Counting My Blessings

So my theme for these past couple of months has been...Joy.  I am earnestly trying to make the choice every day, minute by minute, to be joyful.  Can I tell you, it is harder than it seems to always choose joy but it is so worth it!  I have a great husband, precious children, and I am blessed to be able to be home with them and watch them grow, but as you very well know, we are never HAPPY!  That is, unless we choose to be.  There is always a reason to complain, always an excuse to feel sorry for myself.  I can think of things, even just now, that I can complain about...for instance, the current state my kitchen is in!  (many dishes that need to be washed, and a stove that has been in use quite a bit lately)  I can always think of reasons to be sad, lonely, discontent, etc... BUT WHY?  I am not going to do that to myself or my family.  My family deserves a momma who is joyful and loving...and why shouldn't I be?  No matter how things may seem, they can always get worse.  When we have the right perspective, suddenly life is not too bad, actually, it is quite good.  I serve a God who has promised me an eternity with Him.  My life on earth will one day end, and that will only be the beginning of my eternity with Him.  So, no matter how gloomy a day may seem, there is hope and reason to rejoice. 
And today I am rejoicing for...
God's unending mercy
happy and healthy kids
a sweet and loving husband
a home with air conditioning in the summer and heat in the winter
a dishwasher
a washer and dryer
a car
phones and computers
FOOD!

nice neighbors

a great church

and the list could go on and on...

We are BLESSED!

So, enjoy today and the next time you find yourself tempted to complain, think of all the things that you could actually be grateful for.  I bet THAT list would be much longer! 

1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

These Sweet Moments

Alegra is nearing 9 months.  I cannot believe how quickly the time has gone by and now I am here thinking about where and how we might celebrate her first birthday.  Amazing!  But after experiencing this rapid rate of growth and maturity watching my oldest grow up to a young boy, I am much more appreciative of the whiny and needy days.  I am more patient when she is teething and fussy, or not napping well or just wants to be held.  I stare at her more than I did with Matthew when I am rocking her.  I enjoy watching her discover a new toy and explore the tastes of everything that I allow her to play with.  Time just breezes by and will not pause for a second when we think it should.  Troubled times, sickness, "busyness"; none of it matters much to time...it just keeps streaming by.  And so I try to really savor each moment that God gives me with my children. 

Enjoying each moment with my children is something I sometimes have to work at.  There are days when I would rather complain that I am tired and don't feel like being "mommy" today.  But those moments quickly pass when I remember that one day I will look back and realize that these are some of the best years I will experience with my kids.  They still want to cuddle and kiss, they are learning rapidly day by day and I get to teach them and spend the time with them and thoroughly be available to discover new things.  This time is a gift and I should take advantage of these moments.  Don't get me wrong, I enjoy a break as much as the next person, but after refuelling (which usually includes a prayer time) I am typically ready to continue our adventures. 

Psalm 127:3 says "Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from Him". 

How easy it is to forget this when we are tired and perhaps dealing with a fussy child all day.  It is so easy to become frustrated and "fussy" ourselves.  That is when I usually ask myself, "what good will come of me being fussy?  Will that change my child's attitude for the better?"  No!  It will only make his or her attitude worse.  I find that recharging, praying, and thanking God for these children will change my attitude, help me to get a little more creative, and ultimately manage to find a way to get through to my fussy babe.  And then, a smile, a giggle, and we are at peace once more. 

Enjoy today, we will never get today back again  :)

Peace and Joy,
Jenna

Growing and Stretching

I am learning every day.  I am definitely in a phase of life that is much about growing, learning, and...sssstttrrrretchiinng.  Some things, I am re-learning.  Such as, this morning, I came across a blog post that discussed "hurrying" through the day.  Perhaps not taking time to attend to the important, but sometimes, overlooked things.  Like little hugs and kisses on tiny faces and hands.  Or taking a minute to just lay next to my growing little boy at bedtime and remind him that he is so important to me.  I have definitely been there this past week and a half.  I have been "hurrying" through the day to check things off my list.  My husband has been traveling and it has left me busy and rushed.  I have though, stopped to notice that I have a much more pleasant attitude than I have during my husband's past travels.  I usually end up frustrated and exhausted and a bit whiny...just a bit.  :)  But this past week and a half is different.  Tiring? Yes.  Busy? Yes.  But I have remained pleasant and have taken some time to really appreciate being home with my children.  It is hard when my husband goes away for work, but I am grateful that I get to be home with my babies and watch them grow everyday.  

My point is, that even when I am noticing that God is helping become a better me, a more pleasant me, a less selfish me, I also still see where I can continue growing and He continues to stretch me. Sure, it's a little painful and I have a long way to go, but finally, I am noticing change.  I have needed some real change within me for a long time.  And with prayer, over and over, and knowing what it is that God expects from me, I will continue to grow and change into a much better me.  

Now off to make lunch for a hungry baby girl!

Slow-Cooker Turkey Chili

This is one of my family favorites!  Of course, living in Texas in the middle of August is not the absolute best time to indulge in a steaming bowl of chili.  It is 150 degrees outside for goodness sake!  But, we do love it, and so I will make it maybe once a month during the summer.  I like to top it with shredded cheese and serve it with cornbread.  It is super simple to make and is ready within 3-4 hours, depending on your slow cooker. 

Slow-Cooker Turkey Chili

1 lb lean ground turkey
1/4 cup diced onion
1 can low-sodium tomato soup
1 can petite diced tomatoes
1/4 cup water
1/2 tsp garlic
1/4 tsp chili powder
dash of pepper
3 cans beans (we use pinto, black beans, and cannelini beans)

Brown the turkey in a skillet with the onion.  (I usually do this the night before I prepare it)  Place turkey in bottom of slow cooker.  Add the rest of the ingredients in the order above.  No need to stir.  Cover and place slow cooker on high setting for 3-4 hours.  (I use a 6 quart slow-cooker) Serve and top with sour cream and cheese if you like.  Cornbread or biscuits make a great side item!  Yummy!  Enjoy!

Getting Ready

Well, we are just about ready to welcome "baby girl" to our home.  She now has clothes, diapers, blankets, and most of the other baby necessities.  I am 34 weeks pregnant today and much more prepared than I was three and a half years ago when my son was born.  He was born premature at 36 weeks and we were nowhere near being prepared, physically AND mentally!  It was quite a surprise.  Sooooo....this time, we are not taking any chances.  Clothes are ready to be dumped into a suitcase, and all the baby essentials are washed and

ready!  Of course I don't hope that she is born at 36 weeks, although my son was completely healthy.  I want her to come when she is healthy and strong enough to join this world. 

I have also been preparing mentally.  I started reading a book by one of my favorite bloggers, Sally Clarkson.  You can find her at Itakejoy.com.  She is a wise, wise woman!  So, I am halfway through her book, The Mission of Motherhood and I absolutely love it.  And certainly, the role of "mother" can indeed be a mission for Christ if we choose to live out God's design for families.  I only wish I had come across this book before my first child was born.  Things would have made more sense much quicker and I would have understood my new role as mother much better.  I have learned so much from Sally.  I encourage you to visit her blog or read one of her many books. 

That is it for now.  Have a Blessed day!

Two New Books!

I am very excited about 2 new books that I received today.  The author is someone who's blog I have been reading for the past year, at least, and has been such an influential and inspiring person to me.  Sally Clarkson, from I Take Joy has written several books on motherhood, homeschooling, and parenting.  Check out her blog here!  I hope you will love her and find her to be just as inspirational as I have. 

So, today I start reading, The Mission of Motherhood- Touching Your Child's Heart for Eternity.  Yeah!  So excited!  I will actually be participating in an online book club and linking up with Like a Warm Cup of Coffee blog.  You can join and find out about this book club here.  I will keep you posted and let you know how great this book is!  I am confident it will be!  The other book is The Ministry of Motherhood- Following Christ's Example in Reaching the Hearts of Our Children. I am so looking forward to reading them both.  After all, isn't reaching the hearts of our children one of the most important things we can do as mothers? 

Have a wonderful and blessed day!

Darn, I Failed Today

I have had better days.  Today just did not start out right.  It is now 1:10 pm and my hair is still wet from a late shower and my makeup is not on, I have 2 loads of laundry on my bed, one in the washer, and one in the dryer. This pregnancy and these contractions have REALLY slowed me down.  It is hard to manuever and I am uncomfortable most of the time.  Do you see what I mean?  I am having one of those days...a pity party.  I know that my 3 year old son, who happens to be very bright, has caught on to my mood and I'm sure my snippy attitude has not gone unnoticed.  He started to cry late this morning.  It broke my heart because I knew exactly why.  He could not understand who this woman in his house was.  I proceeded to ask him what was wrong, and he just cried out..."I...love...you".  It brought me to tears as well.  I hugged him and told him how sorry I was for being impatient and short and thanked him for loving me.  It was eye-opening for me and quite shameful. 
This is not who God has called me to be and I knew I had failed.  My attitude just stunk and it all started because I thought that my husband's business travels were going to keep him away for one extra day than I expected.  "How would I manage to get anything done at this pace, and what about poor Matthew (my son) who is probably tired of his mother not being able to bend, stand for too long, play on the floor, etc...?"  I just wanted to be weak and get angry at God and my husband for having me in a predicament that I thought was too much to bare.  I repented.  I am sorry Lord for having a pity party and not being strong.  Things could be so much worse.  Truly, things could be so much worse! 
I have been studying Proverbs 31 for a few years now and continually pray that God would help me to be more like the Proverbs31 woman.  She is energetic and strong, a hard worker.  She is gentle and kind.  She probably would have been more supportive of her husband when he announced that he would be away on business longer than he thought.  She would have understood that, he too, must be tired.  There have been times when I feel as if I have truly made progress and then, there are days like today.  I was faced with a choice to choose joy and remain strong, but out of anger and frustration, I chose to throw away all the knowledge I had gained about being a mother and wife and failed and now feel terrible for allowing my son to see my impatience and frustration.  I am so thankful that God is a forgiving God and gives us so many chances.  He is still working on my heart, and most certainly, always will be. 
My son's tears melted away the bitterness that set up camp around my heart this morning.  Thank you Lord, for such a treasure.  Thank you Lord for your grace.  Mothers are so blessed to have these loving little angels to remind us how much God loves us and how much we should strive to be the mothers that He has called us to be. 
Please stop by "A wise woman builds her home" today and read June's latest post on Female Piety.
Click  here.  She always has some great wisdom to share! 
Have a GREAT rest of the day!