Thankful Thursday

I can't believe it is Thursday again... My weeks are running into each other... Can I get a witness??? I have much to still accomplish tonight (including helping Moose study for a test) so I better get going with my list...

-First, I am so thankful for my best Fwend... She is so that "Iron that Sharpens" me. If I had a life top ten list, her friendship would be one thing that would make my list. I love ya Girl!!!

(If you get a chance please click here (or on my sidebar-Cooke Family Journey) she is requesting information about "Family Worship" ideas. She and her husband are in the final stages of raising support to be full time missionaries for "Family Life"... I can't think of a better family to represent the wonderful values of this Ministry.)

-Second, I am thankful for Beth Moore... How many times has she been on my list I will never know :) My Women's Bible study just finished up a Jennifer Rothschild study, and we are doing a 4 week video study by Beth Moore called "He Is"now. I have been going through a spiritual slump as of late, with a touch of depression, and Monday night's session of "He Is" was just what I needed. I just felt like God was speaking right into the depths of my heart through Beth on Monday. I cannot wait to hear the last 3 sessions of this Study.

-Third, since I mentioned her name above I am so thankful for Jennifer Rothschild. I went to her conference (Fresh Grounded Faith) this past Saturday and it was wonderful. As stated in an earlier post, she has such an eternal perspective on life, and I am sure that her blindness has had something to do with the way she views life.

-I am thankful for new relationships that have been developing in the friendship arena lately. It will be neat to see what God may have in store for these relationships.

-I am thankful that my computer and email account are in working order again. Thanks to my hubby!!! He completely wiped away my hard drive so it is like I have a new computer all over again. I just have to not think about what I probably lost... Hey, if I can't remember it-it probably wasn't too important, right?

Well, I have much more to be thankful for today, but I will keep it short so those who visit can visit others today to read their "TT" list. Saying that, I hope to be able to comment on your lists this week too. Life has been going by at super speed lately, but I must slow down so I don't miss where God is working and moving.

Wordless Wednesday

Fresh Grounded Faith Conference with Jennifer Rothschild (Shelly Jennings was her worship leader...I think that is her last name) ... I couldn't get my camera to take a good picture during the live event, but the conference was w0nderful.

To me,Jennifer has such an awesome perspective on life and what really matters eternally... I am sure her blindness has much to do with that... What an GREAT day.

The Chest Bump Male Thing

This doesn't look like such a wise match up for the "chest bump"... Terminator is getting the raw end of the deal :)

Snake and Moose male bonding... See video below for live action footage...

I don't know how they learned this... My voice sounds a bit gruffy... I was trying to make some of the male noises :)

Yearly Apple Barn Visit

My boys at the Apple Barn... We have visited every year since we moved here 4 years ago... I can't believe how big they are getting :)

Thankful Thursday

Time for Thankful Thursday... If you get a chance check out the video in my sidebar... My youngest is featured in the video telling what he has learned in Church over the last month during our Church wide Series, "Count Me In"... (You can't see the whole screen, but you can still see most of the kids... Terminator is wearing the glasses)

OK, on to what I am thankful for this week...

-First, I had car trouble this morning, and a friend of mine came and picked me up and took me to work, and then she came and picked me up and took me back home :)

-I am thankful that my hubby and I have been working and staying within our budget...sometimes it is hard to do :)

-I am thankful for the Gas prices going down.

-I am going to a Women's Conference on Saturday... Jennifer Rothschild is the speaker for the event... I can't wait.

-Last (I gotta go finish supper), I am thankful that I have been able to use my past experiences (sins included) and growth since then to help encourage others going through similar experiences... God is Good!!!

Look for the Familar Face...

I could not get the video to post here, something to do with HTML or something like that... Take a look at the video at the top of my sidebar on the right (it is the only video). Look for a little familiar face to this blog... He has glasses and is named "Terminator". I guess he was listening in Church the last few weeks :) Plus, enjoy all the other adorable kiddos... (note... you won't see the whole screen, but you will still be able to see all the kiddos)

Thankful Thursday

Once again it is "TT", and I just love stopping and thinking about what I am thankful for... Sadly, I don't do that as much as I need to. -The most recent thing I am thankful for is a neighbor friend of mine who so willingly volunteered to watch my vomiting child today while I went to work. Moose started heaving around 6 am today, and I thought it would be a one or two time thing and he would be fine, so I asked my neighbor if she could sit with him while I went to work, and she agreed. She already had a sick child at home too. However, Moose didn't stop vomiting after one or two times, so I told her I would just stay home with him, but the fact that she offered meant the world to me. Also thankful that Moose started feeling better after he slept for an hour. He is pretty much back to normal...Hoping the bug will get lost from our house, and not get my other 2 boys.-I also mentioned this last week, but in our Women's Bible Study women are continuing to give testimonies, and I am just blown away by them. Early on in my walk, I remember when I would hear testimonies from people that I could tend to look at the person and think how strong or great they were, but as I mature (a slow process at times) in God when I hear testimonies like I have heard the past month, I now can look and see what an awesome God we have.-I am thankful for the "Family Life Today" radio broadcast. Lately every time I turn on the radio and hear the "FL" broadcast, I am so encouraged by the guests they have on the show. -I am thankful that my Fwend has made her way to New York as she and her family are trying to finish up raising their missionary support so they can go work at Family Life. She is living in a studio apartment with a little over 500 square feet with her family of five (her and her hubby and their 3 boys). Her family is truly living out their faith as they have no idea what the future will hold. LOVE YOU GIRL!!!-I am thankful for a parenting resource that I feel like the Lord has led me to... The resource in itself is just a tool, but the message of the resource I believe will be life changing in the area of my parenting... (look very soon for a more detailed post on this)-Last week, or the week before I mentioned that I was thankful that Travis Cottrell (travels with Beth Moore as the Worship Leader) released a Christmas CD. Well, I still need to purchase it, but I am working within a budget (right, Honey?) and that money has not come my way yet, but I am close. There is a video clip of Travis recording one of the songs from the new CD with other singers, and when I saw the clip it gave me the shivers...you know the good kind, like goosebumps. I couldn't get the link to show here, but if you click this link it takes you directly there so you can see the video (about 2 mins)... Click over and let me know what you think.


Travis'" Christmas CD from on Vimeo.

Wordless Wednesday

Flashback to 2005... Moose and Terminator... Brotherly Love :)

Cafe Chat Meme

Hey Blogville... As stated here before I host a weekly meme at the "Internet Cafe". This post will be up at the Cafe tomorrow. Please feel free to leave your answer to the question in my comment section, and I also encourage you to click on the button above to get to the "Cafe" and sign the Mr. Linky link (on Saturday) so you can share your answers with others...

Gossip… What emotion does that word evoke in you? Sadly, I have been the deliverer of gossip more times than I can count, and at the same time have been hurt by others gossiping about me. The Lord took me on a journey that began about 8 years ago to deal with the sin of gossip in my life, and girl was it a hard one at times. I have come a LONG way with the Lord’s intervention and guidance when it comes to gossip, and now this subject is quite dear to me.

I think by our nature women are more susceptible to the sin of gossip, and we can make it out to not be such a bad thing, BUT IT IS. So today, I would like for us to get a little personal and share an experience that you had with gossip. I want for us all to see how devastating this sin can be, and if gossip exists in our lives, let us go to the Lord and ask him to eradicate it completely.

Without sharing names and using specific details, please share a time when gossip reared its ugly head in your life, and what was the outcome (whether you were the one who gossiped, or the gossip was about you).

Thankful Thursday

Today (or tomorrow... I always post on Wednesdays) is "Thankful Thursday", and once again if it wasn't for this meme I may not post anything at all. Actually, I am trying to post regularly because I sure have enough life experiences to post about :) -First of all, I am thankful for my cookbook that came in the mail yesterday. Click here to see what I am talking about. The cookbook is full of recipes from bloggers, specifically the "Siestas" (a community of bloggers that check Beth Moore's blog regularly). BooMama, a blogger most bloggers will recognize even has some recipes in the book. Holly, a sweet precious blogger organized the cookbook, and all the profits go to build a water well for the Life Today organization (love that James and Betty :) Anyhow, click on the link above and you will get info about the cookbooks. All that to say I am inspired to get into my kitchen and cook some good food...Oh my hubby will be so happy, but he still doesn't believe I will cook for him because he has seen my collection of DUSTY cookbooks :)-I am thankful for my Monday night Bible Study... I talked about this earlier... There are about 3 new ladies that have not done a Bible study before that go to the Monday night session, and they are just loving it... I remember the excitement of my first Bible Studies :) Plus, our group has had ladies giving testimonies every week, and I have been so encouraged. Our God is working in the hearts and lives of His People!!!!-Our McDonald's now has Caramel Iced Coffees... Yum-I am thankful that lately we have had some fun family nights...Just me, the hubby, and our 3 boys. I am also thankful that the boys have been watching my Disney Princess Stories. I kind of started collecting the movies awhile ago (BK-Before Kids), and I have all the good ones, the ones I thought I would watch with one of my girls...Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, Snow White... you get the picture... Well, I don't have any girls, but we just watched "Beauty and the Beast" and the boys liked it :) You know, I still think I like the Beast better than the Prince...There is just something special about a sweet Beast with a broken heart :)-This will sound simple, but I am thankful for my new "Triple Barrel Curling Iron" that I got on sale for $14.00. -I am thankful most of all that the Lord continues to work in my heart, even though I can easily get off track and go my own way...He keeps calling me back, and I see that He is changing me, little by little into the person that He wants me to be, and deep down inside I know He is changing me into the person I really want to be.

I CAN'T PROTECT HIM FOREVER...

Before I begin this post, I want to preface it by a story I heard on a Christian teaching CD (I may not get every detail correct, but will get the main point across). The man on the CD was talking about a conversation he was having with another man about children... The man (who is a preacher) and his wife were getting ready to have a baby boy, and in conversation the other man told the preacher that he hoped he had a healthy child because that was what was important. However, the preacher disagreed... Why? I will try to explain what the preacher meant when he disagreed...

All parents want the best for their children, and what parents do not want their children to be healthy??? We all do, I did and I do still. However the preacher made the point about what is most important for his children... our children. The most important thing is that our children love God, and serve Him with all their hearts. What benefit is it if our children our 100% healthy, but never accept God? What bit of importance is it if our children are the most talented or most athletic if they die and are separated from God for all eternity? The pastor went on to say that if sickness or an infirmity would draw his children closer to God that he would pray for that... Hmm, I have not heard that too often, but I am beginning to understand exactly what the preacher was saying... That CD got me thinking...Actually, I have been thinking a lot like this for awhile now in many areas of my life. So now, I will tell you my story that will sort of relate to what I just shared about the preacher.

Moose, my oldest who has Autism is in 4th Grade this year. I have heard from several people that have children with Autism that this year and age were when things got really hard for their kids, mostly in the social arena. Pretty much up until now Moose has not really been rejected by his peers socially. Every once in awhile a child would say something, but Moose didn't really get it. I realize that whether a child has a disorder or not that this is the age things get hard for a lot of kids socially. What kid doesn't want to be accepted by their peers? I know I did.

I take Moose to the Bus Stop daily. We sit in the car and wait for the bus to come, and when the bus comes Moose gets out of the car. There are about 3 children that stand at the bus stop daily. I don't think Moose really knows them, except for the fact that they ride the same bus. A few times Moose has stood outside with the other kids, but I haven't really seen them engage with him too often.

A couple of weeks ago the kids were playing around having fun, and Moose asked if he could get out and have fun. Of course, my first instinct is to say no because I was afraid that they would ignore him, and maybe at the deepest level afraid that they would make fun of him. I also know Moose, and part of his problem is that socially he doesn't always know how to act. He can talk about things that just don't make sense, or that are not important to his listener. He likes to hog the conversation (I have that problem too :). I didn't go with my feelings and I let him get out and stand with the kids. I rolled down the window so I could listen to what Moose would say.

At first Moose tried to join in with what the kids were doing. They weren't really paying much attention to him, but he was oblivious to that fact. The kids were not being mean, but not necessarily including him. The kids then stopped playing and were standing around waiting for the bus. This is when I heard Moose talking to one of the girls about the procession of how the school grades work, something like this..."after fourth grade, you gotta go to 5th grade, you can't go to middle school yet, and then after middle school you have to go to high school" . I think the girl politely said she knew that, but he still kept talking about it. Again, the children were not mean to him, but I could tell that they maybe felt a little uncomfortable... I feel like they sensed he was different in some way, and were not really sure how to act around him.

This is where the mom in me wants to run up and tell those kids..."Hey my son is special, please be nice to him and accept him, include him, see the sweetness and specialness in Moose that I do"... Of course this is the mom in me, and I am beginning to see that this reaction is not a good one on my part. What am I telling my son if I am wanting the world to accept him? As a Christian, I know that what the world thinks about me and Moose is not important... Actually, if we are pursuing Christ with all our hearts I expect we shall face more rejection than acceptance in this world... So this is where I get the preacher's point...

It is hard to watch Moose or any of my children be rejected by others, but I feel that I need to pray for them that they will be able to stand up for Christ when they are rejected by the world. I didn't stand up for Christ when I was young, but I do pray that my kids will be able to...

If Moose's Autism can draw him to Christ than it was the biggest and greatest blessing that He ever will get... For when Moose is weak, Christ can be STRONG through him. I am beginning to see exactly what the preacher meant... If my kids weaknesses draw them to Christ, even though in the world's eyes they don't measure up, it is worth the struggle they may go through... Oh, how I wish I would have grasped this idea when I was young, but now that my eyes are open I must pray for my kids to grasp this truth.

The more I grow in Christ, the more I see how much I have to learn... May I continue to be a learner for the rest of my life...

(a sidenote... I think the kids at the bus stop maybe trying to get to know Moose :)

Thankful Thursday

Another week has come and gone and I am thankful for "TT" because it causes me to stop and remember God's goodness in my life and in the lives of the ones I love... I just need to remember to not wait until Thursdays to be thankful, but to be thankful everyday :)

-Today (it is still officially Wed) is the anniversary of our move from Florida to our new state. It was 4 years ago that we moved. The "MOVE" was probably one of the biggest spiritual milestones in my life (and my family). I would be here for days if I wrote posts about all the blessings that have come since our move from Florida. Yes, so many physical blessings have come into our lives after the move...honestly, I should not call them blessings, but MIRACLES... God has really blown my family away with the many things He has done for us since our move. Although, in my human state I can get caught up in the "physical" blessings and think those were the greatest things that happened since our move, but I would be totally wrong. The most amazing miracles that have happened since our move have been the spiritual blessings. I would only do these blessings justice by writing and explaining all about them, but I don't have the time at present. BUT, I will try to capture them in a very small way for you with this bullet point list....
-Strengthened Marriage
-Continual development in the area of being a submissive wife
-Family unit has become stronger
-Increased Faith for my hubby and me
-Friendship with my Best Friend became even closer
-Becoming a better parent
-Freedom from certain strongholds that have plagued me my whole life (this is a continual work)
-God has revealed more of Himself to me, and thus changing my whole life around
-Relationships with extended family have become better and are more meaningful
-Understanding more of what it means "To Know Him" and what it means to TRULY be Christ's disciple (ongoing work)

Again, I could keep on going with my list, but I will end here with a word of encouragement... The "Move" was not something I particularly wanted to do, but I think I had finally come to a point where it was more important for me to say yes to what Jesus wanted me to do. If God is asking you to do something, do it... You won't regret it. We don't always see the reasons why God asks us to do something, but trust that He has His reasons and they are always for His good and His Glory. This is something I am learning with God's help.

Blessings "TT" community or whoever reads this blog today...