100 Thankful Things: A Repost

I was reminded of this post I penned over two years ago now and wanted to offer a challenge. I see that some of mine border on being very close to the same (you would have to know my heart at the time) but nevertheless, how many can you list? If you post your list on your own blog, leave a comment so I can read yours! ~

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Pastor Steve, teacher at Rock Valley Bible Church, began the book of Colossians last Sunday with an overview. Today he went into verse by verse depth about how Paul was thankful for the Colossians having not even met them formally. We can only imagine how blessed Paul must've been upon hearing of their faithfulness to God and love for each other when he and Epaphras met up in prison.

During the message, we were challenged to think of 100 things we'd be thankful for; the point being, are we thankful for the things we don't see? The people who are working to forward the Gospel in other countries of whom we've never met? He said, "sure, it's easy to get to about #25...but then we have to go beyond ourselves. He went on to explain that Paul "did not cease in praying" for the Colossians, people he'd never formally met.

So as with most challenges, I had to try it...here goes:

100 things for which I am thankful

1. God’s never-ending grace in my life.

2. God’s merciful patience with me

3. Jesus Christ, the perfect sacrifice for my sin

4. The Power of the Cross

5. My Husband who loves me with a sacrificial, unconditional love

6. My indescribable marriage; no one deserves it so good

7. Our Sarah, dd #1, who I admire greatly, she possesses gifts I’ll never have

8. Douglas, ds#1, who was born to laugh, but serious about life

9. And Laura, dd#2, who embraces life with exuberant joy

10. My Dad: an example of hard work, fortitude and determination even to this day

11. My Mom: who prays continually and loves unconditionally

12. My three younger sisters: my best friends~thanks for the incredible memories, girls!

13. My childhood: very loved, very protected, well cared for

14. Going to public school, for I know what’s there

15. Going to private school, for I know what’s there

16. The opportunity and privilege to homeschool my children

17. The freedom we have to worship God in America

18. The homeschooling freedom we have in Texas

19. George Bush

20. Our simple life and those who encouraged us to walk this path

21. God’s assurance through His word when I doubt

22. For having lived in the city

23. For living in the country

24. Laptops and the internet; blogs and commentaries

25. That I know how to type otherwise this would be very time consuming

26. My third grade teacher; she taught me how to twirl the baton

27. Simple times; riding around in Phillip’s old truck, riding through the pasture, playing at the pond, watching the cows…

28. Christmas caroling with our friends

29. Those snowy days I’ve been blessed to see

30. My simple Midwestern friends

31. Someone taught me how to make whole wheat bread

32. The opportunity to travel America

33. The blessing of a new-to-us truck that actually runs every time we start it!

34. For the Church, the body of Believers that extends beyond brick walls

35. Our friends who are faithfully church planting in India (& now Hungary)

36. God’s people in Nepal

37. Having experienced a church split

38. That God doesn’t give me everything for which I beg/ask/pray

39. For a husband who is patient, steady, prayerful, and strong

40. My husband keeps me accountable

41. The opportunity to workout at Curves, for when I get home it may not be possible

42. Our friends in Venezuela; they’ve taught us great things

43. The life of a dear friend who is a godly picture of Christ in my life

44. The courage to start a blog

45. My Mom and my grandmother taught me how to cook

46. My Mom taught me how to care for a family

47. I’m not afraid to tweak a recipe and fail

48. Those days my sisters and I wrote plays and made up dances in our playroom

49. Those who’ve taught me how to be frugal

50. The freedom we have in Christ

51. The depression I suffered when my parents divorced

52. Severe financial struggles, for they’ve taught me humility & thankfulness

53. My church home; humble, godly people

54. The God-given ability and love for singing

55. My hunger and thirst for the Word, by His grace

56. That I’ve finally realized that my family belongs to the Lord

57. Grandparents who love our children immensely

58. The book of Colossians

59. The book of Galatians

60. A Christian Home website, blog and message board

61. Internet friends who’ve challenged me

62. The humbling I receive every time I think I KNOW something

63. Rock Valley Bible Church, Rockford, Illinois

64. Classic literature and story books for children

65. Nancy Leigh DeMoss and the book, “Lies Women Believe”

66. The life of Corrie ten Boom

67. Elisabeth Elliot and Martha Peace

68. Kay Arthur and her study “A Marriage Without Regrets”

69. My husband’s job security; thank you LORD! ..for it hasn’t always been so

70. Wild plums, dewberries and grapes growing on our land

71. Our God-given love for nature and the outdoors

72. Men who’ve died for our country so I can worship the Lord God Almighty every day

73. Godly men who formed our constitution

74. Martin Luther, John Calvin, and John Wesley

75. Old hymns

76. Long walks in the evening with my family; priceless

77. Our DQ treat while exploring old country roads

78. Mmy husband and I are still best friends after 19 years (and counting)

79. I finally have a budget and I follow it to a tee

80. My new-found love for cottage cheese

81. My steadfast commitment to Curves; that’s God!

82. Wildflowers; I have a passion for them….

83. The strength to finally say I haven’t gotten it “all figured out”

84. Some specific country songs that make me cry every time like “I Believe”

85. That my parents are human and they made mistakes

86. Childhood vacations to Daytona Beach, Florida

87. Family reunions with so many cousins I can’t count them all

88. Aunt Sybil’s homemade biscuits

89. Aunt Sybil’s back porch swing

90. Swimming in the Trinity River as a child

91. Childhood vacations to Hot Springs, Arkansas

92. My rapidly growing contentment; this is a blessed place friends

93. True Believers with financial resources to further the Kingdom

94. Passionate Christians who are willing to be persecuted for the Truth

95. The Holy Spirit’s small voice constantly reminding me of who I am in Christ

96. The privilege of knowing humble friends; I am richly blessed by these friends

97. This Earth is not my home

98. Chickens that lay eggs

99. Cows that give milk; and calves

100. Heaven

101. I’ll be 40 this year; and I don’t wish I was younger

102. I’ve learned how to use a digital camera and can post pictures on my blog

103. I can still laugh at my husband’s jokes after nearly 20 years

104. ….and thankful he still thinks he’s funny. Says a lot about his heart.

105. for the humbling God has caused in my heart upon the discovery that I’ve made other people’s opinions of me and my family an idol (see Idols of the Heart by Elyse Fitzpatrick)

106. The courage to live for God alone and not in light of what others think of me

107. The harsh reality of sin in even the people I admire. Again, thankful for the humbling

108. That my kids can cook!

109. Others who are willing to teach upper math and science to homeschool kids

110. Friends who love me even after they get to know me

111. Forgiveness

112. Okay…I’ll admit it, I’m finally thankful for curly hair

113. Girl Scouts: way back when, I had a Christian leader and it was held at a church

114. Campfires, songs and smores

115. Eyes to behold the beauty of the Earth; His majestic creation

116. Ears to hear little voices all around me, singing, chatting, laughing…

117. Way back when… I had the courage to cut my husband’s hair

118. Clotheslines and fresh country air

119. Spring rains without tornadoes

120. The first cool breeze that finally makes it way to Texas in the Fall

121. Old dirt roads

122. The patient wisdom of older folks

123. Daffodils and Tulips

124. The courage to finally laugh at myself

125. I can talk to my Mom; it hasn’t always been so

126. My parents believe in God

127. My sister Dana had the fortitude to not only finish college with honors but recently obtained her Masters Degree as well ~ Congratulations Sis!

128. Museums, Art, historical cities that teach us about our American heritage

129. Brokenness and tears for these are the times it’s just me and my Lord

130. I like water



Okay, so I'm an overachiever...I just couldn't stop! I'm thinking of more even as I end this post!

Beginning 2007 in Pictures

Happy New Year from southern California!

Hope you've had a blessed weekend and glorious beginning of the new year. We spent the weekend (Sat - Today) exploring. These pictures are from Saturday and today when we went to Vasquez Rocks California State Park in the community of Agua Dulce. We did a little research and Agua Dulce is Spanish for sweet water. These rocks and state park have long been used in filming various Hollywood movies, most notably The Flintstones movie. It got its name from the bandit Tiburcio Vasquez who used these rocks for a hideout. Douglas had great fun staging an ambush. It truly is a fascinating place.

This is the view on the way to the two county parks

The kids in one of the many caves

As you can see, there are people all over these rocks. We didn't make it to the very top. It gets pretty steep. Phillip and the kids climbed pretty high today ~ see the next picture.

I was so surprised to look up and see my family waaay up here! It looked like they were just hopping along with very little effort. Phillip came down to my level, grabbed the camera and took this one before helping everyone ~slide~ down.

The sun is setting behind the hills in this picture. It's truly the prettiest time to be out.

Another sunset picture. The pictures really don't show the beauty of the light on the hills. It's spectacular and ever-changing.

Abundant Blessings to you in the New Year~

Angela

First Sight of Pacific Ocean

We finally made it to the ocean today. Though the weather was on the cool side, the kids put their feet in. I did too. Eventually, Laura fell when she lost her balance in the undertow so our stay was over way before we expected. It was fun while it lasted and it was really too cold to be there today. Phillip and I had our coats on the entire time. Our first visit to a new place is usually recon anyway so we'll head back when it's warmer. Here are a few pictures of our day.

First visit to the Pacific Ocean

December 2006

With love from California~

Angela

Grand Canyon

We had another beautiful day yesterday here in sunny California. I guess it's the same weather every day; that's what we hear, and it's proving to be true. Before I get too carried away with pictures of Burbank and the surrounding area, I want to share more of the Grand Canyon. I'm learning that, from a photographer's view point, I was at the park at the wrong time of the day. The sun was extremely bright as you can see from this picture. I found myself trying to find shade for a better shot. It was so difficult. If I ever have the opportunity to go back, I will park myself at one of the points and stay there until the sun sets. The shuttle buses run until 10:00p.m., now we know why. The most spectacular pictures are at sunrise and sunset. Next time, I'll know.

With love from California

~Angela

Full Circle

Back in March, as we were on our way to Rockford, Illinois, the cornfields were brown and bare. To me, it looked like a vast deserted land.

Empty.

Dormant.

But as the weeks rolled by we began to see the farmers working the soil- Illinois became alive. Rows upon rows of corn were planted; miles and miles of corn. The rich fertile rows gave way to tiny seedlings which, to me, looked like tiny green pin stripes decorating the earth. Week by week the corn grew, eventually a friend told us that the corn was not for human consumption and that nearly all of the corn grown in Illinois was for animals, fuel and other domestic products. That little tidbit of information proved to be quite interesting and educational for this group of Texans! Now we wonder where all the sweet corn comes from!

As summer pressed on we witnessed how the drought had killed a number of crops, especially in parts of Arkansas and Missouri. Once we got to Wisconsin, it seemed the corn was thriving better though the natives said that even they had had a bad year with very little rain. Nevertheless, eventually we were able to see the corn harvested, at a dead-looking stage I might add, which was again very interesting and quite educational. For a long time, we were worried that we might need to inform the poor souls that they were letting the corn die on the stalk!! Little did we know~ Texans, we're not into corn, really~ that it's actually harvested after it dries in the field!
Of course.....makes perfect sense!

And now, as we've made the trek home, the corn is being harvested; some fields full of dried corn waiting for its turn in the combine while others, having already been stripped, now lie dormant until Spring when, once again, the whole process starts over.

We've come full circle.

Wisconsin

 

We had another day of fun. Everyone slept in which was so good for Phillip. It's very rare for him to be off in the evenings and not have to go anywhere early the following morning. So after our family worship (which was SO good this morning about sin...you did a great job Dear!) we piddled around the house until after a late lunch. The temp. only got up to 37 today so we waited 'til the very warmest part of the day to get out and about. Today we decided on a place we'd already discovered, but it truly is one of those places you'd want to go back to again and again. It's not far from where we're staying either, making everything simple which is what we like. Like yesterday, Big Falls Park has a beautiful waterfall. Not as big and spectacular as the one at Willow River but fascinating just the same. There's just something about being out there. The water is beautiful, mesmerizing actually. We found a new trail up the river a bit and the kids decided they'd try to float something and follow it all the way to the falls; not an easy feat at this river because the bank is mostly steep hills and rocks. But, it was such a joy to watch them and, I have to admit, their parents were not just innocent bystanders. Once the Thinker had the idea he'd quickly found a log and was lugging it to the bank before I could get my camera out and fingers working...er....ah....unfrozen. We used to worry about them falling in, but we're past that now. Everybody ought to experience icy cold legs and feet at least once in their lifetime, wouldn't you agree? Oh, I remember it like it was yesterday....but that's another story entirely. Anyway, it took another log to push the first log further out into the current sooo, they were able to watch two logs glide down the stream, over the falls and out into the river beyond. And a sense of accomplishment and joy welled up inside them.  

 

 

Big Falls Park

October 2006

 

 

 

Afterwards, Phillip took us down a few roads we'd had our eye on for a long time. I wish now we'd gone about three weeks ago because, as you can see, we missed the color in this otherwise breathtaking photo.

 

 

Love from Wisconsin~

We decided to go exploring today over at Willow River State Park, very near St. Paul, Minnesota. It was a hard decision; we could've gone East for "closer to peak" color, or West for a beautiful waterfall. We decided on the waterfall. I'm so very glad we did. It was spectacular. Plus, I got to practice more with black and whites because it was a very grey day with most of the tress bare now. Makes for great b/w pictures in my opinion. We had a grand time. Even the heart-pounding, muscle-toning, incline to get down to (and back up) the falls was worth every gasping breath to see the beauty surrounding us.

Willow River State Park

Hudson, Wisconsin

October 2006

A Proverb A Day

This particular blog has been on my mind for some time because it's something that has proven especially profitable for our family for well over three years now. In addition to other bible time readings, teachings and songs, we read a Proverb a day corresponding with the specific day's date. For instance, today is the 6th so we read Proverbs 6. Usually, Phillip divides the chapter and each child reads a portion aloud and then at the end we all take turns speaking about a lesson learned or something especially meaningful. I am truly amazed (and blessed!) to hear what comes forth from the mouths of my children! I've learned a lot myself.

These six things the LORD hates,

Yes, seven are an abomination to Him:

A proud look,

A lying tongue,

Hands that shed innocent blood,

A heart that devises wicked plans,

Feet that are swift in running to evil,

A false witness who speaks lies,

And one who sows discord among brethren.

Proverbs 6:16-19

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And a precious memory of our time in Louisiana..........picture this;

A cute three-year-old with a bouncing blonde pony tail riding a red tricycle in circles in the middle of a motel parking lot singing at the top of her lungs as if no one is listening.....(whew~I'm gonna be sited for a run-on sentence here....)

"Alive! Alive! alive forever more,

My Jesus is alive, alive forever more,

Alive! Alive! Alive forever more!

MY JESUS IS ALIVE!"

Yes Lollie Lou, He's alive indeed. But, I know at this point you can't fathom the depth of your precious song. My prayer for you is that someday soon you will know Him as your savior and friend. ~Mom

Where Is The Justice?

"O LORD, how long shall I cry,
And you will not hear?
Even cry out to you, "Violence!"
And you will not save.
Why do you show me iniquity,
and cause me to see trouble?
For plundering and violence are before me;
There is strife, and contention arises.
Therefore the law is powerless,
And justice never goes forth.
For the wicked surround the righteous;
Therefore perverse judgment proceeds."
Habakkuk 1:1-4

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The weekend has proven to be a tad troublesome for me in that I had a vivid reminder that the drug traffic crossing our easement is still alive and well. One of the first things our sharecropping friends mentioned yesterday was the amount of traffic up and down our driveway. I heard the words "Grand Central Station" in one of the conversations and that almost put me over the edge. Back and forth, they drive in, stay 5 minutes and leave all through the day and night. It's truly sad, really. The couple who lives there (our neighbors) are older. Neither work, I think they're retired. But they're sure not lonely!! We've reported it to the sheriff and collected the license plate numbers like they've suggested, and just a few weeks ago I was able to have a lengthy phone chat with an investigator. I described a recent "visitor" that came screaming and stumbling across the backyard saying someone was beating her up. Now that was interesting.....

So tonight, as I ponder all of this, I find myself asking the same questions Habakkuk had about the wickedness of the day............"How long O LORD"? , he asks. How long O LORD, I ask. We had hopes to build a house on this land. One day we'd like to buy a tractor and build a barn. My children play out here and as they get older, they're beginning to venture out beyond my sight. It's 24 acres of trees, vines, pastureland and one big valley that screams for them to come and play. But for me, there's always a cautious flag waving..."please stay close to the house", "please stay where I can see you", "please stay where you can see the house", "don't go any further than X", "are you sure you have the two-way radio?"......to a country kid, that's prison.


But in the end, I know my God. And He is faithful.

"Yet I will rejoice in the LORD,
I will joy in the God of my salvation.
The LORD God is my strength;
He will make my feet like the deer's feet,
and He will make me walk on my high hills."
Habakkuk 3: 18-19

There's No Place Like Home

After being in Louisiana for the last five weeks, we're finally home! Phillip will have to go back for another week, but the children and I will stay home to prepare for our trip to Illinois.

There's always something sweet about coming home. As we drove up, we discovered that our friends who sharecrop with us (actually, they do all the work..) were here working in the garden. My heart leaped for joy to see them and the huge place they've prepared for what promises to be a bountiful harvest. Later this afternoon, I plan to get out there and pull weeds just so I can feel like I'm a part of it. Gardens are beautiful to me and even more gratifying is the fact that someone is truly enjoying planting out here. .......Then, as we drove up to the house I took in the all the things we love; our little dirt path that leads to our house (it's what sold me on this place from the very beginning), our chicken tractor Phillip and the kids worked so diligently on a couple of summers ago, the tire swing hanging from a gigantic Oak tree, the Pine trees, our humble home, the dogs and two fat cats, and one very happy Gran hugging her equally happy grandchildren. (the children had already ran to the house when we stopped at the garden to visit our friends) For those of you who don't know me personally, my Mom lives with us.

There's so much to say and so little time right now. Phillip has to leave after church tomorrow so I'm going to enjoy this 'home' day with him and leave blogging in perspective.

Blessing from Texas~ Angela

By Way Of Introduction

I can't believe I actually jumped off the deep end and created a blog! For so long, I've only been the reader of numerous, very interesting, helpful and encouraging blogs.

First and foremost, I am a Believer in Jesus Christ. It is Him in whom I put my trust for each glorious day. He's a faithful friend that I absolutely could not live without. He is the only One who never fails.

I've been married to my husband, Phillip, for almost 15 years now and we have three beautiful 'gifts'. The oldest is 10, Number2 is 9, and Number3 is 3. We've had four miscarriages which will probably come up in a later post. My husband currently works for a construction company that has him traveling all over the country. In order to keep our family connected, we made the decision to travel with him. We homeschool our children which enables us to be flexible. I'll be sharing much more in later posts about "how we do this"; the joys and blessings, what God is teaching us through it all, as well as the struggles ( both emotional and physical), and other musings about life "on the road".

Home base is in East Texas. On our little piece of earth, we've tried our hand at farm animals, including chickens, goats, cows, a turkey that didn't make it long, rabbits, and guineas. We've also learned a lot through gardening and have begun to open our land for sharecropping. Well, we don't call it that anymore do we? But, that's truly what it is.....sharing a crop. Only, since we'll be gone for most of the year, the crop will probably be shared with various other folks instead.

Upon the encouragement from various anonymous folks over the years (my Mother is my biggest fan!) I decided to finally journal my thoughts in a format where they can be read by anyone. Just yesterday, my mother was remembering me as a shy and reserved little girl and I suppose, in some ways, that's still true today. The shy part...certainly not the little part. A few days ago I took a little Charlie Brown personality quiz I found on another blog and to my surprise, I was most like Marcie! I thought for sure I was most like bossy Lucy as that's what I've been labeled all my life being the oldest in a family with four children. But no. Marcie. "There's more to you than meets the eye" they say. Well, I'd have to agree. And, the only way to know what's "in there" is to read about it.

A Daily Walk

Each day is a gift from God the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, with which we have a choice. We can accept what's been given with a joyful heart and attitude or go about our day discontented and unhappy with what the Father has given. My prayer for you today is that you trust Him more deeply than you did yesterday. That you allow Him to lead you today. Don't worry about tomorrow; you've been given this day. Rejoice!

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3: 5-6