Friday, June 19, 2015

Because sometimes Life Happens

So if anyone has actually been trying to follow along (are you out there? I'd love to hear from you!) Yes, I stopped mid 30 day gratitude quest. No, I'm not sure I'll pick it back up quite yet. As usual, I'm trying to decide just what to do with the blog and how to organize my time a little better so that when life happens and my time gets thin I don't have to stress about a blog because family and friends always come first. So if you're reading this and you're interested in hearing some more of my random thoughts on life, love, marriage, parenting, politics, self-reliance, friendships, or the gospel of Christ. Please take a minute and comment or send me an e-mail!

Thursday, June 11, 2015

30 Days of Grateful Living - Day 14


Today I wanted to share a little of my gratitude for art. Have you ever noticed that all little children are artists? They love to draw and create beautiful things. Sadly this can become stifled as they get a little older and realize that their pictures don't quite match up with what they were trying to draw or the great masterpieces hanging in galleries. I believe though that the craving to create beauty never really goes away. Viewing and creating beautiful art speaks to our souls. We look at the Mona Lisa and as we view her beauty we also have hundreds of questions fill our minds. Who was she? What was she thinking? Why did DaVinci paint her? What was he thinking as he made each little brush stroke or mixing his paints? Good art leaves us with thoughts that enlarge and expand our mind and appreciate just how much beauty there is all around us. An idea from A Beautiful Mind has always stuck with me that God must have been a painter because he have us so many colors. The world to me is a beautiful work of art.

Today's challenge:
1. Continue to write down how you are grateful for your family and God (it's been a few days so try not to repeat anything!)
2. Think about what art has spoken to your soul and think about what it was about it that moved you.
3. Think about the last time that you created a work of art, record your gratitude for the talent that allowed you to create something even if it wasn't perfect.
4. Find a way to act on your gratitude and think about how it makes you feel.

Wednesday, June 10, 2015

30 Days of Grateful Living - Day 13



Today I wanted to talk about another of my favorite things that I am grateful for - books! As far back as I can remember I have loved books. Books make me laugh, they make me cry, they help me de-stress, they teach me things and open my mind and fill it up with all sorts of amazing knowledge and imaginations. I think a lot of who I am is thanks to what I've felt and learned through reading good books. There's just something magical about opening a book - new or old and just holding it.

Today's challenge:
1. Continue to write down how you are grateful for your family and God (it's been a few days so try not to repeat anything!)
2. Take 15 minutes to get lost in a book.
3. Write down a list of at least the top 10 books that you've been thankful for in your life and if you want a bonus include why you're thankful for them. 
4. Find a way to act on your gratitude and think about how it makes you feel.

Monday, June 8, 2015

30 Days of Grateful Living - Day 12


someone cue the crickets chirping....

Maybe it hasn't been that bad but I did kind of halt mid go over the weekend with the 30 day challenge.What can I say, it was a busy weekend with lots of family stuff and I hadn't thought ahead to prep so I'll just have to say that in addition to everything else I'm grateful for pauses that sometimes just have to happen.

Today I wanted to focus on how thankful I am for music. Some of my earliest memories are of seeing my grandmother and great-grandmother singing, directing, and playing instruments with their band of pink ladies from the hospital they volunteered at. A little bit older and I remember an elementary school music teacher who changed lives through her yearly full school musical production. About the same time as that I remember lots of nights and competitions where I would go with my mom to hear her sing with the Sweet Adaline choir. In middle school it seemed almost automatic that I joined the band and chorus and continued on through high school.

So anyways, yes, I love music. I don't think I had ever really thought about why though until I became a mom and actually probably only since Bear was born. I finally realized that music really speaks to us sometimes in a way that words just can't. Putting on some music can change the whole tone of our home within a matter of seconds. If you think I'm exaggerating just try it. I promise that it works and not just on the kids but on us too. There is power in good music and I am so thankful for it I couldn't even begin to start.

Today's challenge:
1. Continue to write down how you are grateful for your family and God (it's been a few days so try not to repeat anything!)
2. Try putting on some music and paying attention to how it makes you feel.
3. Write down your feelings of gratitude for how music has blessed your life.
4. Find a way to act on your gratitude and think about how it makes you feel.

Friday, June 5, 2015

30 Days of Grateful Living - Day 11


Today I wanted to remember to be grateful for memories. Memories are our way of looking back at life and seeing how blessed we have been. Especially when you become a parent and start looking back at your childhood as it compares to what your children are going through there is something magical in a memory. I love getting out the old pictures from when the kids were little or when I was little and remembering what was happening and going on in our lives. It makes me even that much more thankful for where I am now.

Today's challenge:
1. Continue to write down how you are grateful for your family and God (it's been a few days so try not to repeat anything!)
2. Take some time to just remember today - look through pictures or scrapbooks or get out a family movie.
3. Write down your feelings of gratitude now as you look back on your past.
4. Find a way to act on your gratitude and think about how it makes you feel.


Thursday, June 4, 2015

30 Days of Grateful Living- Day 10


For today's challenge I wanted to think a bit about technology and what a blessing it is. From turning on a light switch to going for a drive or being able to read this on the Internet is a huge blessing. Most of us will remember that it wasn't too long ago when just having a computer in your home was a huge deal. Now even my two year old knows how to take pictures with an I-Pad. I love being able to find information and inspiration on the internet but I'm also most grateful for being able to stay in touch with our family that are scattered across the US and Canada.

Today's challenge:
1. Continue to write down how you are grateful for your family and God (it's been a few days so try not to repeat anything!)
2. As you go through your day try to be more aware of all the times you use technology.
3. Write down a blessing that has come from technology.
4. Find a way to act on your gratitude and think about how it makes you feel.

Wednesday, June 3, 2015

30 Days of Grateful Living - Day 9


For today's challenge I wanted to think about how grateful I am for the things I've learned. Learning can come in so many ways and it is so important to our happiness. I just can't even begin to describe how thankful I am for the things that I've learned and realizing that I can still learn new things every day. I love looking back at my journals and seeing how much I've changed over time through the things that I've learned.

Today's challenge:
1. Continue to write down how you are grateful for your family and God (it's been a few days so try not to repeat anything!)
2. Make an effort to learn something new today. It doesn't have to be big - just something recognizable as new.
3. Write down a blessing that has come from being willing to learn something new.
4. Find a way to act on your gratitude and think about how it makes you feel.

Tuesday, June 2, 2015

30 Days of Grateful Living - Day 8


It's Day 8 of our challenge! Today I wanted to share some gratitude for the things that make us different. Sometimes we can get stuck in a rut trying to be like someone else - if only I was ... like them,  or if only I had ... like them. I caught myself doing this one day and realized suddenly how silly I was being. Who decided what they had was better than what I had? God could care less about or physical attributes, or temporal belongings and wealth. I don't even think He cares that much about how smart or talented we are. The only thing that matters to Him is how we're using whatever gifts He has blessed us with to follow Him and improve ourselves through His goodness. So instead of worrying about what makes us different let's celebrate the unique blessings that make up who we are!

Today's challenge:
1. continue to write down how you are grateful for your family and God (it's been a few days so try not to repeat anything!)
2. if you start to compare yourself to others silence those thoughts and remember "I am who God made me to  be and as long as I have faith to follow Him I have everything I need."
3. write down a specific way that you've been blessed by your differences.
4. find a way to act on your gratitude and think about how it makes you feel.

Monday, June 1, 2015

30 Days of Grateful Living - Day 7

Wowee! I can't believe it's been a week already. So far the changes I've seen in myself have been small but thinking more actively about things I'm grateful for has definitely been helping me see things in a different way that keeps me happier and calmer.

Today's challenge is to be thankful for the good people around you that step in and help out. It can be extended family, friends, the people at church, the people in the store, teachers, leaders, co-workers. It's actually kind of amazing to think about all the people that bless our lives each and every day.

Today's challenge:
1. continue to write down how you are grateful for your family and God (it's been a few days so try not to repeat anything!)
2. write down a list of people that have been a blessing to you
3. write down a specific way that you've been blessed by someone outside your extended family today.
4. find a way to act on your gratitude and think about how it makes you feel.