...in the quiet

My life is busy and loud, as is the life of every mother. The day zips by before I get things done...and yet it drags and bedtime never seems soon enough. Since my hubs has started his job (in November) his work schedule has been unlike that of any other time in our marriage. His days have been LONG which makes our days LONG and last couple weeks it just really caught up with me. I was feeling worn thin. 

God knew this and the last two weeks of sermons at our church have spoken to this deep need within me to get alone with God and get quiet; to remove every distraction in my life and my heart, to trust that even in my complete exhaustion getting up an hour earlier will be JUST what I need, to see that the very thing holding me back from feeling better was valuing feeling better more than I valued making the tough changes to take better care of myself. 

So I did what I was dreading, what felt impossible: I sacrificed an entire hour of sleep. This may not seem like much, but to a mother of little kiddos rest is crucial. As soon as their feet hit the ground, I don't stop moving again until their bedtime. That's a lot of moving. My hubs kept pushing me to try getting up earlier to have that time for myself and for God. (He started it last week and it made a huge difference for him). So today I woke up at 6:30 and had a FULL 40 minutes to myself. I had time to read God's truth, to pray, to journal, to sit and be.

And when my little kiddo got up in his crib and started hollering for "maameeee", I was able to greet him with joy and a full heart instead of tiredness and regret of leaving my pillow so soon. Today was enough convincing for me that this is worth it and I will make it my new normal.

There is GOOD in the quiet. 

"Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning;  great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.”The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord."     Lamentations 3:21-26

...in thankful thursday

I'm going to continue a tradition I started here on my other blog. This will be an ongoing list of the things I am thankful for. I want to be thankful every day, but I'll take Thursdays to write it down :)

I'm thankful for...

1. first and foremost: my God, my Savior

2. my husband. I love him more each day.

3. my daughter. She is the kindest, funniest girl I know.

4. my son. He is just precious and so sweet.

5. my family and friends, near and far.

6. phones and computers to keep in touch with them!!

7. coffee. Iced, hot, flavored, or plain....I can't go a day without it. Well I guess I could, I just don't want to!! :)

8. sunshine and cool breeze. The last two days have been PERFECT!

9. flip flops. My go to summer foot wear...I'm going to be sad when fall comes and I have to give them up.

10. a new shade of fingernail polish

11. fresh flowers in my kitchen. (especially when I get them free! Caught the lady in the floral department at Kroger right before she was about to pitch some "old" flowers. She gave them to me for free and they still look great days later!!)

12. God's provision. We were in a much different financial place this time last year and it blows me away to look back on how God has provided for every need (and even some wants that weren't needs)

13. A new book to read.

14. how good my kids are in the grocery store. They get complimented often and it's well deserved because they are little shopping troopers! :)

 ^"Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations."  Psalm 100:4-5

...in music.

I LOVE Pandora radio. It has introduced me to some great music that I'm not sure I would have heard otherwise. A couple weeks ago I set out to find some different worship music. I've been listening to the same old stuff for ages and needed something fresh...so I made a Jon Foreman channel (he's great if you haven't heard of him, go take a listen). I knew that if they played something similar to him, it could be good. Through that channel, I found my two new favorite worship bands... Rend Collective Experiment and All Sons and Daughters. . What is especially great about All Sons and Daughters is that it's not just good worship music, it's good MUSIC. I love them. Their music is good for my ears and my heart. Here is a little taste....

 Lord I find You in the seeking
Lord I find You in the doubt
And to know You is to love You
And to know so little else

in all things.

So here I am.

First, let me explain something about myself. I have historically been a whiner. Yep, that's right, I tend to complain about things....a lot. Over the last few years I have been in a season of being refined by God; being changed, remolded and humbled. Part of what I have learned through this process is that my negative attitude is my CHOICE and I can simply choose to change it. I may not be able to change my circumstances or things that have or are happening, but I can always control how I respond. The reaction is always in my hands. Now this has been a hard lesson to learn (and BOY am I still learning it) but it has changed me. It has helped me see that on my horrible, no good, very bad days...I can turn them around!
"The Lord is my strength and shield. I trust him with all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy.I burst out in songs of thanksgiving."  Psalm 28:7 NLT ---------   "We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." 2 Corinthians 10:5
This is not always easy. In fact, it takes being very intentional in my thought process,  my reactions, and my words. It takes trusting GOD over myself, over MY capabilities to make something better. It takes trusting that God is GOOD, regardless of what circumstance I find myself in.
 "Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 -------------  "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." Romans 8:28 -----"Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." Psalm 139:23-24 NIV
By changing my attitude or perspective I am choosing JOY over sadness, PEACE over anxiety, and HOPE over despair. So, this blog is going to serve as challenge to myself to find the good. Sometimes it will be in something I read, a song I heard, something awesome my kids said, a new recipe or coupon deal, a scripture, a quote, or a simple bit of my day that brought a smile. I'm hoping this will keep me focused on being THANKFUL, on keeping my mind and heart focused on TRUTH and things that are GOOD!

Secondly, I learn better and remember longer if I write things down. It's like writing it down presses it into my memory a little deeper. So, this blog will serve as a way to help me remember the GOOD in my day or week. When the negative thoughts come creeping in I will come here and be reminded to choose to see the good.

 

"...whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right,

whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—

if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—

think about such things.

Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me,

or seen in me—put it into practice.

And the God of peace will be with you."

Philippians 4:8-10 NIV