His Grace is Sufficient (Dana’s Day)

You know the late-night phone call you’ve been dreading? We all have one (or more). Well, we got that call this week – at midnight. Several dropped calls, texts, and update calls, and 30 minutes later, I had taken the fastest shower known to mankind, packed a small bag of toiletries, grabbed the lunch box of healthy snacks our son had thoughtfully packed and my husband and I were on the road for a 3 hours car journey to the unknown.

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The call wasn’t entirely unexpected, when viewed in the light of day. Just not wanted, nor thought to be imminent. That’s why my husband, who suffers from insomnia, had taken a tablet to help him sleep that night. That tablet is how I came to be the designated driver. Do you typically drive when your husband is in the car? Some women do. My husband prefers I don’t. I prefer I don’t.  He makes me nervous!  Anyway, we do what we have to do, right? So I drove. Armed with a large coffee and a packet of pretzel M&Ms, we set off. My husband almost instantly falls asleep and I instantly fall into a state of ceaseless prayer.

We arrived at our destination safely, with nary a yawn and not even one sleepy moment, at 3:30am. (You should stop now and have a moment of open praise and worship, then write it in your diary. It may never happen again.) We spent the next 24 hours with friends and family. No sleep to be had. We then headed back to our home. It was during that last 2 hours of the journey, when I was again driving so that my poor exhausted husband could sleep, that the phrase from the Bible, …”My grace is sufficient…” kept coming to mind. I had to look up the whole verse today.

II Corinthians 12:9 And he said unto me, “My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.” Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” KJV

I couldn’t have survived the past 36 hours without the grace and power of my Lord. His grace truly is sufficient.

Dana

Linking up I should be mopping the floorCraftastic Partymotivation mondaycreate with joy, Busy Mondaysmindful mothering, and with AnnThe Better MomRediscovering DomesticityTitus 2 TuesdayTeach Me TuesdayTitus (2)sdaysGradituesdaysHeart and HomeWhatever Works WednesdayWisdom Wednesday, Show and Share WednesdaySaturday Show and Share.

5 Steps to Encouragement (free e-book)

It is the end of February.  It is sort of dark and gray and cold.  I have piles of laundry.  It took me all week just to vacuum the upstairs . . . I just kept walking past the vacuum cleaner thinking “I need to vacuum!” . . . I’ll get to that.  My life keeps moving forward.  But I feel stuck.  I feel stuck behind a never-ending list of things to do, make, send . . .

My word for this year is intention, yet I’ve spent so many years living without intention . . . I’m finding my word to be burdensome.

Last night I was thinking I just want to stop the bus and get off.  Just have some time away.  Maybe get my hair cut, or my nails done, or buy a desk at a thrift shop–one I’ve had my eye on–but wanted my daughter to see it, like it before I buy it.  It wouldn’t even need to be away–I want to be able to sit and not think about all the things that are swirling around me–the unfinished projects, the intentions gone south.

Just then my husband walks in and says–why don’t you go shopping tomorrow.  You need a pair of boots (and I do really) “go out get a coffee and do some shopping”.  In order to go to the fancy mall–that would be a 1/2 day trip (because I want to browse and not be rushed) . . . we live in a more rural area–shall we say.  I resisted.  My husband realizing that I could use a break, is giving me the gift of time, reflection, and boots!  Yet, I resist.  I want this time, I really need this time, but I’m pushing the idea away?

Why is it so hard for us to accept love and encouragement?  I do my best to be encouraging and up lifting–yet I’m not always that way with myself.  I believe it for them–but not for me.

“Do unto others, as you would have them do unto you.”

I grew up serving others in healthy ways and in unhealthy ways.  I grew up feeling powerless to make my own choices–yet felt guilty for not serving others.  I grew up in fear a lot of the time.  I grew up with in order to get you must give and nothing was free.  I grew up feeling like I didn’t matter–I grew up being told I was a mistake.

Fast forward to now–I have an awesome life.  I have a husband and kids who love me more than can even fit into words–yet sometimes–all of those years of not having an awesome life creep in . . . and fear, doubt, worry sneak back into my life.  I feel invisible.

I need to be encouraged.  I need to hear positive words.  I need to see a flash of a smile and a crazy wave from a friend as I drive by her house.  I need my husband to give me a morning off.  I need hugs from my kids.  I need prayers.  I need grace.  I need to give thanks, in everything.  I need to feel authentic love–not someone just blowing a breezy means-nothing accolade–I need the real thing.

If I need it–I bet you do too!  Who doesn’t?

I go through life with the intention of being a cheer leader!  I want to inspire you.  I want you to feel my love.  I want you to smile when I do my silly dance or sing in my opera voice.  I want to bring joy into the world.  I want to give thanks–and I want you to know that I’m thankful for you.  I want to feed the poor, take care of kids, hug every misfit dog and cat I see . . . I want to rescue the world and make everything “right.”  My wise husband, gently tells me I can’t take care of everything–the way that I wished I would have been taken care of.  He puts me on a love budget–I can’t spend more than I can take in . . .

Just when I was put on my love/save the world budget–my friend James Presscott wrote this awesome e-book.  It is about encouragement!  What a gift he is–just when I’m feeling discouraged I read his book . . . I feel encouraged.  I spend some time reading it with myself in mind–then I focus on those I meet.

Encouragement FB promo

 

Here are some of my favorite quotes from the book.

Encouragement is never for our own benefit. 

Encouragement is truth presented to others in the exact way it needs to be heard, at the precise moment a person needs to hear it.

You see, encouragement is important. Learning to receive encouragement is just as important as learning to give it.

Making your mind and heart receptive to any words of encouragement which are given to you. Being awake to notice what is being said to you, and about you.

I encourage you to get your own copy of 5 Steps to Encouragement.  Just click here!  James writes in a way the makes us want to encourage one another–his writing is natural and authentic.

I also encourage you to share it with others.  The world would be a much happier place with smiles from the heart, gentle, loving, kind, respectful words–that need to be given and received.   In my efforts to change the world, I’m reminded that it can all start simply–with an encouraging smile–how easy is that!

We shall never know all the good that a simple smile can do.

-Mother Teresa

 Be Blessed AND encourage as many people as you can!

P.S. Yes, I did get a pair of great boots, I did check in at the adoption center to check in on the dog I want–he is adorable and deaf, and I bought the desk with the proceeds benefiting the adoption center.  I brought the desk home, rearranged the entire homeschool room . . . finished vacuuming . . . it was an awesome day–all because my husband took a few minutes to encourage me.

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Linking up I should be mopping the floorCraftastic Partymotivation mondaycreate with joy, Busy Mondaysmindful mothering, and with AnnThe Better MomRediscovering DomesticityTitus 2 TuesdayTeach Me TuesdayTitus (2)sdaysGradituesdaysHeart and HomeWhatever Works WednesdayWisdom Wednesday, Show and Share Wednesday, Saturday Show and Share.

Easy Photo Editing

My family went crazy over these muffins!

I like to pin my creations and thought you might like to know how as well!

  1. I go to picmonkey.
  2. Choose “open” at the top drop down box.
  3. Go to photos/pictures or wherever you have your pictures–choose one.
  4. Click the text box, pick a font, type something inspiring . . .
  5. Play around and make any other changes . . . for example I should have made the text on this example a different color . . .
  6. Save.
  7. Change dimensions–I didn’t do so well with that . . .
  8. Now you can pin it, post it or whatever.  I save it to my hard drive.
the path to the beach . . .

the path to the beach . . .

I use my own pictures on Pinterest and on my blog–I’m not the best photographer but I like the idea that what I’m showing you is what I’m seeing.  I want you to really be on this journey with me, an authentic experience.

Be Blessed as you discover your own creativity–whatever it means for you.

I’m linking up with Whatever Works WednesdayWisdom Wednesday, Show and Share Wednesday