Thankful Thursday

I am so very thankful for my wonderful husband ~

He just celebrated his 31st birthday yesterday and 

I couldn't be more thrilled to have him in my life!!

I love you, baby...more today than yesterday but not as much as tomorrow!!  xoxo

Thankful Thursday

~just look at that good lookin bunch~

This past weekend my hubby and I got to go out to eat with my wonderful parents thanks to my sis for babysitting!  What was the occasion you ask...well, I thought you'd never ask!  :)  I wrote about it here, but we were together celebrating the final payment of our credit card balance.  My parents were a H.U.G.E. no, GINORMOUS part of us accomplishing that goal and so it was only fitting that we all go out together.  And nothin' says CELEBRATE than Olive Garden, baby! People wonder how we can all live together in the same house...4 adults and 2 children.  Well, truth is for the most part we get along great by the grace of God.  You will never ever meet 2 more gracious and giving people than my parents...really, if it were not for them I do not know where we would be.  

So, thank you Mom and Dad from the bottom of our hearts...we can never express it enough for all your love, prayers and support of us through thick and thin!  We love you and are so grateful to God for the blessing of being 'your kids'.  xoxoxox

Ultimate thanks to our Father, for His faithful provision for us...He always gives us what we need, not always what we want.  I don't want to think about where we would be without God's love and grace.  He is good all the time, all the time He is good.

  

  

Thankful Thursday

Happy 5th Birthday, Chloe ~We love you soo much, baby girl!  :)

Five years ago tomorrow, we became the proud parents of a little bit o'sunshine!  Things have not changed...our Chloe is truly the bright spot of our lives.  God knew how much our family needed her to complete us and she does!  She never stops making us laugh or smile, she showers us with her love every day...hugs and kisses.  When I think back and realize that we could have lost her, my heart aches with a pain unspeakable.  I thank God every day for giving us Chloe and allowing us to be part of her life.  I can't wait to see what all He holds in store for this angel child given to us for a season.  

So Happy Birthday, my sweetiepie...you are loved more than words!!!!  xoxo

Thankful Thursday

Joel and Kari

July 10, 1999

My one true love,

July 10, 1999 was the best day of my life!  Marrying you has been the best thing to happen in my life and baby, I would marry you all over again in a heartbeat.  There is no one like you...your humor makes me laugh, your strength makes me strong, your determination makes me believe, your joy makes me soar, your heart makes me melt, your love makes me glow, your care makes me rest, your voice makes me calm, your presence makes me content, your help makes me chill, your organization makes me crazy!  :)  I am better for knowing you and loving you and I wouldn't trade any of these 9 years spent with you for anything in all the world.  You are my hero and my rock and I love you with all my heart.  Today I give thanks to the Father for His most precious gift...you!  

I love you more today than yesterday but not as much as tomorrow,

With all my heart,

Kar  

xoxo

Happy Birthday, Alex!

I am SO very thankful for Alexander Thomas Schmidt...

He is a tender-hearted and fun loving 100% rockumsockum BOY

and I love him with all my heart.

I am a better person for knowing him and loving him...

Thank you, Father God for the gift of Alex.

Happy 7th Birthday, sweet boy...

We love you soooo much and are so glad you're OURS!!  xoxo

Thankful Thursday

The opportunity to give thanks is not something I take lightly.  My heart is so full of things I have to give thanks for...

For instance, I am off to work right this very minute...I am SO thankful for the job that God just literally dropped in my lap this month!  I am so thankful for the provision of "extra" finances and for a job that I enjoy going to...working with the good Dr. and with the lovely other staff ladies and for the sweet little ones that I get to play with and love on each day there.

This week is CAMP WEEK for my cherubs pictures to come!  What an awesome gift from our generous relatives for the kids to go to a week long day camp at the very camp I grew up going to!  They are LOVING it and Chloe is rocking everyone's world with her neat tricks.  ;)  More about that later.

Alex's birthday party is this weekend and where as that has my stomach in a few knots, how awesome it is for him to have his friends AND both sets of grandparents here to celebrate with him??!!  

Those are just a few things on my list today...just had to share them before I jet.  

God is good all the time.

I'll be back y'all!  :)

Thankful Thursday

~ Friendship ~

Today I'm going to give thanks for the many different kinds of friendships in my life that God has blessed me with! :)

~ Jesus, He's my very best friend...the best friend you could EVER want! He is the only One who knows me in and out and still chooses to love me and accept me. He is everything I ever need or want and so much more! He is faithful, truthful, loving, honest, dependable, forgiving, gracious...perfect.

~ Joel, my husband is truly my earthly best friend...my soul mate. It doesn't mean we always get along or always agree on things...but if I had one choice of who to be with, it'd be him for sure! :) I respect him, admire him, adore him and love him with every fiber of my being. I am a better person for him loving me and for me loving him!

~ Mom, she's the best friend a daughter could wish for! My mom is like the energizer bunny, her care for me knows no bounds and she never tires of showing me how much she loves me. She is everything I ever wanted to be as a mom to my kids...she's my hero!

~ Erinn, she's my kindred spirit by blood and by heart. I love my sister to pieces! She is dependable and loyal, always wants what is best for me...she is one of my biggest fans. I love spending time with her, I love making her laugh...we always have the best time together! I love you, Rin!

~ There are so many other friends that God has enriched my life with...my childhood friend, Gretchen...a precious gift! My 'sista-from-anutha-mutha' Amy, a true bosom friend. My dear NTM friends...too many to name but I'll try ~ April, Karen, and Betty...friends who stood faithful and true through thick and thin. And now God has blessed us with new friends...it was so hard to leave NTM and start life over and leave behind all we knew. But God knows it all and has a perfect plan for our family. He saw fit to place a sweet family into our church! So again, God has blessed me with a new dear friend, who "is a kindred spirit after all", Melissa. :) I have been so encouraged by her and my heart has been filled once more by the hope and love that comes from a friend! xoxo

So today, that's what I'm thankful for...
Visit Iris for more thankful ladies! :)

Thankful Thursday

It's been a while since I've written a Thankful Thursday post...not because I'm not thankful but I don't know, maybe I've struggled a bit to put my heart thoughts into words. But today I am just diving back in because I love writing this kind of post ~ it's such a wonderful reminder of how much I have to be thankful for!

There are so many things on my heart that I am thankful for today...

~ Thank You, Lord for your faithful and enduring love for me...you never let go of me and you never ever give up on me!

~ Thank You, Lord that you have a future filled with hope ready and waiting for me...even when it doesn't seem like it, look like it or feel like it.

~ Thank You, Lord for your provision for me and my family...a steady job for my husband in an arena that he loves! A place to stay with my gracious parents and the many things I am learning about humility and contentment because of our situation. For the tax refund, etc to help pay off the last part of our debt! You always provide what we need, Father at the right time.

~ Thank You, Lord for good friends...old and new...and the encouragement and joy they bring to my heart!

~ Thank You, Lord for good health for my family...I have been so burdened for dear ones in our church and outside who are struggling with health issues. Thank you that right now we don't have to struggle with those issues.

~ Thank You, Lord for a new leg in the making for Chloe and that she will have a spare leg for summer swimming, etc!! :) Thank you that she is doing wonderfully and continues to be the light of our lives!

~ Thank You, Lord for access to so many great resources...the radio, internet, the library, etc...we are such a blessed country!

~ Thank You, Lord for allowing me to take part in Awanas this year and the blessing it has been to minister to those little ones! And thank you for the privilege and freedom to go to church and hear about You and talk about You and worship you in confidence and without fear!

~ Thank You, Lord for the cool little things that have happened lately...a new blog makeover, new jewelry, new books...thank You that You delight in the small things that delight us as well as the big things!!

~ Thank You, Lord for the high calling and blessing it is to be called 'Mom' and to have the best Mom ever that I can look up to and admire and learn from every.single.day.!! You are so good!

Visit Iris @ Sting My Heart for more thankful ladies!

Thankful Thursday

Today I'm so Thankful for ~ a Sundry List! :D

Well, since my mind is in NO way organized...this list today reflects me perfectly! I have no one particular thing that stands out in my thoughts today but rather an assortment of blessings. So here goes...

• I am so thankful for the Dr. that God brought along to us to make Chloe's new leg. He has tirelessly researched better options for her, to give her better function with her leg. He has us come over his house after putting in a long day at work, to try something new with Chloe and to see how it works. He gives our kids ice cream and lets them play on his backyard swing set. This man is so gracious and so kind...such a wonderful picture of Jesus, caring for His children! I am so thankful for this man...we are all thankful for him!
  
  
• I am so thankful for the opportunities my children have to participate in church programs...for the blessing of Sunday School and Awanas. They have the sweetest teachers with such fervent desires to show my kids "Jesus" and to have them come to know Him at such a young age.
  
  
• I am so thankful for a husband who is a man of integrity, strength and honor. He gets up and goes to work every morning without complaining and kisses me goodbye. He works diligently and with all his heart so that I can be a stay-at-home mom to my children. He does the right thing when no one is looking simply because he is obedient to the Spirit. He has compassion on his co workers and respect for his boss whether he "deserves" it or not. He loves me and his children with a passion and leads us in the right way...no, he's not perfect but his heart is good and loving...and I love him so!
  
  
• I am so thankful for the opportunity to learn contentment. My parents have graciously and generously opened their home to the 4 of us and allowed us to live with them while we begin our lives "anew". I am thankful that we are slowly learning to humbly accept this gift as God's provision for our foursome for this season. These circumstances might not be "ideal" and yes, sometimes it is difficult for 2 families to live together and despite the fact that other people may not understand it or agree with it...it really doesn't matter. As God's children, we receive this blessing and pray that we may return the blessing to others in the future. I hold on to this verse ~ Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord. They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope."
  
  
• I am so thankful for the opportunity to take this Web Design class. It's awesome that my community college offerred it, the timing was perfect and I was able to qualify for a grant to help with the tuition. I am thoroughly enjoying every minute and I am so eager to see how God uses it in my good and hopefilled future.
  
  
• I am so thankful for the book I am reading now...Grace-Based Parenting by Dr. Tim Kimmel. Wow, God has blessed this man with such deep insights that are so encouraging to me right now. When I'm banging my head against the wall and feeling like a complete failure in this blessed and challenging journey called Parenting...God is using this book to remind me once again that it is NOT about me! My heavenly Father has chosen Joel and I for our kids and our kids for us...we're not EVER going to be perfect and either are they, however, this journey can be delightfully gracefilled or discouragingly painfilled. It's a matter of Who is our Source and our Focus. Praise God that He is the most perfect parent ever and He lives IN us!! Halleluiah! :D
  

So this is my assortment of blessings today...my heart is filled with thanksgiving--sometimes it comes easily and other times it is a choice of will. My Mama always told me to look back over your life if you're having trouble being thankful and find all the times and ways God was faithful...that will fill your heart with thankfulness! And if you're REALLY struggling to be thankful today...just watch the movie, "The Pursuit of Happyness"...if that don't make ya fall on your face and thank the Lord for your many blessings...then SOMETHIN' is wrong!! :-)

Thankful Thursday

Today I am so thankful for ~ Books, Libraries and the Ability to Read!

Ok, it may sound a little funny...this topic of my thankfulness today but let me explain. Reading is one of my "FAVORITEST" things to do, has been since I was a little kid. I think I got this love of reading from my mom who is a LOVER of books. :) Anyways, I can get lost in a book...my husband can vouch for that...he could talk to me and do the hula dance and I'd still be engrossed in my book! (ok, the dance might be stretching it a tad...I think I'd DEF tune in for that one!! :-) Ha!) I just LOVE to read...so I was thinking about this and the Spring Reading Thing that I'm currently doing...by the way, I'm enjoying it thoroughly! And I thought about it today and just gave thanks to God for the blessing it is to be able to see to read. Wow, how simple is that but so many people in the world don't have that ability...either not being able to see or they haven't learned to read for themselves. What a privilege it is to read the Word of God! Also, I am so blessed to have books at my fingertips through my local library...I don't have to PAY a cent, unless I'm late. :{ How cool is that?? Our library doesn't charge to take out books, cds or movies. So whenever I want to read a book that I don't have, I can simply check my library. Man, I'd be reading so many LESS books if I had to actually buy them all!! What a blessing! How awesome it is to be able to read to my kids and instill in them the LOVE of reading...how fun! :) So my thankfulness is just simple today but WOW, I'm thrilled to have been blessed with these wonderful things. God is good y'all...so next time you grab a book...give thanks for the privilege!

Thankful Thursday

Today I'm thankful for ~ Family and New Life!

Lately, I've been so blessed by FAMILY...both related by blood or related by the Spirit! :) You know if you think about how many people (around the globe) who don't have the blessing of a family...either they are orphans, or have been placed in foster care, or have no relationship with their family, or they have a fractured and broken family, or they are raised in a way that doesn't portray a family in a loving manner, or they don't experience the blessing of the family of God because they don't belong to Him.

Today I'm so thankful that I have BOTH...a wonderful and loving family (who would walk through fire for me). I know that there have been many times that I have taken it for granted that I have a Mom and Dad who love God and love me and who have raised me in a godly manner. They have "walked the walk" before me and have poured out everything within themselves for me. They have given of their love, time, resources and finances continually and without fail and they do this to this very day! I also have a sister, who is my very best friend. She wasn't always growing up but through homeschooling, it was "do or die"! :-) I am so thankful for her, she doesn't know it but she's my hero. Erinn is so many things that I want to be...not that she's perfect but I admire her in so many ways and I'm so thrilled to be her sister and friend!

My heart is filled to overflowing when I think of the love of my life, Joel. I am more than thankful for him...those words don't even come close to how I feel about him. The love I have for him doesn't seem him as perfect but as my "completor". Our love has changed, grown and matured in 7 1/2 wonderful years of married life. It doesn't look the same as it did "back then". There have been days when we have loved each other by CHOICE not by feeling...through reality and not fairy tales. True love forgives whether you deserve it or not, true love gives of itself with no "expiration date", true love tells you it will be ok when it doesn't look like it, true love has faith for you when you have lost all faith, true love finishes the laundry for the 100th time when you've forgotten it, true love gets up on it's morning off to help with the kids to let you sleep in, true love picks up your clothes and puts them away for you when you're busy, true love walks beside you in friendship, in front of you to lead, in back of you to encourage. This is what I have with my Joel...I am truly thankful for him.

I'm thankful for my children...they have shown me the meaning of family firsthand. I now know the depth of the love a Mother has for her own. It is deep, wide, faithful, sacrificial, permanent, transparent and divine (it comes from God). I love my kids with all that is within me, I'd do anything for them. God has blessed me above and beyond all I've ever thought or imagined. Now I can see a bit more clearly how deep His love is for me. They are the BEST thing I've "done" in my life!!

I also am blessed with a lovely "second" family through my hubby! Never would I have imagined that I would be so blessed with in-laws that I would call "Mom and Dad" and mean it with all my heart. They are a dear couple who has accepted me into their family...despite my being very loud, very talkative and very "different" to what they were used to. Thankfully, they consider me their true "daughter" and I know they love me warts and all. They love our kids with every fiber of their being and NOTHING gives me more joy than watching them together. I am a blessed woman!

God has blessed me as well with a beloved group of Believers that we have the privilege of fellowshipping with. Our Church family has surround my family and stood with us and has come alongside us throughout the years. Were it not for their love and support, we would not be here today. Think about how many Christians around the world have to worship in secret and without "freedom"! When I go to church, I never have to prepare myself for what may happen or listen for loud noises or shouts. I go in complete confidence and with peace...this is a blessing we cannot and should not take for granted. Today in America, we are not the persecuted church...but that is not something that all Believers can say in the world today.

Today, I'm also thankful for NEW LIFE...wow, what a blessing y'all! :) New Life in Christ...we have been transferred from the kingdom of darkness into the Kingdom of God's beloved Son and life...whipee!!!! :-) Now if that ain't reason to SHOUT I don't know what is! My life is Christ now...He lives in me and through me and darlin's...catch this, it ain't about ME anymore and it ain't about performance!! Do you know how long I lived trying to "be good" and "do the right thing"...HELLO??? Can't do it...the Christian life is NOT possible if I am trying to live it on my own. It's all about HIM...Life = Christ. Wow, I have Christ, which means I have ALL things that I need...I don't have to pray for strength...He is my perfect strength...I don't have to pray for peace...He is my perfect peace...I don't have to pray for joy...He is my joy!! I have all things because I have Christ! I am just thrilled with that today...

One more thing, y'all...I'm so thankful because in 1 hour I leave for the hospital to be present for the birth of my 2nd niece! :-) My sis-in-law, Rachel, is having her baby today via C-section at 1 EST. Would you pray for her if you read this? I'm nervous and I'm not even having the baby!!! Thanks so much! Spring is my favorite time of the year...because it reminds me of New Life...it's all around us, blooming, blossoming and giving us hope that winter is gone for a while and spring is here with a fresh clean slate...a new day, a new season.

Y'll be encouraged today...rejoice in the New Life that God's granted us, His kids! Rejoice in whatever family you have surrounding you...whether it's blood or not. I give thanks for this crazy lil' thing called the Blogging family...y'all rock! :-) Have a blessed day!

Thankful Thursday

Today I'm thankful for ~ Good Health

I know it may seem like such a "simple" thing to give thanks for but in the last 4 months where there was at least one person sick in my family...it is DEFINITELY something to give thanks for! If you think about it, we are so blessed with so many "basic and simple" things that we often pass over and discount and don't take the time to give thanks for them UNTIL something happens to us or someone we know in this "area". For me, I've never given thanks so much for uncomplicated pregnancies and births and healthy cherubs as I have lately in sharing burdens with my sister and so many others who have walked such difficult paths in this "area". Or what about insurance coverage? Do you realize how many people have NO coverage?? I didn't or didn't care until my hubby and I have gone for 6 months not covered...with every doctor visit and prescription eating a big chunck out of our budget hurt! I never thought about that before it happened to us...praise the Lord, the cherubs were covered under state insurance! Or what about giving thanks for your kids having all their limbs? Every thought about that? I never did until Chloe.

So y'all, today I'm taking time to GIVE THANKS for the blessing of general GOOD HEALTH, for me and for my family. None us have any major health issues, diseases or lifelong health difficulty to work through at this point in our lives, today...and darlin's, we only get ONE day at a time! :) It's not something to take for granted because we are living in a sin cursed world with bodies that are fading and growing older the minute we're born. We're not guaranteed any "smooth" road in this life...in fact, we're promised the opposite. (John 16:33) We long for our new bodies and for our spirits to be released from this body of sin and death. (Romans 8:22-24) So let's give thanks together...it's such a HEALTHY thing to do!! :)

Let's remember to pray for those who are not experiencing good health...may we remember to lift them up before God's throne of grace that they might receive grace, strength, peace and help in time of need.

• Pray for sweet little Ashley Adams, born August 4, 2005 28 weeks gestation weighing only 2 lbs and 12 oz. "At 11 days old Ashley had a portion of her small intestine surgically removed. As a result, she has not been able to grow normally. She requires an I. V. to receive her nutrition. Unfortunately because of this I.V. she is losing her liver. She has now entered the final stages of liver failure. We have been told that Ashley would need a transplant of multiple organs to survive."
  
• Pray for little Emma Grace, a sweet little girl who has had a heart transplant and has been diagnosed with Autism. She is such a dearie...remember to pray for her and her family!
  
• Pray for little Ellie Skees, the day before Ellie’s 8th birthday, she was diagnosed with Stage IV Neuroblastoma, a malignant cancer that began in her left adrenal gland, spread to her bone marrow, and metastasized to her head, ribs, pelvis and legs. The tumor in Ellie’s head caused her to lose all sight in her left eye. On September 30, 2006 Ellie began the first of six stages of chemo.
  
• Pray for our dear sister, Kelli, who is experiencing kidney failure and so many other "life issues". Pray for her husband and children as well.
  
• Pray for another dear sister, Amy, diagnosed with Acute Myelogenous Leukemia subtype M4 on July 2, 2006. Pray for her husband and little one as well.

Dear sisters, there is never a lack of people to pray for...there are hurting and suffering ones all around us, we only have to turn our heads and look. Be sensitive to the Spirit as He lays specific people on your heart to pray for! These are dear ones that have come across my "blog path" and I have been burdened to pray for. We have so much to give thanks for...no matter what season or stage of life's journey we're on. Cause remember, as God's children we can rest secure in His hand...He loves us more than anything else and has a Divinely planned path laid out for us to walk with Him!

Y'all have a blessed day and remember that GOD IS GOOD, ALL THE TIME...

~to visit other Thankful Thursdays...stop by Iris's place!

Thankful Thursday

Today I'm so thankful for ~
the 2 Cherubs God has blessed me with! :)

Psalm 127:3 "Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from Him. Children born to a young man are like sharp arrows in a warrior's hands. How happy is the man whose quiver is full of them! He will not be put to shame when he confronts his accusers at the city gates."

What a high calling and privilege it is to be blessed with children and to raise them in a God-glorifying way! In a day and age where children are looked at as inconviences and distractions or disruptions to our plans, where they spend more time at daycare than they do with us (I realize that this is a generalization and that some single parents have no choice about this)...but I do believe that being Christians parents we should be as different as daylight and dark from the world's concepts and views of parenting. We have a TOTALLY different standard, starting point and power because our God is the BEST PARENT ever...He totally rocks as our Abba Father. We have the best example laid out and practiced before our very eyes. Know what that means? That means, it doesn't matter if your parents were horrible or parents of the year...it doesn't matter because as a child of God, He lives in you and wants to be the best parents to your kids in and through you!! And He has chosen my kids to grow up with Joel and I...we were "made for each other". That means that God has blessed us with everything we need to raise our 2 cherubs in a godly manner. How awesome is that?!

You know Scripture never says ANYwhere that raising kids is easy or convenient or a no-brainer. How many references are there in the Bible to teaching, guiding, exhorting, passing knowlege on to our children??! Lots! Recently, when Joel and I were at the Weekend to Remember marriage conference (Family Life) they had special modules for parents. We were so encouraged...parenting is a PARTICIPANT SPORT, we can't expect to raise children like an afterthought...with no "game plan", purpose, vision or communication/dialogue with our spouse. Parents, we are in a battle for our kids and we need to be PRO-ACTIVE not reactive! Do we realize how many things fight for our children's hearts, thoughts, attention and spirit, soul and body?? I've been struck by an article I read recently that cited how many hours a day American's children spends in front of a media object or a screen of some type (tv, computer, PlayStation, cell phone, etc). Wow, y'all I've been guilty of letting the tv "babysit" my kids...I was really convicted about this. Know how much junk is flying at them through the tv when we're not looking?

Ok, so I'll get off my soapbox and simply say this...today I'm thankful, so thankful for my cherubs, Alex and Chloe!!

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  I'm thankful for the honor and privilege to be called "Mom"...when so many women struggle with not being able to conceive or carry a baby to full term. I am determined to not take that for granted and to be thankful every day for the 2 little bright lights in my life!
  


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  I'm thankful for their childlike faith that humbles me and reminds me to have simple childlike faith in my heavenly Father. They take everything at face value and never think suspiciously of another person. They trust me, time and time again...they never doubt my word. Oh, how I long to have that kind of faith!
  


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  I'm thankful for the way they forgive me when I've failed them or hurt them or made a mistake. Can you imagine what the world would be like if we all exhibited that kind of forgiveness? My kids never say to me, that is the 3rd time you've done that and I'm not forgiving you again! They never remind me that I've failed them in the past and that they simply can't trust me again. They don't hold grudges. This is true forgiveness.
  


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  I'm thankful for the way they love with abandon...running full speed, arms open wide with smiles as big as their faces and jump into my arms. What in this world is better than that y'all??! They don't hold anything back and they're not afraid to tell me they love me a million times over...they can never say it too much! And they don't love me because I deserve it...they just love me, plain and simple.
  


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  I'm thankful for the way they look at me and see their "hero"...they don't see my faults or blemishes (except when they point out a pimple :). They see me for who I am and they believe in me simply because I'm their Mom.
  


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  I'm thankful for the way they show me that it's the simple things in life that count...they don't care if I take them to Disney World or the park down the road...as long as they're WITH me! They don't care if I buy them lots of toys to play with or if I play outside with me building a house out of sticks and rocks. They point out the beautiful sky, the birds that sing, the tiny little bugs and the sparkling snow. They can make a pirate ship out of comforters and make a lasso out of my robe's belt...their imagination is one of the best tools they have!
  


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  I'm thankful for the way they bounce back, adapt and move on...I can learn so much from them. When they're sick, they may be a little "whiney" but overall, they just deal with it and move on...they don't walk around groaning like they're going to die or complain from sunup to sundown (like us adults do). When we came back from overseas, they just simply adapted to life here...this was home now and they were content. When Chloe got hurt, she didn't lay around saying this stinks or why me? She got her new leg and she said "outta my way, I'm taking off!" She is my inspiration! When Alex got banged in the head and had 6 staples put in to piece him back together...he was rocking and rolling the next day at school jumping off the jungle gym. God made Kids INCREDIBLE!! I am in awe...
  


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  I'm thankful for the way they remind me to LISTEN LISTEN LISTEN...I need to be quiet and listen to them more...from the mouths of babes, y'all! I've been so blown away by the things they say and think of. I don't give them enough credit...kids were NOT made to be seen and not heard!! :)
  


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  I'm thankful for their determination and perseverance...they don't give up! I've watched Chloe work at something and work at it and work at it and she doesn't want help...she wants to do it on her own (granted that is not always a good thing). I think that sometimes they have more patience than I do...I'll just give up but they will keep on going. When they need to communicat something to me, they won't give up or forget...they wait until I'm done or keep trying to get my attention. :)

Well, I could go on and on but I'll stop here...these are just some of my thoughts about my kids today. My heart is so full of thankgiving to the Lord for the 2 gifts He has blessed my husband and I with...we were handpicked for them and they were handpicked for us! Wow, what more can I say? If you're a parent (or an aunt/uncle, cousin or friend to a child) reading this today...go and wrap your (a) little ones in a big bear hug and tell them how very much you love them and how much Jesus loves them...you never know if you'll have the chance to do it tomorrow. Don't put parenting off for when things are "easier", "better" or until you're not tired...it won't happen. :) Y'all have a great day!!

Thankful Thursday

~God's Provision~

Recently I've been struck by the faithfulness of God's provision. As a former missionary I can recount thousands of times God has provided for our family and our missionary friends. Now that we've re-entered the "real world" it's been interesting to see God's provision in a different light. I have to admit that there have been times that I've struggled with many 'why' questions...why didn't God do this? why didn't God do that?, etc. For reasons known only to my heavenly Father at this point, He's provided differently for us this past year and a bit since we've come home from overseas. God HAS provided for us...just in different ways. Using just one example--during our 1 1/2 yrs in Madang, PNG Joel had a gallbladder attack and we needed to come home to the US for surgery. God provided in full for those tickets! It was amazing because we knew we could never ever pay for them ourselves. When we came back home from Madang in Dec '05 God didn't choose to provide in the same way. And that left us with those pesky 'why' questions.

But lately I've been thinking alot about it...I've been looking to "fix it"...for ways to "get out" of this debt. Instead of looking to HIM I've been looking to myself...and guess what folks, He never lets that work! So I've been struggling with this trying to think of ways to help earn extra income for our family, etc. And I guess God's just let me bang my head against the wall for a year. See, I KNOW He is Jehovah Jireh...that title does NOT belong to me! I need to just let go of whatever 'control' I think I have and let God do what He does best. And to also refuse to believe the lie that God has forgotten us or left us. That is KEY.

In the past few weeks (I'll share later), God has done some pretty cool things that have really blown me away. He IS providing...and I'm so thankful that He does it HIS way and not mine. His ways are not mine and His thoughts are not mine...good thing cause I'd really mess things up. So I'm determining to STOP SQUIRMING in the place my Father has me and to REST...rest in the truth of what I know about Him. He IS my provider and IS providing for me even when I don't see it or if His provision is a process and it takes more time than I think it should. (I think I'm so smart...not!) :) So today I'm sharing things I'm SO thankful for big and small...praising my Jehovah Jireh that HE knows what's best for me and He never looses sight of that and He is so lovingly patient with me, His child. Have a blessed day!!

• I'm thankful for God's Word that I can pick up and read (in several versions) any time I want...it is my anchor, what makes sense out of life and shows me more of HIM!~wow
• I'm thankful that God has provided a warm, safe and spacious place for us to stay with my parents~what a provision!
• I'm thankful that Alex gets to go to one of the best schools in the area because we live in this town
• I'm thankful for delicious food on the table every meal/every day~can't take that for granted!
• I'm thankful for HEAT that keeps us warm in the winter
• I'm thankful for plenty of clothes to get dressed with
• I'm thankful for several pairs of shoes to protect my feet
• I'm thankful for a car to drive my kids around during the day
• I'm thankful for Joel's job~it may not pay alot right now but it fits him perfectly and he comes home HAPPY!
• I'm thankful for my family's good health, we have no terminal illnesses or chronic conditions~much to give praise for!
• I'm thankful for the kids' insurance which covers everything for them~wow!
• I'm thankful for the freedom, rights and privileges we are blessed with as Americans
• I'm thankful for a comfortable bed to sleep in and a soft pillow to lay my head on (hey it's the simple things, right? ;)

WOW, I could go on and on with the many tangible/practical provisions God has poured out on my family and I! These are just some that come to mind this morning. I am a BLESSED BLESSED woman...and I pray that when I'm tempted to gripe and whine and complain that the Holy Spirit continues to gently nudge me and remind me that I have MUCH to give thanks for. A cheerful heart is good medicine! Nothing changes your attitude like looking back and taking stock of your life and the things that God has done all along your journey. Blessings...

Thankful Thursday

I am so thankful for many things...a friend just encouraged me the other day to look at the last few chapters in Psalms (145-150) and consider how chuck FULL of praise they are to God for ALL things! David had been through alot to say the least yet his heart knew that God was worthy of praise despite what difficult things were brought his way, despite how life looked, despite of whether He could see God working or not. David praised God.

Why is it so much easier to praise God when things are going good for us? Job said "The Lord gave me everything I had, and the Lord has taken it away. Praise the name of the Lord!..."Should we accept only good things from the hand of God and never anything bad?" I am so guilty of this, oh I am full of praise and thankfulness to God when things are running smoothly and nothing difficult is going on or when there's enough money, etc. But I struggle to give God praise when He sees fit to bring me through tough circumstances...things that don't make sense to anyone, or when He doesn't do what I think He should, or when I can't see Him "working all things out for my good". Why do I tend to drift into doubt, fear and worry during the bumpy times of my life? Learning to GIVE THANKS in all things is a process...a journey of maturity that I am still on. Some days I "get it" and I thank and praise Him by faith and other days I don't "get it" and I ask Him "WHY?". But y'all here is where I am...here is where I stand, praying that I grow with Him in this area. Praying that I am quicker to praise than to complain and quicker to forgive than to be bitter and quicker to believe TRUTH by faith than doubt. Maybe today you "get me"...maybe today you're not in the same place. That's ok. Let me share what I have SO much to give thanks for here...

1. I'm thankful to be a totally accepted and dearly loved child of GOD
2. I'm thankful to have been given a NEW LIFE in Christ, the old is gone and my life is hidden with Christ
3. I'm thankful that I can by faith give thanks when my emotions don't feel the same way
4. I'm thankful that God doesn't lose patience with me even when I lose patience with Him
5. I'm thankful that He isn't finished with me yet...He doesn't give up on me
6. I'm thankful that God has blessed me with godly parents who raised me to know God
7. I'm thankful for a sister who is my best friend
8. I'm thankful for my husband and children who have made my life SWEET and BLESSED
9. I'm thankful for the experiences we've been privileged to be a part of as missionaries
10. I'm thankful for the dear ones all over the world who I am honored to call friends
11. I'm thankful for the hope that God has given me and the wonderful future He's promised me
12. I'm thankful to worship at Church with other Believers without fear
13. I'm thankful for God's Word, His love letter to me
14. I'm thankful that I am RICH in Him and that He has blessed me with all things to live a godly life
15. I'm thankful that I am not in control...but HE IS!
16. I'm thankful that my God is able to do immeasureably MORE than anything I can think, dream or imagine for HIS glory and my good
17. I'm thankful for each new day (filled with His mercies) I get to live in this "paradise" (on earth...cause it sure ain't nothing like heaven!) :)
    

Thankful Thursday

Thankful Thursday~God's Faithfulness

In the past 2 weeks, I've been so encouraged by God's gentle and loving nudges that remind me that He is faithful...no matter what life "looks/feels" like at this moment.

In the little devotional 31 Days of Praise by Ruth Myers for Day 1 it says, "My heart rejoices in You, Lord, for You are my strong shelter in times of trouble and danger and stress, my hiding place to whom I may continually resort...my Father who lovingly provides for me...I praise You for Your love and Your wisdom. You are too wise to ever make a mistake, too loving to ever do anything unkind. You desire my love and rejoice to do good things for me. You delight to give me the desires of my heart as I delight myself in You."

I am so thankful for God's faithfulness...He never ever ever gives up on me or loses His patience or kicks me to the curb when I just "don't get it" for the millionth time. Wow, what a heavenly Father who patiently draws me to Himself unconditionally--no matter how I act or what I say or what I think. Praise Him that His love is unfailing and NOT dependent upon my performance!! He loves me because I am His and He loves me because He is LOVE itself.

I was reading Psalm 31 today and was so blessed by these verses...

Vs. 7-"I am overcome with joy because of Your unfailing love, for You have seen my troubles, and You care about the anguish of my soul."

Vs. 19-"Your goodness is so great! You have stored up great blessings for those who honor You. You have done so much for those who come to You for protection, blessing them before the watching world."

Vs. 24-"So be strong and take courage, all you who put your hope in the Lord!"

At times, I must confess that I buy into the mentality of...I've done everything "right" so God should bless me. Or I think that God should or shouldn't act in a certain circumstance and when He doesn't "pull through" for me, I'm angry. Who am I? God does not change and although at times I simply don't get what He's doing or not doing...it's OK because I can trust His loving and good Father heart. He has MY best in mind! God is faithful and I just want to praise Him and thank Him for that today! Blessings!! :)