Multitude Monday

Hey there,

I decided to join Ann Voskamp and some other ladies in the simple act of counting and naming our blessings. They do this on Mondays. It is a way to remember the goodness of God. Sounds so simple, but I miss it so often. So here we go:

#1. Second chances. Third, fourth.....

#2. A heavy crocheted blanket to huddle under (man, it's cold out today!)

#3. A financially saavy husband

#4. Going back to the start.

#5. The quiet of naptime.

#6. Bras that fit. A little TMI maybe, but to a post-nursing mom (or nursing, or pregnant, etc.) this can be such a big deal!

#7. Getting a break from sharing my body (see above.)

#8. The anticipation of a visiting friend.

#9. Busting a move on the dance floor.

#10. Celebrating with a family who needed a good celebration. Congratulations, Jen and Alex!

It's been a real wild week. Ava is teething and we're experiementing with different kinds of milks which seems to have led to some gastrointestinal fun as well. She's just not herself these days, and that has had it's difficult moments for Mr. Wonderful and I. All the more reason to recognize the ways God is amazing.

I wanted to note as well that the Get Your Laura Ingalls On party is not just for experts! I hope you'll link up even if it's just something that you're trying for the first time, which is what I plan to do. I'm off to make the most of the rest of naptime... :0)

A Before and After--Me!

I LOVE before and afters. I love seeing the transformation of a room, a wall, an item or a person. I spend a lot of time thinking of how I can improve my home and envisioning what different options will look like. I love reading bloggers who flip houses and do amazing things with reasonable budgets. I actually struggle with how much time I spend on this stuff. I have to limit myself or I'd easily spend all my free time on it.

It occurred to me yesterday that it points to the difference Christ has made in my life. One small illustration of His grace in my life. I am definitely not a perfect person, and I can't give you a time and date of my salvation, but I have been changed! Even better than those pages in a glossy magazine. (Did you catch YHL's blog post about the photo shoot at their house? Using dish clothes to make the towels fluffier? Shocking! Makes me feel better that my house doesn't look like a magazine!) I am a totally NEW creation. Not just a re-do of the old me!

When I was thinking aobut this, one big change that stood out to me is that God has taken away all sorts of bitterness from me. There was a time in my life when I really harbored bitterness and was easily offended. I was angry. It's something that God has just routed out. And I'm thankful. Just one example of my before and after story. :0) Feel free to share what God has changed in you!

God time

Probably the most important thing I can do each day is spend time with God. I used to be really good at it and never thought I would ever fall out of the practice. I have though, sometimes since I got married and especially since having Ava. And it is so incredibly vitally important to pray for your spouse and your children. I know this. So I started up a prayer journal this summer, which has really helped. However, I have found myself lately treating it as something to cross off my list.

The other night I was thinking back to a time when I was in the middle of a difficult time and I couldn't see the other side of it, but I still knew that God was faithful. I knew that God was teaching me something through it. And He did. He taught me how to trust Him and to seek Him out. It really struck me how close I am to God when I go through trials, but once they are over I go on about my life. I realized that I treat Him like a genie. How do you abide so closely with God when you don't FEEL that urgent need? How do you come before God in reverance and love every single day in a groove and not make it a rut?

Here are a couple of thoughts I have had so far:

1. Remember the cross and your position to it.

Here is a verse from an amazing song that has been running through my head for a couple of days:

I once was lost in darkest night and thought I knew the way
The sin that promised joy and life had led me to the grave
I had no hope that You would own a rebel to Your will
And if You had not loved me first I would refuse You still

Hallelujah! All I have is Christ!
Hallelujah! Jesus is my life!

We can be the recipients of undeserved grace if we choose. As a former pastor of mine quoted "You contribute nothing to your salvation but your sin."

Our pastor's wife leads a book study that I go to on Tuesday. She is a wonderful lady, and whenever she talks about the Gospel you can see that she is continually broken by her sin and thankful to God for sending Jesus to die for that sin. That is a place I want to live my life.

"The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise"

Psalm 51:17

2. Even if you don't feel an urgent need for prayer in your own life, somebody else does.

I think it's really important to ask God to bring to mind other people who need prayer. I have a running list of people I pray for every time I journal, but at the end I try and listen and think about who else might need prayer.

Speaking of prayer, I'd better go journal!