken (Campbell's Skillet Sauces)

I tried the Campbell's Skillets last night. Here is the Fire Roasted Tomato Chicken with Creamy Potatoes and String Beans. The fam loved it!

Product Review: Playtex 18 Hour & Activia Yogurt with Fiber

Check out my latest product review of the Playtex 18 Hour Bra and Activia Yogurt with Fiber!

 

Talking to Your Children About Race

Please click below to watch my latest vlog "Talking to Your Children About Race." I would love to hear your feedback. Please be advised: "While we do not use or condone vulgar language, you will hear some profanity from various media clips included." I've never done this before but before we can build a even more beautiful America, I felt it necessary to expose all of the ugly that's affecting our families.  

 

Prayerfully this post will promote unity and not divide.

..

Ten Rules Everyone Should Live By

So here I am. It's the wee hours of the morning and God woke me up just so that I could reflect on some things. A lot has changed for my family over the past three years starting with us moving from my husband's hometown to a new city. While we have no regrets about the move, we've lost a lot since we made that decision.


From the outside looking in, you would think everything that has happened would be the breaking of us but actually it was the making of us as family. Our ability to persevere comes from our spiritual roots and the good ground in which they are deeply planted. Travis and I grew up in a church where our parents, leaders and church mothers worried about our souls first and our feelings second. Their tough love and two-edged words of wisdom prepared us for the harsh world and the tough times to come. And believe it or not, our toughest times wasn't in our finances, marital issues, health scares or after the death of our loved ones. Our darkest hours came when those who we thought would love us forever decided they didn't need us anymore. Growing up, we were prepared for the persecutions that would come from the enemy's camp but when some of those from our church world turned their backs on us...we hit our breaking point.

But God.

God is notorious for always having a "ram in the bush" and for us, he had several. In the recent weeks, God reunited us with spiritual mentors from our past and introduced us to new ones for present day. Their words of wisdom, love, prayers, support has helped us to generate ten rules to live by. And here they are:

1. When you don't know what to do, seek God. When you are in need, ask God. When you don't know what to say, be quiet and listen to God.
2. Christians don't keep their friends close and their enemies closer. They keep their friends close and their enemies confused. Why? Because the enemy will never understand love.
3. If it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck, be careful, it might be a wolf in sheep's clothing.
4. Their "no" is God's not yet. Never lose heart.
5. Remember Jesus didn't say a mumbling word while being persecuted. You'd better not either.
6. Vengeance belongs to God and if you take action, he won't spare the rod....(against you that is).
7. The battle is not yours but the spoils of war is if you let God fight it for you.
8. Never cry over spilled milk or the "friends" that stole your cookie. Let them have it. God has better in store for you.
9. You can't be a child of God and a punk too. Stand firm on his word no matter what.
10. When the day comes to forgive those who have lied, betrayed, back stabbed, rejected, neglected and spat on you..do it quickly and with much sincerity of heart.

Please understand, this post was not written for pity. The post was written in praise. I once had someone to say, "Bridgett, you don't have to write about your bad experiences." To which I respectfully replied "Yes I do. This is my testimony"

My life is not picture perfect but most of the time, it feels that way. If it had not been for the testimony of others who had gone through and overcame, we probably would have given up. I know that if God can do for them, he can do it for me too. I hope our testimony encourages those of you who reads this. Always remember, just because life may not always give you the roses you asked for, doesn't mean your blessings can't be found in the beauty of daisies.

B

Budget Friendly Teen Girl Room Makeover

After months of saving, bargain hunting and some revamping, we were finally able to redecorate our daughter's room to fit their individual teen styles. As a family we have decided to choose our color schemes and decorating styles based on what we want when we finally purchase our dream home. Patience is the key and creativity unlocks the door. You don't have to break the bank to get what you want! You can also watch this tutorial on You Tube!



Old Dresser Before

After

Made these Storage Containers From Old String Bean Cans

How to Make Crispy Cheddar Chicken

 Crispy Cheddar Chicken

2 lbs chicken tenders or 4 large chicken breasts
2 sleeves Ritz crackers
1/4 teaspoons salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup whole milk
3 cups cheddar cheese, grated
1 teaspoon dried parsley

Sauce:
1 10 ounce can cream of chicken soup
2 tablespoon sour cream
2 tablespoon butter

Crush crackers. If using chicken breasts and not tenders, cut each chicken breast into 3 large pieces. Pour the milk, cheese and cracker crumbs into 3 separate small pans. Toss the salt and pepper into the cracker crumbs and stir the mixture around to combine. Dip each piece of chicken into the milk and then the cheese. Press the cheese into the chicken with your fingers. Then press the cheesy coated chicken into the cracker crumbs and press it in.

Spray a 9×13 pan with cooking spray and lay the chicken inside the pan. Sprinkle the dried parsley over the chicken. Cover the pan with tin foil and bake at 400 degrees for 35 minutes. Remove the tin foil, bake for an additional 10-15 minutes, or until the edges of the chicken are golden brown and crispy.

In a medium sized sauce pan combine the cream of chicken soup, sour cream and butter with a whisk. Stir it over medium high heat until the sauce is nice and hot. Serve over the chicken.

Watch the Tutorial!

 

Latest Mother Knows Best Segments

Just in case you missed them. Here are the latest segments of Fox 31's Mother Knows Best.

How to Motivate Your Family to Eat Healthy and Stay Active (6/6/13)

 



Father's Day Gift Ideas & Staying Sane While Raising Children (6/13/13)



 

Dealing With Colicky Babies and Sibling Rivalries (6/20/13)

Possible Reasons Why You Are Suffering From Hair Loss

DISCLAIMER: I am in no way an expert in hair care. This post is my testimony of my hair journey's trials and triumphs. Please talk to your doctor and/or beautician for any professional advice.

I washed my hair this morning and I am so happy with how much my hair health has improved I decided to write a blog post that will hopefully encourage those of you are suffering from hair loss.

I started experiencing severe hair shedding after I had my first daughter. I couldn't figure out what was going on. Was my hormones, heat damage, stress or a combination of all three? I spoke with both my doctor and beautician. They gave me advice on what to do but nothing seemed to work. My hair would only grow below my ears before breaking off again. I continued to fight on/off  hair battles for the next 15 years!!! What was even worse, I started losing hair in the top center of my scalp. I did everything I knew to do. I drank plenty of water. I watched what I ate. I avoided hair styles that required a lot of heat. I eventually started wearing extensions to cover my frustrating embarrassment.

Put a Pin for a Minute Myth Moment: Most people believe African American women wear weaves and wigs because they have no hair. While this might be true for some, it is definitely not fact for everyone. Not only are extensions and wigs a great way to protect your natural hair but they allow flexibility to changes up styles, lengths and hair color. I started wearing extensions to protect my hair but now I love the conveniences and options they give me to switch it up without the worry.

Now back to the blog...

In the summer of 2010 and out of frustration, I decided to cut off my. My plan was to keep short and sassy but then my hair started growing... rapidly. I thought "Hm...maybe all of my hair worries are over." Then in 2011, my little sister passed away and before I knew it, I found myself doing the Donald Trump swirl to hide the thin spot in the top of my head.

That's when I decided; Enough was enough! It was time to dig a little deeper and do some research. So I prayed and asked God to guide me...



While I already knew stress played a huge role in my hair loss, I also discovered certain medications were big factors as well. Certain pain medicines, including the ibuprofen I took for migraines was one of the reasons why my hair shedded so much. When I switched medicine, much of my shedding came to an automatic cease. I also realized that my hair was paying an unhealthy price because of my frugal nature when buying hair care products. I had to learn the hard way that you truly get what you pay for. I started investing in my hair by buying products that would help to heal, strengthen and reinvigorate my hair. Today, my hair is longer and healthier than ever. Will I ever stop wearing extensions? I doubt it. The perks are far to great besides it feels good to know that when I do wear my natural hair, no one can tell the difference!

May 2013

 Listed below are some possible reason for hair loss. Please take the time to click on the resource link included for more information. And remember Don't Give Up. There so many solutions to hair loss. You just have to find the one that best suits your needs!

1. Stress
• Stress is a part of life but it doesn't have to rule your life. Grief was a huge stressor for me and it was affecting me mentally and physically. It took prayer, support and my making the decision to not let our loss consume me. God showed me how to convert my pain into purpose. I encourage you to do the same.
2. Medicines (Before you stop taking your medicine ALWAYS ALWAYS talk to your doctor first!)
• According  Web MD (Drug Induced Hair Loss) Many different types of drugs are thought to cause hair loss, including:
• Acne medications containing vitamin A (retinoids)
• Antibiotics and antifungal drugs
• Antidepressants   
• Birth control pills
• Anticlotting drugs
• Cholesterol-lowering drugs  
• Drugs that suppress the immune system  
• Drugs that treat breast cancer  
• Epilepsy drugs (anticonvulsants)
• High blood pressure medications (anti-hypertensives), such as beta-blockers, ACE inhibitors, and diuretics
• Hormone replacement therapy  
• Mood stabilizers  
• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)  
• Parkinson's disease drugs  
• Steroids
• Thyroid medications
• Weight loss drugs
• Excessive Heat and Chemicals
• Cheap Hair Care Products
• Be careful when choosing cheaper hair care products. Read the label and watch out for ingredients that can strip your hair of the essentials oils it needs to stay shiny and strong.
3. Medical Problems
• Talk to your doctor. There may be an underlying cause to why you are suffering from hair loss. He/She will be able to perform the tests needed to determine this.
4. Malnutrition Top 10 Foods for Healthy Hair
• We overlook the role a healthy diet plays in maintaining healthy hair. You are what you eat. Healthy eating leads to healthy hair. 
• Lisa Drayer, New York Nutritionist says."The nutrients you eat today help fortify the hair follicle -- from which each strand is born -- and the scalp that surrounds it. "Healthier follicles? Healthier hair. Healthier scalp? Healthier hair!" 
5. Questionable Beauticians
• If your beautician is doing more harm than good on your hair...I have just one thing to say "SWITCH".

Every person is different so it's important to choose a hair regime that works for you. No one knows your body like you do. Sometimes it helps to do the research.

 

Praying this post has helped to make living your life a little easier!

Cyber Bullying and Ways to Entertain Your Kids During Roadtrips

Please click below to watch the first episode of Fox 31's Mother Knows Best panel. The topics for the show's premiere were "Cyber bullying and Ways to Entertain Your Kids During Roadtrips". Please comment and leave a topic you would like for us to address!!!

Casual Dating & Celibacy. Does that Match?!?!?

Can you date casually and remain celibate? Is this ideal for Christians?  I asked the question on Facebook and people answered. While I had a million things to say on this topic, so did several others. Please watch my video blog below. I would love to know what you think!!!

Premiere of Fox 31's Mother Knows Best Panel

Hi everyone!!!
I know that it's been a minute since I posted a blog but I have a good excuse. In addition to preparing for our next stage play, I was recently selected to be a part of Fox 31's Mother Knows Best Panel!!! The Mother Knows Best Panel includes four mothers that will address parenting, family issues during our  20 minute segment that each Thursday.

We are so excited the Mother Knows Best and look forward to it growing into something that will bring positive growth in the lives of families everywhere. Be sure to watch us every Thursday in the 8:00 AM hour on Fox 31. Our segment will also post to YouTube for those of you miss the show or don't live locally. Please click below to watch the first episode of Fox 31's Mother Knows Best panel. The topics for the show's premiere were "How to Prepare Your Children for Natural Disaster and Animal Safety.

If you ( whether you live near or far) have any topics that you would like for us to cover please email me at bmackwrites@gmail.com.

 

I am so excited about these God-given endeavors. Please pray for me as I work to prioritize my projects so that nothing will go lacking. Stay tuned! More blog posts coming soon!!!

Publix and Winn Dixie Deals: Hurry Some of These Deals End April 30th!

Check Out This Week's Deals!!!!

 

Publix Deals

 

Total Cost $27.49!!!

 

Kraft Velveeta Cheesy Skillets Dinner BOGO @ 3.39 Each

Publix Coupon $2.00 off Two  (Best Meals Happen at Home Publix Coupon Found in Store)

Final Price .70 cents each!

 

General Mills Cereal BOGO Free @ $3.99

.50 Cents off One General Mills Cinnamon Toast Crunch Publix Digital Coupon Print Two

I also used a $1.50 off Three General Mills Cereal Winn Dixie Catalina Coupon

 

Boca Veggie Protein Burger BOGO Free @ $3.69

$1.00 off One Boca Meatless Product Print Two

Final Price .85 cents each!

 

Ragu Pasta Sauce BOGO Free @ $2.57

Harvey's Competitor Coupon $1.00 off Two (Hurry Coupon Expires April 30th)

Final Price .80 cents each!

 

Right Guard Deodorant BOGO Free @ $3.83

$2.00 off Two

Final Price .92 cents each!

 

Print these competitor coupons from Harvey's for great deals on Meat and Produce at your Publix! (Hurry Coupons Expires April 30th)

$1 off any Meat Department Purchase of $2.50 or more

$1 off any Produce Purchase of $2.50 or more

.75 cents of Dairy Department Purchase (I purchased to half dozen Publix eggs and only paid .48 cents for both cartons!)

 

Also, take advantage of the Publix "Buy Theirs Get Ours for Free" Deal. I caught a great deal on Heinz Ketchup this Week! Click Here to View This Week's List of Sale Items

 

 

Winn Dixie Deals

 

Total Cost $24.99!!!

 

Starkist Tuna in Water 5 for $5.00 (no coupon but still a great deal!)

 

Fast Fixin Chicken BOGO Free @ 6.99

$1.00 off One Print Two

Final Price $4.99 for Both Bags!

 

Dixie Crystal Sugar on sale $1.99 each

.75 cents off One

Final Price: $1.24 each

 

Alexia Rolls, Potatoes or Onion Rings BOGO Free @ $3.99

$1.00 off One Print Two

Final Price $1.00 per bag!!!

 

Purchase two bags of Bird's Eye Viola Meals for $11.98. Get Pepperidge Farm Garlic Bread, Larry's Potatoes and get Mrs. Smith's Cobbler FREE!

The deal gets even better if you have coupons on any of these items.

$1.00 off One Bird Eye Viola Print Two

I pray this post has helped to make living your life a little easier!!!

BMackWrites

Stuffed Swiss Chicken Tutorial

Stuffed Swiss Chicken 

 

 

Life Made Easy

This recipe was sent to me on Facebook. My family loved it. Of course I had to add my own touch. Ingredients in green are my little tweeks to suit my taste.

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts or 8 chicken tenderloins
Salt and black pepper
4-6 slices baby Swiss cheese
1 can Campbell's Cream of Chicken soup
1/3 cup milk
1 stick butter, melted

1/2 cup Real Bacon Bits
 1 bag of Pepperidge Farm seasoned stuffing mix (not cubes) or 1 small box Stovetop Chicken stuffing mix

 Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 9 x 9 baking dish with cooking spray. Arrange chicken in pan and season to taste with seasoned salt and black pepper. Top each breast with a slice of cheese. Combine soup and milk in a small bowl and whisk until smooth. Pour soup over chicken to cover breasts entirely. Combine melted butter and Stovetop in a small bowl (moisten a little more with some warm water if it seems too dry) and scoop over top of chicken. Sprinkle Bacon Bits on top. Bake for 30-35 minutes. Recipe compliments of mrsmichaelscooks.blogspot.com/