Giving Thanks #17

First let me say i fear I have gotten wayyyy behind on my 30 days soooo with that said, I will be writing a giving thanks post each day until thanksgiving even if it is not 30 days :)

So today I am giving thanks for honest, true friendships! My friend Amanda is new in our lives. She has not lived in Pascagoula very long and I have only known her a couple of months (I think it has been that long :))At any rate. from the moment I met her I clicked with Amanda, I knew from the moment I met her that she was someone I wanted to be friends with. We have been talking alot and she has witnessed our life, our days, our evenings, our meals, nearly bedtime etc...Sometimes it takes a fresh set of eyes to tell you what is not working in your life, what things you really need to "get in order" You know. Someone who hasn't seen you make 500 trips around the same mountain (that is code for dealing with the same issues over and over) So back to Amanda. Yesterday was a bad day. It was just rotten, started out good with the kids and I doing some volunteer work and then it just all went downhill. At anyrate, we had church and something happened that just broke the floodgate for me and no matter how hard I tried those tears were not staying in my head. So on the way home (we ride together) we were talking and she just asked "can I be honest, you probably wont like what I have to say but i feel like the Lord wants you to know somethings" and she began to speak words that I knew were straight from the LORD words that I needed to hear, words that while they were difficult to hear I know I needed them. We got the kids, came home and talked for another couple of hours and I knew in my spirit I had some actions to take but that all would be well. So that is it. How often are we afraid to tell the truth for fear of bringing offense to someone? How often do we get offended when someone tells us the truth that we needed to hear? Everything she said to me was not difficult. It was all productive and used to teach me somethings I just hadnt gotten to yet. One of the huge blessings she gave me was to show me my children through another set of eyes. I have great kids, really if you look at their peers they really are great, but they are NOT perfect (which I never thought) she gave me the gift of recognizing their great qualities and how I am called to help refine those and what I can do to make sure that happens and how God can use those qualities for HIS KINGDOM.

So thank God for good friends who are not afraid to speak the truth into our lives even at the risk of hurting our feelings. That conversation really could have gone a couple of different ways and I am just glad it went as well as it did.

How do you react to truth spoken in LOVE? Do you get defensive and "bow up" not wanting to hear what you have done wrong or do you gently accept it and make a plan ot seek God to find out how He would have you change it?

Many blessings and Much LOVE to you all
SB

Giving Thanks post#16

Today I am giving thanks for MODERN DAY CONVENIENCES. I love the thought of being a pioneer woman ... I know crazy, but the whole making your own bread and churning your own butter really appeals to me, in thought that is :) Never mind the fear of something terrible happening to one of my children and no modern hospital to rely on. I love the IDEA of traveling by wagon train and staking claim on some land cultivating it, building our home and raising a family ... yadda, yadda, yadda ..... You will notice .... I love the IDEA of it all but not more than I love my bread machine, my butter from the grocery store and my stove on which to cook. I love the heater that warms my cold bones and the shower that i take each morning. Gotta love fresh running water. So today i am giving thanks for all those MODERN DAY CONVENIENCES which make my necessary, day to day chores easier!

Have you hugged your washing machine today?!

Peace and Blessings to you all
sb

Giving Thanks #15

Ok, today i am breaking from all the sentiment to give thanks for ..... ice cream, that is right folks you read it correctly .... I am giving thanks for ICE CREAM - especially peppermint flavor

Because God's word says that every good and perfect gift comes from Him, i am convinced this yummy, creamy, sugary treat comes straight from heaven! It is my absolute favorite dessert/snack/breakfast/lunch/or dinner. I LOVE IT! I love any kind of ice cream really well with the exception of strawberry but my very favorite is peppermint and it is only out during Christmas season so it should go without saying there is alot of ice cream eating going on in our house during the months of Nov-January! So without hesitation lets all give a cheer for Ice Cream ... I scream, you scream, WE ALL scream for Ice Cream!!!!!

"mom's" work is hard stuff!

As I write this ZC is in the living room, right off the office and she is supposed to be picking up the jar of pennies she unloaded on the floor. This has been an ongoing saga for 3 days. I refuse to pick them up, let her watch tv or even eat breakfast this morning before they are returned to their home. It is a battle of the wills and i feel like giving up. For 3 days she has said ... "I am so tired mommy, i will pick them up in the morning" "I promise I will pick them up when we get home" "Mommy, I am just a little girl i cant pick them all up"

GRRRRR! She is sooooo strong willed!

You know though just makes me think about how I behave and have become rebelious in my life, telling God "well, I know what you want me to do, I don't have time now, I will get to it later, I will do it when I feel like it, on my own terms." I am so grateful that He doesnt ever give me what I really deserve, yes I have been disciplined in my life but seriously I have never gotten what I deserve to get.

Parenting is tough stuff!

Giving Thanks Post #14

Today I am thankful for the cooler weather! There is something about the crispness of the winter air. Here in the south where for the majority of the year temps are high 90's with close to 100% humidity, crisp cool air is a welcomed change. Winter always brings with it a kick to my step. The anticipation that something exciting is just around the corner causes me to take extra notice to my surroundings, be extra sensitive to what is going on in my home and how we can come together and have more fun. So today I am thankful that winter is on its way!

peace and blessings to you all!
sb

Giving Thanks Post #13

Today I am thankful for prayer! Anyone who knows me (in person or on the web) knows that generally my first response to trouble, illness, sadness, grief, etc... is to pray. Prayer is such a beautiful gift. It is at its best a conversation with God a give and take, honest conversation, a sharing of my heart, of my dreams of my needs and a taking of His direction, His peace, His love. When I can get past my insessint need to talk and talk and talk for fear I might leave out just one part of my day, and just be in his presence I find rejuvenation for my often weary soul, I find healing - physical, emotional and spiritual, I find answers to questions, and so much more.

Angie over at "bring on the Rain' has come up with a wonderful idea. She has the most incredible blog. She and her family are experiencing the devastation of loosing a child. You can read her story in her blog but what is most memorable and truly inspirational is the grace she exhibits as she allows God to mold her and shape her while she walks through the aftermath of such a heart wrenching tragedy. I will be honest I did not think I would have much in common with her but oh my goodness I think her words speak to anyone who has experienced extreme disappointment and loss and continue to strive to live as God has called them to do.
Ok, back to her idea .... Praying for our/your children ... I know it is not a new idea but she has come up with a great "system" if you will of praying for them 7 times a day! So go check her out, you wont be disappointed! I promise. Just click on the link below!

Giving Thanks Post #12

Today I am thankful for laughter ... 2 of my 3 kiddos are jokesters (is that even a word?), Ethan plots long and hard to play tricks on his sisters and myself and it seems ZC is coming up right behind him. Tonight I left the room for a moment and i came back to ZC giggling, She was trying so hard to hold her laughter in, almost biting her lip. I sat down, slipped my shoes on my feet and they were full of pennies and she yelled ... GOTCHA and started cracking up so hard she could hardely stand it! I love laughter, i love the sound of my children's laughter, I love the way laughter makes me feel. Laughter is the best medecine!

Hope you had a few good laughs today!

Beace and blessings
sb

Giving thanks post #11

Today I am thankful for my mom. Without going into life stories here I will just say she has lived a life and had experiences that would cause most of us to throw up our hands and give up and yet she has plugged away determined to make life better for her children and grandchildren. She is one of the most giving persons i know and i adore her.

So mom, if you are reading this - I am thankful for you! Know you are appreciated!

peace and blessings
sb

Giving Thanks post #10

I am trying to catch up so I am doubling up for a couple of days.
I am thankful for family night. It has turned into such a wonderful time to renew our bond and remember why we love one another, to laugh together and just have fun. It is a great time to just turn off the rest of the world and be together.

Giving Thanks #9

Today I am thankful for God's Provision.
Last week, not this past Sunday but the one before it the kids and I walked out of our Pastor's house (I have a class there each Sunday) to find that the tire which had been giving us trouble ( a slow leak we were having to pump it up about every 3-4 days) had finally given out. It was flat as flat could be. Now I can change a tire but it is not very easy and I was thankful for the men around who were willing to change it for me. Not only were they willing to change it but they took it upon themselves to take the situation and make it a teaching moment for my son E. So there was my 10 year old learning how to change a tire. (we are still driving on the donut which is why dear Daphne I have not gotten with you to arrange a time to get together, I am not traveling much :)
Fast forward to this weekend ...
As I posted a few days ago, I left town to take E to a junior bible quiz competition. My friend Cindy and I in her van with 5 kids (4 girls + E) We were headed about 5.5 hours away. We were having a good ride, stopped for dinner and let the kids play and back on the road. We heard a klunk but the van was riding well, it was dark out and we were on the interstate so we didn't stop and then a little further down the road it was obvious something was amiss. After pulling over what we saw was a tire full of air but NO TREAD! it was crazy, the tread just came off (must have been what the klunk was) So my son, being the awesome kid that he is, immediatley says " I know how to change a tire, I can do this mom" So with minimal help my great son changed the tire on the van while we were on the interstate (thank God it was on the passengers side or I would never have allowed him to do it) It was awesome to see his joy in being able to do this for Mrs. Cindy and myself. He did it with ease and confidence. Cindy told me when we got back into the car that just minutes before we left her husband had gone and replaced the spare tire, which is a full size spare (they had had to replace a tire on a recent trip) We also didn't realize it at the time but we had missed our exit, had we taken the correct exit we would have been on a small country road with NO shoulder. It would have been impossible for us to change the tire and there would have been nothing around.
This is certainly NOT the first time God has made provision for us. Over and over again He has done things like this in our lives/my life. I was angry and frustrated with God over my tire last Sunday but now I see the path that was being prepared and the provision being made. I have NO doubt God will provide for my tire to be replaced soon but until then I will rest knowing
that what it says in the book of Mathew chapter 6 verse 8 - "Do not be like them (the pagans who pray with many words for the sake of praying) for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him"
Peace and blessings to you all

and Praise to the THE ALL knowing, ALL providing God!

sb

Thanksgiving post #8

Today I am thankful that My sweet Savior Jesus Christ loves me
Recently my dear friend Amanda called to share this scripture with me.

12As he approached the town gate, a dead person was being carried out—the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the town was with her. 13When the Lord saw her, his heart went out to her and he said, "Don't cry."

14Then he went up and touched the coffin, and those carrying it stood still. He said, "Young man, I say to you, get up!"

Luke 7:12-14

Cant you just hear him? He, the Lord of all, who could have immediately raised her son to life again ... wanted first to comfort her, to ease her pain, to stop the flow of tears. Can you hear His sweet tender voice? Feel His tender touch as He comforts her with the tender words - "don't cry" It makes me think of how we comfort our children when they scrape their knee and how our children comfort us even when they don't know why our tears flow. He didn't want to walk in and marvel everyone with is majestic power, the power bestowed upon Him by his Heavenly Father. He first wanted to quietly, tenderly touch her heart! So you there feeling down troddin', You who's life is not playing out the way you thought it would, you who have lost loved ones, and even you have fallin prey to satan's evil scheme. You who have let dreams die because you thought you couldn't accomplish them and you who feels like the world is against you, Your Savior sees you, He knows you by name, he knows your pain, your disappointment, He knows your loss and He even knows those dreams you let die, listen carefully as He tells you "Don't cry" Let Him comfort you quietly and then watch out cause you never know what He is going to do!

On the road again ...

E and I are heading out of town in just a bit. He has a junior bible quiz competition tomorrow and we are traveling to Columbus with his team. Please pray for traveling mercies for uas as well as praying that the kids do well and enjoy this fun experience. They have put in alot of work and it is always great to see them experience some success!

thanks all
have a great weekend!
sb

Giving Thanks Post #7

Today I am thankful for the rain. As I write this it is raining outside which has caused me to ponder ... (dangerous) Rain is often equaited with sorrow.There is no denying that it is an inconvenience and sometimes uncomfortable (especially in the winter months when it rains and you get wet which is undoubtedly followed by being cold) however, in the old testement God ofen made the skys open and the rain fall as a blessing to those who were obedient to him. Throughout the Old Testement I found several verses where God spoke through His prophets, telling the people to listen,to obey or He would close up the skys and rain would no longer fall, and crops would no longer grow. Even in the ot times He was trying to teach them what James writes in James 1: 2-4 "2Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. "

RAIN, SORROW, TRIALS, ETC... THOSE THINGS ARE PRODUCTIVE - PHYSICALLY AND SPIRITUALLY. THEY ARE USEFUL TO PRODUCE FAITH, PERSEVERANCE, AND MATURITY. ALL THESE THINGS WE NEED TO BE USEFUL TO GOD! ALL THESE THINGS WHICH ARE BEAUTIFUL TO SEE IN A PERSON.

SO TODAY I AM THANKFUL FOR THE RAIN!
(Hey,will you all remind me of this post next time a trial hits ;)

Giving Thanks Post #6

Today I am thankful for My Zoe Claire with curly hair and beautiful big brown eyes! Man I love that girl! ZC's arrival story is much different from my Miss M and E man! I was just finishing up my Masters Degree in Speech Language Pathology. I was just a days away from graduation. The day ZC came "home" she was 2.5 months old, and none of us had any idea how significant her "visit" would be. The kids and I were living with some good friends while I finished up my degree. I had secured a job and a new house and as I said graduation was just a few days away. I had gone to the company's main location to go over the final job details and on the way home called my friend Susan to let her know I was finished. While we were talking I heard a baby cry int he background and when I asked who it was she gave me the story. Her first 2.5 months had been tough. Susan had agreed to help the family out until they could figure out what to do. Lot's of issues going on in the birth family's life and they were unable to care for her. I hung up the phone and cried the whole way home (1 hour) I told God over and over what dumb idea it was that there was no way I could have another child, there was just no way. Well, as you can guess God was right, I was wrong. All the doors flew wide open , God made it completely clear what His plan was and the red carpets laid out. ZC was created for our family and we were created for her. God is soooo amazing!
So today I am grateful for ZC and for her birthfamily who selflessly gave a piece of themselves up so that she could have the life she deserves. I am so blessed!

Giving Thanks post #5

This morning I am thankful for comments! I woke up this morning to several comments to moderate and it warms my heart to know people are reading and thinking about what I am writing. It seems like such a small gesture but is so very meaningful. As a single mom sometimes it feels like no one around here listens to anything I say, sometimes it just gets lonely. Knowing you've paid me a little virtual visit warms my heart! Thank you ladies for caring and leaving me little notes to let me know you were here, you saw, you read, and my words provoked some thought ! :) I appreciate it more than you know!

I need to look at the calander to figure this out but I know i need to catch up on some days so there is likely to be another giving thanks post today :)

peace and blessings to you all!
sb

Giving Thanks post #4

Today i am thankful for my son - E man THE man! As we like to say in the south ... Bless His little heart! He lives in a house full of girls. that means tons of Estrogen, moodiness, indecisiveness and yes sometimes they even gang up on him to make him watch chick flicks. Ethan was the first boy born to my family in 25 years... my brother was ecstatic when we learned he was a boy!

When I found out i was pg with E I was in the process of transferring schools (I went back to school at the age of 26) I attended 1 year at our local junior collage and decided it was time to transfer from a 2 year to a 4 year university and I had big big plans. I was already a single parent to Miss M and I was just coming out of a relationship I had no business being in in the first place and well the news that a baby was growing inside of me made me more than a bit nervous. I tweaked my plans just a bit, transferred to a different university and made the absolute best of it that I could. Life for E has not been easy. He has grown up without a father in our home to show him the ropes and stick up for him when he needs someone on his side. But the one thing that I do know is that He is one of the very best things that has happened to this family. He is smart and caring, sensitive and loving. He is funny, always trying to make me laugh and is more like me than I care to admit sometimes ;)

This is his first year homeschooling with us. He is so smart it sometimes he scares me that I won't be able to keep up with him! He has been gifted with the ability to read things and remember them easily. He learns things easily and without much effort. I am so greaful
for the relationship between he and his younger sister. I am grateful for his humor, for his sensitivity .. for everything that makes him ... him!

Potato Soup - YUMMY!

My family LOVES potato soup. We can't get enough of it. Last year i figured out that instead of using real potatoes I would use the potato flakes and cut time and cost (I hate the peeling of the potatoes part) I had no problem getting the right consistency but I could not ever get the soup to have any real flavor. So I woke up Saturday morning with potato soup on the brain , It has been cool hear and I felt like it was great whether for soup. So I was going over and over in my head how to step up the flavor and here is what I came up with

1/2 onion diced
7-10 red potatoes cubed
mashed potato flakes (any brand)
butter (about a stick)
milk
water

melt 1/2 stick of butter in large sauce pan (you want to do it all in one pan to make it as flavorful as possible. Add onion and stir well. Saute the onion until it is transparent. Once onion is cooked at cubed potatoes and still well. Coat potatoes with butter (you many need to add a little more) Cook and stir, cook and stir until potatoes begin to soften just a bit. Add water to just over the potatoes. Bring potatoes to a boil. Cover the pot but remember to keep an eye that they don't stick and that the water doesn't boil down. Once potatoes are tender (how tender is a personal preference) then add more water and milk. I added 4 cups water and filled the rest of the pot with milk. Bring to boil and begin adding potato flakes to desired consistency. Let simmer for about 10-15 minutes and serve garnished with bacon, cheese and sour cream. It was so yummy. It will become a regular dish I am sure.

I know this recipe lacks all things technical and I am sorry. I am very much a pinch of this and a dash of that kind of chef. If you have any questions feel free to leave a comment here and I will get back to you as quickly as possible

Link to share

I just found some really great ideas about how to help develop an attitude of thankfulness in our children. Enjoy!
Her Cup Overfloweth: Thankful and Blogging About It: 10 Ways to Encourage Thankfulness in Your Children

Giving Thanks post #3

I had every intention today to write about my son, who I am also very grateful for ... that was until I got a phone call. I think very highly of my Pastors (Rick and Vickey) They are incredible people who love the Lord with all their hearts, souls and minds. They live their life for Him and it is very apparent. They make no apologies for serving God in all they do and say.
So not secret, I am a single mom who has 1 son who .. bless his heart... lives in a family full of girls. I mean the whole family, NOT just his immediate family. Ethan was the first boy born in 25 years in our family and then there was not another one until He was 6 years old. (More on all that later) So anyway, my son is such a boy! He lives to skateboard, loves to fish and would love to learn to hunt (among other things). So today Pastor Rick calls me and tells me there is going to be a youth hunting trip come up and wants to know if he can take Ethan. Here is a man who is very busy running a church, sheparding a congregation, working another job and he wants to take my son hunting. WOW! He has such a passion to pour into the lives of young men who need older Godly men to help them grow. How blessed we are to have such leadership. I believe this attitude also affects the attitudes of the other men in the body. Recently we were at a church event and one of the older gentlemen buddied up with Ethan. He took the time to teach Ethan about how to greet someone, to shake their had with a good firm grip and to look them in the eye. A group of men also had Ethan come out on a workday, taught him about doing some yard work on our new property and then showed him how to prepare to have a bonfire. They took time, they invested in his life and I know he is not the only one. These men see the value of pouring into - investing in the lives of young men who are being raised up to be our future. These men are playing an instrumental role in raising up a generation of fatherless children. Children who have been cast aside by the men whose DNA they share or like in Ethan's case who have not had a father in their life due to illness.

So today I am thankful for men willing to shape the lives of boys by investing their time and talent, their wisdom and knowledge into a young man without a father. Men who are willing to answer the call of desperation for single mom's who don't know how to teach their son's how to be a Godly man.

GO VOTE!

NUFF SAID!

I am sure you will read it, hear it, say it, and write it a million times to day! Just make sure you

DO IT ONCE!

Giving Thanks post #2

*** let me first say I am thankful for all of my children. I am just going to be thankful for each of them separately and in the order they were given to me :)

Today I am thankful for Miss M. Madison is by far the average 17 year old young woman. She has been with me the longest. She was born when I was just 19 years old ... She was born in Aug and I turned 20 in Oct. Her dad and I had been married just 5 months when we learned we should begin preparing for an addition to our family. I could not have been more excited! She arrived one month early after I had a car accident. Her first days were rocky, she spent a little time in the NICU nursery but nothing lasting. She has grown and developed into a healthy young woman. Despite the many challenges which have presented themselves in our lives Miss M continues to strive to be the best she can and though our life is not always what one would wish for Miss M takes it all in stride and does not mullygrub about it.
She has been called into ministry. God has called her to minister to young girls who like her have grown up without an earthly "daddy" in their lives. Her hearts desire is to help these girls know that they are not alone and that they are daughters of the king, the best daddy of all. God is going to use her in great ways and I for one cannot wait to see the effects of her faithfulness to HIM! She is going to be a world changer!
So today I am thankful for my dear sweet girl Miss M!



Miss M is on your left. She is going to kill me for posting this picture but I could not find a more recent one.

Giving Thanks

Miranda over at Enjoying the Ride suggest that since we are now in November we blog about 1 thing we are grateful for each day. So I am getting a start on this a day late but that's okay. I'm going for it anyway.

***Disclaimer***
These are in no way ranked by order of entry. I am very grateful for every gift the Lord has given me.

Today I am grateful for ...
The gift of worship .. being allowed to worship and I don't mean sitting in a pew on Sunday morning attending church, not the freedom that the constitution gives us. I mean the gift of being able to open my heart wider than it has ever known, feeling the God I love through all my senses, taking Him in and just worshipping Him for who HE is. NOT anything He has done for me, or given me, not anything He has created but just because He exists, just because He is the great I AM! Sometime I become burdened with the reality of the fact that He must love me so very much to pour Himself into me so. He must think an awful lot of me to allow me in the throne room. What a loving God we serve.