Extending Thanks-Giving...

Lately, God has been answering my prayers with one thing......
Contentment.
Having a spirit of contentment about where I am in life with my husband,
my children, my career and job-titles, the city I call 'home' and the structure that is our house,
the people we have in our lives, our fiscal circumstances, the time we have together.....
I could literally go on and on and on.

No matter how I pray about these things, no matter what words I use that make me feel I
am praying about something OTHER than that on this long list...He just keeps shaking
his head...looking at me like maybe I have some kind of hearing-damage He's unaware of, even
though that's not possible.

'BE CONTENT.' CONTENT. C-O-N-T-E-N-T.
'Ok, Lord...I get it! You of all people should know spelling was a forte for me in school.' ;P
But then, WHY...why on earth, even as clearly spelled out as He's making His answer for me
am I actually NOT 'getting it?!! '
Sure, I know at times I can be a hyper-listener (I think I get that from my sweet mama) ;) ...but
come on, I really am hearing you, Lord. I just.......
I just... don't want to be, I suppose.

*Lightbulb...ON.*

Did Jesus ever say that contentment was an easy thing? I challenge you to look through your entire
bible and find a book, a verse, a single line where we're promised a content spirit.
K, now stop wasting your time and go do something more productive cause it's not there.

In fact, we are absolutely surrounded by the very opposite.
Everywhere we look, we are teased, taunted...tormented by the media, society and just the
general worldly mindset that we 'must' acquire *insert earthly possession here* in order to have
'what we need.'

You want to have people's respect?
Well, you'd better get yourself into LOADS of debt so you can have that fancy car that will do so.
You want to impress people?
Well, you'd better buy that brand-new, just-on-the-market technological-device that no one else has, yet...even if it means going into more debt.
You want to have more kids or have people over to entertain 'properly?'
Well, you'd better move up to that great big house with that great big price-tag, even if it means risking 'living beyond your means' and utterly depending on that monthly paycheck that keeps you working for 12-hrs a day, 5 days a week.

Seriously. But no.....
SERIOUSLY.
No wonder our nation owes trillions of dollars and no wonder there's such a huge command of nationwide depression.

CONTENTMENT.

One. Simple. Word.

The dictionary says: contentment---the chosen state of being satisfied.
Chosen.
C-H-O-S-E-N. *Told ya I can spell. ;)

The question is not am I listening for God's answer. Oh, I heard it.
The question is when am I going to stop asking him and start heeding what He keeps telling me?

Well...that answer is:
RIGHT. NOW.

How about you???


'Keep your lives free from the love of money and things and be content with what you have, because God has said, Never will I leave you; Never will I forsake you.'
~Hebrews 13:5

Gobble...Gobble.......

Thankful for sooooooo many things, today...

Friends and family, alone, are more blessings than I can count!
So, instead of trying to do so (atop all the more specific things I cherish
about each day, I am saying a prayer of thanks for life, in general.
Life as we know it consists of full-bellies, warm/dry living quarters, loving people ALL around us...absolutely everything we need and many thingswe don't.
Can't help but ask myself how many people are without the basic things today and am lifting a special prayer for them--whatever the reason for their circumstances, I pray those needs get met, today.

♥ ♥ ♥ HAPPY THANKSGIVING, Everyone!
Hold your loved ones tight today and remember how fast the days are flying by for all of us to stop and cherish the eternal things we have.

Babies Becoming Boys

Has it really been so long since my last post?
OY.

A lot has happened since I last signed on here...
the Ziebart family-trip to Arizona is officially a thing of
the past with only photos and memories left to show for it.
It felt like so much work to make it happen,
but was sooooo worth every minute of our trip! :)
Fall has set in and festive harvest-times are staring us in the
face, with trick-or-treating also a thing of the past.
Not sure if it's just me, but the days seem to keep fleeting by!

Although it feels I've had little to blog about lately because life has
been so busy and seemingly insignificant to 'talk' about, when I really stop
and think...there is one thing that has become remarkably evident in our home-life
and family-dynamic over the last couple months...our children are growing up, and
while doing so, are becoming FRIENDS.
Giggles at night, conversations in the car, jokes shared and simple 'tricks' played,
statements spoken...and then imitatively re-spoken, matching clothes REQUESTED,
as well as food, hair, toys, you name it. Arguments & actions of 'sticking up for one another' when
the other is in trouble even recent hugs and kisses given between them, out of nowhere!

Makes a mama's heart happy, that's for sure.
But I can't deny the bittersweet quality of what it all means.

My babies are quickly becoming BOYS.
Boys sharing a boy-hood bond.
Boys sharing sweet-secrets that I may never be let in on.
Boys sharing giggles whose linking inside-joke I may never hear.
Boys holding hands and giving kisses that I pray don't start 'limiting' what mommy receives.

The saying really is true...
when you have children, you are making the choice to let your heart
walk around outside of your chest.

I know I am secure enough in myself and my bond with my little men that they will always be
'mama's boys' to a healthy-extent, but I'm pretty sure I'm finally beginning to understand the crippling fears a parent feels when absolute and pure love runs so deep.

........

Thank God for the power of His prayer!