Surprised By Joy! Overwhelming Thankfulness...

I've never read C.S. Lewis' story of salvation, Surprised By Joy, but that's the phrase that came to mind this morning as I was thinking over the good things God has done in my life.

It's really been on my heart lately how God has directed my 15 years of adulthood onto paths that I never would have imagined.  How would I have reacted on the day my husband proposed, had I seen my life as it is now?  I could have never dreamed of the happy life we would share, living as best friends with our nine sweet children---a family dedicated to one another and to God.

This weekend's Homemaking LinkUp Weekend thought is simple and sweet:  I'm thankful.  So very blessed and thankful for this amazing life I've been given.  I pray I really recognize this goodness and not take it for granted.

No matter where you are in life, there's always something you can be thankful for---what is the most simple or profound thing you are thankful for today?

Please link up your favorite posts below and display the button on your blog to direct your readers back to the party!




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Also, today I'm the featured blog at Beverly's Pink Saturday!  I'd like to welcome all my Pink Saturday friends and thank you for being such a sweet influence on my life.  Happy Thanksgiving Weekend and HaPpY pInK sAtUrDaY!

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God is NOT on Our Side!

Joshua 5: 13-15-- "Now it came about when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, a man was standing opposite him with his sword drawn in his hand, and Joshua went to him and said to him, "Are you for us or for our adversaries?" He said, "No; rather I indeed come now as captain of the host of the Lord." And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and bowed down, and said to him, "What has my lord to say to his servant?" The captain of the Lord's host said to Joshua, "Remove your sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy." And Joshua did so."

A pastor friend of ours posts daily Bible studies to his Facebook page. One day I was reading his notes on these verses and was struck by this: "God is not on our side. We are on his." Or rather, we should be on his. Often times, when reflecting on a crisis situation for example, people will say, "Thank God we had the Lord on our side." However, that's not exactly the case. It's not like God looks at a situation and chooses which side to be on. God is good and true and right and just in all sides and situations.

When we come over to God's side, we often reap the benefits and blessings of his protection so it would seem that he's pleased with us for "doing right" and is rewarding us by being on our team. The problem with that logic comes when we try to see the flip side. If he's rewarding us by being "on our side" and allowing us to live a happy, easy, blessed life, then what does it mean when life turns scary, ugly, difficult and unfair? It must mean that God's not on our side anymore, right? These bad things must indicate that God is mad at us and punishing us by removing his blessing.

That is SO not the case! While it's true that we will reap these bad "side effects" of disobedience, often times bad things just happen to good people (completely different topic---not goona go there tonight!) The Lord promised never to leave us or forsake us (Josh. 1:5). David encourages us with this thought: "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me" (Ps. 23:4).

However, God is not going to sanction sin--no matter how slight or unconscious. That's why he can't be on our side--we are sinful beings. "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Rom. 3:23). We fluctuate between good days and bad days. We have our own wills and they're usually self-centered. How wise we'd be to come over to the side of the one who is steady and unchanging!

This article was published in Issue #89 of The Christian Home Magazine.

Dreaming of a Pink Christmas...Homemaking Link-Up Weekend

Hello and Happy Weekend!

I must confess that I've spent WAAAYYY too much time on Etsy today looking at lots of beautiful pink goodness!  I'm so inspired and, ok, a little covetous too!

For this week's Homemaking Link-Up Weekend, I thought I'd share some of my gorgeous finds!  First up is this CUTE little cottage.  It's Red Riding Hood's Cottage!  Isn't that adorable?

Red Riding Hood's Christmas Cottage by TheUglyDuckling1962

 As I was looking for more pink houses, I came across one of Pink Saturday's favorite girls!  Olivia from Olivia's Romantic Home is offering up this stunning deer to go along with her adorable cottages.

Gorgeous Deer from Olivia's Romantic Home

Here's a fancy house for a fancy price!  Looks edible to me...ha!

Pink Christmas House from PerlillaPets

I also came across this really neat banner from Pink Pearl Studio.  She is selling the pdf for 6 designs and you just print it out yourself, mount and decorate!  I'll be buying this today!

Christmas Banner from pinkpearlstudio

I think I'm going to use some of the ideas I've found online today and see if I can create my own little Christmas village!  I'll keep you posted on my progress!




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I'd love for you to join in with my Homemaking Link-Up Weekend.  Feel free to link up your favorite posts below and make sure to grab a button for your blog so your friends can join too!

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