Give thanks in all the things

In everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. 

1 Thess. 5:18

This day, I am thankful for love.  There is a song which states that love makes the world go 'round and there is a cup full of wisdom in that.  The greatest love known to man is that of God.  This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. – 1 John 4:9-11  There we have the two greatest commands.  We are to love God and then love our brothers and sisters as God loves us.  This is what I am thankful for today, and every other day.  I am truly blessed with having many people around me whom show me love, even on days I don't deserve it.  Sometimes I get so wrapped up in what's going on I neglect to see the love right before my eyes.

Happy tending of your gardens my gentle friends; and remember think of the raindrops as little drops of love!

Thankfulness Project 2015

Gentle Friends,

It has been so long since I have published in Garden Tenders.  Life has been full.  I will update soon, but here are a few things I have learned more fully....

• Everything happens for a purpose.  We may not know it or understand it but there is a deep purpose to it.
• God is in all things, even trouble and turmoil, all you have to do is call upon His name.
• I never considered myself a leader, but I do think God is putting me in places for this to happen. I know I am not a follower, I think too much outside the box for that.
• Worry about tomorrow will hinder your today.  This is something I am still working on, but its so true.  God wants each of us to lean on him and cast our worries at the foot of the cross.

Join me in our November 2015 "30 days of Thankfulness Project" and look for God's blessings, love, and peace in every area of your life. What are you thankful for?

Feel free to use this picture when you post a Facebook status giving thanks this November and spreading God's grace and love to the whole world.  Check me out on Facebook at Garden Tender's Facebook Page

Feel free to use #gtthankfulnessproject2015

Thankful for my friends

Thank you to Debspoon's and
Free Digital Photos.net

Dear Friend,

I love you.  I know I don't say it often enough.  I enjoy our times together.  I enjoy our talks about children, life, husbands, and children....  Yes I certainly do.  I look forward to times together where we chat, enjoy a meal, coffee and desert, or even just your company while waiting for our kiddos to finish a class, or project together.  I look forward to your emails, phone calls, texts, and yes even those occasional REAL letters that we might exchange.  I love you for being you.  I know how rare you are.  I know your value and how hard it is in todays world to have real life friendships, even when miles separate us.

I am thankful for having you in my life.  You help to make me who I am.  You may have known me for years, or you might be brand new in my life, but I am grateful and appreciative of your friendship and love.  I pray for you daily.  I pray for your health and for your family.  You are valuable to me.  Knowing you has enriched my life, the life of my family, and given me many blessings.  I am THANKFUL FOR YOU.

Thank you for letting me into your life!

2013 Thankfullness Tree

We have so much to be thankful for, it seems tragic that most of us only think to be thankful one month out of the year.  Be that as it may, we do a Thankful craft/project each year.  We started in 2010 when it began to make more sense to Bear and she could understand more what the word even meant.

What does thankful mean?  Everyone goes around throwing that word out there.  How many of us think about what it means?  To be thankful is to be aware and appreciative of a benefit; grateful.

Ephesians 5:20 pretty much sums it up for Christians, "Giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."  God gives us everything and we should always be thankful.  We know this, but are we actually aware and appreciate fully what God has done for us? This may not be popular, but I don't think we really do, and that is tragic on our parts.  We are unable to fully grasp his love.   He created a universe that operates beyond our understanding.  We try to understand, but we can't truly grasp it.  He created a earth that sustains life and even encourages it.  A few nano-milliliters in either direction and life would be unsustainable they say.  He gave his Son, Jesus Christ, to be born, live, die, and raise again so that we might have eternal life.  He created smiles, flowers petals, dandelions, and puppies to bring wonder and love to our days.  I wonder why we aren't constantly on bended knee, in prayer of thanksgiving.  We can't out do God. 

With all that, I do want to share our attempt or recognizing and contemplating a small fraction of what we are thankful for this year. 

I encourage you and your family to develop a tradition to mark the thanks that you have in your family for all that God the Father has blessed you with.  You are truly blessed, even if it doesn't feel like it sometimes.  Our year has not been what many would term "free from trials and tribulations" yet when sitting back, we can easily see we have been blessed.  As we go forward, to paraphrase our preachers sermon on Sunday, lets see it as a NOW thing.  Lets recognize the fact in the here and now that we are in the midst of being blessed.  Too often we see it in the past tense, lets see it in the present tense!  WE ARE BLESSED. 

Pride before the fall

Its been a while.  Yep.....  a long while.  Life has been so full lately that I haven't had the "heart" to blog.  I feel like I have nothing to say, without sounding forlorn, and I don't want to do that.

God has been good to us.  He really has.  When we get into our house it will be awesome, and I know this.  We are getting a rockin' deal; space to spread ourselves a bit.  This two or three month trial will make it all the more worth it, I know this.  Just as I know this has to be what God wants.  I am giving Him the glory.  It has been a trial and I haven't always been cheerful and full of patience.  We all know patience is not my strong suit anyway.  I am trying, but fail.  Please Brother Randy; please know that I am trying hard to be full of faith.  I am.  I am trying very hard to wait upon the Lord in all things.  I am not without hope, God is my hope....  I just really, really wish He worked in my timing! 

So I struggle with this aspect of my Christian walk.  I struggle with waiting for God to work.  The minute I think I have learned and I am doing ok, God says "let's see if you really are at a place where you can pat yourself on the back...." 

 

Wake up call time....  I have not arrived yet, so I can get off my high horse or be bucked off.  I am still a struggling sinner.

 

My heart is tired.  I am weary.  I am tired of waiting, and this is my problem.  I lack patience and this is my greatest fault.  I lack patience to wait upon God and to wait for Him to work.  I am tired and unable to do this, and am now where I have no where else to turn but to the embrace of God, but its hard to humble myself.  I am in need of the prayers of other Christians.   I have too much pride, and God is trying to teach me that my pride will keep getting in my way until I turn it over to Him.   

 

Thank you for hanging with me. 



 

 



Give Thanks in ALL!

Reposted from July 12, 2012

We are in the process of getting into a new home.  I am reposting a few past posts that are meaningful still today.  Thank you Gentle Friends.

Even when times are bad.....  Yep, even when the times are bad we are to give thanks and that's when it helps the most to think about some of the blessings (even when they don't seem like it at the time) we have been given.

Each petal was lovingly
thought and designed by God...
so the same is true of every
 aspect of our lives.

I was recently invited out and because I have made a promise to myself to try to be real, to edify more, etc.,  didn't even feel bad truning them down.  Two months ago I would have jumped all over myself to be included, hungering so much for whatever friendship people were throwing my way, and now I'm not.  I am worthy of true friends, that care about me, want to spend time with me and seek God!  Thank you Lord!

Ok, even though the city has ticked me off, it has speeded up our efforts to do some things around here, so I will count that as a blessing.  The Dandelion Menace, while still present, is slowly slipping away, for the most part.  *grin*  We kinda like them so will never be completely rid of them.

A network of blogging buddies who are helping me to keep on track for my June goal of two posts a week  (this doesn't really count). 

My little girl for the giggles she provides.  I mean who can not giggle when she tells a funny to her tale!?  I admire her imagination and creativity.

My husband, as always, for putting up with me as I struggle with the day in day out pains.  But even the pain I am thankful for.  It means I have been granted more time to be refined!  Thank you God, the Father and CREATOR of ALL things.

I will be glad and rejoice in your love, for you saw my affliction
and knew the anguish of my soul. 
Psalm 31:7

A Happy Heart

This week I am exploring happiness. What it is, how to get it, and what can rob it from us. Here is the "for now" final part.....

Part III

Admittedly, this post as been a bit more difficult to write....  I find I am still struggling a lot with the things which can rob our happiness.  We are brought up to think our value rests on the backs of how "accomplished" we are.  Our value has nothing to do how "well to do" we are.  Our true value rests on the impact we make upon the lives of others.  When we die, what legacy are we leaving?  Are we leaving one of earthly wealth?  Our children and those around us wont speak of our wealth at an eulogy.  No, the best legacy we can leave is one of love and joy.  What do we that don't cost a dime are what we will be remembered for.  Sadly, this is not what society teaches; no, we are taught that success is measured in $. 

What is happiness?  I keep thinking back to the children enjoying and finding pure, unadulterated happiness in the most simple of acts.  I look at my own child and see how being turned loose in a field of grasses, trees, and wild flowers uncorks a spring of laughter and unbridled passion for life.  The job of childhood and exploration is joy.  Yes, joy/happiness.  So what about growing up makes life not joyful or happy anymore?

Delight thyself also in the LORD: and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Ps. 37:4.  Yes, God wants us to have our hearts desires.  Granted, not all we desire are good for us, but when we do His will, he wants us to be happy and will grants us those things which will really make us happy.  He knows best how to make us happy.  The problem I have is waiting upon Him to provide. 

Working doesn't make you happy.  It can make you have a sense of accomplishment and that can give you happiness, if you do it in the right frame of mind and don't allow it to become your god.  God does want us to be happy yet He also knows we must do some toiling.  We can make that toiling more pleasurable or at least delight the Lord when we give Him the glory and thank Him for giving us our jobs. 

So what is happiness?   If its not money, fine houses, hotshot cars, and fancy vacations then what brings us happiness?

Love.  Pure and simple.  Helping others when done with the right spirit can give us a great sense of accomplishment, and truly show forth a light in a darkened cave.  One small light chases the darkness away.  So this year on our road to simplification, we are practicing hospitality.  Giving love and a measure of happiness to others, and it sure is feeling good.

An anxious heart weighs a man down, but a kind word cheers him up.  Prov. 12:25

You see, wealth only goes so far in the world.  What really can make a big change is how we treat each other.  Why the golden rule we were taught as children disappears as we grow up I will never know.  Yet, if we treated each other with love, more of us could find and hang onto happiness.

Yes, we will have sad times in our life, God never says that we will not face trials, but if we view those times with the right frame of mind we can find happiness in the midst of it.   At the end of our days we should look back and see a road paved with happiness.  Memories of family dinners, walks in the rain, fishing on the bank of a river with your child, making sandcastles in the sandbox, teaching your sixteen-year old how to drive, and even watching your grand-baby take his first breath.  Those will be the things that bring you a basket full of happiness.  Of course there will be sorrow; we are never told we wont experience sorrow.   Happiness is truly having a heart that God can speak to.  When we have a happy heart His words are heard more loudly and clearly.

Hanging onto our happiness is hard.  It takes thought and a willingness to go against ingrained ideals of what makes us successful.  Success is measured by what we have, but its that very system of measurement which takes away our joy in life.  We may experience a temporary joy but its not lasting.

To hang onto being happy there will need to be  changes that take place.  Some things you can't change, readily, but some things can be easily dealt with.  What those are will vary for each of us.

If someone is in your life and they provide no positive influence, loosen the strings.  You can't always have family in your life, as sad as it is.  Mine is a prime example, sadly.  Certain members of my family provide me with a lot of heartache.  THis is not good for me, good for my family, and ultimately its draws my mind away from Godly business.  Its better to not dwell on them, leaving my mind free to think about my own salvational issues, and how I can be a better person.  This is easier said than done.  There is a time to shake the dust of their doorstep off your feet and begin to focus your energies on the business that will bring peace to you and your family.  Look to your own life, and maybe, through prayer the rest will change.   Connect with people that will bring you peace.  This may very well be friends outside of your own bloodlines. 

Get finances in better order.  This includes occupations, but also priorities.  Sometimes you don't have a choice, but try to begin taking your vacations and plan your off time to be focusing on your family, not a destination.  Plan to take things simply.  Keep vacations to things where you and the family can truly relax and enjoy God's creation, even if this is a "staycation".  We are always happy when we have spent a goodly amount of time marveling at our Father's beautiful creation.  While resorts and theme parks are fun, they don't provide a lasting joy and communion with God and each other that we get with a hike and a picnic in the great outdoors.

Take the time to relax.  Just begin to decide what must be done and then focus on those you love.  Eat better, exercise more regularly, and take the time to have a hobby.  Teach your child your hobby.  Have dates with your kiddos and with your spouse.  Have martial relations and often --we are all grown ups here.  *smile*

Don't worry about trying to keep up with the "Jones'" focus on what you need for your family to find that sweet spot.  We can recapture the joy of our childhood.

Sit down and have a quiet time with God every day.  During that time actively focus on what you are thankful for.

Don't get into the middle of squabbles.  This includes work and between friends or family.  If it doesn't involve you, don't get in the middle.  Easier said than done sometimes, trust me.  You don't always have to have the last word either.  This is very difficult, but sometimes just shutting our mouth and walking away can make us happier than 1) adding fuel to the fire and/or 2) saying something we can't take back.

Don't dwell on the "could haves, should haves" of life.  Acceptance that we have fallen short but can move forward from that is hard but needed.  We can't live in the yesterdays, we have to move on from that. 

Think about what you can do to help another.  Actively seek to be hospitable.  We are discussing outreach at church, and while that is wonderful, I am feeling led by God to do more "in reaching" and forming bonds among our current members.  I am becoming convicted, I think, that this is what God wants our family to do.  To offer our home as a sanctuary of sorts for people to be able to come and feel love and acceptance in.

Hanging onto happiness can be  done, of this I am certain.  It takes work, but if we can reclaim it for ourselves, we will be able to claim it for our children.  Its an overhaul of what we value.  When we delight the Lord, he will grant us the desires of our hearts; His face will shine down upon us.  Here's to reclaiming HAPPINESS!  I claim it for my family! God bless us all with happiness as we go forward!


How do you think we can be happy? 

Linking up with www.teachersofgoodthings.com

Soaring....

This is a re-posted blog post from last July.....  I thought it was a good reminder for me.  

and what it means.  Really and truly what waiting for God's time and allowing for Him to work in our lives means.  What it doesn't mean, and all that in between stuff.

My favorite verse, even before I really understood what being a Christian meant, remains Isaiah 40:31 which reads, "But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint." 

This is something I really struggle with.  I know in my heart that God will provide for our every need, but I still want to keep my finger in the pie until the Father yanks it out and gives me a stern, "Let me provide." 

"But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus," 

Philippians 4:19. 

He says He will give us all our needs, not all our wants--although He does give many of those as well--in His timing.  This, I think, is where so many falter.  I know there are people reading this that might be mumbling under their breath about this being another post about just turning it over to God.  There are even more that stopped reading after they seen it had a reference to God, and I know there are those that are smirking at me.  I know because I was once there. I have had to learn that He gives strength to us when we are heavy and overburdened, when we ALLOW him to work (Isa. 40:29).  I know in my heart, my most inner being, and within the recesses of my soul, that without Him, I can do nothing.  It maybe OK for a season, but if I allow God to guide and trust in Him to do whats best for me it just works out better.  This includes when I follow what He wants in my family life.  It really goes hand in hand with my desire for a simpler life, relying more on the Father.

Bear has been in Vacation Bible School this past week.  Sometimes we need to go back and revisit the fundamentals to strengthen up the foundations.  The theme of all the lessons for the week was trusting God in all things.  Not just in good things, not just for some things, but ALL things.  Meaning, waiting upon the Lord.

But they that wait upon the Lord 
shall renew their strength;
they shall mount up with wings as eagles;
 they shall run, and not be weary;
and they shall walk, and not faint

Yes, I admit, I worry and falter in my trusting and waiting upon Him; God often has to yank back the pie into the safety of his pie safe, as if to tell me, "Kim, why do you insist on poking your finger into the pie?  I will let you know when it's done and ready to eat.  I love you.  You are my child, I sent my Son for you, so that you might be given the gift of salvation. So trust me in this."  He might reprimand, but it's always with a loving hand. I don't need to do anything more but make my requests known to Him, and if it be His will, and in His time, He will answer all my wants as well as my needs.   If He provided for my eternal salvation why would He neglect my earthly needs?  No, He is just and right; full of grace and mercy.  He will not neglect me.  I just have to learn to soar with eagles.  Easy Peasy.... Right????  Well OK, not so easy.  It should be, but we being who we are, or I being who I am, have a really hard time turning it all over to Him and waiting.  I guess I have a problem with patience.  Am I alone in this?

God has a way of putting me in situations where I am taught to wait upon Him.  It's once I completely give it over to Him that He can then work His wonders.  Becoming a mother was a perfect example of this.  It was in His time, not ours, but that is another story for another time.  God has recently been putting a lot of things upon my heart that I need to focus on, including trusting in Him, for His timing, waiting upon Him.  He will provide.

Now before you go quit your job, stop paying your mortgage, or neglect to cook dinner for the family tonight, I am not saying that you can stop doing all those things.  God has given your job, or you should view it as something He has given you, He has given you a home to live in (So many don't have that), and He has given you the means with which to provide food.  Sometimes He works through these things.  God provides; the key is to remember that those things which we think we need and what God KNOWS we need, may not be the same.   Sometimes we think luxuries are needs.  When things look dismal, we need to realize that God sees tomorrow.  He sees next week and next year.  Our finite minds can't comprehend this.  Commit all that you do to God (Proverbs 16.3). 

We need to look heavenward.  To borrow an illustration from a pastor, we need to look up and forget the chickens in the barnyard.  Even though we are among earthly things, among sin that is rampant, we need to not act like the world. It's kind of like my when my daddy use to say to me, "Kim, if all the kids were eating cow pies, would you eat them too?"  He knew the answer of course.  He was trying to tell me with daddy wisdom that the path less traveled might be the better one and to not just do something because everyone else was doing it.  I guess I've been takin' my smart pills, it's starting to sink in. 

Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?  Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? For your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. Matthew 6:25-34

 

So what was my point?  Waiting of course.  Waiting on God, or rather allowing God to act.  

I am not sitting here saying it will be easy.  He might put it upon my heart to say a kind word to you that gives you relief, or He might inspire you to bake a meal for a young family, and through you God is taking care of His children.  We just have to learn the art of listening.  I am still a student myself, far from an expert and I fall down.  I worry and get upset; I guess I am saying it's hard.  I know its hard.  Its OK to cry unto God and beg for His help in this.  It doesn't come easy for most of us.  Its very humbling in fact. 

I will stop for now, and leave you with a gentle reminder to tend your gardens well, and to take it one day at a time, giving God a chance.

Time to make time

I have discovered on this road of Simplification, that time and how I spend it is a key.   

Time is what we make of it.  I waste a lot of time that God has given me and I am making a plan to better harness the time He has given me.  I can use this time to focus on my family, I can use this time to focus on Him, or I can use this time to focus on Facebook (or other social media outlet).  How do you spend your time?  To be honest, my time is not often spent wisely; focusing on Him.  When I have my focus centered on Him, Yahweh God, who created the Heavens and Earth, I find my mind is better focused on my family. 

The Bible has a few things to say about what we do with our time. 

Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but
as wise making the most of your time, because the days are evil.
~~Ephesians 5:15-16 (NASB)~~

So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.

~~Psalm 90:12 ~~

God isn't telling us to number our days by making lists of all the things we can fit into them.  He isn't telling us to have "TO DO LISTS" as long as your child's list of excuses for not cleaning their room when you told them.  Nay, He is telling us to use time management, but to do so wisely;  To do first what strengthens our walk in Him, and the rest will fall into place. If we look at it like we have to fit more into the day, will that make us wise? Nope, it will make us stressed, weaken our immune systems, and make us short tempered.  None of those things make us happy, healthy, and really it hurts our family and relationship with Him.  No one can sustain constant activity.

Much of our day, much of what we do, does little to edify and glorify God. 

Read Psalm 39:4-5.

LORD, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is: that I may know how frail I am. Behold, thou hast made my days as an handbreadth; and mine age is as nothing before thee: verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity.

Life is short. This is what we are being told here.  Life is short and we need to be after God's heart.  Being after His heart doesn't mean being constantly busy with something.  They say idle hands are the tool of the devil, I disagree.  Idle MINDS that are not seeking Him are tools of the devil. Our Mind and Heart control our deeds.  When we fill our days with "STUFF" we lose focus and direction.  The Father's business is not stuff, and His business will never make us neglect being focused on Him and caring for our family, or ourselves.

Do you think you fill you days full of stuff?  Look within your heart and examine what kind of stuff are they full of and who is the time really for?  God doesn't expect that we never have down time, He did give us a sabbath after all,   What we need to do is use our time wisely.  I know I can use more work in that area.  How about you?  What steps do you think you can address to this end?  Next week, I will explore how my time is ate up by unwise decisions or time wasters and then address how to make my time matter. 

We are blessed

You know.  I mean we really are.  I am so thankful for that.  Sometimes while in the fray of raising children, homeschooling, work, and life its easy to forget.

We know so many people facing challenges, some seemingly insurmountable.  Childhood cancer, birth defects, learning disabilities, lack of job, housing issues, general health issues that really are debilitating, and we have been spared anything like this in our walk.  Not because of who we are, or anything like that, it just hasn't been what God has put before us. 

He never gives us more than we can handle.  He really doesn't.  I look at parents we know, even within our family, that have faced one of the above.  Before the unthinkable, they never knew the strength God would give them.  Most learned in many instances to rely heavily on God.  Sometimes there just wasn't any other option.  God gives us buckets of strength, we just have to accept it. 

Which brings me to....

I really want our family to work hard on being "hospitable" this year.  Helping and showing the love of God to others either through a meal, a place to stay, a friendly hug or help driving to a medical appointment.  I think its part of our simplification process; not just thinking about our needs and wants, but being mindful of others.  I think this helps one to see how God is working in their life and giving one so much to be thankful for.  Our word is about being in tune with God and what he wants for our life.  To do that we need to remove the clutter of our selfishness. 


At church last night we had guest speakers from an organization I think has a wonderful concept and I think almost 60 years at it, proves it can work;  N.M. Christian Children's Home in Portales.  We aren't wealthy, but we will be doing some brainstorming as a family on how we can help.  I urge you to check out their organization and pray about it.  If you can help, I truly believe this is an organization doing God's good work, giving all glory to Him. 

This week I cleaned off one 8'x4' section of shelving for homeschool games, books, work boxes, etc.  Oh this new method is so much better.  I was struggling so much with daily work boxes, and now I have made them into bins of subjects and then I can just pull it off the shelf and all the things we need are right there.  It has made our January so much easier this far.  I know, we are very early into the month. 

Did you do any big revamps this month?  I love hearing about all the things people do! 

What is Thankfulness?

What does it mean to be thankful? 

I think sometimes we see don't really sit down and study why we are thankful.  I'm not accusing, I know I am guilty of it.  We say we are thankful.  We can have a whole long myriad of things that we list on facebook, blogs, twitter... name you social media....  but the fact remains, we say we are thankful but how often do we really sit down and be truly thankful?  Sadly, for many it takes a tragedy to make us truly humble ourselves and be honestly heart wrenchingly grateful with thanksgiving pouring from our lips. 

Since its November and Thanksgiving will dawn in less than a week, I have been giving a lot of thought to the pilgrims.  Can you imagine how grateful they were when they landed upon our shores?  The joy and thanksgiving must have poured forth in waves from he Mayflower.   

I Imagine a verse like 1 Chronicles 29:11-13 rang forth, shaking the very masts of the boat with the strength of the praise and shouts of thanks.

Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, O LORD, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all. Wealth and honor come from you; you are the ruler of all things. In your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all. Now, our God, we give you thanks, and praise your glorious name.

 

I am thankful, from the bottom of my heart I am thankful.  I am thankful for the blood that was shed.  When we do communion each week we do it in remembrance of that shed blood.  Its through that blood that we have life.  I am thankful for my loved ones.  God has blessed me with people who help my walk, so that I may grow closer daily to Him.  He brought an amazing man into my life, who has patience and understanding beyond what I can fathom.  He gave us a little girl to teach me to have the same patience that my husband and Lord has for me.  He has allowed me to continue to have my Mom and for us to be friends as well as we age.  He has given me all of my needs and granted me many wants.  I am forever grateful and thankful.

Linking up with Women Taking a Stand and Thankful Thursday.



A heart full

I am thankful.

I am, indeed, thankful for so much.

My heart if full of thanks.  I have so much to be thankful for.  I still need prayers for a forgiving nature but all in all I am moving forward.

I am thankful for a church family that prays for its members, even when they don't know details. 

I am thankful for a mind that can grow and learn new things, because I really need that. *grin*

I am ever thankful for my family. 

That's a lot of I's isn't it?  Well truth be told, my heart is in need voicing my thankfulness.  I benefit from this time I spend contemplating my blessings.  Blessings come in many ways, shapes, and sizes.  Even amidst a time when many hearts would be hardened, God is showing me that what might look like a rocky hill to climb has a path through the rubble.  A path that He created for me. 

So take comfort gentle friends.

Linking up today with Women Taking a Stand and Thankful Thursday. 

 

Thankful for our Northwest Autumn....

Autumn in the Pacific Northwest.

Autumn has arrived, despite the days without rain and the almost unseasonable warmth, it has arrived.  It's on our doorsteps and frankly, we love it! 

Here are a few pictures to share what our fall has been like thus far and then pop on over to Adventures of D&V  and check out what other people have posted from around the country. 



Chestnuts falling from trees

 

 

 

 

 

This was taken in my garden on 10/9/12 
While it might not look fall, it was taken in my garden! 
What a HUGE sunflower, more than 12 inches!

 

 

Also Linking up for Thankful Thursday with Women Taking a Stand (Laurie).

I am so thankful to a wonderful and awesome God.  He knew what I would need before I needed it and provided it for me.  This has been a month of returning to the book of James, over and over again.  How God sustains us. 

 

I am thankful for the love and understanding of an incredible husband.  I know not everyone is blessed this much and I am sincerely grateful that He loved me so much to prepare such a wonderful set of arms to comfort me.

 

What are you thankful for?

 

 

 



 

To the one I love

On this day, 8 years ago I said "I do" and I still do. I still promise to love and honor, through all things, good and bad. I even promise to obey because love wants to listen and give you my ear.

I have heard many vows over the years and I have heard traditional ones messed with. A sibling even promised to cater to his spouses every need. I don't need or even want that. Our vows reflected our very real love and understanding that God was the head of our union, that we are each living and breathing people with minds and needs. We promised that the two would become one and I certainly have tried to remember that, as have you (maybe better than I could hope to do).

I am blessed beyond words. God seen what I needed as a spouse and he created the perfect one for me in you. I never regret us becoming one. You are a wonderful husband and a great daddy. You provide for our every need and that includes the mental needs we have. The needs which really matter at the end of the day. Do I feel loved and accepted? I can honestly say:

I DO
 

Amongst the weeds...

It's been a long hard seven days.  Ok, strike that, one or two days were hard, the rest have been adjusting.  Really, the last few weeks have been tough, but through it all I see God's hand. 

To top it off we all have colds. I think its from the stress.  Even Gram's has it.

God is working in our life.  I don't feel like sharing right now, but suffice it to say, after years of being hurt I feel a sense of peace or freeing after this past weekend.  I was afraid the outcome, when it did come, would be different, but God has shown me his love for me many times in my life and He did so again.  Looking back and reflecting on it, I see God's wisdom and handiwork.  He gave me a wonderful husband and a beautiful daughter to hold tight to. 

I am still here, I'm just focusing on my family and stuff around home right now.  I will return.  Just keep us (including Gram) in your thoughts and prayers.

I will be back on track soon with the 3 in 30 as well and my other projects.  thank you for your continued understanding.

Overwhelming Thanks

I have much to be thankful for.  Decent health, a house to keep the approaching winter weather at bay, many creature comforts that so many in the world lack.  These are all material things.  Material things don't really provide us with happiness.  Yes, we are most thankful for them, but if they all disappeared tomorrow would all be lost? 

Job lost it all, yet he remained faithful.  Do you ever wonder at his faith and thankfulness amidst horrible trials?  Be serious, are you always thankful?  Do you ever falter in your faith and being thankful? 

I do.

A lot.

Life isn't always easy, nor is it always pleasant.  Sometimes life reeks, bad.  But a few things help me accomplish peace when faced with any number of trials.  It might not be right away, but when it happens I sure feel better.  Its like, giving it over is the big piece of the pie, and once I don't have that burden on me, my shoulders sag with relief. 

I am thankful that I am able to gain this understanding. 

God really is AWESOME.

Thankfulness is a state of mind......

One thing we do every fall is make relish.....  last night we started a batch and later today we will be canning tomatoes and relish.  Yesterday we bought two pumpkins for decorating and I think I will surprise Bear with decorating the outside this weekend, before it decides we can't have nice weather anymore.  It has been a really long time since we had rain.  Almost everyone that doesn't water their lawn has brown grass.  We haven't watered in a month, I keep waiting for the rains! 

Do you decorate your house for the fall season?  If so what kinds of things do you do?

Today I am thankful for a loving God.  I am thankful that even when family is ripe with strife and things are blown way out of proportion, God can give a measure of peace when we ask for it.  I pray for wisdom, and with that wisdom I pray for peace to still love them despite hate filled words and deeds. 

I am thankful that I have the shelter of my own home and our little family when these times hit.  God knows our needs and he provides for them. 

I am thankful that God revealed to me that we can use the filter of love when hearing and seeing things.  We can forgive.  He doesn't mean that we forgive and allow someone to rule our lives with their actions.  Rather, we forgive and go forward, even when it means that we must shake the dust from their door off our feet.  We can only do so much, my prayer is I have the strength to do this.  Even when it is people I love.  When they bring me down I lose focus on God; this is where I adore my husbands unfailing faith that God is in control of all things for those that love Him.  He re-centers me. 

What are you thankful for today?

Linking up with With Grace Alone and Thankful Thursday!