Imperishable Beauty

Middle children get a bad rap for being difficult, and well, mine has been challenging from day one, even before she was a “middle.” Though sweet, she has always been especially stubborn, especially independent and prone to temper tantrums and meltdowns.

But I love her so much!

I am so thankful that God has blessed her with a mind of her own, an independent nature and a tenacity to take a stand for what she believes in. Right now she might be taking a stand for extra dessert (and losing) but imagine what she might accomplish with that later in life!

I’m so thankful that God has used raising her to teach me many things as well.

1. To see the blessings in everything that makes her difficult right now.
2. To impress me with the importance of training her up in the way she should go.
3. To teach me patience and gentleness and persistence.
4. To show me more about God’s nature. (I imagine I am often like a difficult child, too.)

God is so good! All the time.

Thankful Thursday hosted by Sting My Heart.

Today, Iris’ scripture reference is Matthew 11:28-30.

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

What a perfect reminder for me today. Today has been a difficult day. But GO TO HIM. HE WILL GIVE REST.

Today I’m thankful that God sustains me, even through the difficult days. That even when I don’t have it within myself

I’ve been thinking about my children a lot lately, about how I’m not only teaching them, but how God is teaching me through them. He teaches me about patience, love, sacrifice, mercy, pride, trust, faith, sin, joy… I’m sure there is even more than that.

• God thank you for my children, each unique and wonderful in their individual ways.
• Thank you for my Princess who teaches me about compassion and loving life.
• Thank you for my Drama Queen who teaches me about patience and adventure.
• Thank you for my Little Prince who teaches me about providence and joy.
• Thank you, God, for showing me the blessings of children, the joys of motherhood, and the wonder of life.
• Thank you, God, for revealing to me that teaching them is more about you teaching my spirit than it is about me teaching them through books.
• Thank you for also teaching me that teaching them is more about training them in character and teaching them about You.
• Thank you for drawing Princess to you as your child, and I pray you’ll do the same for the other two.
• Thank you, God, for every blessing.

Thankful Thursday hosted by Sting My Heart

We had a great time visiting my family over the weekend! I still miss my mom living so closely, but I’m so happy for her that they are doing so well down there. I know that she is right where God wants her. Nonetheless, I look forward to the next visit!!

• Thank you God for overseeing our steps and leading us in your will.
• Thank you God for providing through every circumstance, even tough transitions.
• Thank you God for your amazing grace and blessings!
• Thank you God for the opportunity to visit with my family and have a good time of fellowship with them.
• Thank you God for all that you do in our lives, seen and unseen!!

Thankful Thursday hosted by Sting My Heart. I love the scripture in her post for this week!!

Today I am thankful for health! Though today, I actually don’t feel very well. But I am thankful that while my family has suffered repeatedly over the last two months, I have been spared to take care of them. And I’m thankful that even though I am ill now I am still not so sick that I can’t take care of them at the same time. Mostly, I am thankful that even we get sick, God is there to carry us through! I know that even though I’m not well today, He’s going to sustain me throughout my day. And I’m going to be thankful for health in spite of present sickness, because I know that good health will return.

I’m also thankful for:

• my husband and three beautiful children, I love them very much
• my friends who “sharpen” me and keep me accountable
• the Easter holiday, which serves to remind me of my sin, my need for a savior, and Jesus who bought me with his blood!

GOD. IS. SO. GOOD!
Thankful Thursday hosted by Sting My Heart.

One of the things God has been proving lately is how faithful He is. Always! He always carries us through, He always provides, He always sustains. When the way seems impossible, when the world gives us nothing, when we can’t see the way out, when we have nowhere left to go - we always have God.

Lamentations 3:21-26 Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, “The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.” The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD.

I am so thankful that God is faithful and true. I am so thankful that He always keeps his promises and takes care of His own. God is so good.

Thankful Thursday hosted by Sting My Heart.

I have many blessings. My hubby is just one of them. But I am very thankful for him. Not only does he work very hard for us, but this website wouldn’t be here as it is without his help. He’s a very talented and gifted man. And I thank God for giving him to me, and I’m thankful for all the work my hubby has put in.

James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.

Thankful Thursday hosted by Sting My Heart.