Control Struggle

Let me just be honest, and say that this time yesterday, I dreaded the thoughts of writing a Thankful Thursday post!  So I just decided NOT to write one! I was wallowing in self-pity of some of my circumstances, and I could see nothing on the horizon of which to be thankful!

I knew my heart was in the wrong place, yet I didn’t have the courage to ask God to search my heart at the moment, because I didn’t even want to see the mess in there!

After a couple hours of a self-justified pity party, I finally relinquished “my control” of my situations, and cast all of my anxieties on Him(1 Peter 5:7), knowing that He cared for me and what I was going through, no matter how big or small!

He lovingly reminded me that He is in control (Isaiah 45:5-7) of everything, and I just needed to focus my attention on Him, because after all, He is the source of the help that I needed at that moment (Psalm 121).

I meditated on 1 Peter 5:7 for a few moments longer, in awe that He really did care for me and my circumstances!

“Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.”

 He was gentle with my emotions, just like a loving Father, but then came time for the lesson from the ordeal! He reminded me once more of how selfish I tend to be, even when I am dwelling on my present circumstances. If it is something that I ultimately have no control over, then I cannot allow it to become so much of my constant thoughts. It’s becoming somewhat of an idol! Do I not trust Him to take care of me? YIKES Not the kind of exposition I was looking for, but I DID ask for Him to search me and show me, so He did just that!

1 Peter 5:7 WAS a great verse, but I had to then look at the surrounding verses, (1 Peter 4 – 5).  Though it talked of how to live for God, and suffer for the name of Christ, it all came together and struck a chord with 5:9, “Resist him, standing firm in faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of suffering.”

That was just it…it seemed the best way I could trust God most, and also be able to resist the enemy most, was to stand firm in my faith, and look to the needs of those around me; they are going through similar things! God spoke directly to my heart at that moment: No matter how big or small I thought MY circumstances were, He had it all under control. I needed to focus my efforts on pleasing Him through meeting the needs of others according to my gifts that I have been blessed with (1 Peter 4:10). LIGHT BULB

I love it when His Word leaps within my spirit! It all clicked at that moment, and it furthered my contentment in “Knowing HIM” “and the fellowship of his sufferings” (Phil. 3:10). For some reason I had it in my mind that fellowship with his sufferings had way more to do with persecution, when in actuality it rang true for my present circumstances! WOW, GOD!

Whatever circumstances you may find yourself in today, I encourage you to relinquish control of them, and acknowledge His sovereignty over ever single situation! 

Have faith! 

Have trust!

Cast all of that anxiety on Him! 

He DOES care for YOU! 

Then, stand firm in that faith and help those in need around you! Use those gifts He gave you to serve others, and administer His grace! He’ll take care of you in the process and give you the wisdom you need to work through your circumstances(sufferings)!

So, put it lightly, I was reminded of all my blessings to be thankful for once more! Here are just a few that I have been reminded of this week:

71.       A roof over my head

72.       Food to eat

73.       Clothes for my growing kids

74.       His Word being so powerful in my life

75.       Gifts I’ve been given to bless others

76.       He has control (instead of me)!

77.       The wisdom of my husband

78.       Fellowship of friends

79.       My crockpot

80.   My son’s humor

81.   My church family

82.   Tide STAIN RELEASE

83.   Kari Jobe

84.   The lessons my kids teach me daily

85.   FAMILY :)

What are you thankful for today? 

“Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
and his courts with praise!
Give thanks to him; bless his name!”
~ Psalm 100:4 (ESV)!


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Dispelled Mommy Myth

I crept in the girl's room this morning to pry Bella from bed, and prayed not to wake Marleigh.

Lifting her out of bed felt like lifting my leg out of a knee-deep mud bath! 

 She was NOT ready to wake up!

Usually she's easy-going in the mornings, but Thursday mornings are always difficult. Coming in from church on Wednesday nights, an hour past our usual bedtime, always seems to pose a problem for the next morning.

I gently coaxed her awake and persuaded her to make it to the table for breakfast. 

Not without her fair share of grumbling and complaining. 

I'm NOT a fan of whining, yet I still tried to handle her with love, not wanting to get the whole morning "off track".

She offered me many excuses about how she just wanted to sleep a few minutes longer! One after the other, my answer was constant; "You can't always get what you want!"(in the form of song)!

Despising my enthusiastic answer, she finally spit out what she had been itching to say the entire time, "I wish I were you, 'cause then I could stay in bed  ALL DAY LONG!"

Needless to say, after devotions I added a new word to her vocabulary: MYTH.

I thoroughly dispelled this "Stay at Home Mommy Myth"!

The MYTHBUSTERS are welcome to come sit with my other two kids any ol' day and disclose this truth!

To continue with my list of thanks on this Thankful Thursday, this week, I am most thankful for:

61. the opportunity to "KNOW HIM" 

62. Disposable diapers (I've had a nice week off from cloth!)

63. Mickey Mouse Clubhouse (when I just need to get something done)

64. my marriage to my most wonderful husband :)

65. new glasses for Bella

66. Maya Sutherland has made it safely in the world

67. the promise of eternal life

68. An AWESOME family day on Saturday

69. the gifts God has given me (NOW, to get busy using them for HIM!)

70. EVERYTHING pumpkin flavored (I'm in a pumpkin coma!)

What are you thankful for today?

“Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
and his courts with praise!
Give thanks to him; bless his name!”
~ Psalm 100:4 (ESV)!


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Never Too Late!

One of my favorites!

It's been quite a busy day for me, and even in a week that I have featured a lot of guest posts, I couldn't give up my Thankful Thursday slot! Haven't had a lot of time today, but it's never too late to share thanks! This week, I am especially thankful for:

51. The opportunity to show Christ's love to my children everyday!

52. God's reminders!

53. Homemade Chicken n' Dumplings

54.  the fact that I don't have to worry about pleasing men, just God! That makes me a servant

55. Jesus gave me such an awesome example of humility!

56. Aunt Scotti saving the day last Thursday by taking Bella to her Fall Festival!

57. that I CAN do all things through Christ; where my strength comes from!

58. Bella's school, and her great start to Kindergarten!

59. my name being engraved on the palm of HIS hand! Oh, how He loves me!

60. a $50 gas card as a gift from Wesley's work!

 

“Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
and his courts with praise!
Give thanks to him; bless his name!”
~ Psalm 100:4 (ESV)!

 

What are some of the things you are thankful for this week! 

I hope you will take the time to also check out some of the new additions to the blog(navigation bar!), and please stop by tomorrow to read a VERY SPECIAL post I have been working on this week! I wish the best weekend for you all!

Keep in Step

Just a two short weeks ago, my sister and I ran/walked a 5K Race for the Cure. It was my first 5K. Up until now, 5K has meant exactly what Bella thought it meant when I walked in the door after the race and she spotted the paper pinned to my shirt. "Mommy, I'm in 5K, not YOU!"

My badge of honor! (Along with Bella's artistry!)

By no stretch of  imagination am I in any kind of shape that I was actually able to run the entire thing, but since it was for a great cause, and time with my sister, I went for it! Sometimes I like to pretend that I'm in shape, but let's face it, on days like the 5K, I become so aware of how much I'm lacking! (I had a severe case of itchy legs afterwards!) :) What kept me encouraged the entire time, was how Candace stayed with me! We would power walk for awhile, then run a bit, then back to power walking when running became too laborious for me! Let's face it; she could have ran the race twice if it weren't for staying with me, but she chose to stick with me at my pace, yet still encouraged me to go further each time we ran. Sometimes, she didn't even have to say a word to keep me motivated; I just looked at her and her fit, before-babies-body, and ran that much faster! :) Together, we made it, and it was surprisingly fun! Together, we endured!

How's your spiritual endurance?

Personally, I fool myself sometimes, in my thinking that I'm in much better spiritual shape than I really am. Only to find out just how far away I am when my faith is put to the test! I know I will never "arrive" until the day I meet Jesus face to face, but I can't help but feel a little bit of shame when I seemingly can't keep up! However, I am pleased to know that I have a Heavenly Father that cares enough for me to "run with me". He gives endurance through His Word(Rom. 15:4), His love(Psalm 136:1), His patience, and encouragement. He even gives me great examples of endurance right here in the flesh, to prove to me that, YES, I can make it! I can finish this race!(Jeremiah 6:16) Just as Candace could have ran circles around me, I'm so undeserving that He would want to come along side of me and help me in this race, yet somehow His presence is a motivator for me to endure awhile longer! I love it when He speaks directly to me and offers me encouragement through my day to day, but sometimes all I need to just to catch a glimpse of Him, and somehow, seeing Him in all of His beauty and holiness pushes me along even further! It gives me a pep in my step, because I want to be like Him! I want to look like Him!

I stumbled on this verse just the other day, and yes, almost literally stumbled. I was simply following my outline for reading the Bible through in a year. I can't tell you how many times in my life I have read the book of Galatians, especially chapter 5. You know! The fruits of the spirit are right there in verses 22 and 23, yet for some reason, verse 25 has never stuck out quite like it did to me then.

Galatians 5:25

"Since we live by the Spirit, let us 

keep in step with the spirit."

 I was challenged in my spiritual race to keep in step with the Spirit! There have been so many times I've just wanted to give up and throw in the towel. It hurt too much, and I couldn't keep up. Endurance was some far fetched idea that seemed impossible to obtain. Yet in my weakest moments, when I was far from being in shape, He ran along side of me and gave me encouragement through His Words and His beauty, to keep running! But now I'm challenged more than ever to not sit back and wait for those moments of encouragement. I want to "get in shape"! I'm in it for the long haul! I've have to! His Spirit is so enticing, that I want to live by it! Since that is the case, I must keep in step with Him!

Me and Candace before the race!

With that being said, here's my list of thanks for the week.

On this Thankful Thursday, I am thankful:

41. for Nutella :)

42. Bella wants me to go on field trips with her and her friends from school.

43. I don't have to be in perfect physical shape to keep in step with the Spirit.(Although, I'm trying!)

44. that opportunities for family income have been coming to us!

45. for my family chiropractor!

46. for peanut butter milkshakes! (could this be why I'm not in  the best physical shape?)

47. for cloth diapers (not the most fun to clean, but sure are saving me money with at the rate of Nate and Marleigh's potty training efforts!)

48.for a good report from the ENT for Nate

49. for the Holy Spirit that is always so active in my life!

50.for endurance!

“Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
and his courts with praise!
Give thanks to him; bless his name!”
~ Psalm 100:4 (ESV)!

What are some of the things you are thankful for this week?

All Things Coffee...

How appropriate that National Coffee Day would fall on one of my Thankful Thursdays! How very thankful I am for "my little cheerleader in a cup"! I have celebrated all day long! Afterall, "if it weren't for coffee, I would have no identifiable personality whatsoever!" You think I'm kidding! I used to hate coffee, but when the days of parenting rolled around, it has become my closest friend! BFF's for life! 

On a more serious note, there are many more blessings from the week that I would like to give God thanks for. So, here it is; my weekly round-up of thanks!

I'm Thankful for:

31.) COFFEE!!!!

32.) A good report for Bella from the eye doctor. Still a long road ahead, but we are on our way!

33.) what God is doing in and through Bella, as she ministers at school!

34.) Ashleigh A. for surprising my son with the CFA VeggieTale CD collection! 

35.) A husband who doesn't run and hide from me, EVEN on my worst days! In fact, he runs to me and tries to help! (What a great man!)

36.) hearing from some of "my girls" that used to live with us at the HFC! :)

37.) Marleigh has finally taken interest in something else besides opening the kitchen cabinets ALL DAY!

38.) God's Word has been POWERFUL in my life this week!

39.) the individual gifts that God has given us, and the ability to use them for HIS glory!

40.) Calamine lotion! (Poison oak always has a way of reminding me why I'm not an outdoor girl!)

What are you thankful for this week?

“Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
and his courts with praise!
Give thanks to him; bless his name!”
~ Psalm 100:4 (ESV)!