The Empowered Stepmom | Biblical Boundaries, Habits, Mindset

72 \\ Actions To Take Now Before Another Awkward, Blended Holiday Rolls Around in Your Stepfamily

May 05, 2022 Season 4 Episode 72
The Empowered Stepmom | Biblical Boundaries, Habits, Mindset
🔒 72 \\ Actions To Take Now Before Another Awkward, Blended Holiday Rolls Around in Your Stepfamily
Show Notes Transcript

Subscriber-only episode

Did you know? More phone calls are made on Mother’s Day than any other day of the year. These holiday chats with Mom often cause phone traffic to spike by as much as 37 percent.

Funny thing, I couldn’t find any stats on the spike for stepmomma phone calls…

No matter the stats, today’s episode addresses the awkwardness for stepmommas on a day set aside to honor mothers.

Sometimes special occasions roll around and you're caught off guard with planning?

Why does it sometimes feel as though holidays are a trap?  (So says Bill on today's episode.  Jen offers a slightly different take.)

Find out all the details of the "trappings" of Mother's Day celebrations.  You already know some of them - unmet needs, undeclared desires, and huge disappointments.
 
We'll share how best sneak the cheese out of the trap before it snaps! And we'll model how we did it as we made the decision on how to celebrate as we recorded this episode!
 
Mommas, no matter the labels society applies, know your presence matters.  You are a woman of influence!  We pray the most abundant of blessings to you on this special day.  Know that God sees your heart, your work, and your sacrifice as you steward your stepchildren.

Happy Mother's Day, Stepmommas!
 

Like this episode? Great! Thank you! Please, share with a friend!

Shave off years of anxiety, disappointment and miscommunications and enroll in the Values Masterclass today.  Your future is waiting for you!

We help stepfamily couples turn what feels impossible into Stepfamily Mission POSSIBLE! We offer real-life solutions you can start implementing right away. We help you understand how critical YOU are as leaders in your family to create a kingdom legacy that relies on God’s best for your family.

If you’re ready to ditch the chaos caused by high conflict stepfamily norms, regain intimacy as a couple, and begin to live your Kingdom Legacy right now, you’re in the right place.  We pray you enjoy this episode of Stepfamily Mission POSSIBLE!, and if so, rate and review!   

Want even more guidance and support?
·        Want to join a community of like-minded Christian stepfamily couples?
 ·       Want to get equipped, feedback & tips off social media, and bl

Take Your Power Back & Reclaim Your Joy, FAST! www.stepfamilypodcast.com/WorkWithJen
📞Get Featured on the show! Ask Jen Anything

Next steps:
Step 1: Join the Empowered Community bit.ly/joyfulwithjen
Step 2:
BUILD BETTER BOUNDARIES! Powerful Free Handbook + Bonuses!
Step 3:
De-Stress Planning - Celebrations Guide! bit.ly/CelebrateWithJen
Step 4:
Top 10 tips to Regain Your Power & Prevent Burnout Free Download!
Step 5:
Peaceful Co-Parenting Strategies that Work-Mini Workshop $97

Be strong, and let your heart be courageous, all you who put your hope in the Lord.
Psalm 31:24

Mother’s Day for Stepfamilies (Not fully edited)

[00:00:00] Bill: Alright. Hello, everybody. Welcome to Stepfamily Mission POSSIBLE! Today we are going to tackle the impossible. We're going to try to reconcile men and women when it comes to the issue of Mother's Day. we do not have this worked out. And in fact, before we hit the record button, we had one of those "discussions".

[00:00:21] Jen: End quote, discussions in the kitchen where, at some point in time, when my husband asked me what I thought about something, I said, I'm just going to save it for the podcast. That's what I'm going to do. I'm just going to save it for the podcast. So 

[00:00:34] Bill: Surprise, Stu.

[00:00:38] Jen: Surprise Stu. I'm not sure I know what that is, but yes.

[00:00:40] Surprise you. That's what it is. Okay. Mother's Day it's coming up in just a few days. I know from personal experience in communicating with a lot of stepmoms, there's a lot of disappointment, expectations and on met needs. a lot of times 

[00:00:57] The reason why the expectations aren't met is because they're not communicated from one spouse to another. even though Mother's Day is coming up and we're going to focus on mother's Day's, because we're going to solve this in the Rogers household today, this is really for all holidays, 

[00:01:13] It's for birthdays.

[00:01:16] Bill: It's for holidays. And, here's the question, are there unspoken expectations? And in other words, we had a discussion this morning and one of the things we came up with is do guys sometimes feel like there's a little bit of a trap laid out. Okay, this isn't just guys, it can be women too, but it's most often, okay.

[00:01:39] I've talked to a lot of them. It's most often guys, and here's the trap. It's basically. I have an expectation for you to celebrate this holiday. And I'm not going to tell you what it is because I want to see if you do it now. That is a trap, because if you don't do it, you're in Chateau bow, as we've talked about before.

[00:02:02] If you do. You know, you do it by luck.

[00:02:06] Jen: we're not going to do this by luck. We're not going to solve this by luck. We're going to solve this by a conversation. And I certainly don't want to send you to Chateau Bow-Wow

[00:02:14] okay. you mentioned the lay, a trap, and my hackles go up because it's not 

[00:02:23] Bill: intention. It's just there it is. That's why one of the things to talk about when we're talking about holidays is, are there unspoken expectations? Let me give you an example. Okay. Okay. When we came into this marriage, You and I had different ways to do birthday, 

[00:02:43] Your way was okay, let's lay it all out on the table. Everybody say, here's what we want to do for the birthday. And it's planned and it's going to be great. And that's the way it's going to work. Now, if you do that and you forget it, you're in. Now my way of doing birthdays. On the other hand, coming into the marriage was it's all a surprise.

[00:03:02] You'll just have to wait and see what I do. But the problem with that is if I do nothing, then I'm really in trouble. So it is, it's an spoken expectation. Maybe it's even subconscious, but what we're talking about is: are there ways that. I can talk about it in advance. That doesn't reach that point. Where, so you only did that because I told you to, I mean, how do we get to the point where we can talk about these things and it not become sticky?

[00:03:38] Jen: It's a great question. I think the first step is to acknowledge. The awkwardness. Can we just all say that these days are awkward, and we want to lay low because we don't want to stir up trouble, but we want to talk about it all at the same time, but we're not really sure how to broach it.

[00:03:58] And I think it goes back to what you were just talking about. I don't see it so much as laying a trap. There are times that I do want you to know certain things without me having to tell you I'm going to give you that one. All right. All right. One for the men, maybe it's just. As simple as you bringing up to me, Hey, Mother's Day is coming.

[00:04:21] I think it's probably going to be awkward. Can we talk about that? And you're laughing at me, so that's not going to have that's too much of an ass. Let me just 

[00:04:29] Bill: put it this way. All right. I don't know how many guys are listening right now, but they're all laughing because they're like that doesn't happen.

[00:04:37] Bill: I don't know why the guys do not remind their wives. Of holidays, unless it's national tool day or something like that, coming up. 

[00:04:48] Jen: Okay, I'm going to miss that one because I don't know what national tool they is. So there you have it. See, I wouldn't know. I would need you to say to me, honey, national tool day is coming up and this is the tool of my dream that I have on my mind.

[00:05:01] This is what I want. Is there a national tool day. 

[00:05:06] Bill: I'm just saying even, even birthdays. Right? I mean, you know, it's funny, we've got good friends and we were talking to them recently and say, oh, birthdays. Yeah. You know, once in a while we, we mentioned it sometime during the day, and then we go out to dinner.

[00:05:23] Okay, 

[00:05:25] Jen: that's right. That's right. Or I guess the advantage when it's your birthday is that you get to choose the restaurant. So this is the couple that goes out to eat pretty regularly. That that's, that's just the nature of what they do. okay. So let's go back to, we're going to acknowledge the awkwardness.

[00:05:39] So you just basically blew out of the water. What I said that I think it would be perfectly reasonable for you to come to me and say, Hey honey, this holiday is coming up. So you say, no, 

[00:05:48] Bill: I think it is perfectly reasonable. And I'm speaking very generally here, but I bet you, lots of the women would agree.

[00:05:56] Most men aren't going to do that. Men. Aren't going to say, Hey, this Mother's Day is coming up. Let's do this. No man, I'm going to skulk around and they're going to be like, oh my gosh. Oh my it's Mother's Day. What am I going to do? oh, I can get flowers. And I did that last year. oh boy, the kids, I haven't even talked to them yet.

[00:06:13] Oh my goodness. This is becoming a mess. And, and then there's that room. I start shaking. They're like, I don't want to get in trouble. Okay. I mean, if I could come several weeks in advance, for example, we talked about and in a church meeting, right? Oh, Mother's Day is coming up. What are we going to do?

[00:06:32] But we don't as families, stepfamilies, particularly Mother's Day is off. Because a lot of moms don't feel completely welcomed by their step-kids anyway. And what is that going to mean? Doesn't it speak to the issue? And we've talked about this a lot in other podcasts of rejection of rejection of me as a stepmom.

[00:06:56] Jen: It does, I would say certainly it does. that's part of addressing the awkwardness so that that really doesn't have anything to do with any emotion whatsoever. It's acknowledging a truth, that there are lots of awkward moments when we come together as families. Even when we come together, when it's just a couple, when they first get married and no kids are involved whatsoever, there's some awkwardness because you bring your habits, you bring your experiences, you bring your traditions into that marriage.

[00:07:26] now we're just doing it with. A bunch more people in the mix as far as establishing what the norm is. my recommendation would be for mother's day. Is that because the guys are, as you described so eloquently in their head, I'm going to encouraged the women to decide what's important for them. How would they like to be acknowledged on Mother's Day?

[00:07:49] Jen: And if your husband is one of the rare few that has come to you and already asked, then your mission is already accomplished here. However, if you're in the, what is most likely the majority, then I encourage you as women. To take a moment and think about what's important about this day one.

[00:08:06] It may not be important for you to receive acknowledgement at all. And that's totally cool. Regardless of where you end up. I think it would benefit the relationship. If you took that to your husband and said, I've been thinking about Mother's Day, it's probably a little awkward. What do you think? 

[00:08:25] Bill: Yeah, well that is a, it's a good conversation to have.

[00:08:30] And I think that it goes to the issue of why, why is it awkward? And what I want to get at is this, I mean, why Mother's Day as opposed to. All other days, Are we going to just acknowledge you on Mother's Day now? We hope that, you know, a lot of husbands are gonna be saying things like, well, I acknowledge all the time, honey.

[00:08:51] I mean, yeah. I forgot mother's Day's day, but geez, Louise. I mean, I, I got every other day, tell me some slack.

[00:08:57] Why. Why that day particularly. So, so we know that that day was laid out as a day to honor mothers, well, and good. And there should be a day to honor mothers. They do far and above, what would ever be expected. I mean, you know, I don't know too many moms who aren't superheroes. 

[00:09:15] Jen: I think the challenge comes in is.

[00:09:18] Women are put in this stepmom role. And there are lots of expectations that are placed on them. And then also as women, we assume some of those expectations as well, but it doesn't come with the badge of mom. And I dare say, even. Though it doesn't come with a badge. There are times that we really would like it to.

[00:09:43] I'm going to say to you, I'm going to model this for our audience on the fly, honey. I've been thinking about Mother's Day. It's a little awkward. Isn't it? 

[00:09:53] Bill: It is. 

[00:09:54] Jen: What makes it so awkward? 

[00:09:56] Bill: What makes it awkward is that I know that there are lots of situations where my boys have not acknowledged you as a part of their family.

[00:10:07] And that is difficult. And what it is is it's a reminder of the difficulty. It's a day to commemorate the difficulty, which is already there, which is already in the back of your mind, thinking how come these boys don't recognize what I've done for them. Now we've talked about the difference between mom and influencer.

[00:10:30] Right? We've talked about that some, and we've talked about how much you've impacted their lives, but if they don't recognize that it becomes difficult; it feels like, " What's the point?" And we've had, we've had that conversation.

[00:10:45] Jen: We've lived that conversation time to time. Would you like to know how I would like to celebrate mother's. Day's 

[00:10:51] Bill: Yes. 

[00:10:52] Jen: Oh, okay. I'm going to share it with you. I've been thinking about a little bit, but I didn't really come to a conclusion other than acknowledging as I continue to learn more about the differences between control and influence, and that God has called me as a steward to our family.

[00:11:10] And because I don't have the control, even though I would like it, I don't have the control that I would have in a non-blended situation. And I don't have the authority. And oftentimes authority and respect go hand in hand. Even if you may not respect the person in that position, you respect the person's position, if that makes sense.

[00:11:31] Bill: That does make sense.. 

[00:11:32] Jen: Yeah. And so am I in a position of authority with the boys? Kind of, but it's blurry. It's fuzzy, it's complicated. We know as stepparents... So if you're a step-parent, whether we're talking about mother's Day's day, or if we flip the script and talked about Father's Day, the same would be true in the sense that there are just some things that are fuzzy there.

[00:11:54] And I really do think that in order for the kids, the step children to acknowledge the parent on mother's Day's or Father's Day. The other parent does need to take the lead on that to say, Hey, Mother's Day is this weekend and have that conversation with them. And I find it awkward. Do you find it awkward? 

[00:12:17] Now, of course, this is dependent on the ages of the kids, but I do think that the bio parent can have that conversation with the kids to say Mother's Day or Father's Day is coming up and it's a little awkward. here's kind of what I was thinking. What are you thinking and how comfortable you are? The kids may not be comfortable at all.

[00:12:35] I mean, it all, there's so many different situations. It depends on when you blend how old the kids are. we know a lot of couples who have been widowed and remarried, so the kids are all adult children, and it's awkward for them having. Is an invitation to say, let's talk about the awkwardness together.

[00:12:53] And there's, there's the expression, not your real mom or not your real dad. I think that kids are just saying the truth and they're right. I'm not their quote unquote real mom, but as their stepmom, is there a way that. You would like to honor your stepmom. I think that that is that's a bio parent responsibility.

[00:13:20] If you will, if they choose to take it on, I think each couple is going to be different. So if I said to you, Hey, I don't even, let's just, I don't even want to acknowledge it then I don't even want to acknowledge it. 

[00:13:31] I think that is such a good point. for reference, my bio kids are 21 and 17.

[00:13:38] Jen: they are older and that's where that conversation where you just said, Hey, Mother's Day is coming up. I know it's a little awkward, you know, you can have that conversation. Now, if the kids are younger, then dad, it would be a lot better just to go to the kid and say, Hey, here's what we're going to do.

[00:13:56] Right. You know, and we've done that before. I mean, we certainly have done that for birthdays and things in the past, but I know, I know. And this is an admission. I know that we have not done a good job with. In fact, I can recall several of them where we probably didn't even mention it. Nope. Nope. So, you know, I don't think that's right either.

[00:14:18] Well, I was, I can't name a father's day that you didn't even mention it. I can't, 

[00:14:22] I would say full disclosure. There has been not just a little bit of hurt there. There's been a lot of hurt there at different times, but now where we are in our relationship and where the ages of the kids are, we only have one left in the house.

[00:14:35] So thinking about that, it's just a little bit different and where you're also dealing with, are they present or not present? if you're working to plan an event, when you talk about planning in advance and thinking about it on time, you got to think about it on the time when the kids are in the house, that you can have the conversation so that they're with you at that time.

[00:14:56] And that could be a couple of weeks prior, depending on whatever your custody schedule is. And that's. Awkward complicating factor. For Mother's Day's Day,, it would be a great olive branch, if you will, for those of us in difficult, high conflict ex situations that the bio parent of the kids reminds their kids that Mother's Day is coming up. So they acknowledged their mom. that would be an attitude of grace, a position of grace. reminding them because the kids may or may not be aware helping them to understand the acknowledging. All this is based on the premise that you want to celebrate this holiday to begin with.

[00:15:36] I'm sure there are people out there to say, Hey, we don't celebrate mother's Day's day, but, for me personally, I think just as simple, Hey, happy Mother's Day, just a verbal from the kids. That'd be great. If they're here, do they need to pick up the phone and call me? No, I'm not expecting that. I, I just don't because that's not how it works for us. I'm just a simple, happy Mother's Day day. They they're not acknowledging me as their mom at all. It's just a, it's a holiday and we go to church and we invite all the moms to stand up and everybody wishes them a happy Mother's Day.

[00:16:08] It's just like you would wish a friend, a happy birthday. You would just simply say happy birthday because you're being polite. That's it. I'm not interested in anything else. There I have worked it out here, on the recording. That's what I want for Mother's Day. Hey, simple acknowledgement, happy Mother's Day.

[00:16:23] Here's the issue. I see. That I think we do need to address kids. And this was pointed out to us by Lauren Reitsema actually kids sometimes feel like they're betraying their bio mom by recognizing their step-mom and that needs to be addressed too. I do agree with you and with Lauren that there definitely are loyalty issues. that goes to the point where I was saying it's really a beautiful gift for the biological dad to say to their children,

[00:16:56] Jen: it's Mother's Day; it's important that you acknowledge your mom, right? Even if they're with you in your home, like a phone call or a card, I mean, this takes some extra work. So step mamas, since we've already heard from the men's representative, 

[00:17:11] They're going to have all these thoughts in their head that they're frozen in thought that this would be the double grace moment. You remind them, Hey, mother's Day's day is Sunday. Have you thought about Mother's Day in relation to the kids acknowledging their mom? Yeah, I, I do think, I think that's good. I think it's good to have the conversations too, because anything we can do to cut off those moments of. Awkwardness or feeling slighted feeling hurt. Anything we can do to cut those off. We're going to be good. And if that's a simple conversation now, now I've got to tell you, and this is, this is just raw.

[00:17:54] When we started having that conversation this morning. I know I said to you, sometimes it's very uncomfortable to be forced to look into. All right for a man. I, this would be true for a woman too. I'm sure in certain situations, but to be forced to look in the mirror and say, well, you, you blew it or you're about to blow it, or, you know, you need to change your thinking on this.

[00:18:19] It's uncomfortable. It's 

[00:18:21] uncomfortable. I did mention that the air in the room had changed to the era of defensiveness getting the Wyatt. I would say, I, I certainly don't want to put you on the defensive. and I think that's part of where the difficulty comes in, in even broaching the subject because automatically we're, we're in cringe mode.

[00:18:42] I 

[00:18:42] Bill: can tell you the grace, you showed me there is that now it's hours later, and I've had a chance to process and think, and it's like, yeah, that makes sense. I'm looking at them. It's never comfortable to look in the mirror, but guess who's holding that mirror. The Holy Spirit. So I really don't have any way to go back and say, Hey God, I don't want your man anymore.

[00:19:02] Give me some quail.

[00:19:03] Jen: Yeah. Yeah. When you start taking that first bite of quail, it's really not good. What does that numbers and numbers? 11, look in there. If you want to hear about the quail and the meta-story for some more background, L Lincoln in the show notes. 

[00:19:18] Bill: Again to reiterate. This is not, I mean, we were talking in the context of Mother's Day because that's this week, but it's also birthdays.

[00:19:27] It's also Christmas. It's also the way we handle Valentine’s Day as a couple. It's all of those holidays that just come up in the calendar that forced my hand. Let's say one of the, I told you this funny story. when I was on the road, I would be coming home.

[00:19:44] And, you know, you'd go into to just get a cup of coffee or something and you get all these guys at four o'clock in the afternoon on Valentine’s Day and they're rummaging for cards and flowers and stuff. And it's the funniest thing. Cause it's oh, I got to assuage my guilt and give this to my wife. 

[00:20:01] for these that go in the jewelry store, they love you last minute, because you don't look at the price tag, you just buy because you are motivated for a lot of reasons to just get it done 

[00:20:13] Bill: and get.

[00:20:17] Jen: Hey, listen, truth. Be told I don't want you to be in trouble either. this speaks to our maturity in our relationship and our experience and understanding what makes it so hard. And eight years in, we've learned a few things. We're still, God is still teaching us much. So that's for sure. But as far as the communication goes, that's where you and I, as.

[00:20:40] It's important that we come together and we do have a conversation about these things that there's trust there. That when I come and say, Hey, Mother's Day, have you thought about it? That we can work to the point where you're not put on the defensive and instead, you know, it's a helpful question and not a hurtful trap.

[00:21:05] Bill: It's a reminder as well. And that is the reminder is this every day should be Mother's Day. In one sense. I mean, there never should be a time that a husband is, oh no, I'm not acknowledging my wife at all. There shouldn't be a time when you feel slighted that you can't have that conversation. One of the things, I mean, I would say over eight years, It's not that we don't still fight.

[00:21:34] Of course we do. We've just learned how to a little bit more, and I say a little bit more. We don't have it nailed, but at the same time we have enough experience to know where this goes. I know you well enough to know there are boundaries 

[00:21:49] Don't do something that's going to hurt the you. I mean, we had a conversation last week, you know, th that ad hominem attack as it were that, instead of addressing the issue, I'm going to hurt the person don't do that. That's where we need to realize, Hey, we're on the same team. And if there's something that's not right.

[00:22:10] Something being pushed, if you're. And you feel like you need to go to the doctor. There's a reason, It's the same thing in your relationship. If there's something pushing on you, if they then talk about it, don't just walk away. Don't just say, ah, you know, I guess, I guess I just have to deal with this.

[00:22:27] No, I mean, there should at least be a conference. 

[00:22:29] this speaks to the power of unity among the couples. something that is so important to how we share information that the unity between you and I is key that we are on the same sheet. Together. we do some pre-work before we take certain issues to the kids before we take certain decisions to the kids, because it changes based on the dynamics in the household and what's going on with the kids and the ages of the kids and all of those things as well.

[00:22:59] Jen: to go back to the beginning and to summarize what we've been talking about holidays, Are 

[00:23:05] Bill: awkward. They can be. And when we acknowledge it right up front, that makes it less SOC. 

[00:23:11] the reason why holidays are awkward is because there's so many blended personalities coming into the mix 

[00:23:20] Bill: and they force a response they force or response.

[00:23:23] Again, looking in the mirror, you'd have to say if it's forcing a response, maybe that response should have been there in the first place. 

[00:23:30] Jen: Well, I like to avoid those should'ves, but it certainly is an opportunity. I guess it's, it's an awareness that says, Hey, alert, alert. This is something that. You're going to get more practice on.

[00:23:43] We've practiced a lot of the same things over and over again until we get them right. And there are still certain things that we revisit that we need more practice on. But I do think that speaks to the need for grace, for ourselves. And for one another that we haven't done this before and we're working out what is the best way.

[00:24:04] if you're. Like the way that it went down, then that's an after action review moment, as opposed to have a conversation as a couple to say, Hey, I didn't really like the way that went down. I'd like to do something different the next time, this rolls around. And you can have a conversation about that.

[00:24:20] Bill: Yeah. How can we talk about our hurts together without feeling offended, Yeah, for sure. that speaks to trust. a reminder too, about what you were saying about the kids and the loyalty struggle that they experience, whether it is a birthday, whether it is Christmas, you know, we do this, we have these traditions, we had those traditions.

[00:24:40] Jen: We have a responsibility as stewards of the kids to help them feel safe. to know Things can be a little bit off. when we normalize that, that takes the fear out of it. when we leave things on said about the awkwardness in blending, that is ground for fear where fear can come in because nobody's talking about it.

[00:25:02] if I bring it up, it's probably not a good idea because mom or dad might fly off the handle. 

[00:25:07] Bill: That's a good word. it's also a time that we can have a conversation with our kids, which is really important. no matter how you handle Mother's Day, it's good to be aware that these issues are out there. All holidays. And the fact that they're out there for all holidays means that as couples, there are things. Would want to do to communicate about 

[00:25:33] Jen: them?

[00:25:33] Yeah. I keep thinking of sanctification right now, but this is our step to becoming more and more holy as we're on our journey.  it really truly is sanctification. These holidays, give us an opportunity to draw closer together. if we reframe what the challenge is, so the challenge is. How are we going to celebrate the holiday, the challenges, how will we prepare as a couple for the awkwardness of the upcoming holiday?

[00:26:03] and if you prepare them, perhaps there won't be awkwardness. I mean, that is something, you know, one of the things you're mentioning about sanctification, we are stewards of each other, Even in our marriage, you belong to God. I belong to God, we're stewards of each other. And sometimes we're reminded, Hey, this is a precious possession.

[00:26:26] Bill: I've allowed you to become part of how are you going to treat this precious possession of mine that coming from God. And that's a beautiful way to think about it because you are the apple of his eye and he has lent you to me. For a time to be my comforter and help me make no mistake about us. He's the real lover and husband.

[00:26:55] Jen: That's beautiful. Totally cool. Well, I like being connected to you. I like being your help, mate. It's. All right. what do you say? We pray for the moms out there. Would you pray a Mother's Day blessings for the women? 

[00:27:13] Bill: Lord God, we do thank you for the beauty of motherhood. And we live in a society wants to blur that God, we remember that all children are gift from me. it doesn't matter how we've come to be there. There are shepherds in there, guides Lord, whether we are bio parents or stepparents, those are only names because in the end Lord, you love them all. we are truly stewards of those gifts that are yours.

[00:27:45] I pray that we'd be good stewards. I pray for the women, Lord God, that they would feel the ultimate happy Mother's Day come from me. Just that you would be telling them well done. Keep on, there is a crown waiting for you, even for the times that you did something for that step kid and didn't receive recognition.

[00:28:11] There is a crown Lord. God, let us always do things for you. Not for recognition, but for your glory, kingdom and righteous. Father, I pray that this is a joyous holiday for our stepmoms and our stepdads. We pray this in Jesus' name, amen.

[00:28:34] Jen: Amen. All right! Happy Mother's Day. Stepmomma!

[00:28:36] Bill: Happy Mother's Day!