Good vs. godly

I've been thinking a lot lately about what I am teaching my kids. 

Am I teaching them to be "good" or am I teaching them to be "godly"? 

One will have eternal significance, the other has the potential to give them a false sense of security in their salvation and also undermine the importance of what Christ did for us. 

Proverbs 22:6 says that if we train up a child in the way he should go, that when he is old he will not depart from it. This is my hope each day as I battle with my kids over the same issues over and over and over again. 

But, I also know the trap of being "good". 

You see, for most of my life, I believed in just BEING good. 

DOING good. 

Playing the part well, but never really 'getting it'. 

Over the last several years, God has pointed out to me, that being GOOD isn't what it's about. Period. 

Titus 3:5 ^{says that} "He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy."

And in Ephesians 2:8-9 it says “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: NOT OF WORKS, lest any man should boast.” 

 

So no matter how "GOOD" I am, or how many "GOOD" works I have done, it would never be enough to earn God's grace. Grace is a gift, freely given, but one that must first be received.

 When it comes to my children's hearts, I want to continually remind them of WHY we need to stop worrying about being 'good', but to help them learn to continually journey towards being godly. 

My prayer each day is that I will model for them Christ's love in a way that will draw them to Him. (My prayer directly following that one is that God would shield and protect them on all the days that I blow it completely!).

This past weekend I had a discussion with a family member about the way I talked with K when she was upset. I went through the normal spiel with her and then said, "Karsyn, what would Jesus want you to do?". This sweet family member later said, "Woah, you pulled out the whole 'what would Jesus do line on her'" and thought I was kind of joking when I said it to her. 

 

 But I wasn't joking. In every decision we make, in each discipline situation, in each conversation we have, I want my kids to stop and think about how Christ would respond. And that's what I want them to do.

Is being 'good' an added benefit? SURE! But I need them to KNOW deep in the core of their being that they can't ever be good enough for God anyway, not apart from Christ. If they think they can be good enough on their own, then they will never truly learn to need the gift they have been given. They also may learn how to put on a mask to fool those around them, but never truly surrender their little hearts and lives.

 What about you? What insight do you have on winning the good vs. godly battle in your own life or the lives of your family?

Love y'all!

 

 

What we do when caught off guard is the best evidence of who we really are...

The following post was written by Kara Chupp and shared on a blog that I follow. If you're a mom who has ever lost it and yelled at your kids (or like me, does this often!), this is for you!

 There Are Rats In My Cellar

September 16, 2011 By Kara Chupp

 I owed them an apology.

You could say I lost it.

My husband made a small comment about the status of the–
clutter-dirty-messy-ish-ness of our house…

And I went on a rampage.
I started tossing toys, candy wrappers, shoes, broken pencils, popsicle-stick-art-projects…
And tender emotions–
into the garbage.
I said (or…um…maybe ranted) things like:

How many times do I need to remind you to hang the jackets up as soon as we walk in the door?
Do you think I enjoy scratching stickers off of windows !?!
Why in the world would you clean your rock collection in the bathroom sink–that is the only bathroom I actually got cleaned today!?!
Really???  You thought that was clean–clearly that shirt needs to be washed !?!
Really??? You thought that was dirty–do you think I have time to wash clean clothes !?!
And on…and on…and on….
And on.
They stared at me with confused, blank, teary faces.
I wish I could say that I turned things around before bedtime.
But it wasn’t until the next morning that I was ready to face who am I when I don’t let the love of Christ control me.  I couldn’t avoid the mantra that kept playing over and over in my mind:

…for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God…

~James 1:19

We just studied that passage.
But why am I continually the one who–

 …looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like?

~James 1:24

I want to be the one who–

…looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres,

being no hearer who forgets, but a doer who acts.

~James 1:25

And so came the next morning.
And at breakfast I asked for their forgiveness.
Me:  “I just want to tell you that I shouldn’t have said those things in the way I said them last night.”
Our child who is most like me:  “But you did…”
Me:  “I know…and I’m really sorry…will you forgive me?”
Thankfully, there was a resounding YES and hugs and much grace given.
But I read this recently in Nancy Wilson’s book Building Her House and it was so convicting:

A child growing up in a home filled with

selfishness, criticism, impatience, and bitterness

does not flourish…

(parents) fail to realize how potent their words and actions are,

for good or ill…

Nothing we do is neutral;

it will either feed and nourish or starve and impoverish.

It’s easy to excuse the outburst or criticism with so many rationalizations.
But–there is a difference between patient teaching-training and frustrated criticism.
And there is no excuse for sin.
And that’s really what it is.
And the kids can see them–
Those rats in my cellar…

Surely what a man does when he is taken off his guard

is the best evidence

for what sort of man he is? 

Surely what pops out before the man has time to put on a disguise is the truth? 

If there are rats in the cellar you are most likely to see them if you go in very suddenly. 

But the suddenness does not create the rats: it only prevents them from hiding. 

In the same way the suddenness of the provocation does not make me an ill-tempered man;

it only shows me what an ill-tempered man I am.

~ C.S. Lewis

I don’t want to be a wife and mommy who tears down my house with my own hands (Proverbs 14:1).
Praise God who gives grace and forgiveness.
Praise God who redeems my failures.
Praise God who changes hearts and heals hurts.
Praise God…who sees the rats in my cellar…and still doesn’t give up on me.
My prayer for today and tomorrow…and pretty much forever–

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart

be acceptable in Your sight,

O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.

~Psalm 19:14

A Mother's Love- Repeat Week Post #5

Love is...

 I have a friend who has an excellent blog (http://ourlittlesuperheroes.blogspot.com). She wrote a post based on the book A Mother's Heart. One of my favorites parts of her post was where she listed this author's paraphrase of 1 Cor. 13 as applied to a Mother. Read it and be blessed!

 If I keep my house immaculately clean, and am envied by all for my interior decorating, but do not show love in my family- I am just another housewife.

If I am always producing lovely things-sweing, art; if I always look attractive, and speak intelligently, but am not loving my family-I am nothing.

If I am busy in community affairs, teach sunday school, and drive in the carpool, but fail to give adequate love to my family- I gain nothing.

Love changes diapers, cleans up messes and ties shoes-over and over again.

Love is kind, though tired and frazzled.

Love doesn't envy another wife-one whose children are spaced better, or in school so she has time to persue her own interests.

Love doesnt try to impress others with my abilities and knowledge as a mother.

Love doesnt scream at the kids.

Love doesnt feel cheated because i didnt get to do what i wanted to do today-sew, read, soak in a hot tub.

Love doesnt lose my temper easily

Love doesnt assume my children are being naughty just because their noise level is irritating.

Love doesnt rejoice when other peoples children misbehave and make mine look good. Love is genuinely happy when others are honored by their children."

Stong Willed Child- Repeat Week Post #2

Welcome to Day#2 of Repeat Week. I know that many of you are struggling through this same battle with your child, so thought it was worth posting again. I can tell you that we have come a LONG way since I wrote this post and there is light at the end of the tunnel. If you're a weary, worn out mother or father just trying to help mold and shape your child's will DON'T GIVE UP! They are worth it. Keep plugging away each day and carrying them to the throne of Grace. Love you all and I'm praying for you!

 

Strong Willed Child

Recently, I have had several conversations with other mothers that have been really difficult to understand. The basic undertone was something to the effect of  'wonder what it is that you're doing that causes Karsyn to act the way she does?' . Not only is this a hard thing to hear from someone that you consider to be a friend, but it also creates all sorts of 'mommy guilt'. Karsyn is strong-willed, and has been since she was born. She was never a "happy baby" or one that was wanted to be held and loved on. She has wanted to be up and on the move, doing her own thing since birth...seriously...There were days when to get her to eat (when she was around 9 months old), that I would have to hold the bottle in her mouth and follow her around and around her exersaucer because she refused to sit still and let me hold her to eat. The older she has gotten (she's now almost 27 months), the more her strong will has been exhibited. We have read many, many books on the topic, have spent a great deal of time in prayer and have consulted with other parents who have also had a strong willed child and survived. We are doing all that we can to try to instill in her the things that God has told us are necessary.

I spent the last week pulling out all the books that I have on the subject again and trying to see if there is anything that I missed. I found such encouragement today when looking at "The New Strong-Willed Child" by Dr. James Dobson while on the car ride home. I have read this book multiple times, but today I really felt reassured and renewed to tackle the task of raising our sweet, strong-willed girl. Since I'm keeping this blog as a way to look back and see what was going on in our lives, I want to write down some of the things that I found important and want to remember. If you have a strong willed child, read on and find the same encouragement. If you don't have one, maybe you should read so that you won't make hurtful comments to a friend who happens to have the task of shepherding a strong-willed child.

-First, recognize that strong-willed children are NOT a liability, and you should never let yourself feel victimized or cheated by having borne one of them. DO NOT compare your child with the "perfect" children of your friends or relatives...a tough-minded kid IS tougher to raise and at times may push you right to the edge. But that wonderful assertiveness and determination WILL be an asset when your child is grown. That irritating temperament was a gift from God, and He makes no mistakes.

-Children DON'T start life at the same place...the aspect of inborn temperament is NOT something boys and girls learn. It is something they ARE.


-Strong-willed children often possess a certain strength of character that will help them grab the opportunities that come their way. When they make up their minds to reach for something, they are likely to stay with it until the goal is achieved. They are less susceptible to peer pressure.

-Those who are effective in shaping the will without breaking the spirit are going to appreciate the person their child eventually becomes.

-The ultimate paradox of childhood is that boys and girls want to be led by their parents but insist that their mothers and fathers earn the right to lead them.

-Once a child understands who is in charge, he or she can be held accountable to behave in a respectful manner.

-God has instilled parents as leaders for a finite period of time. Authority must be preserved in the home. Children who are acquainted with it learn to yield to the benevolent leadership of God Himself. God has given parents the responsibility of representing Him to their children. He is a God of unlimited love and our children become acquainted with His mercy and tenderness through our own love toward them. But make no mistake, He is also the possessor of majestic authority! The universe is ordered by a sovereign God who requires obedience from His children and has warned that "the wages of sin is death" (Rom. 6:23). To show our children love without authority is a serious distortion of God's nature.

-When your child's behavior is saying "I hate you" in every way possible, hang in there. Keep your courage. Better days are coming. Don't panic...Don't try to "fix" them overnight. Choose carefully the matters that are worthy of confrontation, then accept his/her challenge on those issues and win decisively.

-Parents will not harm a child by taking steps to gain control of a child's rebellious nature, even though it sometimes involves confrontation, sternness, warnings, and when appropriate, reasonable punishment. Only by accepting the inevitable challenges to parental authority and then by "winning" at those critical moments can parents teach a headstrong boy or girl civilized behavior. And only then will that child be given the ability to control his or her own impulses in the years to come.

-If you don't take a stand with your child early, he/she is compelled by his/her nature to push you further. 

-There are two messages that we need to convey to our children before their 4th birthday:
1- I love you more than you can possibly undersatnd. You are precious to me and I think God every day He let me raise you.
2- Because I love you, I must teach you to obey me. That is the only way I can take care of you and protect you from things that might hurt you. The Bible tells us "Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right" (Eph. 6:1)

-While raising a strong-willed child may be difficult, it is worth the effort to do the job right. The Lord gave you that challenging child for a purpose.  He wants you to mold and shape him/her and prepare them for a life of service to Him. You're up to the task! You are going to make it with the Lord's help!


If any of you are struggling with the same thing, be encouraged! Feel free to message me if you have any great advice or success stories that you can share. If you don't happen to have a strong-willed child, be careful of the messages you are sending to those that do. We are all just doing the very best that we can. I can promise you that it is not my desire for my child to throw a tantrum in the middle of wal-mart or to cry fourteen times within our hour long visit together... We're working through it and I know that one day things won't be quite this challenging. Karsyn Rose, if you happen to read this one day years down the road, you are worth every bit of the effort. Daddy and I love you and are so very proud to be your parents! We would not trade you for anything. We know and believe that one day you are going to do great things. We pray that you will use your strong will for Christ and that you will be able to stand strong when others can't or won't. We love you!

Motherly Judging

image from www.h3mom.com

This wonderful post came from "I Can Teach My Child" blog, which is one of my favorites! Please go read the complete blog post at: http://www.icanteachmychild.com/2011/07/lesson-learned-motherly-judging.html


 "My mom has told me a story time and time again.  It's one that I've learned to appreciate now more than ever:

My parents were blessed with my oldest brother Brian.  He was a relatively easy baby.  As a toddler, he was very easy-going and obedient.  He had a naturally compliant disposition.  He had energy, but he could sit still if need be.  Meanwhile, another couple at their church had a son the same age named Brian as well. This Brian, however, was wild!  He had TONS of energy and ran around like he owned the place.  Everyone thought his parents had no control over him.  My mom distinctly remembers talking to my dad and saying, "Our children will NEVER act like that."  And then their second child was born...

My brother Chris loves life to the fullest.  He is so fun to be around because he has natural charisma and a great sense of humor!  As a toddler, he had LOTS and LOTS of energy.

My mom always says the moral of the story is...don't judge or else you'll be given a kid just like that!  :)

This story is easy to laugh at, but it is all-too-familiar.  I myself remember saying (prior to having children), "I will never do _____."  And even when we only had one child, I could sometime sit atop my high-horse and pass judgement.

GO READ THE REST OF THIS POST AT: http://www.icanteachmychild.com/2011/07/lesson-learned-motherly-judging.html

How to Ruin Your Kids for Life

This list was originally published in Mom Life Today, which is a blog through Family Life today. My friend Tara posted it on her page and I wanted to share it with each of you. All of us have to decide the best way to raise our children through God's guidance and help, but I thought this list was pretty good at targeting behaviors we want to make sure to avoid. Love y'all!

Source

How to Ruin Your Kid for Life
By: Tricia Goyer
 
1. Give your kid everything he wants. Don’t deny what will truly make him happy. Overvalue money and things in his eyes.
2. Dress your child in designer clothes, no matter the cost. Show her that her outward appearance matters most of all.
3. Place your child’s needs over those of your spouse. If she cries, run to her immediately. If she interrupts, give her your full attention.
4. Entertain your child throughout the day. If she wants to play tea, put your plans aside. If she wants to watch her favorite movie for the hundredth time, forget your idea for going for a walk and getting some sunshine.
5. Plan your menu around your child’s desires. No child should have to eat something he doesn’t like. If, by chance, you want to make something other than macaroni and cheese or peanut butter and jelly, feel free to cook your own meal, just as long as you have time to fix what your child likes.
6. Sign your child up for as many extracurricular activities as she desires, even if it means giving up your evening plans on a regular basis. Don’t worry about trying to gather around the dinner table either. He can only be in the junior soccer league for so long, and you don’t want him to miss out.
7. Don’t discipline your child when she acts up. Everyone should learn to express herself in her own way. If she demands something, then applaud her efforts. At least you know that she will not be a pushover or a doormat in this world.
8. Don’t worry when your child fights with neighbor kids or even when he is a bully. Life is not fair, and someone always has to be the underdog. At least your child is learning to elbow his way to the top at a young age.
9. When your child has a disagreement with her teacher, always choose your child’s side. Don’t show up when the teacher wants to discuss your child’s problems. The teacher will want to take a course of disciplinary action and that’ll hurt your child’s feelings.
10. Don’t share your faith with your child. After all, you don’t want to offend. Let your child decide if she wants to hear Bible stories. And don’t pressure her to memorize Scripture verses. She might get disheartened if she doesn’t get it right the first time and you’ll ruin her self-esteem. More than that, you don’t want her to know there’s a God who runs the universe, makes the rules, and determines eternity. The thought is too hard, and your child might not understand. More than that, she won’t be self-dependent and strive to be a good person.
Copyright © 2011 Tricia Goyer. All rights reserved. This article originally appeared on MomLife Today, FamilyLife's blog for moms.

Motherhood as a Mission Field

June 16, 2011 | by: Rachel Jankovic |
www.desiringgod.org

 

There is a good old saying, perhaps only said by my Grandfather, that distance adds intrigue. It is certainly true — just think back to anything that has ever been distant from you that is now near. Your driver’s license. Marriage. Children. Things that used to seem so fascinating, but as they draw near become less mystical and more, well, real.
This same principle certainly applies to mission fields too. The closer you get to home, the less intriguing the work of sacrifice seems. As someone once said, “Everyone wants to save the world, but no one wants to help Mom with the dishes.” When you are a mother at home with your children, the church is not clamoring for monthly ministry updates. When you talk to other believers, there is not any kind of awe about what you are sacrificing for the gospel. People are not pressing you for needs you might have, how they can pray for you. It does not feel intriguing, or glamorous. Your work is normal, because it is as close to home as you can possibly be. You have actually gone so far as to become home.

Home: The Headwaters of Mission

If you are a Christian woman who loves the Lord, the gospel is important to you. It is easy to become discouraged, thinking that the work you are doing does not matter much. If you were really doing something for Christ you would be out there, somewhere else, doing it. Even if you have a great perspective on your role in the kingdom, it is easy to lose sight of it in the mismatched socks, in the morning sickness, in the dirty dishes. It is easy to confuse intrigue with value, and begin viewing yourself as the least valuable part of the Church.
There are a number of ways in which mothers need to study their own roles, and begin to see them, not as boring and inconsequential, but as home, the headwaters of missions.
At the very heart of the gospel is sacrifice, and there is perhaps no occupation in the world so intrinsically sacrificial as motherhood. Motherhood is a wonderful opportunity to live the gospel. Jim Elliot famously said, “He is no fool who gives up that which he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.” Motherhood provides you with an opportunity to lay down the things that you cannot keep on behalf of the people that you cannot lose. They are eternal souls, they are your children, they are your mission field.

Faith Makes the Small Offering Great

If you are like me, then you may be thinking “What did I ever give up for them? A desk job? Time at the gym? Extra spending money? My twenty- year- old figure? Some sleep?” Doesn’t seem like much when you put it next to the work of some of the great missionaries, people who gave their lives for the gospel.
Think about the feeding of the five thousand when the disciples went out and rounded up the food that was available. It wasn’t much. Some loaves. Some fish. Think of some woman pulling her fish out and handing it to one of the disciples. That had to have felt like a small offering. But the important thing about those loaves and those fishes was not how big they were when they were given, it was about whose hands they were given into. In the hands of the Lord, that offering was sufficient. It was more than sufficient. There were leftovers. Given in faith, even a small offering becomes great.
Look at your children in faith, and see how many people will be ministered to by your ministering to them. How many people will your children know in their lives? How many grandchildren are represented in the faces around your table now?

Gain What You Cannot Lose in Them

So, if mothers are strategically situated to impact missions so greatly, why do we see so little coming from it?  I think the answer to this is quite simple: sin. Discontent, pettiness, selfishness, resentment. Christians often feel like the right thing to do is to be ashamed about what we have. We hear that quote of Jim Elliot’s and think that we ought to sell our homes and move to some place where they need the gospel.
But I’d like to challenge you to look at it differently. Giving up what you cannot keep does not mean giving up your home, or your job so you can go serve somewhere else. It is giving up yourself. Lay yourself down. Sacrifice yourself here, now. Cheerfully wipe the nose for the fiftieth time today. Make dinner again for the people who don’t like the green beans. Laugh when your plans are thwarted by a vomiting child. Lay yourself down for the people here with you, the people who annoy you, the people who get in your way, the people who take up so much of your time that you can’t read anymore. Rejoice in them. Sacrifice for them. Gain that which you cannot lose in them.
It is easy to think you have a heart for orphans on the other side of the world, but if you spend your time at home resenting the imposition your children are on you, you do not. You cannot have a heart for the gospel and a fussiness about your life at the same time. You will never make any difference there if you cannot be at peace here. You cannot have a heart for missions, but not for the people around you. A true love of the gospel overflows and overpowers. It will be in everything you do, however drab, however simple, however repetitive.
God loves the little offerings. Given in faith, that plate of PB&J’s will feed thousands. Given in faith, those presents on Christmas morning will bring delight to more children than you can count. Offered with thankfulness, your work at home is only the beginning. Your laundry pile, selflessly tackled daily, will be used in the hands of God to clothe many. Do not think that your work does not matter. In God’s hands, it will be broken, and broken, and broken again, until all who have need of it have eaten and are satisfied. And even then, there will be leftovers.

Investing in our Kid's Lives

This past weekend, I took K out for a Mommy/Daughter date. I have to be honest and tell you that a year ago this would have been the last thing in the world I would have wanted to do difficult. She has come SUCH a long way in the last little while and I can confidently say that I LOVE taking her places now! She is growing into such a delightful young lady and I love the sweet spirit that God is cultivating in her. 

We went and ate supper at Chick-fil-A then a quick haircut. As we arrived at Chick-fil-A, she calmly told me what she wanted to eat and then she stood quietly beside me as we waited for our food. For those of you who know K, this may shock you. Yes, it’s true, she was completely still and calm waiting in line. Every time I’d look down at her holding my hand, she’d smile up at me and squeeze my hand. 

We took our food and sat down at the table she chose- one that was directly facing a woman with her two kids. One was a boy that looked to be about 9 and the other was a teenage daughter. While I went to get Ketchup Karsyn struck up a friendship with this woman and was playing Peek-a-boo with her when I returned.  The woman gave me a quick glance and her eyes teared up. She said, “These days go so fast. Treasure each one”.  Then she turned back around and continued her meal with her two kids. Her son sat and played on a video game and her daughter was texting her friends. 

As I watched them I quickly realized that she is right. Before I know it, Karsyn won’t care a bit about holding my hand and running to jump into my arms when I pick her up from church. She won’t light up when she sees me across the room and she won’t be desperate to spend time with me. One day her Daddy and I WON’T be the center of her universe and she won’t want to spend every waking moment asking us “Why?” questions.  Her sweet innocence will one day be replaced and gone forever. The days of her dressing in her princess gown and spinning around and around asking for Daddy to dance with her will one day stop. 

So you know what I want to do? I’m going to soak it in. When she asks me to build a tower with her instead of mopping my filthy kitchen floor, I will. When she is playing in her sandbox, I’ll jump in and play with her too. The next time she looks at me and says “Mommy, let’s snuggle and watch a movie!”, I will! 

The Proverbs31 devotion today was about this same topic. Here’s what Lynn Cowell wrote, “You can be the artesian in the life of your daughter, with the Master Artesian as your teacher. You can be the one the Lord has appointed to take the rough piece of stone and carve it into the graceful pillar, fit for a palace. But it will take time, prayer, grace and patience.”

It is my desire that I will teach Karsyn who she is in the Lord and to love Him more than anyone or anything else. By investing in her life now, she will begin to see her value and worth in the eyes of her Creator. Lynn also wrote, “What our girls long for is to be known. To feel like they matter. To believe someone sees them as valuable and significant. Maybe that is why God created mothers — to be the conduit for the power of His truth to our children. It is our place to teach our daughters exactly how He sees them. We can be the voice that says, “…out of all creation, [you] became his prized possession.” James 1:18 (NLT)

Are you in a season of life right now where you’re investing every bit of yourself into the lives of your children? I know that it is exhausting, demanding, and seems never-ending at times. But hang in there, friend. Focus all your energy on the task God has given you. We are raising our children to know Him and to make Him known. And as difficult as this task is, there is no more noble or worthy task to attempt.
Love you all!

Plant and Water, even when fruit is unseen!

Got the following message from one of the blogs that I follow. It was perfect for what I was dealing with at the moment, and has given me the motivation I needed. I pray that it blessed you as well!

 (From mealplanningmommies.blogspot.com)

We need time for our faith to grow. When we plant seeds, we can't repeatedly dig them up and pull them out of the ground to see if they are growing. We have to leave them in the ground. Those planted seeds (that we can no longer see) need to be watered by our faith. During the process we must learn to be content with seeing nothing while knowing that God holds everything in His hands, and that He moves on every act prompted by our faith, as the Scripture says."
-Susie LarsonThis visual application seemed incredibly relevant to me today, as a mom of young children in a season where seeds are planted, but the fruit has yet to show itself. Keep watering your plants dear mommies. Hold onto your faith, persevere through the rough seasons, and praise God in the good seasons. Hope this message is encouraging and uplifting for you. Praying God's blessing on you today!!

"Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." Galatians 6:9

Homemade Baby Wipes- REPOST

About a year ago, a friend's blog introduced me to homemade baby wipes. It turns out that even when you buy the GENTLE or the SENSITIVE baby wipes, they will have chemicals added to them that can irritate a baby's skin. Karsyn began having major diaper rash around 15 months and when I switched and started using this homemade version, we saw a big improvement.


Even if your baby may not have sensitive skin, these wipes are easy to make and very cheap.Most likely, you have all the ingredients at your house already.
In case you're interested, here's the recipe that I have found works best.

1- Boil two cups of water. While this is boiling, you need to saw in half a roll of select-a-size paper towels. (The soft VIVA ones are my favorite, but you can use other brands).
This part is a little tricky and messy. I have found it works best if you use a serrated knife, or you can use one of those electric knives like you slice a turkey with and just do a whole batch of them at one time. I had a tough time today with the brand of towels that I used so as you can see, I also used scissors and a sharp knife as well.

2. Once your water is boiling, remove from heat and add:
1 TB. Vinegar (keeps bacteria from growing in the wipes)
1 TB. Baby Oil
1 TB. Baby Soap or Shampoo (I use lavender scented)
1 TB. Lotion (I use lavender scented)

Stir Well

3. Put the wipes in a container of your choice jagged side down and pour the mixture over them.

4. Put the lid on the container, turn it upside down and let it sit for five minutes.

5. Turn it right side up and let it sit another five minutes. Then remove the lid and pull out the core.

Your wipes are now ready to be used. Pull the first wipe from the center where the paper core was removed.

The cost effectiveness of your wipes will be determined based on what you pay for your paper towels. For these, I got them for about .52 cents a roll. I figure I used about .05 cents worth of each of the other ingredients, so the total cost is less than dollar for two batches. If you compare that to paying regular price of 3.00 per 64 wipes, and assuming that two batches is equal to two containers of 64 wipes, you just saved yourself $5.00 for 10 minutes of your time!