Powerful Question

This morning on Facebook one of my friends posted this question and it blew me away:

“What if you woke up today with only the things you thanked God for yesterday?”

Wow, that’s all I could think after I read it.  Wow.  Then I racked my brain to think about what I thanked God for the previous day.  I usually pray “thank you for everything that you give me”, but I couldn’t remember for sure if I prayed that and it’s really to vague anyway.  I know I thanked Him for the food I ate at mealtime prayers and I thanked Him for the women in my Bible Study before we met last night, but I think that was it .  I love those women and I need to eat, but I was crushed that I might not have thanked God for the most precious things in my life.  My husband and children.  Sometimes I just feel like God knows that I am grateful for them.  But this question really hit home.

I used to thank Him every night for Jesus dying on the cross, but somehow I stopped that.  That is the # 1 gift I am thankful for, how I could I stop thanking Him?  Everyday is a reminder that again, He has forgiven me when I don’t deserve it.

I need to be thanking God daily for all those things that I never ever want to take for granted.  My loved ones and all the blessings He has given me.  This question was so good to read this morning.  I will make sure I start thanking God daily for EVERYTHING I am grateful for.

I have a “Gratitude Journal” by my bedside, I need to go back to writing in it every night.  It’s such a great feeling to go to bed thankful for all that you have, instead of depressed about all you don’t have.  And if one day we did wake up with only those things we thanked God for the day before, you’ll be in good shape!

MIA

I have been a little MIA lately.  I just started back to work full-time, my husband started a new job and he travels a lot, and we are under contract on our house.  I just turned 40 this week, ugh. Oh and we recently joined a new church and are beginning to serve and get involved there.  So, needless to say, my blogging has taken a back burner unfortunately. 

Even though we have a lot going on, we are still amazed every single day with what God is blessing us with.  He has performed some miracles in our situation.  The bottom line is this:  God provides.  I’m continually reminded of that.  I hope that each time I’m reminded of that, that I trust him that much quicker.  For some reason I still tend to worry a bit here and there…but I KNOW I have no reason to.  Because…God ALWAYS provides.  Not sometimes, not occasionally, but always!

He is truly amazing. I feel so lucky to have Him at the center of my life. 

I may have been a little MIA lately, but rest assured God is never MIA.

Thank You!

With today being Memorial Day, I want to thank all the men and women who fight for our freedom on a daily basis.  They sacrifice so much for our country and I am amazed by their selflessness.  I really am.  What a great act of service, not only to our country, but to God’s people in general.  I feel so blessed to live in this country and have so many soldiers willing to fight for our freedom.

Thank you!!

I also wanted to share a website with you.  Adopt-A-Platoon is an organization that matches volunteers with soldiers overseas.  You fill out an application and they will send you a soldiers name and mailing address.  You can then send them cards, care packages and eventually emails once they email you at some point.  I “adopted” two soldiers at two different times and it was a lot of fun.  Not only did they really appreciate it, but they also communicated with me and let me know what it was like for them on a daily basis.  I felt like it helped keep me focused on what they were sacrificing for us over there.  I think it’s easy to go about our lives and forget what those soldiers and their families are going through daily.  This is a great (and fun) way to get more involved with what is going on over there.  They need to have something to look forward to and something to cheer them up.  They are losing friends and having a tough time on a regular basis.  It’s so simple to send them a little note or package, but it was greatly appreciated.  You can also be praying for that individual and their family. 

Click below to go to the website if you want to check it out:

Adopt-A-Platoon

Thankful Thursday

This video is amazing!  It makes me think about how much we take for granted!  I feel so very thankful for all that I’ve been blessed with.  I promise that this video will put things into perspective and make you so grateful for all that you DO have.  You’ll forget about the things you think you don’t have.

Nick Vujicic video

Thankful Thursday

Today I am thankful for God’s lessons.  I’m thankful that He cares enough about me to teach me His ways.  I’m thankful that when I ask Him to work within me and through me He always does.  Sometimes it is not what I’m expecting or even really what I’m wanting at the time, but I know it is for my good.  God isn’t concerned with what makes me “happy” or “feel good”, He’s concerned with what makes me Holy and more like Him.  I’m thankful for that because I know being “happy” and “feeling good” are only temporary and that what God has in store for me is for eternity.  Hallelujah!

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”  Romans 8:28

Happy Mother’s Day

I just wanted to wish all the mom’s a Happy Mother’s Day!!

Click HERE to watch a Mother’s Day video.  Enjoy and have a great day!!

Thankful Thursday

In honor of Thankful Thursday, I am thankful for something a little different today.  I have really been wanting to get healthier lately.  I recently had my check-up and my cholesterol was a little bit over what it should be.  Not a huge deal, but I was surprised because I’ve never had anything like that before.  Also, my scale recently showed me a number that I’ve never seen before.  Yikes!  So…I’m really trying to become healthier in what I choose to eat.  I’m incorporating more fruits and vegetables, and glasses of water, etc.  I’m also watching the cholesterol and fat content of what I eat as well as trying to exercise daily.

So what am I thankful for?  I’m thankful for the fact that the only thing between me and a healthy lifestyle is myself.  That’s it.  I can do this all on my own.  I do not have to join a health club, because I can walk and run in my neighborhood.  I do not have to pay anybody for their advice, because I know what needs to be done.  I do not have to wait for anything at all.  I do not have to save up money, hope for the best or even leave it up to God.  I am definitely asking Him for His help, but ultimately it’s all within my own abilities.

I’m thankful that I have all the resources available to me to make healthy changes to my lifestyle for good.   Most importantly I have the freedom and the will to do it.

I recently added an app to my phone that helps me keep track of where I am each day.  You can input all of your meals and it helps you with the calorie content.  You can also track how many glasses of water you have had and your exercise for the day.  It has weight loss plans that help you personalize how many calories to eat each day to lose the weight you want to lose.  I love it.  It also gives you your totals for the day.  For instance it lists out how much fiber you had total for the day, how much cholesterol, etc.  It also gives you that information individually by food.  It’s pretty helpful and all I have to do is make good choices and keep track of them.

Here is the website where you can check out the internet version:

MyNetDiary

I feel good and I’m so thankful for the temple God has given me and that it is my choice to take care of it.  All I have to do is choose to do so.

He Chose The Nails

In honor of Easter I wanted to post this video that I love!  I saw it for the first time a few years ago, but I never tire of watching it.  You may have already seen it.  However, even if you have it will be a great reminder.  It is from Max Lucado who has written a book by the same name.

We need to take our attention off of chocolate eggs and bunnies and remember why we are celebrating this very special holiday. (Click on the link below to watch this video)

He Chose The Nails

Have a very Happy Easter and remember…..He CHOSE the nails for you and for me.  What a gift!

Thankful Thursday

Every Thursday (or most Thursdays) I try to focus on one thing I’m thankful for.  I actually try to focus on what I’m thankful for every single day .  However,  just in case I get bogged down with things that do not matter,  I have dedicated a day of the week to remind me to focus on what I’m thankful for. 

Today I’m so thankful for Spring in Texas!  I love this weather we are having and I’m so thankful to God for allowing us to have this nice cool weather before we must endure the HOT summer, which will be here before we know it.  It gets to be about 150 degrees here in Texas.  Okay maybe that is an exaggeration, but it feels that hot sometimes. 

Today I’m just thankful that there is a nice breeze, sunny skies and the flowers are blooming.  It is a great time of year and I’m much more appreciative of it this year because we just had one of our hottest summers followed by one of our coldest winters. 

Lord, thank you for blessing us with this beautiful weather!  I’m trying to get out there and enjoy it as much as I can.

Spring Break

This week was Spring Break for our kids (which is why I haven’t posted much).  We’ve been busy with playdates, sleepovers, park visits, ice cream eating and much more.  We’ve been lucky to have some really pretty weather, and only two days of rain, today being one of those days.  Yesterday was sunny and 70 all day and today is high of 45 and it’s cloudy and windy.  What a difference!  That is Spring in Texas for you.  You never quite know what each day will bring.  You have to dress in layers and hope for the best.

This week was also the SXSW music and film festival that happens in Austin every year during Spring Break.  It’s a big deal in the music industry and my husband, Brian, loves to go to it.  We just strolled the streets of downtown in the beautiful weather and took in some new music.  It’s nice to have something come to your city and you do not have to go anywhere, you just have to endure the traffic it brings.

Next week I’ll be back to a regular schedule and regular posting.  I’ve been very thankful for sleeping in a little and getting to spend some time outdoors with my family.  I feel very lucky!  I hope those of you that are also enjoying Spring Break have had a great week!