Joy

I start out each week thinking I can conquer the world.

Keep the house clean, get the laundry done, update this blog, spend meaningful time with the kids, do my devotions, organize 15 years of junk, make stuff for my shop, repaint the old furtniture in the garage, update photo albums, pay the bills, clip coupons, find healthy meal options and prepare them, watch another one of Stella's shows...the list could go on for a mile with the expectations I put on myself.

And somewhere around Tuesday evening after driving in a continuous loop for 3 hours shuffling kids with water bottles and stinky shoes, Dora playing a continuous loop in the van, killing Ellery's brain cells off one adventure at a time, spilled tears and angry words over fractions, milk cascading onto the floor, but stopping along the way to soak itself into the Little Caesars pizza box laying open on the counter, my laundry pile still bellowing over, but now that one and only pair of shorts that feels right can't be found, tripping over wet barbies that somehow managed to be the only ones in the house that got clean on the bathroom floor, worrying about every aspect of my kids being x 5 ... I feel defeated.

Like really defeated.

And in those moments of defeat, nothing is right with my world.  The idealic picture that is painted and sadly sealed in my head of how it's supposed to be always takes over, and this ain't it.  In the hustle and bustle of getting through the day, I sometimes lose sight of just how amazing my life is.

Crazy blessed amazing.

I start each day with this profound sense of gratefulness to my Maker, but somewhere along the way I let the smell from the kitchen sink and the looming schedule that I can't quite figure out the logistics of steal my joy. And ungratefulness sneaks it's way into my heart.  And I feel like I'm in this alone, because that has proven satan's most effective lie to me.

And I hate that, because I know in my head and heart the truth.

So this Friday morning I once again choose joy. I don't want to get through this day, I want to live this day. With a grateful heart I am thankful with a list of praises a mile long.  The sun is coming over the horizon in all its splendor and majesty reflecting light and dancing shadows, as the birds soar between the trees and peck away at the last remnants of summers finest without any concern.

Great is Thy faithfulness.

And I sit and stare at the crumbs on the kitchen floor in a new light.  Thankful for their presence and the  tangible reminder of the goodness from above.

A few pics of my blessings from lately...

Happy Friday all~