Welcome everyone! It's Friday! I'm so glad it's Friday! I'm so glad to take this moment and turn off the crazy in the world and just focus on the good gifts God has placed within my life. Some would say I'm hiding my head in the sand, ignoring what's going on. But I would say that I am not. I'm very well aware but I am making a choice of what to put my focus on. All the bad news, all the vicious fighting both physically and verbally that is being displayed all over social media or onto the good God has blessed me with. I'm choosing to shut off the noise and "Be still, and know that He is God". I'm choosing to be intentionally grateful and thankful for all good things in my life, big and small. If I choose to constantly fill my mind and heart with all the ugly, all the violence, all the hate, all the negativity eventually that is going to spill over and come out. But if I choose to look for the good, and not ignoring what is going on in the world today, but taking some time to focus on how the Lord works in my life, I believe that will fill up and spill over with good. From that source I can lift other's up, love and do good the way the Lord intends and make a difference in someone's life. So for this moment, I will look for blessings and be thankful.
~37th Anniversary~ Yesterday Dave and I celebrated our 37th anniversary. How could it be so many years? It boggles my mind. We are not quite ready to take the restaurant plunge even though they are open so we did a takeout from our fave fish and chip shop and just had a nice quiet meal at home. Yesterday I reposted a post I had done way back in 2007 about our wedding and it was fun reading back over that and reliving the memories of that day. We've come such a long way from those young kids with the lofty and romanticized ideas of what marriage was. It hasn't always been easy, it didn't always come naturally, sometimes it was a lot of soul searching and granting mercy and grace to each other when we just wanted to lash out, sometimes a lot of climbing over a mountain, sometimes it was work and sacrifice. But it was, and is, so worth it!
~words in season~ Even though I was really trying hard not to, I was having some anxiety and worry the day before my 1st day back to work since shutting the dayhome down due to the pandemic. I prayed on and off all day and kept handing the worry back to God every time I found myself picking it up yet again. Then in the evening as I was scrolling through my facebook feed, this quote popped up along with an audio recording of it and it was as if she was speaking right to me.
"Replace what you do not know about the future with what you do know about Jesus. He is good, he does good, and he will work all things together for good."
Christine Caine: Equip and Empower Podcast
I am so thankful that God knows exactly what I need to hear and provided a way for me to hear it.
~good first week back~ though I am exhausted, the first week back to work was pretty good. I am so glad I listened to my gut and started with only 2 kids rather than a full house for these two weeks. It's letting me get the routines established, see how they work and what needs to be tweaked without the added pressure of lots of kids. I am now ready for a restful weekend.
~nature close up~ a little deer decided to give us a fun experience on our walk on Sunday. We were on the west side of town walking some paths in the residential districts when we noticed her in a small group of trees up ahead watching us. As we got closer, she didn't take off but kept just out of reach. She was really, really interested in our dog and as we passed she followed along with us for aways. I can't say I've ever had that happen. Usually deer bolt if they see a dog.
~cozy, comfy bed~ I have been so thankful this week that I have a comfortable bed to rest and sleep in. It really is a huge blessing and one I am very aware not everyone has. So I'm very grateful for a good night's rest. I've needed it this week. :)
What were your favorite blessings from the week?
~good first week back~ though I am exhausted, the first week back to work was pretty good. I am so glad I listened to my gut and started with only 2 kids rather than a full house for these two weeks. It's letting me get the routines established, see how they work and what needs to be tweaked without the added pressure of lots of kids. I am now ready for a restful weekend.
~nature close up~ a little deer decided to give us a fun experience on our walk on Sunday. We were on the west side of town walking some paths in the residential districts when we noticed her in a small group of trees up ahead watching us. As we got closer, she didn't take off but kept just out of reach. She was really, really interested in our dog and as we passed she followed along with us for aways. I can't say I've ever had that happen. Usually deer bolt if they see a dog.
~cozy, comfy bed~ I have been so thankful this week that I have a comfortable bed to rest and sleep in. It really is a huge blessing and one I am very aware not everyone has. So I'm very grateful for a good night's rest. I've needed it this week. :)
What were your favorite blessings from the week?
11 comments:
I love your opening paragraph. I too am limiting ALL news. ALL OF IT. I receive Katie Couric's daily update via email. I read the headlines and never click on the whole article unless it's NOT political or about the violence. We don't need to be steeped in news 24/7 to know what to pray for. We KNOW this is not a Christian nation...WHY are we sooooo surprised and upset when the world acts like the world? and when our president(s)/prime ministers, who most likely don't have a relationship with Jesus, act as though there is NO good fruit in their life??? by good fruit I mean the fruit of the Spirit. I think as Christ followers we need to limit our social media viewing if it gets us anxious or upset and we can model love to all much better with our actions and fewer words or rants. ok I"m done about that! hahah (I also have the News App on my phone so I get updates regarding weather, local breaking news and national news. I don't need to click on the article to see the gist of what's going on. It's rather nice NOT to be using the television this year.
Ok...HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!!!! I don't remember if I said it on FB or not as I'm not doing the scrolling I normally do :)
LOVE the photos of the deer. Yes most deer scamper when they see a dog!
Praise God for a good opening week for you. Do you have Health guidelines you have to follow? for instance, if we open up for in person summer school on july 6, we have to take each child's temp and record it and I have to take my temp once I'm at the door to the building. along with MANY other policies and new hygiene guidelines.
Happy Weekend Susanne...do something for YOU!
Faith: Yes there are lots of guidelines. I only do porch drop offs or pickups, take temps, parents fill in a health screen questionaire daily. Lots of cleaning and sanitizing. Limited toys, toys like stuffies that can't be disinfected all removed. And the list goes on!
I know what you mean about the news. I like to catch the radio news at the top of the hour once or twice a day, because it is so concise and has little commentary. I have not watched a whole TV news episode in years, though sometimes I'll watch the first few minutes of local news if we were watching something else just before. I don't want to give up Facebook, because that's the main way I keep in touch with my siblings. But I do a lot more scrolling than reading these days. I've hidden some people's posts because they were just getting to be too much. I think the fall months leading up to our election will be as bad or worse for social media.
That is such a good quote. I'm glad your first week back was good. I didn't know you were starting with just two, but that's a good idea.
Funny about the deer! It's unusual that she'd stay so close. I feel the same way about my bed, too.
Hi Susanne - Happy Anniversary. So glad you had a good week with the restart of the Dayhome. I love that quote and it is something I need as I am experiencing a lot of anxiety, especially about returning to work when school restarts in August. Thanks for hosting this and have a good weekend.
"I am making a choice of what to put my focus on." Amen! Me, too! I think Philiappians 4:8 is needed now more than ever.
Happy anniversary!
I think you were wise to start your day home out small.
Amen to your opening paragraph! Glad your first modified week back went well. Good idea to start slow. How funny about that deer. Ahh yes, nothing like a comfy bed to lay down in at the end of the day! Happy Father's day weekend!
I couldn't agree with you more on your opening paragraph. I have all but given up on the news. I don't think that by not engaging, we're burying our head in the sand. There are other ways to support what is right and true, one of which is to live the way Jesus taught us and be the example. "Small things with great love," as Mother Teresa said.
I also love the quote you shared, about replacing what you don't know with what you do know about Jesus. Good stuff!
The story of the deer is just so sweet. I wonder if he wanted to play?
Yes! Your beginning remarks! You've expressed my thoughts so well.
I'm glad you are back with your littles, and I think you are wise to start with just two.
Happy Anniversary to you and Dave!
These are definitely difficult times and I agree that listening to too much news is not a good idea. I'm glad your first week back to work went well. It must be strange and difficult to adapt to this situation but I'm sure the kids were glad to be back and their parents too although of course everyone is anxious to get things right. A nice comfy bed is definitely a blessing. Enjoy the rest of the weekend.
So glad to know you've got your mind in the right place. "For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind."
And that you've been able to reopen the Day Home! Congrats and kudos for making a good choice with fewer kids. I'm glad you found a quiet but satisfying way to celebrate your anniversary. What a wonderful testimony of faithfulness as you share with each other the grace you've both received from God.
Sorry it's been so long since I've visited. All those people with extra time during this pandemic? That is so not happening to me.
This post was a blessing - full of blessings for you...that blessed us:) I was so encouraged by your first paragraph. I've been accused of burying my head in the sand...but, like you, I want to be intentional in how I fill my thoughts and where I place my focus. Eyes toward Heaven...not buried in the sand!!
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