Today has been a BUSY day…i intended on writing this post this morning.  But things quickly went against my original plan.   As everyone knows this is DECEMBER 1st.  Simply crazy in my mind!!

But as i prepare for one of the greatest holiday’s we celebrate as believers I think about all the gifts…..Not gifts that i get but giving   I make almost every gift  i give.  Not all BUT most.  And i I think about these things i am reminded of the Kings .  Tho they were not present  at the very first Christmas we often see them in most manger scenes with their pots of gold, frankincense and Myrth.  They are usually ornate pots.    then i think of my gifts, the ones I am making,  not nearly ornate enough to be fit for the most high King.  but then i remember i am not giving them to HIM but to my family or friends.  Those who can use these items . BUT then I thought …hmmmm…Maybe i am  giving something to God.   That’s my time, my diligence my love.   i pour over these things and i use my gifts and talents.  I give it all i have and yet it shows God I love him enough to use what he has given me…just like when my loved ones use the very items i make and give them.  And in turn i am showing my loved ones the Love of christ as I sacrifice time for them.  It would be much easier to buy something BUT I love them.

So i am super THANKFUL for the many gifts and abilities that God has given to me and i pray that i can use each one of them  to the best of my ability and that God would be glorified through each and every one of them    Have a VERY Happy December!

If you are a friend on FB then it is no secret that this last week has been difficult.

we’re not just talking stuff like the car broke down, thekidshave been misbehaving , and our schedule is packed.  LOL  That is normal stuff I am used to that kindastuff.  I am not a stressed out person bynature.  Sometimes I am Laid back to a fault   BUT this week has been roughand by rough I mean ROUGH!

It stated last Friday when i eound out a friend from high  school lost her year long battlewith cancer!  She was 30.  left behind was her husband and three small kids.

On SaturdayI found out my Gram was in the hospital and she was very sick.  BT we had no idea just HOW sick.    By Sunday afternoon she was feeling better and everyone was vERYencouraged.   Tuesday afternoon it was a different story.  test results came back and they weren’t good By any menas.  CANCER-and there was nothing to be done.

the doctors didn’t give a time period-they said it could be days, weeks , or even months.   She is 83 years old and lived a full life!  she is a  NEAT lady!  She is my last grandparent left.  And I love her very much!

As i look back over the last year it has been difficult to say the least!  It started last fall October and November as a matter of fact with the loss of an uncle and then my aunt . It has been a year of loss.  an uncle, an aunt, 4 friends, and a friends baby.  All of these things are difficult in and of themselves BUT together it can begin to get to you.

And as I look back at this year and the saddness , you begin to wonder what good happened this year….Especially at this time of year!  How silly of me….RIGHT?   I agree totally!

So as we approah thanksgiving one week from today here are alist of some of the incredible things we haehad the oppertunity to be a part of!  And truly they have been such a blessing to me and toour entire family!

• A journey hat started out as VERY scary.  Our youngest Little Bean had some weight issues.  he would gain just a little and then loose it all and then some.  Or gain not at all.  we went through test after test. met with a nutritionist, tried a new diet after new diet, took him off formula and  he ate massive amounts of food.  celiacs disease, hyper hyperthyroidism, anemia and finally cystic fibrosis were just some of the names the dr’s were throwing around.  they even eluded  that I wasn’t taking care of him.    I was DEVASTATED!  BUT then a simple answer came.  Milk…RAW cows milk.  Now he is a solid baby and  now at least he is registering on the growth charts in the 50th percentile for both weight and height.  God had worked a miracle!
• we have an awesome church family and we so enjoy seeing them grow in their walks with God.   There are just SOOO many neat stories BUT Not enough time or space sooo it’s a collection of amazing  God things!
• We got to travel a bunch this year.  AND it is always a blessing to get to spend the time with friends and family, and to see some pretty special places.   So lets name a few *bible conference *the Creation Museum and the Answers for Pastors Conference *The Women of Faith Conference *Labor day with my family in PA *Alumni weekend at our Alma Mater
• A special Christian School where our kids are growing and learning by leaps and bounds
• A house that Is something we never thot we could have!
• Four kids who are happy.  they are by far not perfect kids BUT they are filled with joy.  they smile and they love with their whole hearts.  they have a special discernment when it comes to hurting people and they love without boundaries!
• the ability to serve God without being afraid of our government. We can pray openly, meet openly, and spread God’s word openly.
• A husband who loves God and has a yearning to grow. he loves me and our children and our church family.  He has gifts above and beyond my understanding!
• An extended family who loves and prays for us.
• And a relationship with Jesus Christ.  We have his word we can pray, and learn.  We knows he loves us and that we  won’t e left to fend for ourselves.  He loves us!
• The fact that Jesus died for each one of us.  he paid the full debt of our sin.
• Our freedoms and the country we we live in.  Safety and the American dream.
• That Life isn’t fair, Because if it were,we would spend eternity in torment instead of walking the streets of Gold and sitting at the feet of Jesus!!!
• Creation serves as god gift of personal artwork. Each sunset, sunrise and rainbow God paints for our enjoyment!
• And Last but not least. Peace that passes all understanding.  So despite All of the bad stuff that happened this year.  Whether it was the death, the earthquake, flooding, crime, car troubles saying goodbye to friends moving away or whatever the HARD thing might be you can rest in the fact that

God will never leave us nor forsake us Hebrews 13:5-6

and that

the Joy of the Lord is our strength Habakkuk 3:17-18

and that

We can do all thingsthrough Christ who strengthens us  Philippians 4:13

and that

No man will ever plack usout of his hand John 10:28

It’s our choice to accept the free gift of salvation and you can have this PEACE as well!

This is definitely NOT an all encompassing list.  the list of blessings can go on and on and on.  BUT then I would not be able to do Thankful Thursdays anymore!!  It would just be repeating the  same things over and over again and you would get bored So with that said Have a Happy thanksgiving and Lord willing I will see you next week

Hi guys,

i know it  has been a few weeks since i posted last for thankful Thursdays BUT I’m back.  We were away for about a week while we visited Answers In Genesis and the Creation Museum in Kentucky.  Hubby went to the Answers for Pastors Conference while we were there (that was the reason why we went in the first place) 

Soon the way out we had a huge struggle with the wind.  Wewere towing our 32 foot camper with our HUGE SUVand we were fighting 50mph wind gusts and suction from Tractor trailers going faster then we were…When towing such large  camper you have to (or at least should ) go under the speed limit.

Needless tosay Poor hubby was exhausted.  But we were blown off the road far enough to hit the rumble strips once on the outside of the highway.  We also had to pull off a LEGAL u-turn in  in Cleveland due to a cement truck parked in such a way that we could not wing far enough with the camper to make it on our exit for the highway.  And thankfully other than these two incidents we had an uneventful trip there and back…We didn’t see and loose Lions, tigers  or bears in Columbus (OH MY)  while we stayed in the area.

And remarkable we only saw two accidents one of which was horrible. But only involved one car and I am still praying for the  people who might have been inside.

Thank you all who prayed for us and our travels…and Thank you Lord for seeing fit to answer them!

A friend of mine used this quote on her Fb Page this last week and it mademe think of Thursdays….

Here it is..

What if Tomorrow you woke up with only the things you were thanked god for today?

I was stunned and speechless!!  how true is that?

I am thankful for so much and it has made me even more awareof that over this lastweek.  So here is my thought.  …

Most of all… i better be thankful for God sending His Son as a payment for my sins. Without that there is no hope…and without hope Life is meaningless and worthless so I could have everything I could possibly dream of and still  have no reason to live other than to take care of all the junk I ever wanted but doesn’t bring satisfaction….

So for today and every day I am thankful for Jesus and all He did for me.

WAIT…you must be saying it is something YOU are to be thankful for NOT ME…Well I am getting there, but let me finish first.

ARE YOU THANKFUL FOR YOUR PASTOR’S WIFE??

October is right around the corner and that is pastor’s appreciation Month.  I just wanted to challenge you to think outside the box because the pastor may have some other people in his life that may just sacrifice more than he does…and are more than likely forgotten and they are the pastor’s family BOTH wife AND kids!!

Do you even know your pastor’s wife?  Have you taken the time to get to know her? I am guessing that if you haven’t you are missing out on some very interesting people.  here’s why…..the road God takespeople on to get them ready for ministry is usually a very unique one!  She is more than likely a pretty neat person and you are missing out on something pretty special.

Now it is no secret to you all that I AM a pastor’s wife , so by now you are all thinking SHE’S BURNING SOME BRIDGES….Oh that is quite the contrary and that is what i am thankful for this thursday and really every day of the week.

God has brought us to a wonderful church family who more than takes care of us and loves us so much.  they encourage us to keep up the good job that we are doing and they  LOVE US for who we are…and that last one is really the most important of all!

And that is why  i wrote this blog post…I think every pastor’s wife should be as blessed as I am and hopefully this pastor’s appreciation month you will remember her as much as she thinks of and prays for you!

Four very special blessings in my life are my kids…..6and under…..that doesn’t sound as bad as it did last April riht after little bean was born and I had to say 4 4 and under.

All four of our children are amazing.  I am not just saying that because I am their mom BUT they are so very special in a very unique way. (and I am the first to tell you that they have MANY faults as well.  I am not the kind of parent who thinks their kids are perfect.  I am well aware that I gave birth to four little sinners)

So why are my kids so special.?  Well It is no secret that my hubby is in full time ministry and that I am a syau at home wife and mom!.  I am fully involved as a pastor’s wife well.  But our kids have never been trained to minister to people…They just do. and not just by making them smile or by hugs BUT much deeper than that.

Our oldest Son tornado (there is a very good reason as to why he has that nickname)  Anyway he is 6…But as a child of 4 we had a tumult of deaths in our church…..Tornado has a VERY sensitive heart and cried at each telling of one of his dear friends and if he talked to them at least once he counted them as one of his closest of friends.  One specific case we had been having church dinners through the winter months and oneparticular Sunday we sat next to an elderly gentleman and his wheelchair  ridden wife.  Tornado was in his element .  He spoke with Mr I for the whole lunch and it was the only time they ever interacted…..2 short months later Mr I passed away. And Tornado was distraught.  He cried for nearly 45 minutes when i told him.  But the story does not stop there.  He made it a point that the VERY next time Mrs I was in church to give her a hug and tell her that he missed Mr I VERY much.   He Also MADE us tell her the very same thing the day of the funeral.   Tornado also like to open peoples car doors for them which many people do not understand that he is just being a seet boy and he has actually been reprimanded for his acts of kindness.  One one other occaision Tornado went up to an elderly gentleman during a men’s prayer breakfast (which he has faithfully attended since he was  5) one Saturday and asked him “How is your wife doing?”  His only interaction with the P’s was the previous Thursday when they came for dinner.   Mr P’s Heart was melted.  Tornado holds a very special place in many of the elderly families hearts in our church.

Our second oldest is our only daughter Lady bug……she is a sensitive heart to be sure.  She has a gentle spirit and if she knows you are sick or hurt you can rest assure that you WILL be taken care of!!  She will bend over backwards to make sure you are comfortable  and well taken care of.  She is our big helper even though she is only 4 soon to be five.

Next comes weasel…(yet again there is a very good reason for the nickname)  He is a lover boy.  He gives lavishly of hugs and kisses and even more so since he had his tonsils out a week ago.  He  has the most amazing smile that warms anybody’s heart instantaneously. And will almost immediately ask if you will be his friend as soon as you meet him….BUT on one occaision he  has helped someone so amazingly.  One of our teens  in our church a hurting very badly and this teen in particular is and has been his favorite since we set fott in our church two years ago.  But Miss B was going through some tough times and after a particularly hrad time  he went running to her flung his arms around her neck and said “My A— My A— you ARE my BEST FRIEND”  How that meant so much to that teen and it was almost as if he knew she needed it!!  And her too has caught many a heart at our church .

And lastly Little Bean…at only one  can get almost anybody to smile.  You see he has been pooked and prodded and all sorts of lovely things since about 6 months old and yet he is almost never grumpy.  He has a captivating smile and personality …..and one of the sweetest things about Little Bean is that he loves to hold hands….even this evening as I sat in a chair reading and he was trucking around in his walker. he would come near to my chair reach out his hand for mine.  though it is never very long it is just one way  he shows an amzing spitrit.

NAd finally one of the other things that characterizes all three of our children is their desire to pray for others whom they know are hurting….Not just family, friends or church family but for those they hear us talking about in our world’s recent natural disasters…..We have watched their little hearts break as they hear us talk about tsunamis hurricanes, earthquakes tornadoes floods and so much more.   I wouldn’t trade my kids for the most well behaved children on the face of the planet…..NOTHING is better than having children who understand that people need Jesus and are burdened for them.   Because when they love God they love people unconditionally.  And for them I am SOOOOO very thankful that God saw fit to bless me with the kids with amazing hearts!

Oh Boy do I have a lot to be thankful for today!!!

First off as I sit here writing this I have our local Christian radio station playing and I just wanted to point out what a blessing Christian radio is.   what uplifting music.  THERE IS NEVER A NEGATIVE MESSAGE!

Second Is my freedom of speech.  I know that over the last few years our freedom of speech has diminished in some ways BUT yet I know that for the most part I can share my convictions without fearing DEATH……

ThirdFor my God who loves me enough not to leave me as I am…..

Fourth My kids laughter…there is nopthing that will make anyone laugh or smile quicker than the laughter of young children

Boy as I contemplate as to what i am thankful for today and really each and every day my head just swims with everything.

But as I sit back and think about me and what brought me to the place where I am today I realize it’s not WHAT but WHO!

I have gone through some major struggles in my life.  I have been “disabled” since I was thirteen and yet I have been nothing but enable….through the loving blood of Christ.

It is not a crutch…..IT”S PEACE that passes any and all understanding….and no one can understand that until you have the saving knowledge of Christ.

Are you interested let me know?

I have two big things that I am thankful for this week.  Not to say that I am limited to just these two because I am very thankful for so many many things BUT these two things are big for this week!

#1 is Medical technology-technology that helps us to figure out things and how to make life better BUT there will be more on that at a later date.

&

#2 AWANA- even though I am the pastor’s wife I determined about a year ago that there are times when you just plain and simple have top say NO….I felt like I was spinning out of control.   .  So my sanity I chose to say No more….I have not regretted it since though I will say that I  am a substitute for Cubbies and I have done so gladly a few times.   But during that time I have become a new woman.  renewed and refreshed.  the time is for me. even thoughI still have my little Bean here at home he is in bed the whole time.  It is amazing what two and a half hours of total peace and quite can do for a mom!!!  It really does make me a better mom, wife, and pastor’s wife!

So what are you thankful for this Thursday?

Okay so today is the last two of my for things I was Thankful for back a few weeks ago….

#3 was
WHAT’S IN THE BIBLE

Have you seen it?  It’s Phil Vischer’s new project along with Focus on the Family.  It’s an amazing Children’s video series .  The goal is to go from Genesis to Revelation is 18 videos and teach all of the theology along side the Bible we love so much!!

Only the first 4 videos are out BUT we will say that there are so many great things about this series.  We own all 4 of the videos so far and it is amazing at the amount of material our kids have retained.  After seeing video #2 two or three time Our 5 year old Tornado could recall what happened in the whole book of Exodus…..and he did it off the cuff at dinner one night …we were FLOORED!
You can find the videos in any of the “normal” places like Amazon or CBD  OR you can go to their website HERE
You can also spend some time watching some clips and getting to know the characters of what’s in the Bible at jellytelly.com

I am so grateful for such solid  children’s resources that aren’t flat  lined in all the important ares!!!!

#4
My Hubby
I have the most wonderful hubby in the whole wide world!  you can try to debate me BUT you won’t ever ever win!!!!  You cannot convince me that your husband is sweeter than mine mostly cuz I can’t  experience that!!!!

But as of late hubby and I have been reconnecting despite our busy lifestyle and all the craziness that most people won’t ever experience or understand AND despite all of this he has been more conscientious about our time.!  time is so important for me and that is something he has been working on .  we get so little time together so it means a lot that he has been making it count!  I LOVE HIM SO MUCH!