Day 7--Hope

Today our congregation shared a meal together at noon--our annual Thanksgiving meal. I know, it's a little early, but it's what we do to avoid clashing with travel plans, etc. during the holidays. Russell was required to be back on the unit today at 1:00--part of the prison's plan to allow him to keep his preaching position. This is something that our family needs and that he loves to do. He works on the unit from 6-9:30, at church from 10:00-12 or so, on the unit from 1-5:30 and at church from 6-7ish. Since he usually wakes up at 4 or so to study, and often our evenings with our church family go until 8 or so with various activities--it is a LOOOONG day.

Back to "hope" though--Russell asked Conner to give the devotional talk at our abbreviated second service after lunch today--and he agreed. As enthusiastically as any 15 year old boy asked to speak in front of people does! Conner is such an amazing person--we are watching him grow at an alarming rate right now...he is not only taller and sporting a deeper voice, but his love for the Church and his faith are growing and developing each day right in front of our eyes. He decided to speak on hope, and he did a great job. His choice of scripture, his references to a contemporary Christian song (he IS his father's son!), and his delivery were great. What REALLY filled me with hope was that in addition to Conner's talk, his friend Weston led the congregation in singing, and his friend Ryan led the closing prayer. These boys are 8th, 9th and 10th graders. In a few short years, they will be the leaders in the church. I am so thankful that each of them has the willingness and the ability to participate now. I am thankful for each kind word and hug that they received afterward today. I am thankful for the hope that they give me for our future.

Day 6 is an easy one...

November 6th, the 6th day of thankfulness is very easy for me. Ten years ago today my life became sweeter with the birth of our baby girl. I wrote about her birth last year HERE (click on the word "here" to read it Mom!) so I won't include all the details this time--just let me say that she continues to bring so much joy to our lives. She has not had an easy time with her seizure disorder the past couple of years, but she is the picture of perseverance and has a determined spirit. She also has the most loving heart of just about anyone I know. The precious pink bundle of ten years ago is growing into a kind, loving, and intelligent young lady. Truly, truly something to be thankful for.

Today I'm Thankful for....Tomorrow

I'm serious. As serious as I have ever been. I am just so thankful that today will end, and that Lord willing, the sun will rise again tomorrow. It will be Saturday--a blessed day of rest. Should our Lord decide that it is to be, Sunday we will be blessed to begin a brand new week.

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases--

His mercies never come to an end.

They are new every morning--

Great is thy faithfulness.

The Lord is my portion says my soul--

Therefore I will hope in Him.

The Sound of Silence--Day 4

Today I am thankful for solitude. I realize everyone else seems to be listing their loved ones during our Thankfulness journey...and I'll get there one day. But today, I got to spend a little while alone in my house and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Except for the fact that I spent the time doing dishes and laundry, picking up after people, and trying to conquer my raging hormones, it was lovely. I crave silence--and silence is almost nonexistent in my life. As I type this my husband is having a complete conversation, out loud, with himself. He often gets up in the morning and tunes the television in our room to Fox News--then he goes into the kitchen and finds KLove on the computer there and turns up the volume so that he can hear it over Fox news. Then the drama queen starts her daily reign. On a normal day she will clash with her brother at least 12 and a half times before we leave for school. The 15 minute drive to school is sometimes tense, often quite pleasant, but ALWAYS noisy. I won't even try to describe my school day--but here are a couple of things I will tell you: 1. I have taken to eating my 30 minute (supposedly anyway) duty-free lunch in my room alone. Right now that 30ish minutes of quiet each day is the only thing standing between me and some kind of pharmaceutical intervention. 2. I have 13 students and 10 of them were named ineligible for the conduct award this week based on their behavior in PHYSICAL EDUCATION. Something is so wrong with this picture. In summary, I need quiet and today I seized the opportunity. A little peace and quiet is truly something to be thankful for.

Day 3--LOL!!

Today I'm thankful for laughter. This may be the cheesiest blog post ever, but I really am just so thankful for all things humorous. I was born with a sarcastic, dry sense of humor and I suppose it will be with me for life. Don't see myself becoming a supermodel OR losing my sense of humor at this point in the game. Thank goodness.

I read two different blogs tonight, a daily part of my routine to destress and get ready for sleep--two blogs that made me laugh so hard that I had tears. Crazy, happy tears--the kind that can lead to slightly wet pants if one who had an 11 pound baby isn't careful. Here are some things over just the past few days that have made me laugh:
1. Pictures of my nieces Brilyn and Jacelyn as Dorothy and Toto.
2. My son's teacher imitations--side splitting hilarious if you're fortunate enough to catch a performance and even funnier if you know these men and women. He doesn't do it to be rude, or in a mean way. It's all out of love.
3. Taking group pics at school yesterday. Got all the kinder kids lined up on the risers. I was placed with my back to them, where I could not see them, and told to smile and not to worry. This is what I heard--"One, two, three...CHEESE! CRASH!!!" Turned around to find an empty spot on the back row. Sorry, but it WAS funny. The risers were NOT high and no one was injured.
4. Same child made up a song to sing on the way to group pictures..."I've got a wedgie, I've got a wedgie. Oh yes I do! Oh yes I do!"
5. Caleigh. Seriously, when the child is not driving me crazy, she makes me laugh harder than anyone else in the world.

Laughing is cleansing for the soul, good for the body, and a gift.

Thankfulness--Day 2

Today I am thankful for the right to vote. I grew up in an interesting political environment--mainly in the fact that my parents cancelled out one another's votes for many years. Thank goodness for my Uncle Don--his larger than life personality, his years in public office, and that he made SURE that I knew the RIGHT way to vote! Seriously, I love this country and pray that God's blessings will be on this election.

Giving Thanks--Day 1

Oooh I debated mightily, with myself, as to whether or not I would participate in this for November 2010. I knew I would be giving thanks in my heart...but to share? Not sure. Then I reread my posts from last November. I didn't always keep up daily, sometimes I gave thanks for 2 or so days in a row. But rereading it was a powerful experience. In the midst of the chaos and stress, I felt a sense of calm...I even laughed out loud a time or two and sort of fell in love all over again with some of my blessings. In a world that doesn't always give us affirmation, we sometimes have to claim our own. I think I've made that clear of late. Counting our blessings is a great way to start. With all that being said, once you have shared in this way there's some pressure to come up with different posts. No promises, but I'm going to try to be very spontaneous and go with the first thing that pops into my mind each day for which I am thankful. Here we go...

Today I am thankful for sunrises. I saw a beautiful one this morning and it brought to mind the old saying "Red sky at night, sailor's delight. Red sky at morning, sailors take warning." Or something like that. Interestingly, we are under a severe weather watch right now. But I digress. That sunrise spoke to me. It said: "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life?" I think that sunrise was telling me that whatever each day holds, I am covered. Something to be thankful for.