“We, as an act of our wills will choose to rejoice and be glad in the moments we have been given. ” Sally Clarkson

For those readers who personally know me, you are very aware that we are in the middle of building a house. Long story short, it has been a harrowing process, due to numerous complications. Multiple people warned us that building a house was not for the faint of heart. We, of course naively thought we’d be an exception to that rule.

Yesterday, Ben and I visited the site by ourselves. Most of the sheetrock has been hung, so we could finally get a clear feel for the space. As we stood in our future living room, looking into our future dining room and kitchen, we started dreaming about Christmases and Saturday morning breakfasts with the girls to come. Ben jumped to talking about our children coming home to visit with their own children to this house and I found myself suddenly overwhelmed with emotion. It was as if I got a sudden glimpse of how quickly life progresses. While I’m not one to say of my children, “Please never grow up! Stay this little forever,” (I will not be sad about saying goodbye to diapers and sleep training) I do know this time is fleeting. “The days are long, but the years are short,” as the saying goes.

I was convicted that in this season of sleep deprivation, toddler temper tantrums, and building budgets; my attitude towards life is generally characterized by anxiety and complaining. It’s so easy to let my days be defined by the minutes left until naptime or the loads of laundry left to be completed.

The Women’s Bible Study at my church has been studying Colossians this semester. The encouragement to be “thankful” comes up repeatedly at the end of chapter 3. Thankfulness is far from the natural posture of my heart. But as our teacher wisely explained, sometimes we have to willfully act in obedience to feel the things that are true. In other words, we have to prayerfully and obediently practice thankfulness in order to allow it to take root in our hearts.

It is my hope, that along with giving me a playful creative outlet, that this project will continue to help me take on a posture of savoring thankfulness in this often exhausting season of life.

And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. – Colossians 3:15-17