31 Days | Day 16 : 1 Samuel 16:7b // + a few fun shop events!!

{A little note if you are new here...I am joining up with The Nester  for a 31 Day blogging series.  

To start back at the beginning or find previous days, click here}

We have been watching a lot of VeggieTales around here lately.  Ellis loves them and it's somewhat of a break from all of the Thomas the train that was starting to haunt my dreams.  He's always loved the music, but recently he's started really stopping and watching the characters and following the story (as much as his little, growing brain can comprehend).  It's so crazy and fun to see him laugh at the silly parts...whether he really knows why he is laughing or not is beside the point :)

More so, I just love knowing that he's learning some great bibles stories and lessons from such a young age.  And the newer ones, are hilarious...even for us parents! 

Usually while he's watching, I use the time to get something done around the house.  After picking up, wiping down the incredibly gross toddler-sticky surfaces in our living room, vacuuming, picking up more spilled cheerios, and folding a load of laundry, I felt exhausted.  My aching, full-of-baby body just can't do much more than that, as little of a task as it seems.  So I sat down on the couch and tried to get my son to snuggle with me for just a few minutes.  Of course he wanted nothing to do with me and my non-existant lap, so down he went.  

As Ellis was dancing along to the "bible verse" song at the end of the show, I was wallowing in my exhaustion wondering (again for the 100th time in the last few days), "how in the world am I going to keep this house clean and keep up with life when I have 2 kids, I can barely do it now...how do other moms do it with 3, 4, 5 kids??? etc..."  

Just then, Larry the Cucumber answered...(not really, I know the TV doesn't speak to me...I'm not that exhausted)

"The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart."

The Lord looks at the heart...

God knows how tired I am.  He knows I'm not lazy.  (most days... :) He sees my heart.  He doesn't judge us based on the condition of our home.  He doesn't care if we wear our sweats all day long if that's the best we can do.  He cares about the condition of my heart.

He cares that we are looking to Him for satisfaction in our parenting, not to other moms who seemingly can do it all.  I don't know how those other moms really feel.  They could be just as tired as me, if not more.  They could feel even more of a mess.  For all I know those same moms are looking at me wondering how I do it all, when I clearly don't. 

I need to remember that God does see my heart.

He knows my good intentions.

He feels how tired I am.

And He wants us moms, ultimately, to find our satisfaction in Him.

Thank you VeggieTales for teaching Ellis and me something today...and for giving me a few moments of rest.  

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A couple quick things happening today that you don't want to miss out on!!!

1.  ThriveMoms giveaway today!

Do you follow @Thrive_moms on Instagram?  You'll want to go ahead and do that right away if you don't!  They are doing a giveaway today featuring my Shop!  They are giving away a BeautifullyEsoteric scripture print!!  All you have to do to enter is tag #thrivemoms with your "Show us your fall" photo!

One lucky mama will be receiving this {my favorite} scripture print from the BE shop!

{and if you don't win, you can always purchase the print in my shop 

with code: THRIVE10 for 10% off your order}

2. Oh Sweet Joy's 2013 Handmade Holiday Gift Guide is open to applicants!!

This is awesome for many reasons!  I just love Kim's heart behind supporting online handmade businesses.  (...And she's a pretty awesome lady herself!)  

If you have a handmade shop, apply now!!  She is offering so much for such a great price...it will be more than worth your investment!!  What better way to get your shop name out there in front of so many people for the holiday shopping season?  There are limited spots, so don't wait :)

{And...just a little side note...Kim asked me to collaborate with her on this year's gift guide logo design and I couldn't have been more honored!!  So, all of the graphics you see for the gift guide this year were designed by yours truly...with Kim's creative genius in mind of course :) }

3.  Custom graphic and blog design options coming soon to the Beautifully Esoteric shop.

// I'm going to leave you hanging on this one for now...but bloggers/shop owners looking for creative, unique custom logo & design work... keep your eyes peeled.