Today I am thankful for sleep.
This may sound weird to those that know me well as 6 - 8 hours is plenty for me, and I don't like to sleep late. But, I am so appreciative of a good night's sleep. If I'm sick, it makes me feel better. If I'm worried or stressed about things, I awake with a better perspective. After a long day it feels so great to climb under cozy covers. Then in the am, I love waking up to my young men coming in for a morning snuggle before starting our day.
Thank you Lord for peaceful sleep!
Sunday, November 3, 2013
Saturday, November 2, 2013
Day 2
Today I am thankful for my husband.
He works hard to provide for our family. He is the official attic 'getter-outer' and 'put-awayer'. He does most of the yard work. He protects me from ferocious bugs (like spiders). When I'm sick, he takes care of me. He is a great Dad and gets involved in the boys Scouting (he is "Mr. Scout"), and cheers them on at their soccer games. He makes great cheesy eggs. He is a wonderful example of loving and serving the Lord. He loves me unconditionally, supports, protects and encourages me. And if all of that isn't enough, he does a great Dr. Duffenshmirtz impersonation which amuses me greatly (sorry folks, he won't do that for just anyone)! I could go on, but suffice to say, I am thankful and blessed to have John as my husband! Thank you Lord for providing me with a wonderful husband and friend, and a great dad for our boys!!
Friday, November 1, 2013
"30 Days of Thankfulness Challenge" Day 1
As I was falling asleep last night I was running through my head all of the things that needed to get done today in preparation for this evenings Pizza & Movie Night for my Cub Scouts. As I was feeling a little overwhelmed by the list of 'to-do's', I knew what my Day 1 post would be about.
Today I am thankful for, our home.
It's not palatial. It's not pristine. It's floors are not without stains and marks. It's shelves and corners are not without clutter.
But here's what it is.
It's a home where there is lots of love, laughter and life! Over the 9 years since the Lord brought us to, and provided for our home,
* we have welcomed our 2nd son
* hosted playgroups
* my mother stayed on weekends (super special since she is now with the Lord)
* held summer school when the public school had nothing to offer
* had a licensed day care, providing for our family
* lots of laughs at Sunday night scrapbook nights
* celebrated many birthdays, anniversaries and holidays
* annual Christmas parties
* lead and hosted two separate Cub Scout Dens
* many Bible studies
* dearly loved Heart2Heart program once a month
* too many play dates to count
And much, much more!!
What a blessing it has been to watch our children grown here, and welcome friends and family in it's doors.
So although our home may not be featured in Better Homes and Gardens, it is a refuge and blessing to our family, and I am truly grateful!! Thank you Lord for our home!!!
Today I am thankful for, our home.
It's not palatial. It's not pristine. It's floors are not without stains and marks. It's shelves and corners are not without clutter.
But here's what it is.
It's a home where there is lots of love, laughter and life! Over the 9 years since the Lord brought us to, and provided for our home,
* we have welcomed our 2nd son
* hosted playgroups
* my mother stayed on weekends (super special since she is now with the Lord)
* held summer school when the public school had nothing to offer
* had a licensed day care, providing for our family
* lots of laughs at Sunday night scrapbook nights
* celebrated many birthdays, anniversaries and holidays
* annual Christmas parties
* lead and hosted two separate Cub Scout Dens
* many Bible studies
* dearly loved Heart2Heart program once a month
* too many play dates to count
And much, much more!!
What a blessing it has been to watch our children grown here, and welcome friends and family in it's doors.
So although our home may not be featured in Better Homes and Gardens, it is a refuge and blessing to our family, and I am truly grateful!! Thank you Lord for our home!!!
Tuesday, October 29, 2013
"30 Days of Thankfulness Challenge"
Several years ago I started an "I Am Thankful" challenge on my blog; you know, where you write one thing for which you are thankful each day. After a few years had passed and I began using Facebook more than my blog, I began writing my thankful posts on there.
Psalm 107:1 Give thanks unto the Lord for He is good, His love endures forever.
As November is approaching quickly, I began thinking about how it's almost 'that time' again. As I considered it while perusing my Facebook news feed however, I felt God prod me to do more.
I was convicted to not only write one thing for which I am thankful each day in November, but also to strive to not complain.
Complain, complain, complain. How easy our pet peeves, annoyances and gripes roll off the tongue (and fingers). "We need to vent!" we'll reason. Yes, it's true, I feel the need to vent sometimes too. But have you ever signed onto Facebook for a quick minute before work just to check in and at the end of that minute feel annoyed or almost depressed over all of the negative posts in your news feed?
What if, ... what if, instead of just posting what we are thankful for that day, we also endeavor to keep our posts positive for the whole month? How would that make us feel individually, not to give into that grumpy voice in our heads? How would it make us feel to see primarily happy, positive posts in our news feeds?
Now of course, things will come up. People will have real needs, hurts and problems. I'm talking about giving up for one month, posting about how horrible the coffee server was who forgot to double cup your latte. I'm talking about not speculating how anyone could buy a new car in that color. I'm talking about not complaining that anyone who likes a particular show, movie or band is a moron. See where I'm going with this? We all have the right to our opinions, I'm just challenging us all to not go negative for one month.
Ephesians 4:29 - Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.
This will also help us with Philippians 4:8 - Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
And what if we take things even one step further (now I'm really getting crazy!). What if, we challenge ourselves to let at least one person per week through November know that we appreciate them? (More than just a grumbled, 'thank you' as you go your way.) A handshake and a word of thanks. A card with a note of appreciation. What then? How would that effect both the giver and the receiver?
1 Thessalonians 5:11 Therefore encourage one another and build one another up ...
What do you say? Anyone with me on this?
Would you join me for "30 Days of Thankfulness"?
Feel free to save the picture below and put it on your Facebook page or blog. If you have a blog, leave me a message with your address and I'll link to your site.
Psalm 107:1 Give thanks unto the Lord for He is good, His love endures forever.
As November is approaching quickly, I began thinking about how it's almost 'that time' again. As I considered it while perusing my Facebook news feed however, I felt God prod me to do more.
I was convicted to not only write one thing for which I am thankful each day in November, but also to strive to not complain.
Complain, complain, complain. How easy our pet peeves, annoyances and gripes roll off the tongue (and fingers). "We need to vent!" we'll reason. Yes, it's true, I feel the need to vent sometimes too. But have you ever signed onto Facebook for a quick minute before work just to check in and at the end of that minute feel annoyed or almost depressed over all of the negative posts in your news feed?
What if, ... what if, instead of just posting what we are thankful for that day, we also endeavor to keep our posts positive for the whole month? How would that make us feel individually, not to give into that grumpy voice in our heads? How would it make us feel to see primarily happy, positive posts in our news feeds?
Now of course, things will come up. People will have real needs, hurts and problems. I'm talking about giving up for one month, posting about how horrible the coffee server was who forgot to double cup your latte. I'm talking about not speculating how anyone could buy a new car in that color. I'm talking about not complaining that anyone who likes a particular show, movie or band is a moron. See where I'm going with this? We all have the right to our opinions, I'm just challenging us all to not go negative for one month.
Ephesians 4:29 - Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.
This will also help us with Philippians 4:8 - Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
And what if we take things even one step further (now I'm really getting crazy!). What if, we challenge ourselves to let at least one person per week through November know that we appreciate them? (More than just a grumbled, 'thank you' as you go your way.) A handshake and a word of thanks. A card with a note of appreciation. What then? How would that effect both the giver and the receiver?
1 Thessalonians 5:11 Therefore encourage one another and build one another up ...
What do you say? Anyone with me on this?
Would you join me for "30 Days of Thankfulness"?
Feel free to save the picture below and put it on your Facebook page or blog. If you have a blog, leave me a message with your address and I'll link to your site.
Sunday, October 6, 2013
The Ultimate "Quicker-Picker-Upper"
The other
day, I was rushing around doing the ‘normal’ weekday routine. Getting two children ready for school, making
sure they had on clean underwear, making lunches, packing backpacks, putting in
laundry and getting myself ready for work, etc.
I then sat down to take a minute to check my emails before heading out
the door, when my youngest son came in for a kiss and a snuggle (so blessed to have lovey sons!!). I had been sick with a yucky head cold the
whole week, so when I sneezed, my son wanted to take care of mom so he ran and
got a box of tissues for me. As he came
back in the room, he pushed the box onto my desk and went to hug me again – but
in doing so, he inadvertently knocked over my almost full cup of tea (the mug
was still almost full despite the fact that I had made it an hour ago and had
reheated it three times). The tea
immediately consumed the school permission slip on my desk and quickly made
it’s way to my files.
Think of when there is a spill on the carpet. We clean it, but the mark always comes back, even if a little fainter. Not so with Jesus. If we let Him, He will make us whiter than snow, He will blot our all our iniquity.
My poor son
felt terrible and tried his best to help – but the more he tried, the bigger
the mess got. I “asked” him to scoot
over so I could clean as the tea was making a b-line for my computer at record
pace. I frantically wiped up the mess as
my son started to cry and apologies repeatedly.
Once the danger was averted, I sat down and took him in my arms. I told him I loved him and assured him that I
wasn’t mad at him, but that mummy had to get in there to clean up the mess
before it got worse.
Looking back
at this event, it makes me think; doesn’t our Heavenly Father want the same
thing? When we make a mess in our lives,
and when that mess threatens to spill over the edge, doesn’t God want us to
step aside and let Him clean it up? If
we try to handle it on our own, don’t we usually just make a bigger mess of
things?
When we’ve
made a mess (aka, we sin, and don’t follow the will of God, whether intentionally
or not) we need to go to Jesus.
1 John 1:9
says - If
we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and
purify us from all unrighteousness.
Just as my son told me he was sorry, we need to confess our sin to our
Father, apologize for our mess and then turn to Him to do the cleaning.
Psalm 51:7-9
Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean;
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
8 Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones you have crushed rejoice.
9 Hide your face from my sins
and blot out all my iniquity.
On our own,
it would be as if we tried cleaning up with dirty rags – but Jesus can make us
truly clean. Not only will He clean
our mess, but will renew us.wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
8 Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones you have crushed rejoice.
9 Hide your face from my sins
and blot out all my iniquity.
Think of when there is a spill on the carpet. We clean it, but the mark always comes back, even if a little fainter. Not so with Jesus. If we let Him, He will make us whiter than snow, He will blot our all our iniquity.
So remember,
when you make a mess, we all do, God loves us and is ready, willing and able to
clean up our mess. He is the ultimate
‘quicker-picker-upper’!! So run to Him,
and get out of the way, and watch what He will do!
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