Giving Thanks

Giving thanks to the Lord of All.  All He has given us.  These 3 amazing, crazy, beautiful children.  Their bright eyes, kind hearts, dirty hands, loud voices, and all.  Our safe home.  Warm with the wood stove, cozy with lamps and warm blankets, inviting with smells of home-cooked meals, and lived-in with it's familiar clutter.  My husband; who is more than my best friend and partner.  Who's hand fits perfectly with mine.

Sun shining during a Michigan November.

 Prayers and love and support during trying times.  Modern medicine and hospitals.  My father, always my biggest fan, biggest supporter, and strongest person I know.  My turn to be strong when he cannot be, sit with him through chemo - cancer - and uncertain times.  Hugs from friends nearby emails and texts from those for away.  Family who the Lord chose for us and friends who are like family.  Community.

A Savior.  Him, whose love shines all the brighter when the darker moments of life threaten to overwhelm us.  His grace... extending, circling, giving peace in all circumstances.  Being the rock when life seems so precarious.


Happy Thanksgiving
~jill

Thankfulness

I considered writing a post for Thanksgiving (even the slacker sometimes-bloggers like myself try to recognize the holidays!).  Instead, I'm posting what Carlie wrote for her second grade assignment.

"I'm thankful for my family so I have people to snugle and love.  I'm thankful for books so I can read and bekum a better reader.  I'm thankful for music so I can practice songs.  I'm thankful for my church so I can larn learn about God.  I'm thankful for Summer my baby sister Summer so I have a baby sister to play with.  I'm thankful for Jesus so I can worship and prays praise him.  I'm thankful for my house so I have protection."

I couldn't have said it better.
Happy Thanksgiving!

Little Joys

Thanksgiving weekend was wonderful and joy-filled for our family.  It's been a long year and we have much for which to be thankful.  The Lord has certainly has given us strength and blessed us each step of the way.  Multiple surgeries, job concerns, anxiety and school trouble, my migraines and trouble with prescriptions, and so much more!  But this weekend was all about joy, praise, family, and giving thanks.  (not to mention pie!)  Here are a few highlights...

Homemade cream cheese frosting on Thanksgiving (to go the pumpkin cake with chocolate chips.)



Oh, yes.  It's that good!



My niece. She's only been walking for a few weeks and I got to see her do it on Thanksgiving.

Such a beautiful November and unseasonably warm. (okay, it's still chilly. But this is Michigan!)

Everyone (including the Truman, our labradoodle) had a chance to play outside. In late November, in Michigan, without snowpants. It was amazing!


Well, kids played outside.  Bruce worked on the cars and I cleaned the chicken coop.  At least the sun was shining!



Soaking up some vitamin D and playing with their best friend.

Hubby and I managed a full 24 hours away from the kids (which never happens!).  They had a chance to spend quality time with my fabulous and generous folks.  Bruce and I were able to spend some much needed grown-up together time, dinner out, and shopping for the kids.   As much as I love my children, it was very very nice to focus on my husband for a time.  I love that man!  I know I am blessed and am truly thankful...

Random thankfulness

The kids slept in their own beds last night. It was a rare and celebratory occassion. My husband has a few days off surrounding Thanksgiving. Not only can he take time off, he still has a job to take time off from. (i realize i am using poor grammar) In the state with the highest unemployment, I am very thankful to be so fortunate.

My children are happy, healthy, and fed and loved. (1 in 5 American children go hungry, 1 in 3 in some Midwest states.) They are growing in kindness, generosity, imagination, knowledge and faith.

I hauled in a load of wood in our lawn cart (one of my favorite pieces of yard equipment we've borrowed from my in-laws). I stacked it on the porch so it'll stay when the rain and snow hit later this week. Our home is safe and warm. Heated with wood from a large, dying oak tree cut down by a friend.

I'm drying apples I bought at the farmer's market with money I made from selling homemade soaps. The peels will be make news jars of vinegar. The home preserved food and fresh made vinegar is beginning to outnumber the store-bought items in our pantry. This one of the neatest things.

I gave the chickens fresh straw and collected their eggs, sure to thank them for their contribution to the household. They like the straw and seem to think it a fair trade. The eggs are boiling on the stove. The shells will be baked and crushed for the chickens to suppliment their calcium intake. Cyclical, always cyclical. :)

My homemade soap business is doing well and continues to increase in sales. Much to my amazement. I am thankful and humbled by the response to my soaps and salves.

Our amazing family, church family, and savior Jesus the Son of God.