colored pots

well, that was close! asher's doing better. never fear!

so on to what's on my mind today:
colored pots

yep. deeeeeep thoughts.
we've recently done some upgrading to our back patio and when it looked nicer but not quite there yet, i thought, "colored pots!" --because colored pots of plants bring me joy. --it really is the little things, folks.

so i bought a few from walmart. red. yellow. pretty little things. and filled them with drought-tolerant plants, because let's face it, i live in a barren wasteland.
and instantly a smile came to my face, and cheerfulnes abounded. the peasants rejoiced! all is right in the world.

overstatement? perhaps.
but you get the idea. colored pots with beautiful blossoms bring joy. (say that 10 times fast.)

i've been reading "one thousand gifts" by ann voskamp for awhile now, and it talks about eucharisteo, the act of giving thanks --and how WHEN we are thankful, we experience JOY. and so in line with her book, i've been keeping track of things i'm thankful for. i've been writing them down for a few months now. yes...i'm still reading the book MONTHS later. i'm a slacker.


and so i started thinking...what are some other things that bring joy. -things that remind me God is here, listening, and quite the show-off of awesomeness.
here are a few things i'm thankful for. --all the little...and big...opportunities to give thanks to a gracious God who blesses us beyond measure:
1. hummingbirds on the back porch feeder
2. sticky fingers helping in the kitchen
3. removing stickiness from said fingers and putting little fingers to bed
4. snocones
5. family discipleship time
6. eating outside with friends
7. returning to air conditioning after eating outside with friends
8. lamp light
9. helpful neighbors
10. sleeping in
11. healthy kids (i couldn't stop at 10...see?! blessed!)

ain't life grand? God gives us everything we need. and whether we like to admit it or not, usually a lot more!

may we be grateful for all the beautiful blessings He bestows on us.

the plague

what were the seven plagues again? locusts, gnats, frogs...

around here we've had our own plagues. it's been a bleak time here. i've had a very painful cyst (i know you wanted to know) that warranted 5...count them...5 trips to the doctor. and we still don't really know what it is or how to treat it. it's dying down now. the same day i went in for that initial visit, i found out i had strep.

then i sprained my ankle and had to have a cast and use crutches.

then i got strep again.

i think that's more like 4, but it felt like 7.

so now it's been over 2 weeks of me being medically ridiculous and unable to care for my children, and i am ready to be back to normal again.

praise God for my husband, mom, and friends who have helped out. i truly would NOT have been able to do anything without them. it was kind of bad timing that only a few months ago we moved to a new town where we didn't really know anyone and now i'm in need of help. but God provides!

so...since i try not to leave things on a negative note...here are the rich and wonderful blessings that occurred during this time of craziness:

1. spent extra time with my mom....and i love her

2. the boys got a few lessons in compassion. --still learning

3. i enjoyed a lovely dinner prepared by my beautiful neighbor because she wanted to help us out

4. i watched movies by myself this morning because the hubs had to work and we had to farm out the kids to great friends. thanks again, y'all.

5. my husband showed me once again that he is truly wonderful (never doubted it) last night when, after meeting my every need while i was sobbing and felt awful and was coughing so hard i thought i'd die, he laid next to me and said, "i'm here if you need anything else."

see? 5 blessings! and i'm sure there were much more that i can't think of. i encourage you to look at all the blessings you have been gifted with when it might be easier to look at the negative side of things. 4 illnesses, at least 5 blessings. God tenderly takes care of us. i'd say we've got it made, wouldn't you?

what it all boils down to

it's 68 degrees outside. i wish it was scarf and sweater weather,
but i shall choose to be thankful ;)


the holidays always get me thinking about how we do things around here. what do we want our traditions to be? what do we want our kids to remember...

i remember eating really hot stuffing right from the oven in a pyrex dish because i stole the idea from my sister, getting out the lovely china and setting out all the pretty place settings to commemorate the importance of the day, watching the parade on tv, pretending to play football outside after dinner, and watching white christmas or whatever movie was on that night.
what will my kids remember? what do i WANT them to remember....

and what it all comes down to for us is Christ.

sure we are blessed beyond measure that my husband has a job, we are healthy for the most part, we have a home that we can afford to pay for heating and cooling, we have a family that is growing by leaps and bounds, but the most important part is Christ.





we have been so richly blessed by His grace and His mercy. by His forgiveness and His redemption.

i am so thankful that the all-knowing, all-powerful, creator of the heavens and the earth chose to create a way for myself and Him to have a relationship together. i'm thankful that God, in His infinite power and wisdom, sent Christ to die for my sins so that by accepting Him, God no longer sees my iniquities but Christ's perfection.

so while i love turkey and dressing and family time and a warm home and yummy candles and kids all bundled up ready to play, even if there were none of that, i would still be blessed. i hope my children can look back at our holiday traditions and see that through all of it was the underlying concept that God is worthy to be praised --in every season. whether we can see the blessings or not, He is worthy.

thank You, God, for providing us with everything we need through Christ.