I read this today by Ann Voskamp and had to share…a quick read and it was so good! From A Holy Experience.
Enjoy!
Marisa
So the 13 Things is under way!
1. I have my new journal and cool pen.
2. I have been keeping my journal of One Thousand Gifts. I did this last year and wanted to keep going, it was such an eye opening experience. Here you can print a year’s worth of Joy Dare prompts given by Ann Voskamp (see link at bottom of her webpage).
3. Do What You Can by Holley Gerth is on my book list for the year.
4. I am giving myself some time by taking a weekly yoga class, will see how it goes. It’s a mommy and me class for Axel and I…not sure how it will work as he rolls across the room but I am up for trying it.
5. Refreshing my soul as I take part in Beth Moore’s Siesta Scripture Memory Team. Every two weeks you pick a scripture you are going to memorize…so two each month. I tried this two years ago but fizzled out about 4 months in…this year I am determined to finish! It was such a neat experience in the months that I did do it. I read this today by Ann Voskamp and it made me realize I really want to do this. She says, “What you really know by heart is what your heart really knows — and what you really live.
AND
“When I didn’t know which way to turn — turning those pages turned me. The whole year — I learned by heart the heart of God — and He calmed my fearful heart.”
AND
And then there’s Jesus: Christ’s weapon against Satan in the desert was memorized Scripture. And if you aren’t memorizing Scripture — what IS your weapon against Satan?
6. My walking through something fearful is running a half marathon. I am in the process of training for it, yes it’s hard, yes I can talk myself out of running in 2 seconds flat but I choose to be challenged and fight through the fear!
7. I love the uncrossing of the arms. The twins have become pros at crossing their arms and saying in their sweet little voices, “Momma I so mad!” So just reading number 7 makes me smile plus I know hugging more means being less critical and showing more grace and love!
I still have to work on 8, 9, 11, 12 and 13…
10. A changed heart can lead a changed life brings me to my WORD for the year. It is GRACE. Showing GRACE to others, giving GRACE to myself as I go through the day, being thankful for GRACE that others show to my kids, my husband and myself. Grace in it’s most simplistic form…GRACE = a gift, a favor, the ultimate gift from HIM.
In the Websters Dictionary…
disposition to or an act or instance of kindness, courtesy, or clemency
AND
the quality or state of being considerate or thoughtful
Psalm 84:11
For the Lord God is our sun and our shield.
He gives us grace and glory.
Blessings to you today!
Marisa
Mommy Books and Quiet Time
When we took our kid-free getaway a few weeks ago I found two books that I use almost daily now. 60 Promises to Pray Over Your Children by Roy Lessin and 52 Things Kids Need From a Mom by Angela Thomas. They are truly amazing books and have taught me many things about being a mom.
60 Promises to Pray Over Your Children is a devotional full of prayers. They are the best prayers I have ever read to say over your children. The author writes clearly and to the point. Each day there is a scripture reading and a prayer for your children. My favorite so far is Shield of Protection. The author uses Psalm 3:3-5 and part of the prayer is:
“May Your encouragement be with them, Your hope be in them, and Your grace be upon them. If they are burdened, lighten their load; if they are troubled, calm their storm; if they are discouraged, lift their spirits; if they are unsure, strengthen their faith; if they are weary, renew their strength;….”
I really love this book and plan on using it for many years to come!
52 Things Kids Need From a Mom has given me so many ideas of things I can do to show my kids I love them, accept them and . Just this week my favorite tips were:
My favorite part of this book so far is from the introduction when the author writes:
“Our children need on person on this earth who will love them fiercely, no matter what this life holds. That task has been assigned to you and me. So let us learn to love…”
This book is one of my favorites and I recommend it to every mom out there!
I use the books above and the books I discuss below, along with my bible, during my quiet time that I try to get in each day. During my quiet time I like to read a few devotionals and focus on a scripture reading. Currently the scripture reading is from an Easter Devotional, Trail to the Tree, I am reading from Ann Voskamp. Another devotional I use is Power of a Praying Wife Book of Prayers by Stormie Omartian. The devotional has prayers in it that cover every topic imaginable that you can pray for your husband, His Fatherhood, His Work, His Temptations, His Relationships, His Past and many more! Two of my favorite parts are:
“I leave any changing that needs to be done in Your hands, fully accepting that neither of us is perfect and never will be.”
Also…
“Make us a team, not pursuing separate, competitive, or independent lives, but working together, overlooking each other’s faults and weaknesses for the greater good of the marriage.”
I enjoy my quiet time each day, I look forward to it and it sure helps keep me grounded during the day. On a good day I get it done before the house wakes up and feel like I start the day in step with the Lord. On a crazy day I get it done at nap time or bedtime. On a out of sync day I don’t get it done at all and miss it terribly. Whatever time it gets done is great but I really do prefer the morning time best.
What I use during quiet time…
Blessings!
Marisa
What a beautiful day! The sun is out and the birds are chirping. One of the trees in our backyard has bloomed and it is so beautiful! Vivian painted a little bird feeder last week and it has been hanging on the tree. We have not seen any birds feeding from it yet…hopefully we do. I am thinking maybe the bright colors are not that inviting, but we will keep looking and maybe one day we will catch a bird or two.
See the little orange thing hanging from the tree? That is the bird feeder!
She is so proud of her little bird feeder!
The wonderful day and the beautiful tree I shall add to my thankful list.
Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. Colossians 4:2 NIV
The thankful list I keep is part of the Joy Dare that Ann Voskamp has going at A Holy Experience blog. The list is based on her book One Thousand Gifts. She explains it perfectly on her blog as this:
This crazy Joy Dare to do it all over again because I need it, to make this the habit before all the other habits — the joy habit — and count a full 1000 gifts in 2012. He deserves all my thanks and it’s impossible to give thanks and simultaneously feel fear. Woman with the soul amnesia — she keeps remembering and needing to remember again.
Just three gifts a day.
The whole earth is full of His glory.
By the end of the year if I write down three things per day that I am thankful for I should have 1000! It really has opened my eyes and drawn me closer to Him. On days when things are wonderful it is so easy to write down words on the lines. On days when the day goes horribly and I want a “do over” it is hard to write down those words but it challenges me to see the gifts even in the muck. I am enjoying the dare and look forward to taking the moments to show thanks to God for all he blesses us with.
Each month Ann shares a Joy Dare sheet which I have shown here behind my 1000 gifts notebook.
Off to the park it is too nice to stay inside!
Blessings!
Marisa
Hi All!
Just wanted to post a quick note to share some amazing books I am reading and blogs I am following…
Books that I am currently reading:
One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp
Jesus Calling by Sarah Young
Take My Heart, Oh God by Livingstone Corporation (it’s a compilation of authors)
Image by anat_tikker
Books that I have recently read and loved:
Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers
The Help by Kathryn Stockett
Crazy Sexy Diet by Kris Carr
Made to Crave by Lysa TerKeurst
90 Minutes in Heaven by Don Piper
American Wife: A Novel by Curtis Sittenfeld
Prayers and Promises for Supernatural Childbirth by Jackie Mize
Books that I have not finished and keep coming back to:
Cast of Characters by Max Lucado
A Lineage of Grace by Francine Rivers
Loving Our Kids on Purpose by Danny Silk
Great Blogs:
A Holy Experience
Enjoying the Small Things
Veggie Converter
100 Days of Real Food
Living Proof Ministries
Lysa TerKeurst
Oopsey Daisy
Super Healthy Kids
I just learned how to do links so I linked up the books and blogs I am currently reading. Hopefully they all work for you! I am so very new at this blogging but wanted to share the info so you could enjoy too!
Have a Blessed Day!
Marisa
