Thankful Thursday

This week I am thankful for....

1. An entire family saved and baptized Sunday at church.

2. Spring Break...craft time, nap time, DVR time

3. Spiritual clarity regarding some decisions that I needed to make

4. A full day of sunshine...only one, but still

What are you thankful for this week?

Thankful Thursday

So much to be thankful for this week...

1. Safe travels in the pouring rain to and from Dallas.

2. Dinner with friends we hadn't seen in 6 months.

3. Encouragement from the conference we attended.

4. Broken people coming to Jesus.

5. A day at home to get caught up on all things home related!

What are you thankful for today?

Thankful Thursday

Thanking God for these blessings this week:

1. Fun day out with a friend.

2. Extra hands on deck for a project at church.

3. That God restores what Satan robs.

4. Energy I haven't had for months.

5. Inspiration.

What are you thankful for today?

Thankful Thursday

This week I am thankful for...

1. A new sound system at church

2. Bruce and Savannah's trip to A&M, the clarity it brought and the plans for the future

3. Prayer partners

4. Sunshine after what seems like weeks of rain

5. God's strength for stressful days

What are you thankful for this week?

Day #22 Beautiful Gratitude

If I was asked to name one thing I have changed in my life for the better over the last 5 years I would not have to give it a single second thought. Gratitude. I am more thankful. And not just for the good stuff...but I'm learning to be thankful for the bad times...and that's kind of the beautiful thing isn't it.

God's Word...specifically the Psalms...command us to praise the Lord....for who He is...what He's done...This should be every Christian's mission...and it will be our eternal destiny. And that will be a beautiful eternity of gratitude.

In 2008, here on this blog, I took a challenge to record things I was thankful for during the week of Thanksgiving. I listed 20... you can take a look HERE

Over the next five years I have continued the tradition (actually expanding it to a whole month) and here's why:

1. Gratitude produces humility. I thank God and others and in the process realize how weak, needy and blessed that I am. I acknowledge my gratitude to God by giving me wonderful gifts that enrich my life.

2. Gratitude puts things into perspective. After a rough day, week or year...thinking back to the goodness of God on my life, gives me a clearer picture of just how good God is to me. That these trials will pass and that He has my good in mind. His sovereignty glows in history.

3. Gratitude is part of prayer...giving thanks for things/people/answered prayer... puts the glory back to God. Where it belongs. When the kids are well behaved...glory to God, when someone is saved at church...glory to God, when my family gets to go someplace special...glory to God. These aren't coincidences that God allows to happen...no matter how trivial...these are details worked out by the hand of the Lord. The glory, thanks and gratitude belongs to Him.

4. Gratitude helps me give honor where honor is due...sometimes I forget to say thanks, forget to acknowledge something kind someone has done for me...taking the time to get my gratitude on gives me time to think about all those special people in my life. And I don't know anyone who doesn't like to be thanked.

5. Gratitude makes me feel better. And I know it shouldn't be about how it makes me feel. But, I'm gonna be honest, thinking positively about life does help me feel better. It's part of that ..whatsoever things are pure, honest, good report....those are the things you are to think about. Yep...there's a reason for that!

So a little while back I started posting on Thursdays, on Facebook my list of gratitudes and others started posting theirs...and I can't tell you how much it has encouraged me to see God doing such amazing things in the lives of people. I don't want to keep it a secret! He is good and even in my lowest times, I am amazed at how He showers me with things to be grateful for.

Join me this November as we daily give thanks on Facebook....I can't wait to see and hear about God's goodness in your life! You can follow me HERE or just list your own thanks anyway you can...in a notebook, on your blog, twitter or your own facebook page.

PS...if you go over to the column over on the right ...the arch
ives. Look under November of each year and read the Days of Thanks posts. It'll keep you entertained at least!

Complain Much?

One of the many hazards of homeschooling is that my kids aren't always quite as polite to the teacher as they might be if the teacher were someone else. There's a comfortableness that, while endearing, can also be taken advantage of if we aren't careful.

Complaining seems to be the most popular issue at hand right now. Complaining about doing schoolwork, how much schoolwork, how hard the schoolwork is, how boring it is, how tired they are, how long it takes....need I go on????

Anyway...I've explained until I'm blue in the face, we've spanked (yes, we do that), we've prayed, we've raised our voices (ok..maybe that was just me), I've lectured....And I've grown weary.

And since I'm not a complainy type person for the most part, this is under my skin. WHEN DID THEY BECOME THIS WAY??? I think the same way we all do sometimes.

1. We only want to do what we want to do.

2. We think what we want is the most important thing on earth.

3. We think we are right.

4. We don't think of the effort others have made for us to have, do, be....

5. We become covetous. We want what others have even if that mean different but not better.

And so now I'm figuring out a plan of action that might help my kids think before they complain...at least some of the time.

1. Gratitude. Speak and write thanks when you are tempted to complain.

2. Do something for someone else when you are tempted to complain.

3. Pray about your attitude. Is this really something that is important enough to complain about?

4. File your complaint. Write it down and place it in the complaint jar. If it's still worthy of conversation at the end of the day, we will read it.

As I was thinking about these things I thought how they really apply to any area of our lives. We waste so many words complaining about things that don't matter, that when we really do have a concern that deserves our words, no one listens. I'm praying that I can teach my own kids the extreme value in a word spoken in due season. Just because I'm an adult doesn't mean I've mastered this concept. In fact, it's just a great reminder to use my words wisely.