Family challenges, bad news, hard stuff. Grief. Overwhelm sure can pile on, can’t it?

On a day such as this, the Lord weaves His way in to my moments, sometimes in the smallest way possible to bring joy and hope and assurance–with one thread. He reminds me to give up/cry out/complain to Him, and then move from that and toward this > Philippians 4:8, “Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about these things.”

And hang on those things, even if it’s with one hand a little bit slipping (like me).

Jesus and Job are our examples in Scripture of choosing joy, even if through tears and gritted teeth. Today, Ann Voskamp reminds us find joy in everyday gifts. So does Nancy Kay Grace, in the form of grace.

Some days, ya gotta go digging in the dirt for blessings, and see what you find, and come up out of the hole with some gratitude.

Recently, I collapsed on my bed for a brief respite from myself, exhausted and in part discouraged. For joy (and for sanity), I started printing off bullet points in my head…not of things to do or projects to complete, but the good, the lovely, the praiseworthy. That old school practice of counting blessings.

No Sunday School answers: Only the genuine, no matter how small or seemingly trivial. I looked around my bedroom and started with the tangible, and took note of that which made me smile and laugh.

  • Those jeans on the floor? All of them fit.
  • This unmade bed with mismatched pillow cases is quite comfortable.
  • I have rubber gloves with no holes, so I can adequately prewash the children’s underwear as is um, sometimes needed.
  • On that note, there is a working washing machine on the premises.
  • I sleep well.
  • I did not lose my cool this morning when of my children lost his.
  • Everyone in this house loves books.
  • In spite all of our difficult differences, my husband and I both enjoy much of the same music, like the crooning of Mark Knopfler wafting through the house.

These bullet point blessings worked, and it helped me to obey another command in  1 Thessalonians 5:18, the one that says “in everything give thanks.”

I quickly wrote these down in my planner. I’ll have to do it again on another day. And again. So it becomes habit, and part of this Captain Mom’s creed.

Rhonda Franz, Captain Mom, counting blessings, finding joy

Deuteronomy 11:18 “Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.” 

Write them in your notebook, your planner. Type them in your Notes app. Speak them aloud to yourself and your children and read them frequently in your home. Mention all the things to be thankful for, and laugh over, and rejoice in. Heed the Lord’s words when he weaves his way into the fabric of the “little” parts your day. Remember these words always, for these commands are freedom and peace.

What blessings can you list as bullet points?

 

Bible image of Zondervan NIV. All verses NIV

Black and white pixabay photo by nile. Fix His words upon your heart.