Being a mom is an honor and a whirlwind!
Photo courtesy of Taisiia Stupak via Unsplash
Hey Friend!
Read my latest article on Medium.com! This one is all about connecting with God on a daily basis.
Be encouraged!
XO,
Scarlett
Tag: Encouragement
You Are Exactly Where You Need To Be
Hello, Sweet Mama!
What’s On My Mind Today?
I have something on my mind that I wanted to share with you.
I heard a young mom talking the other day about how painful and discouraging it is to see other moms on social media who appear to have a perfect life or at least have it more together than they do.
It broke my heart. Because the effect she is allowing it to have on her is paralyzing.
I want to implore you, especially you younger moms… please stop comparing yourself to other mamas!
I know it’s hard.
Their Instagram posts look perfectly curated, with the right filters and captions, and perfectly posed babies or children.
But I would bet money that if you had been in the room or the car or at the pumpkin patch with them, you would’ve seen the real story.
Crying babies, moms bribing kids with candy or extra iPad time or ice cream (been there done that!), frustrated kids, husbands getting impatient. Not exactly the pretty sight you see on their posts, right?!
And I get it, I don’t post all the yucky behind-the-scenes stuff either. I mean, I guess I’ve always just assumed that we all have the hard stuff and who wants to see more of it?
Maybe we all need to post more of that messy stuff.
But what I want you to hear is that there is no perfect mom.
There is no perfect family or marriage or parent.
We all have the hard stuff, the messy bits, the stuff that stays off-camera.
Every. Single. One. Of. Us.
So, I want to ask you…
Do you know you are enough and exactly where you need to be?
{I realize that some religious hounds may come at me for that statement.}
But here’s the thing… if God wanted you to be somewhere else, He would’ve told you, right?
If He had other plans for you, He would’ve shared those with you.
He is our GOOD Father and doesn’t withhold His goodness and good plans from us.
Trust that you are exactly who He has made you to be, that you are in exactly the right place, and that you are living the amazing life He designed for you!
He gave you that precious child. They are a gift straight from heaven! You are the one and only Mama your child needs.
So, trust the process. Trust your gut. Do what is best for you and your family.
If that means posting beautiful, magazine-worthy photos on Instagram every day, go for it.
If that means staying off of social media to focus on what you need to get back on track with knowing who you are and being confident in yourself, do it!
But let’s cut out the comparisons, okay?
Let’s celebrate ourselves and each other and where each of us is in life.
Leave focusing on our differences and thinking we have to measure up to someone else’s life in the garbage bin.
I am sending you an enormous hug and cheering you on!
XO
Happy Summer… And Let’s Tackle The Recession With A Strategy of Hope
Hello, Friend!
You are on my mind. I hope you’re enjoying this first week of summer!
I’m seeing a lot of talk on social media regarding the state of the world and the recession. I realize there is a bit of a debate about whether we’re already in a recession or heading toward one, but either way, we are seeing and hearing that word everywhere. Gas and grocery prices are the highest they’ve been in several years. Supply chain issues are still affecting the grocery shelves (and every other industry).
How are you feeling? Is the stress getting to you? Are you worried about your finances?
Today, I want to remind you to look to our Heavenly Father for hope and encouragement. He is good. Always good. And He is our Source of strength and hope and provision. He says He will never leave us nor forsake us, and He never goes back on His word.
Now may God, the inspiration and fountain of hope, fill you to overflowing with uncontainable joy and perfect peace as you trust in him. And may the power of the Holy Spirit continually surround your life with his super-abundance until you radiate with hope! Romans 15:13 TPT
I have more to share on the goodness, provision, and abundance of God, but I want to go ahead and get to some practical ideas that I hope will help you today.
Here are some ideas about making your money go a little further right now.
Coupon Apps/Websites
If you’re not using coupon apps, you’re leaving money on the table. I’m listing my top choices below. I have used every one of these websites and/or apps and have cashed in my points for gift cards. Hundreds of dollars worth of gift cards over the years!
Just keep in mind that they are supposed to be helping you make the most of your money. Your time is precious. Don’t allow them to become a time-suck!
Fetch Rewards: This is how I turn my receipts into FREE gift cards. Try it and get 2,000 points! All you do is snap a photo of your receipt. And it can be ANY receipt, not just ones from the grocery store. I’ve been using this one for the shortest amount of time, but it is my favorite. It’s the easiest one to use. Never glitches. And they occasionally offer additional perks, such as free magazine subscriptions (i.e. Better Homes & Gardens, Town & Country, Eating Well, Harper’s Bazaar, etc.).
Ibotta: This is another free app that gets you cash back on the stuff you buy every day. Just use my referral code: ktilyma and you’ll get a bonus!
My Points: This site gives you multiple options for earning points, which you can turn into gift cards! You can take surveys, shop, answer poll questions, find coupons, upload receipts, click for points, etc.
Swagbucks: This one is pretty much identical to My Points. Earn points when you shop online! I’ve been a member of this platform the longest and have purchased many birthday and Christmas gifts with the gift cards I earned.
Grocery Savings
Shop at Aldi! I have been shopping at Aldi for 10+ years and am super thankful to my friend, Clarissa, who told me about it back in the day. I had seen a few bloggers mention it but had never been myself, so when we moved back to the States, I found out there were two stores close to me. If you haven’t been to an Aldi yet, find one near you ASAP! I always feel so great about how much I get for my money when I shop there. What a great feeling!
Aldi has a wonderful selection of groceries (including organic items), and don’t miss the fun, middle aisle! You never know what you’ll find. It’s like a treasure hunt.
And if you’re going to Aldi for the very first time, take a quarter for your shopping cart. And take your own bags, unless you want to pay for new ones.
If you don’t have an Aldi near you, make sure you sign up for your local grocery store rewards card. This can save you hundreds of dollars each year and always gives you the best deals. With my local grocery rewards card, I can use my points for groceries or gas. Today I saved 40 cents per gallon, which felt pretty good!
If you have pets, shop online at Chewy.com! I have been buying our cat and dog food via Chewy for years. They are fast, reliable, and have the best customer service in the world!
A couple of years ago, our cat, Elliot, got sick and passed away suddenly. We had just received our Chewy order with a fresh bag of Elliot’s prescription cat food. I called them to see if I could return the unopened bag. They not only gave me a refund, but they also suggested I donate that bag to my local vet.
Then I came home from work a day or two later to this…
Chewy sent us flowers from a local florist and included a heartfelt message of sympathy. That’s what I call a five-star experience. During our sadness at losing our sweet pet, Chewy was the epitome of sensitivity and compassion. I’ve been a faithful customer ever since (We have two cats, two dogs-sometimes three when Austin’s dog is here-and a fish.).
Shop on Amazon.com! Are you a Prime member? Get ready because the Prime Day deals are already looking hot! Prime Day is actually two days – July 12 & 13. Mark your calendar! And if you’re not a member, why not?? There are so many benefits. Shopping, obviously, but also shipping/delivery benefits, streaming and digital benefits, reading benefits, and more!
One of the best ways to get deals on Amazon is to sign up for their Subscribe & Save program. It’s a subscription you set up for items you regularly use. I’ve ordered all kinds of things through Subscribe & Save over the years… from toilet paper to snacks to elderberry syrup and supplements to cleaning supplies.
Another favorite Amazon feature is their Audible membership! But since this is a post about saving money, go to your local library for your audiobooks. 🙂
What else do you hope to find a way to save money on right now?
Leave your thoughts in the comments. I’ll be back soon with more ideas.
Love & Blessings!
Scarlett xo
{This post contains my affiliate links, which simply means that when you purchase through my links, I make a small commission. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Thank you!}
Happy Mother’s Day to You
Hey Mom!
Are you looking forward to having the spotlight all on you this Sunday?
You are a rockstar!
Let your people love on and spoil you this weekend!
It’s time to honor you!
I know motherhood is hard. It’s endless hours of being available and “on.” It’s putting yourself last much of the time. I know it can be exhausting and thankless.
Hopefully, you have a supportive spouse or significant other or friends who cheer you on! (And don’t forget to teach those little ones to say “thank you”!)
But if not, I am in your corner, jumping up and down! Here I am shouting, “You are amazing!” “I celebrate you today!” “You’re doing an outstanding job!”
If you’re feeling a little worn down and weary…
If you’re wishing for a break…
If you’re not sure you’re cut out for this job…
Just remember, this is a marathon and a journey. It’s not a sprint.
And there is grace for every step.
Some seasons will certainly be busier and go by faster. But keep the long game in mind.
This is an adventure with the Lord and your kids.
Keep the relationships in the front of your mind. If your little one is only 2 years old, picture them in 10 years. And then in 20 years.
What do you want your relationship to look like at those intervals? In keeping the big picture vision in mind, you won’t get bogged down in the daily stuff as much.
Remember that God chose you to be the mama out of all the women in the world today. He picked you for your child and your child for you. He wove all that DNA together and tied an enormous bow on top. His gifts are good and perfect.
So I hope they greet you on Sunday morning with breakfast in bed or a pleasant lunch out or a fun picnic at your favorite park!
It’s your special day. Enjoy every moment.
Thinking of you,
Scarlett xo
P.S. Check out this touching, new song: Anne Wilson’s Mamas
Welcome back, Autumn!
Hello Lovely,
I realize I’ve been quiet for a while now. Sorry to leave you hanging.
Honestly, 2021 has been as hard, if not harder, than 2020 was. It’s weird to put that in writing. There have definitely been some wonderful, beautiful, enjoyable aspects to this year. But man, there have also been some hard times and so much grief. We lost three very significant people in our lives in the first 6 months of this year. I’m not sure I’m ready to write about those losses yet. I am processing them and will share more at a later time.
I had planned to write so many things at the time of my last post, but life just kept happening, and I didn’t have it in me.
So… I’m starting today to pick up the pieces. I love being able to tell stories about my life and what I’m experiencing. And I hope to bring some encouragement to you as you mother your little one/s. It’s such an important job and the days are full. I want to cheer you on and support you as much as possible!
Today is the first day of autumn here in the US, and it is a day I look forward to every year.
I adore the four distinct seasons that we get to experience and enjoy on the East Coast. If I had to name a favorite, it would be spring. But all four of the seasons have such unique aspects to them. I look forward to the transition into each one.
Growing up in Texas, I didn’t see the distinction of fall as clearly as I experienced both in Canada and here in Virginia. The colors of the season are truly breathtaking. I cannot wait to take them in again this year.
We have the house decorated and plan to buy some mums for the front porch this week. The leaves are beginning to fall, and I know well see them changing color soon.
Do you love decorating for fall? What are your favorite decorations?
We are experiencing some cooler temps this week, so tonight’s dinner was turkey chili. It seemed fitting for marking the new season. I’ve been looking forward to pulling out the stock pot and cooking up some delicious, warm soups and chilis and stews for my family. I’ll share some recipes soon.
Happy Fall! 🌾 🍁 🍂
My Favorite Hymn When I Was a Little Girl and Happy Easter!
Happy Good Friday!
I grew up in church and as a pastor’s kid (lovingly referred to as a PK). I’ve always loved music and singing. I distinctly remember being five years old and loving the hymn “The Old Rugged Cross” by George Bennard.
One week I even made a request to our worship minister to add it to our Sunday hymn list. And he did!
I’m not sure why that specific hymn stood out to me so much. Maybe it’s because it was that same year that I came to the understanding of my need for Christ and gave my life to Him – the single most important decision of my life.
The song is still meaningful and precious to me today, forty-six years later.
Here are the lyrics, in case you’re not familiar with it…
The Old Rugged Cross
On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross,
the emblem of suffering and shame;
and I love that old cross where the dearest and best
for a world of lost sinners was slain.
Refrain:
So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross,
till my trophies at last I lay down;
I will cling to the old rugged cross,
and exchange it some day for a crown.
O that old rugged cross, so despised by the world,
has a wondrous attraction for me;
for the dear Lamb of God left his glory above
to bear it to dark Calvary. [Refrain]
In that old rugged cross, stained with blood so divine,
a wondrous beauty I see,
for ’twas on that old cross Jesus suffered and died,
to pardon and sanctify me. [Refrain]
To that old rugged cross I will ever be true,
its shame and reproach gladly bear;
then he’ll call me some day to my home far away,
where his glory forever I’ll share. [Refrain]
United Methodist Hymnal
Public Domain
Here is a version I love by Marvin Sapp.
How do you commemorate Good Friday and celebrate Resurrection Day?
We’ve done many Easter crafts and activities over the years. We’ve had so much fun dying eggs and hunting for them. We also had a set of Resurrection Eggs a long time ago. We had Easter DVDs that we all enjoyed, especially The Gospel of John.
Our longest-lasting tradition is to make Resurrection Rolls on Easter morning.
Have you heard of them?
I started this family activity when my kids were little, and we still make them every year. I imagine we’ll continue making them with the grandkids one of these days!
The idea is to provide a memorable and interactive visualization of what happened in the grave.
Not only did Jesus die a horrible death on the cross for us. Even more unbelievable and crucial to our salvation was that He also rose from the dead!
We can find the full story in Matthew 26-28 and John 18-21.
This visual lesson includes these Scriptures:
The marshmallow represents Jesus’ body – Matthew 27:45-55
The dough represents the tomb – Matthew 27:57-61 and John 19:38-42
The butter, sugar, and cinnamon represent the oils and spices Jesus’ friends put on His body – John 19:40
Here’s the recipe…
Resurrection Rolls
Ingredients:
1 10-ounce package refrigerated crescent rolls
8 large marshmallows
¼ cup butter, melted
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons white sugar
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Line baking sheet with parchment paper (you can lightly grease your baking sheet, but parchment paper is even better!).
Unroll crescent rolls and separate them into triangles.
In a small mixing bowl, stir together cinnamon and sugar.
Line all ingredients up in this order: marshmallows, melted butter, cinnamon-sugar mixture, and triangles of dough.
Dip one marshmallow into melted butter, then roll in sugar mixture. Place in the center of a crescent triangle. Roll up sides and pinch together carefully so the melted marshmallow can’t escape. Repeat.
Place on baking sheet. Sprinkle with remaining cinnamon and sugar.
Bake in a 400-degree oven for 12-14 minutes or until golden brown.
While the children are waiting for the rolls to be ready, read Matthew 28:1-6 to them.
Let the rolls cool for a minute or two, then break one open to show the empty tomb! And joyfully exclaim: He isn’t here—he has risen victoriously, just as he said!
{BTW, we usually triple this recipe.}
Be Encouraged in Hope
I pray that no matter how you celebrate the resurrection of Jesus this weekend, you will be blessed with wonderful family time, encouraged in the hope of His Kingdom and that you make beautiful memories with your loved ones.
Jesus is risen!
Thinking of you,
Scarlett xo
{This post contains my affiliate links. This means that when you make a purchase through one of my links, I get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.}
Celebrating You in 2020
Hey Mama,
We did it! Are you ready to celebrate? We made it to the end of one whacky, nutty, turbulent, hard year.
Can you believe it’s December 31?
Are you dancing for joy or just barely crawling toward midnight? Whichever one, I hope you can find time today to celebrate. You made it!
And tomorrow we get to start fresh.
I know it’s been challenging (are we over that word yet?). It’s been filled with the unexpected. And loss. It’s caused us to re-evaluate our lives like never before. What really and truly matters? What path was I even on? And why? Do I want to stay on that same path or forge a new one? What do I really want out of life? How do I create the life I want?
I have asked myself all of those questions (and more) this year.
I’ve seen lots of people cursing the year or making fun of those who started the year by saying it would be ‘2020: the year of perfect vision’.
But honestly, I have been calling this my year of clarity. Maybe it wasn’t the 20-20 vision I had planned or expected, but it has brought some crystal-clear vision for me, personally. I faced some hard decisions and walked through the muck of getting the answers. I know what I want and how to get there. I’m thankful, crazy thankful, that despite all the difficulties, I found truth and clarity.
What about you? Did this year bring up these questions for you? Have you been able to get clear on what matters to you? What you want in life? Where you want your family to go? What are the things you want to be and know and do and experience?
If not, I suggest you start by making a list of all the things you are thankful for. Go back to January and go week by week. There is something to be thankful for in each day, but if that seems too daunting, just look at the week or the month.
List anything and everything that comes to mind. This practice will help you see all that God has blessed you with and what you want more of.
Next, make two columns, one for the things you want to keep or welcome in your life, and the other for the things you’d like to say goodbye to.
This could be as simple as . . .
Column A – Keep or Welcome
Eat green veggies 3x/week
Start a new business by March 1
Start the day with Bible reading
Call one friend every Wednesday
Column B – Bye Felicia
Cut out sugar Mon-Fri
Quit job by July 1
Cut phone time to 2 hours/day or less
Assess apps to see if they are necessary
And so forth . . .
Next, write out your dreams.
List them out. No matter how small or how massive! Don’t let your logical thinking get in the way. Really go crazy with it!
Who are you? What do you feel you were created for? Where do you want to be one year from now? What steps do you need to take for those dreams to become a reality in your life?
My dream is for more freedom in my life. Thanks to good ole 2020, I now have that. Because of the lockdown and being furloughed back in March, I was able to reevaluate and decide what I want that freedom to look like and how to make that happen.
If you are floundering or feel crushed under the weight of this year, in addition to the exercises above, I recommend listening to messages and reading books that can help propel you forward. Being stuck is a sucky-duck place to be.
I want you to be brought out to a spacious, free-to-twirl-around place (see two of my favorite verses in Psalm 18:19 and Psalm 118:5). That’s God’s heart for us, as His daughters.
Here are some of my favorite messages, books and music that helped me grow, ministered to me, or brought me into worship this year . . .
Myles Munroe’s Overcoming Seasons of Crisis
James Clear’s Atomic Habits
Jeff Olson’s The Slight Edge
Dr. Cindy Trimm’s Commanding Your Morning
Bill Johnson’s Born for Significance
Hillsong’s King of Kings
Bethel’s Goodness of God
Elevation Church/Kari Jobe/Cody Carnes’ The Blessing
Another fantastic resource I want you to know about is the read through the Bible in a year plan I followed this year. It’s the Bible Recap on the You Version Bible App. This year I did something I’ve never done before. I listened to the entire Bible! I loved it and highly recommend it. There is also a daily podcast that goes along with the readings. And don’t miss the intro videos for each book. It’s a special resource, and I hope you check it out if you’re interested in reading (or listening!) through the Bible in 2021.
Well, my Friend, I want you to know that I’m proud of you. You accomplished a heck of a lot in 2020. I’m giving you a standing ovation!
I’d love to hear about your dreams and plans for the new year. Please drop them in the comments. I read every word.
Thinking of you,
Scarlett xo
{This post contains my affiliate links. If you purchase through these links, I make a small commission. Many thanks!}
Making Christmas Memories
Hello, Lovely Mom!
How are you?
I hope you are healthy and enjoying the month of December. It’s hard to believe we are just a week away from Christmas!
Have you been able to celebrate this magical season? Even if it’s just at home with your family? I know this year is hard and different from previous years. It’s our job to make the most of it, though. We can do this!
What are your family traditions? I’d love to read about them in the comments. Please share!
It’s so special and important to keep traditions. Along with faith, I believe they are the backbone of our families. Bob and I have established many of our own traditions over the course of our marriage, having children, and living in three different countries.
One custom my family of origin had once I was a little older was having homemade tamales on Christmas Eve. The wonderful Spanish-speaking congregation that was part of my church would bring us delicious, handmade tamales every December 24th, and it became a super special memory for me. There is nothing like unwrapping that warm, golden cornhusk to find a mouth-watering tamale inside.
When Bob and I moved from Texas to Canada, we had to search for good Mexican food. We love our Tex-Mex, so it was important to us. Unfortunately, it was pretty scarce, so I learned how to make my own, and for many years now, that has been our traditional Christmas Eve dinner.
I make two or three kinds of enchiladas, homemade Spanish rice, black beans (which comes from our Venezuela days), chips, salsa, guacamole, and we serve Jarritos, Mexican or Texas-themed beer and/or margaritas, etc. And I still want to learn how to make my own tamales to add to our menu!
We have many other traditions, especially during the Christmas season. When the kids were younger, I would wrap 25 Christmas-themed picture books and put them in a basket near or under the Christmas tree. We would make hot cocoa and open one book every morning to read together on the couch. Such sweet memories!
Here are a few of our faves: The Best Christmas Pageant Ever (and don’t miss the adorable movie version), The Year of the Perfect Christmas Tree: An Appalachian Story, One Wintry Night, and The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey.
We also had an advent calendar every year, everything from chocolates to Legos. We also had special advent-themed books that we would read in the evenings.
Then there are the foods that became part of our celebrations. When the older kids were younger, I started making fudge and giving it as gifts. I also made a Spiced Tea mix and gave that as gifts. And then we discovered Gingerbread (the cake, not the crunchy cookie man)! Oh, wow. How many pans of Gingerbread have we made over the years?
These are all still precious favorite traditions in our home. They bring back warm, cozy memories and help create that special, distinct holiday atmosphere that everyone longs for and feels at home in.
We take a family photo each year, usually on Thanksgiving Day. I order Christmas cards from Shutterfly to send to friends and family all over the country (and continent). I look so forward to getting cards from our family members and from the friends we have made over our lifetimes. We are crazy blessed with beautiful relationships.
Since living in Virginia, we started a new tradition of going to a Christmas tree farm to pick out and cut down our tree. We have been to several in our years here, but the last three out of four years, we’ve only had to go right down the road to a friend’s tree farm where we always find the perfect one, usually a gorgeous White Pine. Then we head home, put on some Christmas music or pop in a Christmas movie, and decorate to our heart’s content.
I love seeing the ornaments we have collected over the years. A new tradition I started the last couple of years is to buy each of the kids their own ornaments to take with them when they move out on their own.
This year as we decorated, we watched my favorite Christmas movie, The Preacher’s Wife, with Whitney Houston, Denzel Washington, and Courtney B. Vance. In case you’re not familiar with it, it’s a more modern version of the 1947 movie, The Bishop’s Wife, (which I also love) and which was based on a book by the same title.
We love making Christmas cookies, Rolo Pretzel Delights, and Ginger Cookies and keeping hot spiced apple cider warming in a crock pot on the kitchen counter the entire month of December.
On Christmas morning I make a big breakfast of Farmer’s Casserole, Christmas Coffee Cake, Pigs in a Blanket, a tray of fruit, along with hot Wassail, and plenty of coffee. Now that the kids are older, we taking our time to open gifts and spend time together around the Christmas tree. Instead of a large Christmas dinner, we make loads of appetizers and snacks to have the rest of the day.
In keeping with Bob’s family tradition, we often go to see a movie in the theater late Christmas afternoon. I’m not sure if that will be an option this year or not. (Has anyone been to a movie theater in the past eight months?!)
No matter if you can do the big, normal celebrations you have always experienced or if you have to scale down to a smaller version of Christmas this year, I pray you have a warm, wonderful time making treasured memories with your family.
Thinking of you,
Scarlett xo
{This post contains my affiliate links. I will make a small commission when you purchase through these links. Thank you!}
Happy Thanksgiving!
(This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission when you purchase through these links. Many thanks!)
Hello, Lovely!
How are you?
We’ve almost made it to Thanksgiving, American friends! Are you looking forward to it or dreading it?
What are your plans? Have they changed or stayed the same?
I’ve been a little sad we won’t be with our dear friends who always host a large group of us every year.
I’ve also been so incredibly grateful when I think about the memories we’ve made with them over the past seven years. We don’t have any extended family who live here, so they have become like treasured family to us. It’s such a special relationship. Bob and I have been talking about them this week and thanking God for them and their place in our lives.
We’ll miss their gracious and warm hospitality. We’ll miss the Popeyes Cajun Turkey that they finish cooking on the grill. We’ll miss the enormous spread of delicious food. We’ll miss singing the blessing together before we dig in. We’ll miss the conversations around the table and cheering for the Cowboys’ game in the background. We’ll miss taking our Christmas card photo at their house.
But we have hope that we’ll be together again next year.
And this week, our family of seven will all be together, which makes this mama’s heart overflow with happiness. It’s been a month since we’ve all been home together. There will be warm spiced cider, spirited conversations, loads of our own Thanksgiving eats (including a Popeyes Turkey!), relaxing and movies and desserts and long walks. It will be different, but still very special.
And we’ll be grateful for health, and time spent together, and fresh memories made.
Isn’t that what this year has been for all of us? Different, but still special. A time to lean in to what we’re grateful for and looking to the future with renewed hope.
If you’re looking for some fun ideas for Thanksgiving break, I have some ideas:
Fun Thanksgiving Riddles and Trick Questions for Kids and Family
My Thanksgiving Activity Book, Ages 4-8
Bear Says Thanks by Margaret K. McElderry
Cranberry Thanksgiving by Wende & Harry Devlin (don’t miss the recipe in the back!)
Thanksgiving Tattoo Party Favors
Gratitude: A Prayer and Praise Coloring Journal (For big kids & adults to enjoy!)
I pray you experience rich and beautiful blessings this week!
Thinking of you,
Scarlett xo
Life and Blessings
As I prayed this morning, my heart was set in eager anticipation of what God wants to do in our lives and in our country!
I am speaking peace and unity over this year and the American people.
God is for us and His plans for us are great and wonderful!
Be encouraged! Live in peace and anticipation of what He’s going to do.
As I was praying for our election and the voters who are/will be standing in line today to cast their votes, I asked Father for a word to pray over them and the day.
Deuteronomy 30:19-20 was immediately brought to my mind:
I call Heaven and Earth to witness against you today: I place before you Life and Death, Blessing and Curse. Choose life so that you and your children will live. And love God, your God, listening obediently to him, firmly embracing him. Oh yes, he is life itself, a long life settled on the soil that God, your God, promised to give your ancestors, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
Just as He spoke these words to the ancient Israelites, I believe He is speaking this word to us today.
The choice is ours.
Life or Death
Blessing or Curse
Let’s be purposeful in our choices for His Name and His Glory!
I am praying Life and Blessings over us all today! ❤️
Thinking of you,
Scarlett xo
The Scarlett Thread 