Beautiful Morning

This morning was the kind of morning that makes my heart glad. The sky was completely blue without a cloud in sight, the air was slightly cool outside with a gentle breeze blowing, and birds were chirping everywhere! I knew we needed to get outside because there aren't many mornings this great in August. So, I made our favorite blueberry muffins and we headed out for a breakfast picnic. The girls loved it! After we ate, I sat in the grass enjoying my coffee and watching my beautiful girls pick flowers for me and chase each-other in the grass. Its the simple moments like this when my heart is completely overwhelmed with how blessed I am and how much I have been given.  As I was sitting there I was reminded gently by Gods Word of the verse that we are "to be joyful always, pray continually, and give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for us in Christ Jesus--1 Thes 5:16" I was convicted in that moment of how easy this is for me to do on mornings like this when everything is right in our world. But the verse doesn't tell us to have joy and give thanks only when we are enjoying sweet times like this. I am to have joy and give thanks even when it is pouring down rain outside and my house is a wreck, and my girls are whining non-stop or our whole family is sick (you get the idea.) Anyways, I am thankful for this morning, not only for how much I truly enjoyed it, but because more importantly it was a good reminder for me of how much we have been given and how much time I can waste fretting over the silliest things and wasting time being upset about things that are only temporary or out of my control. Even when things are really, really hard I have assurance that I will always have something to be thankful for and a reason to rejoice, because of my eternal hope which can never be shaken. I truly am thankful for that.

Enjoying their muffins and peaches.....
"What a great idea mom!"
Kate focusing intently on finding a pretty flower
Anna likes to smell them!
The smile that ALWAYS makes me smile!