Year in Review Top posts of 2016!

 

I love to look back over the previous year. Life moves so fast that I know that I will forget important things if I do not take time to look back and pause and thank God for His goodness each year. This is the time to do just that. I am linking up over at Kate’s for my year-in-review post.

The first on the list is a post I wrote earlier on this month for Five Minute Friday on the word crave

10. Five Minute Friday Crave

“And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague”Mark 5:34. My ninth most popular post was another Five Minute Friday post written about the word whole.

9. Five Minute Friday Whole

My eighth most popular post of 2016 was a post I wrote in March for Five Minute Friday on the word live.

8. Five Minute Friday Live

My seventh most popular post of 2016 was a Five Minute Friday post that I wrote in April about the word unite.

7. Five Minute Friday Unite

My sixth most popular post this year was one that I wrote last month about what God is teaching me about surrender.

6. Five Minute Friday Surrender

My fifth most popular post of 2016 was a Five Minute Friday post I wrote about the word Miss. I know that one day that I will miss these precious times with my little ones. I want to be thankful and fully present for every moment.

5. Five Minute Friday Miss

My help comes from the Lord. This is another Five Minute Friday Post. This one was written in in July.

4. Five Minute Friday Help

I love this post that I wrote about my children in May. This was my thoughts on the word grow.

3. Five Minute Friday Grow

My second most popular post this year was a Five Minute Friday post written about the word collect. I am collector of memories. What do you like to collect?

2. Five Minute Collect

My most popular post this year was my What I Learned In May post. I love these what I learned posts because once again if I don’t take time to remember what I learned I will not appreciate that growth or learning has even occurred.

1. Tuesday at 10 Learn

What are some of your favorite memories from 2016?

 

 

 

 

Five Minute Friday Now

My son has a favorite saying that I think he picked up from a cartoon, “Now not cow!” It is a bit of an inside joke between my kids and me. I know that if I say that phrase I will usually hear a chorus of giggles. I need to develop a better relationship with the word now. I sometimes (more often than I would like to admit) am frustrated about being interrupted when my children need something. “You need this now? I just sat down!” Anyone who has young children will know that I get interrupted frequently, and I need to handle these interruptions with more grace. I also need to remember to be more present with my children, and then I would not feel like I was being interrupted when they make a request. I need to remember the joy that my family brings me, and quit grumbling when I am asked to serve them. I am training myself out of job, and one day I will not be asked for a snack, or to button stubborn pants snaps, or to fasten shoes. I want to savor the “ice skating” across the tile in socks moments, and all of the ordinary moments of life as a mom of little ones.  Times up. 🙂

This week’s Five Minute Friday prompt was now.  You can learn more about Five Minute Friday here.

 

Multitude Monday Third Monday of Advent

I hope that everyone is having a lovely December. My daughter keeps asking, “When will it snow?” My husband on the other hand is not in a hurry for it to snow. What about you? Is it snowing in your neck of the woods yet? Do you like snow? These are a few things that I am thankful for today.

I am thankful for the reminder to be fully present and enjoy every snuggle with my little ones because they will only be little for a short time.

I love hearing my Princess sing praise songs.

We sang a song at church that I had been contemplating in my quiet time earlier this week.

I am thankful for the opportunity to talk to my sister. Phone conversations are my love language.

Little Man’s inventive playground game, “First we are going to jump over lava. Then, we have to cross the river.” I love going on adventures with my son.

My children were excited that the restaurant we ate at on Saturday was decorated for Christmas.

Princess enjoyed some one-on-one time with her Daddy and me, after her brother and sister went to bed last night.

I hope that each of you reading this are having a lovely December. What are you thankful for this week?

 

 

Five Minute Friday Joy

I was telling my mom yesterday that I find it easy to forget the practice of joy. I get busy trying to get my tasks done, I want to keep progressing through the day, but I am joyfully completing the tasks or am I grumpy Mom? I don’t want my kids to have the memory of a perennially grumpy mom. I want to be joyful. I want to teach my children how to be joyful by living it out. I fall short a lot, and I think they do a much better job of teaching me how to be joyful, than I do to them. I think of the apostles. Paul and Silas had joy in prison, while chained to their seat. If they can find joy in those kind of circumstances, I know that it should be easy for me to find joy in my daily circumstances. I want to be on a joy hunt. Joy is contagious. I want to have a spirit of joy and pass it on.

This week’s Five Minute Friday prompt was joy. You should really check out Andrew’s guest post about joy over at Heading Home  this week. I am sure that it will bless you. You can learn more about Five Minute Friday here.

Multitude Monday 2nd Monday of Advent Edition

1 Chronicles 16:4–9

8  Oh give thanks to the Lord; call upon his name;

make known his deeds among the peoples!

9  Sing to him, sing praises to him;

tell of all his wondrous works!

       I hope that you are having a lovely advent season. I love that my children make this advent season so much fun. I love their sense of wonder, curiosity, and excitement. These are a few of the blessing that I am that thankful for this week.

• We had a yummy brunch at our favorite Mexican restaurant.

• We saw a friend while we were grocery shopping.

• My Princess enjoyed playing new to her computer games!

• A beautiful church service celebrating Advent.

• My Princess loves the game of clue.

• My Cuddle Bug told my friend that she is a Cuddle Bug. I am glad that she likes her nickname.

• I enjoyed some cuddle time with my Little Man while we watched his favorite TV show.

I played the Ladybug game with my Cuddle Bug. 

Five Minute Friday Crave

I crave to be known and understood. I want to know that I am loved for who I am even on my messy, less than graceful days.  I far too often forget that I don’t have to chase after acceptance or approval from others. My Creator knows me better than I know myself, and He loves me more than I can comprehend. I sometimes try to fill this need to be known and understood with junk that does not fully satisfy. I think that if I am having a bad day that I “need” that comfort food, or to veg in front of the TV, or call a friend or loved one and tell them all about my bad day. I am learning that I don’t need any of the above things on the hard days. What I need is Jesus, and time to read God’s word, and pray. Trying to de-stress in any other way will never satisfy as much as finding my rest, hope, and peace in Him.

This week’s Five Minute Friday prompt was crave. You can learn more about Five Minute Friday here.