Here's what GRATITUDE looks like today.

Gratitude each day looks different and yet the same.  There are the constant promises: forgiving love, mercy, grace, eternal life, peace and joy in turmoil that are always present.  There are many other constants: a comfortable home, food, caring family, encouraging friends, loving church family, health and so much more.  These are the gratitudes that remain the same.  The ones summed up in our little one's frequent prayers,

"Dear God, Thank you for everything you've given us.  Thank you for taking care of us."

Yes, thank you, Lord.  Your goodness is so great, it seems impossible to list all the ways you provide.

Then there are the gratitudes that change by the day.  The things I have to open my eyes to in the everyday, normal, and mostly chaotic of days.  The things that might be harder to see when the day has been challenging, frustrating, overwhelming.  These are the gratitudes that change and here are mine for today.

Today I'm thankful for....

1. doctors, dentists, and easy to obtain medical care.  With five medical appointments in the past week between two of our children, it is easy to think, "Oh no, not another doctor's visit.  Not another copay!" but today I'm choosing to say thank you Lord!  You have provided professionals that have the knowledge to care for my children and make them feel better.  We have medical care closely available and affordable.  Thank you.

2. compassionate professionals.  Two of our very recent family situations come to mind.  Just yesterday my husband was stopped by a police officer.  My husband deserved great penalty.  What he received was compassion and understanding.  We know he did not deserve it and that makes one all the more grateful.  Just a few days before our middle child was suffering with a swollen face and great oral pain.  A professional who did not even know us, intervened with compassion and care.  She provided an intervention that has provided our child pain relief, a treatment plan, and the road to healing.  Thank you.

3. snow.  Now, if I'm being honest, I do not like snow.  Nope.  I grew up in northern Illinois where we endured at least six months of winter and plenty of snow.  More than once there was snow on my birthday......the very end of May.  So needless to say, I feel like my snow tank is full.  But then a day like today creeps upon us and I am surprisingly grateful for snow!  Here in eastern Tennessee, snow brings beauty, terrible driving conditions, and closings.  Yep, all the unnecessary businesses close and life slows down.  AND that is the part I like.  I enjoy a day or two at home with my family of five near, warm, playing, eating, and peaceful.  I like the opportunity to stay in.  Thank you, Lord, for the snow.

As a part of the Raising Grateful Kids launch team (Kristen's book will be released January 26th! Order it now at Raising Grateful Kids or amazon for $10), writers were asked "How does gratitude look in your home?"  As I thought on this question, these steps came to mind.

1. Choose a grateful heart.
2. Look for gratitude opportunities in your day.
3. Speak your gratefulness out loud.

When our children and those around us hear us thank God for the big and little blessings in life, they too begin to notice the details He provides.  Gratitude becomes contagious.

Here's my thoughts on gratitude for today.  So many others have shared their thoughts, ideas, and lessons learned below.  Check out Marie's thoughts and others' through our Raising Grateful Kids Blog Hop.  Read on and be encouraged!

Check out these gratitude blog posts.

So I've got a 'lil secret....

Well....its time I share a 'lil secret with you.  It's an exciting one for me and one that I just have to share with others!  I am participating on the launch team for Kristen Welch's soon to be released  book, Raising Grateful Kids in an Entitled World. You can preorder your book here.:) www.raisinggratefulkids.com  Here's Kristen, also author of an excellent life-changing book, Rhinestone Jesus http://wearethatfamily.com/rhinestone-jesus/  and blogger at wearethatfamily.com

 

If I talk about Kristen like she is my friend,  it's because.....well, I think she is.  I mean I have never met Kristen and I get no monetary compensation for promoting her book but I believe in her message.  She writes in such a real, down-to-earth, catching-me-up-on-the-latest-story voice that I feel like we are chatting about our kiddos and doing our best to raise kids that honor God.  She has encouraged me and in return, I want to encourage you.

Here's the thing.  Have you ever read a book where you think, "oh yeah! yes!" or "That's right!" or "Okay, Lord, maybe there is still a great work to be done in me."  You will think all of this and so much more while reading Raising Grateful Kids.  This book is a tool.  A tool the Lord can use to shape you and your children.  You see, this book  is not just about raising grateful kids but so much more........raising children who are kind, thoughtful, self-less, considerate, respectful, display self-control, and are a joy to be around.  Who doesn't want to raise this child?

Are your children babies, toddlers, school age, teenagers, adults?  This book is for you!  Kristen covers thoughts on gratitude, wants vs needs, teaching self-control, managing technology in our homes (and on our kids' phones), craving obedience, and how to get on the boat if you feel you've missed it and it is far out to sea.  She also provides practical tools at the end of each chapter, entitled "Going against the flow".  Here Kristen provides simple, practical, real-life methods to put the chapter's themes into your lives at  home.  She breaks it down into suggestions for parents, toddlers, elementary age, and tweens/teens.  If your children are grown, you will find your life enriched by the self-examination that comes from  reading this book.....and you just might be able to encourage another Mommy or Daddy.

Raising Grateful Kids is full of good stuff.  I mean real, practical, you want to read this and be a better parent stuff!  I am so excited about all I am learning and contemplating for our family that I just have to share with you.  Kristen grabs your attention and heartstrings from the intro when she dives into the joy of giving one of  her children a very special gift and then having to revoke the gift. Ouch!  We as parents enjoy giving gifts that our children will enjoy and no parent wants to steal a child's joy but sometimes it's just necessary.

From this bittersweet story, Kristen dives into chapter one exploring what the American Dream means to each of us and how our expectations and (uh-oh.....) maybe our own entitlement lends to our children's entitled behaviors.  (Yep, this book is a whole LOT about us as parents and a lil about our kiddos.)

So clearly I'm all for reading Raising Grateful Kids but I'm not alone.  As  members of the launch team, we received pdf copies of Kristen's book in November.  Here are what other launch team members are saying:

"One word for this book: AH-MAY-ZING!!!!! Also see: conviction, tears, fist pump, joy, frustration, elation, solidarity....." 
-Amanda Wissmann

"Such a great book and message!" -Sarah Bernstein

"It's amazing how just one chapter can spill over into every area of our lives." -Chrissy Petty

"After reading the first chapter of the book, I was a mom on a mission."
 -Jennifer Wicker Thorvaldson

So if the holiday hustle and bustle has left you weary, overwhelmed, and maybe a bit saddened by all the stuff received and remaining feeling of emptiness;  buy yourself (and your family!) a gift..........Raising Grateful Kids in an Entitled World  www.raisinggratefulkids.com....you'll be glad you did! Promise.

💗It's amazing how just one chapter can spill over into every area of our lives.

The adventure continues......a walk down 2015 memory lane.

Merry Christmas!  This year we are sharing our year photo-style.  As I look through the below photos of fun, travel, and memories, I am reminded that yes we've been busy but there is so much more living that goes on between the posed and candid shots.  There are moments gathered around the dinner table discussing our day.  There are moments of instruction as we try to diligently teach our children to obey God and love others well.  There are discussions on life, people, world tragedy and God's power through it all.  There are Sundays and Wednesdays gathered in our church building with people striving to be Christ followers.  There are drop-in visits with laughter and story telling in our Tennessee room.  There are many moments gathered around out kitchen island where it seems we can talk, listen, and solve most any problem.  There are memories made in the back yard, chores done to maintain a home, hours of homework and school projects.  There are visits on our front porch, sharing, encouraging, and seeking Christ.  So while we are thankful for all the special memories shared below, we also know that life is made of fun, work, challenges, adjustments, learning, and all the moments in between.   Treasure the big moments and the little ones.   

Here's just a few of ours......

Snow is fun for all 3!

Our makeshift east TN sled

Happy Chinese New Year!

Mommy/Brooky date to the ballet

Egg hunt with Brooklyn's class

Swim time

Church egg hunt

Swinging with Great Grandpa

A great family getaway

We have a new ball player in the family!

We enjoyed plenty of family time on the lake.

Field Day 2015

Our kindergarten graduate

Celebrating!

Family Day 2015!

Birthday girl turns 6 with a new desk for crafting.

One of our favorite pastimes: neighbor time on the front porch.

Resting after her broken wrist repair

Everyone's excited, Dad caught a fish!

Family selfie with the waterfall

We love to camp!

Our oldest turns 10!

Independence Day

Boys.

Lots of swim time.

Our little turned 3....and enjoyed the gift of $$!

Camping fun.

Canoeing on our family camping trip.

Lake playtime

Summer trip: Kansas City Royals game

Family Day at the Omaha Zoo

Cousin time. precious.

College World Series game

Summer family trip with a stop at the Arch

Summer ends. School starts.

Our fifth grader, first grader & 3 year old.

An anniversary getaway. Sweet Sixteen.

 

Go Cyclones! Enjoying our new stadium.

Race for Wandell 2015. 

Brilee's TV interview

Brothers for life.

Writer's Celebration in Brooklyn's class: 

she shared a beautiful writing about the day she met her little brother.

We swam a lot!

These kids. We spent a day at a park 

and they were thrilled to discover buckeyes.

So thankful for these 3 we've been entrusted with.

Homecoming week: Favorite Disney character

Our lil pirates

Homecoming parade

Field trip fun!

Milligan's Homecoming.....Go Buffs!

Trunk-or-Treat....to infinity & beyond!

A superhero and a princess :)

Brooklyn's Wizard of Oz musical

Lighting of the town Christmas tree

(Brilee's fifth grade class sang.)

Thanksgiving at Grandpa & Grandma's...

enjoying the new slide!

Cousin fun!

Brooklyn's first UT game....go VOLS!

An annual tradition at the Christmas tree farm

Thankful.

Real life

   As we think back on 2015 it was clearly a great year....so much fun, so much learning.  But also many new challenges.  Most days we find ourselves feeling completely inadequate to meet our responsibilities' needs.  We are not capable to guide three children, to teach a large group of teenagers, to lead an eager group of students and staff, to care for the sick, or to love others but that is when a promise from 2 Corinthians becomes evident in our lives.  

 "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me." 

2 Corinthians 12:9

We are so thankful for God's strength, wisdom, and grace.  We are grateful for new daily mercies.  That is what we are leaning on.  HIM.  And it is because of Him, we celebrate this special season.  It is because of Him, we have joy, peace among turmoil, and hope for the future.  

  My hope for you is that you find those quiet moments to celebrate and welcome the coming King.  As we prepare to celebrate our Savior's birth, so many distractions are surrounding us.  We can often make Christmas about gifts, gatherings, programs, parties, crafts and so much more but really the message of the manger is simple.  Christ has come.  He has come for you and for me.  And he is coming again.  Praise HIM!!!  This simple promise gets me excited and helps to keep the peace and joy in my heart.  May you enjoy resting in His promises.

Merry Christmas from our family to yours!!