Showing posts with label contentment. Show all posts
Showing posts with label contentment. Show all posts
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Thankful Thursday
Friday, August 12, 2011
Happy Friday!
Isabella and I have welcomed the beginning of the weekend with fun friday with friends! Now we are just waiting on Daddy to get home and join us for the weekend. My favorite line from a blog I read this week was this: "Looking for the next best, and biggest thing in life is a waste of your days. You're constantly waiting for your next big trip and adventure, and in reality, you miss the small ones we travel on every day."
Don't waste these fleeting days and enjoy the small travels this weekend!
Wednesday, July 06, 2011
Summer Snapshots
I am linking up again for this week's Summer snapshots. This project has helped me remember to photo document our days. The fun, interesting things we do and the every day things. Not every day can be a vacation day or full of adventure. But I think part of my journey to contentment is learning to love and fully experience the magic of the ordinary days along with the spectacular ones.
Wednesday: We went to our church's annual Star-Spangled Fried Chicken Dinner. (Say that 10 times fast!) Isabella was in the children's parade with her girlfriend Ava.
Thursday: For lunch I made my favorite grilled cheese with fresh basil. Later that night I laced up my running shoes. I've been back to running for about 7 weeks now. It is just now getting to be something I don't have to talk myself into doing every time. When I finish I'm always glad I went.
Friday: We met friends at the Steak and Catfish barn. It was our first "experience" at the steak and catfish barn. I knew we were in for a real treat when we pulled up and saw the "man vs. food" sign! Later that night at home we made chocolate chip cookies with marshmallow filling. YUM!
Saturday: We went to Isabella's buddy Milo's first birthday party.
Sunday: Afternoon swimming!!
Monday: Headed out to a cookout with friends to celebrate the 4th!
Tuesday: Isabella and I went to story time. She looked on quietly while the books were read and watched the big kids.
That is just a glimpse into some of the things we did this week along with surviving the oppressive daily triple digit temperatures! Happy Summer!
Wednesday: We went to our church's annual Star-Spangled Fried Chicken Dinner. (Say that 10 times fast!) Isabella was in the children's parade with her girlfriend Ava.
Thursday: For lunch I made my favorite grilled cheese with fresh basil. Later that night I laced up my running shoes. I've been back to running for about 7 weeks now. It is just now getting to be something I don't have to talk myself into doing every time. When I finish I'm always glad I went.
Friday: We met friends at the Steak and Catfish barn. It was our first "experience" at the steak and catfish barn. I knew we were in for a real treat when we pulled up and saw the "man vs. food" sign! Later that night at home we made chocolate chip cookies with marshmallow filling. YUM!
Saturday: We went to Isabella's buddy Milo's first birthday party.
Sunday: Afternoon swimming!!
Monday: Headed out to a cookout with friends to celebrate the 4th!
Tuesday: Isabella and I went to story time. She looked on quietly while the books were read and watched the big kids.
That is just a glimpse into some of the things we did this week along with surviving the oppressive daily triple digit temperatures! Happy Summer!
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Thankful thursdays
A book I am reading and some recent conversations have inspired me to pick back up my gratitude journal. The practice of calling to mind blessings I am grateful for is a good one for me.
There have been a handful of times in my life when looking over a situation it feels impossible to see a blessing or purpose in it at the time. The kind of times where you have to cling to the thought that "someday this will make sense", and knowing if it never does to cling to faith that God's plan is greater. But, typically, even during hard times small blessings can be found, and always the assurance of God's presence.
Every day there are obvious things to be thankful for, but I want to increasingly note the small, seemingly minuscule, gifts of each day. And then work to make a habit of writing a few down each day in my journal. Beginning and ending the day with my heart and mind focused on thankfulness, and what I do have vs. what I don't. I love this quote from one of my favorite bible study books: "Two women looked through prison bars. One saw mud, the other saw stars". What a difference our perspective makes!
On Thursdays I will share one from that day or a few favorites from the week. Please feel free to join me on your blog or start your own journal.
Some favorites from this week:
-swimming
-A rare quiet moment to myself in the morning as Isabella slept in longer than usual.
-birds singing
-double caramel magnum bars
-Michael's job
-Isabella's smile
Have a great day!
There have been a handful of times in my life when looking over a situation it feels impossible to see a blessing or purpose in it at the time. The kind of times where you have to cling to the thought that "someday this will make sense", and knowing if it never does to cling to faith that God's plan is greater. But, typically, even during hard times small blessings can be found, and always the assurance of God's presence.
Every day there are obvious things to be thankful for, but I want to increasingly note the small, seemingly minuscule, gifts of each day. And then work to make a habit of writing a few down each day in my journal. Beginning and ending the day with my heart and mind focused on thankfulness, and what I do have vs. what I don't. I love this quote from one of my favorite bible study books: "Two women looked through prison bars. One saw mud, the other saw stars". What a difference our perspective makes!
On Thursdays I will share one from that day or a few favorites from the week. Please feel free to join me on your blog or start your own journal.
Some favorites from this week:
-swimming
-A rare quiet moment to myself in the morning as Isabella slept in longer than usual.
-birds singing
-double caramel magnum bars
-Michael's job
-Isabella's smile
Have a great day!
Thursday, January 06, 2011
A challenge for the year
I was in need of a new challenge for this year and decided to join the scripture memory team that I read about on Beth Moore's blog. Basically you commit to memorizing two scriptures per month for a total of 24 for the year. You post your scripture to her blog on the 1st and 15th of every month.
For my first one I chose Philippians 4:12-
"I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want."
This verse speaks to me for many different reasons during this season of life. My favorite part is where it says, "I have learned". In my striving toward contentment it is encouraging to me to know that being content is something that can be learned and not a quality that you either have or don't have. And while my level of contentment with myself, my roles, my house, and so on ebbs and flows, I hope to be continually learning and striving toward a goal of more consistent contentment in what God has blessed me with.
It is not too late to join if you are needing a challenge for this year that seems very doable. I already have a list of other verses that I want to memorize this year.
For my first one I chose Philippians 4:12-
"I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want."
This verse speaks to me for many different reasons during this season of life. My favorite part is where it says, "I have learned". In my striving toward contentment it is encouraging to me to know that being content is something that can be learned and not a quality that you either have or don't have. And while my level of contentment with myself, my roles, my house, and so on ebbs and flows, I hope to be continually learning and striving toward a goal of more consistent contentment in what God has blessed me with.
It is not too late to join if you are needing a challenge for this year that seems very doable. I already have a list of other verses that I want to memorize this year.
Wednesday, September 01, 2010
36 weeks
I had my 36 week appointment yesterday. I arrived 5 minutes late, exhausted, not feeling well, and tearful. Isn't that the person you want walking in your office! Anyway, I left feeling much more at peace and that possibly I can do this for another 4 to 5 to however many weeks. This was my 3rd appointment at the midwife clinic and have felt good about every appointment. You can check out their bios here. The lady I saw the last two times could be my grandmother and feels so very calming and wise. It has been a real blessing to me. Yesterday she validated some of the things that feel really difficult right now and put me back in perspective of why we have made the choices we have for our family. My baby will come in her own time, and that will be what is best for her.
So over the next month-or how ever long I have-I plan to blog about the moments we are enjoying presently and work as hard as I can to relish each day rather than wish for the future. While I will still feel excitement and readiness about what is to come I want to slow down and enjoy now. John Lennon once said "Life is what happens to you while you are busy making other plans". Which I think is sad, but often so true. I don't think it is bad to plan for the future, set goals, and look forward to things. But, as with everything, I think there needs to be balance. Join me in focusing on enjoying your life for what you experience today, no matter how mundane or wonderful, and regardless of if you wish you were experiencing something different in your life.
*Someone can remind me of this when I talking about how I am so over being pregnant, exhausted from being awake all night going to the bathroom and not being able to get comfortable, and complaining about how bad my back hurts from carrying a bowling ball in my stomach. Or maybe you better not! :)
So over the next month-or how ever long I have-I plan to blog about the moments we are enjoying presently and work as hard as I can to relish each day rather than wish for the future. While I will still feel excitement and readiness about what is to come I want to slow down and enjoy now. John Lennon once said "Life is what happens to you while you are busy making other plans". Which I think is sad, but often so true. I don't think it is bad to plan for the future, set goals, and look forward to things. But, as with everything, I think there needs to be balance. Join me in focusing on enjoying your life for what you experience today, no matter how mundane or wonderful, and regardless of if you wish you were experiencing something different in your life.
*Someone can remind me of this when I talking about how I am so over being pregnant, exhausted from being awake all night going to the bathroom and not being able to get comfortable, and complaining about how bad my back hurts from carrying a bowling ball in my stomach. Or maybe you better not! :)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)