grateful

I receive daily emails from Proverbs 31 Devotions. Todays devotion was on being grateful and the benefits of gratitude. Check out these insights and statistics recorded by Rachel Olsen ("Thank You Power," November 24, 2008):

"Researchers found that grateful people report higher levels of positive emotions, more satisfaction with life, and more vitality and optimism. All good qualities I want more of in my life. They also found grateful people show lower levels of depression and stress - two things I’d like to experience less in my life.

What’s more, they found that people who keep journals about gratitude on a weekly basis are healthier. They exercise more regularly, report fewer physical symptoms, and feel better in general than people who journal about neutral or negative life events. That sounds great, and I’ll take all the help I can get in the exercise department.

Finally, the research showed that people who daily count their blessings report higher levels of alertness, enthusiasm, determination, and energy. Wow, the benefits of being grateful are remarkable and many! I guess that shouldn’t surprise me after considering today’s key verse. The Bible urges us to give thanks … all the time … in every situation … because this practice is the will of God."

Pretty cool huh??? Anyway, in Olsen's devo, she recommends starting a gratitude journal. Now, I must admit, I'm a journaler and list maker, so this was right up my alley! I had a blank journal down stairs on my craft table that I'd been waiting to decorate since the begining of September (a MOPS project that I had yet to find enough time to design) so I busted it out and fancied it up this afternoon... maybe I'll post a picture of it when I upload pics next time.

Here's my first entry in my gratitude journal:
- Sadie saying, "Guess what, mommy?"
"What???"
" I yuh (love) you soooooo much!"
- Cole's little baby giggles when I tickle his neck.
- Possiblity of doing a Beth Moore study with one of my new neighbors.
- Clean kitchen and caught up laundry.
- My children are both sleeping at the same time today! :)

It's already 2:49 PM and I already have 5 things on my list (what the author of the devo recommends recording daily).... I must say I'm well on my way... maybe this positive attitude will help me shed those last few baby pounds, give me extra energy at that 3AM feeding, heal the joint in my big toe... but more importantly align my heart in obedience to God.

Would love to hear what you're grateful for today! Jesus bless you today!

While You Were Waiting...

We are constantly waiting... waiting at the stop light, waiting to see the doctor, waiting for our supper to be ready, waiting for our child to go potty, waiting in the Walmart line(I always pick the WRONG one... you know what I mean!)... those waits seem trivial compared to some... waiting to get married, waiting to have a baby, waiting for a job, waiting for health results about a loved one... the lists could go on and on!!!

Eric and I have been through many waiting periods in our 5+ years of marriage. We actually joke about it because it seems that God ALWAYS takes us through seasons of waiting before we get to enjoy HIS blessings! I think He allows us to wait for many reasons... to develop perseverance/endurance, to teach us to rely on his provision, to grow us in His Word, to teach us to trust Him with every ounce of our being... and don't you think those times of waiting cause us to enjoy His blessings more fully???

Nonetheless, Eric and I are at another point in our lives where we get to wait on God! I'm so thankful that during these times, He chooses to encourage us along the way. Here are some of my scripture journalings and quotes from the last few months... may you also be encouraged while you wait!

- Micah 7:7
"As for me, I watch in hope for the Lord,
I wait for God my Savior,
my God will hear me."

- Psalm 37:3-7a
"Trust in the Lord and do good;
dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.
Delight yourself in the Lord
and he will give you the desires of your heart.
Commit your way to the Lord,
trust in Him and He will do this.
He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn,
the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.
Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him."

- "When I am consumed by my problems - stressed out about my life, my family, and my job - I actually convey the belief that I think the circumstances are more important that God's command to always rejoice." - Francis Chan, Crazy Love

- Psalm 38:15
"I will wait for you, O Lord;
you will answer, O Lord my God."

- "To many of us panic in the dark. We don't understand that it's a holy dark and that the idea is to surrender to it and journey through it to real light." - Sue Monk Kidd

- "Waiting on anything in a world that constantly urges us to hurry is one of the hardest disciplines of going deep with God. First it's hard because it requires patience. Second, it's hard because there are so many noises and pseudo-urgencies that seem to drown out God's voice in our lives. And third, it's hard because, if we're honest, we're probably waiting on something or someone else to bring us the 'desires' of our hearts." - Maggie and Duffy Robbins, Enjoy the Silence

- "One does not discover new lands without consenting to lose sight of the shore for a very long time." - Andre Gide

- Isaiah 49:23
"I am the Lord; those who hope in me will not be disappointed."

My Jesus bless you as you wait on His perfect timing!

Great Finds This Month! :)

Last night Eric told me that it was irresponsible to not update my blog more frequently... LOL! :) I'm thinking that he sure does know a lot about blogging for not having one of his own! :)

ANYWAY... I've discovered a couple really great things this month that I ABSOLUTELY LOVE! Wanna hear about 'em???

- I'm all about saving money these days... from coupon clipping, to watching the ads, to returning things just to get the best price (yep, I'm THAT girl)... I'm there! Anyway, we were watching The Food Network a few weeks ago when they recommended this site, www.thegrocerygame.com. I clicked over on it and found that it prints a list to your favorite store with all the great weekly deals, the coupons you should use to get a better price and things that you can even pick up for FREE! Anyway, it was $1 to try it for the first month and then $10/8 weeks following, and you could cancel at anytime. I'm happy to report that it saved me $93 last month... and this last week, the start of my new month, I already saved $47.96!!!! Isn't that great!?! Rejoice with me for a moment! *happy sigh*

By the way... if you decide to sign up for The Grocery Game... will you set me as the person who referred you??? For every 3 people that sign up under you, you receive 12 weeks of The Grocery Game for free! :) Check it out!

- For a long time I've tried to find a company that would satisfy my picture printing needs. A few weeks ago I was telling Eric that I wished there would be some way I could type my messages on the back of my photos instead of handwriting them. I seem to be faster typer than printer. :0) Well, loandbehold... Shutterfly does just that... can I say that I love, love, love it??? I just received my prints yesterday and was so happy with the print quality and had to do my little happy dance over my already TYPED messages on my photos! Oh... and did I mention, I received 50 prints FREE and caught a deal for 10 cent prints with free shipping and handling??? You go Shutterfly!

- Another money saving website... www.livingonadime.com - This chick is hardcore... she even suggests that we spend to much $ on beverages! She's probably right... but I'm not sure I'm ready to give up my daily Dr. Pepper, yet! You'll just have to check her out!

Hope you enjoy these finds as much as I did... AND pass along the ways you stretch a buck!

I'm a blogger! :)

A few months ago my husband told me I should start a blog (apparently he thinks my life is pretty interesting)... I could think of a million reasons (well, maybe not that many) NOT to start a blog... it would be one more thing to do, it would force me to be creative (mushy mommy brain has seemed to squelch much of my creativity), it would bring me to the point of transparency before the world (because I'm pretty sure EVERYONE will be reading my musings)...

Well, the other day I was in the shower (where most of my thinking takes place... because it's the ONLY quiet I get to enjoy these days) and it came to me.... Daisies 'N Dump Trucks! That was half the battle... I now had a name for my blog that I had been making excuses over!

Daisies 'N Dump Trucks for two simple reasons:
- This phase of my life is a lot of picking flowers and playing with toys - I have a 2 year old little girl, Sadie (whom we refer to our little firecracker) and a 3 month old baby boy named Cole. Our lives together are an adventure... and everyday it's something new! :)
- AND it seems that life in general is like Daisies 'N Dump Trucks... one moment you're running through flower-filled fields picking the most beautiful bouqets and blowing the tops off of the fluffiest dandilions AND the next moment you feel like an over sized florecent green truck is fixing to dump a load of stinky garbage right on top of you (always failing to engage the safety beep)!

I hope you enjoy this space where I hope to share the good, the bad and the ugly... my life as a wife, mommy, friend and follower of Christ. So... here's to Daisies 'N Dump Trucks and everything in between! :) Happy reading!