Tales of a Thankful Mom

“Why do you spend money for that which is not bread, And your earnings for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, And let your soul delight in abundance.” ‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭55:2‬ ‭AMP‬‬                    Our body’s crave nourishment. If I let them my kids would fill up on chips, candy and ice cream. This kind of diet would not be good for them. They need nourishment. They need real food. They need proteins, complex carbohydrates, and fruits and vegetables. I told my Dad that my children are more open to try new foods with their Aunts, Uncles and cousins eating with them. Nourishment is often found in community, when we gather around a table.  This reminds me of my need for spiritual nourishment. Am I looking for things that do not satisfy? Or am I looking to my Heavenly Father and His word and talking to Him through prayer? On days that I am feeling run down, am I running to Him or filling up on junk. May I remember to come to God’s table.  Come to the Table by

Our thought life is very powerful. I remember reading “Alexander and the terrible, horrible, very bad day” to my children when they were little. If you’re not familiar with the story, the titular character’s mood impacted his actions and caused him to have a bad day. I am thankful for the truth of the scripture. ““Finally, believers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable and worthy of respect, whatever is right and confirmed by God’s word, whatever is pure and wholesome, whatever is lovely and brings peace, whatever is admirable and of good repute; if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think continually on these things [center your mind on them, and implant them in your heart].” ‭‭Philippians‬ ‭4:8‬ ‭AMP‬‬ I like the phrase “Worry is like a rocking, it gives you something to do, but doesn’t get you any where. Am I am living my life from a place of fear, or am I focusing on what is lovely, peaceful and admirable? May I remember that there is always somethi

“Now may the God of peace [the source of serenity and spiritual well-being] who brought up from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood that sealed and ratified the eternal covenant, equip you with every good thing to carry out His will and strengthen you [making you complete and perfect as you ought to be], accomplishing in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.” ‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭13:20-21‬ ‭AMP‬‬             Do I trust that God has equipped me with every good thing to carry out His will? Nothing comes as a surprise to Him. He has given me everything that I need for life and Godliness. (2 Peter 1:3) God’s perspective is eternal. He knows how it will all work out. I have seen Him make a way when there is no way. He has a plan that He is working out for our good and His glory. When life takes me by surprise, I need to trust that He is with me and that He will guide me and make my paths stra

“And when I think about that prodigal son, I've got to smile when I see the old man run. And I know that You love us the same, 'Cause the sun came up today;” -Andrew Peterson.  I am so thankful that God’s mercies are new every morning. In the morning when I rise, give me Jesus. I need His grace every hour, every second. Mornings are so full of possibilities. I love the wide open no schedule required kind of mornings that I can ask my kids, what do they want to do, today? I love watching them laugh over the Sunday morning comics. I love the days that we can leisurely eat breakfast together. Autumn is the time of year for hot cocoa and cinnamon rolls and lots of laughter and morning snuggles. I am thankful for the opportunity to savor weekend mornings and that every morning doesn’t need to feel rushed. #31days2021

“Be still and know that I am God.” Psalm 46:10. It is not easy for me to be still. Honestly, when I try to practice stillness I fall asleep. I used to think that falling asleep while praying was a bad thing. My Pastor said that he doesn’t think that God is disappointed with me that I sometimes fall asleep while talking to God. I now realize that talking to God until I fall asleep may be the perfect way to end a busy day. I also find stillness in leisurely walks around my neighborhood. What are some ways that you embrace stillness? #31days2021

“Turn your eyes upon Jesus. Look full in His wonderful face, and the things of earth will go strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace.” Lately I have been trying to call myself when I am upset or frustrated by asking myself, “ Is this situation temporary?” If I won’t remember this frustration tomorrow than I may be wasting precious time being upset about it. I remember a quote that stated, “Being offended wastes precious time.” I will not lie and say that I will never be offended, but I do want to live open handed to let go of the temporary to grasp the eternal. What would it look like to grasp the eternal today? #31days2021

          As a recovering people pleaser, I hate failing. I especially hate failing in front of others even my family. I am learning that it is important for my children to see me fail. If they see me fail, they also see that I have tried. I don’t want my children to live life afraid of failure. If they see me fail, they will know that I am not perfect. I laugh because they know I am very far from perfect. I do want them to see that I apologize when needed and try to fix or make amends for my mistakes when possible. I want them to see that failure is part of life, but getting back up, dusting yourself off and trying again are the best response to failure . #31days2021

            My children are gifts God has given me. They bless me so much with their joy, laughter, and boundless energy. They tell the best stories,ake amazing art, and use their imagination in creative ways. My children amaze me. They love animals especially our pups and kitty cat. They love going on walks especially on the rare Florida day that isn’t too hot. They teach me just as much if not more than I teach them. Every day with them is a gift. #31days2021

“I want to be in the light like You are in the light. I want to shine like the stars in the heavens. Oh Lord be my light and be my salvation. Because all I want is to be in the light.” Are used to feel intimidated bye the idea of being in the light. The light with show flaws, fears, bruises and scars that I did not want anyone else to see. I didn’t realize how much freedom there was in being honest. Like a flower that needs to be in the light to bloom. I needed the light of God’s love to begin my journey of healing. I am so thankful for friends who showed me God’s light and love. These same friends encourage and inspire me today. #31days2021

           Our thought life is very powerful. I remember reading “Alexander and the terrible, horrible, very bad day” to my children when they were little. If you’re not familiar with the story, the titular character’s mood impacted his actions and caused him to have a bad day. I am thankful for the truth of the scripture. ““Finally, believers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable and worthy of respect, whatever is right and confirmed by God’s word, whatever is pure and wholesome, whatever is lovely and brings peace, whatever is admirable and of good repute; if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think continually on these things [center your mind on them, and implant them in your heart].” ‭‭Philippians‬ ‭4:8‬ ‭AMP‬‬ I like the phrase “Worry is like a rocking, it gives you something to do, but doesn’t get you any where. Am I am living my life from a place of fear, or am I focusing on what is lovely, peaceful and admirable? May I remember that there is alw

             I don’t like the words always or never. They are usually used to express an over generalization, and aren’t very helpful. There are times when always is not just helpful, but a firm foundation that I can build my life on. I need to ask the Lord of peace to bring me peace not just for me, but for my children and family. In what areas of your life do you need peace today? “On Christ, the solid rock I stand all other ground is sinking sand. All other ground is sinking sand.” 2 Thessalonians 3:16 Now the Lord of peace himself give you peace always by all means. The Lord [be] with you all.” #31days2021

Psalm 119:105 “Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.”                                                                  I need a light for my path. I do not always remember that God’s word is that light. I am information junkie that googles terms when I hear them for the first. Google may give me information, but it does not give me light or peace, I need God’s word for hope, light and peace. I love that many worship songs especially hymns quote scripture. Listening to truth in the form of songs, is something that I can carry in my head and heart as I go about my day. Songs that incorporate scriptural truth are much more helpful to get stuck in my head than the baby shark song. What are some of your favorite songs that incorporate scripture? #31days2021 ‭‭

               These two do things that I would never would have tried when I was there age, They inspire me to try new things from eating sushi to riding roller coasters. I love their adventurous spirits, even if I jokingly tell them that they give me gray hair. I want to encourage my children to try new things. I want to cheer them on and support them in their adventures. I am thankful that my children encourage me to try new things. They encourage me to do it scared. It is not as scary when you are trying new things together. #31days2021

It takes effort to make changes. It doesn’t take as much effort to keep doing what have always been doing. It takes intentionally looking inward and noticing things that you would like to change about yourself before you can decide to make necessary changes. As my Dad likes to ask me, “How is that working for you?” If it is not working out well for me, what do I need to change that would help things go more smoothly? Living differently means not being satisfied just going through the motions, but fully embracing life even the messy, difficult parts. God can bring beauty out of all of it. #31days2021

It takes effort to make changes. It doesn’t take as much effort to keep doing what have always been doing. It takes intentionally looking inward and noticing things that you would like to change about yourself before you can decide to make necessary changes. As my Dad likes to ask me, “How is that working for you?” If it is not working out well for me, what do I need to change that would help things go more smoothly? Living differently means not being satisfied just going through the motions, but fully embracing life even the messy, difficult parts. God can bring beauty out of all of it. #31days2021

I have been thinking about kindness lately. Sometimes I say yes to things, thinking that I am being kind. If I am saying yes, because I don’t want to disappoint someone than that yes may not be a truly kind answer. Especially if I have to backtrack and say no to the same question later. God’s kindness leads us to repentance. What would my little corner of the world look like if I shared kindness with others? What is something that I could do to show others today that God loves them? Being kind is one way of living differently intentionally. I want to practice kindness with my family and others that I come in contact with today. #31days2021

Only trust Him. Only trust Him. Only trust Him, now. He will save you. He will save you. He will save you, now.” I have been thinking about trust recently. The foundation of relationships is trust. When trust isn’t present in a relationship, the lack of trust can present itself in a wide variety of ways. I was surprised this past week, when what I thought was a situation that was caused by a certain set of circumstances 1 +1=2. My evaluation was completely wrong, it was all a matter of trust. I am thankful that God completely understands all aspects of this situation. He can be completely trusted. What is weighing heavily on your heart that you need to trust Him with today? #31days2021

            This girl has taught me how to treasure moments. If there is a cute animal or a beautiful flower present, she will notice it. She experiences life on her own speed and usually that speed is slower than the rest of her siblings. Unless that is if she wants to prove to her brother that she is faster than him. Instead of rushing her, I need to remember to take life slowly at her pace every once in while. I  am never disappointed when I stop to see what my Cuddle Bug treasures. I love her perspective of the world. #31days2021

           I have heard it said that you are not taking steps toward someone in relationship than you will most likely drift away from someone. Moving toward someone takes the decision to do so and it also takes the effort of putting one foot in front of the other and moving toward them, I spent years frozen in fear. I don’t want to live that way anymore. I want to live differently, walking with the King of Kings. I want to learn a lesson from the Apostle Peter and if I find myself sinking I want to cry out to Jesus to save me from the wind and the waves. What are some ways that you keep from drifting in your relationship with God? #31days2021

Our God is a God of redemption. He is God of fresh starts. His mercies are new every morning. He can take the most broken, dark situations and make beautiful things out of the dust. I have seen this happen in my own life. I have been in situations that I thought were hopeless, but then God moved in powerful and miraculous ways. I am so thankful for do-overs. What are some ways that you have seen redemption in Your life? I would love to read your thoughts in the comments.

“Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.”                                                               What am I doing this for? If I am looking for success or validation in this life, it is easy to become discouraged. It is important to remember my why. Especially because effort does not always guarantee results. I need to remember that as I am running my race that God loves me and that I want to share His love with others. The Apostle John referred to himself as the disciple that Jesus loved. I believe that he did this because He wanted Jesus’ love for him to be the core of his identity. I want to live like that. #31days2021

“I touch the sky when my knees hit the ground.” On the days I feel the most weighed down by the cares of this life, these are the moments that I need to remember the One who is above all every concern I may have in this life. I need to run to the throne room and find grace and strength in my time of need. I am so thankful that nothing ever comes as a surprise to God. I am thankful for the promise that the same power that raised Jesus from the grave lives in me. He gives us grace in our times of need so that we can share His grace with others. I  can breathe in grace and breathe out praise, as the song “Your Grace Finds Me” describes. What is something that you are praising God for today?

Our branch of the family was established in 2009. From the time that I was a little girl, I have known that I wanted to be a Mom. When our family went through big changes that resulted in a cross country move, I wondered what would those changes mean for me, but more importantly what would those changes mean for my children. God has been so good to my children from the time that they were little to today. I am so thankful that God’s establishment of families does not change with seasons and storms of life. During seasons of change, I hold fast to the promise that God’s calling on our lives is irrevocable. Nothing ever comes as a surprise to God. I am thankful for all that I have learned being my trio’s Mama. They have taught me even more than I have taught them. #31days2021

             “I’m so very ordinary, nothing special on my own.” These lyrics from Nicole C. Mullins song resonate with me. There are people who describe themselves as powerhouses. I do not think of myself this way. I am not powerful on my own. I serve a powerful God. “My God is so big, so strong and so mighty. There is nothing my God cannot do.” I am weak, but God is strong. I am so thankful that God is my strong tower. I can find rest, comfort and peace with Him. He is my lighthouse. He will carry me safe to shore. 

“For now [in this time of imperfection] we see in a mirror dimly [a blurred reflection, a riddle, an enigma], but then [when the time of perfection comes we will see reality] face to face. Now I know in part [just in fragments], but then I will know fully, just as I have been fully known [by God].”  ‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭13:12‬ ‭AMP‬‬                                                      I like completed tasks. I like projects that are finished. I have been known to read a chapter book in one day because I was eager to see how the story turned out. I am learning that often in life, seasons can not be wrapped up in neat little bows. Life is messy. I am messy. There will always be aspects of life that feel incomplete. I many times feel unfinished. I need to see beauty in the imperfections. I want to live fully in the moment, even the less than perfect ones. I want to trust that even though right now I see in the mirror dimly that one day I will see everything clearly. I want to trust in God’s