Thankful Thrusday - Reflections and Resolutons 2009

Happy New Year to all of my dear bloggy friends! I am joining Sonya's Thankful Thursday today as I reflect on 2008 and set my sights on what God has in store for 2009.

This last year has been an incredible year of discovering God in so many new ways. I think the central theme for me this year has been Trust. God has challenged me to trust Him in ways that are new to me and I have found Freedom, and Adventure, and Awe of Him like I have never known. I want to live my life in pure and simple Trust and Obedience, without the safety net.

In these last couple of months I have felt the winds of change beginning to blow in. God is moving and I sense a new course taking shape. New possibilities are beginning to take root, doors of opportunity are beginning to open, new ideas are brewing, and excitement is in the air. I am looking forward to stepping into the unknown with my God and Trusting Him with the outcome.

1 - Thank you Lord for the incredible peace you have given me this year in these unusual and somewhat confusing circumstances that you have placed me in. Your provision has been unfailing.

2 - Thank you Lord for bringing me into the blogosphere. This has been a blessing that I never would have imagined. You have brought healing to my heart through the many people I've met here and their writings. Healing through tears and through wonderful laughter. You have brought me lasting friendships with many wonderful sisters in Christ. And you have even used me to be a blessing to others here.

3 - Thank you Lord for the growth I have seen in my grandaughters. This year I have watched them go from listening to me pray, to praying their own LONG list of "Thank yous" and "Help Mes". They have learned scripture and are excited to do so. They have brought questions about you to me at times that were not expected. Continue to draw them near to you Lord and reveal yourself to them.

4 - Thank you Lord for some of the changes I am beginning to see lately, and the new opportunities that you have set before me. I still don't know exactly what you have in store but I will follow you. Please give me clear direction and wisdom in decisions.

5 - Thank you Lord for the recent help you have brought my way in things that were just a little too much for me by myself.



Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind ~ Luke 10:27

The Perfect Christmas

I was just visiting Tracy at Thirsty for Him and want to quote something she said in her post.

"The "perfect" Christmas isn't about presents, but about His Presence."

As soon as I read that I realized that I had the perfect Christmas. Holidays are always a difficult time for me. My life is so very far from perfect and there is often a strong sting in my heart during holidays.

The Christmas message preached at church the Sunday before Christmas was Do Not Fear, based on what the angel said to Mary when he delivered the news that she would carry the Christ child. The message spoke a lot to my own heart about my own personal circumstances.

On Christmas morning, I turned on my computer to check my email. I had received my daily devotion from Today's Turning Point with David Jeremiah. The title was No More Fear, followed by this scripture...

Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10

I didn't realize until that moment, how much I needed to hear that from Him but as soon as I did I broke down in tears. Tears of joy not sadness, because I had His Presence, and His Presence stayed with me throughout the day and into the night.

Yes, I had the perfect Christmas. Did you?

Oh Lord forgive me that I am not always seeking to be in your Presence as I should. Thank you for revealing yourself to me on the day I would celebrate your Birth. You are an Amazing God. I love you with all that is within me. Please help me to live my life to bring glory to your Name. The Name above all names, Jesus Christ. My Lord and my King. - Amen

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind ~ Luke 10:27

Be Still and Know that He is God

Feeling a bit overwhelmed these last two days. It's time to Be Still and Know that He is God.






Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind ~ Luke 10:27

A New Look For A Sweet Friend

Hi everyone! I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas! It sure has been nice to take time to slow down just a little this past week. Well, maybe I've just refocused some of the energy. :) I've been making a HUGE mess in my house trying to get the rest of the living room painting finished. It amazes me how fast one can make it nearly impossible to walk through a room.

I've also been doing blog makeovers. Not just mine, but also the winner of my last blog makeover contest, Tammy at Not mine but God's Story. Tammy is a very sweet lady with a taste for refined elegance. She was wonderful to work with and I really enjoyed designing for her.

I always pray that God would give me the right design for the person I'm designing for, and that He would help me to create it. He really does do just that and I'm always so amazed at the end result because I know I couldn't do it without Him. Thank you so much Lord.

Be sure to pop over to Tammy's blog to say hi to her and check out her new look. God already made her beautiful on the inside.


Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind ~ Luke 10:27

Christmas Blessings

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind ~ Luke 10:27

What Edie Needs for Christmas

It seems that Greg at Greg's General Store has made up another fun meme (accidentally) to find out what you need for Christmas and I'm playing along. Just Google your name, followed by "needs" and see what comes up. Play along so we can see what you need too.

Here we go!

1. Edie needs Pink and Green Polkadots, a new bloggy friend named Edie. That was the first thing that came up and she did a post of this very meme that Greg made up, only she didn't know Greg made it up since she did it in October and Greg just thought of it.

2. Edie needs to go. If you could just direct me to the little girls room Pleeeease!

3. Edie needs to be alive. I am! I am! A precious gift from Jesus!

4. Edie needs no props. Not since I stopped teaching those Sunday School kids.

5. Edie needs more friends. I can always use more friends. Do you want to be my friend?

6. Edie needs information for your demand to count. You can demand me in your city too.

7. Edie needs a green frog outfit by Friday. I have a dinner date and want to look my best.

8. Edie needs him. That's why I want to look my best for that dinner date!

9. Edie needs help planning the reception. I have high expectations of that dinner date.

10. Edie needs someone to boss around, entertain her, and take care of her. Ha! Know anyone who wants to apply for that position?!?

11. Edie needs love. You would too if you looked like this.

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind ~ Luke 10:27

Trinket Gifts

I like to make sure the girls remember their teachers at Christmas with a little something. Well between the three girls there are a total of 15 teachers counting Sunday School and regular school!

We got really crunched for time so I made 15 pouches from cardstock cut in half. Then we wrote Merry Christmas on them and the girls decorated them with glitter. We added tinsel pipe cleaner to make a handle. The girls each made glittered leaves with berries and a bell and attached it to the handle. Then we filled each of them up with chocolate, candy canes, and a Scripture Tag. They actually turned out pretty cute and look like goodie-filled purses. The girls are so proud.



I also wanted to do some little something for the leaders in my Sunday School class so I glittered some red paper cups and added a Christmas ribbon handle. I picked up some little Jesus stockings that included a candy cane and a bookmark with the story of the candy cane representing Jesus. I added some more candy to the stockings and put it inside the cup along with a little snowman ornament that says Jesus is the Reason for the Season.




Then I wrapped them in cellophane and added a pretty bow.

What inexpensive little gift ideas did you come up with for those you want to remember with a trinket gift?

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind ~ Luke 10:27

Tobi LOVES Christmas

This is my dog Tobi. She is well loved, some people say spoiled. I've had Tobi since she was 4 weeks old. She was a give-away out of the back of a van and she was the ony one left. She had fleas and worms and was still a bit too young to be weaned but I took her to the vet and we got her all fixed up.

Tobi is a bit quirky at times but she is very smart and well behaved. She is part Chow and part Lab which, at times creates some internal conflict that is clearly visible and quite comical.

She learns very fast. On her very first Christmas she caught on to this game everyone was playing of happily ripping up paper and throwing it all over the house. Pretty soon we noticed that she was running around doing the same. So when I gave her her Christmas present she knew immediately what to do with it. She was delighted to discover that after the fun paper ripping part you get a prize! And very often, you can rip that up to find out what makes that squeaking noise. Within moments there is paper and stuffing all over the house, and one very content little puppy dog.

Every year she knows when Christmas is coming and starts checking out every bag brought into the house looking for the gifts she is sure to get. If she even hears the rustle of a bag she is right there to see what it might be. Even my friends have started buying her gifts just so they can watch her.

Can you just see that look of anticipation on her face?
"Is it time to open the presents!!??"

"Now!? Can we do it now!!??"

Where's is yours Tobi? Where's your present?

Yes she knows the stocking is hers and there is another one under the tree that is also hers and she knows that one is the best one. She is very good and won't open her presents until I tell her it is ok.

I'm going to try to get it on video this year but not sure how easy that will be.

So do your animals love Christmas too?

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind ~ Luke 10:27

Christmas Decorating

Here are some pictures of the decorating I did get done. I never made it past the living room.

End table winter scene.

My mantle. For those of you with a keen eye, I am still trying to finish painting my living room which is why the wall is one color above the mantle and another color below. Pretend you didn't notice. *wink*

Right side of the hearth.

Notice Tobi's stocking? She Loves Christmas! She knows the stocking is hers and keeps asking me if she can open her presents.

Left side of the hearth.

Coffee table centerpiece.

Jesus table. A nativity the kids can play with and Jesus' birthday cake box. I *lit* the candles to show how it will look after the girls do it on Christmas day.

A view of the inside and previous years gifts. When this cake is full of gifts I will make another cake. Hopefully when the girls are grown they will take these with them and continue the tradition.

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind ~ Luke 10:27

Christmas Ornaments

I thought I would share some of the Christmas ornaments that decorate my tree.

An old wooden drum that I have had since Nikki was a little girl. I have several wooden ornaments in this style.
An iced leaf with berries that I made this year.
A glass snowflake.

A white, glittered bird which is much prettier in real life than in this picture.
A wooden bird.
A couple of glass snowflakes.
The wooden drum in the background.
An iced leaf.

A capiz shell angel and a clip on candle replica.

These are two ornaments that I made several years ago. An angel that I made from ribbon, and a dove I made from felt and decorated with white sequins and bugle beads.

A rugged cross I made from cinnamon sticks.

Another candlestick replica, a glass cross, and one of the iced leaves & berries that I made this year.

An angel made from a paper doily. I think this was probably my sample for a Sunday School Christmas craft for the kiddos.

A rugged cross and a capiz shell star.

A glass butterfly, a glass snowflake, and a gold bulb that I decorated with iced leaves.

Another gold bulb decorated with iced leaves and a glass cross.

An angel that was my sample for a Sunday School Craft project for the kiddos.
Some bells decorated with some ribbon and berries.
An old wooden toy chest. The toy chest doesn't hang straight but the others do.
An iced leaf with the light from the bulbs illuminating the beads.

A glass humming bird, and another iced leaf gold bulb.

A wreath ornament I made years ago with ribbon and beads.

This years ornaments before I put them on the tree.

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind ~ Luke 10:27