Romans 12:1-2

So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you. Romans 12:1-2

Monday, October 29, 2012

One Thousand Gifts - October 29


#1484 - 1520


J.A. at school

Colorful new kitchen mat

Seeing a friend from college

Lots and lots of rain

A whole day without school work

A long weekend to look forward to

Perspective

A Godly lady – I’m thankful to be a part of her family!

God’s Word

A city experience

A hotel room gift

A crisp morning

Weekend away

Sitting on a porch eating lunch with Aunt

God’s provision

Being able to go to Aunt’s chemo

God’s healing touch

Changing a situation for a family member’s health

L’s boldness to speak to his Youth Alive group

M making application of a youth lesson

A waterfall in a restaurant

Time to read a book

Free calendars in the mail

He rescues

Difficulties that make us trust

Difficulties that make us lean in to God

The care Aunt is getting from her small group

A very fun evening out with my small group

Biofreeze

Simple heartfelt questions

Acceptance

Heart to heart

Pumpkin butter

10 min on the rolley table at the chiropractor

Four color pen

Boys coming to my school after theirs

Aunt on the front page of the paper


Saturday, October 27, 2012

Mom's Chili



1 pound of lean hamburger meat
onions if you like
1 pkg. of chili seasoning (preferably Williams)
1 can of cream of mushroom soup
1 can of tomato soup
Up to one can of water

Brown the hamburger meat (with onions if you wish).  Drain very well and put back in the skillet or a new pot.  Add the other ingredients and simmer for about 20 mins.

This is no where enough chili for our family so I double the recipe and may have to start tripling it. 

Mom always made spaghetti for chili to go on top of and Hubby really likes that.  I use sour cream and either Fritos or crackers.  Everyone likes cheese!

On the Home Front - October 27


A peek through my window…. very sunny, but very chilly.  It looks great!
 
What’s going on this week… for me – nothing much but, work.  I will be taxi for M helping at Trunk r Treat and for L going to his second week of wrestling practice.
 
What “the boys” are doing… they are probably still in the air.  Hubby is flying them to Dallas to be with cousins.
 
On my mind… how nice it is to sleep in and to sit here now and blog.  I’m hoping to get some things done in the house and am weighing when I need to do schoolwork.  Some today so I can stop thinking about it or just as much as I can tomorrow so I have a day off?
 
On my bedside table…  I read a book during Fall Break, but now I can’t find my Kindle!  Maybe it’s in Hubby’s car or will show up today!
 
I am richly blessed…  to have Hubby’s help, support and prayers.
 
I’m praying for… Aunt’s chemo treatments.  Week one of five down.
 
Our home…  Guess I have another decision to make.  Concentrate on laundry/finding Fall clothes or everything else?  Perhaps my desk?  It looks worse than my desk at school!
 
Menu planning… Planning?  Not much anymore.  I made chili last night.  It was good, but everyone agreed “Keep making your Mom’s recipe”.  There’s BBQ pork in the fridge to have on a “busy” night; breakfast for dinner on a night Hubby won’t be in; and chicken for Bread Crumb Chicken.
 
A photo or two…


Fall Break T rip to Kansas City

Monday, October 22, 2012

Exactly What I Needed

Our lives have been "off" lately.  By off, I mean we have been adjusting.  Adjusting to Aunt having leukemia - hospital stays and other needs plus our own emotions.  Adjusting to me working again full time.  The actual act isn't that big of an adjustment.  I've done it before and the boys are semi-self-sufficient, so that part's good.  The adjustment comes from my timing - new standards, new evaluation system, new programs and my new emotions as I deal with all these new things.

We've managed.  Hubby has been amazingly supportive and God has carried us.  A while back I walked up to my sink and glanced up and saw this:


Very simple. Exactly what I needed.  I'm very thankful to Dayspring for providing this Day Brightener for me.  I love Peanuts and this perpetual calendar and the family organizing calendar have been wonderful additions to my kitchen.


If you look closely, you can tell I need to add more of our family info. to our calendar for it to actually work the best (but I think I'm in denial).  However, the point I want to make here is: shortly after I hung it on the fridge (magnetic strip with a pocket - the best kind of calendar ever!), my 8th grade son, wrote on his spaces when he had papers due at school. On. His. Own.  That's what I call effective!

There's some kind of disclaimer that I'm supposed to include, but honestly, I can't find it and the last three reviews I checked didn't have it (I thought it would be soooo easy just to copy!).  It seems too stressful for me to find the exact wording, but the jest is that I received these products free from Dayspring in return for my honest review.  My opinions are true and entirely my own.

If you need smiles in your day, a little organization or are looking for great Christmas gifts, check out the Peanuts calendar at Dayspring.  Look for other things too.  They always have GREAT deals!

Monday, October 1, 2012

One Thousand Gifts - October 1

I continue counting gifts. I don't count to brag or get to a "magic number", but to remember God's provision.  The more I count, focusing on the Giver, not the gift, the more content I am......

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Colosians 3:15

#1467 - #1483

God told me where Aunt’s keys were

Drop ins in my classroom

Roast for dinner

Boys who are responsible

Hair cuts

Figuring out just a little more

Looking at pictures

Aunt picking the boys up at school
 
A moment to be thankful

Leaving school “early”

I found a slug to show my class!

Shopping for my niece

Books

Aunt did not have a heart attack

A family who keeps things going
 
Pumpkin Chai Tea Latte

Well, pumpkin anything !

(I smile when I see things I know are "repeats".  I can keep counting though, because they are things I really am thankful for in the moment.  A few repeats here are: responsible boys, roast, looking at pictures, and books.)