You guys, I’m exhausted. Not even gonna pretend I have it all together at this point. Like seriously, I’m half-dazed typing this from my bed right now because I fully intend to go right back to sleep as soon as I hit publish. Everything seems to be going 100mph all at once, and my head is just spinning. But I promise I mean that in the best way possible.
Please don’t get me wrong, everything that’s going on in the Team Nelson camp is absolutely amazing. We are blessed beyond measure and far beyond what we deserve, that is the truth. I think because my mind is so blown with all the wonderful things God is doing for us it’s hard to process it all sometimes, especially all at the same time. So it can feel a little overwhelming, even though it’s good overwhelming if that makes any sense at all… Plus this whole pregnancy thing (and this HUMIDITY! LAWD!) has a way of zapping your energy in ways you could never even comprehend otherwise. So yup, I’m wiped. But absolutely, incredibly joyful at the same time.
All that to say, I’ve decided that instead of thinking this week, I’m just going to be thankful. Sadly that doesn’t absolve me from actually being productive 😉 but it does mean that my normal planning, figuring out, and thinking ahead self is on pause. I’ve determined that it’s best for me to just soak it all in and be grateful for every moment, every ounce of progress.
We went to see our house this past Sunday afternoon and were pleasantly surprised to see the framing up for the first floor! It feels so real now that there’s a 3D structure on top of the dirt pile where all of our money went! Haha! But really though… We officially hit the 15 week mark yesterday with the little one on the way, and all I can say is it is a miracle. It’s starting to sink in that we’ll soon be parents (which is probably still a little bit frightening to our parents) but I thank God everyday for this privilege and for the huge village He’s placed us within for more love and support than we could ever imagine. Consulting projects are taking off and things are going really well for Anthony at work. All around, life is good. No, it’s great! Sure, there are things I’d change if I were in control (like super speeding up the timeline on our house) but when I tell you I’m glad I’m not in control, I truly am! I’ve seen what comes out of my own planning and doing, and it not once has ever compared to the perfect plans God has put together for me. None of what’s happening in our lives right now would I have been able to so seamlessly and beautifully put together.
So this week, I’m fasting from asking and intentionally being thankful for God’s abundant love and blessings. The reality is, He deserves our gratefulness and praise whether life is great or miserable in the moment. There is always something to be thankful to God for, because we have achieved nothing of worth on our own without His grace. Somewhere He made a way, opened a door, brought the right person into our lives, planted a seed of vision, and changed our hearts to empower us to accomplish all we have. We have to give Him the glory for that! If nothing else, we couldn’t wake up on our own, so the fact that we’re here alive in this moment is a miracle within itself.
Gratitude is a mindset that we have to choose daily. It’s like love: it’s a commitment, not a feeling (but that’s a lesson for another day). We must purposefully look past our circumstances, good or bad, and thank God for all He’s done in our lives. And sometimes, to be truly thankful, leaving out the parts of our prayers when we’re asking for stuff makes it all the more meaningful. Sometimes I find myself slipping into asking without even realizing it. This week, though, I’m being intentional in just thanking God for who He is, what He has and continues to do in my life, and the fact that He loves me in spite of my chaos. That’s it. It’s only Tuesday and already I’ve seen a positive shift in my whole outlook. Next time your family comes together for prayer time, give it a try. I promise you’ll immediately feel the results of focusing on being thankful!