Counting My Blessings: Week In Review
Last week was super busy, but truly amazing at the same time. The girls and I were able to join Jake at his work conference in Orlando, Florida. While he was in his conference the girls and I bounced around town, explored, swam, went to the Disney Parks, and so much more. We had a blast and met people literally from around the world.
The kids were up at the break of dawn every day and were going strong until about midnight every evening. After Jake’s conference ended we had a couple days together as a family to spend time exploring. Thankful for our time together, the fun, memories, and the opportunity to go on the trip. With the altered schedule and long days I was not as consistent in writing down my blessings, but as I reflect back there are many things for which I am grateful for last week.
I want to be accountable to you so the following are snip-its of some of the things I am thankful for this past week. Counting My Blessings – Week In Review:
Monday – Thankful that we woke up on time (3:00 am) and made it safely to Orlando, Florida. Grateful for an opportunity to stretch our legs at Downtown Disney before heading to our hotel to check in and Jake start his first conference meetings.
Tuesday – Thankful that the girls and I were able to spend the entire day at Animal Kingdom. They did fantastic and we had a blast seeing all the animals, going on rides, safaris, watching the shows, and so much more.
Wednesday – Thankful for a chance to play miniature golf with the kids, even though we lost 3 balls and had crazy high scores, we had grand time. Grateful that the resort had several pools so we spent a good part of the day bouncing around from pool to pool, swimming, and splashing around with other kids at the resort.
Thursday – Thankful that I was able to spend the day at Magic Kingdom with the girls. Even more thankful that Jake was able to join us after lunch once his conference ended. It was great spending time together as a family and having fun!
Friday – Thankful for a day with the entire family at Epcot. The girls loved the rides, shows, and learning about the different countries around the world. Thankful for my brother’s family who watched the house and pets while we were awhile on our trip.
What are you thankful for today? I encourage you to take the time to write down a few blessings that you have in your life today. It will help cheer you up and turn your focus on the amazing blessings you encounter each day!
Counting My Blessings: Week In Review
I have so much to be thankful for in my life. This week as I as counting my blessings I realized that coming up with 10 things to be grateful for each day was relatively easy if I really think about it for a few minutes. I don’t ever want to take these blessings for granted as they are a gift from my heavenly Father who truly cares about me in the good as well as the struggles I face every day.
I want to be accountable to you too so the following are snipits of some of the things I am thankful for this past week. Counting My Blessings – Week In Review:
Monday – Thankful for Brina writing me a reminder note to adjust her meal schedule because she liked one of the meals I made her so much! My family knows me well! 🙂
Tuesday – Thankful that Skipper is always jumping up and down excited to see me when I get home! Such a great way to be greeted upon arriving home!
Wednesday – Thankful for the girls curiosity and love of learning – we did a spontaneous celery and food coloring experiment before school.
Thursday – Thankful for a chance to talk with Jake on the phone in the morning as he was getting ready for his busy day in Charleston and even more grateful to have him back home that evening.
Friday – Thankful for a washer and dryer to help get our clothes and laundry cleaned in an efficient manner.
What are you thankful for today? I encourage you to take the time to write down a few blessings that you have in your life today. It will help cheer you up and turn your focus on the amazing blessings you encounter each day!
Counting My Blessings: Week In Review
A few weeks ago I had a little wake up call… In a conversation with someone close to me it was mentioned during our discussion that I wasn’t as “positive” or “cheerful” as I used to be. Unfortunately, I did not react very positively to the comment. The comment hurt. It struck a raw chord, something I already knew in my heart, but didn’t realize how much it was effecting the people around me.
I know the comment wasn’t meant to be mean, but to call out some things that are going on my life that they have noticed recently. I am truly thankful for people in my life who are honest, even if it hurts a little. This was a sincere concern about me and the things I have been struggling with these last few months. When someone feels comfortable enough to speak the truth even if it is difficult to say you know they care deeply about you, your spiritual growth, and the struggles your hanging onto.
My first reaction was that I had a reason to be a little more frustrated recently. It has been a tough few months. I herniated a disc in my neck back in October and I am still in pain from it. It has been a very slow and painful recovery so my first instinct was to excuse my behavior. This person knows how much I have gone through these past few months so it was seen as the excuse that it was. The purpose for the comment was to encourage me to take my focus off all the crazy stuff that has been going on and focus on the good things that God is doing in my life as well as the lives around me.
After a couple weeks of praying, wrestling with it some more, thinking about it, and admitting I have been grumpier lately I decided I needed to do something specific. In addition to prayer, having someone I had to be accountable to, I also needed a daily activity to refresh my memory of the good in my life. I wanted something that would redirect my focus back to the many positive blessings everyday that have been overshadowed by some other more stressful items going on in my life. What I decided to do is to write down at least 10 things I am thankful for each day. I titled my list “Counting My Blessings”. I hope that this activity will encourage and help turn my focus more on the positive things in my life. I want to appreciate and enjoy the amazing blessings I have been given. To be content with the season I am in at the moment.
I want to be accountable to you as well. The following are snipits of some of the things I am thankful for this past week. Counting My Blessings – Week In Review:
Monday – Thankful for the car ride into school where I can chat with the girls about life, their days, and more!
Tuesday – Thankful that Jake reads devotions to the girls and patiently answers their many questions about God, life, the bible, and so much more.
Wednesday – Thankful for a chance to catch up with someone I have known for years, but haven’t seen in awhile. Her twin grandkids are now 3 years old. I remember how excited she was waiting for them to be born. It was great catching up for a few minutes.
Thursday – Thankful for a fresh snow fall so the girls could have a day off school and we could build a snowman, go sledding, hike in the woods, play games, read, play, and have fun together.
Friday – Thankful for additional time with my girls since school started two hours late due to black ice today.
Song: Thrive by Casting Crowns
We were made for so much more! Sometimes it’s easy to get caught up in the busy activities of life that we forget we are here for a reason. Anything truly is possible when we seek God’s wisdom in our lives!
Here in this worn and weary land
Where many a dream has died
Like a tree planted by the water
We never will run drySo living water flowing through
God, we thirst for more of You
Fill our hearts and flood our souls with one desireJust to know You and to make You known
We lift Your name on high
Shine like the sun, make darkness run and hide
We know we were made for so much more than ordinary lives
Its time for us to more than just survive
We were made to thriveInto Your word, were digging deep
To know our Fathers heart
Into the world, were reaching out
To show them who You areJoy unspeakable, faith unsinkable
Love unstoppable, anything is possibleHeart Reflections: A Talking Donkey?
Recently I was reading the devotional book with the girls about the donkey in the Bible that talked. Several days later as I was going through a decision process in my own life I was again reminded about the talking donkey. If you have prayed about something for so long God will give you an answer even if that means being as direct (like a talking donkey) to get your attention.
Other times it may come from Scripture:
Often times after weeks of praying you can come across a verse during your quiet time that hits home. You have been praying earnestly for an answer and on that particular day and at that time He gives it to you through Scripture. He knows exactly what you need and when you need it. You may have read that verse many times in the past, but it really struck a chord on that specific day and time.
Or it may come from people in your life:
I don’t know about you, but a donkey has never spoken to me, however, God has used people in my life to speak truth to my heart. Sometimes they speak truth not even knowing the situation I am currently facing. God uses their words of encouragement to help answer my prayer.
Heart Reflections: You Think You’re Safe
Birds Nest Safely hidden away
One day as our family was spending time outside cleaning up the yard and gardens something caught my eye. In one of our small holly trees was a little birds nest. It was nestled snugly into the trees branches with a road only a couple feet away, across the street from a cat, and on our side of the yard where a dog and kids were running around. The nest was so low to the ground that the girls were able to look into it. For weeks they kept checking to see if the bird was coming back.
It must have been a quiet day on our street for a bird to think that the location she had chosen was a good one especially with it being next to a road, cat, dog, kids, and close to the ground. The bird must have felt safe in the shelter of the tree despite all the danger around her. As I thought more about the little bird who lived in that nest it made me think about my life. How often do I go through life thinking my heart, life, and soul is safe?
I believe the bird felt protection and safety from the tiny leaves surrounding the nest, however, danger was all around it. As we go through life we will encounter hills and valleys. Sometimes we have a false sense of security in things (money in the bank, our health, family unity, etc…) much like the false sense of security the leaves provided the bird.
Yes, bad things happen to good people, but there are ways to help protect us from falling and that teach us how to be a better Child of God, Wife, Mom, and Friend.
- Personal Relationship with Him – a heart focused above
- Reading the Scriptures – not only does this bring you knowledge but it gives you hope, wisdom, and encouragement.
- Prayer – an on-going dialogue
Someone recently asked the question in our church Community Group – how much time did you spend reading God’s word this week? Honestly, my answer some weeks is pretty embarrassing. I often fill my days with good activities but somehow neglect the most important activity. Taking time to read God’s word, pray, and having a personal relationship with Him is the best way to not only find contentment but to truly be safe and protected.
The birds nest is easily seen from up above much like God sees me. He sees my heart, accepts me for who I am, and challenges me to grow. Where is your safety found?
A beautifully crafted bird nest exposed to the world.
Love seeing the handiwork of God’s creatures, simply amazing!
Book: “Made to Crave” by Lysa Terkeurst
I recently attended a Ladies Bible Study at our church and we went through Lysa Terkeurst’s book and study guide “Made to Crave: Satisfying Your Deepest Desire with God, Not Food” It was great reading a book that redirected our focus off food or other objects that we turn to when we want comfort or for celebration and turning our focus onto God. The book isn’t a diet or healthy eating plan. It is more of a guide to help you get your priorities in place. If you are looking to eat healthier it gives you steps on how to set up a plan, find an accountability partner, and scripture to encourage you. It was a refreshing yet challenging book to read. I enjoyed going through the book and study with friends as well. It was neat hearing their thoughts about the lessons and their own journeys as well.
While I was going through the Bible Study I had the opportunity to attend the Extraordinary Women’s Conference at the Bi-Lo Center in Greenville, SC. I was able to hear Lysa speak during that weekend and meet her in person. It was really neat to meet the author of the book I was currently reading, I even got her to sign my two books that I had of hers! The other amazing blessing about that weekend is I was able to spend some extra time with some girlfriends while my husband took care of the girls. Having some time learning and celebrating with friends was a real treasure. Thankful for a man who gave me the opportunity to go!
Heart Reflections: It’s Not About Us
As Moms, wives, and friends we get involved in so many activities. It is easy for our lives and schedules to quickly fill up to the point of bursting. When our lives, hearts, and schedules get packed full we don’t have the flexibility to spontaneously help and encourage others.A month ago I had the blessing of taking a quick road trip with friends. It was encouraging to spend time with a friend, another Mom. We have been richly blessed with amazing people in our lives. Also, we have a lot to be grateful for yet we often get too busy and don’t take enough time to focus about what’s really important. We forget that other Mom’s are going through many of the same struggles that we go through. We are not alone.
As Moms we want to allow our children the freedom to grow while at the same time protect them from danger and harm. There are many mistakes we make as Moms which can often lead to the feeling of guilt. Even though we make many mistakes in our lives and as parents God is much bigger than us. The focus really isn’t on or about us at all. Not only that but we are not called to raise “perfect” kids, the goal is to raise godly kids with the help of our spouse, extended family, church leaders, friends, and most importantly Christ. No one is perfect and to expecting our children to be that way is setting everyone up for disappointment.
- The first step is reflecting his love, grace and mercy through our lives in our words and actions starting first in our homes. We will continue to make a mess of some situations, but He forgives and helps point us back to what really is important. God has the power to work in our lives and family despite our failures. He is not surprised by those bumps in the road nor do they slow Him down. When we are relying on him for strength we will have more energy to focus on helping our children each step of the way.
Having the opportunity to raise and watch my girls grow has been a truly amazing adventure. As Moms we need to pray for our children, families and those our lives touch. We don’t know the path before us so we need to trust in His faithfulness and promises for today. While I was on bedrest for weeks the phrase that I repeated continually was “Day by Day”. Getting through the tasks and plans that are to be accomplish today, not tomorrow or yesterday, just today!
- Therefore the second step is praying for our kids. One of my prayers for our girls is that they will grow up to know Him and have a soft heart willing to soak in His teachings as well as listen to His guidance. I hope that my girls will be able to see past their Moms shortcomings and have a direct relationship with a heavenly Father who loves them even more than their Mom and Dad. No person or family is perfect. I am thankful for a husband who plays an active role in the lives of our children and for a God who loves, heals, and protects our family. It’s okay to loosen my grip a little regarding my children because I know I can hand my concerns about my children and their lives over to Him knowing He has their best interest at heart.
We often get wrap up in what we need to get done that we miss some of the beautiful moments we have with our children. Our girls are growing up quickly and I have to constantly remind myself that it’s not about us. Our calling is so much bigger and better than just our schedule and agenda. We have to continually remind ourselves of what truly matters and to purposely take the extra few minutes each day this week to really spend quality time with our families.
“Heart Reflections” is a series of thoughts and encouragement that come directly from my heart. Life has a way of throwing us extra challenges and when our focus is pulled away from what is truly important we tend to feel the pressure of stress in our lives. This series is created to remind us that we are part of something so much bigger than ourselves. We don’t have to face the pressure of life on our own. We can trust that our prayers are being heard. He alone knows what’s best for us and gives us the appropriate strength to get through each day as it is set before us.
Photo by Seattle Municipal Archives
Book: “God Gave Us So Much” by Lisa Tawn Bergren
I recently read the book treasury “God Gave Us So Much” by Lisa Tawn Bergren to my twin daughters. “God Gave Us So Much” is a limited-edition treasury of three books. I must say I was pleasantly surprised by the depth into creation, love, and heaven the author went into for a children’s book. The author created a pretty steady stream of “Questions” and “Answers” dialogue between Little Cub, her parents, and grandparents.I read the books to my girls in three separate settings. The first book “God Gave us the World” which was a huge hit with the kids. One of my daughters is fascinated with earth, planets, traveling and science so she had a lot of wonderful questions about the story. It was neat hearing Little Cubs questions about all the different types of bears that live around the world and how God made each bear unique.
The second book was “God Gave Us Love” which I read to the girls on Valentine’s Day. It was a great reminder of all the people who love us in life and especially that God loves each one of us. It had practical applications on ways to show love to others. Ultimately I liked how the book encouraged the kids to know that God loved them.
“God Gave Us Heaven” was the third book in this treasury and it paints an amazing picture of heaven! Little Cub asked a series of common questions kids ask regarding heaven and the author did well in answering them. I especially liked the analogy of Jesus being our “bridge” to our forever home. She painted a pretty clear picture for children regarding heaven and salvation.
The books mention God and many of the questions little ones ask regarding God, the world, love and heaven. I really like how Lisa emphasized on how our world was designed by God, that he loves us and wants us to live in heaven with him. The only thing that caught me off guard was there is no mention of “Little Cub’s” gender until the end of books and all three of us assumed by the conversation that Little Cub was male so we were surprised to find out Little Cub was actually a female. These books had a good mixture of adventure and giving credit to God. Each book peaked the curiosity of my girls enough to allow us the opportunity to continue the conversation for several minutes after reading the book and answer their additional questions about life, love, and heaven.
Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book for review purposes from the publisher through the Waterhouse Multnomah. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Song: “Healing Begins” Tenth Avenue North
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BFUHrXfuNU4
It is easy to put walls up around us when we are going through a trial. The tough times are when God is molding and stretching us. Just because someone looks like they have it all together, doesn’t mean everything’s perfect, God knows our hearts. Having the support and prayers of family, friends, and church body makes an eternal impact on our lives. Do you have family and friends praying for you? Are your walls coming down?
