30 Days of Thankful--Day 18

I am thankful for a God who knows what I need better than I do. The last 3 or so months I've been struggling with some health issues and it has caused me to pretty much clear my schedule. I babysit and am a wife and mom. I work in the nursery about once every six weeks or so at church and I teach children's church once a month. That is it. For most people, they would say "That is plenty! You have four kids and your husband is a pastor!". But it has only been recently that I have cleared my schedule to include just those things. Prior to mid-July it was filled with a whole lot more. It was a struggle for me to say no and resign from some things. But now, as I have had a whole lot of time to reflect and think, it has been so very good for me. And I have regained some joy that was really missing from my life. I have also rediscovered my love for books and baking. The apple bread has been rolling out the oven this fall and I have come to really appreciate my quiet afternoons where the only thing pressing I have is to listen for the kids I babysit for as they nap and enjoy some really good books. I can truly say Thank You God for forcing me to STOP!

30 Days of Thankful--Day 17

I am so thankful for Sara, Nathan, Ashley, and John. I am so blessed to be able to call myself mom to these four incredible kids.

30 Days of Thankful--Day 16

I completely forgot to post yesterday. I guess that goes to prove that it truly does take 21 days to form a habit. So this is for yesterday...I am thankful for automated washing and drying machines. I sometimes take so many things in my life for granted. And, no they aren't broken; I was just sitting here thinking about the laundry I needed to do today and my mind trailed off to a manual wringer/washer that I saw the other day. It reminded me of my grandmother's wringer washing machine. When we saw it we had to explain how it worked to the kids and they were absolutely astonished that you wouldn't have a clothes dryer. We don't have the top of the line front loader washing/dryer machines. I do, however, have an incredible, heavy duty top loader that keeps on washing and a dryer that enables me to not have to trudge outside in the winter to hang clothes on the line. And for that, I am so very thankful.

30 Days of Thankful--Day 15

Today I am thankful that I am simply a branch and not the vine or the vinedresser.

"I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing." John 15:1, 4-5

30 Days of Thankful--Day 14

I am thankful for toothless smiles. Nathan lost his first tooth today. I shed some tears through the big smile on my face and gazed at the HUGE grin on his face. It was with such mixed emotions that I faced this day. I love seeing the toothless grins on my kids' faces. But the losing of teeth is a clear identifier that my kids are growing up before my eyes. Joe often says "We are raising adults, not kids." And I agree with that. We want them to grow up and become might servants of our Father. But as their mommy I can't help but mourn a little bit of their childhood disappearing. Today my baby grew up a little right before me.

30 Days of Thankful--Day 13

I am thankful for an unbelievable, gorgeous day here in November. It was such a blessing to open up the windows and to put flip flops on again!

30 Days of Thankful--Day 12

I am thankful for deer meat in my freezer again. No, Joe hasn't gotten one, but I am so thankful for the generosity of someone who has shared his. And I am looking forward to hopefully more next weekend when shotgun season begins.