Thirty Days of Blessings Challenge

Have you ever thought about this? What if you woke up tomorrow with only what you thanked God for before you went to sleep?

I am not perfect. I don't try to be. But I am thankful. I am thankful for all the big things, but most of all for all the little things. Seeing a smile on my son's face when I wake him every morning. Seeing my husband come through the door after work. Having somewhere to live and food to eat.

I have noticed more often than not, people complaining about what they don't have. The latest cell phone, an expensive home or car, a lot of money, etc. If you think about what you don't have or what you want all the time, how can you truly be thankful for what you have?

I was one of those people. Always wanting more. As much as I accumulated, I wasn't happy. That greed and self idolization is dangerous and unattractive. I honestly think that we have become a society that values people by what they have, not by who they are. And to me, that is very sad. I know a lot of people who have it all, that are not very nice people. I also know people who don't even own the dirt on the bottom of their shoe, and they'd do anything for anyone.

So here is my challenge to you, which I am going to do as well. Be truthful and you'll be surprised at how many blessings you have everyday. Get yourself a little notebook. I want you to write down every blessing you come across or see for thirty days. Big ones, small ones, anything. Something you view as a blessing. I want you to see how much beauty is in God's land. I want you to see how much you truly have within you and around you. This is an adventure for all of us. I cannot wait to share my Thirty Days of Blessings with you!

God Bless and Keep Smilin'

Stephanie

Awesome day!!!

For the last few weeks, my husband has been practicing with the worship team at our church. He plays guitar and is amazing at it! He definitely has a gift. That gift was shared with out entire congregation today! Today was his debut with the worship team during service today!!!!

I am so, so, so proud of my amazing husband! God is so good!

God Bless and Keep Smilin!

Stephanie

Thank you Jesus!!

Ever have something that you have prayed and prayed and prayed for? Ever have that moment in time when you think, what am I doing wrong?

There's times in our life when God has three ways to answer prayers; Yes, No, or I have something better planned for you! When you pray, do you think about it ahead of time? Or do you pray from your heart?

When I first began to pray, it was so repetitious. I would pray the same exact thing every night. After thinking about it, what sense did that make? I have learned to lay exactly what is on my heart, regardless of what it is, on our Lord. He knows what you need, want, think about, worry about, and what he needs for you. Why try to make it all formal?

There has been a lot weighing on my heart lately. I don't like to burden people with my "problems" so I just carried on day to day. Well, that doesn't work. I began to pray with everything inside me, everything that was on my heart. And you know what happened?

God answered my prayers!!!! He's working through me to make things happen. He knows where I need to be, when I need to be there, and exactly how to make all that happen! God is so so so good! I cannot believe I am sitting here, writing this, with tears of happiness in my eyes. This has been a rough road. The fact of the matter is, I didn't give up. I didn't give up hope (as much as I wanted to), I didn't give up praying, I didn't give up on God because I know He will NEVER give up on me.

What you want today, may not be what you need. What you want today, God may not have the same view. But if it is something that is on your heart, day in and day out, there's a reason it's there. We struggle to get strength. We don't always get what we want, because that isn't what is best for us. God knows what we need and when we need it. Don't give up love, you're almost there.

Keep Smilin' and God Bless
Stephanie

Process of Elimination!

It's that time everyone! Time to clean out all the junk I've been holding onto for no specific reason!

That's right! SPRING CLEANING!!!! My poor garbage man :( In order to get me comfy, I need to declutter my house.

Here's my question to you..... How do you declutter and what do you do with all the stuff you no longer need?

Becoming a better wife, better momma, better friend, better me!

Have any of you had that moment where you have an almost "out of body" experience? You see yourself in a totally different way? Or hear something you've said or are currently saying, and think "Wow! Is that really me?"?

Over the last several months, I have had A LOT of those moments. I've realized a few things about myself that I really didn't like:
1. I always feel the need to control everything around me. Now this may be from needing to be self sufficient for a long time or fear of something not being done "right".
2. I get easily irritated. That's never a good quality.
3. I fall into gossip too easily. By that I mean, I will sometimes go along with people, add my two sense about it, and then later realize that it was a bonehead move on my part.
4. I put up walls. I'm afraid of being hurt. That's in all honesty.
5. I take on too many projects at once.
6. I'm scatter brained and need a schedule.

Ok, so now that I've laid most of them out there, this holds me accountable to make some changes. I'm not saying I'm a bad person, I'm saying I need to straighten myself out a bit. No one is perfect, no one but Jesus.

I know some people would say, "Why change?" My answer to that, I want to be the best I can be for my husband and son. I want to be the me I know God created me to be. I know I can do it! I am currently reading "The Surrender Wife" by Laura Doyle. This has really shown me how controlling I can be and don't want to be.

I am my husbands helpmeet, not an instructor. I am a mother, not a drill sergeant. I am a friend, not a dumping ground for everything everyone's "heard". Today is my day of change!

Good Bless and Keep Smilin'

Stephanie ><>

**i do not own pictures in this blog post**