Downsizing

With so many new things in my life, i.e. homeschooling, I am making things simpler.

So, you can catch me here, And Now You Know.

I will be blogging, possibly vlogging?, talking about life, venting, and hopefully some laughing as well! :)

Come check it out!

Looking for the Blessings

Today has been an emotional day. Kinda hard on me, for whatever reasons. I think this is when I need to count my blessings most.

Proverbs 31:28-29
Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: "Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all."

I often wrestle with the Proverbs 31 woman; she seems so out of reach. But the last few days, God has been putting these verses on my heart. So every time my children say, "Your the best mommy ever!" I think about this verse. When my husband posts on Facebook, that he has an amazing wife, I think about this verse. I look at the Proverbs 31 woman, and I see me. No, I'm not always all those things, and I don't always measure, but I don't think the chapter is here to compare ourselves to. I think we are supposed to read those verses and see ourselves in there, somewhere.

69)Proverbs 31

70)A husband who loves me

71)Children that think I'm the best

72)Being amazing to my husband

Yes I'm Still Counting...

I have been on a hiatus!
But, I promise to be back.
I still have so much to be thankful for.

I am homeschooling my children this year, I am blessed to be a part of their lives in this way!
61)Text books
62)Small classrooms
63)One-on-one time with my favorite students
64)Giving my children the great gift of an education

There has been a lot going on lately, new jobs, new schedules, new church, new friends. Every good and perfect gift comes God.
65)God's provision
66)Freedom to praise
67)Healing in relationships
68)Knowing the truth of God's grace

Children's Prayers

Alyvia loves to pray. Something I am working on, is encouraging my children to pray. So, we pray in the car, we pray at the house, we pray before meals, and we pray before bed. I love listening to them pray. Caeli, the oldest prays with focus and with reason, Alyvia the youngest just prays whatever comes to her mind. But the innocence of their prayers touches my heart everytime.

51)Tiny hands folded for prayer
52)Becoming like a child in my prayer time
53)Time to spend teaching how to pray
54)Praying the Lord's prayer
55)Understanding the Lord's prayer
56)Little girls with big voices
57)Eager children, eager to help
58)Quiet times of reflection, just listening
59)The sound of rain in the form of thunder
60)Storms that wash away what was not built on the Firm Foundation

Gotta Keep Going

36)My daughter being a friend to the friendless
37)Fellowship of other believers
38)Crazy Daisies in the vase on my table
39)Laundry almost done
40)Loved ones opening the door
41)Studying Ruth
42)God's redemption plan
43)Learning obediance
44)Teaching obediance
45)Prayers before meals
46)Scripture read to my children
47)Princess toys in the floor
48)Beethoven - Fur Elise
49)Texas summers
50)Hard ground made soft mud by refreshing rain

Child-like Faith

34)My children showing me what child-like faith really looks like!

My youngest, who is 4, woke up today feeling sad. She went to bed sad, too. So this morning she said to me, "Can I pray to God to take away my sadness." Of course, we sit and I say words that would be easy for a 4 year old understand and really mean.

"Dear Lord, thank You that You know my heart. Take away my sadness, and fill my heart with joy. Help me to have a good day today."

So simple. And afterwards, she was happy. So, I prayed a similar prayer for myself. If my 4 year old can trust that Jesus will fill heart with joy, I should, too.

35)Tiny hands helping

# 33

I am so blessed!

Psalms 127:3-4
3 Sons are a heritage from the LORD,
children a reward from him.
4 Like arrows in the hands of a warrior
are sons born in one's youth.

For a long time I viewed being a mother as some sort of punishment for how I behaved as a child, thinking that I was reaping what I had sown. I don't think I ever realized this verse existed, till about 3 years ago. It changed the way I saw my role as their mother. It helped me on those days when I feel inadequate, and unsure of my ability to train them. I remind myself that God saw some reason to bless, and "reward" me. I am truely blessed.

#33)Little girls in swings!

Getting Started

4)A husband I hate being apart from.
5)Children who make me smile, even when I want to yell at them.
6)Rain clouds even without rain
7)Soft grass under my barefeet
8)Being blessed to be able to cook food for family
On a side note, I have not always felt this way. I used to resent cooking, but God has provided me with such an amazing opportunity to be home and provide a healthy meal for my household.
9)Waterproof markers, paint, and any other creative coloring device
10)Princesses with dirt under their nails
11)Pink fingernails and toenails
12)Hot bubble baths at night, in silence
13)Music in my head
14)Praise and worship on Sunday mornings
15)Crosses in the entry way - marking The Way
16)Glow in the dark nail polish
17)Even the smallest light shining in the dark
18)Reading childhood stories
19)A nosey 8 year old - :)
20)Encouraging words from people being willing vessels
21)Dying daily
22)Living for eternity
23)Walking to the park
24)pushing little girls on the swing
25)Swinging
26)Clean clothes being put away
27)Ivory piano keys
28)Family pets
29)Cheesy Chicken and Broccoli
30)Being taught patience
31)I would rather be in a small with my husband than in a large bed alone
32)Big words with deep meanings

Something New

I've got get better at this. I want to get 1000, by the end of the year. And I know there is so much to be thankful for!

So, I did the math and there are roughly 35 weeks left in the year, so to reach my goal of 1000, I need to 28 a day.

I know that should be easy, but for some reason, I feel I may have bit off more than I can chew!

Well, here's to number 3 - God gave me a big mouth, so I can do this!

Slowing Down

So, I'm not very good at this being thankful thing apparently. I think sometimes I am just too busy. Like Martha, cooking, cleaning, and trying to work my way through life. Am I doing enough good works?
Today, I am thankful for slowing down. Those days when there is nothing that has to be done, and I am wondering around looking for something to do to keep myself busy. But no matter how hard I try, there just isn't anything. I want to learn that those days are for a purpose, to sit at the feet of Jesus. To worship Him, to praise Him, to be in His presence. It is on those days, that He can truely work on me. When I'm not running around, then I am silent and listening.

I am thankful today for slowing down.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-14
1 There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under heaven:
2 a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
3 a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
4 a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
5 a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain,
6 a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
7 a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
8 a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.

9 What does the worker gain from his toil?
10 I have seen the burden God has laid on men.
11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.
12 I know that there is nothing better for men than to be happy and do good while they live.
13 That everyone may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all his toil—this is the gift of God.
14 I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that men will revere him.

Hello

So, here I am! I have been meaning to do this for some time now, but just haven't gotten around to it. Wasn't sure how to go about it, but today I feel that it doesn't matter how, but that I am.

I am beginning a list of things I am grateful for. I am following a site called Holy Experience, and it has really challenged me to wake up and pay attention to what God has blessed me with; in all shapes and sizes!

Beginning with a few obvious...
1) My family

Not just my husband and kids, and our immediate family, but for all of my family. I belong to the greatest family, the family of God. I have brothers and sisters near and far, and I praise God for them.

I do praise God for blessing me with a wonderful man of God as a husband and leader and of our household. His faith has steadied me so many times when things seemed rocky and unstable.

Children are a blessing from the Lord. We don't realize so many times that our children are considered a reward. What? I did something deserving of this? Haha, I meant that in good way! As I struggle with being a godly parent, God reminds me that He saw fit to entrust these young souls in my hands, and that is a blessing!

If you are interested in joining in this Gratitude Community, go on over and check it out!