Give Thanks, Day 14

Today I am thankful for my country.  I am thankful for the men and women who serve so faithfully.  I'm thankful for their families who sacrifice so that my family can be safe.  I'm thankful that we live in a country where we can all have our opinions and express them freely. I'm thankful for a country in which I can worship my God without fear.  I am thankful that here I can find work to provide for my family.  I am thankful for so many things this great country represents.  Sometimes we may appear divided - but as 9/11 proved - push - and we push back harder - together.  United we do stand even though we don't always agree.

Give Thanks - Day 13

This is getting tougher as we go along.  Not tough to pick out things I'm thankful for - but tough to be original, not cliche, and to think outside of the box!

So yesterday we got to head back to Grand Rapids to watch a soccer game.  Marty's college coach is still coaching (at a different college) and put out a general invite to all his former players, friends and family to come watch his team in the WHAC conference finals.  I think the last time we connected in person with coach was a good 10 years ago.  So, back to our old stomping grounds we went.

Which leads me to this.  I am thankful for Grand Rapids.  I'm thankful for the college, for the hospitals that I birthed my children in, I'm thankful for lasting friendships.  I'm thankful for the men and women who influenced my life and my husbands life (like Coach Veal and his family).  I'm thankful for the beauty of the city and no matter where we live - nothing has ever compared to the west side of the state.  I'm thankful for happy memories, for the laughter that so encompassed my life at that time.  I'm thankful for Negasi and Emily and although we didn't get to see them this time around - I will forever be grateful for the day Marty found Negasi sitting at the soccer field at Union High School.  I'm thankful for that time in my life where everything was fresh and new.  So many good memories there, too many to count.  I'm thankful for the fact that although many things in life change - the relationships with friends (like Keith and Sarah, Donnie and Sarah W and others!) we made there only grow stronger in the Lord.

Grand Rapids always feels like home when I go back.  Yes, it has changed, it has grown and many places look nothing like they did when we were there - but there is something almost magical in my mind about the place we once called home.  It is a place I could pick up and move back to at any moment in my life and be able to settle right back in where we left off.  I miss it and I think I always will.

Cornerstone Goose Pond behind my dorm :)  FULL of goose poop - and Marty got thrown in as part of a tradition called candlelight the night we were engaged :)



 

 Downtown GR - beautiful city

 Marty's college Coach Joe Veal and his beautiful wife Sylvia

College buddies Keith and Sarah Knapp - love these guys!

Negasi and Emily and their son - miss these guys so very much :(

Give Thanks - Day 12

Day 12 of giving thanks!  Up until yesterday, this was easy.  Now I can think of things I'm thankful for - yet they sound shallow and materialistic.  I'm thankful for my house, for my food, for my camera, for a warm bed, Yankee candles - you know - stuff like that.

But I wanted this to be about more - not just the simple or easy things to be thankful for.  I wanted to dig deeper and figure out what is in my life that is worth more than all the surfacy stuff.  The deep blessings Jesus gives. 

So - what will it be today?  What am I thankful for today?

Today - I'm thankful for difficult times.  The bible says to give thanks - in everything - right?  Everything?  Everything. 

It's those tough times that drive me to my knees.  It is when I am at the end of myself that I remember I need Jesus.  I don't think I would be half the person today if not for the times when life threw me on my face.

I'm thankful for the tough people - those who I have had to restrain myself, quite literally, at times, from smacking their faces off.  (lol - yes, I did just say that!!).  Thankful that those people made me work on my patience, made me turn to God for justice instead of taking matters into my own hands.  Those people helped chisel off some rough edges.  Remind me I said this next time I'm dealing with a tough person :)

I'm thankful for tough choices.  I'm thankful for financial hardships because I have seen the hand of God in them.  I'm thankful for the times I've wanted for something materialistic I just could not have because they showed me what was truly important in life.  I'm thankful that I am still growing in this area - it's a battle and it will always be a battle - but I am thankful that in the battle, I am growing, bit by bit, piece by piece.

I'm thankful that the hand of God always wipes away my tears.  I'm thankful that His loves is big enough to cover all my sin.  I'm thankful that even when tough times drive me to my knees and I am angry at Him for them - I'm thankful that He is big enough to handle my anger.  I'm thankful when I cry out to him and the answer is not what I want to hear - He still walks me through the darkness.

What about you - what difficult things are you thankful for?

Give Thanks - Day 11

Can I be honest?

Today is a day - I don't feel like giving thanks.  It has been a very long week.  We have had some big time struggles in our family.  I'm sick, Jon's sick.  Not much to be thankful for this week. 

However :)

Today, I am thankful for Godly friends who lift up my arms and hold me up when I am too weak to do that on my own.  This week, especially, I am thankful for two friends who have been an encouragement to me - who have kept my eyes focused on Jesus and not on my problems.  Two friends who love our family and love my kids.  Two friends who I can always be honest with and who don't look at us any differently - in fact - who do nothing but tell us what a great job we are doing.  I am oh so grateful for their friendships - especially in this week.  I know both of them would do anything within their power for our family and both have done so at different points in our lives and in different ways.

So - today - I'd like to send a shout out to my friends Lois and Aaron.  You guys have kept me going this week.  I don't admit my weaknesses, talk about my struggles, share my heartaches with just anyone.  In fact, I'm a pretty private person and today I want to publicly thank you both for allowing me to be - me.  You don't judge me, you don't judge our family - you just love on us, pray for us, lift us up.  Thank you so much.  Thank you from the bottom of my heart for helping me through this tough week!  What would I do without both of you??

Proverbs 17:7 - A friend is always loyal, and a brother is born to help in time of need.

Proverbs 27:9  - The heartfelt counsel of a friend is as sweet as perfume and incense.

A friend is someone who knows the song in your heart, and can sing it back to you when you have forgotten the words.

Friends are God's way of taking care of us.

Give Thanks - Day 10

Today I am thankful for Christian Universities.  I'm thankful for Cornerstone University in Grand Rapids, MI where I met the 2 most important men in my life.  Yes - 2 :)  Jesus AND my husband.  Now THAT is a terrific college!!  Funnest years of my life.  Great times!  Still have some amazing Godly friends from Cornerstone.  I had no idea the friends I made there would be friends forever - and I am so thankful for them.  I'm thinking today of Sarah and Keith Knapp, of Don Leach, of Sarah Wright.  Jeanna, Amy - too many to count!  So thankful for all of you.  I wish we all lived close enough to hang out, play soccer, climb the rooftops of any building, go to our kids games, pray together, serve Jesus together.  Thankful for all of you today!

Equally thankful for the newest Christian University in our lives - North Central in Minneapolis, MN.  Yes, much like Cornerstone, North Central may just break the bank - HOWEVER - it's worth EVERY penny spent.  To see my daughter grow in the Lord every single time I speak with her - well there is no price tag on that.  I'm thankful for the professors, for the dorm people, for the other students - for everyone who is now involved in her life from North Central that are helping her along on her journey.  Thank you North Central University for being committed to teaching young people how to be passionate in their walk with Jesus, for pouring the word of God in and over their lives, for praying, for seeking, for challenging.  We are so grateful to all of you.

Christian Universities - the place to be!!

Pickett Hall - my dorm for my sophomore and junior year.  The place where I had my worst RA who was always trying to bust me.  The place where all the girls ran to the windows to check out the dark Brazilian hot guy walking past the dorm after soccer practice (my husband - who is Mexican and not Brazilian and, much like my daughter, when all the girls would run to the window, I would roll my eyes and say WHATEVER! - But, secretly, I was watching him walk past the window as well and NOW I would DEFINITELY run to the window to watch him walk by :) ).  The place where above mentioned Sarah W. and I snuck in and out of her first floor window on several occasions (okay, so MAYBE the RA was right in always trying to bust me - but she never succeeded!) - The place where I had my candlelight when Marty proposed.  Such good times and good memories!!

E's college experience!  It seems like such a short time ago when it was us - and now it's her.  I pray she has an even better time than we did.  She's already making wiser and more Godly choices than we ever did.  So proud of her :)

Give Thanks - Day 9

Day 9 of give thanks!  We're cruising right along, aren't we??

Today - I want to give a shout out to my Mom.  This past fall, I got to go spend a few days alone with her.  We haven't had that opportunity in years.  I was able to take some beautiful pictures of her.  Pray for my Mom, will you - she needs your prayers!  Anywho - let me share with you those pics and you can see for yourself what a beautiful Mom I have :)  Thanks Mom for everything over the years - for being an incredible Grandma to my kids, for being my Mom, for just being who you are.  I love you :)

Give Thanks - Day 8

Today's thanks might sound a little strange to some of you.  I am thankful for my past, which you can read about here.  I know it might seem odd to be thankful for something like that - but I am - because that shaped who I am today.  Recently I had the privilege and honor along with my husband to share with a group of college students pursuing their Bachelor's Degree in social work about The Daughter Project.  We began by telling them the reason we decided to sign up for it in the first place.  First we shared about a book we read, and then we shared why our hearts are geared in that direction - and I got to share a little bit of my testimony.  It's the first time in, oh, 15 years at least, that I have shared publicly in a group setting, any of my testimony.  The opportunity doesn't come up much - but when it does - I am happy to do it.  I'll have another chance to share with high school students at the end of this school year, Lord willing, and I am excited about that as well.  Anyway - after the presentation, a woman came up and shared with me her story and for the first time, I got to see in person how telling others helps them as well. 

If the stats are correct, 1 in ever 3 women are sexually violated in some way in their lifetime - which means in a class that size - this woman and myself were not alone.  Most of us don't talk about it - we shove it in the deep dark recesses of our minds where we feel it belongs - where it can't hurt us.  We feel shame, we feel guilt, heck, we don't know what we feel but we feel the need to keep silent.  I choose to bring to the light the dark hidden places so that others can find the healing power of Jesus Christ in my story. 

What about you? What's your story?  What about your past has shaped you today - even the difficult stuff - that you are thankful for?

Give Thanks - Day 7

Today I am thankful for a job.  No, it hasn't been much this year and I've barely worked - but I am still thankful for it.  Without a college degree, substitute teaching is something I can do, get paid well, and still have a flexible schedule for my children.  I am praying the jobs increase and I can start working at least 3 days a week.  God knows what we need financially and I'm counting on His faithfulness.  I'm also thankful that my husband has a steady job.  Yes, we've taken some huge hits in the past two years with pay cuts, pay freezes, having to pay for insurance - but it is still a steady job, it's reliable, and he gets to take lots of time off to be with his family over the summer and holidays.  I'm thankful for the various jobs God has provided along the way as "fillers" - coaching, summer school, etc.  I'm thankful for the "filler" jobs that are still to come to keep moving us along financially.  I'm thankful for healthy bodies that allow us to work these jobs and for creative minds to keep us good at them :)  Anyone else today thankful for a job??

Give Thanks - Day 6

I know this one is going to be a bit strange - well - maybe to some of you - my kids especially - but there is something I am thankful for that I never ever thought I would be thankful for.  My dog - lol!!  I really love this ugly mutt.  She truly does have a face that only a mother could love! She's the best dog we have ever had.  If I had realized I was a small dog person - I would not have wasted years getting bigger dogs that always proved to be too much for me.  So - enjoy some pics of my adorable Kiwi - love this little thing ;)

Give Thanks - Day Five

Day Five has arrived of our 30 day challenge.  This is about the point I give up on the challenges - run out of things to say or whatnot.  However - giving thanks - I believe is scriptural.  Let's go over some verses on being thankful, shall we??



I Chronicles 16:8 - Give praise to the Lord, proclaim His name; make known among the nations what He has done.



Psalm 7:17 - I will give thanks to the Lord because of His righteousness; I will sing praises of the name of the God most high.



I love these verses.  Give Praise!  Proclaim!  Make known to the NATIONS!  Sing praise!  AWESOME!  We really should give thanks no matter what time of year it is - but since we have a holiday specifically geared to giving thanks - it gives us a good reason to shout His praise.



So - on this day - Day 5 of our Being Thankful Challenge - I would like to give praise to the God most high.  To thank Him for the many blessings He has given me in my life.  For His rescue, for His salvation, for His sacrifice, for His great love, for His continued protection in my life and in the lives of my family, for all of the things He has given me that I just don't deserve.  He truly is an amazing God!

Give Thanks - Day Four

Now that I've told you about the three most important people in my life - let's switch gears a little bit.  I'm thankful for scripture - for the word of God.  I'm thankful that I have something physical to read, to soak in, to turn to in times of trouble.  So much of faith is just that - faith - nothing you can see with your physical eyes or touch with your physical hands - but the word - we always have the word.  God wrote it for us - for you - for me.  For instruction, for guidance, for comfort, for encouragement, for discipline, for correction.  The word sustains, breathes life, holds us up in difficult times.  I am so thankful for the word of God.

2 Timothy 3:16-17
All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Give Thanks - Day Three

Day 3 has arrived and not to be predictable - but y'all know the next person on my list, right??  I'm thankful for my little man - although he's not so little anymore.  Love this guy - he's funny, bright, compassionate, my youngest.  Hard to believe he's going to turn 16 next summer.  Where has time gone.  Jon will keep you in stitches - he has tons of energy, never stops moving but he's the first one who can bring a smile to my face.  I'm thankful for the blessing of my son - he's one of a kind!!

Give Thanks - Day Two

Hello Again!

It's Day 2 of our 30 day challenge to give thanks - and I'll almost bet you can guess what -- or who -- I'm going to give thanks to today!

It's my "baby" girl.  I'm so proud of her!  She turned 18 this past August and headed to Minneapolis, MN - 12 hours away - to pursue the call God has placed on her life to be a missionary.  She's one special kid.  What I love most about Elyse is that she listens to the voice of God.  I love that even when it's hard, even when it hurts, when God tells her to do something - she obeys.  She's a good kid and I have been truly blessed by her.

Give Thanks - Day One

Hey everyone!

Wanna know what I love most about the month of November??  It gives me great opportunity to give thanks for all the many blessings our great and mighty God has given to me in my life.  I do this every year - but this year, I'm going to join up with Sonya at Becoming a Strong Women of God 'cause - well - 'cause I just plain like her blog!  I hope you'll join up too - click on her blog title and take yourself over there to sign up :)  I love her blog and I know you will too!

SOOO -

It's November 1st - which means - our first opportunity to Give Thanks!  Where do I start??  I'm not sure I can narrow it down to 30 things!!

Let's see.....

Let's start with my favorite man - my hubby.  God truly blessed me with this guy.  He's tall, dark, handsome, kind, compassionate - and most of all - loves Jesus :)  Here's some pics of us this past weekend at our engagement tree.  It's been almost 20 years and we're happier than we were the day we carved into this tree.  Love you Babe!!

 I look angry - lol - I wasn't - just trying to extend my arm far enough to get us both in the pic :)