Friday five

1. My status on facebook yesterday was "mom guilt sucks". So many people wrote comments to encourage me. I know it's a common thing, but it does suck. And it's not right to have guilt over things that are not sin. All the comments just reminded me that we need each other to get through all this. Who can you encourage today?

2. Speaking of encouragement, a wonderful man in our church came up to me last Sunday and asked me "What can we do for your family?" Can I tell you how I rode on that all week? Those words, the knowing that he was thinking of us, helped me through the tough parts of the week. (And believe me, there were a lot of tough parts this week.)

3. Done with Christmas shopping. I always try to find the right balance each year of shunning consumerism but yet embracing the gift giving. I think it will always be a work in process and I'm ok with that. So thankful for

Ann Voskamp's free Jesse Tree devotional. We have done it the past 2 years and it has been so wonderful keeping our perspective where it should be this Advent season.

4. This week, I really liked this post on staying positive. Just some real good practical help for mamas.

5. What's your favorite Christmas cookie? We like this one
Happy weekend everyone!