Happy Thursday, friends! It's one of my favorite days to post and I hope you'll join in with us this week!
I'm thankful for weeks with long weekends at the end. I know my sons enjoyed the time off and I was happy to see them out and having a great time with their friends. Speaking of friends, my oldest son has started seeing someone! We were at the table together the other night, just the two of us, and I asked if he could see a future with this girl. It's still very new and I am certainly not suggesting they speed it up, but I was just curious about what he would say if I asked him this. His answer was what I'd hoped: that he wouldn't just date someone just for the sake of dating them with no end goal in mind. He's my serious minded son and I am so happy for him and for her and that they found each other. They're adorable and she is quiet for now as she's getting to know all of us. We're a lot. 🤣
I'm thankful for time away, but I am also thankful to be able to come home. I miss everyone when I'm gone and I think they miss me as well, because I am the early riser in the house and take care of all those early morning things they argue over when I leave. I love being at home to make dinner and to pack lunches, to welcome them when they come home from work, to keep the house picked up. It's not that they don't do those things, but I am the homemaker in the family and I really do love doing those things for them. Creating a home is a gift and I often pray that they feel like it's a safe place of refuge for them to welcome them home from a long day, not that I always succeed at this and feel this exact way. (Yesterday was one such moment. Jonah and Noah were arguing and it felt tense in the house.)
Even though I talked about dreading going to the dentist yesterday, I'm also extremely grateful to be able to go for visits. Many people never get the opportunity to do this and I don's say that lightly.
I am always thankful for reminders like this! One of the pastors at our church preached a sermon a few weeks ago that I am still thinking about, especially one thing in particular that he said. It was that out of all the voices we hear in our lives and in the world around us, make sure the loudest voice is the one that is either God's word or one that points to Him. I just keep rolling that around and around in my mind as I think about my opinion and how little it matters. What does matter is standing up for the things that matter for His kingdom.
I am thankful to live in a country as free as ours. I never know how long our freedoms will last here in America, but I want to make sure and always thank God for the freedom that we have. I'm thankful for the brave men and women who have fought for these freedoms, but mostly I am thankful for the freedom that we have in Jesus. It's because of His love and the salvation that He offers that I am free from a life of sin and eternal separation from Him.
I'm thankful for the community here in the blogging world. I look forward to this part of my day so much—writing here, but reading what you wrote. My friend Jennifer said that yesterday on her blog, and I couldn't agree more or have said it any better myself. I just want to always say thank you for the love and comments you leave here. They're always appreciated and the Lord uses you to encourage me very often. I'm grateful!
It's your turn! What is one thing you're thankful for this week? I'd love to hear from you! We hope that you join us in linking up this week! As always, thanks for reading my blog and love to all.
Great list of items you're thankful for, Jennifer. That is exciting about your oldest son's relationship. I hope it flourishes. It's sometimes hard for me to balance encouragement/ advice to my kids with regards to their relationships with my own objectives (if I think they're the right one, that doesn't mean that they are and it's ultimately not my relationship). I like the message from your pastor. It's true and timely. Your blog certainly points to Christ and His importance to you. I'm thankful for so much time at home this summer. It has been a gift and a good one at that. Have a great day, friend!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Maria! I think it's exciting too, and I totally understand what you're saying about your own kids with relationships. I struggle in that as well and never want to say too much or act too excited about it, except for on my blog, which they never read. It's such a fine line of knowing to what to say and when to back away...and it's so different with sons than daughters, I am sure. All of parenting is one tricky thing after another, especially once they're adults. I never ever want to nag!
ReplyDeleteI know you have enjoyed your summer at home! I hope you've had a great week, my friend!
So happy for your son. To me, what he said about dating is just right. I wish everyone would date that way.
ReplyDeleteGlad you got the dentist over and I hope all is well on that front.
Take care and I hope you have a great day.
I'm thankful for our blog friendship too. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks, Cathy! It made me proud too. I know it's kind of rare to think that way these days, so I was glad to know he did. I hope you had a great day!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Tanya and SAME!
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