By: Maralee McKee

You’re receiving this blog because in the past, it could have been months or years, you subscribed on-line or when you heard me speak at your church or business. I post infrequently so you might have forgotten about me.

Greetings!
A lot of life has been happening lately, and it’s been a long time since I’ve sent a blog post. I apologize for my absence.

I’ve been micro-blogging every day on our www.Facbook.com/Manners.Mentor   page but outside of that you might be thinking right now, where have I been, and what have I been doing?

That’s a thoughtful thought! Thank you for thinking it, and allow me to share with you the latest.

I’ve been at my desk at home these last months writing (or how I like to say it “birthing”) my first book.

Manners That Matter for Moms will debut in bookstores nationwide, at on-line retailers, and on e-readers on October 1.

I knew that writing a book would be hard. I thought I prepared myself, but I guess it’s not possible to completely prepare for something you haven’t done before. There was no way I could have foreseen the seven months of emotional toil and “brain pain” I would feel. I thought the three days of soft labor and the 52-hours of hard labor it took to bring my first born into the world would be the hardest challenge I would ever face.

I was wrong.

Oh, I was so wrong.

Guilt and a Thesaurus

Giving birth to Marc tested and drained my  body.  Birthing this book tested my mind, my convictions, my motivations, and my beliefs in my capabilities. On the days when the words wouldn’t come I prayed, I cried, and then I prayed some more…a lot more.

I also spent more time with my thesaurus than I did with my husband and boys. I spent so much time weaving my story that I didn’t take time often enough to read my youngest his favorite stories.

That brought out my mommy guilt, (I’m prone to guilt. It’s something I’m working on.) and well, most moms have been there. If you have, then you understand.

Mommy guilt is brutal.

But you know what?

I finished the race. I completed my task. I did what I KNEW God wanted me to do. I birthed the book he put inside of me to share with you.

Just Becasue It’s Hard Doesn’t Mean It’s Not God

Lynda Freeman, my friend and a dear prayer warrior (who is writing a great devotional right now) said something to me on the phone that I’ll always remember and treasure. “Maralee, you might not feel God with you now as you struggle. He might not seem present in the details. It will be when the book is finished and you look back that you’ll see how He accomplished through you what He put before you. Just because it’s hard, doesn’t mean it’s not God.”

She was right!

In retrospect God had everything under control. My worries were mine not His. I made it harder than it needed to be because I tried to please me instead of Him. That’s the lesson I learned writing this book. I’ll carry it with me forever.

This Book Is Like Me, and I Bet It’s Like You, too

This book isn’t a list of do’s and don’ts. I’m not so much into do’s and don’ts. I’m more into why and how. When I understand the how and why of something it sticks with me longer, it has the power to change me.

The book I wrote for you is about living a new lifestyle. A freeing, positive, joy-filled, grateful, kind  life, and passing that life along to your children! The “why” we do what we do is taken from what I discovered the Bible has to say about our manners. (It actually has a lot to say!) The “how” we do it is in the modern simple, savvy, sincere manners I share. Together, they’ll change the heartbeat of you and your family.

Manners That Matter for Moms will instill a respect for and ease of kind-hearted, gracious interactions in your children that will help them bring out their inner best and want to interact with kindness and  respect towards you and others. It will prepare them for a lifetime of healthy relationships.

Manners Mentor etiquette will never make you or your children doormats. It will make you welcome mats.

Win an Autographed and Endorsed Book from Me!

Every Monday between now and the first of October, I’ll be giving away a copy of my book.

How do you enter?

Easy! If you subscribe via email to this blog, you’re already entered.

Using Random.com, I’ll choose a new winner each week, contact that person via email, and announce his or her name on the blog and our Facebook page each Monday.

Our first winner has already been notified and is Diana from Winter Park, Florida. Congratulations Diana!  

If you have friends who have children or grandchildren, share this post with them and have them subscribe to our blog. The more folks we have rooting for the side of civility and kindness, the better it is for all of us!

Remember, come join over 5200 of the nicest people you’d ever want to know on our Facebook page www.Facebook.com/Manners.Mentor. We have a lot of fun!

Blessings on your week!

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