give thanks

Last week at craft night we changed things up a bit and rather than each bringing something different to work on, we all worked on the same project. Alison found a fun tutorial for a burlap banner, so we all set to making our own.

For whatever reason, the lettering doesn't show up well in photos, but it does in person. Go figure. Here is a bit of detail...

Our living room is separated from our kitchen by an old brick chimney with wooden pillars on either side and I thought it would be the perfect spot for the banner. As I was taking the photo, I was annoyed by the thermostat because I felt like it was messing with the aesthetic of the photo. I had to remind myself that the thermostat means that we have heat in the winter and for that I should give thanks like the banner suggests.

On the dresser below the banner, we keep our gratitude journals. In these journals we can appeal to our kinesthetic sides as our thoughts take on the physical form of ink on paper...just one way to bring our thanks to the front of our minds and give them a sort of permanence.

Ann Voskamp tweeted today, "God calls us to *do* thanks. That thanks-giving becomes thanks-LIVING. That our lives become the very blessings we have received." My hope is for this spot to be a constant reminder to us to be thankful and to never forget to live a life full of thanks. It is easy to dwell on things that aren't as we wish them to be, and as a result, be robbed of our joy.

"The Lord is my strength and shield. I trust him with all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving." Psalm 28:7

linking up with

rest

I had the opportunity to attend a women's retreat this past weekend. It was through Cup of Joy and was held at Winshape, a beautiful retreat site designed to resemble the countryside of Normandy. The whole place is breathtaking. I really wouldn't mind living there! Above was the morning view from my room. Not bad to wake up to, right?

{The view from the main lodge.}

{This is the top of the cottage where they stored bicycles that you could rent for the day. This was next to the potter's cottage and the arts and crafts cottage. Lovely.}

{The backside of the dining hall. Some of the buildings were renovated from existing barns.}

{This shows the bottom of some of the cottages that overlook a large lake with a gorgeous view, of which I don't have a photo. You will just have to trust me.}

The theme of the weekend was rest...resting in God. God used this weekend to speak to me. I realized that I don't do a very good job of just abiding in Him. I am too often prone to trying to rely on my own abilities. And that is not what He desires for me. His desire is for me to lay my burdens down and rest in Him. After all, He is the one in control, not me. And for that I am forever grateful.

thankful thursday

A friend of mine recently wrote about abundance and being thankful for the great things our lives. I haven't sat down each day and made a list, which I thought about doing, but I have been consciously noting things as I come across them (even tiny flip flops left at the bottom of the stairs). And really, has any good ever come of dwelling on the negatives in life? So today I present to you some things for which I am thankful...

{I am thankful no one was injured when the leg fell off our table while we were eating supper.}

{I am thankful for a tomato plant that has completely taken over the garden area. People, this is one plant. It is almost six feet tall and just as wide.}

{I am thankful that the largest of my smalls is really making an effort to improve his handwriting.}

{I am thankful to be able to go through this book with the smallest of my smalls. Her sweet little voice sounding out the words is heartwarming.}

{I am thankful for a new spiral notebook. I have one in red, too!}

Those are just a few from my "list" today. What are you thankful for today?