Encouragement!

 First, I must preface this post by saying that I am not a writer.  I am not someone who can sit down at the computer and write a deep and eloquent post...and that's OK.  I say that because if this post seems jumbled or does not flow well that is why.

But today I have something that I want to share...something that has been on my heart...something that I don't have a conclusion about.  Perhaps you can give me some feedback.

On my heart lately has been what I feel is that lack of mothers encouraging other mothers.  I am finding too often that there is more comparison and less uplifting.  I am coming across moms, some of which I consider friends and others I come across in passing, who have the tendency to take little jabs at other moms regarding their children...how they are behaving, what they have on, what activities they are involved in, etc.

I had one person, someone who I like, compare Caleb's energy to the hyper activity of a dog.  While I hope that she did not mean it to hurt me, it stung and left me wondering (and worrying) about Caleb's energy level and how other people view him.

I know of a teacher who totally and unlovingly criticized the child of a friend of mine, giving her little hope that her son will do well in school that following year.  Wouldn't it have benefited her (and her son) for the teacher to give encouraging words and guidance to assist in the child's development?

 Now don't get me wrong...as moms we should be confident in who we are in Christ and ultimately our joy comes from Him.  But I also believe that He gives us people in our lives to also encourage us and help us to be the kind of mom He planned for us. 

So this is what I have been praying:

~ That I am not tearing anyone down with my words or my actions

~ That I am an encouragement to other moms with my words and by my actions

~ That moms feel the urge to using loving words when interacting with other moms

~ That we, as moms, humble ourselves in our thinking about how children *should* be

~ That we share Scripture with one another to fill our spirits

Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.  1 Thessalonians 5:11

Are we?

My Bible Journey

Hi Friends!

You may or may not know this about me but I have a thing for Bibles.  Yes, I love the Bible because it is the Living Word of God, but I also just love the physical Bible.

I maybe have mentioned on here before about how I love to see Bibles that are loved on, meditated over, written in, & cried over.  Recently on Facebook Kay Arthur posted a picture of her Bible and it was so cool.  For me there's just something encouraging about seeing a good Bible shot.

Apparently I also like to collect Bibles.  Well, not really, but my Bible preference has changed a little over the years and with each stage has come a new Bible.

Here's my pile:

On the bottom is a Bible I received from my pastor when I graduated from High School.  I used this Bible for quite a number of years (though there was that time in college when it didn't get used as much as it should have).  I loved that it was a Study Bible because it helped me to understand Scripture better.  It also had a lot of room for me to take my own notes.

Then, a few years ago I decided that I wanted a cute Bible, but one that had enough room to write in because I like taking notes in my Bible.  I chose the purple Bible pictured above and at first liked that it had sporadic devotionals geared towards women.  This Bible worked for a little while, but I didn't care for some of the devotions that it included and I missed having a Study Bible.

Then about two years ago (or so) our lead pastor started using the ESV Bible for references during his sermons.  I was intrigued by this version and the fact that it is a more literal translation.  The fact that it is more of a challenging version makes me concentrate more on the wording.  I started with a pocket ESV Bible.

Last year I ordered the John MacArthur Study Bible.  I loved all that it had to offer, the study notes, the charts, the maps, etc.  But there was one thing...and this is where I may lose you...it was a hardback.  I can't explain it, but it wasn't the same.

So...recently I got the soft cover version of the John MacArthur Study Bible (actually Rondell bought it for me for Valentine's day).  It is a perfect fit and I can tell we are going to have a long-lasting relationship...the Bible, me and my Sharpie pens :)

Do you have a Bible journey?

Expectations & Grace

Expectations...we all have them.  We expect certain things of ourselves, of others & of situations.

At times expectations can be set too high.  This is something I have been known to do with my children and it is an area that I need to purge.  This is not to say that I should not have expectations of my children, but that the expectations should be fitting for them.  I tend to see what other kids are doing and think my children should be doing the same.  Or my expectations have more to do with what is convenient for me rather than what is beneficial for them.

I am praying about what expectations are beneficial to them and giving them grace at times when expectations are not met.

I am listening more and having more discussions with them.  They need to feel that my love is unconditional and not based on whether or not they meet a goal I set for them.

But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." 2 Corinthians 12:9a

Why Purge?

As my ponder and pray about my 2012 Word I realize that it needs to go beyond just one post...it needs to be totally incorporated into my entire life.  I think before I would pick a word, post about it & then...**crickets**

First, I need to get to the reason for needing to PURGE.  I need to PURGE in order to be closer to HIM..to be able to listen to His guidance without distraction...to discern what He has in store for me, not what I think He has in store for me.

I need to PURGE so that I can absorb His Word (like the verses above)...His character.

 I need to PURGE so that my foundation is in HIM...not in things, or people, or blogs, or food, or what others are doing...it needs to be in HIM.

There are areas that I know right now need to be PURGED and I am sure more will be revealed to me as I continue to pray about it and follow His lead.  My hope is to share my journey here...my journey to strengthen my relationship with Christ, simplify my home, focus more on my husband/children, reduce distractions, serve others...PURGE.

Showing Some {Friday Favorite} Blog Love

Hi Friends & Happy Friiiiiday :)

How is December treating you so far?  Are you counting down till Christmas...are you racing around checking off your gift list...are you doing Advent activities?

There are some blogs out there that really get me into the mood of this Wonderful Season and I thought I would share a few of those favorites with you:

~  One of my favorite things to do this time of year is to make my Christmas cards.  I love looking around to come up with a design and I even enjoy staying up late to get them done {one of these years I'll have them done way ahead of time!}.  There are a few blogs that I enjoy reading as I begin my card-making process...

1.  Erin's card-making post.  Erin does a great job at explaining her process when she makes her Christmas cards.  I love the layouts that she uses and I refer back to this post often when I am thinking about what kind of card I want to design.  She even posted a cute idea of what to do with the cards each year...here.

2.  Rach.  She was my inspiration last year to do multiple designs.  I love her style and just love her to pieces overall.  I peeked at her stamping blog today and love the cards that she recently made.

3.  Heidi.  Like Rach, Heidi is another go-to gal for card designs.  I love her simple, cutesy style.  Right now on her stamping blog she is sharing different gift ideas and I have loved each one so far.

~  Another favorite thing to do during this time of year is make cookies.  Recently Mel @ The Larson Lingo hosted a cookie exchange party on her blog...how fun is that?  Now I have a few recipes to try...not just for the Christmas season but all year long.

~  A series that I have been been really enjoying this week is one that Nancy @ The Goat and the Kid is hosting...Christmas Is _______.  Christmas is first about the birth of our Savior, but it also incorporates so much more and this series highlights all of those things.  Today you too can join in on the fun :)

~  I have recently found a fun new blog to read...the tichenor family.  The blogger Meredith has been doing such a great job at documenting the fun things she is doing with her boys during this Christmas Season.  I have gotten a few ideas that I might do next year...like opening and reading a Christmas book each day.

~  One post that gives me the warm and fuzzies is this post from Darby @ Fly Through Our Window.  The first time I saw those videos I was amazed at how well her girls memorized Scripture.  Last year it inspired Jamison and I to do the same...you can see our video here.

~  Lastly, {and this is not related to Christmas blogging} I am SO excited to be able to participate in ten on ten tomorrow!  If you enjoy taking pictures I highly recommend this to you.

I Just Wanted to Share...

My name is Kelli and I am not a big fan of hymns...gasp!  I'm not sure why, but for some reason they bore me.  Are you still there?  Are we still friends?

There are times, however, when a hymn captures me.  That happened last night at BSF.  We sing a hymn before the lecture (see BSF's four-fold approach here) and last night's hymn was Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus.  The chorus really struck me:

Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.

In our lesson we covered Hebrews 3 & 4 which talks about fixing our eyes on Jesus and entering into God's rest.  I love how this hymns tells us what will happen once we 'look FULL in His wonderful face'...do you see it?  The things of earth will grow strangely dim!!!  That means stress/anxiety/worry, things that we make a higher priority than Him, financial issues, etc all pale in the light of His glory and grace.

I think that's awesome news!!!

Perhaps I need to listen to hymns more often :)

Nothing Like A Good Proverbs Revelation!

Psalm 51:12 (ESV)

The other day I was reading Amy's blog and she posted this verse:

Whoever heeds instruction is on the path to life; but he who rejects reproof leads others astray...Proverbs 10:17 (ESV)

This blew me away...it was just what I needed to read at that moment (God is good like that!).  See, I have been having a lot of talks with myself and God lately.  Through this verse He pointed out something very real to me...I am not taking action on the guidance He is giving me.

I am a planner, but lately I haven't had much follow-through after the planning.  I make lists, I pray, I discuss with Ron/friends, etc...and then nothing.  Not all of the time, but most of the time and it is about time it stopped.

God has given me clear instruction on changes that I need to make...like NOW.  For some reason I get comfortable and to be honest, I am just not listening.

So this verse was a wake-up call...I do not want to be led astray or away from God.  I want to be living with Him and absorbing all of the good He has planned out for me.  See, He's the ultimate planner, but He has AMAZING follow-through.  In order to receive the fullness of Him I need to be obedient, disciplined and put my words into action...to live out God's best for me.  How can I give Him glory if I am not living out His plan?

So...last night I saw down and finally redesigned my blog.  I know this is not very deep or really life changing, but it is something I have been talking about for a long time and I was tired of just talking about it.  I pulled up this post on Sarah's blog and got to work (it helps that my kids are out of town!).  I pulled up my Picasa and clicked back and forth between Picasa and Sarah's post until I was done with the header.  This will change soon because my friend Lyndsey is going to take some pictures for me to add to my header, but I'm SO happy with the one I created.

Then I did the one thing I was terrified to do...I removed my blog design (thanks Joanna!).  I decided I wanted just a white background to make my pictures pop.  Now I can choose the extra large feature for posting pictures without it going off the page.  I also increased the size of the picture of Rondell & the kids (though on my work computer Jamison is cut off a little...hmmm).

I would still like to come up with cute sidebar headers and I plan (uh oh, there's that word again) to do that this weekend.

Just this little thing has given me so much motivation.  I am tired to being blah and just going with the flow...it is time to change.  It is time to work with the Ultimate Planner.

A Heavy Heart

Friendship is a major thing to me...major.  So when one of my friends is suffering it makes my heart heavy.  I explained to you briefly on Monday that I have a friend who recently lost her husband...suddenly.  Words cannot explain the grief that we all are feeling, even with the knowledge that he's dancing with Jesus...grief is still a process.

I called on a few blog friends to pray for my dear friend.  Sweet Becky took the time in the middle of her packing to pray for my friend and today she has a lovely post filled with God's Word and expresses feelings that my heart cannot process just yet.

Please read her post here.

Becky...I can't thank you enough.  From the bottom of my heart you are a blessing.

The Resurrection

 ^1(A) Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and^(B) the other Mary went to see the tomb. ²And behold, there was a great earthquake, for^(C) an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. ^3(D) His appearance was like lightning, and^(E) his clothing white as snow. ⁴And for fear of him the guards trembled and^(F) became like dead men. ⁵But the angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. ⁶He is not here, for he has risen,^(G) as he said. Come, see the place where he^[a] lay. ⁷Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold,^(H) he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him. See, I have told you." ⁸So they departed quickly from the tomb^(I) with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. ⁹And behold, Jesus^(J) met them and said, "Greetings!" And they came up and^(K) took hold of his feet and^(L) worshiped him. ¹⁰Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid;^(M) go and tell^(N) my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me."

 Absorbing today all that He is, all that He did and all that He does.

Happy Resurrection Day!

Daily Devotion

I thought I'd share with you how I try and stay connected with God on a daily basis...my devotional...Jesus Calling.  I first heard about it on Darby's blog and as soon as I purchased it I was in love.  The format of each devotion is set up as though Jesus is speaking directly to you...calling you to Himself.

My goal is to read the devotion each morning before I start my day...to kick me into gear and to focus on what truly matters.  So often the words that are "spoken" are just what I need to hear on that particular day.  Jesus really does "speak" to me through these devotions.

It's compact so it fits right into my purse.

 

A verse is referenced with each devotion and I often go to my Bible to underline the verse(s) and maybe write a few notes.

It is definitely a great way to start each day!

I Am My Biggest Cheerleader...

The other day I had a revealing moment and I've been pondering over it ever since.  See, I was on my way home and I was trying to encourage myself to go on the walk I had planned to go on.  I was questioning myself about why I keep failing to follow through on things that I know I need to do.  Then it hit me...I'm my biggest cheerleader, but there's a bigger cheerleader out there who is really the One who needs to be front and center.

God is my biggest cheerleader and I was stealing His thunder.  I've been trying to encourage myself and not allowing His encouragement to seep in.  Don't get me wrong, I think we all should cheer ourselves on and have self-talk times, but I need to go to Him first for encouragement.

He was Joshua's biggest cheerleader:

"I will not leave you or forsake you. Be strong and courageous..." Joshua 5b-6a

 

God was rooting Joshua on...into battle.  He will do the same for us, but we have to allow Him to do that.

 

So many times in His Word He tells to "fear not."  That's because He's got it under control and we need to rely on that much more often than we/I do.  By being the main cheerleader in my life I was stepping in the way of what He has planned.  I was trying to use my own strength, which does not in any way compare to His strength.
 

So, I'm putting down my pom poms, picking up my Bible and absorbing His cheers!

Day 1...39 To Go!

Today is the first day of Lent.  Here is a little blurb that my church has posted in its bulletin and on its website:

Lent consists of the 40 days (not counting Sundays) prior to Easter when Christians
examine their personal spiritual condition. Many choose to fast and repent during this
time.

New Lifers are asked to determine what you would fast during this period of time.
Consider giving up something that is important to you or takes time from your schedule in
order to focus more fully on your relationship with Jesus – a meal, certain foods,
technology, several days without food, TV, movies, music, whatever it may be.

Lent begins this coming Wednesday, March 9 – called Ash Wednesday – a day of
repentance and self-examination.

This Lent season I am giving up Coca Cola (gasp!).  The reason I chose Coke is because I find great satisfaction in it...after a long day, I want a can of Coke...if I'm celebrating, I want a can of Coke.  I find myself thinking of Coke as my reward or my relief if I'm having a rough moment.

But that what Jesus is...my satisfaction, my reward and my relief and instead of Coca Cola I need to look to Him first for those things.  That is my prayer and focus during this Lent season...to seek Him first for moments of praise and when I need to be refueled.

Another thing I'm going to examine during this time and limit is blogging.  This definitely takes away time that I need to be spending with Him and in His Word.  I will continue to blog daily, that won't change...what will change is the amount of time I spend reading other blogs.  I tend to just sit and get lost in blog land...going to other blogs that aren't on my list of followed blogs and I need to stop doing that.  I need to stick with the blogs that are on my list and only those...so no clicking on any new blogs.

Pray for me :)  What about you...are you fasting during this Lent season?

** Added...here is another great post about Lent....and another.

2011 Siesta Scripture Memory Team: Verse 3

...well Verse 2 for me (I was a week late to the party).  Here's my verse from the last two weeks (that I'm typing from memory...smile):

Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me will a willing spirit.  Psalm 51:12 (ESV)

Here's my verse for the next two weeks:

 Have you not known?  Have you not heard?  The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth.  He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable.  He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength.  Isaiah 40:28-29 (ESV)

I find so much relief when I read these words.  God is not stressed or worried...He's constant.  He will give me the power and strength.  What a blessing.

Tender Moment

Last night was a trying night for me. Caleb had no nap so he was miserable and ended up going to sleep at 6 pm (with me praying that he would stay asleep all night...he did). Then I had an uncomfortable moment with Rondell's step father (he judges my parenting a little more often than I would like and it just makes me...well angry).

After all had settled down and the house was quiet, it was just me and Jamison. She had been telling me that she wanted a life verse like the one I did for Caleb (see it here). This led to a conversation about what I feel a life verse means to a person and I explained why I chose the one for Caleb and why I've chosen Proverbs 31:27 for myself. I think she understood.

I thought this was a great moment to share my faith with Jamison. I want my children to develop their own relationship with God, not my relationship with God, but it's also important to me that I model what that relationship should look like.

I asked Jamison to think about what she wants God to help her with and that I would help her pick a verse that closely fits what's in her heart. So far she's talked about God giving her energy and that He loves her and she loves Him. I'll let you know what she comes up with.

Now That's What I Call a Life Verse...The Reveal

I did it, I did it...I finished Caleb's life verse. It was so easy to put together too! Here's what I did:

I went to Hobby Lobby, of course, and got the paper and frame for the verse. I went with a paisley (my new love) background and then found matching blue card stock for the actual verse. What took me the longest was what I was going to do with the card stock. Did I cut a border, did I just curve the corners, did I cut it in some cool shape...oh, the decisions (and the realization that I could really use a Cricut!).

I ended up just trimming the paper and then curving the edges with my cool little tool to the left.

Then I put the verse on the background. Isn't the paisley just lovely! Or handsome in Caleb's case.

Here's God's true and faithful servant Caleb posing with his life verse. Oh, I also added a cross sticker for some jazz.

Here it is on the wall. I'm not sure if I'm going to keep it here because Caleb likes to slam his door and I don't want it to fall.

So, there it is. I like the way it turned out! I hope to be able to keep doing little projects like this, one at a time.

Thanking God on Friday

- I am thankful that my friend that I mentioned last week, experiencing someone invading her home, is doing better and is continuing to be prayed for.

- Speaking of friends, I'm thankful for my blog friend Carrie. I don't remember how I stumbled onto her blog but boy and I glad I did. She is so sweet and it has been fun getting to know her. She double tagged me this week and since I LOVE tags, I have to play along.

First, I'm suppose to find a picture of what I was doing two years ago today, or as close as I can get. I didn't take many pictures in June of 2007, but here's what I have. We went to the zoo with our Small Group and here are Rondell and Jamison at the petting area. Jamison wanted nothing to do with petting the animals, so we were waiting on the other families.

The next tag is an 8 Things tag. I've done this before, but again, love tags and I'm sure things have changed since last time.

8 Things I Look Forward to:

1. Going to Destin next year

2. Our "Florida Night" that we are having on Sunday.

3. Getting more financially stable.

4. Going to the pool next week.

5. Hanging out with Rondell on Monday, it's our anniversary.

6. Reading this summer.

7. Going with my mom to her friend's house tomorrow.

8. Finishing projects around the house.

8 Things I Did Yesterday:

1. Went to work.

2. Organized my desk at work since I'll be off.

3. Looked over all of the papers Jamison brought home from her last day of school, including her wonderful report card!

4. Dropped the kids off at my Mother-in-law's house.

5. Helped a friend finish packing all of her things in her dorm.

6. Had pizza.

7. Told Jamison a million times how proud I was of her that she did so well in Kindergarten.

8. Made a list of rules for the kids to follow while they are home over the summer.

8 Things I Wish I Could Do:

1. Be a stay-at-home mom

2. Not worry so much

3. Keep my house clean ALL the time

4. Go to Arizona this year

5. Hire a professional organizer and be able to afford all that she suggests

6. Buy a new camera

7. Meet some of my blog friends in person

8. Be more crafty

8 Shows I Watch (well, they are saved on the DVR and I plan on catching up on vacation)

1. LOST!!!!

2. Criminal Minds

3. Medium

4. Grey's Anatomy

5. Private Practice

6. Desperate Housewives

7. According to Jim

8. The Backyardigans

Since I've already tagged 8 I won't do it again, but if you want to update, feel free!

- I am thankful for Jamison and her successful year of Kindergarten. We went back and forth about whether or not to send her. She was getting over some delays, speech, behavioral, fine motor...and we wanted to be sure it was the right move. Also, she makes the cut off by one day! I'm happy we decided to send her because she had grown so much and she's so bright. Next stop...first grade.

Jamison on the first day of school (it rained)

Jamison on the last day of school (it rained)

Getting of the bus on the first day of school.

Getting off the bus on the last day of school! Hello first grader.

- I'm thankful that Staycation 2009 is here!!!!!!!! I am off until June 23 and I can't be any more excited (Rondell is off starting Monday). Today was a very lazy day and after that we will relax, go to the pool, do various projects and enjoy being together as a family. Sunday we are planning a "Florida Night" where we're going to make the same meal we made in Florida last year that was oh so yummy, Monday is our anniversary and Rondell and I are going to hang and then have lunch, Rondell is going to work in his Honey Do list from losing our bet, we're going to paint our master bath...it should be great fun.

- I'm thankful for this place....THE POOL:

- Finally, God's protection, love, grace, guidance...I'm thankful for that.

Summer Suspense Reading

This summer, in addition to the books that I'm reading, I've decided to read about the life of David in the Bible. I've said this before, I'm not familiar with a lot of stories in the Bible but with BSF I've developed more knowledge by actually studying the Bible. So, my challenge this summer is for me to read 1 Samuel - 1 Kings.

This morning I finished reading 1 Samuel, and let me tell you...there's some drama in there. There's war, jealousy, friendship bond, betrayal...all the things you need in a suspenseful reading. I found myself talking out loud, skipping to see what happens next and of course learning some lessons along the way.

One verse that I really liked:

"...The Lord doesn't see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart." 1 Samuel 16:7

Thanking God on Friday

TGIF

- I am thankful that a friend of mine and her family are safe after a man invaded their home. God truly protected them, but of course there has been fear left behind. I'm continuing to pray for their safety and security.

- I am thankful for my friends. {I know you all are sitting on the edge of your seats to hear about my trip...I'm not trying to be a tease, I just have to get those pictures from the disposable camera onto a disk and then onto my computer...ugh...whatever did we do before digital cameras}. I had the best time reconnecting with Tara, Tanysha and Anita (and Melanie via speakerphone). There's nothing like these four ladies.

- I am thankful that our staycation is only a week away!!!! We decided that even though we were unable to go to Destin this year (sniff) we would still take some time off. We are going to go to the pool, do some projects around the house, sleep in...and one night we're going to have a Florida night (I stole this idea from my friend Lyndsey). When we were in Destin last year we made the best meal in our condo and we're going to recreate that meal. It should be a lot of fun.

- I am thankful for conversation. Last night we went to Jamison's Family Fun Night at her school. Afterwards we went to Graeter's for ice cream and took her friend Hannah with us. It was so adorable to listen to their conversation in the back seat. For example, Jamison has been saying "oh my gosh" in total Vallygirl fashion. About a week ago I was talking to her and was suggesting a different phrase and told her that "oh my gosh" was so Kindergarten (I know, bad Mommy, but the "oh my gosh" was taking me back to Clueless). So last night Hannah says it and then Jamison says it and then says"oh wait, my mom says that oh my gosh is so Kindergarten." I had to laugh out loud because 1. I was busted and 2. it was just funny. Then on our way home from ice cream to drop Hannah off Jamison was telling Hannah how God and Jesus live in the sky so we ended up having a small conversation about God and Jesus and that was a really great experience.

- I am thankful that we are going to the pool this weekend. Maybe not tomorrow like we originally planned but instead on Sunday. I can't wait. I will have pictures, of course.

I Have Something I Want to Share

If you've read my blog for a while now, you know my love for BSF. It's a Bible study that I attend each and every Monday (thanks to Rondell for watching the kiddies!). Each year the study covers a different topic (totalling 7 topics). This year we are learning about The Life of Moses.

Last year we studied the book of Matthew so this has been new for me, studying the Old Testament. Now, if you feel like I felt about the Old Testament you're probably saying "how could they possibly make that interesting?" EXACTLY!

You'll be surprised how many lessons I have pulled from studying Exodus - Deuteronomy. There are tons of lessons even in Numbers...NUMBERS!!!! One point in Numbers that I took away is how God never changes, even as society does. His plan remains the same no matter what goes on down here. How refreshing!

Another point that I have taken away is not to complain. Now, I'm not very successful right at the moment but I'm working on it daily. When the people of Israel complained it made God very angry and brought out a wrath that I never want to see. When we doubt, we doubt God...when we complain (even if it's about work or money), we are complaining about God (...yes, your complaints are against the Lord, not against us." Exodus 16:8). The whining that we hear from our kids that drives us crazy is what God hears when we complain about something not going our way. This is something I need to remember...and man is it hard!

Don't you want to study God's Word and take away some amazing lessons? Well, BSF (and they are not paying me to do this) has intro classes that it's offering in May. Check out their website to see if there is a class near you...they have day and evening classes and a great children's program (Jamison is joining me next year). Next year we are studying the book of John.

Join me!

TGIF

Here are a few reasons why I'm thanking God this morning:

• The sun is shining and it is supposed to be 80 today and through the weekend!
• The week is over. I've had a rough two weeks and feel out of sorts for some reason. I think I just need to open the windows and get some fresh air, make a few lists, and cook a nice Sunday dinner...that'll make things better.
• My mom is coming over tomorrow to work in the yard. We have some major clean up to do and I'm grateful that she's willing to help us...AND she even hired someone to do the major stuff. What a mom!
• I only have 2 1/2 weeks until I sign up for our pool pass. We didn't get one last year (we got a pass to our local waterpark instead) and I missed going. I can't wait to pack a lunch and sit by the pool!
• I realized this week that we don't have anymore payments for Jamison's school. In our district we have to pay for all-day Kindergarten.
• A got a nice, genuine hug from a new friend yesterday. I needed that!
• All of my Pay it Forward friends got their packages and they liked their gifts...YEAH!
• Did I already say that the sun is shining?

Why are you thankful?