One Day, Two Ways

Version 1

Today was a typical Monday. I woke up and made the bed, changed a diaper, and made Brooke breakfast. There was hardly any food in the house except for some cookies Thomas brought home against my will and because I was starving, I ate them for breakfast and then felt guilty for eating such an unhealthy breakfast. I played with Brooke for a couple of hours until it was time for her nap. While she was napping I spent my time relaxing on the phone with an insurance agent so I could figure out which network our new policy is with. After half an hour the only information I gained was that I needed to call somewhere else because she didn't have the information I needed. While Brooke finished up her napping, I emailed a professor about an assignment I had done wrong and made a grocery list. Later in the afternoon we made our way to Dillon's and the lady at the deli counter gave me the wrong kind of turkey. I asked her about it and she informed me that the kind she had cut for me was better than the kind I had asked for, which in her opinion, was a bit rubbery. When I knew it was about 6pm I looked at the clock and saw in actuality that it was only 3pm. Lucky me, I still had time to make some bread, wash the sheets, clean the kitchen, and change several hundred more diapers! As I began to get my school things together I realized that I did not have class after all because of fall break, so Thomas and I went on an evening run instead. For 31 minutes it seemed there were thousands of rusty knives twisting through my ribs, then we were home. I finished off the night on the couch with about two hours worth of homework. Gotta love Mondays!


Version 2

I woke up to the cheerful sound of Brooke's morning voice "hi" in her crib, repeatedly, which is her new way of waking me up. She greeted me with a smile as I made her favorite breakfast, egg and cheese on toast. I had not gotten groceries on the weekend like usual but luckily there was one egg left for my pretty little lady! We played blocks and watched the morning news together. When she got tired, I read her a story and she went right to sleep. I called the insurance company to find out which network our new policy covers. I'm so excited that we finally have an insurance policy that will actually cover some of our health care costs! Did I mention how blessed we are to have health insurance? According to keithhennessy.com, 1 in 6 Americans do not have health insurance! I had time while Brooke was sleeping to read a devotional and spend some time thanking my heavenly father for yet another day, among many other things. When Brooke woke up it was grocery time. Did I mention we actually own a car that got us to the store to buy readily available groceries? Only 8% of the world population owns a car! (ecofuture.org) It was quite a productive afternoon. I was able to make bread for Brooke (homemade bread = less preservatives), wash our sheets and clean the kitchen. I was so excited when I remembered I did not have my usual three hour Monday night class due to fall break. Thomas and I took Brooke for a run when he got home from work and my legs carried me 3.1 miles! When we got back home I showered with FRESH, HOT water (only 62% of the world has access to sanitary water. water.org)and then kissed my baby girl good night. After a couple of hours reading some fascinating Psychology material, I logged on to be connected to the world all while sitting in my own home office. When I really think about it, I know I do not deserve all of the blessings I have, but God loves me enough to give them to me anyway. He is so good!


What kind of Monday did you have, version 1 or version 2? :)

Thankful Thursday

Disclaimer: I stole the idea of a "Thankful Thursday" post from my fellow blogger and friend Lyndsie. Thanks for the great idea Lynds! With that being said, today is Thursday and I have so many things in my life to be thankful for! Here are just a few of them.

I am thankful that my back yard presents a beautiful portrait of fall every time I look out the window.





I am thankful for an amazing accountability partner that I can confess my shortcomings to over and over again and always be met with grace and prayer. Thanks Elizabeth for being such a blessing!



I am thankful that my best friend Sarah and her husband finally finished remodeling their house and have now just put it on the market! Way to go Sarah, I know you and your family put so much work into this house and it definitely paid off!



I am thankful that the roses we planted in August are STILL ALIVE! (I usually kill flowers).



I am thankful that my husband is such an awesome, hands-on dad. Brooke has the best daddy ever!



I am thankful for my beautiful family.




There are so many more things I am thankful for, but I will stop there today. Indeed, my cup runneth over with blessings. I am thankful most of all for the amazing King we serve. What are you thankful for today?

How to be Miserable

E. Stanley Jones writes:

The most miserable people in this world are the people who are self-centered, who don't do anything for anyone except themselves. They are centers of misery with no exception...on the contrary, the happiest people are those that deliberately take on sorrows and troubles of others. Their hearts sing with a strange, wild joy, automatically and with no exceptions. (Disciplines of the Holy Spirit)

Shane Claiborne writes:

There are times I have been very frustrated with wealthy folks for hoarding their stuff. But now I know enough rich folks to know the loneliness that is all too familiar to many of them. I read a study comparing the health of a society with its economics, and one of the things it revealed is that wealthy countries like ours have the highest rates of depression, suicide, and loneliness. We are the richest and most miserable people in the world. (The Irresistible Revolution)


From what I understand, the easiest way to become miserable is to make as much money as possible, and then spend it on no one but yourself. Also, think only about yourself whenever possible. If you start to think about someone else, push the thought away. They can take care of themselves. The only person you really need to think of is yourself.

Okay okay, enough with the sarcasm. But seriously, I'm am so thankful that God has given me the wisdom to realize that money and selfishness will never lead to happiness. Now I just have to figure out how to stop being selfish.