If Monday had a face, it would be mine this evening.  Monday has been very Monday today, y’all!  We had temper tantrums.  We had markers all over the kitchen chairs.  We had spill after spill after spill.  We had moody girls and feisty toddlers.  We had notices about bills we forgot to pay (oops!), a mountain of laundry yet to be washed, and an hour (yes, an actual entire hour) long battle over eating green beans.  The dog had to be chased down the street, medicine time morphed into Mommy wearing applesauce, and potty training resulted in a puddle and a midday bath.  One kid got eaten alive by fire ants, naptime was a whopping 20 minutes long, and Mommy couldn’t wait for Daddy to come home and offer a few minutes of reprieve- except Daddy won’t be home for two more months.

Yes, Monday has been less than pleasurable.  BUT, every day contains a gift.  Some days we have to look a little harder for the gifts, but they’re always there because we serve a great big God full of love and mercy and grace.  He’s always there, so there’s always something to be thankful for.  I can look at this Monday through the lens of negativity, or I can switch perspective and look at all of the good in this day, because there was just as much good as there was bad.

Such as… I woke up in time to start my day with coffee and the Word.  My girls spent a lot of time today playing, using their imaginations, and actually getting along.  We played in the backyard, and I schooled my kids on how to rock the slip-and-slide.  I didn’t wear nice clothes or makeup or do my hair- and no one cared.  My oldest baked some amazing banana bread, and we enjoyed good Facetime conversation with Daddy.  I had time today to read a great book, and my little bit was all about snuggling before bed and helped me read “Love You Forever.”  And as I type this, my children are all in bed, my puppy is curled up at my feet, and the Olympics are on tv… Not a bad ending to a Monday.

In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
-I Thessalonians 5:18

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.
-James 1:17