24 January 2014
Count Your Blessings
"Count your many blessings name them one by one...and it will surprise you what the Lord has done..."
I had to write this tonight because I have been blessed with amazing friends and new "non-blood" family that I just kind of get overwhelmed with love...a LOT!
We love getting to spend time with friends and love sharing meals, but it has been even more meaningful as we renovate this house. Any time we could possibly, maybe even a little bit need something, someone is inviting us over or helping us fix some "little" thing that has huge benefits.
So, last Saturday one of these sweet families invited us over for breakfast and we ended up invading them all day...including 3 hours of basketball (heaven!) and a special trip for Emily to go big-girl shopping (I'll have to post about that separately). Other dinners and invites have helped us get through these cold days (we don't have central heating...it's a room by room situation currently).
Then, the cold got the best of us. Our pipes froze. Another one of these family-friends to the rescue! I figured we might be without water for a few days but no biggie...people have to endure more than that. Not even 30 minutes after I mentioned offhandedly our situation and we had an offer for help. He got the pipes thawed out and good to go in less than four hours! AMAZING!
And then, there are these amazing youth I get to associate with and we get to teach and play basketball (one of my former loves). I just can't believe how much the Lord gives me in ways that are perhaps seen as "small" or "insignificant" or even not the most important thing, but the Lord knows I love it or we would benefit and He shares through these kind people.
I just can't even keep up on all the many blessings the Lord gives us, but I am counting my many blessings yet again, tonight. Thank you all who have always been by my side in all the various ways. We love you!!
23 January 2014
Southern Snow
We were the recipients of some snow this week. We were all excited and happy to see it falling, but even more excited that we got enough to actually play in!! Of course, this also revealed that my children have not had the experience frequently enough to remember what to do in it. As you can see from the pictures, the idea was there but the execution was a bit off. hahahah. We laughed and had a good time. Snow is much more fun with children around.
14 January 2014
Sewing Bug
I have several items I already need to make, and I drooled over new items I want to make today.
I need to sew a couple of new dresses for my LongLegged Girl. She just grows so quickly. And then, I thought I really need another bookshelf for the girls and I discovered these:Book Slings. Great idea and wonderful use of space.
I also swapped Eric his old camelbak which I was using as a temple bag, for the excuse to make a super cute one that I will love. I came across a couple of ideas that I can't decide on, but found this and thought it was too cute!! I'm pretty sure my kids are going to need these. =)
I also really want to learn to embroider because I think it is quaint and cute. And, let's face it, I'm kind of obsessed with the days of yesteryear and all they did by hand or by themselves.
I need to sew a couple of new dresses for my LongLegged Girl. She just grows so quickly. And then, I thought I really need another bookshelf for the girls and I discovered these:Book Slings. Great idea and wonderful use of space.
I also swapped Eric his old camelbak which I was using as a temple bag, for the excuse to make a super cute one that I will love. I came across a couple of ideas that I can't decide on, but found this and thought it was too cute!! I'm pretty sure my kids are going to need these. =)
I also really want to learn to embroider because I think it is quaint and cute. And, let's face it, I'm kind of obsessed with the days of yesteryear and all they did by hand or by themselves.
07 January 2014
Service
I have been hesitant how to post this as I really don't want it to appear as if I am bragging. Know that the only reason I share this is because the decision to choose to seek opportunities for service has impacted my life and the life of my family in an enormous way.
I have always been willing to serve and help others but it has never been an every day kind of thing. Opportunities would drift in on occasion and after we would pass out of times to serve. I made a conscious decision to try to serve after overhearing a friend of mine talk about how she had a need for people to come help in her classroom for an activity she was planning. Having a child still at home has often prohibited me from serving more fully in the schools as many times I don't have another place for Gianna to be. This friend said I could bring her and she sat quietly playing the iPad and not disturbing anyone. I can honestly say this was THE moment my life pattern changed.
Due to this volunteering opportunity and my weekly tutoring at another school, I started to think that our "seasons" for things are not because circumstances are "just so" but because our willingness to do something more allows us to do more with the same amount of time. I spoke about this with another service guru who I just think is amazing and she gave me good council that your heart has to be there to make the service worthy.
I continually had the prompting to make it my effort every day to seek an opportunity for service. I became so excited about this that I invited my family to join me. Now, as part of our scripture study, we not only journal our blessings together, but we talk about the service we were able to do that day. We celebrate the way Christ blesses our lives daily and also how we have been able to be the way others can feel Christ's influence in their lives. What was once hard to find one act of service a day has grown to be multiple acts of service per day. It has brought me more joy to an already joyful life.
Just so you know it isn't simply a change in mindset, I took a short sabbatical from serving outside my home and I became a bit dejected. It was an awful feeling those few days and I am happy to report I have returned to service and it has continued to increase the joy in my life.
I know this is setting a pattern for my children because they are so excited to share with me how they helped someone. My little boisterous Gianna was thrilled to come share with me that she helped a little boy go up the ladder and down the slide. After she came to report, I watched as she continued to serve this younger child and take him by the hand and guide him to safely play on the playground. She feels the joy as well.
We are dedicating this year to service and pray you will join us on this journey. It can be as simple or elaborate as your opportunity for service may be: write someone a letter, help someone return a grocery cart, be a listening ear to an elderly person. It won't matter what the service is; it will matter that you did something for someone else for whom you are not responsible and you will have added joy and peace in your own life.
I have always been willing to serve and help others but it has never been an every day kind of thing. Opportunities would drift in on occasion and after we would pass out of times to serve. I made a conscious decision to try to serve after overhearing a friend of mine talk about how she had a need for people to come help in her classroom for an activity she was planning. Having a child still at home has often prohibited me from serving more fully in the schools as many times I don't have another place for Gianna to be. This friend said I could bring her and she sat quietly playing the iPad and not disturbing anyone. I can honestly say this was THE moment my life pattern changed.
Due to this volunteering opportunity and my weekly tutoring at another school, I started to think that our "seasons" for things are not because circumstances are "just so" but because our willingness to do something more allows us to do more with the same amount of time. I spoke about this with another service guru who I just think is amazing and she gave me good council that your heart has to be there to make the service worthy.
I continually had the prompting to make it my effort every day to seek an opportunity for service. I became so excited about this that I invited my family to join me. Now, as part of our scripture study, we not only journal our blessings together, but we talk about the service we were able to do that day. We celebrate the way Christ blesses our lives daily and also how we have been able to be the way others can feel Christ's influence in their lives. What was once hard to find one act of service a day has grown to be multiple acts of service per day. It has brought me more joy to an already joyful life.
Just so you know it isn't simply a change in mindset, I took a short sabbatical from serving outside my home and I became a bit dejected. It was an awful feeling those few days and I am happy to report I have returned to service and it has continued to increase the joy in my life.
I know this is setting a pattern for my children because they are so excited to share with me how they helped someone. My little boisterous Gianna was thrilled to come share with me that she helped a little boy go up the ladder and down the slide. After she came to report, I watched as she continued to serve this younger child and take him by the hand and guide him to safely play on the playground. She feels the joy as well.
We are dedicating this year to service and pray you will join us on this journey. It can be as simple or elaborate as your opportunity for service may be: write someone a letter, help someone return a grocery cart, be a listening ear to an elderly person. It won't matter what the service is; it will matter that you did something for someone else for whom you are not responsible and you will have added joy and peace in your own life.
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