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.
Beautiful SC Sunrise
Gorgeous Sunrise!
The kids and I enjoyed this beautiful sunrise earlier this week. It’s not every day we see these great sunrises in South Carolina. Our drive to school was perfectly timed with the sunrise on this special morning.
Thankful for a chance to share this with my kids. All of us were glad that we got stopped at the stoplight that morning so we could soak in the beauty around us. It’s the little treasures throughout each day such as a beautiful sunrise that remind us of the many blessings in our lives.
What a great way to start a new day!
Wishing You a Safe & Happy Thanksgiving
Happy Thanksgiving!
Wishing you a truly amazing and safe Thanksgiving Holiday if you will be traveling to see family and friends! I am thankful for the many wonderful blessings in my life. This year we are thrilled to spend some time with our extended family over the Thanksgiving Holiday! It is not every year we are able to get together for Thanksgiving! We also get to celebrate with my youngest brother as he marries the love of his life this Thanksgiving weekend. So many reasons to be thankful!
I love this quote because even during the difficult times we can “be kind, be thoughtful, be genuine, but most of all be thankful”. What a great reminder not just for Thanksgiving Day, but for everyday of our lives!
Gratitude Turns What We Have…
A Sweet & Simple Note Can Melt a Moms Heart
Occasionally, Jake has to travel for work and there are times when he is gone random craziness happens at home. On this particular week Jake was gone it was busy with a lot of school activities, tutoring, animals getting out of their pen, doctor appointments, sick kids, and more. This particular day had a tough afternoon noon of school work, followed by chasing the goats back into their zone (multiple times), leftovers for dinner, a couple of not-so-cool Mommy moments, and running around trying to get the kids in bed on time.
By the time the girls were in bed I was exhausted and ready to relax, but lunches still needed to be put together, dishes washed, kitchen picked up, bills to be paid, and more regular household duties waiting for my attention. I decided to take 10 minutes and sit down, on the couch, and reflect on the events of the day. While sitting there I started thinking about everything I could have done better regarding my interactions with the girls in some of the sticky situations specifically regarding my actions, words, and attitude.
As I was thinking about the day I looked over at the dry erase board and saw a note from Karlie. Some days you don’t know if they realize how much we love them…..then they do something spontaneous and sweet like this simple note that melts my heart. And brings more tears! We are not perfect parents by a long shoot, but it does a Moms heart good to know that they really do feel loved and appreciated even in amidst those hurried, frustrating, and crazy days. I had no idea this note was on the dry erase board or when she put it there with everything going on that day, but it was the perfect encouragement boost I needed for that evening. Thankful for my kids and for their thoughtful ways of showing love.
She picked yellow so it’s a little harder to read, but it says:
I love Daddy.
I love Mommy.
I love Brina.
I love Oreo, Snowball, and Skipper.
Merry Christmas!
Wishing you a very Merry Christmas from our family to yours! May this Christmas Season be a wonderful time packed full of many amazing memories for you and your family. We have so many things to be thankful for during this special Christmas Holiday!
Heart Reflections: Riches of the Heart
In one our traveling excursions I came across this sign “Riches of the heart cannot be stolen”. I immediately liked the sign (simple but to the point) and was thankful for the reminder in my life. What is my focus and where do my thoughts tend to wonder?
Joy, blessings, contentment, laughter, love, thankfulness, and many amazing riches that come from my heart are ones that cannot be taken away from me. May the riches of your heart and mine be abundantly overflowing so we can be content, generous, positive, and kind to those around us.
Be My Valentine: I Will Always “Root” for You Handsome!
Every once in awhile I like to get a special treat for my man! It doesn’t have to be for any specific Holiday but this would be an easy way to say “I Love You” during the Valentine season. For this special treat I picked up a six pack of IBC Rootbeer for Jake and put a sticky note on it that says “I will always “root” for you Handsome!” I stuck the six pack with the note in the refrigerator, when Jake opens the door to get a drink he will find his cool treat. He appreciates the thoughtfulness and the treat reminds him that I love him. I am truly thankful for all he does for our family!
I will always “root” for you Handsome!
Travel & Vacation: Life Around the Kabini River, India
Sign near the Kabini River. Guess it probably won’t be a great idea to swim in the river….not a fan of swimming with crocodiles! Hmmm…let me think about it….No, thank you I would rather not swim with the crocodile! 🙂
I absolutely LOVED going to India. It was an amazing experience. The people were awesome and I learned a lot about myself during the trip. I have many things to be grateful for in my life yet so often I complain. I don’t have to pump drinking water or live in a tarp yet how often I grumble with the inconveniences of my life. I really do need to have a more thankful and giving heart because there a many people in this world that are content with far less. May I never forget this trip or the many things India revealed to me.
Filling her water jugs up to take back to her home. Watching her pump the water makes me appreciate the running water we have in our home. Sometimes I don’t realize how “convenient” life really is in the United States. I don’t ever remember pumping and carrying my drinking water.
Road full of goats!
Family in a small village near the Kabini River! The little boy is so cute.
Colorful houses near Kabini River
Look out stand in the tree. They use these look out to spot dangerous predators.
People will set up tents near the fields that are ready to be harvested. When the field is done they move to the next location and set up their tents. Makes me feel so very blessed to have a nice home. Even though its not perfect I don’t have to set up tarp tents near a jungle with lions and leopards in it. I have so much to be grateful for in my life.
Traveling through India was an eye opening experience for me. I enjoyed meeting a lot of wonderful people. Jake and I spent time exploring the area with Jake’s cousin Matt and his family. Thankful for an opportunity to spend some time with their family. We had a blast and hope we will be able to go back again some day.
The “Travel and Vacation” series is an insight into our trips together as a family and ways we relax. Life is short and we were thrilled to have the opportunity to build memories with family and explore of of the most amazing places during our time away. Explore with a good attitude, look for fun, and it will be an awesome trip jammed packed with positive memories. It is refreshing having some time away from the regular routine. Make it a once in a lifetime opportunity to meet new people and learn. You just might see or try something new that takes your breath away!
