The Podcast – The Masterpiece Mom: Recent Episodes
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Welcome to The Masterpiece Mom Podcast! Buckle your seatbelts and get ready to laugh and nod your head in agreement as we reveal the ordinary and not-so-ordinary details of life and motherhood. Join Amanda Bacon and Anne-Renee Gumley, creators of www.themasterpiecemom.com, for an encouraging message of hope for moms everywhere.
Today we’re chatting about generosity. And not just in the money sense. We’re talking about being generous with our time, our talents, our resources, our speech, our efforts, and our love… just to name a few. Sometimes it’s hard to think of giving more of ourselves because we’re busy, or afraid of burnout. So we’re gonna talk about that. The excuses, the possibilities, and the blessings.
And make sure you stick around for the end of the episode where we go Off Topic. We may or may not have gotten a little carried away discussing certain makeup trends. Ones we dig, and ones we definitely don’t.
Thanks for listening!
PS – Here’s the two questions Amanda asked toward the end…
- How do I get in a generous mindset?
- What does generosity look like right now for me?
In honor of you and all the joy and craziness of motherhood, we decided to record a short video for the blog to wish you a Happy Mother's Day from us to all of you. But since we know some of you might want a little something more, we turned it into a special podcast episode, complete with our traditional Off Topic at the end. We hope you enjoy!
We're back for our first episode of 2018 (finally, right?) and we're talking about mothering well when the life swirling around you is just plain hard.
When there’s too much on your plate…
Too many loose ends hanging out…
Too many unsolved mysteries….
Too many relationships that need work…
Too much stress…
Too much to do…
It's something we all face at some point, and today we'd like to chat about it and offer some practical help and encouragement while we do. Listen to the end where we turn the more serious talk to laughter and discuss fashion—the current trends we love and ones we'd gladly do without. It's a fun one!
Moving and motorhomes and sisters. Oh my!
Join us as we chat with our friend and Amanda’s in-real-life sister, Jen Howell. We talk about inviting our kids into the process of change, and chasing callings we’re not even sure where God is taking us.
Make sure you listen all the way to end where we ask ourselves really deep questions such as: “If you lived on the prairie at the time of Laura Ingalls Wilder, what one modern day technology would you want to have in your home?” We dare you not to laugh.
At one time or another, don't we all just think our families are so weird? We sure do and today we're talking all about it!
We hope you'll join us. (There's also a bit of fun news tucked right at the start of the episode.) So take us in the car, on that walk, or crank it up while you make dinner. We're so glad you're here!
“Come to Me all you who are weary and burdened…” – Well, that pretty much describes every mom we know. Because mothering is hard. And demanding. And well, stressful. Then you add in the rest of life, and you have the makings of quite the situation where stress is concerned.
So let’s talk about it. And all those stretching situations we find ourselves in on a day-to-day basis. If you struggle with stress or are a self-defined stress case, this episode’s for you.
In the everyday, how does stress manifest itself in our bodies? our thoughts and actions? Don't we need the presence and peace of God so, so much?
And be sure you listen all the way to the end to hear what celebrities we may or may not resemble and what movies we love. In this episode, there are lots of laughs at the beginning and end, but sandwiched right in the middle might be just what your heart needs today.
We'd like express our sincerest apologies to Miss Hannigan for accidentally calling her by the name of another equally crazy character in this episode.
Thanks for listening and have a great day, friends!
P.S. - The book Anne-Renee mentions is called Rhythms of Rest by Shelly Miller.
P.S.S. - The sound quality is not what we'd like it to be this time. Thanks for bearing with us as we figure this long-distance recording thing out!
In this episode, we're discussing our words. Those phrases we use with our kids we're not so proud of.
How can we replace those biting words with ones that build up and encourage rather than tear down? We hope you'll join us for this short 20-minute boost for your day. Thanks so much for listening!
Have you ever wondered how it is that children, as small and innocent as they are, can take over an entire household? How about the grocery store. Doctor's office. Or dread of all dreads, the Sunday School classroom. Where you watch in horror as your precious darling turns into a crying screaming dictator. Ruling the roost and making demands.
So today, we thought we'd talk about who's really the boss. Is it the child? Or the parent?
This isn't only a small child issue, because as we all know, small children grow into big children. What's a parent to do when small powerful children grow into big ones? How do we stop this cycle? Well, we hope you'll join us today as we talk about this very thing!
We've all been called upon to be brave at one time or another. Sometimes it's in a big scary thing, and other times it's in the midst of our everyday lives. We hope you'll be encouraged as you listen in to our discussion today. Let's get our brave on. The world is waiting.
P.S. If you'd like a good laugh, listen all the way to the end where we describe our pregnancy shape!
What if, instead of attempting to do it all we simply polished the strengths we already have? Mothering from those natural places. Those instinctive places. Mothering from a place of calling and passion rather than the overflowing well of tiredness and responsibility.
Joinus as we talk about finding your zone of awesomeness. Your jam. Not someone else's. This episode is all about mothering at its best. Bringing freedom rather than failure. And all the moms said, "Amen."
We’ve all felt judged as a mom, and we’ve all done our fair share of the judging. In this episode, join us as we discuss the ways we struggle with judging other moms and the ways we can avoid it. What are the characteristics of a judgey mom and how can we gravitate toward being gracious moms instead?
This and more can be found by listening in to the discussion today!
Before we say hello to 2017, we must give tribute to all our 2016 favorites. It's tradition after all! (And feel free to compare and contrast this episode with the Best of 2014 and Best of 2015 if you wish.)
So sit back and enjoy the laughter peppered with a little seriousness here and there as we share our favorite moments from the past year. May those lessons learned live on. And may all the fabulous fashion, music, and books continue long after jeggings have disappeared back into the fashion archives. (This will make more sense after you hear the episode. Wink, wink.)
Happy listening, friends!
And in case you can't scribble them down fast enough, here's a few of the things we mention...
Anne-Renee's
Favorite ALBUMS: Elf the Musical // Olivia Pothoff - Home Team Advantage
Favorite BOOKS: Rhythms of Rest // Falling Free
Favorite PODCASTS (besides our own of course): Glorious in the Mundane with Christy Nockels // The Lazy Genius Podcasts // The Hope*Writers Podcast
Amanda's
Favorite ALBUMS: Lauren Daigle - How Can It Be // Lauren Daigle - Behold // Christy Nockels - A Thrill of Hope
Favorite BOOKS: Humble Roots
Favorite PODCASTS: Communicator Academy // Craig Groeschel Leadership Podcast
Have you ever had to put away something you dearly love for a season? Photography, art, music, a favorite book club or Bible study. And have you been able to pick it back up again? If not, why? Seriously. What keeps us from doing what we love? Yes, we’re busy. But too busy to […]
From the moment we find out a baby is coming and will soon be placed into our arms, the fears start circling. Will I completely bomb motherhood? Will I even like being a mom? Will I ever sleep again? Once our baby arrives, these sorts of fears don’t wane, unfortunately. They ramp up until […]
We’re back!!! After a 2+ month podcasting hiatus, a minor move (okay, a rather major move – like across the country major!), some readjusting and some ever so slight tweaking, we are back behind the mics for your listening pleasure.
Join in the conversation as we chat about our latest mothering adventures, the good stuff, the hard stuff, and what we feel God is teaching through it all.
Thanks for joining us!
Today on the show, we’re discussing the topic of compassion — how we show it to our most dearly loved, and those outside our homes and normal circles. There’s this dilemma we all face: will we be more compassionate toward one group or the other? Who will we decide to invest in and show Christ’s love […]
Summertime and the livin’ is easy… Or so the song says. And sometimes it is. As you lie back on the sand and contemplate the beauty of motherhood, bathing in idyllic moments of sun and play. That is until Johnny gets a bunch of sand in his diaper, Sally gets a blazing sunburn, and you […]
Today on the show we’re discussing all the things we’d tell ourselves if we could go back to the starting line of motherhood. Being a mom is hard work, and sometimes we get so caught up in the here and now, that we don’t often take the time to pause and consider what we’d do […]
In a world full of safe choices, comes a brazen breath of fresh air challenging us to do what we normally wouldn’t dare to do. To be unashamed and bold. To live out those brave (and sometimes downright scary) callings upon our lives and our hearts. And to see the beautiful even when surrounded by a […]
We just loved having Casey Chappell on the podcast for two episodes! Have you heard Part 1 of our conversation with her? If not, head on over and listen… we’ll save a spot for you right here. Don’t mind the fact that we went all nuts thinking this was our 50th episode. We […]
For the first time ever, we welcomed a live guest into our studio (also known as Anne-Renee’s living room). So fancy! Casey Chappell is a SAH mom of 6 kiddos, ages 7 and under. She dabbles in photography, writes when she has the brain margin to do so, and is a firm believer […]
Are the habits we’re engaging in draining the life out of us and the people around us, or giving us life? On today’s episode, we’re discussing this very topic. Won’t you join us? Also, listen to the end to hear the things we’re currently obsessed with! We’re so glad to have you. Thanks for listening! {Is the […]
Well hello, you guys! On today's episode, we are talking about our WORDS. Ways we use our words to heal ... and ways we use our words to hurt -- in our relationships and in our role as a mom.
Join us as we discuss the potency of those little words and phrases that just seem to roll off our tongues (some planned, some provoked). Maybe, just maybe, you're like us and there's some you'd like to eliminate from your repertoire, or perhaps a few you'd like to add. We'll chat about that too.
Last January, we devoted an entire episode of the podcast to our favorite things from the last year! It was so much fun, we decided to make it a tradition. In this episode, we talk about our favorite things of 2015... This time, we discuss songs, books, food, movies, spiritual truths and more! Join us?
We have a special announcement for you: Christmas hath arrived one whole week early!
Just for you and your lovely ears, you can receive an awesome Christmas surprise ahead of all the other gift giving! Because who wants to wait a whole 'nother week to hear a message of hope? We need it right now ... in the midst of the crazy -- the wrapping, the baking, the piles of dishes and mountains of laundry.
Well, get ready. Sweet dollops of wisdom and soulful joy are on their way!
Please join us in welcoming Teri Lynne Underwood. We introduced her to you in November when we shared a post on her latest project, Prayers for Girls. Well this time we're chatting all things Christmas: expectations, doing one-thing-at-a-time, traditions, seasons of motherhood, and being present in the moment. Listen in as Teri Lynne shares how "it doesn't have to be super spiritual in order to be meaningful." {Amen?}
We hope this episode will be the perfect gift to sooth any frazzled nerves and help your weary heart rejoice in this precious season. Merry Christmas, dear ones!
This week we bring you Part 2 of the recap of our time spent at the Hearts at Home conference for moms last month in Minnesota. We had an amazing time and heard from some "new to us" speakers we'd love to share with you!
In this episode, we highlight the work and words of Dr. Kathy Koch. We just loved her and hung on her every word. Such a wise woman! We think you'll love the nuggets of wisdom we'll share from her sessions we attended at the conference. Her newest book, Screens and Teens is available wherever books are sold. So good.
Click play and join in as we discuss technology, screen-time for us and our kids, and some Christmas music nonsense as well! Can you guess our least favorite Christmas songs? Ugh. I cringe just thinking of mine. Take a second to comment and tell us your favorite and non-favorite songs!
We hope you enjoy our conversation. Thanks for taking the time to listening. You guys are the best!
Today we will be sharing with you some highlights from our recent trip to the Hearts at Home North Central Conference in Rochester, Minnesota. Can we just say, “Uh-maze-zing?!” The staff behind the conference, the special speakers, the fabulous vendors, and all the folks playing the supportive roles … all phenomenal! We came away feeling like our hearts were about to burst with godly wisdom and motherly fuel for the daily grind. And we would love to share some of the overflowing goodness with you, our favorite moms!
Join us as we chat through some of what we learned, as well as some Mom-Opposite silliness we discovered along with way. Keep listening to the end if you'd like to go shallow with us as we talk about our hair routines. Lots of laughs there!
Thanks so much for listening! Do you have friends who would benefit from The Masterpiece Mom podcast? Please share your favorite episodes with them!
We all want more opportunities to connect with our kids. With life swirling all around us, this can be difficult to say the least. We hope you’ll listen in today as we talk about the struggle to make personal connections and share some ways we’ve learned to make this happen in our families.
We are thrilled to welcome special guest Lisa-Jo Baker to The Masterpiece Mom Podcast! We’re so thankful she took the time to come have a chat with us. From deep thoughts on hot tea (the proper method of preparing and drinking – in which she is an expert), to chatting about her book, Surprised by Motherhood, we […]
Living as a mom, woman, or even just a human being in our society can be daunting. Everyone has an opinion about how we should live our lives. Even the people we love like to chime in and share their two cents. So it’s easy for a gal to get off-track — even for the […]
Today’s episode marks Part 1 of a 2-part series on living a life beyond society’s expectations for us moms. Ouch! Oh how well we know the sting of feeling like we’re falling short. The pressure out there is fierce. Especially for moms. The competition alone can be downright brutal, drowning any sense of uniqueness and […]
Ever feel like you’ve completely lost the ability to think clearly, remember things, and feel sane since becoming a mom? You are SO not alone. We’re right there with you. You’re not crazy, it’s just a little thing called Mom Brain. Will you join us as we chat about our Mom Brains and how we […]
Ever get bogged down with all the clutter in your life? Stuff you know you need to get rid of, but you never seem to have enough time to do it?! You fill your brain with books and blogs on organization with great intentions to minimize and simplify, and then watch sadly as those intentions fly […]
Up until this point, our podcast episodes have centered around us as moms. Who we are, how we can grow, and even our friendships. This time, we wanted to hit a parenting topic — one we all would benefit from. As parents, there’s this tricky dynamic between telling our kids “you must obey your parents […]
A thousand hoorays that summer’s here! I think it’s safe to say that we all enjoy the summer months. But sometimes with the arrival of summer, comes a swarm of to-do’s and irrational mama pressure to jam-pack as many things into the next 3 months as humanly possible. So we decided what was needed at […]
We’ve been chatting the last several episodes about the different faces of motherhood. This week we are joined by special guest and nationally syndicated radio show host, Amanda Carroll, who will discuss in depth with us, life as a single mom. Whether you are a single mom, you were raised by a single parent, or […]
Since there are all types of mothers out there doing their thing day-in day-out, we thought we’d take the next couple episodes of the podcast and dedicate them to two very special kinds of moms. In this episode, it is our pleasure to highlight adoptive and foster moms. Amanda happens to be one, so this […]
We’re different but the same. When it comes to friendship and motherhood, this statement describes the mom world perfectly. For we are all different. Vastly different. Our approach to how we do things, our ideas and opinions, even our schedules can be worlds apart. But just because we’re different doesn’t mean we have to be […]
You’re in for a real treat today. We’re so pleased to have one of our very favorite people as a guest on today’s episode. Emily Freeman is a rare gem of a writer, thinker, and friend. And since we don’t want to be completely selfish by keeping her all to ourselves (well, we kinda […]
Grumpy, grumpy, grumpy. We don’t know about you, but we sure don’t want to be known as grumpy moms. But boy, oh boy, is it ever easy to slip into grumpster mode with our families. At least it is for us. In this episode, we’ll discuss what makes us grumpy and find out if we’re […]
Have you ever felt the winds of change couldn’t come soon enough? Sometimes we’re so anxious for things to be different that we miss the beauty of now. That change you’re hoping for in your children, or that change in yourself? We know. It’s tough stuff. Because change takes time. And sometimes time feels like […]
After nine months of hearing just the two of us on past episodes of The Masterpiece Mom podcast, we’re so pleased to announce the addition of special guests to our episode lineup in 2015. Yahooo! Today, we’re happy to welcome our very first guest on the show! Jennifer Smith is the creator of Unveiled Wife, the blog and Facebook community many […]
What does your daily routine look like? No matter how mundane or messy, what you are doing right now as a mom is important. Like a general leading an army into battle. It’s a big deal. A really big deal. Listen and laugh along as we chat about kitchen disasters and an amazing quote by […]
Grab your favorite listening device and get ready for The Masterpiece Mom – Best of 2014. From music and movies, to books and things we learned throughout the year, join us as we talk through the silly and the deep. And as you listen, maybe jot down some of your favorite things. Then please please […]
Welcome to Your Questions, Part 2. Today we will be conversing about where to draw the parental line between simple silliness and purposeful misbehavior. (It’s a tricky one for sure.) We also tackle personality differences and creative ways to instill proper respect into the hearts of our children. And lastly, to add a little spice […]
Hi everyone! Welcome to this week’s episode. To change things up a bit, we thought we’d dedicate the next two episodes of The Masterpiece Mom podcast to answering your questions! We put the call for your questions out on Facebook last week, and are happy to be able to answer and discuss a few of those from […]
It’s no secret that social media has changed how we relate to one another. Our ability to see into each other’s lives, whether the real deal or the posed moments we put out there for others to view, has given us new ways to connect. It has also given us a new method to measure […]
Truth be told, I (Amanda) stink at writing these little blurbs telling you why you should listen to the newest episode of the podcast. Anne-Renee, on the other hand, is a blurb-writing genius. She should be in advertising. Truly. So sad for you, it’s me at the helm of this one. Here’s what you get […]
Two weeks ago, on Episode 19, we discussed Stereotypes and the harm they can cause when we allow them admittance into our daily relationships. This time we’re taking it a step further and discussing stereotyping from an action standpoint (think offense vs. defense; acting out of grace rather than simply reacting out of frustration). How do […]
Stereotypes. Not often a topic discussed within happy circles of friends, but it’s an important one to bring out into the light. We promise to make it fun, and we promise to offer lots of grace too. We pray this discussion will start a dialogue within our hearts about the ways we’re quick to judge and lump the […]
Game changers. Do those words instill the same kind of hope in you that they do us? A game changer can be something as simple as an unexpected bright spot in your day, or it can be something bigger that causes a bad attitude to change its mind. Thus, changing the course of your whole day. Either way, […]
It’s no wonder this episode is the longest we’ve recorded to date! There’s just so much to say about siblings — the ones we grew up with and the ones we’re raising. We’d love to have you along as we reminisce about our days growing up and our life today with the ups and downs of teaching […]
Hello and welcome to the podcast that encourages, entertains, and on certain days, somewhat informs. Now many of you have voiced requests for Daily-Life-How-To mothering content. While we are not professionals and admittedly have our fair share of daily mishaps, we are willing to set aside our pride and disclose some of our miscellaneous whacky […]
Okay girls, it’s confession time. It’s time to admit that we like to keep certain aspects of our lives hidden. We love to hide the mess when company comes, our bad days from people we’re not close to, and the mistakes we make. Do you find this to be true for you? But when it […]
Moms and Worry just seem to go together. Like bacon and eggs. From anxiousness over finances, children’s health, family safety, to all those pesky To-Do’s, we mamas are queens of worrying. But worry doesn’t have to come with the territory of motherhood. In fact, it can keep us from experiencing some pretty amazing things: like […]
Did you know you’ve already got what it takes to be a good mom?! God has given each one of us moms the perfect gifts and talents that are perfect for our families. And what about those longings and dreams and desires within our hearts? Well, He has instilled them within us, not to simply […]
Sometimes we forget that our children are a REWARD from God (as verse 3 of Psalm 127 declares). Oftentimes parenting seems more like a burden, filled to overflowing with tedious and thankless responsibilities. But beyond the sea of diapers, dishes and piles of dirty laundry, we find that children can teach us so much about […]
Every mom finds herself feeling overwhelmed at one time or another. And when we do, it’s a sure sign we need some refreshment, a new perspective, and maybe a change of pace. Listen in to today’s episode as we talk about the things that feel chaotic in the life of a mom and the many ways we […]
Welcome back to The Masterpiece Mom Podcast! Today we will be continuing our conversation on Mom Guilt: From Guilt to Grace – Part 2. This time we will hear about guilt from Amanda’s perspective. She will be sharing about the very first time she felt Mom Guilt as a young mom of one, and what […]
After closing out our five-week long series on Mothering Myths, it’s time to take this podcast in a new direction! Mom Guilt, anyone? Oh, yes. That. If you’ve ever felt guilty because you’re craving a break from your kids or that you didn’t wash their sheets for the third month in a row, you’ve suffered from Mom Guilt. That eensy weensy little voice that […]
Ever held off doing something you knew God was calling you to do, simply because you thought you needed a BIGGER or stronger faith? Well, today we’re discussing just that as we close out our series on Mothering Myths with Myth #5: I Should Have A Flawless Faith. Remember the little boy David and that […]
We’re back this week with Part 4 of our series on Mothering Myths. Today we’ll cover Myth#4: I Should Be Happy All the Time. Have you ever wondered why you can’t stay happy even after all Christ has done for you? Or perhaps you’ve felt confused about the difference between happiness and joy. You’re not […]
Thanks for joining us for today’s episode as we move onto the next myth in our five-part series: Myth #3 – I Should Have a Picture Perfect Family. Have you ever wondered what really happens behind the scenes at family photo shoots? Are those smiling faces in the picture always so happy? Or is there maybe a hidden […]
Here we are at the release of Episode 5 never imagining so many of you would be out there listening!! It thrills us. Thank you for coming back for each new episode and allowing us into your homes, cars, or wherever you may be listening. We are LOVING this new venture into the world of podcasting and hope you will find […]
Thank you for joining us as we begin this five-part series focusing on five prevalent mothering myths. Over the next few weeks, we will be addressing those things which get in the way of the abundant life God has for us as moms. In this particular episode, we’ll be tackling Myth #1: I Should Have It All Together, All […]
Today we’ll be discussing the state of modern-day mothering and addressing some of the pressures moms face every day. We invite you to listen in as we chat about some of the prevalent mothering myths, and together, discover hope for the journey. Thanks for joining us! P.S. The Masterpiece Mom Podcast is now available on […]
This week on the podcast, we will be discussing the good, the hard, and the unexpected parts of motherhood in this current season of life. And of course we’ll throw in some stories (this time about wildlife in Alaska) along with some goofiness as we talk about our culture’s obsession with bacon. Thanks so much, everyone, for […]
Hello, fellow masterpiece moms. We’ve been welcoming you in so many ways and in so many places as we launch this new site and podcast, but we truly mean it. Welcome, friends. We’ve waited years to enter into community with all of you on the web, and hopefully someday we’ll get the pleasure of being […]