What's On Your Gratitude List?

Tonight doesn’t happen very often.

There’s no highlight reel happening over at the Page House. No meticulously clean kitchen, no children eager to go to bed. No freshly-baked cookies. Nope. Tonight was more like this: the kids went full-on savage, snacks counted as dinner, and I’m convinced we have mystery guests living here because the laundry never stops and no one can ever find what I just washed.

But somewhere between the noise, the mess, and the misplaced clothes, I felt it. Gratitude.

Not the fancy kind you post about with a filtered photo and thank all the people in it. The gritty, real-life kind. The kind that says: this might be chaos, but it’s mine—and I’m thankful. Thankful for a home filled with noise because it means there’s life inside these walls. Thankful for the chance to wash clothes with grass stains, because it means my children are healthy and active. Thankful for the lingering smell of yesterday's bacon grease still in the air, which means there is food in the fridge and full bellies.

And honestly? I’m thankful for this quiet moment I carved out—right here in the tub—while the rest of the house is running wild. Because joy isn’t about everything being just right. It’s about choosing to see the good in the middle of the mess.

"This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength." Nehemiah 8:10b (NIV)

"You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence..."

Psalm 16:11 (NIV)

That verse hits differently when you're running on empty but still showing up. It’s not a feel-good, everything-is-perfect kind of joy. It’s the deep, steady kind. The kind that holds you up when your strength is gone. And sometimes, those small moments of restoration don’t come from getting away from it all, but from letting God shift your focus. A heavenly perspective can lift your eyes off everything trying to steal your joy. So breathe deep. It’s okay to lean in and let Jesus meet you right here, right in the middle of the mess.

Tonight, I’m choosing to stop measuring my success as a mom based on surface-level things that won’t matter tomorrow. Instead, I’m settling into God’s presence, trusting that He’s in control—even when I’m not. My goal isn’t just to rest my body, but to let my soul breathe again. Because joy doesn’t come from perfection. It comes from presence—when I rest in His and return fully to mine.

The laundry can wait a few more minutes. The dinner menu can shine tomorrow. Tonight is a chance to rewrite my gratitude list so my heart can fully embrace this season, for all that it is, not just what I wish it looked like.

Friend, I don’t know what your night looks like. Maybe your version of peace is a quiet room or a closed bathroom door. Whatever it is, what are you choosing tonight?

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