Wonderful Wednesday!

I am so joy-filled today I think I could burst!!

After a painfully long, trying weekend ~ today was a ray of sunshine!! Here are the Top 5 reasons today was a Wonderful day!!!

1. My little girl is now "lice free"!!

Now, you might ask? Yes ~ now!! One of my little princesses picked up lice in her class. AHHH! It was horrible!! Have you ever gone through this with your family?? It's been our first experience ~ and boy, was it absolutely overwhelming. The laundry, and shampooing, and combing out and disinfecting, and then more laundry.... What an exhausting task!!

Today a doctor came in to school to re-check the kids. My daughter's teacher called me at home this morning, and I immediately thought, "Oh no, she failed the check. I'm going to have to go pick her up and start over."

Thankfully the teacher was calling to say my daughter was all clear. Praise the Lord!! WOO HOO!!

2. My Mom is AMAZING!!

Did I mention that my mom is the one who found the lice? While she was keeping all 4 kids over night!! Instead of shipping all the kids back home (which is what I would have done!), my mom washed and combed out my daughter's hair for over 2 hours that first night. The next night, she helped me soak my daughter's hair in Vaseline. Plus, she has come to our house every night for the past 5 nights to help comb and rinse it out more. What an absolute blessing!!

Here is my little girl giving my mom cookies that say, "I love you". It was my daughter's idea ~ she even recognizes that Grandma went above and beyond the call of duty this week!!!

Thanks, Mom!!

3. God is so faithful!!

Yesterday I had the opportunity to share at the Moms Group at my church. I love these ladies, and it's always such a blessing to spend time with them. My message was on "Cultivating Your Spiritual Garden".

I prayed specifically that God would use my time not just for "fun", but to encourage and inspire.

Sure enough...this morning, while I was at Toys R Us of all places, I run into a woman who was there yesterday. She told me how much she enjoyed the message, and shared some very real takeaways that she left with. Specifically, she thought my point of "Pull a weed, plant a seed (of Truth)" was very helpful and applicable to her. Hooray!!

What a blessing for God to allow our paths to cross in the Barbie aisle!! And for her to share such postive feedback, and specific answers to my prayers!! God is so faithful, isn't He? :)

4. The kids and I baked 6 dozen cookies today!!

And the cookies don't have to be at school until Friday!! (Praise the Lord for pre-cut frozen sugar cookies!) Woo Hoo!!!

5. I had lunch with my dear friend Julie!

Chips and salsa for lunch, Starbucks for dessert, and my dear friend Julie for company. Wonderful!!!

And, I know I said Top 5, but there's one more I must share....

6. My husband is a gift!!

John, being the amazing husband that he is, ran all over town looking for hay for me tonight at 9 PM. I have a speaking engagement in the morning, but didn't have hay for my manger prop. But now I do...thanks to my dear hubby!! (He finally scraped some off the front walkway of Pet Supplies Plus ~ of course, he asked permission first!). What a guy!!

After a long weekend filled with lice and laundry and cancelled plans and smelly disinfectant....today was a welcomed gift!!! It was a Wonderful Wednesday!!

Let's pray...Oh Lord, remind us on the challenging days that we won't be stuck there forever. Thank you for Your grace and care, even in the midst of disappointing circumstances. Thank You for family members and friends that minister to us in special and unique ways. Thank You for Jesus ~ the True Gift of Christmas!!

And Lord, I pray that if anyone reading this right now is carrying burdens or anxiety or fear or just feeling empty...Lord, would You please meet them in their time of need? Would You please tend to their heart, provide a safe place for them, and fill them back upwith Your love and Your peace. You are faithful, God and we put all of our hope and trust in You alone.

We love you!! In the Strong Name of Jesus I pray...Amen!!

Many Blessings to you~

P.S. My manger full of hay :) and I will be heading to Ridgepoint Church in Holland, Michigan in the morning. Can't wait to see what God has planned!!! :)