Where is your heart?




Good Morning ladies! I’m excited to announce that today I have a guest blogger! Her name is Chris Carter and she’s visiting us by way of Columbus, Ohio. Before getting married and having children, Chris worked as a music therapist for several years in Chicago’s inpatient psychiatric hospitals. She also managed creative arts and recreation programming for four group homes, which was an amazing experience.  In that time of her life, she learned and grew to know the pain and suffering of so many people. 
She is now a stay-at-home mom and currently spends her days running kids to and from school four times a day, volunteering in various kid programs at school and church, and keeping the house in some sort of order! Chris has a thriving blog, The Mom Cafe, where she regularly shares her
mothering experience and wisdom. Her hope is to touch people in any way she can, and shine a little light in their world through her writing. After reading and commenting on her post below, please go by her blog and show my good friend some love! Hey, while you’re at it…go ahead and follow her blog, I promise, you won’t be disappointed! 
 Wishing you and your family a happy and safe Thanksgiving holiday! See you next Monday and don’t forget to let your prowess show this holiday week!



Where is your heart?


Oh the joys of Thanksgiving abound all around us!  And we all go about our business of being “thankful” and saying grace while counting our blessings.  To celebrate this Holiday, we all go through the motions with our family and feed ourselves with delicious food.  We laugh and play and unite with loved ones and exhaust ourselves with tradition.  That’s a beautiful thing, isn’t it?

What does your heart really say?

Is your heart truly open to gratitude, or are there too many dark places that shade the light?

There is suffering.
There is pain.

And no one is without.

We each live a life battered and bruised by life’s misfortunes.  No one is untouched.  All of us can linger in the weariness and wearing of the fight.  Some are in a season where hope is but a faint glimmer, and our eyes are dimmed to only darkness.

Oh dear friend, Jesus is calling you to the light.  He weeps for you, as you whimper and wonder and wait…

For His blessing.

My favorite verse in Philippians, takes us on a path to gratitude:

6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

having a thankful heart
As you find your quiet amongst the hustle and bustle of the season, please pray on this passage and feel God’s light transform you.
And may you open your heart to Thanksgiving and think about such things…

www.themomcafe.com 


37 comments:

  1. Thank you for inviting me into your "home" Michell!!! I pray my words inspire and encourage your readers...

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    1. You are so welcomed Chris, it was my honor! I'm sure they will my friend! Have a blessed week!

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  2. Excellent blog post! I followed "The Mom Cafe" on Twitter, but I couldn't figure out how to follow her actual blog.

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    1. Thanks YVG! I don't think she has a Google Friend Connect, but where you found the Twitter button is where you can find the other ways to follow her if you'd like. Thanks again for dropping by!

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    2. SO awesome to see your comment! I am so sorry you couldn't find my actual blog... hoping now you have my link! :) Thank you so much for your sweetness.

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  3. Such a beautifully written message!
    It is amazing... that gift of transformation if we are just willing to open our hearts and allow God to work through us.

    God Bless you both and have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday!

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    1. Thank you Nichole! I am grateful to Michell for letting me share it with you! "The gift of transformation if we are just willing to open our hearts and allow God to work through us". Beautifully put, I couldn't have said it better!

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  4. Loving the guest blogger!!! Thanks for dropping by my blog!!

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    1. Thank you so very much! So glad you took the time to read it... :)

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  5. Thank you for this reminder to slow down and spend time with Him.

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    1. We all need this reminder, now more than ever! Thanks so much for reading the post! :)

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  6. So beautiful and true! I love it when two blogs I love come together! You can't beat that! :) --Lisa

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    1. AW!!! Thanks so much Lisa!!! I know I speak for Michell when I say...We love you right BACK! :)

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  7. So encouraging. Thank you so much for such a beautiful post!

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    1. Thank you so much Ashley! I appreciate you taking the time to read it. Your words are so encouraging to me...

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  8. Such a heartwarming post! The daily troubles we face at times can lead our heart in so many places except for the one that really matters. Thanks for reminding me that!

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    1. I love how you said that...it's just so true how our thoughts can spiral into negative areas when faced with adversity of any kind on a daily basis. I just prayed in the car going to school for Jesus to change my filthy heart as I lamented over a bad truck driver with venom in my words! It's so easy to lose sight of 4:8! Thanks for reading Anne!

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  9. Such wonderful, encouraging words. Have a great Thanksgiving!

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    1. Thanks so much for stopping by and reading Jennifer! :)

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    1. Thank you so much! I appreciate your sweet words... :)

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  11. What a beautiful post. Sometimes we get so bogged down by our sorrows, it is hard to find the joy all around us.

    I learned something, else, too -- didn't know you were in Columbus! You're almost my neighbor!

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    1. Yes it is! And there is always joy...even in the midst of our sorrows. It just takes some effort and a gentle reminder to look for it. Thanks so much for following me over here!! Neighbors? YAY!

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  12. True words so nicely put. Jesus keeps calling us and drawing us and loving us...

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    1. Yes He does! We just need to open our hearts to him and let His light shine on our weary and sometimes dark and dreary souls. Thank you so much for reading and sharing your lovely words of encouragement!

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  13. Hi Chris and Michell,
    Thanks for this wonderful thought provoking piece.
    yes the verses you quoted are really encouraging one.
    Keep posting. I am on my way to your original page
    Have a wonderful time ahead
    Keep inform
    Best Regards
    Philip

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    1. Thanks so much for dropping by Phillip and thanks for the follow. Have a blessed day!

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    1. Thank you so much Jenny! I appreciate your kind words... :)

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  15. Beautifully said! Thanks for being a blessing :-)

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    1. Thank you so much Anitra! You just made my day by sharing those encouraging words!

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  16. WOW Michell!!! You have the kindest, most encouraging friends and followers! Thanks so much for sharing them with me this past week. It has been such a beautiful blessing. :)

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    1. Awww...you're so welcomed Chris! They ARE great aren't they!;-) Anytime, it was an honor having you. Have a blessed week my friend!

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  17. It's wonderful to have online friends. But it's quite a treat to have friends who remind me put my heart where it ought to be.

    Passing on to you the Addictive Blog Award... come and get it @ http://www.anne-writersspace.blogspot.com/2012/11/blogging-is-addicting.html

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    1. WOW Anne! Thank you, I'm honored! I am so NOT techie, so this may take me a while to figure out how to do...lol! I appreciate you my friend! Have a blessed week!

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  18. Awesome post as always, Chris. "There is suffering. There is pain. No one is without." This is a great reminder of how to treat the people around us, too. You just never know what they're going through, and we should do all of this alone.

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  19. Great Guest Post! Thanks for the visit today via Katherine's Corner Blog Hop! :)

    Wishing everyone a healthy, happy and blessed Holiday Season!

    ♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ

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Thanks so much for dropping by...I really appreciate it! Please check back for a response to your comment, as I post all responses to comments here on the blog, not via email. Please note, as this is a Christian blog...any comment that contains offensive and/or inappropriate language will be sent to the authorities...NAH, but seriously though, they WILL BE deleted. :-) Have a great day...I call you blessed! ;-)