MomEncouragement

Thoughts.  They take up the space in our minds, so often on autoplay we don't even realize it. Thoughts can be consuming, all-encompassing, even prophetic, if we allow them to be. They are seeds, and given enough nourishment, they lead to a harvest. What will your harvest look like? What thoughts are you nourishing? Are your thoughts positive and encouraging, even, and especially toward yourself? Or are they more of the self-defeating type thoughts, that too easily creep into our psyche? I encourage you to be vigilant about capturing the thoughts that are in your mind. Take each one captive and ask yourself if that thought is one that will build you up, challenge you to grow, or help you become physically, mentally, emotionally, or spiritually healthier. If the answer to that question is yes, nourish that seed with all your might! Water it. Give it sunlight. Open it to the fresh air. Focus your energies toward that thought, and baby step your way to make it become your

Yesterday evening I took a quick stroll down my road.  As I approached the end of the road, I heard the babbling flow of a nearby stream, and a chorus of peep frogs ushering in sping. I almost missed the moment in my rush to get back to my evening responsibilities. But the peepers were calling, and I've been known to pull over from driving and roll down the windows just to hear them. It's a calming sound that soothes my soul, and brings hope-filled anticipation for the rebirth brought by spring. I forced myself to stop, close my eyes, take a few deep breaths, and soak it in.  I thought of our moms' group and our current study of rest. What does it say about us, when we have to resort to studying rest in order to justify its place in our lives?  Why is rest foreign and elusive to us? In all honesty, my evening stroll was more out of necessity than proactive self-care. After a doctor's visit and some tests, I've relearned a vital lesson. I need to slow dow