Christmas Day 2 - This Baby

About 14 years ago when I was teaching in Clearfield I was part of a group called Spirit & Truth and we did musical productions.  The first one I recall doing was called Code Red Christmas (or something like that, my memory is going)  Anyway - to this day there was one song in the production that often comes back to me.  This Baby - by Steven Curtis Chapman.  It is about Jesus being a baby - God in the flesh.  Though I understand the concept of baby (not that I have it mastered) I can't even begin to fathom that he was also fully God!  So as you ponder Jesus today as a baby begin to think of the fullness of God and the fullness of man - in baby form!  God has a sense of humor, yet a perfect well thought out plan!

Well, He cried when He was hungry,

Did all the things that babies do;He rocked and He napped on His mother’s lap,And He wiggled and giggled and cooed.There were the cheers when He took His first step,And the tears when He got His first teeth;Almost everything about this little babySeemed as natural as it could be.CHORUSBut this baby made the angels sing,And this baby made a new star shine in the sky.This baby had come to change the world.This baby was God’s own son, this baby was like no other one.This baby was God with us, this baby was Jesus.And this baby grew into a young boy,Who learned to read and write and wrestle with dad;There was the climbin’ of trees and the scrapin’ of knees,And all the fun that a boy’s born to have.He grew taller and some things started changing,Like His complexion and the sound of His voice;There was work to be done as a carpenter’s sonAnd all the neighbors said He’s such a fine boy.But this boy made the angels sing,And this boy made a new star shine in the sky.This boy had come to change the world.This boy was God’s own son, this boy was like no other one.This boy was God with us. This boy became a man,And love made Him laugh and death made Him cry.With the life that He lived and the death that He died,He showed us heaven with His hands and His heart,‘Cause this man was God’s own son.This man was like no other one,Holy and human right from the start.(chorus)This baby was God with us, this baby, this baby was Jesus; this baby was Jesus, this baby was Jesus.

Christmas Series - Day 1 - It's True

This year for Christmas I am taking my love for music and my love for the 25 days before Christmas and I am combining them together.  Each day for the next 25 days I will be posting a non-traditional Christmas song.  It will be a song that has grabbed my attention.  I will try to post a video to go along with the song if one is available. (Please note that not all videos are high quality as it may be the only option available on youtube, but I am focusing on the music and lyrics, and the video is secondary) If not it will just be the audio - I will also try to post the lyrics for you to follow if you would like.  

The first song I will be featuring is by one of my favorite artists, Sara Groves.  It is off her O Holy Night Album and it is called - It's true... it starts with her song - sharing about the angel coming to tell Mary about the child she is carrying.  I can't imagine what it must have been like to hear the news that she hear that day, but more so to be faithful to God and trust that no matter what others thought she knew that God had an amazing plan and He chose her to carry His son, Jesus!  

In your heart you know it's true though you hold no expectation in the deepest part of you there's an open hesitation but it's true kingdoms and crowns a God who came down to find you it's true Angels on high sing through the night alleluia heard it told you think it's odd the whole thing fraught with complication the play begins with  baby God and all His blessed implications but it's true kingdoms and crowns a God who came down to find you it's true Angels on high sing through the night alleluia alleluia, alleluia Oh it's true kingdoms and crowns a God who came down to find you it's true Angels on high sing through the night alleluia

Lift Up Your Eyes

This past weekend I had the honor of speaking at a Ladies' Retreat for the Reformed Baptist Church of Lewisburg, PA.  What a blessing it was for me to be in presence of a group of women who long to know God's word!  Thank you for being so welcoming and encouraging as I shared not only my heart but what God has put on my heart.

The theme for the first day was all about being worn out.  We were looking at the first part of the verse from Romans 12:2 - Do not comform any longer to the patterns of this world.  We live in a society that is filled with over commitment, or no commitment, constant comparisons, and feeling like we never can do enough or be enough.

When we look only to ourself for our strength we get discouraged quickly as we come up with so many excuses of why we can't do or be what God is calling us to be.

When we look out around us we find ourselves in the trap of comparing ourselves to others, looking to please ourselves and others above God.

However, in Psalm 121 it tells us to Lift up our eyes!!!  Change our gaze!!  Don't look down at yourself, or out at the world to find peace, comfort, and direction..... Lift up our eyes and look to God the creator of life and allow him to transform you!

Where is your gaze focused today?  Lift up your eyes to the maker of the heavens and earth!

25 Years Of Ministry at RMC

Sunday we celebrated Joel's 25 years of Ministry service to RMC.  It is almost unheard of for anyone to stay in Youth Ministry that long - let alone at the same church.  I am so blessed to call this man my husband.  I am so proud of his integrity and compassion.  He loves the Church and that is apparent in all that he does.  Take a moment and watch this video tribute.  I know that he is leaving a legacy and I can't wait to see what God has in store for him over his next 25 years of ministry!


Celebration

So What Do You Think?

I have been toying around with the idea of doing a daily blog for awhile now.... I go back and forth.... I have some ideas, but I always wonder - if I go through all the time and effort to write the blog will people actually read it????

So as I have been contemplating this over the past two months with no real answer I thought I would put it out to you the readers to see if there is an interest in the topics that I have chosen and a reader base.

This is what I need from you.... your opinion and/or suggestions.  This is what I have come up with as my daily themes.

Modge Podge Mondays - Writing about anything - ideas, home, family, ministry, events, charities, etc.

Tastefully Simple Tuesdays - I will feature a different product or recipes from the TS line

In the Word Wednesday - a verse and/or devotional for that day.

Thrifty Thursdays - Ideas of how to save time, money, or energy

Family Fun Fridays - Ideas of things you can do with your family, or things we have tried with ours.

So there you have it - the potential future blog found at gripofgrace.com  The other thing that I am planning to do it to marry my two blogs (sounds kinda funny).  I would no longer be using the msbabyandme.blogspot.com - since so much of what I write about can fall under either blog - why not save the time and just combine it.

So here are three questions for you - please comment below or leave me a message on my facebook page.

1.  Do you read blogs regularly?

2.  Would you read or subscribe to my blog with this format?

3.  Which of these topics are the most interesting to you?

Growing With Me - "Mommy Maple Tree"

As a new mom I am constantly thinking about ways to incorporate traditions for holidays and special occasions for our new family. You could call me sentimental but I am okay with that.  You might say that I love holidays.....true statement.  I would sum it up and say I love life and I want to pass that on to my little girl.

This year for our first Mother's Day we planted a tree.  Each year I hope to take a picture of Ella and I next to that tree.  It is just a special little thing that we can do to make an ordinary day a little more extraordinary.

PS - I had a great Mother's Day and I look forward to many more great memories and many more pictures by our special "Mommy Maple Tree".

Bracelets for MS

I am so blessed to have wonderful friends in my life.  One of those wonderful friends is my college roommate Christie Hubner.   We lived next to each other freshman year and had to remain on campus over fall break - we were the only ones left on the floor so we spent a lot of time together and realized that we had many great things in common - such as our musical tastes, our love for the outdoors and our distain for pink (now we both have little girls, so we are learning to deal with that one).  Needless to say that year was the beginning of a great friendship.  Throughout college we would often run together - however she would always say that I was the runner and she was just coming along.  Now the tides have turned and she is the triatholon runner and the fitness guru as I at most times must sit back and walk.

Every since I was diagnosed with MS Christie has made a commitment to walk in the Frederick Maryland MS Walk in honor of me.  I am so blessed by her acts of kindness and her care for me.  This year Christie decided to use her talents as she raises funds for her MS walk.  She has created this bracelet to raise money for MS research.  The cost of the bracelet is 7.00 and all the funds go towards the MS walk.  I love how she chose a simple yet unique design - I have already worn mine several times and I love it!  It is made with orange string which is the color that represents the MS Society movement.

If you would like to order one and support the MS walk - just let me know no later than April 7th.  You can give the money to me and I will be sure to submit it with the order I place that day.

Thanks for your support of this great cause!

SYMC - Wives of Youth Pastor's Group

What a blessing this past weekend was..... I had the honor of working along side a new friend named Dana Schmoyer (which actually does rhyme with Jana - in case you care) to lead the Youth Pastor's Wives connect group.  Connect groups are small groups that are focused on connecting people that are in similar situations at the Simply Youth Ministry Conference in Louisville, KY

During our time together we laughed, we cried, and we shared heart felt stories with one another.... we prayed together and shared hope together.  Although I was one of the leaders of the group - I walked away so encouraged.  I feel as though God is adding "loving on pastor's wives" to my list of passions.  I was blessed to be in such a distinct group of women.

Here are a few things that I learned this weekend about Youth Pastor's Wives....
1.  We often feel alone and desire to have solid friendships - but often feel as though we don't have a place to vent and share our hurts.  We want to honor our husband and not speak against our church so we need an outside friend that can listen.
2.  The church has been both a place of great hurt and great healing....  If you ever find a perfect church don't join it because you will mess it up!  We know that churches aren't perfect but it is challenging when it is a place of such hurt and negativity.
3.  We love our husbands and when others say negative things - we don't always handle ourselves well!  Let's just say that our cat claws sometimes surface.
4.  We love ministry - we may not be able to be there every week for every youth event because we are home with the kids or working our full time jobs, but we are invested even when we aren't there.
5.  We have made great sacrifices for ministry.... nights when our "evening alone" is interupted by a student in crisis.  Days when eight hours at the office turns into 12.  Mornings when it is all you can do to get out of bed because you just spend the entire weekend loving and investing in the lives of teenagers.

Here are some things that may help (as shared during our time together)
1.  Have a date night - even if it is just at your house laying bed eating popcorn and watching a movie.  It is a must!  Your priorities must be God then your spouse, then family.... and then ministry!
2.  Know your limitations - you don't have to be someone you are not - find your gifts and use them and delegate the rest - it allows others to experience a blessing!
3.  Protect your heart.... as much as you want to know all the details from your husband - set boundaries - maybe ask him not to tell you the names of those involved in the drama, or just tell you what you absolutely must know - as detail people this can be a challenge but it can help keep the peace and keep our cat claws at bay!
4.  Set up some boundaries as far as phone and computer are concerned - turn off the phone during dinner.... just one more thing doesn't need to happen during dinner.  Family time is fully present time.
5.  Pray for your husband - specifically!  He needs to know that you love him support him, respect him and most importantly pray for him - ask him how you can pray for him today!

Hope this encourages you!  The weekend was a blast and I can't wait until next year!

A note from the Substitute

Over the past two weeks I have been able to get a few days of subbing at local high schools and middle schools.  In those days of subbing I have had two drastically different experiences.  And through those experiences I have come up with few suggestions.

To the staff
1.  If you see me or another substitute - please say hello!  I am a guest at your school, I am there to serve and help out and fulfill a need, it would be great to feel welcomed!
2.  Stop by my room....and if you do - please introduce yourself.  It is nice to know the other teachers you are working with even if it is just temporarily.  It is also nice to know the names of the aids that will be working with you that day.
3.  Smile - if you are having a bad day - try not to take it out on me or the kids.
4.  Lesson plans - thank you for them!  They are helpful to not look like a moron in front of the kids.  I am happy to teach and not just babysit if you leave me a plan.

To the students
1.  Just because I am not your regular teacher, do not mean I don't know how to teach or discipline for that matter.
2.  Smile and say hello!  It's that easy.
3.  Just an FYI - I am not moron - I know that you shouldn't be using pictures of beer as clip art!

Oh the joys of teaching.  I do love it and I will go back, but hopefully when I do I will find my way around a little bit better, I will know a few more people and I will feel less like a stranger.

It also seems like this has some great parallels for the church..... when we see a new face in church - we should be applying all of the above..... I hope no one ever walks out of our church feeling like I felt the day I walked out of school.

My 12 For 2012

So as one of my dear friends pointed out the other day I haven't been blogging much lately.... true story!  I truly believe that in life we go through different seasons just as the earth does.  For me I am in my crazy season - the season where I feel like I am doing a lot of things but none of them am I doing well!  Then on top of that learning how to manage my time and my responsibilities while also keeping my priorities.  So as I think about what I want this year to look like for me - I have come up with 12 Goal for 2012.  I am trying my best to achieve these goals but if I do not I will try again the next day.  I hope to spend more time talking about these goals in the next couple weeks but for now here they are.... (in no particular order)

1.  Priorities - God, Family, Ministry, and then everything else....  I need to focus on "keeping the main thing, the main thing"  too often I get overwhelmed and I think that is often because I don't keep my priorities straight.  My relationship with God MUST come first, then my relationship with my husband, then my daughter..... and then ministry and all the other things that come into my life.

2.  De-cluttering - it is my goal in the next month to have gone through all our things - get rid of what we aren't using, organize and find a home from what we are using.  My mom uses the rule of ten - she gets rid of ten things from each place she is organizing.

3.  Read - I have so many books on my shelf that I have wanted to read, so often I find myself laying in bed at night not being able to fall asleep and instead of picking up a book - I pick up my phone and play solitaire or words with friends - I want to read instead.    I would like to read one book a month - some of you readers may be laughing but for me - 12 books is better than the zero that I finished last year!  Also I want to read more to Ella - I am really good at singing and playing with her and reading my bible outloud to her but I haven't done a good job reading books to her.... let's start with a realistic goal - 3-5 books a week.

4.  Save - I want to do a better job saving!  I find that so hard to do when we seem to be just making our payments.  I want to be sure that each time I get paid for my tastefully simple parties - I put 10% of that in our savings account - it's a start!

5.  A Budget - a loose one!  I know for us - a strict detailed budget will probably just frustrate us and cause us to give up all together - but I would like to take a day - sit down together and come up with a general budget.   Then maybe next year at this time we can be a little more specific.

6.  Blogging - I have to thank my friend Christianna for her encouragment in this department.  She recently launched a blog which you can check out here.  She had a calendar set up so she can blog ahead of time and schedule those.  She blogs for one hour a day on the days she is home.  I would like to blog regularly..... so stay tuned - I am going to come up with a format and hopefully it will be an encouragement and a blessing to you.

7.  Exercising - I have been in remission since getting pregnant with our little one and will "Lord willing" stay in remission while I continue to nurse her.  I want to try to regain a level of fitness while I can - so my goal is to workout at least once a week - and walk 2-3 other times during the week.

8.  Tastefully Simple - This fall I began to sell Tastefully Simple.... my husband and I love the products.  They are simple, affordable and so versatile.  It is my goal for my business that I would host 3-4 parties a month and have a $100 in online sales each month.  If you would like to check out my site go to www.tastefullysimple.com/web/jsnyder6 

9.  Ministry - After taking some time off of focusing on Taraja Minisries so I could put my total focus on being a mom, I am making my return to speaking and counseling.  I do feel as thought this is what God wants from me, so I need to be obedient.  I struggle with how to promote myself, while not coming across as it being about me - because it is not - it is about finding joy and hope in the journey of life through Jesus Christ.  I want to be sure I am taking time weekly to update my website and to make connections with Churches, camps, and organizations.

10.  Offer Grace to myself - that may sound like a weird goal - but it is something that I struggle with on a daily basis - I look around and see things that need done that I didn't get too because something else came up, my baby was crying, or life just happened.  Though I want a clean and organized house - I know that is not always possible with my schedule and I need to give myself some grace in that department.

11. - Finish reading through the Bible - I will get this done this year - it has taken me several years to read through the Bible - I am now in the Gospels and I will finish it this year!  I can do this!  Let's just say I am not a fast reader!

12.  Note writing - I want to write at least one note a week to someone that needs encouragment, a thankyou to someone who has cared for us, or just a note to say that I miss seeing you.  My mother in law is so good at this - I want to again start with a small goal of one a week and then we will see how we do.

I am going to review these goals monthly to see how I am doing.  What are you goals for 2012?

12 for 2012

I didn't realize until just yesterday that I hadn't blogged since Christmas - the time just flew by - I actually do have a few things on my blog idea list, but I also wanted to take a little break from the computer.  Lately at church we have been talking about giving things up so we can better serve, whether it would be time wise, money wise or stuff wise.

I am feeling like I spend a lot of time on the computer and wanted to have family time over Christmas break with no distractions.  Before I knew it January was here and to be honest with our trip to St. Louis I didn't really have a lot of time to reflect on my goals (aka Resolutions) for the new year.  In fact - I still have come up with my list..... however - I do know that I want 12 goals for 2012.  Over the new two weeks I will be blogging about those 12 goals in hopes to encourage you and to be accountable.

Several years ago I did 31 Resolutions and as I look back I kept at least 15 - so let's see how I do this year - if I have 12 and keep 6 I will be thrilled!!  How are you doing with your goals for the New Year?

Advent Adventure #24 & 25

Today's adventure will be easy to follow - all you have to do is STOP reading, turn off your computer, and leave it off until Monday morning - enjoy a bit of a Computer fast as you celebrate Christmas with family and friends.  And since I will also be doing that - I am going to let you in on tomorrow's adventure - read the Christmas story found in Luke 2.  Enjoy some time together as you celebrate the Christ child's birth by attending a worship service together!

Merry Christmas!!!

Advent Adventure Day 22 & 23

Well I made my best effort to blog from my phone yesterday on my way to my parent's house - however, sometimes my best efforts don't lead to a successful ending...so needless to say - today's advent is a "twofer" as my husband would call it.

Today's adventure is to sit back and enjoy a little holiday cheer right here on your computer - over the month of December Joel has a tradition of posting a new holiday video each day.  There are so many different ones to choose from, so today head over to his blog http://www.joelsnyder.net/ and enjoy a little holiday cheer as you are surfing the web, wrapping presents, or just killing some time as you relax and enjoy the evening!

Have a great Friday!

Advent Adventure Day #21

Can you believe there is only five days until Christmas!  Wow - how the time flies!  Thankfully I think I am finished with my Christmas and birthday shopping (my hubby is a New Year's Baby).  As I laid in bed last night I was thinking about there only being five days and thought today I would have a theme of 5!

For our advent adventure today I am encouraging you to take a moment or two and come up with a list of five things that you are thankful for about each family member.

I am thankful for Joel....
1.  I am thankful he is a Godly man
2.  I am thankful he is like Mary (I am like Martha) - he chooses relationships over tasks.
3.  I am thankful he is compassion and forgiving
4.  I am thankful he is an awesome daddy!!!
5.  I am thankful he is a man of integrity

I am thankful for Ella....
1.  I am thankful that she is fearfully and wonderfully made by God
2.  I am thankful she is a happy and content baby
3.  I am thankful for the times that I can just sit and watch her smile and chatter
4.  I am thankful she sleeps through the night
5.  I am thankful she is so loved and prayed for by so many others

and yes I am also thankful for our furry friend - Tucker
1.  I am thankful he is good with Ella
2.  I am thankful that he listens (most of the time)
3.  I am thankful he is a good traveller
4.  I am thankful he is likes the dog food that I get on sale with my coupons
5.  I am thankful he likes to cuddle (aka he thinks he is a lap dog!)

Advent Adventure Day #20

I hope you are enjoying the Advent Season as much as we are.  It has been so fun to be creating memories and traditions with each other and with our little girl.  This past week at our women's bible study we talked about Christmas traditions and we each shared different traditions.  One of the traditions that I would really like to start this year is to have a book each Christmas that Ella can open on Christmas eve and we will read it together before she goes to bed.  I have yet to pick her book out for this year, but I do already own one of my favorites of the Christmas season - The Crippled Lamb by Max Lucado

Whether you are a family with little kids or big kids - I believe we never grow too old to have a story read to us.... in fact most of the books in Ella's collection are my favorites that I collect when I was in my Twentys.  So tonight grab a Christmas book - or any Children's book and sit down together and read.  Maybe even consider starting a Christmas book tradition.

Advent Adventure Day 18 & 19

I do have another good excuse for not posting yesterday.... it was Sunday!  I was resting.... I wish - it was a busy day of ministry concerts and fellowships..... and it is quite funny that yesterday's advent adventure was going to be about attending a concert.

One of the best ways to bring in Christmas is with music - and I especially love listening to Christmas music.  If you haven't attended a concert this Christmas season - check out a church or a school near you - I am sure you will find one.

And if you haven't found one but live in our area - our church is hosting a Cantata on Wednesday night at 7:30pm we would love to have you join us.

Now for today's advent adventure..... today I want to challenge you to look at a passage in scripture.  Just yesterday we got a Christmas letter and this was on the bottom and I thought it was a great passage for us to read and reflect on as we think about the purpose of Jesus life.

John 1:9-14


"The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world.  He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him.  He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.  Yet to all who received him, to those how believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God - children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God.  The word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.  We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth."

Advent Adventure Day #17

Happy Saturday Everyone!  Today is family day!!  I want to encourage you to spend time today with your family!  God has blessed us abundantly with a little girl who brings us joy and today we celebrate his coming as a baby with our baby.

Maybe you don't have a family to spend time with today or over the holidays - remember your church family is your family - call someone up today and ask them to spend time with you... or you can go and join them on a family outing.

Last night we got together as a family and made cookies - not only was the end result and the product wonderful it was a blessing to have those memories and traditions to share.  Make a tradition today with your family - maybe it is getting a tree together for those late folks or making cookies together.  Maybe it is a road trip, or my favorite going to look at lights.

But whatever you do today - do it as a family!!!

Advent Adventure Day #15 & 16

Today is a double adventure!  I apologize for note getting my blog in yesterday - it was one of those days that I had a bunch of things on my to do list and only got through a couple and by the time I got to my computer it was already 11pm.

So your double adventure today starts with a call to a friend.  I have so many friends that live long distance and we don't often get a chance to chat and catch up, so I encourage you today to call a friend that you haven't talked to in a little while and catch up.

Your second adventure also involves a friend - send a message to a couple friends and schedule a time in the next couple days to get together for a meal or a night of games.  One thing I have realized over the years is the importance of friendship within my church family.  Scripture talks about friendship - "a friend sticks closer than a brother","a friend loves at all times","greater love has no man than this that he would lay down his life for a friend".

Have a friend filled day!!!

Advent Adventure Day #14

I love getting mail!  I will be so disappointed if the post office closes.  Our mail isn't delivered to our house so each day I make a trip down to get the mail... if I miss the office hours I literally get frustrated and disappointed thinking I may have missed out on a personal piece of mail (bills don't count).

Just this week we went away for a couple days and the first thing I wanted to do when I got back was to get the mail in hopes of seeing a box filled with Christmas Cards.

This year since our kitchen addition is complete I am hanging the cards from a clothes line that is strung between two doors - I love how it looks.

Today's Advent Adventure activity is to select 3 cards from your pile.  You can select them randomly or pick your favorites - either way once you have picked three take some time this evening as a family and pray for that person or family.  It is such a joy to know that you are being prayed for.... then after you do that - drop them a message on facebook just so they know you lifted them up in prayer.

Advent Adventure Day #13

Just the other day I finally got out my Christmas nativity.  Despite the dog knocking off the shepherd and breaking his arm (which my mother in law fixed) it finally found a new home instead of being scattered all over my living room.

There is something majestic about the Christmas nativity.... it is so peaceful to look at.  Joel's mom collects them and she has close to 200 different renditions of the nativity.  But there is another part of me that each year when I put of my nativity I realize that this is not anything close to what it looked like that day Jesus was born.

So for our Advent Adventure today - check out this video we showing at CRUX a couple weeks ago - I think they did a great job revealing the myths behind the nativity.  Hope you enjoy it and though I know my nativity is a bit commercialized and does not show the exact picture of his birth - I still love to look at it and display it as a reminder of His coming to the earth as a baby.

Advent Adventure Day #12

As we have mentioned before Advent is a time of preparation....we look forward to remembering Christ's birth as a baby and we anticipate his return to take us all home.  As we look back and remember the story of Christ's birth I want  you to take some time to look back and remember your journey to this point.  Beth Moore said in one of her studies - you can't have your destiny without your history - we each have been on a journey to this point and that journey has shaped us into who we are.

Today I want to encourage you to get out some old photo albums, maybe an old year book and remember!  This journey we have been on up to this point is shaping us into who God wants us to be.  Not all the memories will be good ones, but it is often those ones that do the most shaping!

Advent Adventure Day #11

This past Wednesday we did an Advent activity with our youth group.  We had 11 prayer stations set up throughout our sanctuary.  It turned out so well!  One of the stations that we did was a Shepherd station.  Throughout scripture there are many references to us being the lambs and Jesus being the good Shepherd, He teaches us and leads us.

At the station we had several little lambs for the students to pick and reflect on their spiritual journey as lambs - they were asked to then write down who were the people in their life that shepherded them in their spiritual journey as they wrote their names down they were to pray and thank God for them and how they have invested in them spiritually.

Who are your shepherds - the people who have helped to mold and shape you as a Christian - it can be friends, parents, pastors..... take a moment today and drop them a note to say thanks!

Advent Adventure Day #10

Sorry I am a little later in the day posting this advent adventure, but it has been a busy morning of working and decorating our youth room at church.  I hope some of you were able to go out on a light tour last night.  My family enjoyed our drive - we saw many beautiful houses and some very unique houses.  My favorite house was very unique - I tried to take a picture but it didn't turn out.  Their entire from lawn was covered with lighted Christmas gifts of all shapes and sizes - it was really cool!  And speaking of gifts.... that is today's adventure.

Many of you today will be shopping, some in our area will be out hunting - either way you can give a gift. One of the best gifts we get each year from a family in our church is meat for our freezer - a couple steaks, some hamburger and other assorted pieces.  It saves us lots of money and is very practical.  Today I want to encourage you to give a gift of food... maybe to a food bank, maybe to a family in your church or a shelter that is near your home.  For those hunters out there - you can share some of your meat with a neighbor or a co-worker - what a practical way to give!  It has been a blessing to us so I hope that we can in turn give that same blessing to others!

Advent Adventure Day #9

The weekend is upon us and it is time for a big adventure.... but before I start with todays adventure - let me remind you that you have until noon EST to send me a picture of you with your Christmas socks to be entered to win another pair of socks.

Now for today's adventure.  Pile in your car with your friends or your family and go on a Christmas light tour.  If you evening schedule has you running to pick up the kids - take a different route home to take in some new house lights.  As a family take a vote for your favorite house!  And if you think of it - take a picture of your favorite and pass it along to me.

I just can't wait for tonight as we take our little girl for her very first Christmas light tour!  And if all else fails and you aren't able to get out on a house light tour then check out this video

Advent Adventure Day #8

I loved Christmas time when I was in school - especially elementary school.  As soon as I got my homework done I was given permission to sit at my desk and create a one of a kind masterpiece - a snowflake - or my hope many snowflakes.

There is something so beautiful and creative about a snowflake - maybe it is because no two snowflakes are the same.  They so pure and clean and a great reminder of what scripture promises - "though your sins are like scarlet they will be washed white as snow"

Take some time today to create some snowflakes to hang at your home or in your office or maybe the youth room at your church.  For those with little kids - just fold the paper and begin creating.  For those that would like a little more of a decorative elegant snowflake - I have just the pattern for you.  The directions are found here 3D Snowflake Pattern.  If you want more snowflake ideas go to a site called Curbly.com for more ideas

Advent Adventure Day #7

It's the most wonderful time of the year..... is the song playing in your head yet?  I love Christmas Carols - I do usually hold off until Thanksgiving to listen to the publicly however they go through my head as soon as I see the first sign of Christmas and/or winter (whichever comes first).

If I wasn't so shy (I know hard to believe but true) I would just go to random houses and go caroling by myself since it does seem to be a challenge to get people together.  So last year I came up with an idea called Phone Caroling - I got a few of my girls from Crux together and we called a dear friend of mine who is also in Youth Ministry - Stephanie Caro.  The answering machine picked up and after the tone we sang our rendition of Silent Night.

Well just last week - that same group of girls quickly reminded me that it was time again for our phone caroling call to my friend Stephanie - so the only quiet place to make the call was the bathroom at the church so off we went and as people came in they joined in the singing of Joy to the World.  The girls were thrilled and Stephanie was blessed!

Who can you bless today by doing a little phone caroling?  It is so easy all you need is a phone and a joyful noise!

Advent Adventure Day #6

It's game day on our advent adventure.  Our little girl is too young to understand the importance of family time now, but I know that if we don't get into the habit of doing that now - it will be much harder as she gets older.  So tonight I want to encourage you to have family time (if it doesn't fit tonight please schedule a time during this upcoming week!)  During your family time - play a Christmas game together.  Maybe it is name that tune with Christmas Carols, or Merry Christmas Jumble Words (try to come up with as many words as possible made from the words Merry Christmas)  Maybe is a game that you found online.

If you are really bold and want to do a fun messy game you can play one of my favorites - Santa Beard - put shaving cream on someone's face and throw cheese balls at them to see how many you can get to stick!  Such a mess but what a laugh you will have.  Christmas Tree Dress up - have a volunteer be the tree and dress them up with tinsel, lights and ornaments.  If you don't have family of your own - this is your chance to branch out and invite a family over or do this with your youth group!

Have a great time celebrating with your family!

Advent Adventure Day #5

Happy Monday Advent Adventurers - during the Christmas season you will find that many people will be sporting Christmas T-shirts, jewelry, and even the imfamous Christmas sweaters, but to me the most important piece of Christmas attire is the socks!  I love crazy fun socks and that love is multiplied during the holidays.   In fact when I was a Phys. Ed teacher back in the day once a month I would have crazy sock day and my students would get extra credit for wearing their crazy socks to class.

So today - let's pull out a fun pair of Christmas socks and if you dare - wear them with sandals so you can get the full affect.  If you want participate in this, take a picture of your feet (with your socks on, of course) and mail it to me for a chance to win another pair of Christmas socks.  Just send your picture with your full name and email address to janalynn8@gmail.com  Pass this blog along to your friends so they can also have a chance to win.  You have until Friday at noon (EST) to send your picture.  Help to pass the word by liking my blog or leaving a comment.  Let's see if we can get 100 people to participate.

A winner will randomly be chosen on Friday!  Can't wait to see your Christmas socks!

Advent Adventure Day #4

Today is the day the Lord has made - let us rejoice and be glad!  Today is a very special day in the life of our family... Ella's being dedicated in church today and we couldn't be more excited.  While I was pregnant and having some complications in the early pregnancy we felt God's peace knowing everything would be okay and that he had a special plan for our little one.  We had countless friends (especially our group of Youth Pastor IT team members) who committed to praying for our little girl!  We were overwhelmed to know how much she was loved and prayed for before she was even born.

Today we present her before the Lord and the congregation trusting he will do great things through her - I just know He is going to use her in a mighty way.

As part of our advent adventure today I want you to pray specifically for your children - ask for wisdom in raising them.  If you don't have children yet - pray for the ones that God may provide in the future.  If children are not on your radar then choose a child in your church and spend time praying for them.

As a special gift to the child - write out your prayer and give it to them - if they are too little to understand read it out loud and save it in a special place for them to look at later.  As we think about Jesus coming as a baby what a perfect time to look for a child or an infant around you to lift up to the Lord.

Happy Sabbath Day my friends!!!

Advent Adventure Day #3

Happy Saturday everyone!  I know many of you will be heading out to shop today so our adventure for the day includes a little shopping.

One thing I have learned as a new mom is how expensive it is to clothe and diaper a child and thank goodness for breast feeding or I would have that expense as well.  This time of year can be hard a new mom especially one who is just trying to make ends meet, so you have an opportunity to help them out just by getting a pack of diapers, a sleeper, a bottle or a container of formula.

Find a Pregnancy Care Center near you and drop off your donation as a family or as a group so they can see the ministry that occurs right in your own neighborhood.  I had a great opportunity to work for a center for a year - I had no idea how many expectant mothers came through the center for counseling, support and for baby items that they needed.

As we celebrate the birth of the Christ child this year - think about all those other children that God has blessed our world with and take time to love on them by making a donation!

Happy Shopping!!!

Advent Adventure Day #2

I don't know about you but there is nothing quite like snuggling up with a blanket, some hot chocolate, some popcorn and the ones you love and watching your favorite Christmas movie.  It would be hard to pick a favorite - but I do love How the Grinch Stole Christmas (the old cartoon one).  

It is amazing that up until last year I had never seen the movie "It's a Wonderful Life" where had I been all those years that I missed out on that classic?  I am sure it will make an appearance this year as well.

Just two days ago I was having a Tastefully Simple party and one of the guests (an Adult) had to leave the party early so she could go home and watch Rudolph.  It is just something that we never grow out of I guess.

So call up some friends, some youth group kids, or your family and pick a favorite Christmas movie to enjoy as you sit back relax and enjoy the evening.

Advent Adventure Day #1

The Advent Adventure Begins today.... for the first day of our adventure I want to encourage you to do some kind of Advent Calendar or Jesse Tree or something that you can do a daily something for Advent.  If you don't have anything available maybe that is something that you can make each day so that next year you will have an Advent Calendar to use.

Here are a couple ideas - one of the Sunday School teachers at my other church would do calendars each your made out of felt and match boxes and each of the 25 days before Christmas were filled with tiny gifts or symbols of Christmas that would fit in a match box.

Another idea is to make a Jesse Tree - if you have never heard of a Jesse Tree - you can take a branch or dowel rods and make a tree out of it.  Then you will use different items that you hang on string to tell the story of Christmas.  Check out the picture above for an example.

Our French class in high school used to sell advent calendars that were filled with Chocolate - that was a fun treat to have each morning during school!

If you have a great advent calendar idea - please share it with us!  Happy Adventing!!!

The Advent Adventure is about to begin!

The Advent Adventure is about to begin.... so please join me and celebrate the season of Advent through creative ways that you, your family, your friends, and your Youth Group can do together to fellowship, to create memories, and most importantly and renew and refresh your relationship with the God of the Universe that came as a baby to save us from our sins.  Wow - what a reason to celebrate.  

Colossians 3:17 says, whatever you say or do - do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ - so this year whether you are shopping, fellowshiping at friends house, attending or participating in a program we are to be an example of Christ.  

So now I invite you to join me in the Advent Adventure Journey - it begins tomorrow and will appear daily until Christmas.  

Operation Christmas Child Collection Week

It is hard to believe how the time flies but it is National Collection week once again for Operation Christmas Child - this is a project that we have been involved with for over 15 years..... and this year we are even more excited to introduce the project to our little girl.  Though she isn't old enough to know what is going on - she loves to participate even if she ends up just being a cute little baby sitting on the large pile of boxes that were packed yesterday at our packing party.

The party was to go from 2-8 so we arrived around 4:15 to help do some boxes, maybe do some wrapping, but as we walked in the door they were packing the last box - 360 boxes were completed in a little over two hours.  How awesome!!!  Thank you to Vonna Knouse, Teresa Shaffer, and Rachel Mingle for all your hard work!  (and any one else that was in charge that I am forgetting!)

Check out our little video!

Mommy/Ella Time

I had my first overnight away from my little girl.  It was a great get away for me to spend with some girlfriends doing some scrapbooking.  So when I returned today all I wanted to do was have Ella time so after feeding her I decided to try on her new snow suit and this is what she looked like..... I know I am biased but she is too cute!  And seems to be a little immobile in her new suit!

Thankful November

Last year my sister in law Michele came up with a great idea.  She decided that for each day in the month of November she was going to post something that she is thankful for.  I love the idea!!!  Not only do I want to steal it - but wouldn't it be great if for the next four weeks we turned our focus towards that positive!  You don't have to just say something you are thankful for on facebook - the sky is the limit!  You could send a note of thanks to someone by email or snail mail each day of the week.  You could also take this idea to your children.  Each night at dinner time you could share something you are thankful for.

As I mentioned before - I just love this idea!  And when my little girl is old enough I want to be sure I have some special tradition we do in November to remind her how important it is to be thankful.  Just last night I was looking at a catalog that had a large tree made of fabric and 30 leaves on it that were numbered and were pockets (very similar to an advent calendar) and each day you put a note or something special that you are thankful for.  What a great idea - I would love to make one of those by next year!!

So let me start my month of thanks today - Joel's Sisters

I am thankful for Michele (Joel's sister) not only was she my favorite for the first year of our marriage (that was manditory since she helped me do a bunch of wedding stuff for me)  But I am thankful for her friendship to me but also to Joel (they were both single for a while and were best of friends!) Thank you for loving Joel as a best friend, thank you for welcoming me to the family and thank you for using your shopping skills to find me great deals!

I am thankful for Andrea - she loves to love!  She gives the best hugs and loves to jump on the bed when at retreats!  (long story)  Thank you for planting seeds in my mind about how wonderful your brother was, though I was resistant at the time, it was the best gift you could ever give to me!

I am thankful for Melanie - I am thankful for your kind spirit.  You are caring and compassionate and you have an amazing gift for decorating!  I will always remember the day we were sitting by the pool at the outer banks and you were wondering about Joel and I and if we were going to get married.... oh how fun it is to look back to that time.

Marriage and Ministry

Assuming the Worst

Why is it that I always assume the worst?  What do I mean by that?  Let me explain…. In the past several years of marriage and in my decade of serving in ministry I find that my mind often goes directly to the negative.  For example, if I ask my husband to help me take out the trash and he neglects to do so (or do it in the time frame that I have allotted in my mind) I assume he doesn't care about me and the things I need help with.  In ministry I may plan a huge event only to have 5 students show up, then I automatically assume – the kids don’t like me, they don’t like the activity, other commitments are much more important. 

Both of these scenerios though drastically different are completely related – they both have to do with my mindset – my negative mindset – and that negativity can easily creep into my marriage or my ministry if I don’t make a conscious change!  Assuming the worst is a common plague in our “half empty” that feels that constant need to compare ourselves to those around us.  This plague can ruin your marriage and your ministry if you don’t make an effort to make a change.

Here are a few things that I have learned over the years in ministry, marriage and counseling that have helped me pursue truth and not assume the worst.

1.     First you need to evaluate the value of what you are dealing with.  The value of the relationship or the value of the task.  For example, it seems to be rather pointless to spend hours worrying about what someone said about you, your spouse, or your ministry if you do not value that person’s opinions or actions.  The same is true about tasks, if I look at the garbage example – in the large scheme of daily life, how much do I really value the fact that my husband may forget to take it out 1 out of 5 times.  It sounds crazy but maybe it is not garbage taking out that is your issue but insert your situation and ask yourself that question – how much do I value that task or that person’s opinion in the large scheme of life?

2.     Next you must evaluate the action.  Did my husband really leave the garbage on the porch and not the curb because he wanted to make a point that he doesn’t like taking out the trash.  No – he forgot!  There was no vicious action planned to ruin my evening, he just forgot since he is still in his church counsel meeting waffle!  How about those youth group kids that never showed up for your big event?  Well with a little research I found out there was a big event going on at the school that was planned last minute even though I had checked months in advance to be sure there was no conflict.

3.     Give your spouse, your students, and the church the benefit of the doubt.  Next time a situation arises take a moment to think before you react (sometimes easier said than done).  Find out the facts before you jump to conclusions.  Talk to those involved before formulating an opinion. 

Assume the best!  Just a simple change of mindset can change your marriage and your ministry in minutes!    

A Grand Return!

Stay tuned..... tomorrow I will make my grand return to blogging!!!  The two months off for maternity leave has been amazing!  I am excited about what I have in store for all my faithful readers!  Check back tomorrow for the first official blog!  Also my other blog which focuses on MS, Babies, and motherhood will also make its comeback tomorrow you can check that out at www.msbabyandme.com 

Have a great day!!!

Mom's Are the Best

As I prepare to become a mom in less than three weeks I am reminded how greatful I am that I have an amazing mom!  Last week I was so blessed that my mom was able to come for five days and help me get things ready for our little one.

There was no job that was too big or small for her - she was worker bee!!  She helped me clean, organize, paint, do laundry, and pick out some things for the nursery.   She even helped us move our bookshelf and she dusted and cleaned the whole shelf.

She had great ideas and she was willing to help me figure out some things I just had no idea what to do with - the office for instance!

It seems as though becoming a mom has drawn me closer to my mom - that I am so thankful for.  She is an amazing woman and I hope that I will be able to raise my little girl in the same way my mom raised her five children.  

It was hard to see my mom go home - but I think she will be excited next time she visits to see how great the nursery looks - especially with her little granddaughter in it.

Thanks again Mom you are the best!!!

A birthday Party!

So today the coolest thing happened.  I was sitting in the parking lot at CVS and I got a phone call from a family at our church.  She was calling because she wanted to invite us to her youngest daughter's birthday party, but truth be told.... the only reason we were invited to attend was because our "son" was on the guest list.

Can you believe it - Tucker was invited to a four year old's birthday party!  I hope she doesn't think he is a pony and try to have all her ride him....hahaha!  She just loves Tucker so we are planning to attend with him.

I will hopefully have a few pictures from the party to share later so check back on Monday!

It only took 3 years!!!

Today marked a momentous occasion for me!  After three years, I finally finished reading through the Old Testament of the Bible.  There is a part of me that is a little embarrassed that it took me three years to complete this, and it took me this long in my Christian walk to make reading through the Bible a goal of mine.... but then there is the other side - I finally did it!

God's word is so full of instruction for us, and as a young Christian I often avoided reading the Old Testament because I just didn't understand it.  Don't get me wrong there is so much that I still don't understand but there is so much in the Old Testament that needs to be read and understood so you can better understand how important Jesus' sacrifice is in the New Testament.

Tomorrow I will start the chronological journey through the New Testament and I am looking forward to seeing how the Gospels flow with one another.

If you have never read through the Bible - I really encourage you to do so!  Here are a couple tips that I found useful and maybe they will help you also!

1.  During your first time reading through the Bible - choose a chronological Bible that has daily readings - although I often didn't finish a whole days reading at a time, it was great to see it in the order that it happened to better understand the content.

2.  If you start to get behind, don't get frustrated and start over.  I can't tell you how many times I started over in Genesis, but you have to just keep on keeping on - don't worry that the dates on the top of the page don't match the actual date you are reading - just keep reading.

3.  The first time you read through - don't try to study or understand everything.  I just tried to read a section and be able to summarize it - My goal is to go back through many more times, but the more I read the more I study.  This time of reading was for getting familiar with the content.

Hope these tips are helpful for you as you journey through reading God's word!

Coupon Excitements and Woes

With the upcoming arrival of a new little baby in our family, with me not working much over the past 9 months, and with remodeling costs that went over budget.... we are recognizing our need to cut costs!  So over the past week I have been collecting coupons, looking at flyers, going online and printing off more coupons.  I even signed up for several emails that give you couponing tips.

Let me set this up by saying, my goal is not to be an extreme couponer.... my goal is to be a good steward of my time and our finances and save some money.  With that being said - after a long morning of organizing all my coupons - I headed out to the stores to get my bargains.

I have mixed feelings about my experience today.... but I know that I am just learning and it will take time to collect coupons, to come up with a system, and to master the tricks of the trade.  Anyway - with that being said - here are a few things that I learned today and in the past about couponing!

1.  Couponing takes time!  It takes several hours to collect and organize, but it took all afternoon to go to all the places that I needed to to get my deals.  I had to plan out my route so that I wouldn't have cold items sitting in the hot car.  I may be a little over sensitive to being on my feet since I am great with child, but I was exhausted when I got home, so much so that some of my groceries are still sitting on the table.

2.  Sometimes you need to spend money to save money....today I saved a lot of money - in fact it was in the hundreds!  I saved 1/3 of my costs today - to that I am very excited, but I spent a ton of money!  And when you spend a moderate amount at five different stores it doesn't seem like as much - until you come home and add up your receipts - then you kinda get sick to your stomach.

3.  Shopping more than once a month can possibly relieve some of that overspending.  We haven't been home much so we haven't shopped for food - let's just say we were low!  So not only did we have to go out and get the staples, we needed to stock our pantry!

4.  Diapers are expensive!  Even with coupons!  We didn't get many diapers for our shower - in fact I only had one small bag of size one - so we needed to stock up - we spend 100.00 on diapers alone.  I did find out that if we sign up for Amazon mom we can get discounted diapers with free shipping but we had some coupons and needed to stock up so we spent the money today - and we did get a lot of diapers - the cost was only 19 cents a diaper when we figured it out.

5.  Don't cut coupons for things you don't normally use..... coupons make you feel like you are saving, however many coupons you have to buy three of the product just to get 50 cents off - it is not worth it - especially if you don't have the storage space, or you aren't sure you will like the product.

6.  CVS - I saved a ton there today but since we are just starting the couponing journey I realized that I was going to have to spend a little to start collecting my extra care bucks - but now that I have a stash of that - it should be much less expensive.

Well - there you have it!  Will I continue to coupon shop?  Yes!  I will just continue to work towards spending less and saving more.   I do feel better now that we are stocked up a bit so I can be making some food and such to freeze for when the little one arrives.

Birthday Blessings

On this rainy July 8th day - I am finally sitting down to relax for a few minutes before the wedding rehearsal.  It has been a busy day of working on camp things and doing a big mailing, not a lot of time to just relax and enjoy.  Joel isn't feeling great so he is laying down - and as he did he was very apologetic that this birthday is not very exciting.... but I was quick to respond that my life is filled with blessings, despite the day's schedule.  So this year I thought I would start a new tradition - Birthday Blessings.   I will come up with a blessing for each year that I am old.... so here goes 36 Blessings!

1.  I am blessed that I have a heavenly Father that loves me, forgives me, and cares for me.
2.  I have an amazing Godly husband - Joel
3.  I have a little girl growing inside of me - to which I am in awe of how God has and will continue to knit her together in my womb.
4.  I am thankful for my parents, who took me and loved me as their own.
5.  I am thankful for my siblings, and my sibling in laws who make life much more exciting.
6.  I am thankful to be an Aunt to 13 awesome "kids" ranging from age 2 - 23 years old.
7.  I am blessed to attend a church that loves the Lord, each other, and those around us.
8.  I am thankful that I have been able to serve the in 3 foreign countries.  (Hope to go back one day)
9.  I am blessed to have been a part of so many teenagers lives over the last 15 years - I just pray that I have made an impact for the kingdom.
10.  I am blessed to have a house with a beautiful addition - trusting that one day it will get done.
11. I am blessed that we will soon have a nursery (I am thinking positively! Since currently we have no walls)
12.  I am thankful for great friends! Friends who despite the miles, you can pick up the phone and it seems like just yesterday.
13.  I am thankful for Mission Meadows, Lakeside Christian Camp, and Krislund Camp - these camps were huge parts of growth in my life!  I love camp!
14.  I am thankful for Mini Vinnie - my car - it keeps chugging along - hoping to get at least 3 more years out of him - if I can still get in and out of him - my next car will need to be a little higher off the ground.
15.  I am blessed to have a great dog - who loves people, gets a little excited, but is gentle and protective, can't wait to see how he cares for his little sister.
16.  I am blessed that I live in the USA - despite the current economic and political situation we still have more than most and we need to be thankful for what we have.
17.  I am thankful for music - it has been my escape at many points in my life, it allows me to enter into worship, it let's me relieve stress, and it brings me great joy!
18.  I am thankful for Raspberry Ice Tea - it just makes me happy - I haven't had much during my pregnancy - less than glasses of it - but when I have it - it makes me happy!!!
19.  Orange Blossom ice cream has been a blessing during the last 8 months!  Can't wait until Cruiser's Cafe has it again!!! (hint hint!!!)
20.  I am blessed to have talents - the ability to stand up in front of people and talk without getting nervous, the ability to listen and ask questions to help people find emotional healing.
21.  I am blessed to have birth parents who chose life!  And were willing to bless others when they knew they were unable to care for me.
22.  I am blessed to have hope that despite having MS - God has used it and will continue to use it as part of my testimony of how he changed my life.
23.  I am blessed that God continues to provide for us financially even when I am unable to work full time.  Why do I worry or ever doubt?
24.  I am blessed to have time to sit and reflect on my blessings today as I celebrate 36 years of life.
25.  I am thankful for the beauty around me - especially the tiger lillies on the side of the road during the summer months!
26.  I am blessed by my In Laws - they are so giving of their time and talents and always willing to help us out.
27.  I am thankful for swimming pools and air conditioning on the hot days of summer.
28.  I am thankful for our new LED flat screen TV that we got for free from our credit card points because it takes up much less room on our dresser.
29.  Thankful that I have a brother who is an excavator so he can come and fix our back yard.
30.  Thankful I have a sister who is a landscape architect so she can help me make that yard look nice, and maybe score me a discount!
31.  I am blessed because I know that I will spend eternity with Jesus
32. I am blessed because I have a husband who makes me laugh!
33.  I am blessed because I have a dishwasher - no joke it really is a blessing to me!
34.  I am blessed because I have a beautiful kitchen now that is bigger than a closet - thanks Brian we love it!
35.  I am blessed because I no longer have to climb my steep stairs to get a shower!
36.  I am blessed because I have life!  Abundant joy filled life!

Have you counted your blessings today?  You should try this your next birthday!!!

Birthday Blessings

On this rainy July 8th day - I am finally sitting down to relax for a few minutes before the wedding rehearsal.  It has been a busy day of working on camp things and doing a big mailing, not a lot of time to just relax and enjoy.  Joel isn't feeling great so he is laying down - and as he did he was very apologetic that this birthday is not very exciting.... but I was quick to respond that my life is filled with blessings, despite the day's schedule.  So this year I thought I would start a new tradition - Birthday Blessings.   I will come up with a blessing for each year that I am old.... so here goes 36 Blessings!

1.  I am blessed that I have a heavenly Father that loves me, forgives me, and cares for me.
2.  I have an amazing Godly husband - Joel
3.  I have a little girl growing inside of me - to which I am in awe of how God has and will continue to knit her together in my womb.
4.  I am thankful for my parents, who took me and loved me as their own.
5.  I am thankful for my siblings, and my sibling in laws who make life much more exciting.
6.  I am thankful to be an Aunt to 13 awesome "kids" ranging from age 2 - 23 years old.
7.  I am blessed to attend a church that loves the Lord, each other, and those around us.
8.  I am thankful that I have been able to serve the in 3 foreign countries.  (Hope to go back one day)
9.  I am blessed to have been a part of so many teenagers lives over the last 15 years - I just pray that I have made an impact for the kingdom.
10.  I am blessed to have a house with a beautiful addition - trusting that one day it will get done.
11. I am blessed that we will soon have a nursery (I am thinking positively! Since currently we have no walls)
12.  I am thankful for great friends! Friends who despite the miles, you can pick up the phone and it seems like just yesterday.
13.  I am thankful for Mission Meadows, Lakeside Christian Camp, and Krislund Camp - these camps were huge parts of growth in my life!  I love camp!
14.  I am thankful for Mini Vinnie - my car - it keeps chugging along - hoping to get at least 3 more years out of him - if I can still get in and out of him - my next car will need to be a little higher off the ground.
15.  I am blessed to have a great dog - who loves people, gets a little excited, but is gentle and protective, can't wait to see how he cares for his little sister.
16.  I am blessed that I live in the USA - despite the current economic and political situation we still have more than most and we need to be thankful for what we have.
17.  I am thankful for music - it has been my escape at many points in my life, it allows me to enter into worship, it let's me relieve stress, and it brings me great joy!
18.  I am thankful for Raspberry Ice Tea - it just makes me happy - I haven't had much during my pregnancy - less than glasses of it - but when I have it - it makes me happy!!!
19.  Orange Blossom ice cream has been a blessing during the last 8 months!  Can't wait until Cruiser's Cafe has it again!!! (hint hint!!!)
20.  I am blessed to have talents - the ability to stand up in front of people and talk without getting nervous, the ability to listen and ask questions to help people find emotional healing.
21.  I am blessed to have birth parents who chose life!  And were willing to bless others when they knew they were unable to care for me.
22.  I am blessed to have hope that despite having MS - God has used it and will continue to use it as part of my testimony of how he changed my life.
23.  I am blessed that God continues to provide for us financially even when I am unable to work full time.  Why do I worry or ever doubt?
24.  I am blessed to have time to sit and reflect on my blessings today as I celebrate 36 years of life.
25.  I am thankful for the beauty around me - especially the tiger lillies on the side of the road during the summer months!
26.  I am blessed by my In Laws - they are so giving of their time and talents and always willing to help us out.
27.  I am thankful for swimming pools and air conditioning on the hot days of summer.
28.  I am thankful for our new LED flat screen TV that we got for free from our credit card points because it takes up much less room on our dresser.
29.  Thankful that I have a brother who is an excavator so he can come and fix our back yard.
30.  Thankful I have a sister who is a landscape architect so she can help me make that yard look nice, and maybe score me a discount!
31.  I am blessed because I know that I will spend eternity with Jesus
32. I am blessed because I have a husband who makes me laugh!
33.  I am blessed because I have a dishwasher - no joke it really is a blessing to me!
34.  I am blessed because I have a beautiful kitchen now that is bigger than a closet - thanks Brian we love it!
35.  I am blessed because I no longer have to climb my steep stairs to get a shower!
36.  I am blessed because I have life!  Abundant joy filled life!

Have you counted your blessings today?  You should try this your next birthday!!!