{Thirty Days of Thanks~2012; Day 12}

My thankful heart is seeing that it's November 12th and freaking out a bit! I have a major production in a month and I feel SO FAR behind! I think I probably feel this way every year at this time--but it seems "new" to me every year.

Today I'm grateful for a few little things---nothings "major" or life changing to anyone---but I'm still grateful for them. I am thankful at this point in the holiday season that I can look again to the past and KNOW that "it" will all get done and  work out just fine. "IT" is all of the stuff that has to happen between now and the program date---and just the knowledge that I've done it numerous times before is a comfort to me. So, my heart can rest knowing that the All-Sufficient One has this more than handled.

I'm also thankful tonight for some extra time with Joshua to play a game. He didn't have too much homework, so after dinner and clean up we were able to sit and play Yahtzee of all things. I'm not sure when I last played it---but it was found in the "great clean-out of 2012"---and we played it tonight. There is something to be said about no screen time---it forces us to be together in a more engaging environment than just watching a movie together---we should play more games....real conversations happen over games---not so much over a movie. Now, don't hear me  and think I'm bashing the movies---because we Nelson's LOVE to watch some movies---but it was a refreshing flash back to when the screen didn't consume children---or adults. Sadly, I think those days may be gone forever. We do have screens everywhere---we are forced to use them for work, we have them on our laps, in our bedrooms, in our pockets and purses. I'm grateful today for this pause in the norm---this quiet game---well, if you've ever played Yahtzee, you know it's not a quiet game---that dice cup is the most annoying thing in the world......but, you know what I mean!

Enjoy your week---and take a moment away from the screen.

{Thirty Days of Thanks~2012; Day 11}

Day 11 | Purging is good!!

I began cleaning out my attic today---I say "began" because there is still plenty to do, but I have gotten SO much done and it feels great. Now the challenge will be to get it all out of my house by next Saturday---that's the cut off date for me! Everything is in Hannah's room or in the dining room. If I've been through it and it's leaving my house, it's in the dining room, if I still need to dig through the box, it's in Hannah's room----I'm sure she'd be thrilled to know this!

I went through YEARS of things today---I opened every box and dug through it---poured over some of it---cried a little, laughed a lot, let go of a bunch of stuff we just don't need anymore. I'm not sure WHY I kept most of it, but it's time to send it to new owners----or the dump----quite a bit will end up there!

I'm grateful today for several things---that I'm healthy enough to work a long day----much of it spent hunched over in the attic or sliding under beams. I'm thankful to be reminded of many sweet times in my past. I think when you go through change, sometimes you get stuck in the change and you can't remember what the past was like---that it was good....not perfect, but good.  With that said, I'm grateful that I'm a saver---that I have scads of things to remember the beautiful. Sometimes you need something to look at and hold on to in order to remember the truth of the past---good or bad. This was a gift to me today.

{Thirty Days of Thanks~2012; Day 10}

Day 10 | Seasoned parenting...

Today I'm grateful I've parented for a while now. I will not give details---to avoid embarrassment to the child---BUT, this process is easier the third time around. Granted, doing it alone has its challenges, but my years as a mom and likely my years in the classroom help me be a better parent. I wish I had had this wisdom with my girls! (They probably do, too!!)

I couldn't help but think of this verse today as I had to dole out some discipline.

    Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?
(Romans 2:4 ESV)

God's kindness is meant to lead you---ME---to repentance. If he is our Heavenly Father and therefore, our parenting example in many ways, shouldn't I lead like HE does?  I don't know about you, but when I'm in the middle of disciplining, my first thought isn't "kindness"--or forbearance or patience, for that matter. As the benevolent dictator of this home, too often I rule with a tone that isn't kind---BUT, I will tell you, the kindness comes out much more often that it used to. I think the tricky parenting years may still be in front of me as I "parent" grown children (whatever THAT means---still learning there!) and I cope with a teenaged boy----ewwwwwww! I'm thankful today that my Heavenly Father is still parenting me along the way---teaching me to be a better teacher to my son. And I'm SO thankful for some experience that make the journey a little easier--He knew I'd need that about this point in my life, too!

{Thirty Days of Thanks~2012; Day 9}

Day 9 | Baby #2 On the Way!

Today I'm so thankful to have another baby on the way in my little family! What fun for us to get to celebrate with Caitlin and Carson---such a gift! She is due February 18th! We will have a lovely spring around here!! They aren't finding out what sex the baby is ahead of time, so we'll have a GREAT surprise at the hospital!

And, btw, isn't she beautiful?

{Thirty Days of Thanks~2012; Day 8}

Day 8 | My colleagues

I'm so thankful today for my sweet colleagues at work. I'm blessed to work with some lovely, hard working, kind, hard working, funny, hard working, gracious, did I mention hard working?  women! Joshua woke up sick today---nothing too serious, but I could tell as soon as I entered his room that he was sick and wouldn't be going to school today.

I always feel awful when I need to miss school because sometimes they don't get a substitute for me....which means these amazing---hard working----women will have not one minute to breathe during the day if they don't have music. This leaves me torn---my son is my priority, but these women are my friends and we DO work together toward a beautiful goal.  Joshua was going back to sleep, so I decided I'd try to rearrange my schedule/combine some classes and see if I could just come home early. Every person I asked had the attitude, "What can I do to serve you? It was so beautiful. What a gift to me. I was able to rearrange everything and leave by 11AM----WOW---that was almost miraculous! These ladies are amazing! They are flexible, kind, generous, professional educators and I'm so glad I get to walk beside them.

Thank you ladies for blessing me today~

{Thirty Days of Thanks~2012; Day 7}

If your determination is fixed, I do not counsel you to despair. Few things are impossible to diligence and skill. Great works are performed not by strength, but perseverance.
Samuel Johnson

Day 7 | Perseverance--

Last year this crazy kid received an award at school for his diligence. He IS a hard worker. He is a deliberate worker who pretends not to care about the results, but he does. I am continually learning from him---let's face it, I'm back in school now!!! We study together for everything! I'm hoping to learn math this time around---no, really, starting over and LEARNING MATH!

Joshua's perseverance is a beautiful lesson to me. The child is only in the 6th grade and he works harder than I ever worked in High School. Now, the work isn't necessarily as hard as it was at that time in my life, (or as it will be for him later), but the time commitment is definitely as much, if not more than it ever was for me. 

I am a hard worker---but I'm not sure I truly "labor" over my work like he does---I'm learning from him to KEEP AT IT. Even if the task seems impossible--it's always better to have tried and fail than never to have tried at all---right?

I'm so thankful for a reminder right here in my home to persevere---in ALL things, persevere. One of the verses I pray for Joshua is below---tonight as we were getting through the homework, I began to think of this and hoped and prayed that I, too would persevere---that I, too would be an example to HIM of perseverance. This was a humbling moment as I realized how often I have failed to do this. I'm thankful for these moments of truth in my life (and also that they can often be private and not in a humiliating way---which is also a possibility! ;D ) So, today, I'm thankful for my son---and his  example to me of perseverance---even when he doesn't know he is an example. I'm thankful for this hope---that "does not put us to shame because of God's love"---that is powerful knowledge! I hope you are thankful today for something---for many things!

    Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
   
(Romans 5:1-5 ESV)

{Thirty Days of Thanks~2012; Day 6}

Day 6 | Reality check

So, I've already talked about voting on Day 2---and I was thankful for that. Today I'm thankful that it really doesn't matter who wins---I KNOW, I KNOW----some of you just left. But listen---I am thankful today that I live in a great republic-that I get to help choose my leaders (I'd help more if I lived in Ohio, apparently---but still.) Either way, I am so tired of 'American Christians' thinking that a "party" or a "man" will save us.

There is a person in my life who wants to help me---like, he (with his family) does a lot to serve me. The other day, I had asked him the name of a person to help fix my lawn mower and he wanted to pay for the fix----I just needed the name---this was a texted conversation, so I finally said, "Jesus is my Savior---not YOU!!" Would I love for him to pay for my fix?---Well, YEAH, but it's not necessary---and I know that he can use that money to help someone else who has a great need right now. That is the way he works---he gives. I'd like to say that to those who are mourning now because it looks like they are close to calling this election ---and not for the "American Christians' " candidate. I'd like to see us lift high the name of Christ as much as we have lifted high the name of "put favorite candidate here". Do we REALLY believe that one person holds that much sway over a holy God? UGH----it just makes me sad.

Today I'm thankful that I DO trust in this holy God; that I know He sees all and knows all and he can handle anything that may be done here.  I'd like to see a more civil approach to this process----among believers!!! Isn't that the LEAST that we can do as a "chosen generation, a Royal priesthood, a holy nation"? YES--- I could ramble on this topic for a long time, but I'm sleepy and my pillow is calling my name. I thankful tonight for Jesus. That He is the creator and He created all those in charge and we can trust Him. Goodnight---life will still go on tomorrow---no matter who wins!