I praise God this evening for a busy life! Some may think that is crazy, but if I'm busy then that means I'm not bored...and I stay out of trouble...lol! I like to stay busy also because I have found that if I sit around and I'm not focused on something or involved with something, my mind starts messing with me. An old saying my Mom used to tell me was "an idle mind is the devil's workshop." And it is so true! I believe for me myself that my mind is my biggest battle! The funny thing is, a lot of times, what I'm thinking or that seed that has been planted that I've ALLOWED to produce, is just not true! I've thought things before about things that were going on that was nothing farther from the truth! I believe the enemy wants to use our mind to segregate us and separate us from reality and from the truth of God! ...."Casting down every imagination!!!"

I praise God for keeping my children! We gave every one of our children back to the Lord publicly during a dedication at church. Every now and then I want to help the Lord and take them back, but they are safer in his hands than they'd ever be in mine.

I sincerely praise the Lord tonight also for showing me my downfalls as a mommy. I know that I have placed them in his care, but sometimes (there are times I feel like it's MANY times) I fail and don't do everything right. Lately I've been very tired and just frustrated. We have things pressing and sickness and one thing after another. I get overwhelmed! And when Lincoln goes in the toy closet and pulls out his box full of matchbox cars and pours them all out on the floor after I just helped him clean them up because he's about to go to bed, or Gracie leaves dirty underwear in her bedroom floor, amidst the pile of clothes she's just taken off or tried on that she doesn't want to wear knowing that they go in the laundry room, or I get a wonderful surprise in the bathroom potty because we FORGOT how to flush, OR Brooklyn pulls out every book in the reading basket after we've all picked them up AND she's scattered them all over the house, or will NOT stay out of the plastic bowl cabinet and completely empties everything out, I feel like I want to BLOW a gasket! But tonight as I was anxiously scurrying around cleaning this and picking up that, I thought about my babies. They are precious! Why do I get so frustrated over silly stuff? What really matters? A house with everything picked up and spotless or hearing my babies laugh, playing with mommy and daddy and enjoying the life we've been so humbly privileged to be a part of! I just have to ask the Lord DAILY to help me to not get so tied up in the little stuff that I miss a special moment with my babies....they will grow so quickly and I don't want to have any regrets!!! I will be cleaning a house for the rest of my life, but I will NOT be playing peekaboo, hearing a sweet laugh, reading picture books, rocking babies to sleep, holding a small little body that God allowed to develop in me, whiping boogies or booties, for the rest of my life. They will grow and I believe one day I'll wish I had some moments back!

I praise the Lord for the gorgeous sunset Gracie and I got to see this evening. I LOVE being outside and enjoying the wonders of nature that God created. I feel so close to him when I am outside! I just stood in amazement of the beauty that I was observing. The pictures didn't do justice but it was a reminder of the awesomeness of our God and his marvelous handy work!

My fifth and final praise for today is praising my Savior for this deep love and compassion for me. When I feel I am unworthy of his love, he sees I need his love. When my heart has been crushed, he's pours on the healing balm of his love. When I have done something to displease him, he gives me correction, but in love. When I feel like I can't go on, here comes the strong arms of his love that push me and pick me up to where I need to be! I praise Him for that love a long time ago that took him to the cross to bear my sin and shame. He bore it for me! I was the guilty one, full of sin and he took on that at the cross, although the Father had to turn his face from him and he was despised by those he loved. WOW, what love! I praise you Jesus for your love!