Give Thanks

by | Nov 24, 2024 | concept

CONCEPT FOR THE WEEK

BE THANKFUL (Day 1 of 6)

Over the last couple of weeks, we’ve been practicing welcome and hospitality without grumbling. Gratitude and thankfulness have often come into play.

TABLE SETTING

Given the US holiday of Thanksgiving this week, perhaps we can have a special emphasis on thankfulness this week.

And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.  Colossians 3:17 ESV

Let’s take some time today to think about thankfulness. There are like a bazillion scriptures with the words thankful or grateful.

Why does God put so much emphasis on it? How does it impact our hearts? Our marriage? Our relationships and how we serve others?

Just a reminder that the holiday season has a number of options for date night fun. Check your local scene for events. There are usually free to low-cost ideas as well.

ST JOHN'S CATHEDRAL

Some friends gifted us with tickets to Handel’s Messiah at St. John’s cathedral in Spokane. It was amazing to hear the Hallelujah chorus in a place with crazy good acoustics.

 

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Image credits – place setting © Deborah Hudson / Pixabay, St. John’s cathedral © Lori / Doing Marriage Well
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Where Do You Spend Your Time?

by | Nov 23, 2024 | let's chat

SAT AM COFFEE CHAT

I’ve been offered several opportunities lately. Kinda fun stuff.

My dilemma is that if I take these folks up on those opportunities, something else has to go.

I have (roughly) sixteen waking hours each day and it is my choice on how to spend them. I’m prayerfully asking myself questions about what is important and what is the fruit of the different choices.

CHOICE

What would my life look like with each choice? What’s the cost, both financially and relationally? How will it impact my marriage, family time, ministry time, and so forth. Can I create some trial periods, or do I have to go all in?

What kinds of questions do you ask yourself when you need to make choices?

Pretty picture day!

BIRD PAINTING

A friend of mine is a painter and she gifted me with this fat and sassy winter bird painting. It’s perfect for this time of year.

 

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Image credits – choices © Gerd Altmann / Pixabay, bird painting © Lori / Doing Marriage Well
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Turn Grumbling Into Gratitude

by | Nov 22, 2024 | conclusions

MY THOUGHTS

DON’T GRUMBLE –  (Day 6 of 6)
(Need to start at the beginning? Day 1)

How did your week go?

Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. 1 Peter 4:9 ESV

Grumble:  to murmur or complain under your breath against someone or something.

I did better. I caught several grumbles in the making and turned them around. I’m deeply grateful for my sweetie, family, and friends. They come with messes and the occasional spate of drama, but, oh, how rich my life is because of them.

GRANDMA AND GRANDSON

Oh, and I’m practicing serving attitudes when it comes to bookkeeping and housework (I cleaned the toilet this morning without grumbling about little boys who can’t seem to hit the target). Certainly these are not my favorite activities, but it helps to see them as ways to serve those I love. I’m also choosing to be grateful for our income and a home to live in and share with others.

What did you learn this week? We’re you able to think/speak more positively to/about your spouse? Others? Were you able to reduce the grumbling and move into gratitude?

Tilly hates the snow, so she is spending way more time inside. Apparently we are very boring cat servants.

TILLY UNDER COVER

We got a package and, for fun, I tossed the packing paper at Tilly (we were losing patience with her). Thankfully, she spent the better part of the day playing with and sleeping under the paper.

 

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Image credits – grandma and grandson © JenkoAtaman / Adobe Stock, Tilly under cover © Lori / Doing Marriage Well
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Anti-Grumble

by | Nov 21, 2024 | second try

SECOND TRY

DON’T GRUMBLE –  (Day 5 of 6)
(Need to start at the beginning? Day 1)

Let’s take another day to practice our anti-grumble skills.

Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. 1 Peter 4:9 ESV

Grumble:  to murmur or complain under your breath against someone or something.

What has been working for y’all?

I’m still working to catch those moments of negativity, preferably before they settle in. Then follow up with gratitude, prayer, and action.

NEGATIVE/POSITIVE DIE

What kinds of things are more likely to get you grumbling? What can you do instead?

A bit of sad news.

NEWTON

Our pet rabbit, Newton, went to bunny heaven a couple of days ago. He had a good life and was terribly spoiled.  🙂  If any of you get to heaven before I do, please give him a hug and a pet for me.

 

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Image credits – negative/positive die © oatawa / Adobe Stock, Newton © Lori / Doing Marriage Well
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Not So Pretty

by | Nov 20, 2024 | road blocks

WHAT'S STOPPING YOU?

DON’T GRUMBLE (Day 4 of 6)
(Need to start at the beginning? Day 1)

What causes us to grumble?

Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. 1 Peter 4:9 ESV

Grumble:  to murmur or complain under your breath against someone or something.

Dissatisfaction, envy, laziness, harsh judgements, selfishness …

Goodness, that’s not so pretty.

I think my biggest problem is judgement. I grumble about people who “should” do something different according to my standards or for my convenience.

GROCERY STORE SHELVES

The store should quit rearranging their shelves (where is the cottage cheese, for crying out loud?). What is wrong with the website designer (the log-in button should be easier to find)? The grandchildren should have better eating habits (ew, please don’t lick your fingers, that’s what napkins are for). Grumble, grumble.

Hmmm. I have my work cut out for me. How are y’all doing? What produces grumbles for you? How are you combating that?

Paul asked me to make him a particular coffee mug.

REINDEER COFFEE MUG

It just arrived in the mail. Yup, that’s Paul.

 

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Image credits – grocery store shelves © Squirrel_photos / Pixabay, reindeer coffee mug © Lori / Doing Marriage Well
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Stomp It

by | Nov 19, 2024 | first try

GIVE IT A TRY

DON’T GRUMBLE (Day 3 of 6)
(Need to start at the beginning? Day 1)

Let’s stomp out grumbling today. 🙂

Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. 1 Peter 4:9 ESV

Grumble:  to murmur or complain under your breath against someone or something.

I’m going to spend the day watching out for any kind of negativity in my thoughts or speech.

When I find it, I’m going to reframe it. I may turn it a bit and speak gratitude, or I may need to honestly face a problem (followed by prayer and some kind of action).

WOMAN WORKING A SPREADSHEET

Bookkeeping is not my favorite chore, but I can be grateful for financial provision, spreadsheets, and a mind that can work with numbers. If I find a genuine problem, I am grateful for CPA friends I can turn to.

I’m going to beat grumbling today.

You too?

I love what snow does to the world around me. It softens everything it touches.

SNOW COVERED GARDEN BED

This is snow over a concrete block garden bed.

 

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure for more info.
Image credits – woman working a spreadsheet © Rawpixel.com / Adobe Stock, snow covered garden bed © Lori / Doing Marriage Well
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