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Monday, January 13, 2014

A little late, but still very blessed

 A week in the middle of January brought about these blessings...

 Heat when it was just too cold outside

 Finally a clean bathroom

 A kitchen stocked with one of our favorites

 Getting back to school

 A "to do" list that got "ta done"

A Friday morning that started with a "gourmet" breakfast

Thursday, January 9, 2014

A Week Filled with Blessings - How it began


This post series is something new I'm trying this year. Although not a resolution, it's an idea that developed from a book Lauren received at Christmas. The book is called The Blessings Jar: A Story about being Thankful and it's really sweet. It made me think about all the blessings that I have during a week and how I don't think I could fit them in a jar, but I could try and capture them in a blog post. I'm hoping to include pictures and try and do it on Fridays, when the week is unwinding. Feel free to contact me and join in on this series! 

This post is just about why I felt lead to start it, and then tomorrow I'll start it. I actually started a post last week but never got around to finishing it, but after yesterday and a talk with a great friend, I was inspired to really go ahead a get this started. It was a bit of a roller coaster ride yesterday with Lauren and I. The morning started slow as we anticipated a day with not much going on- that was until Matt's famous last words as he kissed me goodbye and walked out the door were "You guys should have a pretty easy, slow day." It wasn't but another two breaths and the day took a turn. From the moment I heard "Mommy, I'm peeing" (when said little girl was not on the toilet) it was a day filled with struggles, and sprinkled with blessings. Sometimes I really wonder if every mom has these days, or is it just me?! By the time I talked with my dear friend that evening I was exhausted and feeling deeply desperate for someone to tell me it's okay. She told me when things feel like this to look at the week as a whole and when you do that it doesn't seem like it was a big of a struggle as when you look at the isolated moments of frustration and confusion. Her suggestion fit right into what I was already thinking of doing, so here I am beginning a series that reviews my week and a blessing for each day.

Now I want other reading this series to know that I'm finding the blessings in each day and that doesn't mean that I don't have days that make me want to scream and throw a toddler tantrum myself. There are moments I pray for God's grace and mercy to bubble up from the depths of my soul because I don't feel like I'm doing my children justice as we navigate our days. There are times we run late, we lose our temper, cups spill, we get upset with each others actions, we aren't as compassionate as we need to be, etc. I'm not perfect and neither are my children. We try though, to live out our lives in a manor that is pleasing to our Heavenly Father. We read the Bible and learn and study it as it is our guide to how God treats his people with endless compassion, mercy, and love. The ultimate parenting guide. And it shows us how Jesus lived his life, a sinless man in a sin filled world. His teachings give us lessons that can better us people. Just recently I read this quote and it struck a chord with my heart, the quote read "Being a Christian is less about cautiously avoiding sin than about courageously and actively doing God's will." ~Dietrich Bonhoeffer I can't live my life fearful of doing the wrong thing, but rather live my life, striving to do the right thing. 

So after much rambling I hope you follow this as I try and look for the blessings in a life filled with craziness and cios. But we wouldn't want it any other way!!

"Being a Christian is less about cautiously avoiding sin than about courageously and actively doing God's will." ~Dietrich Bonhoeffer