Tag: God loves you

Surrender Those Burdens

Published on by Susie @ Pollywog's Place Blog1 Comment

Hey there Momma (or maybe Daddy)! I see you… you right there who is so tired you can barely keep your eyes open. The Momma who was up all night with a sick baby or maybe your the one who had a couple of sick babies.

Maybe the Momma who is working two or three jobs to make ends meet. The money doesn’t seem to stretch quite far enough and then the babysitter wants a raise or is thinking about moving away.

The Momma worried about whether or not the car will start in the morning. Not to mention the sound it just started making.

The Momma who has been saving here and there to buy a new outfit because all of her good clothes now have holes in them. But then little Jimmy’s jacket is a tad too small or Haley has suddenly grown an inch since school started and her shoes are too tight.

The Momma whose plate is so full she needs help to carry it. Then when she feels she is just about to snap from all the pressure something else happens. It feels like fate is not on your side at all.

Maybe you are the Momma who feels like she just isn’t enough. You feel like you just can’t seem to get anything right lately. Nothing seems to be going your way. No matter how much you do there always seems to be more that needs done at the end of the day.

You’re tired, more than tired, you’re exhausted. You feel like you could sleep a week or two and still not be caught up on your rest. There is no amount of caffeine that can revive you at this moment.

You feel overwhelmed because even though you are tired you can’t seem to get any rest. Even when you manage to get in bed or lay down for a nap there is no peaceful slumber to come. It seems the minute your head hits the pillow the kids start to cry or whine, the phone rings, or someone comes to the door. Then once your eyes close it seems like only a minute before the alarm is going off at the crack of dawn and it’s time to start again.

There are so many worries and so many people depending on you. There are bills to be paid, meals to fix, clothes to wash, and a house to clean. There just seems to be so much to do. Most days you fly through it with little thought. You do what needs done and don’t think twice.

But today is different. You are just so tired that you feel like you can’t. You can’t find the energy to write those checks or even log in to the bill pay site. Thinking about what needs cooked makes you want to order pizza but you don’t feel like getting dressed to go pick it up.

Not to mention that other 100 things on your To Do list. Then you have that project due at school or work. Which reminds you that the kids didn’t finish their homework yet either. Sigh… for a fleeting moment the idea of running away seems like a perfectly sensible thing to do.

But Momma those things can wait just a bit. Right now I just want you to STOP everything and take a deep breath. Clear your mind and think of something peaceful.

These crazy moments won’t last forever. I promise. They will pass and you will get through this. You are not alone and there is always someone there for you.

In your craziest most overwhelming moments God is there. He is ready and waiting to listen to you. He wants to share your burdens and take away those worries. He will listen without judgement and if you let Him, He will guide you to where you need to be.

He will bring the peace in the storm. He will make those impossible mountains of tasks seem like small hills. You can do anything when He is by your side. All you need to do is just ask.

God loves you!

Ask Him for strength, healing, peace, calm, guidance, and wisdom.

Trust in Him that He is using this moment to mold you and shape you into the person He needs you to be.

Surrender those burdens over to Him. Give Him all of your worries and cares.

He is waiting Momma. He is there to comfort you just as you comfort your children and those around you. He is there to give you the rest you so desperately need.

All you need to do is to go to Him, right now. Let it all go. Open your heart out to Him. He will listen and He will help you.

Remember too that tomorrow is a new day. A fresh start to everything. Don’t stress over what you can’t do or change and just concentrate on what you can do or change. One foot in front of the other. Don’t be afraid to stop and talk to God as often as you need to. He will help you through you today, tomorrow, and everyday to come.

God Bless!

March 18, 2017

Published on by Susie @ Pollywog's Place BlogLeave a comment

Good morning everyone! I was so exhausted this morning I slept through my alarm so I’m still sitting around in my ‘bump around’ shorts and a T-shirt… not the norm for me at all. That’s OK though. Everyone has had a yummy breakfast and some of the kids are reading, one is playing with legos, and another couple are watching some Saturday morning cartoons.

A lot of the area schools have been on Spring Break here. We did do some school work this week but it was kind of hit and miss as some storms and bad weather had our internet on the fritz. That’s a downside to living out in the country. We did however get a surprise visit from a friend we haven’t seen in awhile.  It’s always a joy to have old friends come and visit. I find it amazing how kids can just pick right up where they left off months ago.

This past week has been a bit busy as Momma had 3 dances to go to! Monday, Tuesday, and Friday. It has all been so much fun! Monday was my first ‘away’ kind of event and there were a lot more dancers than I normally see. They had the chance to earn a ‘dangle’ for dancing a tip while holding an ice cream cone! There are so many interesting things that they do at these dances!

Tuesdays are the normal class nights and it is amazing to see how far everyone has come as a class. I am so looking forward to graduation and learning new calls and styles. There is so much to learn I have said it is almost like learning a second language. The great thing is that you don’t have to learn it all and you get as advanced as you like or feel comfortable with. Personally I want to learn as much as I can and I want to learn the fancy stuff that goes along with the basic stuff too. I find square dancing so fascinating!

Then Friday night was a St.Patrick’s Day dance. I love parties, especially decorating and putting them together. This time, however, I only brought a few decorations and some Key Lime Cookies (Betty Crocker box mix). I also wore one of the vintage dresses I found on Etsy. It was so cute! Everyone wore green and brought all kinds of green refreshments. Most importantly though we all had a wonderful time. There was a new class starting up also and we are hoping to have more people come next week. I encourage anyone and everyone to check out the classes that may be offered in your area.

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Today we are planning a small cookout with family and a few friends. I need to get my lazy self into the shower so I can get to the grocery store and pick up a few things. I am so glad I did that big monthly grocery shop earlier as my weekly shopping trips have been sporadic.

God is so good! Try to remember that He makes no mistakes and He has a plan for each and every one of us. If we will only let go of the plans we have and let Him take control He will bless us and work wonders in our lives that we could never have imagined! I try my best to thank Him everyday, several times a day, for all the blessings He has poured out on us and for all the ways He continues to work in our lives. I pray that each and everyone of you can look back on your week and see how God has blessed you and touched your lives.

May God bless each and everyone of you!

January 2, 2017

Published on by Susie @ Pollywog's Place BlogLeave a comment

I’m sitting here writing this before 7pm and I am exhausted. This past week has seemed like an eternity. The kids have been super hyper, family tensions have exploded, and life has just been down right crazy. There have been many times this past week that, even in the midst of all the chaos, I have felt so lonely.

That’s how life goes though. We have to have the bad to know what the good is. We need the craziness to keep us on our toes. It all works together to mold us and shape us into who we need to be.

There have been some really good moments and some funny ones too. Today DS3 asked me for a piece of ‘turned over cake’ aka Pineapple Upside-Down Cake. He was so happy to get a piece after dinner. It’s amazing how the simplest things can bring a smile to a child’s face.

Then there was this little couple at the grocery store today. They were older, reminded me a bit of my mom-mom and pop-pop, but they were so cute. I wanted to snap a picture but I didn’t want them to think I was completely off my rocker so I didn’t. I was happy to see them but also a little sad.

Sometimes I wonder if I’ll ever have that. That’s what I signed up for, not once or twice, but three times now. Three times it hasn’t worked out. It seems that every time I see a little glimpse of that it slips away from me and feels like it was just a figment of my imagination.

That’s when the Devil slips in and tries to tell me that I’m not good enough or that I’ll never be enough for anyone. He reminds me of my past failures and he points out my kids. He tells me that noone would ever be crazy enough to sign up for all of this.

Well, he is WRONG! I know he is. How do I know? Because God has said that I am His daughter and He is the KING! If it is God’s best for me then I will have it. So, I will try my best to be content where I am right now. Even though where I am right now is not where I thought I was a week or so ago. It is so hard to keep the faith sometimes but I will trust in His promises.

Even when times are hard God is there. We may not see Him or feel Him but He is there. When it seems like the dead of winter is upon us, He is with us. He is working on us, pruning us, shaping us, molding us for the plans He has for us. We may not see the fruits of our labors right now but we will see them in the future. He is so good!

Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls;

Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. 

The Lord God is my strength, and He will make my feet like hinds’ feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places. To the chief singer on my stringed instruments.

— Habakkuk 3: 17-19

Love Yourself

Published on by Susie @ Pollywog's Place BlogLeave a comment

This season of the year brings out a lot of different emotions for everyone. You may be waiting in anticipation for Christmas to get here. You may be excited to see your family and maybe a little anxious to see what gifts are waiting for you under the tree. It may be full of despair if you didn’t have the extra money to buy gifts for your loved ones. You may be feeling hopeless or distraught.

Please don’t beat yourself up over things you can’t control. This season is meant to bring us feelings of peace, joy, and love. To fully experience this you must let go of your feelings of guilt. There is not any ‘perfect’ Christmas, ‘perfect’ gift, or ‘perfect’ person at least since that very first Christmas.

Before we can truly experience the full joy and peace of the season we need to love ourselves. There are a million things that can make us feel unloved or unworthy.

Do you feel like you aren’t enough? You just can’t quite get everything pulled together to pull off the perfect holiday celebration. Maybe you don’t have the trendiest clothes? If only you had nicer clothes then you would feel better about yourself. Maybe your hair is in desperate need of a cut or color? If only you had the money to do your hair you would feel prettier. Maybe your friends or family have deserted you? If only you were a better person they wouldn’t have left you feeling so unloved and rejected.

These could all be reasons to feel down in the dumps. But let me tell you something… they are all lies. Lies that are fed to us by the one who is out only to seek and devour, to destroy us. Satan wants us to believe that we are rejects and that we are unworthy of being loved.

God sent his only begotten son to show us His love. God loves you, He loves me, and He loves everyone around us. He wants us to fully experience His love for us. We can’t do that if we refuse to accept it or let go of our guilt or misconceptions that we have.

I want you to know that God loves you unconditionally. He loves you whether you are overweight or underweight. He loves you whether you have an addiction to alcohol, drugs, or anything else. He loves you if you drive a Mercedes or a bucket of rust. He loves you even when it seems that noone else does. He loves you whether you bite your nails to the quick or have the latest manicure.

I want you to know that you can feel at peace this holiday season. You can experience a joy so full that it overflows to those around you. You can experience a love like you’ve never known. Just take it to God and ask Him to help you with your feelings of inadequacies, unworthiness, or whatever it is that you may be feeling. He can and will take your burdens away and He will show you how to let your light shine in the darkest of days.

Merry Christmas!

December 12, 2016

Published on by Susie @ Pollywog's Place BlogLeave a comment

Good morning! I had intended to write this post about the peaceful mornings but plans changed. I started my day as usual and the kids actually slept in a bit so I was not being hurried to get breakfast ready and on the table.

I sat down with my coffee and reflected on a few things. One of which was yesterday’s sermon about clinging to grace. We need to remember that when times are hard and nothing seems to be going right that we still have grace to carry us through. We need to keep holding fast to the promises that God has given us. He has a plan for us and He knows what we need even we don’t really have a clue.

I have had many a day when I have felt so discouraged and sad. Part of this is due to the fact that I don’t have someone to walk alongside of. Someone to share my little joys with or someone to hold me when I am down. I do miss having someone to hold my hand or the feeling of someone coming up behind me and wrapping their arms around me and holding me tight. I sometimes long to have someone to talk to about my day or being able to listen to someone tell me about their day. I miss having someone to snuggle close to when the nights are cold or when I don’t want to get up in the morning.

I try my best not to dwell on these feelings as I know that God is in control. I know that right now my focus needs to be on Him and the rest will fall into place. He is always there and will never leave me. He knows the innermost thoughts of my heart and all of my desires. He will comfort me like no one else can. I know that if it is in His will for me to have someone beside me He will allow our paths to cross.

So for now I will continue to pray for His wisdom and guidance, not only for myself, but for the one He has chosen for me. I pray that God will bless Him beyond measure and supply all his needs. I pray that  He will guide him and protect him and that He will surround Him with people who will encourage him. I pray that God will continue to mold him and shape him into the man God intends him to be.

I don’t know God’s will or His plans for my life but I know that He loves me and only wants the best for me. I also know that a lot of my problems have been because I wasn’t patient enough and didn’t wait for Him to reveal His plan to me. I tried to do things my own way and they didn’t turn out the way I had planned. I’ve made so many mistakes and suffered so many failures.

I pray that God will continue to work in my life and mold me and shape me into the person He wants me to be. I know that He can turn mistakes into miracles and that God has not forgotten about me. I pray that if it is not His will for me to have someone to walk with that He will fill my heart with joy and help me to be content where I am right now.

Right now, I will keep my focus on Him and on the job He has blessed me with as a mother and a keeper of my home. This is an important job that He has placed on me and it is full of responsibilities. My attitude and behavior will influence everyone around me especially my children. God calls us to show His love to all of those around us and I pray that everyone I meet can see how His love overflows from my heart. I pray that everyone around me will always feel loved, welcomed, safe, and comforted when they enter into our home.

Yes, it would be so much easier if I had someone to help me shoulder the many burdens of raising a family and keeping a home but God will give me the strength I need. I don’t really look at my role as a burden as I try to do everything with a servant’s heart because I love my family. So I will try not to be discouraged and I will keep singing His praises because God is so good to me! He has blessed me, an unworthy sinner, and He has loved me and shown me His grace and mercy. So for now I will indeed continue to cling to that grace and allow it to carry me through this difficult part of my journey.