maralascottsblog children, God, Happiness, inspirational stories, relationships

In Appreciation of Life

Today I look back on my journey realizing how grateful I am for my life. I am only able to say this because I built a relationship with God early when I had mountains of adversity to overcome. It wasn’t mine, rather the journey of my parents that I was born into. But that was the path that I was destined to take so I would seek God, which taught me to understand God’s love, protection, power, grace, and mercy. As time went on, I worked to build that relationship as there was so much more to understand, value, and appreciate.

Years later, when I thought that my relationship with God would protect me from harm, I had yet another bout with adversity that threatened my existence and hurled fear into my children. Still, I reminded my children that God knew I was obedient and without fear, but it was time for me to learn another lesson. I trusted the outcome of a lengthy brain surgery on multiple aneurysms with complete certainty because God told me to get it done. When I opened my eyes, I couldn’t do anything but smile at the sight of my family in front of me. I would not ever go against what God told me for the options that man tried to reason with me. I had yet another level of appreciation for life and a testimony. The recovery took time and was a battle in itself, but I needed to fight. I wanted to fight because I had so much more to do.

People fight every day; children fight every minute for life, but sometimes, we don’t win. When we do, the appreciation is so much greater than what it ever could have been because we have the propensity to take family, friends, health, material things, and God for granted.

Today, I celebrate having five more years of service to God in appreciation of my life. I learned the value of each breath I take, everything I see, and the feel of sand beneath my feet. I am grateful for those who love me as it, too, is a gift.

www.MaralaScott.com

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maralascottsblog children, Forgiveness, God, Happiness, Helping Others, inspirational stories, kindness, relationships, Self-Love

The Truth About Parenting: 10 Simple Tips

family-vacation-less-stressful_47_900x600I have a passion for life! I love who I am and above all, I love God. It is God that taught me to love myself. Then, the need for others to love me didn’t exist, but I learned why it is essential for me to love others. I was apprehensive about becoming a parent. It wasn’t something that was natural for me since my childhood had a narrative that was nothing less than horrific and scarring. Once I was, the test began and the one thing I wanted to get right in life more than anything else, was parenting. As a mother, the choice became mine to submit to what I was familiar with or do something to change the lucid visions that could hurl a fragile and scared little girl into her own dark world. I was determined not to replicate the abuse and pain. I made the decision to leave it behind, taking only the good experiences and memories, although it wasn’t easy.

I remembered my painful tears as a child and promised myself that I would provide my children with the things I prayed for. I wanted them to laugh from their soul, smile because it’s their natural expression, and inspire others because they know how. It didn’t mean they would be without challenges, but I gave them unwavering love, complete trust, and confidence as tools. Then, I taught them to have compassion, persistence, goals and why a relationship with God is an essential part of their existence. Every single day, I told them I loved them and I made a constant effort to make sure they could see it. I shared the mistakes I made throughout my life so they would trust coming to me for advice when they made theirs. My children had to learn how to be fearless because as a child, I lived in fear. They needed to know it was okay if they fell as long as they got back holding their head high. They were pulled close to understand me and talk about their day just as I shared mine with them while we cooked and ate dinner together. We prayed together, laughed together, cried together and lifted one another. They both think they are my favorite because neither of them felt I loved the other more.

The truth about parenting is that you will make mistakes, as I’m sure I’ve made my share. However, learning to correct parenting skills by listening to your children and learning from them helped shape me into the mother I am today.

  1. Love them as God loves you.
  2. Encourage them to be better than you and give them the tools to accomplish that.
  3. Keep them close rather than pushing them away when you get busy. Allow them to share in your success and understand your failures.
  4. When they ask you a question, don’t lie. Tell them the truth so they learn to do the same.
  5. Take time to ask questions before jumping to conclusions.
  6. Don’t assume they know you love them because you are their parent. Tell them, and more importantly, show them.
  7. Be the example that you want them to become. They are learning from you and they see and hear more than you think.
  8. Don’t tell them about God. Show them His work and help them build a relationship with God.
  9. Try not to react or discuss situations when you’re upset. Give it time and revisit it when you have a better mindset. Allow them to share their perspective as it may change yours.
  10. Remember, you were a child once.

With Love,
Marala

Marala Scott with her children
Marala Scott accepting The Shory Award for Best Parent

Watch Marala Scott at The Shorty Awards

Read Marala’s Books

 

maralascottsblog children, God, Happiness, inspirational stories

Do You Know What Your Gift Is?

your gift quote

I am constantly in awe of the extraordinary gift God has given me. We all receive God’s gifts in different ways. Some are during particular times throughout our life, others are unexpected, and some have the tendency to go unnoticed. For me, the most significant gift was my children. It was as if God knew what I would need to give me purpose, develop my passion and awaken my spirit. The joy that my children brought flushed out the pain of my own childhood and gave me a chance to do better or make their childhood as I thought it should be. I believe in order to accomplish something as brilliant as the light of the sun, that ability must come from God, as it is God who created the sun just as God created us. Taking care, skill and nurturing God’s gift is the way to show our appreciation for it. Here are five ways to accomplish this with your children.

  1. Instead of denying your children what you may have been denied as a child or at some point in your life, work diligently to give them the exact things you needed most.
  2. Take time to teach balance as well as boundaries. In addition, make sure they appreciate the blessings bestowed upon them by God, as there are many.
  3. Encourage them to believe in their dreams and go after any goal they desire with faith and effort, as it is God who will make it possible.
  4. Understand that it is your actions that can cultivate an environment where love towards one another is radiant, rather than pitting one child against the other to fight for your favor or love in the darkness.
  5. Show them how to return inspiration to this universe instead of depleting it out of greed and selfishness.

I realized that God hands us mighty gifts. The gift of children is but one as I have seen and heard the gift of music lift the soul, culinary skills inspire the palette, the depths of art reach hidden passions, and dance releases positive energy. Intellect raises the bar, kindness offers a cure for sadness, and athleticism breeds a competitive spirit and so on and so forth as the gifts given to each of us are what God believed we needed.

If you’ve not found your gift, drop to your knees and ask God to reveal it with clarity and then go inward to find it. Once you do, treasure it as it is just for you!

Inspiration by my family and I:
Available on Amazon

 

maralascottsblog children, Forgiveness, God

Aching Heart

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My heart is aching and the core of my soul hurts deeply for the victims, families, and community of the tragedy in Connecticut. I am certain yours does too. The children that woke up and went to school on this tragic day had laughter, dreams, love, friends, family, and beams of excitement for the upcoming Christmas holiday without a thought of any day being their last, let alone today. The adults that were murdered, had plans for their students and said goodbye to their families, not ever imagining it too, would be their last. There were many words unspoken because no one knew it was their time to do so.

A disturbed son made a conscious choice to extinguish a part of his mother’s life, as what may have been vengeance, before taking her future and causing pain to his own family. No one will ever come to fully understand why.

This country now has yet another historic and senseless tragedy and these families are bound to grip this unforeseen pain. Upon reading this, please take a moment and pray not only for what we know about this situation, but for what we don’t. Pray that it doesn’t continue to happen and devastate lives. Pray that these families can heal, in time. Pray that peace comes upon this community and the country comes together to help find a resolution. And pray for God to embrace these beloved souls in His arms for all eternity as their life here has been cut short.

May God Bless Us All
Marala Scott

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maralascottsblog children, Forgiveness, God, Happiness, Helping Others, inspirational stories, relationships, Self-Love

Your Life In Review Before It’s Too Late

When it’s all said and done and your life is over here on this earth, how will people remember you? Will they speak of you as a giver or taker? Were you a lover or did you seek out fights because you were angry? Were you someone who was fair or biased about everything that benefited you? Did you care about others or could you care less? What I want you to ask yourself is, are you on track to leave this world with a memory that you would be proud of? If you have children, will they be proud of you and have loving thoughts that no one can remove? Is your powerful imprint resting on the hearts of many or are many waiting to erase what you have left because it’s too painful? Before the time comes for you to depart from this gift of life, repair, change, and forgive, if even yourself. Take this moment right now to determine that you will live and give to the best of your capability. Make the choice to leave an impression that reflects the person you want to be and are. It’s not too late to begin again.

maralascottsblog children, Forgiveness, Happiness, Helping Others, inspirational stories

Criticizing Others From The Sidelines

You’re sitting in the stands watching a professional football game and your wide-open receiver misses a touchdown because the ball slipped right through his hands. The first thing you do is groan in frustration and say, “He should’ve caught that!”Perhaps you’re right and it was an easy touchdown from your viewpoint, but you never know if you would’ve caught it unless you were in his shoes at that very moment. The problem with the call is after you have the outcome, of course it’s easy to say what should have, and could have been done, in addition to, what you would have done. However, make a note to accept that until it’s you taking that play, you don’t know what would’ve happened.

Now, translate that into daily situations at work, home, school, and anywhere else then remember not to be such a harsh judge. Think back to situations you were in when others expected you to have an outcome that you didn’t reach and remember how you felt. Pass along that consideration from your own experience to your children, friends, family or colleagues. Keep in mind that your negative words can impact the emotional state of someone in a negative way. Being supportive goes a longer way than you may realize at that time. It takes a few seconds and even fewer words to shatter someone’s confidence or hurt their feelings. Comments about failure can break people who you may never expect and hurt those you think are strong enough to handle it. Pass along kindness as your weapon instead of emotional words said in anger.

maralascottsblog children, Forgiveness, God, Happiness, Helping Others, inspirational stories, relationships, Self-Love

Is the Perception of Your Life the True Reality?

Now Available. . . the special version of Marala Scott’s book,

In Our House: Perception vs. Reality

“In Our House” is the chilling true story of an abusive husband, his wife, and their six children trapped inside of a hellish nightmare.

Recruited by both the CIA and IBM the successful, handsome, and deceptive Colin has rendered countless abusive episodes on his beautiful wife, Alley, and his six children until he finally breaks Alley and she is no longer able to fight back. One day, three women involve Alley in a church that promises to protect her and the children from her husband’s attacks. By the time Alley realizes how they will do it, she finds herself demonically possessed with demons eating away at her. The horrifying undertaking is beyond life and now the children must find a way to survive both parents.

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