Having time to type in my blessings has not been so easy. But I have been writing them down and keeping tabs. It has been good. I don't really feel like recording them now, but my heart is heavy with sad news. A dear friend has checked herself in to a rehab facility for the third time, Kennedy's precious preschool teacher lost her husband this afternoon, .... my heart is heavy. But I know that we serve a God who gives and takes away and in either case we are suppose to praise Him, so I am going to obey, even with a heavy heart.
#31. Kennedy, seeing her be content with who God created her to be. Content to be with people, confident to go and join in.
32. People who are gifted with words and use that gift to glorify God in song.
33. Praise and worship at service.
34. Gifts chosen by the girls and bought with Bible bucks earned in Sunday School at the Church Christmas market for others.
35. My new green pea coat
36. The long red coat I found on sale when I bought #35
37. "I may be weak, But Your Spirit's strong in me. My flesh may fail. My God You never will."
38. Sunday dinner at Mimi's
39. New Favorite Christmas Song, "Winter Snow" by Chris Tomlin
40. King of Kings. Prince of Peace. Lord of Lords. Mighty God. Hosanna. Messiah. Emmanuel.
The older I get, them more I learn, the more meaningful each of those names become.
41. Jesus, He was born that we might have life. His entrance into the world was one that we may have life, born to die a criminal death, born to die---for me. I will never fully understand the depths of His love for me.
42. Lunch with sweet friend and kids
43. Presley's love of books and back rubs
44. A great conversation with a family member
45. The joy of seeing the Lord at work in other people ( especially in those I have been praying for)
46. Today Christ's love in me for others is greater than the bitterness Satan wants me to harbor.
47. Kennedy noticing we had a flat tire before we got in the car and left the house.
48. Roadside service I did not know I had. They quickly came to fix the flat tire I had in my garage.
49. Being stranded at my house while we waited for roadside assistance instead of being stranded out in the cold.
50. Extended Warranty the roadside assistance man told me I probably had on my tires. He was correct and my new tire was free, saving me $$ at Christmas time. I would have not thought to even ask.
51. Kennedy's speech. I have asked several friends, they assure me she does not need speech therapy. We shall see. Words or phrases I will miss when she no longer speaks with an impediment...."Hunger"..."Da Da" (Daddy)...."My feder fell out." (My hair feather fell out."
52. Perhaps you have seen "Wedding Crashers" a movie with Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson. Will Ferrel plays a small role in the film. There is a scene where Owen Wilson has gone to Will Ferrel's house. They are on the couch talking, Will asks if Owen wants any of the left over meatloaf his mother had made. Owen says yes. Will immediately turns his head to the side and yells..."MOM, MEATLOAF!" I feel myself living this scene every morning, over and over and over, with Kennedy. She is lying in my bed, watching cartoons and I know at some point soon she is going to yell..."MOM, JUICE!"
53. Watching my girls play together.
54. In the month of December, the first thing each girls does when they wake up in the morning is look for Elvis, our Elf on a Shelf.
55. Another lost tooth
56. BIG gaps leaving plenty of room for her new ones to grow in.
57. Christmas music. "Go Tell it on the Mountain" came on, in the back seat I hear my Will yell..."Turn it up!"
58. Sonic
59. Sonic Ice
60. Sonic Happy Hour
61. KLTY Christmas Wish
62. Modern Medicine, God's Healing
63. Good Neighbors
64. Reading a book for leisure
65. Family time at the movies, running into friends from church at the same movie
66. God answering my continuous prayer for the wisdom to know what to ignore and what to pay attention to. The wisdom to realized at 3:25pm on the Friday before Christmas on Sunday and leaving for a trip to Colorado early Monday morning that Kennedy's raspy voice may be strep again.
67. The doctor's office getting her in at 4PM and getting the antibiotic before pain set in.
68. The kind doctor writing a second prescription just in case Presley came down with strep because her parents did not use the same wisdom in sharing the ONE community soft drink at the movies. ( Trying to save a buck)
69. Presley escaped strep, but not the stomach bug. But at least the stomach bug started on the 23rd and did not prevent her from enjoying her best Christmas ever.
70. a relaxing, fun Christmas Eve with my family.
71. Excited children coming down stairs on Christmas morning
72. A thankful six year old who kept saying "Thank you" for each and every gift.
73. Her sincere heart
74. a four year old who enjoyed every minute of tearing into her gifts
75. a six year old who enjoyed watching others receive gifts
76. The fun combination of chaos and lots of people Christmas morning at the in laws
77. Presley wanting her recorded book for Paw Paw to be just perfect.
78. The thoughtful gifts given by many
79. Overly blessed with so much from so many
80. Quiet, small, peaceful Christmas night with more family
81. Watching the girls enjoy their new toys
82. Sweet niece who came over after each gift to hug and thank me.
83. A baby at Christmas time, little Landry
84. My girls and her cousins having so much fun with one another
85. Remembering the REAL reason for Christmas- the day our Salvation was born.
86. The girls being such troopers on the 13 hour trip to Colorado that turned into 16 hours.
87. SNOW
88. Awesome friend who let my family use her Colorado house during a prime week
89. 360 degree view from our home for the week.90. Mountains
91. Brad winning his fantasy league and good amount of money!
92. Playing in the snow
93. Playmobile and Legos - providing hours of entertainment for my girls
94. biscuits and gravy
95. 4 wheel drive
96. Big showers with a overhead rain shower attachment
97. Oversized soft towels
98. wireless internet
99. family
100. The creation of the world. God who created the world by SPEAKING it into existence. God made what is visible from what is invisible - from nothing. This is the first truth that authentic faith knows. I know so many may question the doctrine of creation. But being here in the mountains, seeing the beauty - I do not know how anyone would choose to not believe.
101. Kennedy's Boston accent - think car.
102. GPS
103. A box of new crayons
104. Presley's determination and fearlessness on the slopes
105. Kennedy's love of dancing even though she would deny it. Actions speak louder than words.
106. Kennedy on the way to preschool..."Do I have a dance recital any time soon?"
Mom.."No, you have to be in dance class to have a recital. You quit. Do you want to go back?"
Kennedy... "No"
107. Presley's belly laugh as she films her sister dancing on the hearth
108. Realizing Presley has my laugh
109. Two girls who were AWESOME on the 13 hr trip home from Colorado. Earning them a trip to the American Girl Store to buy the stable that was out of stock during Christmas
110. Texting- not as good as a phone call, but when that is not possible, it is a good alternative
111. Spending the first day of the year PRAISING the Lord
112. NEW YEAR - being made NEW
113. Next door neighbors who are fun to hang out with
114. Not having to cook dinner
115. "He gives and takes away, but my heart will choose to say...Blessed Be Your Name." How that song has new meaning in the wake of tragic news of the death of Kennedy's preschool teacher's husband
116. Trusting in God's plan even when you are on a painful road
117. Lunch with a good friend
118. Kennedy's zest for life. She drives the neighbor's toy Escalade with a purpose
119. a 74 degree Friday afternoon in early January
120. The godly leadership shown by the preschool director in the midst of a second unthinkable tragedy among our SCPS family.
121. The chance to get to know and love Kennedy's preschool teachers.
122. The privilege to pray for those same teachers.
123. Seeing my husband with his two precious girls all snuggled up in our bed watching Saturday morning cartoons
124. Listening to Kennedy in the other room singing "Oh How He Loves Us" by the David Crowder Band
125. At church this morning our minister was announcing the tragic and sudden death of Kennedy's Preschool teacher's husband. He was asking that our church pray for her and her family. I look over and see Kennedy folding her hands and praying for her preschool teacher.
126. Seeing an old friend at the grocery store. A friend who endured her own tragedy a few years earlier. It was a reminder of God's goodness and healing.
127. Brad- "What time is it?"
Kennedy - "Time for you to get a watch!"
128. Kennedy - "How do you spell 'Mom?'"
Mom - "M"
Kennedy -" Ok.....How do you make a 'M'?"
129. The Lord guiding me to a diagnosis of my weakened condition....spiritual dehydration.
130. How quickly I am rehydrated when I do the right thing and stay in His Word, the source of the living water
131. Presley....." I do not know why, but I get so excited when I read the Bible!"
132. Seeing Presley's face radiating God's glory when she comes home from BSF
133. Seeing that Kennedy is convicted when she realizes that she has disobeyed.
134. God's Word
135. The entire family studying the Book of Acts and the other letters by Paul
136. OLD CHURCH HYMNS....getting to sing them at BSF
137. "Trust and Obey".....reminds me of my grandmother. "Not a burden we bear, not a sorrow we share, But our toil He doth richly repay; Not a grief or a loss, not a frown or a cross, But is blessed if we trust and obey. Trust and obey, for there is no other way to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey."
138. "When The Roll is Called Up Yonder"...."When the trumpet of the Lord shall sound and time shall be no more, and the morning breaks, eternal, bright and fare; When the saved of the earth shall gather over on the other shore, and the roll is called up yonder, I'll be there."
139. That I am secure in my salvation and I know that my name is in the book of Life. It will be called and I will be able to answer "here!"
140. Rain
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