Thankful Thursday

This week, I've been particularly thankful for:

~My loving husband.  He's held me while I've cried and called me on negative attitudes.  More importantly, he made me defend my position on something because he doesn't want me to be swayed. I must admit, I didn't take that as gracefully as I should have, but in retrospect I'm very grateful that he cares that much for me.

~Friends near and far who prayed me through last weekend

~Grace upon grace

~An answered prayer

~Miss Marple.  I'd forgotten how much I adore her!

~The time, energy, and motivation to continue to simplify our home. The more I purge, the more I want to purge!

What are you thankful for this week?

Thankful Thursday

I look at the calendar and my first instinct is to run. Duck under the covers and sleep through the weekend. But I am reminded that even though Mama isn't here to celebrate her birthday or Mother's Day, I have much to be thankful for.  As I prepare for my parents' birthdays this weekend, I'm thankful for:

~The things Mama taught me, especially cooking. I can't help but smile when I look at the last of the green beans we canned together last summer.  I'm savoring them all the more.

~My parents' steadfast love and support.

~A father who chose to be my Dad.

~The love my parents have given not only to me, but to my man & my girl.

~That CJ was able to spend quality time with Mama on the day she got sick, and talk to her on the phone when she was on the road to recovery.

~The fact that CJ loves to go fishing with Daddy.

~The privilege of  being the first member of our family to know Mama, and being the last one to say goodbye. Very fitting indeed.


~The peace I have about Mama's passing, and her eternal home.

~The blessing of being my parents' daughter. It's something I've too often taken for granted. We've never been a perfect family, but the Lord in His sovereignty put us together. And for that, I'm truly grateful.

Monday Confession

They feed on the sin of my people;
    they are greedy for their iniquity.

~Hosea 3:8 

It's difficult to see yourself in Scripture. Sometimes it's more than I can bear, this blackness of my soul penned across the whisper thin pages.Yet it stares me in the face and conviction comes, relentless.  The Spirit, He loves me too much to give me a pass on this.

But it is hard - so very hard - to confess how I have tried to nourish myself with the sins of others.

Smirking when they fall

thinking myself above reproach

devouring juicy morsels to satiate my sin-sick soul,

rather than grieving over my own sin.

Am I the same woman who wanted to watch? The very one who prayed for a seared conscience?

How can it be that I have fed on entertainment news, social media and local gossip, circling like a vulture ready to pick apart a fresh carcass. I have dissected situations in my life and chewed on them until I am disgusted.

I have feasted on rotting, sinful flesh rather than the Bread of Life.

Have mercy on me,O God,
    according to your steadfast love;
according to your abundant mercy
     blot out my transgressions.
Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
    and cleanse me from my sin!

~Psalm 51:1-2

 Praising the Lord, most humbly, today for His new mercies and His unending grace.