By Scott McClymonds, local dad and owner of Busy Bees Christian Preschool

Hello Moms of Northwest Arkansas! I’m honored to share a “Devotion in Motion” with you this week, and I hope you’ll be inspired by one of my favorite biblical characters, Nehemiah. His life illustrated what it means to have “devotion in motion”, and we can all learn from his example.

Nehemiah’s willingness to act on God’s call helped transform history, and it reminds us to listen to God’s calling in our own lives. His courage definitely helped my wife Cindy and me as we struggled through some difficult times with our business.

Nehemiah lived in a time when the Jewish people were in captivity. Roughly 100 years prior to the events in Nehemiah, the city of Jerusalem had been captured by the Babylonians. The Jews who survived were taken back to Babylon as captives. In God’s great mercy and love for His people, He never abandoned them. He used a man named Nehemiah to rebuild the city of Jerusalem and turn the hearts of his people back to Him.

In chapter one of this story, Nehemiah received an alarming report about the condition of the Jews in Jerusalem. They were impoverished and in great distress, living in a burned city in ruins. Nehemiah was filled with sorrow and immediately turned to God. He realized the Jews in Jerusalem were in this mess because of their sin. So he went to God in prayer, confessing that he and the Jews had neglected God and His laws and acted corruptly. Then Nehemiah appealed to God’s great love and mercy by asking Him to be attentive to his prayer, to let him prosper, and to grant him mercy in front of the king.

In short, Nehemiah took action by asking for God’s blessing. His example teaches us two things: First, we’re dependent on God’s mercy to help us do anything. Jesus says, “Without me you can do nothing”. Second, God requires action. He works through weak and fragile people like you and me to accomplish His objectives.

Nehemiah was the cupbearer to the king. His job was to bring the king his beverages and taste them to make sure they were high quality as well as non-toxic. Despite the fact that he was a captive, he’d managed to work himself up to this trusted, influential position in the king’s inner circle. Nehemiah eventually used this position to his advantage to carry out God’s call on his life.

In the second chapter of the story, the king asks Nehemiah why he looks so glum. Even though he is “dreadfully afraid” when the king approaches him, Nehemiah musters up the courage to talk about his concerns for the Jews in Jerusalem. We see God’s hand at work when He moves the king to say, “What is it that you want?”

Despite his fear, Nehemiah says a brief prayer and then tells the king exactly what he wants. He’d been thinking and praying about this for quite some time. Incredibly, the king is moved by God to give Nehemiah what he wants, and soon he’s on his way to Jerusalem.

Here’s what you and I can take away from this history lesson:

1. Have passion. Nehemiah certainly had it, and we should all have the same kind of passion for our families. The family is God’s core unit of government and ministry, and He cares deeply about it.

2. Take accurate stock of your family’s situation. Are our relationships healthy and improving? Are we growing in our love toward each other and toward God? If we take a close look, we may find things that need to change. Just as Nehemiah didn’t want God’s people to remain in bondage, we should also want our families to realize their full potential even when that involves radical change.

3. Develop a bold, clear vision for your family. Here are some questions to help you formalize that vision: What do you want your relationships to look like? What values do you want to teach your children? What types of attitudes do you want them to have toward other people? What ways do you and your family want to serve your community? What do you want your relationship with God to be like?

4. Resolve to take bold action that you know will make a dramatic difference. Nehemiah could have stayed in his safe, influential position with the king. Instead, he decided his cause was so important that it demanded his entire being, even at the risk of putting himself into danger. What do you need to resolve to do? What are you willing to risk for it?

5. Turn to God in prayer, acknowledging that He’s the source of true change. Just as Nehemiah confessed his sins to God, we may need to do the same. Often we have some responsibility for holding our families back by neglecting our relationship with God.

6. Realize we need the help and support of other people to accomplish big things. Many women have a husband with whom you can work together to make great things happen. Those without husbands need to assess who can help. Christianity takes teamwork.

7. Depend on God’s mercy and promises to help you transform your family into all it can be. Remember, He is faithful. He loves you so much that He sent His son to be a substitute for your sins. Put your trust in Him, and you won’t be disappointed.

By Sara Milford, mother of four, writer and birth activist

She squeezed my hips with every bit as much pressure as my husband had for the past hour. While I could sense my husband standing in the doorway of our little bathroom, she sat calmly in a squat before me. Sitting on the toilet, my hands on my knees which were spread birthing-wide, I shook my head back and forth slowly, breathing deeply.

“I know women have done this for centuries,” I told her in a whisper, “but I just don’t know if I can.” The words were coming out, coming from me, yet from somewhere else. My reality was in another realm. My contractions had me in the here and now like only a contraction can, but in the moment, in the many moments that made up those few short hours, I felt safe, comfortable, supported – completely different from our first birth experience. She smiled at me, encouraged us, and she squeezed as long as I told her to.

She followed us to the hospital, where I arrived fully dilated and effaced, my amniotic sac still intact. Our healthy 11 pound, 12 ounce baby boy was born within the hour, doula and husband at my side. Afterwards, they moved us to a room and essentially forgot about us. Breastfeeding went great, and when she checked back with us at our home a week or so later, snow still on the ground because of the ice storm, she assured me all was well.

After taking her Bradley childbirth classes and having her as our doula, I realized how important her role was in our birth experience. I, too, wanted to help mothers experience this side of birth, the normal side of birth in all its raw, organic beauty. Having now become a doula myself, this is part of what I strive to do today.

Specifically, a doula is a laboring woman’s servant. She’s a well-trained, knowledgeable woman who knows the process and, more importantly, trusts the natural process. Ultimately, the doula is there to help the mother have the best birth experience possible based upon that mother’s vision. Doulas put their own egos aside and serve the laboring woman.

In our area, we’re blessed with many qualified doulas. Sites like BirthNetworkNWA (www.birthnetworknwa.org) and DONA, Doulas of North America (www.dona.org), are wonderful resources for finding the right doula for you. Interview several to find which one most matches what you seek in your “labor angel.” It is important to realize that a doula does not practice medicine nor give medical advice; she will not be your care provider, just your labor support, physically and emotionally. She can help you gather information, though, should you need it to make an informed decision.

Doulas do charge for their services, though some offer scholarships, trade or payment options, and rates vary from under $200 to over $500, most often depending on experience. Considering the time a doula offers and the benefits she brings to a client, most women find her services to be priceless.

Scientific studies prove that just having a woman in the room lessens the length of labor and reduces the perception of pain. These benefits increase with more qualified, interactive women serving in a supportive role. Even for women receiving an epidural or having a cesarean section, there are benefits in having a doula, such as breastfeeding support and less postpartum depression. Husbands also benefit from a doula’s presence because she is someone he can look to for assurance, suggestions and relief, when needed.

Since the birth of our second child, we’ve had two more birth experiences – one in which we wished we had used a doula for a hospital birth and one in which we had two midwives and an apprentice in attendance at our home. A doula can come in various forms – a sister, friend, mother, midwife, nurse, apprentice – but always she’s there for you, without fear and anxiety, providing calm and assurance. A doula will see you through the birth and be there for you afterwards. She is blessed to share one of the most intimate moments in your life, and you’re blessed to experience unconditional support and a genuine, loving spirit. I wouldn’t trade our experiences for anything.

To read more from Sara Milford, a local doula, check out her personal blog, Everyday Simple.

By Teresa Huddleston, owner of Huddleston Designs

The great thing about having a patio is that, not only does it give you a place to enjoy the outdoors, it can also be a true extension of your home. You’ve heard the phrase “bring the outside in.” When you’re decorating a patio, you should also “bring the inside out” to give the space a touch of the same personality that lives inside your home. The patio shouldn’t be a complete style departure from your home’s interior. Rather, it should continue the flow and reflect your taste and style. Below you’ll find my top ten tricks for creating the perfect patio.

1. Define room settings

Try to set up your outdoor space according to how each area will be used. Create one zone around the grill or fireplace and another surrounding a pool or hot tub, if you have one. You may also want to create a separate conversation area that’s a bit more tranquil and separate from the kids’ play areas. Make sure to furnish it with enough outdoor furniture, tables and outdoor rugs and lamps to give it that “sit and stay a while” feeling.

2. Light it up

Lighting is a “must do” for outdoor areas like patios. The right lighting will give it the ambience that makes it a truly special place to be even well into the night time hours. If you have a deck that gets a lot of sunlight during the day, you could surround it with solar lights that will then glow all night. Solar lights are a great way to avoid having a lot of expensive electrical work done. Outdoor lamps are also a great solution, and you should incorporate them the same way you would in your living room and surround the area with lights. I also like it when people extend the lighting out into the yard itself with up lights on the trees or spotlights showing off a beautiful flower bed or shining on a favorite statue or pond.

3. Think about flow

In a home, the wrong floor plan can really hinder your ability to enjoy the space. It’s equally important to consider traffic flow when you’re organizing your outdoor spaces as well.

If your access to the patio is through the kitchen, put your barbecue grill and food preparation area closest to the house so you can easily transport food in and out. If the patio comes off your bedroom, the first thing you should see is a relaxing area – perhaps a spot for reading or a great-looking hammock. If your patio is off the living room, it’s great to extend that living room feeling into the outside with another conversation area. If you’re lucky enough to have a pool in the backyard, try to set it up so that guests coming inside from the pool enter through a room with tile floors instead of carpeting – something like a mud room or laundry area.

4. Create central gathering areas

If you often invite large groups of people over for an outdoor party, make sure you create a space that’s open enough to accommodate the group. It’s awkward when you’re part of a large group and everyone is hovering around the only three or four chairs available. For big groups, create more than one outdoor room setting because people tend to clump together in different spots. You can also extend your groupings out onto the lawn itself.

5. Think green

Most people know that a patio begs for plants. Make sure you choose plants that add not only color but also different textures. Have a variety of plants of varying heights – some flowering and some just green. Don’t forget to include a few beautiful ferns, and add some interest with a variety of different planters, too. Though it’s a simple ingredient, plants really do make a huge difference in the overall feel of your patio.

6. Add some heat

As crazy as it might sound to use a fireplace or fire pit in the middle of summer, having one on your patio can enable you to use the space year-round. If your patio doesn’t have a built-in fireplace, a portable or semi-permanent fire pit can be a great solution and will add a cozy ambience for your outdoor gatherings. People just tend to relax and settle in around a fire, and it can be the perfect backdrop for those long conversations on the patio or deck. Make sure to shop around and see the various styles of fire pits before you choose one.

7. Create a relaxation station

One of the things clients request most in their outdoor space is a place to relax. You don’t necessarily have to be in a camping tent to “get back to nature” and enjoy nature’s beauty. Create a space on your patio for pure relaxation – reading, meditation, yoga practice or even napping. Be sure to bring in the sounds of nature by including a fountain or pond with running water. If you have a covered patio, a ceiling fan can add some nice, gentle movement and a relaxing breeze. Incorporate wind chimes, if you find them to be pleasant, but skip it if they’re a little too annoying.

8. Don’t forget the kitchen

If you’re hosting a party on the patio, people need to eat. So having some sort of outdoor kitchen space is a must. Some custom homes have an entire kitchen built into the patio. But if your home is like mine, you’ve got to figure out a way to create a kitchen space around a simple bar-b-que grill.

People will always gravitate to the area where the food is, so make sure to create a large enough space to accommodate them. Make some seating areas and include a big, galvanized tub full of ice and drinks. You could put the tub on a table top or on an iron stand. Be sure to have enough tables on hand for seating as well as serving the food. Make the kitchen area a fun, festive place to hang out.

9. Decorate with accents

Choose accents for your patio so that they’re in line with your personality and continue the flow from the rest of your house. Flowering plants are a must. Also include outdoor rugs, pottery, gates, sculptures and natural materials like stone or even tree stumps.

Give your patio some personality, too. Include a fun or unusual conversation piece – like a statue, wall hanging or unusual tile. People will gravitate to it and start asking questions. It can be something fun or something personal to you. Gazing balls can add a touch of whimsy, and, if you have the time to maintain it, a coy pond is always a great addition.

10. Create a viewing area

Installing an arbor, pergola or gazebo can give you the opportunity to create a beautiful “viewing area.” The gazebo could also double as your “relaxation station.” I saw one gazebo in a magazine recently that had a large wooden swing installed in it that faced out toward the children’s play area. It looked like the perfect spot to sit and snap photos, read a book or just enjoy watching the kids play. Sometimes arbors are extended off the house to create more shade, which can be enhanced by letting vines grow over it. Your arbor area could function like a breezeway or an entrance into a larger garden area. Fill it with flowers and shrubs. This type of structure is also a great way to divide a more adult space from the kids’ play area.

Teresa Huddleston is an interior designer and owner of Huddleston Designs. She also specializes in “re-design,” taking what you already have and recombining it for a completely new look. You can e-mail her at thuddleston7183@att.net or by calling 479-871-4116.

Haley Villines of Rogers recently sent us a message about a new product that she can’t wait to use on her 2-year-old son, Caleb, this summer. It’s called SafetyTat (www.safetytat.com), temporary waterproof tattoos that can be customized with your cell phone number or other important information like allergies, etc., on them. They won’t put your kid’s name on the tats as a safety precaution (so strangers won’t be able to call out their name and confuse the child into thinking they know each other).

In addition to being a mom, Haley is a speech-language pathologist and makes some very good points.

“I work with lots of families who have a child who can’t clearly and effectively communicate his/her name, phone number, or parents’ names if lost,” she said. “When I share this concern with them, many have never even thought of it. After all, we never dream that it will be our children who are lost at a theme park or separated from us in the mall.”

Haley said for years she’s suggested that parents use a wearable ID (dog tags, wristbands, etc.) for their children when they’re in public places.

“These tattoos are so much more kid-friendly!” she said.

Haley shared the SafetyTat link with a friend who previously worked at Disney World and the friend said she’d seen a lot of children who could speak normally in any other situation, but when they were lost and scared, just couldn’t remember their information or were crying too hard to get the words out.

So Haley wants all the moms out there to be aware of these tats!

“I hope that my child’s tattoo never has to be used, but if it does, it will be worth infinitely more than the $20 that I spent,” she said.