Pilgrims, Indians, and Dinosaurs

For some reason, Casey is just crazy about holidays! Whenever he knows one is coming up, that's all he talks about! Maybe it's because they learn so much about it at school, and sing the songs, make the crafts, etc. I've heard tons of songs/chants about turkeys, pilgrims, Indians, etc. It's all so cute and it reminds you just how fun, exciting, and simple the whole essence of the holiday is (as well as our heritage). It's all too easy, as an adult, to forget the joy of a holiday (or any day/moment). It's nice to be reminded of the simple joys!

Thanksgiving is probably my favorite holiday because it's nearly untainted by the media and doesn't come with a bunch of hype (well, other than hearing about "after Thanksgiving" sales). It's a time where we are reminded to think and reflect on our blessings and truly be grateful. It's a humble and beautiful thing, and something that should be done every day.

With that being said, I don't have much else to say because there isn't much I can add to something as pure and humble as Thanksgiving. As I said, I was reminded of just how simple and wonderful everything can be when you are looking at it through the eyes of a child. That's why I wanted to share this very cute (and somewhat humorous) picture that Casey brought home from school. I hope it brings a smile to your face and warmth to your heart as it did to mine (the part I thought was most funny is that he didn't forget to include a remote control! That's a boy for you, right? LOL!!). I asked Casey who the people were in the picture. The guy at the door is "Squanto", the one on the chair is a "pilgrim", and the one holding the remote is an "Indian". I think we will be able to make his Thanksgiving wish come true in regards to letting him watch his beloved dinosaurs on TV at Papaw and Mamaw's house, but I don't think that any real pilgrims or Indians will be in attendance around our table (although, I venture to say, I often feel as though my children act like wild Indians - and I don't mean that disrespectfully to any Native Americans who are reading). Although, the kids COULD wear the special hats that Casey made at school - one pilgrim hat and one Indian hat. That would make for a good picture! LOL

All the hand-print turkey projects, coloring pages, and other crafts have all brought a smile to my face. Though, the one thing that most blew me away was the beautiful cornucopia that he drew. At first, I thought it was a coloring page that he simply colored, but no.....HE DREW/COLORED it himself!! Personally, I marvel at his artistic ability and interest in drawing because I don't know that I could top him! Seriously, I don't think I could draw much better than him!! And, the best part is, everything he makes comes from that amazing pure heart of his! He's just so innocent and honest about what he's drawing!! And, once again, his depiction of Thanksgiving includes dinosaurs lol. He made sure to include many of them around the cornucopia. ;) I chuckle to think of a dinosaur sitting around the table at that very first Thanksgiving. Can you imagine trying to share a meal with a T-Rex (without BEING a meal?). Ha ha!

So, here's to hoping that your Thanksgiving is beautiful, bountiful, and humble!! Grace and peace to you as you reflect on all your many simple blessings!! And please know, I am SO GRATEFUL for all of you who are in my life!! God bless you all!!

Blessed Thanks

Every year, my husband has to work the Sunday before the big holidays in order to stay caught up on production and have the actual holidays off. Today was one of those Sundays. Therefore, the kids and I just stayed home this Sunday and missed church today (and no "tsk"ing! I go every Sunday otherwise!). Today was baptism Sunday, though I don't think I probably missed a sermon (so all you peeps that love Chad's sermons shouldn't have to fret). Though, if you really want to, I'm sure they'll have the audio of today uploaded on the church website (www.missionoflife.com) by the end of the week.

So, since I don't have any notes from church to blog on, I figured this would be the perfect opportunity to share an article I wrote for the Mom Life Newsletter that I produce for our Mom's group at church. It's entitled "Blessed Thanks" because it's focused on the concept (as well as the holiday) of Thanksgiving. I hope you enjoy it!! God bless you all, and I hope you have a wonderful week and a blessed time of gathering with your families!

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“Thank you, Mommy!” Those are three precious words that I should never get tired of hearing, or take for granted. The importance of showing thankfulness is something that my own parents taught me; just as I have strived to teach my own children. It’s important that you acknowledge and show your appreciation to someone who has shown kindness to you.

However, I think the “politeness” of saying “thank-you” has caused its meaning to be lost in the vast sea of social courtesies. “Thank you” is often a formality and an obligation and we say it almost nonchalantly and without much thought. Of course, I am thankful that my kids have learned to automatically say “please” and “thank you” when they should, but my greater hope is that they will know that true thankfulness goes beyond just mere words. It’s all about the heart!

Having a thankful heart has been on my mind; considering that the Thanksgiving holiday is coming up. We all know the history, the traditions, and the meanings behind this holiday, but do we really truly grasp the joy? How often do we really allow thankful thoughts to invade our minds and seize our hearts with gladness? How often do we get so filled with gratefulness that we just burst with praise because of our gratitude? For me, the politeness in our house is so prevalent that I often miss the greater blessings of thankfulness. As a wife, mom, woman, etc. I sometimes feel under appreciated; despite the regular “thank yous.” They get dismissed too often when they become casual and expected, but nevertheless, they ARE acknowledgements and affirmations are they not? Maybe it’s my perspective that needs the change. Maybe if I spent more time offering God more high quality and non-casual “thank yous”, I would be able to appreciate any grade of “thank you” from my family and friends with a greater sense of joy and without so many judgments towards the authenticity of their every-day “thank yous“.

God craves that same genuine display of appreciation and thankfulness as well. Yet, how often do we take the time to thank Him - REALLY thank Him? How often do we just give Him polite every-day “thank yous” but neglect to really tell Him from our heart just how much we appreciate His goodness and blessings to us? Just like we go the extra mile to thank someone for an extra special gift by writing a thank-you note (or reciprocating with a gift of our own at some point) we should be even MORE eager to give back to God by sharing our heart with Him; and with others. God never tires of hearing our praises and offers of thanksgiving. The Psalms are full of exclamations of thanks. Psalm 69:30 says: “I will praise God's name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving.” And, Psalm 95:2 “Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song.” And that’s just a start!

Why are the Psalms so full of praises? Why such a grateful heart? Well, my friends, it’s because the Lord is worthy of any and all praise we can offer! Not because He needs to be reminded of how glorious He is (He already knows!) but because WE need to remember how glorious He is! WE need to remember how sovereign, wonderful, loving, and amazing our heavenly Father is! We need to meditate on His goodness and share with Him how humbled and blessed we are that He has shown such favor to us! Thanksgiving blesses us just as much (if not more) than it blesses Him because it forces us to remember just how much we have and how little we have to complain about! Our God is GOOD and He shares that goodness with us!!

Beyond just the holiday, thanksgiving is truly year round. We should be cherishing it in the every day moments; whether giving or receiving it. In fact, it’s the very foundation of prayer! In Philippians 4:4-7, Paul says: “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Did you notice that declaring praise to the Lord is so noteworthy that Paul emphasizes rejoicing TWICE! And, he says “always.” He also says “with thanksgiving” we are to present our requests to God. Those exhortations then turn into the peace we receive as we rest in the joy of knowing that we are blessed, protected, and so much more! And, it’s just like a saying I saw on a poster once: “Always thank God for what you have before you ask Him for more.” It’s a good thing to remember; especially when we are feeling stressed, busy, greedy, etc. at this time of year!!

May your hearts be blessed as you savor the joy of each blessing God has given you! May every “thank you” you give and receive have value, and fill your hearts with joy! May we ALWAYS rejoice!! Grace and peace to all of you!!

He Is...

Just a few days ago, a friend of mine was telling me how Psalm 62 had given her some peace and helped her to deal with her circumstances That’s not surprising considering that the book of Psalms is so encouraging. So, the Lord reminded me of that yesterday and I decided to read what she read.

When I read it, I was comforted with much peace and joy. I was filled with thanksgiving and praise for the Lord as I hung on every word and pondered it deeply. Read it for yourself and let it sink in!! It’s awesome!! Here is what Psalm 62 says:

1Truly my soul waiteth upon God: from him cometh my salvation.

2He only is my rock and my salvation; he is my defense; I shall not be greatly moved.

3How long will ye imagine mischief against a man? ye shall be slain all of you: as a bowing wall shall ye be, and as a tottering fence.

4They only consult to cast him down from his excellency: they delight in lies: they bless with their mouth, but they curse inwardly. Selah.

5My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him.

6He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defense; I shall not be moved.

7In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God.

8Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah.

9Surely men of low degree are vanity, and men of high degree are a lie: to be laid in the balance, they are altogether lighter than vanity.

10Trust not in oppression, and become not vain in robbery: if riches increase, set not your heart upon them.

11God hath spoken once; twice have I heard this; that power belongeth unto God.

12Also unto thee, O Lord, belongeth mercy: for thou renderest to every man according to his work.

Verse one reminded me of the peace one gets in the stillness; just waiting on the Lord and being in his presence. I thought of the sermon from a couple weeks ago that continues to stay with me (it was the sermon about the “fig tree”). I just sat and remained still; just concentrating on the goodness of the Lord and all that He is. He is THE GREAT “I AM”; He is everything!!

Verse two…..WOW!! He’s my rock!! He is solid, faithful, and trustworthy. He is my refuge and defender and I will not be shaken. The next two verses describe the reasons why one will not be “moved” or shaken. They talk about the persecution and oppression that all of us face in our lives. Of course, Jesus told us in John 16:33 "These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." What a blessed comfort it is to know that even in troubling storms, Jesus is there. He is our peace! He has already overcome all evil and therefore, we have the victory in Him!!
I like how verse five says that He is our expectation. Waiting on and trusting in Him is to be our focus. EXPECT great things from God!!

Following that verse is the repeated affirmation that He is our rock and salvation. He is our defense from all that accuse and persecute us. We don’t have to worry. He brings us peace and rest.

Verses seven and eight calm the heart even further by describing God’s provision for us. He provides (and IS!) our salvation, glory, strength, and refuge. When we trust in Him and pour out our heart, He comforts us and builds us up! It’s amazing!! I don’t know what I would do without Him!!

The next verses spoke to me even more; especially when I read “Trust not in oppression.” It hit me like a ton of bricks because sometimes, I focus too much on the trouble and not enough on God. Why trust in the oppression and in my own ability to deal with things? I need to trust in the Lord!! One of my favorite verses is Proverbs 3:5-6 which says: “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” I want to trust and acknowledge Him and His sovereignty - in all my “ways” and circumstances. I want HIM to direct my steps. I want to be filled with His wisdom, peace, joy, and all good things. I want to think about and dwell on good Spirit-filled things; not the things that oppress and oppose me. (Philippians 4:8).

The last two verses were the icing on the cake, so to speak. It was the blessed assurance of the fact that God is in control. He takes care of everything, and He takes care of ME! “Power belongeth to God” as well as mercy. He will “renderest to every man according to his work.” I desire God’s power and mercy in my life. I pray that He will render and pour it out on me. I desire it for all of you!! God truly is an awesome God!! May His power and mercy be rendered to you!!

This Psalm spoke grace and peace to me, and I just thought I would share it with all of you in the hope that your heart would be just as blessed!! I pray that everyone will have sweet moments of peace and stillness with God. I pray that every heart will have the reassurance that God is in control and that He is our rock, our defender, our strength, our everything!! Be encouraged!! He has overcome all things and is the “blessed controller” of all things (as I have been reading in a book that I will be blogging about sometime soon!). Grace and peace to you all! I love you!! OXOXO

Celebrating This Year And Anticipating The Next!!

So………are you ready for the new year? I am!! I LOVE celebrating the new year!! I love the optimism and the newness of it all. I love how everything seems fresh and new!!

I sure have a lot to look forward this upcoming year. Let’s see,….tomorrow is new year’s eve, followed by the next call for life on Friday (and sanctity of life week later on this month!) Then, in a couple weeks, the new Veggie Tales movie comes out. Also, Horton Hears a Who will be coming out and so will the next Chronicle of Narnia Movie - Prince Caspian!! But, aside from all the positive and enlightening entertainment, this is also an election year. Yeah, some people view politics as a headache, but I see great opportunity. I especially see that in Mike Huckabee - and his chances of winning the republican nomination (and the presidency) look very good to me!! I’m praying for him and advocating him the best I can and I can only hope other true Christians will do the same.

In addition to all of those things, I have another very important thing to look forward to…..Steve, Susan, and their family are going to be moving up here in a few weeks!!! OH YEAH!! SO EXCITED!!! God blessed them with a house in a town close to us and they will be moving into it very soon!! I am beyond grateful that God would bring our family and their family together and that He would bless us so intensely with their friendship!! He knew that we all needed each other!! I look forward to all the great times that we will have together, and also to all the things that Another Chance Ministries will accomplish once the ministry gets started here in Indiana. We love you guys and we are praying for you!! We hope that God brings you here safely and that He will provide for all your needs as you prepare to make your journey. We pray that God will give you the strength and endurance that you’ll need to make it through it all!! May you be abundantly blessed!! We can’t wait to welcome you HOME!!!!!!!! OXOXOXO

Thinking about those who are so much a part of our family (and ARE family to us!) makes me think about what Chad talked about at church today. There wasn’t a long sermon today. It was just simply a day of remembrance, reflection, and thanks for all the people who serve and help out in the church.

Every servant of Christ does their part to be make up the body of Christ. It’s all about people reaching people; meeting them where they are and making disciples - not simply “converts.” People encounter Christ through those of us that exemplify His love and goodness. We need to be good ambassadors for Christ so others can be brought to Him. And, that doesn’t just mean “going to church” and going through the motions either. Chad reiterated that point by saying, “we don’t ‘go to church’ we ARE the church!” Yeah…..THAT’S RIGHT!!

So, with that in mind, our church’s personal mission is to make disciples who Reach Up to experience a life of faith; Reach Out to share the hope of Jesus; and Reach Around people with the love of Jesus. We certainly have a LOT of people at Life Church who do that!! They had people from various ministries within the church say a few words, and they posted names of those who serve on those teams on the screen. WOW!! There are a lot of great servants!! My kudos and thanks to everyone that shares their heart, time, and talents in order to help other people take their next step towards God!! Thanks to all the obedient people who serve really do have the “Love God; love others” mentality at heart!

I try to do that very thing as well - and not just solely through involvement with other brothers and sisters in Christ at church, but on a daily basis!! Of course, anyone that reads these blogs knows that. And so, I want to thank all of you who continue to read these entries. I pray that you are blessed and that your heart it touched by God. It’s why I do what I do. It’s all about building His Kingdom, being a part of it, and getting others to know the joy of it as well! I always feel like if my experiences and what I learn from them can help someone, then it is so worth it! It’s like what Karen (the counselor at Life Church) said today when it was her turn to share….she said that we’re always the leader of someone, as well as the leader of ourselves. So, we ought to be a good leader and be led by Christ so we can lead others to Him as well!

Another thing that she said (which I just loved!) was that when you’re broken, you’re teachable. No doubt about it!! More often than not, a person learns the most when they are vulnerable and in their darkest of moments because we are more receptive.

Another couple sayings that I like are ones that Kent always says: “Life isn’t fair. People are weird. Love’s the bottom line” as well as “Feel the heat. Face the fire. Find the gold!” All of that adds up to persevering through the tough stuff to find the silver lining to it all. Go through the test to get to the testimony so you can share your story with others!!

Well, happy new year everyone! Just remember, when that “ball drops” pick it up and run with it!! It’s just like Chad talked about last year…..don’t start off the year by dropping the ball. Take that ball and run with it! Make the most of your opportunities and make a difference this coming year and always!! May God bless you all and keep you safe!! See you next year!!

The Blessing of Thorns

I read this on a myspace bulletin and I had to share this.......

Sandra felt as low as the heels of her shoes as she pushed against a November gust and the florist shop door. Her life had been easy, like a spring breeze. Then in the fourth month of her second pregnancy, a minor automobile accident stole that from her.

During this Thanksgiving week she would have delivered a son. She grieved over her loss. As if that weren't enough, her husband's company threatened a transfer. Then her sister, whose holiday visit she coveted, called saying she could not come for the holiday. Then Sandra's friend infuriated her by suggesting her grief was a God-given path to maturity that would allow her to empathize with others who suffer. She has no idea what I'm feeling, thought Sandra with a shudder. Thanksgiving? Thankful for what? She wondered. For a careless driver whose truck was hardly scratched when he rear-ended her? For an airbag that saved her life but took that of her child?

"Good afternoon, can I help you?" The shop clerk's approach startled her.

"I....I need an arrangement," stammered Sandra.

"For Thanksgiving? Do you want beautiful but ordinary, or would you like to challenge the day with a customer favorite I call the Thanksgiving "Special?" asked the shop clerk. "I'm convinced that flowers tell stories," she continued. "Are you looking for something that conveys 'gratitude' this thanksgiving?"

"Not exactly!" Sandra blurted out. "In the last five months, everything that could go wrong has gone wrong."

Sandra regretted her outburst, and was surprised when the shop clerk said, "I have the perfect arrangement for you."

Just then the shop door's small bell rang, and the shop clerk said, "Hi, Barbara...let me get your order." She politely excused herself and walked toward a small workroom, then quickly reappeared, carrying an arrangement of greenery, bows, and long-stemmed thorny roses. Except the ends of the rose stems were neatly snipped: there were no flowers. "Want this in a box?" asked the clerk.

Sandra watched for the customer's response. Was this a joke? Who would want rose stems with no flowers! She waited for laughter, but neither woman laughed. "Yes, please," Barbara, replied with an appreciative smile. "You'd think after three years of getting the special, I wouldn't be so moved by its significance, but I can feel it right here, all over again," she said as she gently tapped her chest. And she left with her order.

"Uh," stammered Sandra, "that lady just left with, uh....she just left with no flowers!

"Right, said the clerk, "I cut off the flowers. That's the Special. I call it the Thanksgiving Thorns Bouquet."

"Oh, come on, you can't tell me someone is willing to pay for that!" exclaimed Sandra.

"Barbara came into the shop three years ago feeling much like you feel today," explained the clerk. "She thought she had very little to be thankful for. She had lost her father to cancer, the family business was failing, her son was into drugs, and she was facing major surgery." "That same year I had lost my husband," continued the clerk, "and for the first time in my life, had just spent the holidays alone. I had no children, no husband, no family nearby, and too great a debt to allow any travel."

"So what did you do?" asked Sandra.

"I learned to be thankful for thorns," answered the clerk quietly. "I've always thanked God for the good things in my life and never questioned the good things that happened to me, but when bad stuff hit, did I ever ask questions! It took time for me to learn that dark times are important. I have always enjoyed the 'flowers' of life, but it took thorns to show me the beauty of God's comfort. You know, the Bible says that God comforts us when we're afflicted, and from His consolation we learn to comfort others." Sandra sucked in her breath as she thought about the very thing her friend had tried to tell her.

"I guess the truth is I don't want comfort. I've lost a baby and I'm angry with God." Just then someone else walked in the shop.

"Hey, Phil!" shouted the clerk to the balding, rotund man.

"My wife sent me in to get our usual Thanksgiving Special....12 thorny, long-stemmed stems!" laughed Phil as the clerk handed him a tissue-wrapped arrangement from the refrigerator.

"Those are for your wife?" asked Sandra incredulously. "Do you mind me asking why she wants something that looks like that?"

"No...I'm glad you asked," Phil replied. "Four years ago my wife and I nearly divorced. After forty years, we were in a real mess, but with the Lord's grace and guidance, we slogged through problem after problem. He rescued our marriage. Jenny here (the clerk) told me she kept a vase of rose stems to remind her of what she learned from "thorny" times, and that was good enough for me. I took home some of those stems. My wife and I decided to label each one for a specific "problem" and give thanks for what that problem taught us."

As Phil paid the clerk, he said to Sandra, "I highly recommend the Special!"

"I don't know if I can be thankful for the thorns in my life." Sandra said. "It's all too...fresh."

"Well," the clerk replied carefully, "my experience has shown me that thorns make roses more precious. We treasure God's providential care more during trouble than at any other time. Remember, it was a crown of thorns that Jesus wore so we might know His love. Don't resent the thorns."

Tears rolled down Sandra's cheeks. For the first time since the accident, she loosened her grip on resentment. "I'll take those twelve long-stemmed thorns, please," she managed to choke out.

"I hoped you would," said the clerk gently. "I'll have them ready in a minute."

"Thank you. What do I owe you?"

"Nothing. Nothing but a promise to allow God to heal your heart. The first year's arrangement is always on me." The clerk smiled and handed a card to Sandra. "I'll attach this card to your arrangement, but maybe you would like to read it first." It read: "My God, I have never thanked You for my thorns. I have thanked You a thousand times for my roses, but never once for my thorns. Teach me the glory of the cross I bear; teach me the value of my thorns. Show me that I have climbed closer to You along the path of pain. Show me that, through my tears, the colors of Your rainbow look much more brilliant."

Praise Him for your roses; thank him for your thorns!

Tis The Day Before Thanksgiving

It’s the day before Thanksgiving and there is so much to do! So, this is going to be pretty short and sweet. All I want to do is catch up on a few things that I haven’t had time to blog about.

First off, I wanted to remind everyone about the movie “Bella.” I mentioned it some time ago. It’s a pro-life movie; a movie Hollywood doesn’t want you to know about. In fact, it took some time to even get it out in as many theaters that it’s in right now. But, despite the fact that it’s in limited release, Yahoo shows it as the 13th top grossing movie of the weekend! I made sure that I was one of the ones to support it - so that they will release it in more theaters. Tabitha and I went to see it on Sunday. We really enjoyed it. It was beautiful!! Everyone applauded as the movie ended. It was a piece of work!! So, PLEASE go out and support a movie that is worth watching!! Send Hollywood a message people!! If we want quality and meaningful movies to keep being made, we got to support them!! Drive up the market for morality!! Money talks, and if Hollywood sees that people truly do care about watching clean and good entertainment, we will see more of that and less of the smut that is out there!!

Moving on…….

Another thing I wanted to be sure to make everyone aware of was the growing Huckabee momentum!! I have some really great stuff to share with you!! One being that he has gotten more endorsements! Ric Flair has just officially endorsed Mike Huckabee! (For more information on that, you can read about it at the link provided). And, whether you are a wrestling fan or not (and I’m not! LOL) you can certainly appreciate the boost that this will give to our man Mike!! All I got to say is, “wooooooo!!” ;) LOL

And, if you haven’t seen it yet, here is the best political ad you will ever see!! LOL This is an ad with Mike Huckabee and Chuck Norris!! Nice to see a candidate who can be serious, but have a sense of humor as well!! You will love this one!! It’s funny!!

Now, on to a video that will make you cry!! Watch the new video that my best friend Susan made about giving her son up for adoption. She made it for a special contest (and to share her testimony with the world). I’ll let you know when you can vote for her video on Mark Schultz’s website.

Well, take care everyone!! Have a WONDERFUL Thanksgiving!!! I know that it will be especially meaningful for me. I have SO MUCH to be Thankful for!! I can’t even begin to describe how glad my heart is!! Praise GOD!! I am so grateful for all I have - namely my family and friends…..all those true blue and loyal people who have been such an anchor for me (YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE!!). I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!!!!!!!! OXOXOXO

Give thanks, everyone!! Be safe and have a great day of thanks tomorrow, and every day!!
Take it easy all you black Friday people!! LOL Enjoy your family for Pete’s sake!! Does anyone else ever see just how silly it is to camp outside a store to buy gifts for the very people you are missing out on being with on Thanksgiving Day? Sheesh! LOL Opt for cyber Monday instead!! LOL GOD BLESS YOU!!!!