Family, Fun and Gratitude

The month of November is a perfect time to stop and reflect on our blessings. Every year, when November rolls around, I get geared up to make a 'thankful list', deliberately choose to count my blessings, make a gratitude journal etc.

Then....December comes and slowly the rush of Christmas preparations can push aside that attitude of gratitude. This year, my focus is not just to 'do gratitude', but to 'live out gratitude'.

Gratitude isn't simply being thankful, it goes beyond the blessings, to recognize the hope that we have in the Lord. It is what give us hope and help in the hard times. It is a steadfast heart that looks to God who alone brings all things together for our good.

One of many people's richest blessings is family. Once marriage occurs, we gain family, grow, stretch and learn to love differently. Family love stretches our hearts and lives. I've been blessed with an incredible and loving family and married into a larger but just as wonderful family. This weekend many of us ladies gathered together to celebrate an upcoming wedding. A house full of ladies with one purpose - to celebrate and fellowship made for a cherished memory. With one bride-to-be, there were many different sides of family represented, some local, from some from long distances, those we see often, those we haven't seen for years, some we've never met!! But what a great time it was and of course a photo opportunity that couldn't be ignored!!

This is my 'thankful post' this week...thankful for all family, but especially for this ladies day!!

Beautiful Ladies - aunts and nieces!

The girls selfie!!

The other side!!

Some of my nieces and I

Sisters in heart, bonded by family!!

Comments

Sometimes We Score, Sometimes We Block

Our family is in the midst of little league soccer season. My youngest son is playing and his enthusiasm is contagious. He is pretty good at the sport, but what makes it so great is that he loves it! He counts the days until the next game or practice. He loves his coach and teammates. He has moved up an age level this year and the players are working more like team, passing to each other and watching out for each other during play. During the last game, my son scored two goals, they were the only goals of the game. In today's game the team scored eight goals. My son came up afterwards to me and said, "I didn't score today, but I blocked". What a powerful truth those words can hold. In life, sometimes we score, sometimes we block. Sometimes we do great things, we excel, we achieve, we meet our goal - we score! There are also times we see the needs of others, sometimes they are sad or hurting, we block their hits. We look out for them so they can score. We...

WFW – Write It On My Heart

This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time, declares the Lord. I will put My laws in their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be My people. Hebrews 8:10 On a recent field trip to a museum featuring the days gone by, we sat in an old schoolroom as the teacher introduced us to the quill pen and bottle of ink. She cautioned us to use extreme caution using the ink and told us that if it got on our skin or clothes, it would not come off. This reminded me of this beautiful promise from Hebrews. God told His people he would put His law in their minds and write it on their hearts. This is a covenant which cannot be broken. He loves us and wants us to know Him through His Word. As we read more and more of His Word, it becomes w...

Construction, Challenges, Chaos

Who knew something simple could erupt into something chaotic so quickly? A broken file cabinet forced us to purchase a new one. We found one online, ordered it and it arrived quickly with a do it yourself assembly book, complete with 24 part packages and 18 steps of instructions! As we unpacked the items and compared with the instruction book, we realized a part was missing. Customer service was called, a replacement part was quickly received. Except, the screws did not fit into the holes on the replacement part. We tried again, received another part, same issue. Meanwhile, the 24 packages of parts are spread out on my living room floor, customer service does not understand my issue, they asked for photos which were sent and now we are again, waiting for a part. It seems every project faces the inevitable delay. My work place is undergoing a floor remodel. Upheaval, dust, packing, lots of inconvenience and depending on the work crew's schedule dictate the next fe...

Joyfull Living

Search This Blog