2011 Siesta Scripture Memory Team: Verse 22!

The LPM post for today says,

Three more to go!
Three more to go!
Three more to go!

(Hear that all cheerleader like)

 Wow, can't believe I have made it this far. Although I really can't say that and be truthful about knowing all of my verses. I mean, I learned them, but my memory is not the greatest, yet I struggle along, I am determined to finish this race I started!! I started this once before, but I didn't make it halfway. The enemy lurks and whispers the "you can't do this" and I tell him, "No, I can't, but with God all things are possible!!"  So I press on, because God has gotten me this far, I am not giving up now!!

I had another verse picked out to be my next verse, but today I was reading a blog and it was on a thankful heart. I know that I don't always have a thankful heart, but I have realized that with my family doing our Thankful Tree and taking time out of our busy days to do our Thankful Time, I have been so blessed by spending that special time with my husband and my children. I am praying about how to continue our special times together each month. At our Thankful Breakfast I decided, I want to be more intentional about Thanksgiving and what it means and can mean to our family.

Our family's traditions have been interrupted by marching band, plus Benny has to work, so we haven't been going to my sister's in several years. Bub will be marching in the Carolina's Carousel Parade again  this year, but because of the change in my heart, and the importance of being together, we will have dinner together after everyone gets home. I want our family to be together, as many that can come. As our children get older and have families of their own those times may be few. I want to make the best of our time together now.  I have sacrificed enough time for the world, and I want to change that and offer my sacrifice to the Lord!! He has blessed me so much, how can I ask for more???

I will offer to thee a sacrifice of thanksgiving and will call upon the name of the Lord. Psalm 116:17

Give Thanks Day 15

Ok, so I am running a day behind, I guess I can look at the positive side, I am still at this. When I first posted my Give Thanks post  I had my doubts about following through. So, a day late, better than not at all!!

Yesterday, I GAVE THANKS for my Bible Study Group and Women of Grace (Women's Ministry). What a blessing and a joy this group of women are to me!!  Our Bible study has been such a blessing to me. God has used it to point things out in my life and to challenge me to be different. (Hopefully, I will post another day about One In A Million). I have participated in most of the Bible Studies and this one was one of my top favorites!! Many women start and for whatever reason, do not finish. This one was different, there were very few that didn't and a few had family sicknesses and others had family obligations (Not thinking badly of anyone, just hang in there and finish it anyway, you don't want to miss what God has for you!!) The picture below is of most of the women that came to Bible study (well, one I know did sneak out, you know who you are, lol!!), these women are gracious, faithful, encouraging and will keep you accountable, pray for you and love you!! Our leader, Deidre is a blessing to us all and I appreciate her so very much! 

Love this group of women!! And so blessed that my baby girl is digging in God's Word, too!! (she's the second from the left on the bottom row) Deidre is the 3rd from the right n the bottom row, would you have guess that she set the camera timer and ran like the wind to get in her place. She's looking calm as if she had been sitting there the whole time!! 

Women of Grace is in its beginning stages and participation in this ministry is growing.  I am so excited to see what God is doing in the lives of women that I worship with and love!! There have been two events that I have gotten the opportunity to help plan and enjoy!!! There was a Fall Retreat and just last week the Thankful Breakfast. I have been so blessed by getting to help and to get to know other women in our church family! Please pray that God will continue to draw us closer to Him and to each other. Need some encouragement?? Come join us anytime you can!! You will be blessed!

 

Thank you Father for my Bible study group, and the Women of Grace. It is amazing to see you at work in the lives of so many women. I have needed something like this for a long time, and I thank you for the opportunity to be involved. Help me to be a help and an encouragement to my sisters in Christ. Help me to take you at your word and to be faithful and obedient in what you would have me do.

Give Thanks Day 14 (a day late)

Today I give thanks for WGBC Children's Ministry. God has blessed our lives with being a part of the children's ministry at our church. What a blessing to be able to tell children about Jesus and be a part of pointing them to Christ. We have a great ministry team that is there when we need them and even when we don't they are faithful to pray for us. Sometimes serving pizza, taking someone to the restroom may not feel like serving the Lord. But, everything is necessary and important.

Over 10 years ago, my hubby and I headed to the mountains for a weekend getaway. Oh, to have a couple of days to spend together and get away was very much needed. As we were driving along, he turns the music down and says I have a confession to make. Ok, I don't know about you, but that set off about 25 alarms in my head, most of which had me convinced that he was having an affair. How can so much go through one's mind in 30 seconds?? But, he calmed my fears about that quickly and set another fear in motion. He says, "I have been running from God for a while. I can't run any longer and I have to be obedient. I have has several people praying about this (what am I chopped liver? ok so I know its not about me) and I have already talked to Preacher D" "I told him that God wants me to lead the CM." OH! Well, better than an affair. BUT, OH MY GOSH!! That was another fear, what in the world has he done? And I calmly say, "I am here to help you and support you in whatever God has called you to do." Calm was not in me...just in my words. I had to pray that my attitude would be as my words. Helping in CM is one thing, but leading it.....that's huge. Oh, I had no doubt that B could do it, but I on the other hand wasn't sure I could be what he needed me to be

.

But, in the days to come, many people talked with us, and the same thing was told to us over & over. God does not call the prepared, He prepares the called.

Anytime you are doing God's work, the enemy will come and do whatever he can to defeat you and over the years we have fought some tough battles. Know what, I wouldn't change a thing. We have been so blessed by children over the years and seeing some of them now as young adults, just blesses my heart. Sometimes others don't understand that this is God's plan, not ours. I know I cannot do it without the Lord. Dependence on Him is necessary to face things within ministry, and when children are involved, you just never know what they may face outside of the church. The ones that may drive you the craziest are the ones that probably need you the most.

God has shown me so much over the years, from trusting in Him, leaning on Him, seeing Him work in children, He has given us so much joy and many times I forget that. I get tired, I wonder if they are even listening. I get weary. And I know where He has placed us for now, and I need to be about the Father's Business. I am to support and help B and do what God asks of me. Planting seeds so that one day, someone will water and then God will produce the harvest! 

Father, thank you for this opportunity, help me to not take it lightly, help me to encourage and lift the children up. They are your children and they need to know and see who you are. Oh, touch the children, and their families. Give their parents a desire to bring them to church faithfully. Help them understand the importance of seeking your will for their lives. Forgive me for thinking sometimes this isn't worth it. Because it is worth it all!!! Thank you!!

Some pix of our thankful tree...... Thankful Time is my favorite time of day right now.

We each have our own color and the red are for our extended family & friends (ok so we only have 4 red on our tree right now) My BFF was by Saturday night and she and her hubby and son(his was Pie....yes we need to be thankful for Pie!!Love it!) added to our tree, Sis's bf  was home and he joined in our thankful time. I think that's pretty cool!!



I know half the month is over, but you still have time to start your Thankful Tree. It will bless your heart, and focus on what being thankful really means. Go ahead, do it!!!