Somehow I clicked through someone’s blog somewhere and found out about the M.A.P.P. Gathering, a collection of intimate conversations with a handful of mothers who have followed their passion and are making a beautiful difference in the world.  M. A. P. P. stands for Motherhood, Ambition, Passion and Purpose.  I downloaded the interviews onto my iPhone and I’ve been listening to them to and from work for the last 2 weeks.  From listening to these, then clicking to these women’s blogs and the links on their blogs, I see that there is a huge huge huge community of mom bloggers out there, and a huge community of people who publish e-books and conduct online seminars around motherhood, simple living, sewing, cooking, you name it!  The internet is a truly wondrous place.  I’ve pulled just a few tidbits from the women involved and linked a few of their pages.  I’ve tagged this post “motherhood” and interestingly enough I’ve just created this category.  Strange that I haven’t thought to do so before now.

Remember that you never see anything in another that you do not have in yourself, whether positive or negative. That’s the beauty and healing of the mirror. – Dr. Sara Gottfried

Why is it so easy to walk away from the things that are working and cling to the things that don’t! – Brene Brown, PhD 

Day by day, decision by decision, response by response, we are shaping the view on life that our children will take with them when they grow up and leave our homes as independent individuals. – Megan Tietz of SortaCrunchy (via MAPP contributor Tsh Oxenreider)  I’m considering buying Tsh’s e-book One Bite at a Time for only $5 – sounds like it might be some good motivation!

When you get consumed by work, family, parenting and just responding to what shows up in front of you moment to moment, it’s easy to forget how interesting, complex and dynamic we all are. – Renee Trudeau

We are given the guidance we need so clearly!  Something, someone, keeps showing us, in very practical ways, exactly what we need to learn to be whole and free. We keep not seeing, we keep making it far more complicated than it needs to be, but never the less, that someone, that something, keeps trying. – Jennifer Louden

Whatever the question, create is the answer.
Are you sad? Create.
Do you feel broken? Create.
Are you inspired? Create.
Are you bored? Create.
Are you angry? Create.
Want to grow a business? Create.
Want to stand out in your career? Create.
– Pamela Slim 

It can be so unconscious, the way we dream, one dream into the next, without coming up for air. The way we imagine something that feels out of reach and then by some miracle, actually find ourselves there. But instead of celebrating for a very long time, we immediately start striving again. You can see where this is going, right? Our ambition can be wonderful and also exhausting! The insatiable way we keep barreling forward, getting each duck in a row, and always looking to the next duck. – Andrea Scher

One of the best things we can do is become aware when we find ourselves overreacting to something and ask the question, “How did I get here?” Another good one is, “Why does this bother me so much?” – Kim Trobee, Associate Pastor of Women’s Groups at New Life Church in Colorado Springs, Colorado (via MAPP Contributor Jill Savage)

Because you see me clearly (and I see you). Because you inspire me to love deeply. Because you celebrate my courage yet nurture my tender heart pieces. Because you are my memories. Because you always know what to say (and when to simply listen). Because you know my heart, and I know yours. Because we are side by side, heart to heart in this life journey. Because I count my lucky stars for you, every single day.
– Kelly Rae Roberts