Tuesday Thanks

I am thankful…

That my security is in Christ; not a job, not things, not looks, not relationships, or anything else.

That I have good health.

For the opportunity to learn.

For my husband Matthew. For specifically: his leadership and wisdom, his servant’s heart, his passion to teach, his love for others, his ability to communicate well, and his commitment to a vision God has given him. I learn so much from him and am constantly challenged and inspired through how he models life lived in Christ. So blessed to have him by my side!

All of us are lacking in certain areas of life where we have not received the modeling we needed. I am thankful for those in my life (specifically a few individuals) who have modeled for me healthy relationships, marriage, parenting, family, etc. This has been HUGE for me in so many ways! 

For Thursday nights and good weekends!

For the ways I see God working in my friends’ lives. It is so exciting and so encouraging to watch!

5:00pm

Tuesday Thanks on Wednesday

Black and white here it is. This week I haven’t really felt like being thankful or having a positive attitude. I’ve been grumpy. Shave the beard, add a little height, and a pair of heels and I’ve been the little grumpy dwarf from Snow White standing with his arms crossed. I’ve felt like stomping my foot, balling up my fists, and holding on to my frustrations, hurt feelings, and a little anger. To say anything else would be lying and pretending. I've needed a change in attitude. Yesterday was a day when even though I didn’t want to, I should have made myself sit down and write this list of thanks. It probably would’ve done wonders to help change my attitude. But I didn’t. I thought about it but didn’t. Last night I needed to take deep breathes, forgive, and let go. I needed to let go of how my expectations, needs, and wants that weren’t being met. But I didn’t. So don’t worry, I got my attitude check alright. Last night God checked me and it felt very much like getting the wind got knocked out of me. My week and I got started off on completely the wrong foot, but this morning I feel like we’re on the up and up and headed in the right direction. This list may or may not be shorter than usual, but I promise you it has been written with a spirit of gratefulness, humility, and with the right attitude this morning.


I’m thankful for:


*My friend who lets me be completely honest and vent when I’m feeling frustrated. She reminds me its ok and I’m not alone. But what I’m most thankful for about this friend is she always follows listening with encouraging me, building me up, and then speaking wise words that I need to hear. Today I’m thankful that she reminds me to drop it and let it go.


*My Bruiser who always seems to know when Mama needs a little bit of extra loving. He cuddles up with his fat rolls and looks up with his sad little eyes and seems to say “I love you.” Melts my heart every time.


*The tough days in marriage. The tough days remind me that marriage is HARD work, because two imperfect people married each other. I am reminded that the hardest work HAS to start with me and in me. The tough days remind me of my imperfections and my great responsibility to forgive and let go, to be full of grace, and to focus on my responsibilities to my husband instead of my rights. The tough days make me grow and open my eyes to my tendency to get incredibly lazy and selfish! Nothing shows me quicker how well or not well I’m doing at living out my faith then my marriage in the tough days. The tough days bring me to my knees, they hurt, and often bring rivers of tears, but they also bring life. I am so thankful for a marriage centered in Christ, and for a husband who I know loves me: through our tough days, despite our tough days, he is committed to me, and to our growth individually and together beyond the tough days. I am thankful for the journey of marriage. It is sometimes hard and painful, but it is beautiful and worth every moment.


*Early Wednesday morning conversations over coffee: blessed, beautiful, thought inspiring, life breathing, humorous, fresh, raw conversations.

Tuesday Thanks

With the craziness of last week I managed to forget to post my "Tuesday Thanks", so this could get long. I've definitely noticed that the more I focus my thoughts around what I am thankful for, the more thankful I am for the things that I have and the more I notice things I'm thankful for. I have been blessed with so much and in so many ways!


^"So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness." Colossians 2: 6-7


"Praise the Lord. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, his love endures forever." Psalm 106:1


Here is what has stood out to me this week: I am thankful for...


* Our new one bedroom apartment! It's cozy and homey, it's ours, it's perfect for us, and it's so much more than what many have.


*Those that take time to help others. I am so thankful for everyone who helped us move. It made everything about moving so much easier, so much faster, and less stressful!


*A short 15 minute drive to work because it allows me to sleep longer and I have noticed a tremendous difference in how rested my body feels with an extra hour of sleep everyday.


*Good jobs that allow Matt and I the ability to be able to afford (while not ideal or a first option) to pay for both our house and apartment, to be able to make this move forward for our family!


*My new corner. I simply love it! I love what has already taken place in this corner. I cannot wait to see what happens in the future: what is read, dots that are connected, conversations that are had, and words that are written. God is going to do big things, in my heart, in this corner.


*All the ways that God is working in my life. I see His hand everywhere and I am learning SO much! (post to come on what I'm learning) I am so thankful for these lessons because I know God is continually refining my rough edges, molding and shaping me into something beautiful...someone more like Him.


"Come near to God and He will come near to you." -James 4:8


"Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart."- Jeremiah 29:12-13


*Moleskins. Perfect little notepads that are just the right thickness and weight to literally carry everywhere I go. I use them to jot down my thoughts, what I'm hearing, and what I'm learning.


*CitySpring Church! I am thankful for being able to see God's vision come alive at CitySpring. I am thankful for church full of people striving to follow God, striving to be outward focused, and striving change their community. I am thankful for a church with a staff who pours themselves out tiressly in volunteering for this vision of CitySpring. I am so thankful for their passion, dedication, hard work, gift, and talents that make the CitySpring wheel go round! God is making it happen through them and I couldn't be more proud of them!!!!


*Having the chance to get to know new people.


*People's stories. I love hearing people's stories, whether big or small, new or old because it's their story and there is something so powerful about just that. I always learn something! I am so thankful for those who are brave enough and real enough to share their stories, big or small, new or old, good or bad, full of joy or full of trial because someone will always relate even if it's just one. (more on this later)


*Music and songs and the way that my heart always feels connected to God through their music and words.


What are you thankful for?

Tuesday Thanks

Today I am thankful for...

*Beautiful fall days and the change that fall brings. For the fresh crispness of the cool fall air, sweetly mixed with just enough warmth. For the colors of fall that always remind me of a bowl of fruity pebbles. For pumpkin spice latte's, pumpkin bread, and the new found deliciousness of pumpkin ice cream. For the gorgeous fall sunrises that beg for reflection.

*MOVE DAY! For the tiny small one bedroom apartment Matt and I are moving into on Saturday. It will be small and tight, but it will be ours! Move Day brings a small step forward in this transition for us. Our transition is not over yet, but Move Day brings refreshing movement to what has felt like a stagnant season. ( I am also thankful for amazing in-laws; in-laws who have graciously allowed us to invade their home over the last 6 1/2 months and in doing so tremendously blessed us.)

*For a God full of love for me. A God who knows, who understands completely. A God who points me to the right scripture at just the right moment last night when I needed to hear His oh so right words.

"All my longings lie open before you, O Lord; my sighing is not hidden from you." Psalm 38:9

*I am thankful for artists who choose to do the hard work of creating, who recognize the importance of creating, because from their creations others like me find healing and are inspired and challenged to think more, to see more, to reflect more, and to remember that we were all made to create something.

Giving Thanks to Trust

“Will you trust me?”

This has been God’s reoccurring question to me over the last couple months. Each day, “will you trust me?” Each week, “will you trust me?” Each month, “will you trust me?” I have found sometimes the quickness with which I answer yes to this question is intimately connected with my perspective, my focus. When life hits hard with a season full of trials and disappointments, sometimes it’s easy for me to stay focused on how nothing is going the way I want it to, it’s easy to wonder...what is God thinking. It’s easy for me to dwell with a negative perspective. It’s hard to trust that God’s plan is best. In order to keep my perspective positive, I have found that I need to choose to keep my mind focused, more so than usual, on what I have to be thankful for and the ways that God has continually provided for me. Intentionally digging deep and being observant to what’s happening in my life during the hard seasons. Not just on the surface. Sure I’m thankful for clothes, food, etc., but choosing to dig deep and look for God. I have learned during this season that God doesn’t just promise to provide, he LOVES to provide. He loves to reach down into our struggles and give us something just for us, just because. A sort of personalized provision. But if I choose not to look, if my perspective and focus isn’t right, it’s easy to miss his provision. Being focused and intentionally observant helps me see God’s personalized provisions in my life. It helps me choose to keep my heart thankful and overwhelmed with God’s love. Being thankful is a choice. Trusting is a choice. Choosing to be thankful helps me to readily choose to trust.

I also know that choosing to remember God’s previous personalized provisions, helps me to continue to choose to be thankful and to choose to trust in the future. So Tuesday’s are now my days to remember each week God’s provisions. Tuesdays are now my days to choose to remind myself to keeping choosing to be thankful and keep choosing to trust!

Tuesday Thanks:

• I am thankful for 2 books that have spoken intimately, exactly and specifically, and so profoundly into my life and current season and experiences. 2 books that have been connected in only a way God could’ve planned. 2 books that have helped me feel validated and not alone, encouraged, have helped me heal, and have taken me to a place of challenge, growth, and shift of perspective. (Bittersweet by Shauna Niequist and The Land Between: Finding God in Difficult Transitions)
• I am thankful for the Psalms. For a book full of language that I can relate and connect with. Language that I can pray in moments when I have no words. Language that I can point to, open my hands and heart and simple say God…
• I am thankful for a tough tough season that has brought an even deeper intimacy and connection with my husband. So thankful that we get to walk this journey together and grow together.
• I am thankful for diversity in people and personalities and tension in relationships because it helps me learn how to love- period.
• I am thankful for seasons of loneliness because I learn to let God be all I need.
• I am thankful for friends that God has brought to me, both new and old, in seasons of loneliness because he knows I need them....A new friend who always brings me coffee just because, who calls randomly just because to say hope you're having a great day, who always makes sure to ask How are you? followed up by really how are you?...An old friend becoming a closer friend, that gets up super early on Weds just to chat with me about life, struggles, what we're learning and growing, passions, desires, mistakes, who often speaks words from God to me, who supports me, who likes me for me...I am thankful for a new friend that despite her own struggles, saw and believed something in me, challenged me to take a next step and face fears and insecurities, and who has encouraged me as I took that next step back into something I love. An old friend who in catching up let me be completely real and honest about this season, who let me tell the story of this season-the hurt, anger, frustration, disappointment, the discovery, joy, and growth. Who heard me share it finally, in safety, for the first time to someone other than Matt. Who understood I needed to be just me, who let me cry, who encouraged me, hugged me, and spoke truth into me.

Until next Tuesday....