Joy In the Ordinary ~ Fun Day Monday Returns

A few weeks ago my sons and I made a cake with lots of sprinkles.  It wasn't anyone's Birthday or a holiday or anything.  It was the middle of the week.

Who needs an excuse to celebrate?  Life is a gift from God, one to be celebrated.

Susie Larson says in her book "Growing Grateful Kids: Teaching Them to Appreciate an Extraordinary God in Ordinary Places" (I am paraphrasing) when we take time to play it communicates to our children that all is well and more rests on the shoulder of God than on ours.  Susie's words are full of wisdom. 

Our family has been through some real ups and downs in the past week and a half.  It's felt much like a roller coaster ride.  Then today, more news came that brought (more) tears and saddened our hearts.  Yes, we wonder why.  We can't see what He's doing exactly.  This life can be tough.  But we trust that God is in complete control!  We want to communicate that loud and clear to our children.

So today, we keep counting down the days to Thanksgiving by modeling gratitude for our kids.  We've been going around the table at dinner time and writing down what we're grateful for.  Not as elaborate as our Thanksgiving Tree last year, but it works.  :)  We keep walking forward in faith, trusting that God sees all of this, hears our prayers, answers faithfully and rightly, that He loves us and has good plans for our family.  We keep celebrating the gifts He's given us.

There is so much hope, joy and peace in knowing Jesus.  If you know Him you have much to celebrate.  I encourage you to join us in taking the time to celebrate His goodness in the ordinary; to pause to give thanks to the Giver today!

Cake with sprinkles, anyone?

Jesus said, "The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life."  John 10:10

 

Hard Can Equal Easy

Last time I wrote about my friend Janet and the struggles she faced in this life; how she endured and grew in her faith in the process.  I wrote "I can honestly say I don't want easy.  I want to endure the hard stuff with joy and faith. To set my eyes on things above.   To finish strong!"

I've thought about this quite a bit recently.  I meant what I said.  But I want to make something a bit clearer.  The thing that really marked Janet's life wasn't that she faced hard times, it was the fact that she faced them with peace and even joy.  She could do so only because she had a thriving, dependent relationship with the One true Savior, Jesus.

Not wanting easy doesn't mean making it hard on ourselves.  It doesn't mean striving and straining to do more or be more.  It doesn't mean taking on fifteen things when God's only called us to two.  There's a name for that: perfectionism.  Perfectionism is the opposite of peace.  And peace is found in God Himself through Jesus Christ (Phil 4:6-7).     

In this life we will face trials.  Life can be tough!  It's inevitable.  That's part of living in this world.  But we don't need to go out looking for crosses to bear.  We don't have anything to prove to God, or anyone else.  I heard a quote recently from Luis Palau, "God is not disillusioned with us. He never had any illusions to begin with." We need to be discerning to follow His lead...only where He leads us.

When we know and follow Jesus closely we can face the ups and downs of life with peace in our hearts.  We can choose to rest in His love for us.  We can know where our hope is found, in Him.  We can know we are not alone and that we can Trust everything He does (Psalm 33:4).  We can even find joy in the process (James 1:2-3).  Life will be better, easier in that way.  We can be grateful for that.

Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light. 

Matthew 11:29-30

 

In this way hard can equal easy!

 

How about we hang up those heavy yokes of striving, proving and perfectionism...

 

 

To  choose to trade them in for His yoke

which is easy and light...

Learn from Him,

Find rest for our souls,

Put on His peace.

 

Even, and especially in, the "hard".

 

Finding Joy in the Present

The present is a hard place to live in sometimes.  It's all too easy it seems to get wrapped up in the past.  The mistakes, the fumbles, even the triumphs.  Even though we can't go back.  Then, it's the future that we're often longing for, planning for and looking ahead at.  Even though we really have no idea what it will bring.

But the present, well, it's here.  It's here in the midst of today's to-do list.  It's here in reality.  It's here now. And we mostly rush through it.  Busy.  Preoccupied.  Often overlooking the beauty in it.  Thinking that tomorrow we will have time to enjoy today.  Unfortunately, that tomorrow seems to never come.

My lillies: one beauty in today

Where is the joy in the present?  It's here, waiting to be recognized.  We can rush right past it.

I'd prefer to live fully in the moment I am given.  This one.  To live life with my eyes wide open.  Aware.  Thankful.  Joyful in the "now" of my life story.

I can't change the past.  I can't determine the future.  But I can choose to entrust both of them to the One Who made me.  I can also choose to thank Him for the gift of the present, no matter what my circumstances or agenda for the day, by living fully in it.

Will you join me, friend?

"This is the day the LORD has made.  We will rejoice and be glad in it." 

 Psalm 118:24

“I don't really want more time; I just want enough time. Time to breathe deep and time to see real and time to laugh long, time to give You glory and rest deep and sing joy and just enough time in a day not to feel hounded, pressed, driven, or wild to get it all done-yesterday.”  ― Ann Voskamp

Today I'm joining Lisa-Jo Baker for 5 Minute Friday.

This is when I "just write without worrying if it's just right or not.  For five minutes flat with not editing, tweaking, or self-critiquing." 

Today's word:  Present.

Click the link above to see what others had to write on this same topic.

Homemade Bubbles in a bowl and a Straw ~ FUN DAY Monday!

Welcome to:

On Mondays I share about fun things we do here in Beranville.  Then, later in the week, I try to share another more "serious" post about what God's been teaching me lately.  It's wonderful to see God at work in both the fun and the serious stuff of life...and most of the time those two intermingle in my world.  Probably yours too.

 

You know, you don't have to spend a lot or give your kids fancy gadgets or toys for them to have fun.  It's usually the simplest things that get them excited, prompts them to use their imagination and helps them to not only pass a lot of time, but to experiment and learn in the process.  Simply letting kids be kids isn't so complicated.

What I'm sharing today is one of those simple things:

Homemade Bubble (recipe coming up) in a bowl and add a straw.  It's that simple!

Let the fun begin!

First, big brother had to show little brother how it was done.

Really proud of his BIG bubble!

Little brother quickly got the hang of it...

Giggles in the midst of bubbles... 

Oopsie!  He sucked in a little of the bubble solution...

and had to wipe his mouth.  More giggles!

 

Big brother asked to make a "car wash".  I filled a spray bottle with water and he added a tractor toy.

 

Little brother added one of his Little People.  Shower!

The addition of water made even more bubbles!!

It was a little messy, but easy to clean up!

 

Little brother even gave himself a beard.

Ho Ho Ho! :) 

 

 

They had a lot of fun!

 

Easy Homemade Bubbles

(that aren't watered down and actually work!!)

2 1/2 C Water

1/2 C Light Corn Syrup

Mix. Microwave for 4 minutes.

Gently mix in 1/2 C Dawn Dish Liquid

 



I love it that my children find such joy in the simplest of things.  And that I do too, because of them.  They're never in a hurry.  They giggle without regard.  They never pass up an opportunity to explore and have fun!  I have a lot to learn from them.  Oh, to be more like a child! 

 

"Being in a hurry. Getting to the next thing without fully entering the thing in front of me. I cannot think of a single advantage I've ever gained from being in a hurry. But a thousand broken and missed things, tens of thousands, lie in the wake of all the rushing.... Through all that haste I thought I was making up time. It turns out I was throwing it away.”   ― Ann Voskamp, One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are

 

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Fun Day Monday: Peppermint Play Dough PLUS Vinegar and Baking Soda Pies

 Well, it's another Fun Day Monday!

 

On Monday's from now on I hope to share about something fun that we've recently done here in Beranville.  Later in the week I hope to share other insights on what God's showing me in the everyday stuff of life.  Here's what I shared on Thursday last week, about a lesson I learned about my Father through my son.  "Be Still, My Child!"

 

God teaches me just as much through the fun stuff of our days, as He does the serious ones.  So I consider these times just as important.  :)

 

First let's talk about Homemade Play Dough. You know, there are ump-teen different play dough/playdoh recipes out there, foks!  You can google it.  Everyone's recipe is "the best".  If your kiddo has gluten issues, you can find flourless.  I've tried different ones.

I prefer the no cook method...just add hot water.

 

Here's the latest recipe I tried:

 

Play Dough

2 Cups All-Purpose Flour

1 Cup Salt

4 Tbsp Cream of Tarter

2 Tbsp Cooking Oil

2 Cups Boiling water

 

For Peppermint Play Dough I added:

A few drops of food coloring (we used red) and a

Few drops of Peppermint Essential Oil

 

My oldest stirring

Mix first 4 ingredients in a large mixing bowl.

Pour in boiling water.  Add food coloring and peppermint oil.  Stir until mixed.  Let cool

 

PLAY! :) 

 

Note: Don't eat.  This play dough smells so good (just like a candy cane) that my littlest guy decided to take a big taste.  His reaction was priceless! 

"Yuck!" Spit. Spit. Spit.  :)

  

I gave the boys all kinds of "accessories" including wiggly eyes, nuts and washers, stones and pipe cleaners. Simple sensory fun!  :)

 

They made Monsters!

He told me I should "take a picture and put it online" so others can
learn how to create like he does.  Ha!  :)
 

"Yet you, Lord, are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand."

Isaiah 64:8

 

Don't forget to store your homemade Peppermint Play Dough in an airtight container (we use Gallon Ziploc bags). 

 

Another fun thing we did this week was this:

Just look at the smiles on their faces!

I saw a similar idea and thought my boys would love it.  Sure enough, they did!

I switched it up a bit to fit our needs.  Such a simple thing really...but very neat.  It was fun and even educational as we learned what happens when baking soda and vinegar mix.  Note: This could double as a science lesson.

 

Vinegar and Baking Soda Pies

Here's what you need for 2 children

1 Box of Baking Soda (the cheapest stuff works just fine!)

2 Pie Pans

4 Small Cups filled with Vinegar

Food coloring

2 Medicine Droppers

 

I divided the box of baking soda between the two pie pans (one for each boy).  Filled 4 small cups (ramekins in our case) with vinegar and added food coloring to each one (in our case, red, yellow, green and blue).  Gave each of them a medicine dropper to suck up the colored vinegar and drop in the pans of baking soda.  This fizzes...E-V-E-R-Y single time.  Pretty cool!

 

 

After a while the baking soda started getting rather "gunking".  But it still fizzed every time they added vinegar to it.  And they still found it fascinating...and fun.

 

I just love their creativity and zest for trying new things!

At the end they thought it was fun to pour what was left in the cups into the pie pan. It fizzed like crazy. 

Yep, it was a little on the messy side.  But it cleaned up easily.

 

I watch my boys and the way they find joy in the simplest things. Oh, to be more like them!

 

I have everything in the world to celebrate!

 

"You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand."  Psalm 16:11

 

What kind of activities do/did your kids love?  We're always looking for new ideas.

Your Story ~ ReNEWed Life '12

Recently I’ve been writing about my time at ReNEWed Life Women’s Event where Lisa Whittle spoke. Today I continue writing about what God showed me through Lisa’s messages. This is post 3 of 4. Read the previous posts here and here.
Last time I wrote about facing our truth. And I said: When we face our truth and are honest with others about it, it influences those around us. This goes right into Lisa Whittle’s third message of the day “Your Story Matters”. Lisa said that from our place of wholeness (once we’ve faced our truth and been made whole in Christ) we must move. She said our point is to make God famous. We don’t share for us, we share for them (so others can hear about Him).

She said there are two places where it goes wrong.

1. We think we don’t have a story
2. We emphasize the wrong person

We all have a story. Lisa said, “We have to understand our story is what happens between Jesus and us in the pages of our earthly journey.” Yes, we all have a story…and that story is about Him, not about us. We need to share our truth because “honesty makes others feel brave”, and it can nudge them to receive the Truth.

This message reminded me of something I heard Lysa TerKeurst say before (my paraphrase), “People don’t care to hear about your God until they’ve seen the reality of him played out in your life.” In other words, people don’t care to hear you preach the gospel to them until they’ve seen the gospel of grace and love lived out in you. They want to see Him in you, to know that He’s real and that He works in your real life. Lysa TerKeurst also said this, “People want to know if He works.”

I’d say that’s why your story matters. Your story, the one that’s happened between you and God, shows others that He works…in a real way, in your real life. When we’re honest about where we’ve been and what He’s done in us, it proves He works.

That’s really the point of this blog, all of it not just this post…to share what He’s done and what He’s doing in me. That’s why I shared part of my story in my last post. And why I try to be honest about my struggles, so that you will see you are not alone and that He works…really works in the everyday stuff of life.  It's about Him!

At the end of the day at ReNEWed Life Women’s Event we had time to reflect on the day and what we had heard. A question from Lisa Whittle’s “Your {w}hole Story” Guide was posed, I asked myself, “If I could spend the rest of my life talking about one thing, what would it be?” My answer: I would spend my life telling people that we don’t have to live stuck or broken or in empty religion. That, yes, heaven is coming, but we can also experience freedom and abundant life through Christ, here, right now, in this life.

Honestly, reading friends, He is the answer to every question. I know because I have looked for happiness and satisfaction in all the wrong places. When I surrendered my life to Him I found that He truly is the source of joy, peace and hope. It’s His love and grace that changes everything.

No, life isn’t always easy and carefree. We live in a fallen world. But life is better, much better with Him, than without Him. That’s the truth!

How can you share your story? Do you believe it matters?  It does.

“…Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.”

Ephesians 4:29

Next time, my thought on Lisa’s message “Holes Bring Hope”. I will share about how empty religion limited and defined me…and how that drove me to God.

Don't Cry Over Spilled Lemonade

It had been a long day. Believe me, one of the last things I wanted to do that evening was deal with that sticky mess.

I had worked all day at our MOPS yard sale. As I was transporting some things that afternoon, I took a turn too sharp. Three gallons of lemonade fell over in the back of the van, and gushed over my flip flop wearing feet on the driver’s side. What a mess!

My first reaction was not one of poise. I grumbled a bit, and more than a bit on the inside. I decided to finish what I needed to do, then tackle the mess when I got home. Andrew’s feet went “squish, squish” on the carpet and my left foot stuck to my flip flop.

When I finally arrived home later that afternoon, I dreaded this sticky, messy job of cleaning up the lemonade. I was giving myself a pep talk in my head. I knew it had to be done and that I needed to just do it, and stop thinking about it. I prayed in my heart, “Lord, I need your help.”

I looked around and this thought stirred in my heart, “give thanks in all circumstances”. I started to list some of my blessings. Sunshine. Chirping birds. Two healthy boys running around in the yard. A borrowed shop vac. I had so much to be thankful for! I praised the Lord for each of my blessings.

I thought of more blessings: We just ended a very successful fund raiser for MOPS…and I got to work along side some ladies that I love. Blooming lillies near my work area. Working limbs and a healthy body, so I am able to clean. It was lemonade, not milk!

I cleaned. Yep, it was a sticky mess. The wet/dry vac sucked up at least a gallon of lemonade. And I had to scrub, scrub, scrub. It was work, but I hummed most of the time. I even laughed at myself!

I quote these verses a lot because they have been a good reminder for me through many sticky messes in life:

"Always be joyful. Never stop praying.  Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.”

I Thessalonians 5:16-18

Through my lemonade circumstance, I was reminded that life sometimes gets sticky, and we have to deal with it. We all have our messes both big and small. Yet, no matter what circumstance we find ourselves in, God is good all of the time! There is plenty to be thankful for. We can grumble and complain or we can choose to praise through all of life’s stickiness. We can even find joy in the midst of the mess. It really is a choice.

What will you choose today?

The Great Human Epidemic

Me. Me. Me. Mine! I want things my way... 

Selfishness. I call it the “great human epidemic”.

Those who have had or have ever worked with young children know it’s true…we were born selfish. Watch two toddlers play together. It's all about them. What do they say? “Mine!” It’s one of their first words. Their little worlds are centered around themselves, their wants and needs. Learning to share is tough. Unfortunately, it’s not something we outgrow.

My 4 year old posing "selfishness" for me. :)

My own selfish tendencies irk me sometimes. Just think:

I have accused my husband of being selfish - for not being sensitive to my needs. Seriously now, who’s selfish? Now, that’s the teapot calling the kettle black if I’ve ever heard of it.

I have called a loved one to check up on them - then, been irritated when they talked about themselves and didn’t ask how I was doing.

I have felt irritated (and sometimes slighted) because my perceived “needs” weren’t being met. Because I was not acknowledged, served, noticed or appreciated.

I have had a virus and have spent so much time at my “pity party” that I temporarily forgot to pray for my friends who have cancer (or are facing other major life issues).

I have felt depressed and lonely because I was so focused on myself, on my own issues and my lack of ability to deal with them. So focused on self that I forgot the Truth of God’s Word and His unlimited power to help me.

Have you ever been there?!
I sometimes feel insecure because I’m thinking of myself. Have you ever recognized insecurity as a form of selfishness? This truth was revealed to me through Susie Larson’s words in her book “The Uncommon Woman”. (I highly recommend that book!!) Why are we self-conscious and overly concerned with what others think of us? Why do we want to be perceived well? Why do we make choices in an effort to prove our self-worth? Because we’re thinking of ourselves. That’s called pride! Ugh! What a hard truth to swallow. Don’t think it’s true? Think about it some more. What is at the root of insecurity?

“If anyone would like to acquire humility…The first step is to realize that one is proud…If you think you’re not conceited, it means you are very conceited indeed.” C.S. Lewis
 In my younger years I was shy and overly self-aware. I was so self-conscious that I didn’t want to say or do anything in fear of saying or doing the “wrong thing”. Really I was selfish. I wasn’t concerned about how this made others feel or about making them feel comfortable. I was concerned about myself and my own feelings of discomfort.

I still have feelings of insecurity creep up inside, but when I do I try to shift my thinking onto others rather than self. I ask myself what others around me might be feeling? How can I be a blessing to someone else? What words may those in my life (and sphere of influence) need to hear me speak today? Who needs to know I have a listening ear?

I use to experience internal anxiety when going to church or any group setting. I didn’t like this feeing…and it just didn’t seem right to me. I realized it was a form of selfishness (focus on self). I decided to start praying before (and even during) church (and other meetings) for the Lord to help me to be a blessing to someone else there that day. I prayed that He would show me someone I could encourage or “love on” in that place. He did. And it took my focus off of myself and onto God and others. I continue to pray these prayers often. These days when those feelings of insecurity and anxiety start to creep up, I’m a lot quicker to recognize it as selfishness and take it to the cross.

Self*ish: adj. concerned excessively or exclusively with oneself : seeking or concentrating on one's own advantage, pleasure, or well-being without regard for others.
Self*ish*ness: n. exclusive regard to one's own interest or happiness; that supreme self-love or self-preference which leads a person to direct his purposes to the advancement of his own interest, power, or happiness, without regarding those of others.

Selfishness is a form of pride. Selfishness and pride lead to many other sins and losses. Think about it: marriages end, families and friends are divided, there is church dissension and separation because of selfishness and pride.

“I deserve better!” ~ “I deserve to be happy.” ~ Why should I have to say I’m sorry?” ~ “Why should I forgive them?” ~ “I’m right, they’re wrong.” ~ “They should try to see things my way.”
Jealousy. Arrogance. Criticism. All begin with selfishness and pride.

“Pride goes before destruction, and haughtiness before a fall.” Proverbs 16:18

God’s Word tells us over and over that we must humble ourselves. I believe if we were truly humble we wouldn’t think so selfishly…and humility is the opposite of pride.

Philippians 2:3-4 says, “Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble. Thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.”


Wow! It goes on to say in verses 5-8, “You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to (or grasp or to use to His advantage). Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave…he humbled himself in obedience to God.” 

Oh, to be as humble and selfless as Jesus! Oh, how life would be different if we took the focus off or ourselves and onto His work - loving God and loving others. It sometimes feel like a lofty goal for this all-too-human human, but truly it’s within our reach. Later in Philippians 2 (vs. 13) it says that God is working in us, giving us the desire and power to do what pleases Him.

We can’t do it on our own. But, by God’s grace we can combat selfishness and live the Christian life - looking to Him, rather than to self, to do what pleases Him.

I do believe that selfishness is the human epidemic. But, there is hope! This epidemic has a cure. It’s called following Jesus. The more closely we follow Him; the more focused we are on Him (and not on self) the less room there will be for selfishness. Oh, and we can teach our children (even toddlers!) by living it in front of them. 
                                       

“If any of you want to be my follower, you must take up your cross and follow me.” Matthew 16:24

“Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace.” Romans 6:14

Freedom and Joy...

Looks a little different, doesn't it?!

How can you take the focus off of yourself today? It starts with looking at HIM, then others. Pray first, then act. Who needs you to reach out to them today? Who could use an encouraging word, a helpful hand, or a listening ear? How can you help to stop the “Great Human Epidemic”?  
 
How can I pray for you today?

It is a Choice!

At Rise & Shine Women’s Retreat guest speaker Lysa TerKeurst spoke on being “Prayer-full”. She shared I Thessalonians 5:16-18 with us, “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

Lysa shared that joy is not a feeling, it is a mindset…a shift in our thinking. She said, “sometimes our circumstances feel anything but joyful”, but we can choose to be joyful and thankful despite our feelings, despite our circumstances. Lysa said, “Feelings are indicators, not dictators.” So true!

Lysa went on to say that we need to “ask God for our daily portion.” Keep asking, keep believing, keep our eyes and hearts on Him daily. Praying continually shows our daily dependence on Him.

In my breakout group (a small group setting) at Rise & Shine we spent some time digging into Lysa’s message just a bit more. We talked about what being in the center of God’s will meant to us. Of course, being joyful, praying continually and being thankful came up again. One woman pointed out that you can’t really have one without the other…you need all three, they all go hand in hand. When you’re thankful you’ll be joyful, when you’re prayerful you’ll be thankful, when you’re joyful you’ll be prayerful…you get the idea!

I Thessalonians 5:18 does say “for this” (all three of those things mentioned before) “is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” To be in God’s will, we must be joyful, prayerful and thankful. Wow!

As I’ve pondered this more, I realized I had a great example of this growing up. I was brought up by my mom who, by God’s grace, is an extremely grateful woman. Despite some very tough, life-altering circumstances, she chose to see the joy in life. Life didn’t turn out just the way she thought it would, circumstances beyond her control left her a divorced woman and a single mom who was often scraping for money to provide for us. Yet, she constantly pointed out to me (and still does) how God was with us…was blessing us…was providing for us…was showing His love for us. She gave Him such thanks in front of me that I grew up seeing God clearly in those ordinary, everyday moments. Her faith was strong and totally intact despite circumstances. She wasn't necessarily thankful for her difficult circumstances, but she was thankful even in her circumstances! She prayed about everything, she saw how God answered her prayers and was quick to point it out to me as well. Her prayerfulness made her thankful, her thankfulness made her joyful. What an example!

I try to model this for my two young boys as well. It sounds easy doesn’t it? When we’re sitting in a Christian women’s conference being built up, encouraged, refreshed and renewed, it sounds so simple.

Of course we should be joyful always!
Of course we should pray continually (why wouldn’t we?!!?).
Of course we should be thankful in all circumstances.
Of course this is God’s will for us.

It makes total sense! BUT, when we get home, that’s the real test! When things don’t go our way…there are bills to be paid…kids fussing…dinner burning…frizzy hair…telemarketers…rising blood pressure…life can get messy. It’s easy to lose sight of all that joy and thankfulness we felt while sitting at that conference. Or maybe our circumstances are much bigger…like a sick loved one, divorce papers delivered, past mistakes coming back to haunt us…the list could go on and on. No matter what the circumstance, do we choose EVEN THEN by God’s grace within us to be joyful, prayerful and thankful?!

As we pray continually we will see how God gives us just what we need (not necessary everything that we want, but all that we need), then we will be thankful. When we live with a thankful heart, choosing to see past the circumstances to see the blessings in life, then we will live joyfully…always. When we are joyful and thankful we will prayerfully praise God and will pray even more because we will be keenly aware of how faithful He is to answer. They go hand in hand.

November is “Thankful Month” on facebook. Each day I am posting what I am thankful for that day. Honestly, I am so thankful for all that God has done that I find it hard to say just one thing. It has been a great reminder for me! As I think of the things that I am thankful for, I find myself full of joy and then I find myself praising God for it! I have a lot to be thankful for and I believe all of us do…if we only choose to be aware! Thankfulness is not a one month event, it is an every day, moment by moment, forever life changing choice!

Are our eyes open to all God is doing around us? Are we thankful for all the little, “everyday” life stuff that He provides? Do we recognize our blessings despite our feelings? Do we see the joy in this life, in our relationship with Him despite our circumstances? Do we choose to look to Him continually…asking for our provision every day, every moment? Do we say thank you, Lord?

I am thankful for Lysa TerKeurst’s message that has caused me to focus on these Truths. I am thankful God continues to work on these things in my heart. I am thankful that I can choose to be joyful always, pray continually and to be thankful in all circumstances…because this truly is God’s will for me, and you too if you are a believer!!

Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again - rejoice! …the Lord is near. Don’t worry about anything; instead pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus…Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Phil 4:4-8
 
What are you thankful for today? 

Blessings

Someone told me the other day that when you bring home a new baby...

your home grows 2 feet.  :)

 I believe MY HEART has grown even more...

at least 2 or 3 sizes.  Before having my second child I

wondered how I could ever love another little person

as much as I did my first child. 

Then, amazingly enough when I saw him

my heart SWELLED. 

My love is not divided...

it has MULTIPLIED! 

As I've watched my newborn sleep...

I've fallen in love...again!

I've found such joy in watching my first born become

the "big brother"...

Eager to help...and gently love on his "baby bruder."

P.S. He kept calling him "Baby Jesus" for the first week or so. =)

Two beautiful faces...

both unique and special blessing from the Father!

Faces that make you smile...

and laugh out loud...

Bringing joy and merriment into our home...and hearts!

Blessed to have these 3 gorgeous guys in my life...

each of them a blessing sent straight from the LORD! 

Sent to me...

me, the girl who longed for,

but always secretly wondered

if she would ever be a wife and mother.

So thankful for God's rich blessings!

BABY NEWS!!

It's a boy!!

NOAH BENJAMIN BERAN

born on

Tuesday, April 13th at 9:08am

(11 days early.  Didn't have to wait much longer, did I?!?!)

 He weighed in at 8lb, 6oz

and was 20 1/2 inches long

Both baby Noah and Mommy are doing well.

Noah is just precious, completely perfect and

a wonderful blessing from the LORD!

Big brother Andrew is adjusting quite well

even though at first he thought Noah

should have been a girl and that we should

have named him Checkers.  :) 

Now he says he loves everything about his baby brother.

He's been Mommy's eager little helper.

Very sweet!

We are blessed indeed!!

You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body

and knit me together in my mother's womb.

Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! 

Your workmanship is marvelous - how well I know it.

Psalm 139:13-14

Thank you for your continued prayers blog friends! :)

Seasons

Spring is near. Not quite here yet, but I can feel it in the air. I love seeing the sunshine…and some of the massive mounds of snow melting. There will probably be some more cold, windy, snowy days before the month of March comes to an end, but we know we’re in the home stretch now.

I’m probably the only person in Iowa who would say the winter has gone fast. Although it has been a long, harsh winter, I made a decision at the beginning of it to simply keep a good attitude (not always easy!!). To help the matter, we’ve been working at remodeling our basement this winter…helping the time speed by as we’ve kept busy. Now here we are, it’s almost spring (and less than 7 weeks from our baby’s due date)!

Life is like that. The time always goes by. We have seasons in our life (like a long winter in Iowa) that we “wish away”. We tend to be always longing for something better…easier…more appealing. Then, before we know it, sure enough, the season passes and we’re on to the next one. Unfortunately, that “more appealing” season rushes by just as quickly (or more so).

The wise words of Solomon in Ecclesiastes 3:11-13 tell us, “God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end. So I conclude there is nothing better than to be happy and enjoy ourselves as long as we can. And people should eat and drink and enjoy the fruits of their labor, for these are gifts from God. “

I’m starting to understand how the older generation must feel. How often have you heard one of them say, “Just enjoy this time, it goes quickly” or like my own mom, “Don’t wish your life away.” There is wisdom in their words. They know that life is fleeting, and want us to grasp that knowledge now while there is time.

I don’t want to spend my life waiting for that next blissful season, only to find myself at the end of my life, never having enjoyed the days God gave to me! I don’t want to spend my life “going through the motions”, I want to enjoy it!

I like this quote from Jane Canfield, “The happiest people are rarely the richest, or the most beautiful, or even the most talented. Happy people do not depend on excitement and ‘fun’ supplied by externals. They enjoy the fundamental, often very simple, things of life. They waste no time thinking other pastures are greener. They do not yearn for yesterday or tomorrow. They savor the moment, glad to be alive, enjoying their work, their families, the good things around them. They are adaptable, they can bend with the wind, adjust to the changes in their times, enjoy the contests of life, and feel themselves in harmony with the world. Their eyes are turned outward, they are aware, compassionate. They have the capacity to love.”

Enjoy the simple things of life. Savor the moment. Be adaptable. Love and serve others…thinking outside of yourself. Not just when things are going good, but all the time! We may not be able to see the “scope” of God’s plan, but He can…and we can trust Him! That gives us such peace, hope and joy!

As a Christian I know that God promises me:

A rich and satisfying life. A life of fullness. (John 10:10)
Strength I need from day to day. (Phil 4:13)
To cause everything to work together for good for me. (Rom 8:38)
That He has good plans for me, giving me a future and a hope…if I look to Him. (Jeremiah 29:11-13)

God didn’t intend for us to spend our life waiting for the next season. Thinking we’ll be happier…when winter has passed, when the spring rain ends, when the summer humidity subsides, when the fall foliage displays every color, when yet another harsh winter passes, starting the cycle all over again.

Or maybe we’ll be happier…when we graduate, when we get married, when we have kids, when we land that perfect job, when we get a promotion, when our health is better, when we retire, etc.

Why do we wish our lives away?! Although it’s good to have things to look forward to, it’s good to have goals, it’s not so good to wish THIS day away. God has promised us that He will be with us. He has given us His joy as our strength TODAY.

God only gives us one life to live, let’s enjoy it!! This season will pass…and then, all too quickly, so will the next one. Let’s choose to be thankful in our circumstances TODAY, in this season.

Look around, what are you thankful for today? What moment can you savor a little more? What brings you joy in this season of life? Are your “eyes turned outward” looking for someone who could use your help seeing the beauty of the season they’re in today? Is there someone you could “love on” a little more? =)

“…let the Holy Spirit fill and control you. Then you will sing…making music to the Lord in your hearts. And you will always give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Ephesians 18b-20

Proverbs 15:15b says, “…for the happy heart, life is a continual feast.”