I am so blessed! I celebrated my 37th birthday yesterday, and I am just reminded of how much God has blessed me with and how much I need to use my time and strengths for His purpose! That's what we talked about Wednesday night at church: using your gifts in the church to serve Him! Are you using your gifts? ;)

My kids are off for a week of February vacation, and I plan to make it a fun one! We are (hopefully) going to use our gift card to the new Cracker Barrell in Portland (the kids have been bugging us since Christmas to go)...I think Gram Cracker would've been so excited to know a Cracker Barrell was so close! ;) On Thursday we are going to visit my grandparents, which they always enjoy!

My plan is to just enjoy being with my kids...we can't spend alot of money and go to lots of fun places, but we can make lots of fun and loving memories! I read this on a friend's facebook status, and it is going to be my "mantra" for the week...if I can give my kids anything, I want it to be this (not tons of stuff and memories of expensive places):

"To a child, a parent's unconditional love serves as a representation of every other kind of love, including God's love. Parental love should be demonstrated with deeds, not just announced with words. Thoughtful parents demonstrate their love by giving their kids heaping helpings of prayer, time, attention, discipline, protection and nurturing!"

I will pray the Lord helps us all this week (who have kids or are involved in the lives of kids) to use this to be a catalyst to help your kids be the best they can be! It all starts with us! Have a great week, everyone, and enjoy your break, if you get one! ;)

Well, I have been sick all week, so I didn't have much energy to be on the computer, much less think of what I would like to write on my blog!!! I read something out of a book I am using with my devotions ("The Frazzled Female") and it just struck me, so I would like to share it with you.

"It requires faith to be joyful when you don't feel the joy. Life on earth is like that. Sometimes you just don't 'feel' happy. But Paul encourages us to remember what we were taught and to continue to overflow with thanksgiving. "

Wow! Do you always overflow with thanksgiving, especially when things are rough and not going your way? I wish I could say "Yes, I do!" But that would be far from the truth. We lose sight so quickly when we think things should be a certain way, but God has other things in mind. This one devotional is talking about thirsting for Christ and being attracted to Him. Sometimes we can become so distracted and things (even good things) can take our focus from the Lord. If you are able to get this book, I would encourage it! I received it as a gift for Christmas, and am still on the first week, but it is really good!

I will admit I am a frazzled female, at times, with all these responsibilities, but I am noticing that when I put God first, everything else falls into place and it becomes easier to do all the things required of me. When I let everything else crowd in first, I lose focus so easily! Soooo...the glass half-full lesson out of this one is to keep remembering that God is first and above all else in my life, and, in doing so, He will make it easier for me to handle all other things that so easily take my focus!!!

Next week my devotions are going to be about how negative attitudes can shift our focus from our relationship with God to our feelings about ourselves and others. Stay tuned... :)

Well, my internet has not been working for me all week, so I obviously have not beeen able to post anything! The brain goes crazy, as always, with thoughts I have...sometimes thoughts so random that it takes me in weird directions! (don't ask for explanations, I think I just have fried my brain from carrying/having 5 kids!!!)

Sometimes life is tough. Sometimes the glass doesn't seem half-full! This week has shown that to be true, but I am still trying. It's just the little things, nothing major. But I remember a God Who loves me and accepts me despite my seemingly insurmountable imperfections!! For some reason this week I have been thinking alot about gossip, and trying to watch my tongue in the way I speak of others, and hear what others have to say to me (about people). Goodness, did that just get confusing! :)

The Bible tells us not to speak evil one of another...enough said! Wow, we have all failed that command many times over! But, make it a goal this week to be conscious of your words, your thoughts of others, and what you want the hearer to take from your conversations. If you talk evil about people to others, they may talk evil of you to different people. I know this is a tall order for all of us, but if it couldn't be done, God wouldn't have told us to do it! If we all try, it could make atleast our own world a better place!