Thankful Thursday #58

Welcome to Thankful Thursday! If you'd like to participate, just copy the T.T. button on my sidebar and paste it into your post. Next write down five things you are thankful for this week. Finally, come back here and link up with Mr. Linky. It's that easy!

Here's my list for this week:

1) I am so excited that my husband and I have celebrated 17 years together. God is the center of our marriage, He is leading us and guiding us. I can't wait to see what He has planned for us in 2010.

2) I am so excited that I got into the ladies Bible study in my area. I was on the waiting list and I've been praying every day! Finally, on Monday, I decided to put it on my planner for 2010 (a step of faith) and the next morning I got the call that I was in! WOOOHOOO! We will be studying the book of Daniel.

3) I am glad to see 2009 end. It was a challenging year for me and my whole family. God was my strength and a present help in times of trouble. God has been my rock and my source of happiness. I am grateful for His presence during 2009. Glad He is walking with me head first into 2010.

4) I am thankful for the special weekend trips I've had with my husband. With six children, finding time to steal away just the two of us is priceless!

5) I am thankful for my writing. It is therapeutic and an amazing outlet for me. Being part of the published world is challenging, ever changing and exciting and I'm glad God called me to write. Looking forward to focusing my energies on my writing in 2010.

Begin With The End

2009 is quickly coming to a close.  For me, I'm glad to end this difficult year and bring in new hope for a new and better 2010.  Regardless of whether your year was great or challenging, it is going to end in just a few days. 

Are you ready to reign in 2010?

Have you set any goals?

To read the rest of this post, hop on over to Titus 2 in Action where I have posted to my Parenting Pointers Column.

Thankful Thursday #57

Due to a hectic holiday schedule, this will be the Thankful Thursday post for 12/17 and 12/24.

MERRY CHRISTMAS! 

Welcome to Thankful Thursday! If you'd like to participate, just copy the T.T. button on my sidebar and paste it into your post. Next write down five things you are thankful for this week. Finally, come back here and link up with Mr. Linky. It's that easy!

Here's my list for this week:

1) I am thankful that my marriage is growing and changing. We are not just standing still, but growing both spiritually and emotionally and physically (I could do without the physical aging!). It's important to stay connected during these times of growth and change.

2) I am thankful for Christ's birth.  My life would be worthless if He hadn't called me into His loving arms.  Praise God for sending His only son so that through Him I would be saved!

3) I am grateful for my family.  During the holiday's it's great to know that I have been given a large and loving family.

4) I am thankful for Christmas break. I hope it will be a time to just hang out as a family and a time for me to get ready for the new year. Proper planning is a must!

5) I am thankful for all of you who leave comments of my blogs. Each comment is a treasure to me! I really value your input and encouragement. Thank you!!

Merry Christmas to all of you!

Talk like a Teen

Do you have a teen or a tween? I have one teen and two tweens. Let me just say that I've noticed they don't talk the same as I do. They are moody, and emotional, and sensitive at all times (Wait, I think my husband may see a pattern learned from me! LOL!). They also want to stay up really late to just "chat" with mom and dad.


They have changed the way they want to communicate - So what's a parent to do?

To read the rest of this post, hop on over to Titus 2 In Action to read my column, Parenting Pointers.

Thankful Thursday #56

Welcome to Thankful Thursday! If you'd like to participate, just copy the T.T. button on my sidebar and paste it into your post. Next write down five things you are thankful for this week. Finally, come back here and link up with Mr. Linky. It's that easy!

Here's my list for this week:

1)  I am thankful that my husband has warm arms to hold me with.  Sometimes I just need to be in his arms, and he is always available for me.  I'm glad that God made Tim my covering.  He is a generous God.

2)  I am thankful that my family was able to participate in the Bethlehem Walk over the weekend.  It's a reenactment of the town of Bethlehem at the time of Christ.  You actually walk through and it takes about 45 minutes while a guide tells you the story of Christ's birth and then of his death and resurrection.  It was so much fun!  My husband and son worked in the blacksmith shop; while I worked with my girls in the stable with the animals.  It truly represents the meaning of Christmas like nothing else I've ever experienced.

3)  I am thankful that my kids are motivated at school.  After their first report cards, they were all motivated to bring up this grade or that because they all want to be on the A/B or A honor roll next time.  How exciting is that to a Mamma's ears!

4)  I am thankful that it is almost time for Christmas break.  I have missed my children this year - being their first year in school.  I am looking forward to spending two weeks doing fun stuff with them.

5)  I am thankful for God's word.  It truly is living and I love devouring it.  Each time I open up my Bible I'm moved and I am closer to God than before.  It's so exciting to learn about the one I love the most, my God!

The Right Gift

On Monday, Dec. 7, I will be a guest blogger over at Eternity Cafe.  Susan, has cast a vision for 40 days of focus on God.  This is a great way to prepare for the celebration of Jesus' birth.  Stop by her blog to be encouraged daily during this advent time.



Only 18 days remain until Christmas!  Have I bought the right gifts?  Have I made my lists, and checked them twice?  These are common thoughts for many of us right now.  We need to make Christmas special and memorable, right?

Wait!  Whose birthday is it, anyhow?  Most likely it's not someone in your family or circle of friends.  It's Jesus' birthday.  So where is He on your list?  After all, it is His birthday.  Shouldn't He be on your list?

I know that in today's society we are pressured to make a list of loved ones and to put down the perfect gift idea for each one.  But what if we put the name Jesus first under each loved ones name.  Next, pray and ask what God would want you to give that person.  I'm not talking about material things here.  No, I'm talking about relational gifts.

Here are a few examples:

Christmas List:

1) My husband
a. Jesus - Pack his lunch at least once per week with a love note.

2) My daughter (toddler)
a. Jesus - Plan a play date for just the two of you and play what she wants to play.

3)  My daughter (teen)
a. Jesus - Go online together to find a child to sponsor (this was her desire for Christmas this year). Then take her shopping to buy gifts for that child.

4) My daughter (tween)
a. Jesus - Put a love note from God (He inspired me to write love notes based on scriptures. If you are interested in them you can contact me) under her pillow every Monday this month.

5) My son
a. Jesus - Spend the time to read the Bible with him two nights per week.

These are a few examples from my own Christmas list. As I study the Bible, I find that God is not interested in the material things that we can give as much as the relational things.  He is all about relationships and we need to put those at the top of our lists.

I pray that God will lead you and guide you this holiday season as you remember that relationships are far more important than material things.

Thankful Thursday #55

Welcome to Thankful Thursday! If you'd like to participate, just copy the T.T. button on my sidebar and paste it into your post. Next write down five things you are thankful for this week. Finally, come back here and link up with Mr. Linky. It's that easy!

Here's my list for this week:

1) I am thankful that my husband was able to take three of my kids flying! It was a flying club and it was FREE! They were able to go up twice and took some amazing pictures. (This is the pilot and my three kids next to the plane they flew in!)

2) I am thankful for a display of God's glory in nature. I woke up one morning this week to ice on the cars. When I went outside I saw this amazing "snowflake" on the front of my truck!

3)  I am thankful for a good Thanksgiving.  This was the first time we celebrated a holiday since my dad went home to be with the Lord in August.  It was a challenging day, but God helped us all see the joy in being together as a family.  (This was one of 4 tables we set up - there were over 30 of us!)

4) I am thankful that we were able to pick out our Christmas tree over the weekend. This is the tallest tree we've ever had at over 9ft. tall. Having such a big den is a real blessing. (This is Dad and Ashley with brown bear searching for the perfect tree.)

5) I am thankful that November is a big birthday month in my family. In my family we have 7 birthdays, on my husband's side we have an additional 2. Two of our own children turned 11 this month. (Stephanie is on the left and Valerie is on the right.)