You all know I've been on a journey.
I didn't quite want to post a "Thanksgiving-type" post for the sake of posting one.
I know a lot of people did, and I enjoyed reading every one of them.
But I wanted to SIT and REST in Him.
I wanted to soak in every ounce of memory I was creating with my family and friends.
And most of all, I wanted to pay attention to the everyday-type details, not just the ones that are usually worth mentioning on a Thanksgiving post. Y'know what I mean?
So here I am today... completely in AWE of God's goodness and faithfulness in my life.
Despite my lacks and failures, He is COMPLETE and PERFECT.
I've often heard that the remedy for anxiety, sadness, anger, discontentment or dissatisfaction is PRAISE.
And I have to agree with that.
The Psalms is all about that!
And that is exactly where I've been meditating and resting every night.
The Psalms.
"To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul;" Psalm 25:1
"Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever." Psalm 23:6
"For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may remain for a night but rejoicing comes in the morning." Psalm 30:5
"Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the LORD." Psalm 31:24
And also, as mentioned in my last post, I've been absolutely LOVING this book:
by Jen Hatmaker
OH...MY...WORD!
Are you kidding me? How can a book (or, actually, Jen Hatmaker) know EXACTLY what I'm thinking and feeling??? Are you serious??? Where have you been???
Here's a quick exerpt, but... be cautioned! She is extremely transparent (funny) about certain issues that us, moms, may be facing... ok, here it goes:
"There were so many elements of parenting I was unaware of when I signed up for it. in the earliest stage, my romantic notion of motherhood was hijacked by such delights as breast pumps, sitz baths, and hemorrhoids. Everyone forgot to tell me I'd still look six months pregnant after I delivered, and I'd need to wear adult diapers for three weeks. I found it troublesome that my hair fell out in clumps and my nipples looked like ground beef... There is simply no end to the giving that motherhood requires... But that teensy-tiny part of me that is selfish (roll eyes here) asks, "How much can I possibly give before I burn out?" Jesus promised when we choos sacrifice and love - the fullest measure of giving - it will be returned, not like a half-filled bag of Doritos, but "pressed down, shaken together, and running over (Luke 6:38)"
And here's some more: "Your kids might act like shining angels dropped them straight into your arms from the bosom of heaven, and if so, the rest of us don't really like you. But if you have a challenging child, or a stubborn child, or one who refuses to learn his lesson - okay, basically all kids - forgiveness is a peculiar discipline to practice as mothers... Do you have a child who tests the limits of your forgiveness? Step OUT of the spin cycle: Talk to your child today and confess your mistakes (such as anger, yelling, or punishing silence). Set a new tone and give your child a clean slate."
If you're a young (or not so young like me) mother, you need to check this book out! I am borrowing it from the library at the moment, but I think I need my own copy (hint, hint...).
Have you been RESTING in the Lord, even in the midst of a very busy season? I'm trying... and by God's grace and mercy, my eyes are open to the here and now. And my prayer for you is that He will show up in your small moments, too. Enjoy today!