~Thankful Thursday~

At 8:55 this morning my amazing husband left on a jet plane (well I don't know if it was a jet plane but it sounds better than just a regular plane) out to Washington D.C. to attend a Ravi Zacharias conference with one of his closes friends and incidently today was the day I decided to begin a fresh start in the Husband Encouragement Challenge. I considered waiting until he returned but thought about ways I could encourage him from home and considered it a further challenge.

I find it very difficult to be home alone and I haven't been alone this long since 3 years ago when he went on a trip to San Fransisco for a week. It was easier then having only one child and having closer friends near us. Expresso left this morning at 6:25 and when I woke up at 7:41 I prayed hard through my depressed feelings to God that He was going to have to be near me today or I wasn't going to make it. 5 minutes later the electricity went out leaving us with out power for a while but I realized it was a good thing forcing me to do things around the house I might have avoided otherwise and the kids played peacefully, as peacefully as 3 boys can (we have an extra). We faced some other life obstacles but now as I sit on my bed in a quiet house I praise God for many things...

1. That He heard my prayer this morning and 2. gave my husband a safe trip to D.C. as well as a window seat that he wasn't suppose to have and 3. stayed near me all through out my day and just blessed me with a beautiful day.

4. Peace given through out the day 5. joy within the struggles and 6. love in the midst of discipline. 7. Busy boys taking moments through out to pause and excite the imagination. 8. A wonderful husband I know I can trust miles away. 9. Energy to keep up with my house and my children. 10. For a friend visiting for a few days brightening the days for my littles while their daddy is gone. 11. A comfortable bed to retreat to after a long beautiful day.

I didn't start this post as a Thankful Thursday post but it just sort of went into thanksgiving for God is good and blesses His children beyond measure, thanks Iris for the encouragement to reflect on His goodness in our lives.