What Are You Thankful For? ~Thanksgiving 2009~

THANKFUL FOR FAMILY.

Thanksgiving was a little different at our house this year. Since most of us had been sick this week we decided it best not to have family over.

really... we like to share... just not germs!

THANKFUL FOR FEELING BETTER.

So, we cooked for just the five of us. The 14 pound turkey was thawed and had to be cooked. We have lots of leftovers. YUMMY!

so if you come to our house in the next week you know what you'll be eatin'!

THANKFUL FOR YUMMY FOOD.



Looking at these pictures makes me want to go back for more!



We started a new tradition last year...



I bought a sheet to use as a tablecloth...

don't look at the wrinkles... i actually think they add character... (man, i gotta remember that one in about 30 yrs! ...what? hey, i'm still young!)

and every year whoever sits at our Thanksgiving table writes what they are thankful for along with the date.

It's really fun to go back and read what everyone wrote and to remember those who have been around our table.

THANKFUL FOR MEMORIES.

Here are what the boys added this year.

THANKFUL FOR...

THANKFUL FOR...



THANKFUL FOR...



it duttin' get any better than that, now does it?

Lessons Learned From the ER

Yesterday I had to make an unexpected trip to the ER. I was having sharp pains in the lower left side of my abdomen. To be safe my Dr. wanted me to go to the ER to have an ultra-sound and CBC. Even though I was reluctant (cause i just have this thing about the ER and germs) my Dr. assured me he felt it was necessary and that he would call ahead of me arriving and talk to the triage nurse.

LESSON #1... Just because you have a great Dr. and he is willing to call the ER for you does not I REAP does not mean that you will be treated any differently or more quickly than the person who just walked in off the street.

7 1/2 hours later... yes you read that right ...Joshua and I left with the same diagnoses that my Dr. had given earlier and with a prescription for Ibuprofen... which the nurse told me if i didn't want to get it filled, i could just take 3 Advil, which i had at home where i would have rather spent the last 7 1/2 hours... i still would have been in pain but at least i would have had food and been warm! sheesh!

LESSON #2... Always keep food in your purse/car and remember they keep the hospital thermostat at 70 degrees! TAKEABLANKET!

But, unfortunately the most important lesson I learned while shivering at the Er was that I still have a lot of growing to do. I am one of THOSE people who feel like where ever God has placed you, that you are there for a reason... for such a time as this ... at one point during my lovely visit to the ER I was put in a room (i called it the closet!) with another lady around my age. I decided to strike up conversation with her. She was talkative even though she had been at the hospital as long as I had and had been waiting in "the closet" for over an hour and a half for a simple blood test! As we talked I could sense her hurt, confusion, and disgust with life...

here's where the lesson part comes in

I had prime opportunity to tell her about The One who could heal her many hurts...

The One who knit her together and knew her before she was even in her mothers womb...

The One who knows what she is going through...

The One who so desperately wants to walk through all that stuff with her...

The One who loved her sooo much that He died for her on the cross and shed His blood so she could be clean, with out shame, and with Him forever...

The One who came to give her Life and life more abundantly...

I had all those thoughts and many more but yet said nothing of my JESUS to a hurting girl who went to the ER for a simple blood test but who could have gone home with so much more...

JESUS ...our one and only true hope!

LESSON #3... When you feel led to share with someone the hope that you have for living this life, don't wait for the perfect moment... just do it! ...for such a time as this.

Okay, so I learned a lesson after leaving the hospital...

After my talk/cry with the Lord this morning I learned that no matter how badly you may sometimes miss the mark and mess things up... The One (JESUS) ...is there to pick you up, brush you off and put you back on your feet again. THANKYOUJESUS!

...Lesson learned?

BOOK 8/12

Yeah! I just finish book 8 of my 12 books in 2009 goal.

Raising Godly Children in an Ungodly World is all about using God's word to deal with the everyday issues we as parents face when it comes to raising children. As we rely on God and His infallible word we create a godly heritage, a legacy,that can make a difference for generations to come.

Some of the important topics in this book are...

• Surviving the culture wars as a family
• Educating children- the Bible offers guidance
• Practical tips for raising spiritually-healthy children
• Solutions to the root cause of dysfunctional families
• Discovering biblical authority as a parent
• Discipline - necessary and lovingly administered

The main message is believing ALL of God's word as truth, applying it to our everyday lives and impressing/teaching those truths to our children.

If the only book you had was the bible would it be enough? YOUBETCHA!

Encouragement EXTREME!

Get ready! Encouragement Cafe' is coming to Greensboro with the Encouragement Extreme conference. Many of you have been reading my post about the radio show Encouragement Cafe' that two ladies from my church started and the website encouragementcafe.com that I have written a few devotions for.

Well now we are planning a two day conference at the end of January. We will host our first Encouragement EXTREME! Event inviting women to Ignite the Extreme in their life. Ordinary is outdated. It's time to live Absolute, Boundless, Abandoned lives! Registration is now open on the website. There is an early bird registration of $99 if you register by the end of November. The best part is that your registration includes your hotel room at the Embassy Suites (GSO), entrance to the conference, all materials needed, and breakfast and lunch on Saturday.

So if you haven't listened to the show yet... now would be a great time! It is on 830AM (or your local station, which can be found on the website.) and you can listen live or to archives at the website. Register and tell all your friends and family about it cause I have a feeling its going to be a good one. Help us spread the word... there are a lot of women out there that could use a little encouragement.