10 Self Care Ideas for Taking Care of You

I love being a mom. If you read my blog regularly, you know that I am a special needs mom on top of being a mom to eleven (yes they are ALL mine) amazing children. But one of the most important lessons I learned in being a mom and especially a caregiver is the importance of self care.

In the beginning of my journey, I didn't know the importance of this. (I talk about that in my new podcast Sunshiny Thoughts click here to listen) I would give and give and feel so guilty when I needed to take time for myself or when I felt overwhelmed. But a few years ago, a friend told me that I couldn't take care of the children, if I wasn't taking care of me. 

Now there are a lot of things you can do for self care. I have my favorites that help me destress and regroup so I can keep going.

These include: 

• Taking a time out - five or ten minutes to regroup and just breathe. 
• Going for a walk. Fresh air does amazing things to clear your head. 
• Drinking water - when I'm dehydrated I'm cranky. So I need to make sure that I am drinking enough water. 
• Reading a book - I love to read. I will often grab my kindle and sit and read. This helps me relax and be able to handle the day.
• Pray - This is my go to. As many of you know, I am a Christian. I believe firmly in the power of prayer. I believe that I can take my needs to the Lord as he wants to know what I am feeling. God knows my heart. He knows what I'm going through. Somehow when I pray I feel peace. 
• Listen to Music- I have my playlist of music. I love to listen to Casting Crowns, Tenth Avenue North, Hillsong United, Elevation Worship, etc when I am stressed. My favorite song right now is Chris Tomlin's Good Good Father. I know the Lord is good and I know that He is faithful!!
• Exercise - I'm not the greatest with this one. But it's definitely needed. Take a break and go for a walk. Nature is a wonderful treasure. 
• Talk to a friend - often we talk to little people as moms but we need to talk to our friends. Fellowship, reconnect, and sometimes even praying with a friend can reset your mood and your day.
• Take a bubble bath - This one is my favorite one as I love to get different kinds of bubble bath.
• Journal- I have a prayer journal that I write in when I'm upset, happy, lonely, etc. It helps me to get my thoughts on paper. When I do I feel a sense of release and peace. 

The important thing to do is take care of you!! In order for me to do this, I keep my things in order. I start my day off with my morning devotional, prayer, and then set my goals for the day. This helps me focus and have peace of mind. As you go through this journey, you'll learn what works for you. Make a note in your self care journal of what this could be.

Be Blessed!!

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Sunshiny Thoughts - Podcast Episode One Self Care

Hi everyone!! I am so excited to announce the launch of the Sunshiny Thoughts podcast. This podcast is designed to encourage, uplift, and inspire you in your journey of motherhood and your walk with the Lord.

This week my guest is Laura Beth Culbert who known on You Tube as Delusion Dispeller. Laura is a lifecoach, wife, mom, and loves cats. Join us as she shares about her own struggles with learning the importance of taking care of herself while learning to fully rely on the Lord.

I also have a free self care Journal worksheet for everyone who subscribes to the podcast simply subscribe and send an email to sunshinythought@gmail.com and I will send you the Journaling worksheet right away.

Thanks for your support!!

Have a Blessed Day!!

Review: Inspire Journaling Bible NLT

Bible journaling has become very popular over the last few years. Bible journaling is simply taking scripture and creativity and making the word come alive. To do it you need a pen, coloring pencils, markers, stamps, etc.
When I knew that I wanted to start Bible journaling, I started searching for a great Journaling Bible. You can find a variety of Journaling Bibles on the market from ones that have all lines and you can create your own lettering to ones like the Inspire Bible which have preprinted verses and journaling space.
My Inspire Bible was a gift for my 40th Birthday. I chose it because of the brilliant turquoise color and beautiful illustrations.  Since I was new to Bible Journaling, I wanted a Bible with examples of what to do. This Bible is perfect for that.
The Bible is full of great lettering, illustrations, and flowers. I also love how the pages of the Bible come together when closed to show beautiful flowers, leaves, and butterflies. Butterflies are one of my favorite things because of my daughter.
The text is easy to read and has headings that make each passage stand out.

I love the example found here with Proverbs 18:10 NLT The name of the Lord is a strong fortress; the godly run to him and are safe. 

The lettering in this illustration is bold and key words stand out. Also the fortress at the bottom is a great reminder of the part of the verse that is key. That is that we can run to the Lord and he will keep us safe.

The second example is the lines of the Bible has to offer. I use these for writing sermon notes instead of journaling. I love this idea because I will go back over it later and remember what my pastor has preached.
I also love how each book of the Bible opens with beautiful illustrations. This Bible is in the NLT translation. This translation is easy to read and understand.
I highly recommend this Bible for anyone who wants to start Bible journaling. It will not only give you ideas on how to journal in your Bible but it will also give you the space to be creative yourself.

I grabbed my Bible on Amazon but it can be found at any Christian retailer. 

I hope you have enjoyed this review. Leave me a comment on what your favorite journaling Bible is. 

Hurricane Irma

Like most of you, I've been glued to my television screen watching the vivid images of Hurricane Harvey. Now we are on watch as we watch our family and friends brace for Hurricane Irma. My Facebook has been flooded with hurricane tips, tips on charging your phone in a storm, and where to store the things you love the most.

But as I sit and watch the panic and everyone concerned for their loved ones, we are missing one thing. Prayer.
Now I'm not saying that if we all sit and pray that this hurricane will go away. I agree you still need to be proactive and get to safety. But one thing I do know is their is power in prayer.
Today as I was praying about the fires, flood, hurricanes. I was drawn to Psalms 91. It has been a Psalm that I have read when I am scared, worried, and wondering Lord what is going on.
Psalms 91 reads, " Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find REST in the shadow of the Almighty. This I declare about the Lord, He alone is my REFUGE, my place of safety. he is my God, and I trust him. For he will rescue you from every trap and protect you from deadly disease. He will cover you with his feathers. He will shelter you with his wings. His faithful promises are your armor and protection.

I love these few verses. But I love all of Psalms 91. It is a reminder that because I am a believer in Jesus that I can find REST in HIM. I can trust that HE has my best interest at heart. We can find rest in the Lord in the storm. We can know that He will watch over us.  The important thing is not to panic but pray. Pray for our loved ones in harms way, pray for the responders who are ready to help those in need, pray that the winds die down and Irma shifts back into the ocean where it  belongs.

My heart broke when I saw the images from Hurricane Harvey in Texas. I have always loved Texas. When we lived in Oklahoma we traveled to Dallas often. The people of Texas are strong people. Their love for their state is one of a kind.
The people of Florida have dealt with storms before. They say this storm is stronger. But I know my God is bigger than any storm. I also believe in the power of prayer to pray this storm back out to sea. I believe the Lord calms the winds and waves.
Join me in praying for the people of Puerto Rico, the people of Florida, and for this hurricane to get weaker and lose strength.
Father, we come to you in the name of Jesus. Father you see Hurricane Irma about to strike Puerto Rico and Florida. Father I thank you that you calm the storms of life and that you can cause this hurricane to break apart. Father thank you for this storm breaking and the winds dying down. Father thank you for minimal damage and for lives being saved. Father thank you for how you are at work even in the middle of the recovery of Hurricane Harvey. Father I pray for the people of Texas and all they are going through specifically the Houston area. Father I pray for the fires in California, Oregon, Montana, and Colorado to die down. Father I pray for rain to fall in those areas. I pray for strength for the fire fighters. Father thank you for the job they do every day to keep us safe. Father thank you for what you are doing even in the middle of these disasters. Father thank you for bringing peace to our storms and providing for all our needs. Bring peace to these areas and calm. I pray these things in Jesus Name, Amen.

Thank you for joining me in prayer today. I will be posting Hurricane tips of Familysource.net Facebook page.

Be Blessed!!

Emotional Affairs - Guarding Your Heart Part 2

Welcome back everyone!! Thank you for your positive response to my article this week on Emotional affairs. Today we begin part 2 of this series.
Guarding your heart is easy when you know what you are guarding it against. You can shield your eyes from pornography, from negative thinking, from television shows that will influence your life in a different way.
I never thought I would need to guard my heart from a simple email. To me it was harmless, two old friends who shared a connection at one point in time catching up. After all it's always good to catch up with old friends. But when the enemy picks things to test you - he uses the very things that he knows will hurt you the most.
I was comfortable in my walk with the Lord. I was doing well in school.
I love to watch Hallmark Channel movies. In fact, most times when I am bored you will find me watching Hallmark movie. Often you see people reunited with their long lost love. You think it can't happen like that - after all it is the movies.

Emotional affairs happen slowly. When we had dated we were friends first.  I'll never forget the first time I met Lucas. It was in church. He was standing downstairs after teaching children's church. He was tall, handsome, and loved the Lord. We found out that we had a lot in common once we started talking.  On my checklist, he met almost every requirement for who I wanted in a husband. It was part of my checklist for dating.  My cousin had introduced us. She felt we would be a great match.

Things were great for a long time but slowly things between us started to unravel. So when we reconnected, we caught up over old times. I remembered things from my past that I had buried deep. Good memories, bible verses that I had loved, etc. Lucas brought back a part of me that I hadn't seen in years. I had missed teaching which I had done when I dated Lucas. I had missed going to the beach, etc. Lucas brought back happy memories.

Because of all the medical stuff we had been through, I quit laughing. I didn't smile a lot because I hated my smile (I had a broken front tooth) and I was really broken. Have you been there? Have you been broken?
I was watching my sweet baby daughter have to go through tests. Getting comments from people of well you wouldn't be going through this if you didn't have so many kids. (Thanks for telling me something that I didn't already know) I also got comments about how selfish I must be. But I wasn't selfish and these people didn't know my story.

People haven't dealt with things that they need to. Instead we bury them. I was accustomed to burying things.
Lucas listened to me and we didn't talk every day. It was an occasional, "Hey just checking in. Hope your day is going well." Then a Bible verse here and there. Sometimes it was a picture of something that we knew we both loved. But it wasn't I love you and you're amazing. It was a slow build up.
Lucas was encouraging when I needed it the most. Truthfully, some days those texts were what I needed to keep going.
I got weary, got tired, and I was asking the Lord why. My husband and I grew further apart but in distance and emotion. Tensions rose high between us as he hated the job that he was working. He would come home and nothing would make him happy. I was frustrated because he wouldn't take time to listen to me and would just zone out. But to outsiders, we had the perfect marriage. Even I thought so. To our children, they wondered when we would be that loving couple that had existed before.
It seemed like in those moments when I was at my weakest Lucas would text me. He would remind me to keep going. He'd remind me how much I loved my children.
As I said in yesterday's blog post, I am not writing this story because I am proud of my journey. I am writing to help spare another person who reads it from pain. I am also writing it to help you all understand that God takes a story meant for disaster and uses it for good.
I love Romans 8:28, it is one of my go to verses. It reads, " And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.
Lucas and I started talking more frequently.  I learned that his mom was fighting cancer again. It broke my heart to hear that she was going through this storm. Cancer had touched my own life personally as I watched my mother in law battle cancer.  I wanted him to know that I was praying for him and for his family.
I knew that God could heal her. I knew God could touch her body. I knew he would need someone to be there for him. I also knew his fiancee wasn't being supportive. Similar to my situation. So I encouraged him. I reminded him of who he was because of Jesus, etc. Seems harmless right?
It wasn't. It fact, it was harmful.
It hurt my integrity, my character, my marriage, and my relationship with my children.
I won't get into the rest of my story in this post but I do want to talk about how you heal from an emotional affair.

So how do you heal from an emotional affair?

1. You need to set boundaries. Don't cross lines that shouldn't be crossed.
2. Pray and seek wise counsel. The best thing about getting past all that happened was I made the decision to ask wiser people to help me in my pain. I got a great mentor, surrounded myself with wonderful supportive friends, and prayed through it.
3. Change your phone number, block the person on Facebook, and don't open yourself to these kinds of ways. Cut off all contact.
4. Pray for healing. If you've had an emotional affair know you aren't alone. Their is healing found in Jesus. Pray for the Lord to heal your heart and those pieces of you that the enemy used to try to break you. That healing won't come over night but slowly it will come.
5. Do things that you love. Spend time with your family, friends, and get back to being you.
6. Know that no matter what Jesus loves you. He died on the cross and rose again to give you eternal life. Ask for forgiveness and he will freely give it to you. There is freedom in Jesus.
7. Love your family. They were given to you for a reason.

I hope this series has helped you and that the Lord speaks to your life. If you have had emotional affair know that Jesus loves you and their is healing through him. He will heal the broken places of your life and restore your life. You can do all things through Christ who strengthens you. (Phil. 4:13)

Emotional Affairs - Guard Your Heart Part 1

The Bible tells us in Proverbs 4:23 to "Guard Your Heart above all else for it determines the course of your life." I knew about guarding my heart against the things of the world but I didn't know that the enemy would use a important person in my life to cause me to let my guard down. 

In 2012, I was attending Bible college at Grand Canyon University. Our family also was going through really difficult storms. My youngest daughter Felicity was born and she wasn't growing. She was in the hospital and going down the same path that I had seen Jackson and Brighton go down. My heart was breaking. My husband was working long hours, discontent, and hurting. But in the same aspect I was also happy in my professional life.  I was accomplishing a dream that I had had since I was a teenager. I always wanted to go to Bible college. 

As a teenager that dream got derailed when I left home because I met a guy and focused on that instead of what God had called me to do. Looking back, I understand why. I wasn't ready for college at 18 years of age. I still had a lot of growing up to do.
When God opened the door for me to go to Bible college I was overjoyed. I remember sitting in Grand Canyon University arena listening to Third Day and deciding to take the step. "I'm just going to see if it's possible." I didn't think it would be but knew if it was the Lord would open doors for me. 

He opened those doors WIDE. I started classes at GCU and was so excited. Here I was a mom of ten children, managing a house, medical day to day things, and going to college. Did I think I was Super woman? No I knew that I wanted to be somebody, to make a difference in the world for Jesus. I wanted to be a light in the darkness and make people smile. 

One day when going through my email, my long time mentor and friend emailed me a picture of Jesus, I wrote her back. In my email, I thanked her for sending it to me. I also shared with her my successes. I wrote her about my children and how I had taken the steps to go to college. I wanted her to know this because she had always wanted me to go to school. This woman was a huge influence in my life both in my family and in my relationship with the Lord. I told her how I had made the Dean's List. I told her that I was surprised as I didn't think I had what it took to go to college. But through God's grace and strength I can do this. I thanked her for her prayers because she was always praying for me and my family.  

I didn't know that that email would lead to a new adventure. I didn't know that that email would open my heart to things that I didn't ever think I could be susceptible to. But sadly, it did.

I am not proud of what I am going to write in these next few paragraphs and pages. But it is my story and I am thankful that God can take and use the broken pieces of our life and use them for his good. 

I was sitting upstairs in my bedroom working on schoolwork. I was studying for a test or reading a textbook when I got an email. The email was from her son. At first, I thought the email was spam. I was going to hit delete. But after one email came then came another. I remember I called my best friend and asked her what to do. This person from my past was emailing me. I didn't think I would ever hear from them especially how we had left things. I had dated her son in 1995. 

I remember that day that I said good bye to him. My cousin was getting married and moving to Illinois. I was left at her house to pack up and get things ready.  I needed advice. So my neighbor who I was living with called him and asked him to come over. She secretly wanted us to get back together. Lucas pulled in the driveway. I was hesitant to see him. We had a lot of damaged feelings between us. I had been seeing someone else, he was hurt, but yet he still came to help me through a decision. He sat on one side of the room and I sat on the other. We talked for a small amount of time. And then that was the last time that I saw him.

As I sat at the computer staring at this email, I didn't know what to say. I was at a place in my life where I was happy. I didn't think anything could derail me. But it did.

Shawnee, I just wanted to say Hi. I'm hoping we can and will talk soon (as friends) I hope all is well with you. God bless you. Lucas

So odd, so out of the blue. But it didn't see harmful. It seemed like a harmless email.  He continued to send me messages and tell me about his dog and said he didn't put a subject in the first message as he wasn't sure if I would just delete it not knowing who it is. It's just me. Hope to hear from you soon.

We talked for a bit back and forth. I shared about my children, going to school, I asked how his family was. Lucas had always wanted a family so I figured by now he would have at least 3 kids, a beautiful house, and the life that he had dreamed of. But he didn't.  

Congrats on going to college and doing so well. Who would have thought you could do so much and so well? ME! I always believed in you! I knew you could accomplish anything you set your mind to. I'm very proud of you. He went on to tell me about how he had graduated since we were dating when he was in college. He told me about how he planned on going into ministry but that the details hadn't been revealed to him yet. Trusting in God is the only way. I'll let you know more when I know.

I encouraged him. Reminding him of great verses in the Bible that I held to during difficult times. The very verses that I had learned in church and at the church that he and I attended together.  

In my mind it was innocent, two old friends catching up. I even let my husband read the messages. He wasn't okay with it because he never trusted Lucas. But he let me do what I felt that needed to do. Over time Lucas and I would talk. One day when we talked, he rocked my whole world. 

You see I was okay with how things had ended up between us because I knew that I wasn't good enough for him. I knew that I wasn't what God had for him. But when he told me a different story. I was broken. I remember the day he had told me what had happened and how people had made him believe things that weren't even remotely true to change his view of me. I was shocked. 

When you get unsettling news and it hits you, that's how I felt that day. How could these very people who I trusted and loved - told him that I had done these things. Things that I hadn't done or would have thought of doing. I was committed to loving him, I was supposed to be his wife someday. But it didn't matter - I was in a happy place or so I thought. 

I told Lucas that I was praying for him and that it was good to catch up. I told him that I was praying for him and believing for God's best for his life. I told that to all my friends because it was true. I had prayed for God's best for him and his family like the Lord said to do since the day we said good bye. But I had let my heart unguarded and my unguarded heart would lead me in a direction that was permissive. Thankfully the Lord would carry me every step of the way. 

Have you left your heart unguarded? Open to the things of the World and not the things of God? Have you left yourself open to things that you never thought you would? The great thing is we have freedom in Jesus. The Lord loves to heal the broken places of our life. If you need healing in your broken, unguarded places, cry out to Jesus today. 

Be Blessed!! 

*The names in this story have been changed to protect those involved.

Back to School Tips for Homeschool Moms

Good morning!!
I cannot believe in looking at my calendar today that August is ready to come to a close. For some moms they dread the idea of getting back in the groove for school. Others have taken the time, planned all summer and are ready to jump right back in.

I fit into the half way category of these two moms. I love the idea of teaching my three year old son at home but miss the fun of summer.

We started back to school last week. I took some tips from Christian Homeschool author Heidi St. John and kept the first week light and fun. Last week, we learned colors, lots of fun songs, and creative play.  I started to see how he learns and what he really enjoys. I also really payed attention to things that could frustrate him and things that he'd rather do instead.
Tip 1: Know what your child loves and use it in your learning.
My son loves anything trains and cars. So I used this to my advantage.
First I had him sort the trains and letters by color. He loved doing this. This activity was simple. First I bought a puzzle at the Dollar Tree. It has simple ABC's.

Using this puzzle, I can teach both colors and ABC's at the same time. I gathered three plastic containers from my kitchen. Then I asked him to put the objects in the box for that color. He loved this activity. We did this about four times. Then I added in his trains. He was able to find which train went in which container.
Then we carried this activity over to his Thomas the Train playset. He loves to zoom the trains down the track. As we did this, I asked him what the name of the train was and what color it was. The point was to make learning fun. He didn't even know that he was learning because he thought that he was naming trains.
Later we transitioned to using the Blaze & the Monster Machines track to race Blaze and his friends. In doing this again, I pointed out the colors and shapes of the trucks and cars. He got really creative and decided to race his little cars on the track as well. This activity helped him learn more about shapes and colors. I also had a worksheet that went along with it but he was more interested in the hands on part than the worksheet.
Finally we finished up the day with music. He loves the Wheels on the Bus Song, Head and Shoulders, ABC song, and Old McDonald Had a Farm.
Learning is an adventure, make it a fun one. 
To me learning isn't just about books and sitting and writing lots of things.  When I homeschooled my older kids, I found some loved book work and some would rather learn by learning on site. Liam is very hands on in his learning. Liam loved to learn with legos, manipulatives, etc. He gets bored in a classroom. My daughter who is five years old, learns by doing. She learns by using her hands. So activities like playdough, bubbles, and shaving cream work for teaching her.
While my older son Dalton, learned by doing worksheets.
My second point, Don't stress. If your child can't understand something it's okay. You have all year to learn it. You can find a different way of teaching the topic or revisit it later. Remember you know your child best.
Thirdly, enjoy teaching your child. With my son, I have found books about trains and cars to teach him basic concepts instead of making him read books about things he has no interest in. I have also paid attention to what he wants to learn. Right now, he likes sticks, trees, and flowers. So for Science we went outside and did school outside. I had him take his toy car that he likes to ride and bring me the letters for the puzzle. Then I had him find sticks, point out leaves, talk about the parts of a flower, etc. It was such a fun learning adventure. He loved it so much he wanted to do it again the next day.
Fourth and most important, trust your instincts but more importantly Trust what the Lord is saying to you. God gave you your child for a reason. He knew you'd know what to do and you'd enjoy teaching them. Pray over your homeschool day. Ask the Lord to take control and be willing to if necessary - forget the lesson you planned.
When you made the decision to homeschool for whatever reason that you chose, He led you on the path you are on. Trust that and TRUST HIM. He will open doors where He wants you to learn.
If you have a bad day, it's okay. You have tomorrow. If your child is crying because he doesn't want to learn about Math because it frustrates him give him a break and teach it a different way. Homeschooling should be fun!! You are going to have moments when you want to pull your hair out. I had many!! It's not going to be picture perfect. Their are no picture perfect homeschool moms. I watched HGTV and saw the perfect homeschool room and thought that mom has it all together. But no one really does. Everyone has a struggle and a journey they are on. Embrace yours. Love your child, give them your very best, and make the adventure a fun one.
For more great tips on homeschooling visit author Heidi St. John at https://heidistjohn.com/

4 Steps to Contentment in the Middle of a Storm

Every day we are bombarded with messages by social media and every day we see how other people have things better than we do.  How many of you have felt this way? You wake up and open your social media app. You glance through your newsfeed, twitter feed, etc and you are hit with images of picture perfect life styles. People post photos of the perfect dinner, date night, perfect kids, and an overall perfect life.

But truth is things aren't always perfect. In fact, they are far from it. Real life isn't full of the perfect pictures of a dinner that turned out fabulous, a perfect wedding, or even perfect children. What you don't see in between are the moments that aren't so picture perfect.
Social media doesn't show us the temper tantrum moments, the burned dinners, the heartache. Social media doesn't show us the moments where people are struggling because we don't like to post those. Those are the heartache moments of life.
If you were to look at my social media you'd see happy times but you'd see struggles as well. Now you won't see screaming children or messy kitchens, but you will see more than a perfect lifestyle. This is because I was taught to be authentic in who I am. 

Contentment isn't easy when you are sitting with a bunch of debt, when you are in the middle of a messy marriage, when you are fighting a custody battle that is an uphill battle, or when you get a diagnosis that you didn't think you'd ever receive. Contentment is hard. 

But in the Bible Paul talks about contentment in Philippians 4:11, "Not that I was ever in need, for  I have learned how to be content with what I have." Paul then says how he has learned the secret to living in every situation whether he has a full stomach or an empty one. 

Ouch those are some pretty powerful words that Paul speaks, he then goes on to say, "For I can do everything through Christ who gives me strength."Paul says later promises in Philippians 4:19, "And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus." 

Now it doesn't mean you'll get that brand new Chevy van, that you'll have the most luxurious home. It means that the Lord will take care of your needs. 

I had this talk with my children a while back. What is a want and what is a need? The fact that you want to upgrade your Iphone to the latest version isn't a need, it's a want. The fact that you need to pay for food for the week. That is a need. I have seen miracles happen in my life as I have been faithful to the Lord with my finances. I often don't have enough to tithe but I will give just what I have to the Lord. He takes it, uses it, and always blesses my family. I encourage you today to stop trying to keep up with the Jones and TRUST the Lord. 

Your heavenly Father has your BEST interests at heart. He wants to BLESS YOU!! He wants you to be content in your journey. True Contentment comes from knowing and following Jesus. This too shall pass is what a friend once told me one day you will laugh about this. You will have a story to tell, you'll be able to bless someone else who is going through what you are. You will see the other side.
It's really not easy and I won't say that it is. You can sit and have what my best friend calls a pity party for yourself. I've had plenty. But after you've had your pity party. 

These are the steps to take:

1. Pray - Give the Lord your situation. He knows your needs and loves you.

2. Make a plan. Sit with a piece of paper. Write out your blessings. Write out your gifts. Write out what the Lord has given you. As you see it unfold on paper, you will see the goodness of the Lord. Right before your very eyes. 

3. Give thanks. 

4. Bless someone else. Maybe you can't bless them financially but you have a service you can do for them. If they need help cleaning their home, you can do that. You can offer an encouraging word, you can offer to babysit their kids so they can have a date night. 

You can be thankful  for the people who are seeing prosperity and know the Lord has his Best for you. Just keep trusting in Him!! 

I hope this has encouraged you today. Know that God loves you!!
I'd love to hear your comments and thoughts on contentment or even share what the Lord is doing in your life. 

Blessings,

Shawnee 

Celebrations - 75th Birthday

Yesterday, my dad turned 75 years old. This is a huge milestone. I am daddy's girl. My dad growing up taught me so many things about life. But the most important thing he taught me was the value of going to church and my relationship with Jesus.

It was an honor to celebrate the life of my father with our family and friends yesterday. It's been a difficult year for our family. My father lost his wife of twenty years in November. She was an amazing woman who loved Jesus and is very missed by our family. I tell my dad the house isn't the same without Patty in it.
As many of you know when you face a death, the first year is the toughest so I wanted my dad to have the best birthday that I could give him. Decorations were easy as I didn't have my Cricut. Thank you Dollar Tree for great football decor that my brother picked out. My dad is a HUGE Steeler fan.

I found a few items on Pinterest to help make the party even better. One of them was a Memory Jar. To make a memory Jar simply take a big jar. I put lace on it and then made a few tags that said Happy Birthday and Memories. Each guest wrote down a verse or their favorite memory of my dad. It was good for him to read these after every one left.
Then I made a 75 years ago sign. It's amazing how things have changed. He loved this sign the most.
Then I had two chalkboard signs made at Walgreens photo for the table. Simple decor but delicious food. Honoring my father was important to me. I haven't always been there for him. I was caught up with raising my own family, our medical stuff, and whatever we were going through. I'm grateful to the Lord for giving me this time with my dad to take care of him, help him, and love him. My dad has faced a few rough health challenges lately. He had a mini stroke in January and another episode a few weeks ago which thankfully wasn't another stroke. Praise you Jesus!

My dad loves his family, friends, and a can of Pepsi. Okay he loves more than that but that's the main things. To all who helped us celebrate thank you!! We are very blessed to be surrounded by so much love. It's a different season but even in the midst of great grief there are blessings. The Lord continually keeps his promises and reminds me yet again I'm faithful. I love you! You're mine.
Do you have a favorite celebration that you remember? Please share it in the comments below.

Remember above all things. You are Blessed!!

Wait on the Lord...Be Still

This season for me seems to be all about waiting. The Bible verse that the Lord brought to me today is "Wait patiently for the Lord. Be brave and courageous. Yes, Wait patiently for the Lord. Psalms 27:14 

I am not good at waiting. I was always one to want to leap and do whatever I think is what God has for me. But the Lord keeps telling me to Be still and wait. 

I'll be honest I'm not good at waiting. In fact when I was younger I was the kid at Christmas who wanted to open the presents early. But good things come from waiting. Maybe you're waiting on a miracle, a job, a marriage situation to change, and the Lord is giving you the wait message. Lean on the Lord. Let him minister to you in the waiting. Take time every day to press into His presence and wait on Him. Thank God while you're in the waiting room. Your miracle is around the corner!! 

Have a blessed Tuesday!!

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Welcome

Welcome!! I'm so glad that you stopped by my brand new blog today. Remember the Joy of the Lord is your strength.

Be Blessed!!