What Makes My Kids Cry Today

Real Life. Real Laughs. Real Jesus.

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  • Sunday Encouragement: You Don’t Have to Hustle for Grace

    Sunday Encouragement: You Don’t Have to Hustle for Grace

    By Lizzie @ What Makes My Kid Cry Today

    Real Life. Real Laughs. Real Jesus.

    Maybe this week you tried really hard.

    You tried to be patient.

    Tried to keep the peace.

    Tried to stay calm, stay kind, stay on top of the endless list that motherhood throws at you.

    But no matter how hard you tried, you still felt like you weren’t enough.

    You snapped.

    You cried.

    You forgot the field trip form.

    You served dinner in the form of cereal. Again.

    And now here you are—Sunday morning, heart heavy, wondering if you measured up this week.

    Friend, hear this:

    You don’t have to hustle for grace.

    🕊️ Grace Isn’t Earned—It’s Given

    God’s love for you is not based on your productivity.

    It’s not based on how calm you stayed or how well your kids behaved.

    It’s not based on clean floors or balanced meals or perfect bedtimes.

    It’s based on Jesus.

    And He already did all the work.

    📖 Sunday Scripture:

    “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.”

    — Ephesians 2:8

    “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”

    — 2 Corinthians 12:9

    💭 Reflection

    You don’t have to perform for God.

    You don’t have to be a “good Christian mom” to be fully loved.

    You just have to come—messy, tired, honest.

    With your hands open and your heart humbled.

    Because grace meets you where you are, not where you wish you were.

    🙏 A Sunday Prayer for the Worn-Out Mama:

    Lord,

    I’ve been trying so hard.

    But I’m tired. And I fall short.

    Remind me that Your grace is not something I earn—it’s something I receive.

    Let me rest today, knowing that I am loved because of who You are,

    not what I get right.

    Amen.

    💬 Final Word for Your Sunday

    If the week felt too heavy…

    If the house is still a mess…

    If your soul is craving quiet but your life is loud—

    Pause. Breathe. Rest.

    Because grace is not given to the polished and perfect—

    It’s poured out for the worn, the weary, the in-progress.

    And that means it’s for you.

  • “My 7-Year-Old Thinks in Bible Books (and I’m Not Okay)”

    “My 7-Year-Old Thinks in Bible Books (and I’m Not Okay)”

    We were casually looking at cars online — just browsing.
    Because our vehicle is starting to sound like it speaks in tongues… and not in a good way.

    I mentioned we’d been eyeing a Genesis, and before I could even finish the sentence:

    Oldest: “I want a Genesis.”
    Second oldest: “I want an Exodus. Numbers.”
    Oldest: “I want a Genesis.”
    Second oldest: “You want the whole Old Testament?”
    Oldest: “I want a Genesis.”
    Second oldest: “I still want an Exodus.”

    Just like that, my car ride from school became a full-on Bible-themed car dealership and my children were the sales team.

    Some moms get kids who argue over snacks.
    Mine argue over which book of the Bible makes the best luxury vehicle.

    And honestly? I can’t even be mad. It’s kind of brilliant.

  • 🪒 What I Thought I’d Never Start Using to Clean a Bathroom as a Boy Mom: Shaving Cream

    🪒 What I Thought I’d Never Start Using to Clean a Bathroom as a Boy Mom: Shaving Cream

    It’s 3 PM. The toddler’s screaming, the house is loud, and dinner isn’t even a concept yet. Welcome to the afternoon shift — where moms are running on crumbs and coffee, and grace is desperately needed.

    In this mini devotional, we’re talking about the moment in the day when you feel most worn down… and how God meets you right there. He doesn’t wait until bedtime. His strength is available in the middle of the chaos.

    Take a breath, whisper a prayer, and let Isaiah 40:29 remind you:

    “He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.”

    By Lizzie @ What Makes My Kid Cry Today

    Real Life. Real Laughs. Real Jesus.

    I used to associate shaving cream with two things:

    My husband’s scruffy jawline. Middle school prank wars.

    But now? I associate it with urine. On walls. Around the toilet. In mysterious crevices I didn’t even know existed. Because as it turns out, shaving cream is the secret weapon I never knew I needed… until I became a boy mom.

    🧼 The Smell That Wouldn’t Die

    You know that moment when you’ve scrubbed the toilet, wiped the base, and mopped the floor—and it still smells like something small peed in a corner and then did a celebratory dance around the bathroom?

    That was me. Every week.

    I tried vinegar.

    I tried bleach.

    I tried prayers of deliverance.

    And still… the phantom stink remained.

    🔍 Enter: The Internet

    One desperate night, I found myself Googling “why does my bathroom still smell like pee even after cleaning??”

    And the answer that kept popping up?

    “Try shaving cream.”

    Excuse me?

    I’m not waxing the floor. I’m trying to clean it.

    But apparently, the foamy, spreadable texture of shaving cream makes it stick to surfaces, draw out odors, and reach into the microscopic grout lines where boy pee goes to die.

    🚽 The Experiment

    So I bought the cheapest can of Barbasol I could find, marched into the bathroom, and sprayed that stuff like I was frosting a cake.

    Around the base of the toilet? Covered. Wall behind the toilet? Smothered. The floor where a suspicious yellow trail lived? Foamed up like a bubble bath.

    I let it sit for 15 minutes (while the boys asked repeatedly if they could touch it—no, it’s not whipped cream), and then wiped it all away with a damp rag.

    ✨ The Results

    Y’all. The smell was GONE.

    I don’t mean “kinda better.”

    I mean, “Did a professional cleaning crew sneak in and sanitize my house?” levels of gone.

    I’ve been using it weekly ever since.

    And now, shaving cream is officially on my grocery list—right next to toilet paper and my dignity.

    🧴 Tips If You’re About to Try It:

    Don’t use the gel kind. Old-school foam only. Let it sit at least 10–15 minutes before wiping. Have a microfiber cloth ready for cleanup. Prepare to feel equal parts disgusted and victorious.

    💬 Final Thoughts

    Motherhood changes you.

    You become someone who can have a serious conversation while plunging a toilet, survive on 3 hours of sleep, and yes—clean your bathroom with shaving cream.

    It’s not glamorous. It’s not Pinterest-pretty.

    But it works.

    And if you’re a fellow boy mom knee-deep in mystery bathroom smells…

    Welcome to the club. We have shaving cream.