Give Thanks to the Lord

The last few years I have enjoyed reading everyone's daily thankful posts on my facebook newsfeed throughout the month of November.  Since I don't update my status every day, I haven't done the month-of-thanksgiving posts myself, but reading other's posts always makes me smile & reminds me how much I have to be thankful for too.  So, instead of posting a single thing each day in November, I decided to dedicate this post to 30 thankful thoughts I've had over the last month.  And when I say thankful, I'm not just being randomly "thankful".  I'm thankful to God.  Every blessing we all have is by the grace of God.  Not luck.  Not happenstance.  Not coincidence.  Not deserved.

Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His love endures forever. 

                                                                                         Psalm 118:29

Every good and perfect gift is from above...

                                                                                   James 1:17a

So, here they are... my TOP 30 thankful thoughts for 2013...

1.  I'm thankful for a loving, just, grace-filled, covenant-keeping God.

2.  I'm thankful for Jesus' love & sacrifice for us.

3.  I'm thankful for the Holy Spirit, making me what I could never be on my own.

4.  I'm thankful for the Bible, and the freedom to read & study it without persecution 

(for now, anyway). 

5.  I'm thankful that we live under the New Covenant, not the Old Covenant.

6.  I'm thankful for a husband who loves God and our family more than anything else.

7.  I'm thankful for Grayson, my joyful bundle of energy.

Photo credit - Emily Lockard Photography :)

8.  I'm thankful for Harrison, my precious little thinker.

Photo credit - Emily Lockard Photography :)

9.  I'm thankful that I can be a stay-at-home mommy, and that my sweet husband supports this, both financially & emotionally.

10.  I'm thankful for the sweet sound of Grayson playing Deck the Halls on the piano.

11.  I'm thankful for the sweet sound of Harrison saying "Lub you, Mommy" spontaneously, 

at barely 2 years old.

12.  I'm thankful for the sweet sounds of Grayson & Harrison belly-laughing together 

over their own inside jokes already.

13.  I'm thankful that both my babies are snugglers.

14. I'm thankful that beginning to homeschool Grayson has been much easier than I expected, and a 100 times more fun that I ever imagined it might be!

15.  I'm thankful to have the awesomest (because you know awesomest should be a real word) parents, who are still in love with each other, 50+ years into their marriage.

Mom & Dad's 50th Anniversary

16.  I'm thankful for ALL my family.... sisters, brothers, niece, nephews, aunts, uncles, cousins, everybody!

17.  I'm thankful that the bestest (because you know bestest should be a real word too) church in the whole wide world is right here in Beaumont, so that we have the joyful privilege of being a part of it. Check it out: Calvary Baptist

18.  I'm thankful for Precept Bible studies - so rich and eye-opening!  Try it, it will change your life.

19.  I'm thankful for all our sweet friends who somehow over the past 7.5 years have made Beaumont actually feel like home to us.

20.  Okay, this sorta overlaps with #19, but I'm especially thankful for our 

kids' "local grandparents" - we all love them to pieces!!

21.  I'm thankful that the weather has finally turned cool!!

22.  I'm thankful that we attended NC State during the Philip Rivers Era, so that we were able to enjoy winning football seasons and bowl games.

23.  I'm thankful that I successfully got the crayon off the grout in the kitchen.

24.  I'm thankful for modern medical science.

25.  I'm thankful for flannel PJs.

26.  I'm thankful that ServPro exists.  (To be clear, I am not thankful that we had to utilize their services TWICE in the first quarter of 2013, but I am thankful that they're there when we need them.) 

27.  I'm thankful that Dunkin' Donuts iced coffee comes in decaf.

28.  I'm thankful for Elena's Salsa.

29.  I'm thankful for Blue Bell Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream.

30.  I'm thankful that "Get Harrison a passport." is now on my to-do list.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

Shoebox Saturday!

Today was our second annual family SHOEBOX SATURDAY!!  What is Shoebox Saturday, you ask?  That would be the Saturday before we return our Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes to church!  Last year was the first year that Grayson was old enough to understand what we were doing - in his own 3 year old way he was able to understand that there are boys and girls who do not have all the things he has, and that we were filling a box with gifts for a little boy somewhere who did not have a house full of toys, clothes, etc.  So, we knew it was time to start a new Christmas tradition.  (Or maybe it's a Thanksgiving tradition, since we do it in November, and it certainly reminds us to be thankful for our many, many blessings.)

Last year we loaded everyone up, headed to Target with our shoeboxes, and set out on a new adventure with Grayson helping to select the items for the shoeboxes for the first time.  He was so into the whole thing and was a joy to watch - we all had a blast!  He even enjoyed packing the boxes himself and carrying them into the church the next morning.  It was such a blast last year that I have really been looking forward to doing it again this year, and it did not disappoint!

Our new tradition is that each year, each of the boys will fill a shoebox with items they select for a boy their age.  Since Harrison isn't quite old enough to understand and shop just yet, Grayson got to pick the items for both shoeboxes today.  (Harrison did get in on the action by helping pack the shoeboxes after we got home!)  Harrison woke up early this morning and wound up falling asleep on the way to Target, so instead of interrupting his nap, Matt stayed with Harrison while Grayson and I headed into the store.  As we walked the aisles of Target, Grayson was constantly picking up items that caught his eye and saying "What about this?", "I think the little boy would like one of these!", and "Is this too big for the shoebox?  Let's check!".  It was precious to watch him really enjoy himself while picking out things that were not for him.  I love that he can do that, especially during a time of year that it's so easy to get greedy.

Now, to keep it real... Guess what!  Grayson's not perfect, and neither is his mommy.  I know we (we = mommies, or either parent really!) tend to share the things we are proud of our children for, their successes, and leave out the hard moments or the learning moments.  Well, as we headed to check-out, Grayson piped up with "Do I get a new toy now too??"  Last year I was surprised that he never asked this.  Instead, he was perfectly content shopping for someone else who he did not even know.  A year older and a year wiser, here it came!  Knowing that I'm 99% done with my Christmas shopping for both kids and that the toys he most wanted me to buy for him today are, unbeknownst to him, already hidden somewhere in our house waiting for Christmas morning, AND knowing that our intent for this tradition is an afternoon devoted to thinking of someone else during this greedy time of year, it just wasn't the time to buy a new toy.  So, anticipating trouble, I explained to him that today we were only buying toys for the little boys without many toys and clothes, reminded him how many toys he already has, and that in a few short weeks on Christmas day he will be getting more new toys than could possibly fit in these shoeboxes.  He was a little upset about my answer, and continued to whine a bit as we headed to check-out.

And then something happened that totally surprised me and melted my heart.

We made our way to check-out, Grayson stopped whining and started helping me unload the shopping cart (as he loooooves to do), and the cashier began to ring up our items.  As she worked, Grayson started to explain to her the various items he had selected and what we're doing with everything that we were about to buy.  He told her he was "taking these things home and putting them all in the boxes for the little boys who don't have much, then we're gonna take the boxes to church tomorrow and everyone else will bring their boxes too, then they'll go in trucks to all over the world and tell people about Jesus."

Wait.  What just happened???  Who knew Operation Christmas Child would teach my 4 year old to talk to our cashier about Jesus??  Who knew that while I was trying to teach Grayson to think about others (especially those in need), he would remind me to share Jesus with the people right in front of us, not just the 2 little boys who will receive these 2 shoeboxes in a few weeks??  Grayson and his lack of inhibition can really teach me a thing or two!!

During school the last few weeks, we've been learning about the moon.  The Bible time that goes along with this moon unit focuses on the fact that we should reflect Jesus' light in the world, just like the moon reflects the sun's light during the night.  We've discussed ways we can be a light in the world, like during Operation Streetlight at Halloween, by helping with Operation Christmas Child, and various other things.  Then we go to the register at Target and Grayson takes it to a whole different level.  I love how having a young child is such a reminder of what it looks like to have faith like a child... total trust, total dependence, no inhibitions.


But Jesus called the children to him and said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.  I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it."  

Luke 18:16-17

So, this year's Shoebox Saturday was a learning experience for both of us!  When we got home, Grayson cooperated for a few pictures while packing up the shoeboxes, and he graciously allowed Harrison the privilege of putting a few items in the boxes himself.  These are going to be the good ol' days...

P.S.  I'm pretty sure everyone in my little audience already knows what Operation Christmas Child is, but just in case I'm wrong about that, here's a link to more info:
Samaritan's Purse Operation Christmas Child

Doing Things A Little Different

I'm starting my first blog, and I'm doing it at a totally random time in our lives!  Did I think about starting a blog while we were expecting Grayson, our first child, in order to chronicle our growing family's adventures and keep long distance family up-to-date?  Why yes, as a matter of fact, I did think about it... and that's as far as it got.  Did I think about it again, soon after Grayson was born?  Yep, did that too.  How about when Harrison, the second baby, was on the way?  Another great time to jump on this blog bandwagon!  And yet, hmm... That's right, didn't do it then either.  Wait, what about starting the blog while first making plans to homeschool Grayson?  Chronicle the very beginning of a brand-new adventure, in my brand new blog!  Oh right, I missed that boat too.  We're nearly 3 months into Kindergarten already, not to mention all the planning beforehand. 

Obviously, this has been in the back of my mind for awhile!  After officially missing every opportune family-blog-starting-moment over the last 5 years, I'm finally making this happen now for no particular reason.  While I wish I had posts going all the way to back when we were preparing for Grayson's arrival, life is currently full of so many fun adventures that are just begging me to record them... so, better late than never, right?  Let's hope so!

When I started thinking about my obligatory "I'm starting a blog!!!" first post, it really sank in how many posts I have missed out on posting over the last five years: birth stories, newborn days, birthday parties, holidays, vacations, and all those little moments in everyday life - so many great things to remember!  Hmm, why am I even starting this now that I've missed recording all that great stuff?  I am totally doing this backwards... wasn't I supposed to start the blog while expecting our firstborn, then quit this project sometime after our second arrived and I just couldn't keep up anymore?  That's how family blogs are supposed to work, right?  Yep, I'm definitely doing this backwards!  

That's when I realized how appropriate it is for me to be going about this blog thing a little backwards!  Because that's how we roll in this family.  We do things a little backwards from the world's point of view.  Not only am I a stay-at-home mommy, but neither of the boys have ever attended Mother's Day Out.  (I heard that gasp!  I know, it's unthinkable.)  We just started our homeschool journey with Grayson.  (If you are one of those people concerned about socialization of homeschoolers, I invite you to introduce yourself to Grayson.)  We don't do Santa.  We don't do Elf on the Shelf.  We don't do the Easter bunny.  (I could explain that one now, but it really deserves it's own post, especially with Christmas coming soon.)  

So, we do things a little different, and that's what you can expect here.  Family adventures, homeschooling adventures, and the occasional ramble on the *different* topic currently on my mind!