Thankfulness - Day 7

It's the last day of my thankfulness week; but not the last of my thankfulness. Today I am thankful for a few things: 1.) My boys. They make me laugh, they make me cry, they sometimes make me shake my head, but they are mine. But not really. I am learning to give up my desire to control their lives to keep them safe, to make them be what I think they should be. And honestly, it's probably the hardest thing I've ever tried to do. God has given me the privilege of being their mother & am glad He did. They're just amazing! 2.) The rest of my family. They give unconditional love, help & advice when I need it. I couldn't make it very long without them. 3.) My house. I don't like that it sounds so materialistic, but I really like my house. I like to decorate, & even though it doesn't look like it or sometimes I don't feel like it, I do like it to be clean. It was also the last day of my 7 x 7 prayer week with the boys. I have to confess that I didn't always read all of them every day, but like I thought, #1 kept me on my toes. I think he enjoyed it! Have a happy Thanksgiving & think about something you're thankful for this year!

Thankfulness - Day 6

What can you be thankful for when you've had a bad day? For me it's the hope that I have in knowing Jesus Christ. When things get me down, when my spirit is in the pits, I only have one way to turn, up. "Those who look to Him for help will be radiant with joy..." Psalm 34:5b "And the Holy Spirit helps us in our distress. For we don't know what we should pray for, nor how we should pray. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words." Romans 8:26 God knows what we are feeling. We can trust that He knows our deepest needs & will fulfill them according to His will. That is true joy.

Thankfulness - Day 5

Today I am thankful for music. Music seems to be like therapy for me. I mostly listen to contemporary christian & a lot of the time it seems that God is giving me a special message through a song. I really enjoy listening to the words, they have a great message.

Thankfulness - Day 4

Today we went to a different church. And the message was wonderful. It filled my heart with hope & joy. So today I am thankful that we have the freedom to go worship if we want, at the church we want. We have it so good here in the U.S. in the church. Maybe too good. As we rush around Sunday morning to get dressed & get our hair shiny, do we think of the fact that in some houses around the world they are secretly worshipping. Despite the fact that they may be persecuted? Do we think about the fact that we can be Presbyterians, Mennonites or Catholics if we so choose? That it's our decision? I know I don't. I challenge you to think about it this week.

Thankfulness - Day 3

Today I am thankful for my health & my family's. To be able to work, play, run, etc. is a great privilege God has given us. Hubby & I did a few projects today around the house. They had been sitting around for quite awhile just waiting for the perfect day. Today was that day! I might post pics in a few days when everything is back in order. I found the perfect thing to use as a room divider!

Thankfulness - Day 2

Today I am thankful for Christian radio & the freedom it has on the airwaves. I especially like Moody radio. It has been my friend through my years of working in the shop & I have learned a lot because of it. I love the fact that I can surround myself with God through the preaching & special shows during the day. One of my favorite shows is Midday Connection (http://www.middayconnection.org/) They introduce lots of great authors & resources for all kinds of topics that Christians face, esp. Christian women. Go check it out! Tomorrow is a big game day around here...one of the biggest rivalries in college football happens @ high noon. I will be glued to the tv for a few hours to say the least! GO BUCKS! =)

7 x 7 thankfulness

This morning I finally started my 7 x 7 prayer week with the boys. (If you don't know what it is, click the picture on the sidebar & it will take you to a blog that explains it.) The boys & I always pray when they go to bed but this is special as you're to pray 7 times a day for your kids, during certain activities during the day. It was so cute this morning b/c I placed the cards with the verses I'm praying around the house where I will see it at the time I need to pray and my #1 son found some for later in the day & brought it to me b/c he wanted me to do it now. =) I think he was pretty excited about it. I'm a little worried about keeping up with it for a whole week, I tend to start stuff with gusto & then slack off as it gets harder. I do know that if #1 enjoys it, he will definitely remind me! With this week before Thanksgiving I'm going to post something daily that I'm thankful for. Today I am thankful for my hubby. He treats me way better than I deserve! He wants me to be happy, not stressed or upset, he takes care of our boys so I can go with my friends when I have the chance, he takes care of the details of our life that I don't know how to do, he's funny & likes to make us all laugh, he loves our boys, he is a GREAT cook-way better than me & now with winter here & almost all the mowing behind us-my life has just become easier! (He does a lot of cooking in the winter! I know, you're all jealous!) He's not perfect but he is pretty awesome! Ok, can't resist something else to be thankful for...my #2 son is sitting on my lap as I type this & he looks up @ me with that cute face & blue eyes & is asking me a 3-year-old question with his sweet little voice. It's so sweet. The only problem is...he has very bad breath. Oh my. ;) I've also been toying with the idea of sharing something special for the 12 days of Christmas this season. It's definitely not finalized but there are lots of things floating through my mind. Stay tuned.... p.s. Check out my new playlist. I'm getting tech savvy! =)

So cliche

Honestly, cliches bug me. They just seem so cheesy, like we can't think of anything original to say about a subject. Well, I have to eat those words. Let me explain. This morning while waiting for the bus, #1 son saw a stone... in the driveway...with lots of other stones. But he picked this one special rock to keep out of all the others because it looked like a mummy coffin. That in itself isn't the big deal. It's the fact that he saw one little stone out of thousands surrounding it and thought it was special. So...*sigh* " I'd like to see the world through the eyes of a child." Take time to see & appreciate things, especially the little stuff that can brighten our day. Don't we all need a little brightening these days? I saw a God illustration through my son this morning too. There are millions of human beings in the world, but God sees me, even amongst all the others & thinks I'm special. He sees you too. And you are VERY special.

Yearbooks & sales

I just tried the website www.yearbookyourself.com Hilarious! You all should try it! I'd love to see your pics if you do. Here are some of mine: 1994

1990

1966

1964

1952

For your FYI; if you're looking for furniture or a few accessories, House of Oak & Sofa is having a going-out-of-business sale. They close Nov. 22 @ 6 pm for good. Lamps, access., etc are 50% off & all of the furniture is on sale. They can't take orders so it's probably "cash" & carry.

Thanks veterans!

I am sending a special thank you to all veterans that have served our country and those who are still in the military. Our country is not perfect but we have more freedoms than any other because of the men & women that have served. THANK YOU! Can you believe it is the middle of November & I am almost all done Christmas shopping? I do have some homemade gifts to make & one little boy's gift is giving me fits. You would think that having boys of my own it would be easy, but I am just stuck! My sisters-in-law, mother-in-law & I were going to go on an overnight shopping trip a couple of weeks ago but wouldn't you know it, I started puking the day before we were going to leave. Talk about a bummer! We canceled it unfortunately. That yucky flu has been making the rounds in our community but so far my little boys haven't gotten it. I know, it's only November! =) *Online Christmas shopping tip: Amazon.com has free super saver shipping on certain items, (especially books) so if you've never gone there, check it out!

Paralyzing Fears

All my life I've been scared. I'm scared of the dark. I'm scared of heights. I'm scared of people. In fact, there's a photo of me as a 3 year old sitting beside my mom's friends kids leaning as far away from them as I could. I was scared of them. It's something I haven't been good at dealing with. As I get older, I see my reaction to fears growing. Growing and smothering me. Today was not a good day. Thoughts of the future were running wild & untamed through my mind. All I wanted to do was come home & read my Bible. I needed to read my Bible. God answered my prayer for help. There were a couple of verses that jumped out... Romans 8:6 "The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the spirit is life and peace." Romans 8:35-39 " Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?........No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither life nor death, neither angels nor demons, neither the present or the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." God's word is so soothing to a troubled heart. God's Spirit invades when we cry out. I often hear songs on the radio that speak to my heart as well. The other night I heard "Lay It Down" by Jaci Velasquez for the first time. It has turned into a prayer for me. Here are the words: I’ve been looking till my eyes are tired of looking Listening till my ears are numb from listening Praying till my knees are sore from kneeling On the bedroom floor I know that You know that my heart is aching I’m running out of tears and my will is breaking I don’t think that I can carry The burden of it anymore All of my hopes and my dreams and my best laid plans Are slowly slipping through my folded hands chorus: So I’m gonna lay it down I’m gonna learn to trust You now What else can I do Everything I am depends on You And if the sun don’t come back up I know Your love will be enough I’m gonna let it be, I’m gonna let it go I’m gonna lay it down I’ve been walking through this world like I’m barely living Buried in the doubt of this hole I’ve been digging But You’re pulling me out and I’m finally breathing In the open air This room may be dark but I’m finally seeing There’s a new ray of hope and now I’m believing That the past is the past and the future’s beginning To look brighter now chorus: So I’m gonna lay it down I’m gonna learn to trust You now What else can I do Everything I am depends on You And if the sun don’t come back up I know Your love will be enough I’m gonna let it be, I’m gonna let it go I’m gonna lay it down Word Entertainment God bless you with His peace today.

What's In A Name?

Ok. I know it's long. And weird. But it perfectly fits my life. Imagine my #2 son pointing to his fingers & saying, "I want butter, jewwy, & 2 breads. That's it." I hear it over and over every day. So that's where the peanut butter comes in. When hubby & I were dating, his lawn mowing business took off & I decided it was a great way to spend time together, so I volunteered. That was 11 years ago. I'm still mowing. Not nearly so much, just one day a week (unless I can weasel my way out of it!). And if you know anything about grass clippings, they tend to congregate on my entry & kitchen floors. Oh, & the bathroom floor. They drive me nuts! Mowing is a BIG part of our lives. There, now it doesn't sound so weird does it? Does anyone know of a nice, inexpensive way to make (or buy) a decorative screen? (like 3' w x 6'h) I would like to "hide" my treadmill which I have to have in the family room b/c it doesn't fit anywhere else. I was thinking of something that I could slip photos into or hang them on. We had our carpet cleaned while on vacation & since the furniture was moved, I decided it would be a good time to paint. Again. I think almost every room in my house has been painted at least twice and we've only lived here 8 years. So, I'm in the "redecorating" stage b/c hey, the furniture is rearranged, the walls are different, why not do everything. I have quite a collection of accessories in storage so I can just go "shop" my attic.

Welcome

Hey! Welcome to my blog! I've decided to join the ranks of bloggers. Yippee!! I've got to get the boy ready for the bus so I don't have time to write much but I did want to say hi & welcome & just get started. I'll hopefully be posting often, but then again, who knows. My life is crazy right now & things are never the way I plan them. =) Off to eat breakfast...