Thanksgiving blessings

What a wonderful couple of days it has been. Having mom here was wonderful, and it's always a special day when dh can be around more often than usual. I love the break in the middle of a week, to mix up the school schedule and enjoy the change from the day to day. Thanksgiving is all that, plus a time for reflection on all the blessings that we are thankful for, but seem to never take the time to appreciate.

This year our menu was pretty standard fare, but sometimes the classics are the best. Tried a few new recipes, and definitely got some keepers...The Cranberry Glazed Breast of Turkey (foodnetwork.com) and Pumpkin Cheesecake (also Food Network) were both ones to pull back out of the file again. I would definitely also make the Cranberry Pineapple Salad and Creamy Sweet Potatoes again (both from my Taste of Home recipe box). Of course, my mom made her yummy stuffing, buns, and apple pie. We rounded out the menu with a 20lb turkey, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, and some misc. fare. We have plenty of leftovers which is just fine with me as we can eat stress free for days. :) Brad also made a cranberry-pomegranate Bellini as a pre-meal special drink.

One other fun treat was having the kids make some table crafts. We didn't eat until 4pm, so after a morning brunch, I put the kids to work making some edible turkeys, pilgrim hats, and tepees from familyfun.com. Unfortunately, I didn't get a picture but they were the cutest thing...the hats were a fudge striped cookie turned upside down, with a large, chocolate dipped marshmallow on top. Then, you used yellow squeeze frosting to make the square "buckle". The turkeys were one double stuffed oreo (sans the top wafer) with a full oreo pushed up and down into the frosting. Then, you inserted candy corn into the vertical oreo frosting for the feathers. Finish it off with a raisenette as the turkey head, and it is cute as can be. Finally, the tepees were sugar cones, frosted with white icing, then decorated with piped frosting. I don't think I'll do those again, but the combination of all of them together made for some cute decorations and got the kids involved.

Most importantly though, we had a wonderful day together as a family. From cooking with my mom and having Brad home to help and be nearby, to extended family, many games of pinnochle, and lots and lots of food, we were able to relish the gifts that only the Lord can provide. With Him, we have a freedom that can not be matched here on earth, and a promise of more than we can ever imagine when we finally join him in heaven someday. When amazing blessings abound here on earth, it is so hard to imagine that it can be even more wonderful than this - but it will be. I pray all of us will know his glory and love, through good and through bad. May God bless each and every day of our upcoming year -

Simple Devotion

(Please use the button on the right to link to Peggy's original Simple Devotion homepage)

For Today...

Dear Lord,

I'll bring you my shortcomings...the inadequacies are many, oh Lord, but I know with you all things are possible. Only you can lead my heart from one of wanting to control to one of submitting to you, in all areas of my life. Lord, guide my heart to one of humility and releasing of all my plans to you.

I'll bring you my worship and praise... As we near Thanksgiving, I know that I should be thankful each and every day for all that you give us. You are the God of power and might, the God of plenty and the God of our desires. Lord, I praise you for the works of your hand, specifically today for my family, my home, a steady job for my husband, and the freedom of our country. All things are guided by your hand. Oh Lord, how great thou art!!!

I'll bring you my prayer... Lord, give me a thankful heart each and every day, not just in this season. Guide me these next few days to be a "Mary" rather than a "Martha". Grant safe travels for all to come together this Thanksgiving and be with my family near and far. Help them all to know your love for them and help them all to love you deeply and completely. Thank you for your gift of salvation, and may we never take it for granted.

You spoke to me... "Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." I Thessalonians 5:16-18

A Simple Woman's Daybook

(Link back to Peggy's daybook entries through A Simple Woman's Daybook picture on right column)

For today....

Outside my window...a bright and sunny day with temperatures hovering around 35 degrees. It's great to see the sun and have it heat the house a bit.

I am thinking...we have a busy 3 days of school along with lots of Thanksgiving prep

From the learning rooms....still getting going this morning, but a full Monday as usual. Piano lessons this afternoon to round out our day.

From the kitchen...need to get a plan going for supper - I think spaghetti tonight. A 20 lb turkey and 6 lb turkey breast are busy thawing in the fridge!

I am wearing...the usual uniform! :) Slippers, socks, black work out pants, white shirt, comfy gray sweatshirt, and a quilted flannel thrown on the top until the house warms up a bit

I am reading...A Rush of Wings by Kristen Heitzmann (inspirational fiction)

I am hoping...that I can keep my focus on the big picture this week - family, thankfulness, fun, and fellowship

I am creating...my menu for the "big" dinner, some ideas for Thanksgiving crafts to have the kids do Thursday am while we're cooking

Around the house...wash machine going with the first load today, TJ is still sleeping, but everything cleaning wise is under control for the week

One of my favorite things...waking up to a clean bedroom with everything in its place - evidence of a good weekend project

A few plans for the rest of the week...finish cleaning, get Operation Christmas Child boxes done (they're due today!), shopping for groceries, and enjoying time with my mom when she comes

Have a blessed day!

Simple devotion

I follow Peggy's blog (http://thesimplewoman.blogspot.com/) pretty religiously as she has such a great message of simplicity and peace. From her blog I have linked to many others who have the same thought process...All of them challenge me to move beyond the "rat race" into quiet peacefulness and reflection. While I am so far away from leading a simpler life, I continue to strive to keep my focus on the simplest, yet most complex, blessing I have been given - that of a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

Peggy had a great idea to reflect each week (along the same lines as the daybook) on a simple devotion, so, as time is limited for a complete blogging entry today, I will venture out and start this weekly process to further delve into what is REALLY important in this life...

For Today...

Dear Lord,

I'll bring you my shortcomings...There are so many Lord, but today I bring you my lack of "letting go" - I continue to desire to want to do things my way, or at least play a part in how everything needs to be. Help me to let you be the God of my life, and help me to submit to your plan.

I'll bring you my worship and praise... What an awesome God and Creator you are! I look out my window and see your handprint in everything I see. You have the power to create the seasons, and move us from fall to winter. I praise you for your amazing power over the world and marvel in the works of your hands!

I'll bring you my prayer... please Lord Jesus, use me to touch a life and make a difference today, whether it be in a kind word or action. Grant me wisdom to know what to say and when to say it in order to further your kingdom.

You spoke to me..."Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone." Colossians 4:6

A Simple Woman's Daybook

Outside my window - Hazy cold day with just enough snow on the ground to make it partially white

I am thinking - that I don't have anything planned yet for lunch or dinner and I need to get a grocery list together

From the learning rooms - heavy Monday schedule with piano lessons on top of an already full day

I am thankful for - heat on this cold day as I still adjust to this temperature change

From the kitchen - coffee pot just shut off, nothing going on!

I am wearing - lots of layers...slippers and wool socks, yoga pants, long sleeve shirt, sweatshirt, and a quilted flannel shirt (not the picture of fashion, but I'm warm!)

I am reading - still working away at Love and Respect and also the latest Rachel Ray magazine

I am hoping - to get started on all the cleaning projects today

I am creating - a checklist for the bathroom cleaning, thoughts about Thanksgiving

I am hearing - kids playing with cars while on their lunchbreak

Around the house - focus on bathrooms and bedrooms this week

One of my favorite things - a cup of coffee to keep my hands warm

A few plans for the rest of the week - meetings, payroll, birthdays, and working on simplicity

Praying for peace and love...

Goals for the week

What a spectacular weekend we had with my family! We headed to Minneapolis on Friday afternoon and were able to reach mom's house by supper time. Luckily, the wind and snow didn't cause any problems for us and we arrived safely. So fun to be together with everyone...I always find it so amazing that the cousins can all just pick right up where they left off, finding things to bridge the age gaps, and have so much fun together. Many families can barely spend an afternoon together, let alone a weekend (or longer!), but we are so blessed to enjoy each other and revel in the games and talking. That connection is amazing and I appreciate having not only brothers and a sister and a mom that I love to be with, but also my special sisters-in-law and a brother-in-law who are so integral to our family. I am so thankful that my siblings have godly partners who are an integral part of the binding that makes us family. I can't wait until Christmas when we are all together again!

This week we have additional goals of continuing on the path of "operation responsibility" for our children. We're going to start the deep cleaning process of working in their rooms, and while JT's doesn't phase me in the least, JD and TJ's rooms are probably going to put me over the edge. I am, most likely, going to run screaming from their rooms more than once this week, so plan to have a few extra pots of coffee on hand to take with me as I sit in my room, rocking myself back and forth while reminding myself that someday their future partners will thank us for our diligence in this responsibility department. I believe there will be much wailing and gnashing of teeth this week, so don't worry about calling in the authorities. We're just throwing Lego magazines/pictures/Burger King crowns/pictures/scraps of paper/wrappers/ etc. away. They'll survive.

Also a big week as we plan to complete the Colonial America unit and I need to decide if I'm going to break from the lesson plans and go into a self run demonstration/reporting unit complete with diagrams, oral and written reports, etc. Still thinking on that. Need to renew my K12 contract this week as well so have to get my stuff in order to think through the next year on this.

Off to the next school subject - snack break is long over.

Have a great day in God!