Looking Forward with Thankfulness

Five days in to the new year ... and I have already been reflecting as well as looking forward.  So far in 2014, I have yet to make it to the gym or even workout at home.   But my goals for this year go beyond a resolution to get healthier & lose weight.  My goals are more internal than external.  
This year of 2014 is a big year for all of us ... we all are moving forward.  So, what better way to begin the new year and each new day than looking inward at my heart attitude?

I haven't normally had a life verse that I cling to during the year, but this year is different.  
And so here is my verse ...

Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, 

therewith to be content.  Philippians 4:11 KJV

This is my verse for the upcoming year ... 

it doesn't matter how much I have or what I have.

I'm content because

Jesus is simply enough.

I'm so very thankful that I don't have to write with flowery words ...

I don't have to be someone that I'm not ...

I don't have to be a Bible scholar ...

Jesus loves me.

Like I said, this is a big year in our household -- 

the 30-50-K:

Dan & I will celebrate our 30th anniversary

I will celebrate my 50th birthday

Lucy will begin Kindergarten

The older I get, the more I realize that it's the everyday that matters most. 

Nothing elaborate, nothing fancy, nothing earth-shattering.

It's the little things in my everyday that makes me thankful --

the little giggles and kisses I get from my grandbabies ...

Tag's "I yuuuv youuuuu, Nanny" ...

Lucy's "you're the best, Nanny" ...

It's the way my husband takes time in the mornings to have breakfast with me ...

the way he has the grandbabies balanced at the kitchen counter trying to eat his dinner ...

the way he says "I love you, Sweetheart" at the end of every day ...

It's the little things in everyday life that matters most ...

 and these little things become the monumental cornerstones in life.

So, with the new year here upon us and just a few days into the freshness of new beginnings ...

I'm already clinging to my verse.  Knowing with open eyes that there will be challenges and trials and hardships to endure ...

but His mercies are new every morning.

And I can do all things that make up my goals' list through Him because He is my strength in the midst of my weaknesses.
I will press onward to meet my external goals but only as my internal goals reflect His greatness and His glory.

Perfect life?

absolutely not ...

Perfect me?

not by a long shot ...

Perfect Savior?

ahhhhhhhh, YES!!!!!!!

Now, without a doubt, I know that I will backslide and not everyday will I cling to this verse.  I know that I will cling to my own flesh and my own wants of my own way.  But His ways are not my ways, and He will give me His peace that will pass my feeble understanding of certain situations that will come my way. 

But, as long as I awake every morning, I will have a brand new day to start again.

And thank God, He will accept me just as I am.

I do look forward to realizing my goals for this year and will endeavor each day to become more like Christ who lives in me.

2014 is the year of our 30-50-K ...

and I thank God He already awaits each new day for me.

 

   

Living in God's Grace in 2013

As 2013 comes to an end and 2014 begins, it's a reminiscing yet contemplating time ... taking a look back yet looking forward to what the new year may hold.  Over the past few days I've changed this post a few times -- but no matter what I had written, the theme is always the same ...

God is good
God is gracious
God is generous

God is simply enough.


So, here's a look back at how God's grace brought our family through 2013 ...

Tag had a sick-stay in the hospital the last few days of 2012 and  made it home on 
New Year's Eve just in time to ring in 2013 (well, he was actually asleep -- but at least he was home & not in the hospital). 

He was anxious to see his big sister at home!  Oh, and I almost forgot ---
Tag started walking soon after he came home from the hospital -- our house will never be the same :)

And on February 9th we celebrated
Thomas Alexander's FIRST birthday!!!

... and we celebrated Mrs. 'Joe & Mr. 'Joe's birthdays too in February --- 

{and 'Joes birthday is also his Alive Day -- the day God protected his life from the enemy rockets that were meant to kill him ... 
puts a whole new perspective on birthdays in our family}

We said our final earthly good-bye to my dear Uncle Larry in early March. He had a stroke in late February & found peace in the nailed-scarred hands of Jesus 11 days later.  We miss him dearly but he has joined many other of our family -- what a reunion! 
I can still hear him singing Wayfaring Stranger acapella ... 
Godspeed Uncle Larry -- we will see you again.

This is also the birthday month of my favorite person ...

From 1984 to 2013 ...

22 years old to 51 years old ...

My guy.

{I will add this about my husband ... in the midst of his very busy tax season at work, he took the time off to drive me to my Uncle's funeral in my hometown 7 hours away from us.  We had a major snow storm in our area with about 7-9 inches of snow on Wednesday, but Dan & I left on Thursday March 7 at 5pm and went to the funeral on Friday at 11am ... left to come back home at 3pm and got home around 10:30pm ... then he was up by 6am and getting to work on Saturday the 9th which was also his 51st birthday.  And he worked every day straight until April 15th ...  I dearly love this man.}

Easter Sunday was March 31st.  At preschool Lucy & her class made the story of Easter by using plastic Easter eggs.  If you haven't read my post about this, 
please CLICK HERE to read how one little girl retold the Easter promise to me.

   

My parents have always had a special relationship with our daughter ... and now with our grandchildren. They drove over an hour to see Lucy's dancing debut at her recital.

Her group danced to The Muppet Show theme ...

Lucy also completed her first year of preschool!!! Grandad & I are so proud of how she adjusted to school times and met new friends.  Her teachers loved her & she grew -- not only academically but emotionally, socially and most importantly ... spiritually.  This little girl has seen so much "life" in her short time on earth, and she is truly my role model.
(Pic on left is 1st day of preschool in Sept '12 and on right is last day of preschool in
 June '13)

Lucy also went back to Walter Reed to help The General's Kids give some Little Warriors' care packages. Our own Little Warrior has a heart of gold ...

... and then Lucy had a dance photo-shoot. Her dance studio specifically requested if she could be a model!

I turned 49 in 2013 ... it marked my exit from my
Silent Milestone (CLICK HERE to read more)
Have I ever mentioned how blessed I am??? I sure don't do it enough ...
 

Lucy turned a whole hand-full in September -- FIVE years old!!! Oh my ... what can Granny really say about this little girl?  Again, God is sooooooo gracious & so good to us.  Lucy has a heart of gold for others & she brightens up everybody she is around.








My girl ... Lucy ... my girl ... talkin' about my girl ... Lucy ... 
my girl!!!










Lucy found herself in the middle of a surprise birthday party at Stuffy Bear --
it was so very sweet to surprise this little girl with her friends coming to a special party just for her!

... and Tag had a blast with GG, Grandpa, Aunt Sarah and of course his Grandad!

Then ... Tag got sick (again).  Exactly 20 months from his birth, I took Lucy back to the hospital to see her baby brother. When Tag gets sick, he has a tendency to run extremely high fevers.  So, he spent a little time in the hospital for the nice doctors & nurses to help him feel better.  And big sister's visit was just what he needed to feel better!

A couple of weeks later, Lucy got to meet some of her out-of-state family ...

... and her 92 year old Great-Great Mommaw!!!

God is so good
God is so gracious
God is so generous


We celebrated Thanksgiving at my parents' house --























... and planned on having the family at our house for Christmas.  But on December 12th, my Daddy had a heart attack.  God was looking after him every moment leading up to the heart attack and afterwards.  Daddy was literally in the "right place at the right time" -- although he wasn't "supposed" to be there at all.  So, Christmas was celebrated at GG & Grandpa's -- well, minus Tag & his Daddy since Tag was sick.

And we all are going to GG & Grandpa's tomorrow (New Year's Day) to see them & 
let Tag have his Christmas with them.  Everyone is so very thankful for our Christmas miracle ... it truly brings the real meaning of Christmas into perspective.  



Our 2013 has been a time of stretching, molding, refining, redefining.  
Although we have no clue as to what 2014 will bring, one thing we do know for certain ...

God is already at 2014 for us.  
He will lead the way ... 
He will direct our paths ... 
He will be in every moment for us.  

{{{ PS ... 2014 will bring about the 30-50-K -- be sure to check back in for more posts }}}

Christmas was GRAND on so many levels

If anyone has little ones in their house at Christmas, then you know for sure that there is never a dull moment ... 
the anticipation builds from Thanksgiving ---

and it builds ---

and it builds ---

and it builds ---

Yeah ... you know what I mean.  Our family had originally planned on celebrating Christmas Day at our house since we have 2 little ones.  But we all knew that my Daddy wouldn't be up to traveling as he is recovering from his heart attack from a couple of weeks ago.  Well, as it is with younger ones too, someone got sick just before Christmas --- sweet little Tag.  

So Christmas plans were different,  but we all definitely still celebrated ... and this year we thanked God for not only His first Christmas in sending us His only Son as our little Baby of Hope ... but also for allowing us to celebrate Jesus' birth with both my parents.  And once Tag gets better, then he & Lucy will be celebrating Christmas again at 

GG & Grandpa's!

Here's a few pictures to see what a wonderful Christmas we celebrated:

Okay ... so these 2 pictures need some "esplainin" ...

Lucy's letter to Santa from preschool had the following request.  She wanted to:

see a monkey in her yard

see a lion eating her fence

and

have a cheetah take Tag on a ride

(Yes ... while the other kids asked for toys, these were Lucy's requests ... 

and Santa delivered!)

But Tag wasn't too interested in the cheetah ride ...

maybe when he feels better!

 Lucy wanted to make her parents a special stuffed animal this year --- she chose a pink striped tiger whom she named "Daisy" and she picked Daisy a special pink winter outfit that included ear-muffs.  Needless to say, her Mommy & Daddy LOVED it!

Lucy had been so concerned about her Grandpa since his heart attack (he had to go to the hospital so that the nice doctors could help him feel better).  It was good to see her laughing with him & her GG.  I am so very blessed that my parents have always taken an active role in the lives of their children, grandchildren & now great-grandchildren.

I keep saying this, but this Christmas drives it home more than ever ...

Our relationships here on earth are worth more than any gift or any amount of money. 

Relationships take time, effort and heart ...

and they are so worth everything we pour into them.

Come to Adore & Sing to Him

This morning finds me reflecting and anticipating ... 

this past year has brought countless tears to our eyes -- 

tears of mourning and grief as well as tears of joy and relief...

tears of laughter and hysterics as well as tears of regret and disbelief.

But throughout all the emotional gambit of this past year, we are ready to celebrate 

the birth of our King -- 

the Baby of Hope -- 

the Baby of Promise -- 

the Baby of Eternal Life ... 

we are ready to celebrate  
Jesus.

This Christmas finds me reflecting on God's grace and His mercies ... 

God's love and His peace ... 

God's desires and His commands.  

Since my Daddy's heart attack on December 12th, this one song has been with me and has reminded me with Whom I can lay my worries, my fears and my emotions. 

This song reminds me of Whom my dear Uncle Larry is spending his first Christmas worshiping in sight with our other dear family who have already gone Home. 

It's the song that I will carry with me after Christmas and throughout the days to come.

Wherever you may be in your life's journey, dear reader, stop for just a brief moment in time and come to the place in your heart to adore Him and sing a song of praise to Him. 
For He is worthy of all our praise.

Merry Christmas from Granny & Grandad 
and our family ... 

May your New Year be filled with Hope, Promise and Life 

through our King of Kings ...