my cup runneth over five minutes.

This is supposed to be day 5 of the gratitude challenge, HOWEVER! i am running a couple days behind and the old me would forgoe the whole challenge because of that! Now, everything is worth finishing, even if its not on time or off course, because God doesn't make mistakes. Everything happens when it supposed to ...

Day 5 of gratitude challenge -
Take 5 minuties to write about how grateful you are for all of the wonderful thaings that you currently have in your life. Don't long for what you don't possess- instead, take stock of all the blessings you already enjoy.

As I sit here and think of all the things I am thankful for I am overwhelemed at the love and support I have in my family. For the family that my kids love and adore and the ones that love and adore them back.

For my Husband.. his commitment and dediciation to get up and go to work when he really just wants to stay home. For his heart, because although he is not a saved Christian I have seen more miracles and Jesus in him and come from him than I have from many Christians.

For Gods grace & mercy. Because I make a couple handful of mistakes every hour and he accepts me just the way I am ... I am thankful for his timing... its impecable.


I could go on & on... I can see why this only calls for 5 mins... its really hard to stop listing off the things you are thankful for once you get going...

My cup runneth over five minutes.

Gratitude Challenge Day 4

Write about something negetive that you are thankful for.

Although I may not see it at the time its happening or it may not be evident to me when Im in the middle of it, when something doesnt go my way, or things dont go as planned I know its serving as part of God's bigger plan.

Not enough $$.
Not enough time.
Not enough Groceries.
Too many questions.
Not enough sleep.
Christmas is coming.
The electricity bill was too high.
Too many dishes.
Too much laundry.
Too much homework.
Estranged relationships.
Harsh words sometimes get said. Feelings get hurt.
The abscense of words hurt too...

the list can go on and on ... But I believe God uses these things, people and situations to make us thankful, and to let us know he is always in control. For us, or me especially, to trust him. So I am thankful for the hard days, maybe not ON the hard days, and for the negetive things because it makes me thankful and reflective.

gratitude challenge day 3

Today's challenge - Tell about something you are grateful in your life today....

looking at the photo above says it all... 'NUFF SAID! =)

p.s. tomorrow challenge is gonna be a doozie...

Gratitude challenge day 2

Today I am especially thankful for this time change..its really workin' out..

Using the alphabet as a fun and quick format for making a list of things for which you feel grateful. Share this list with your social network through email, blog post or Facebook.

A- AGING- as this happens you mature and get wiser....hmmmm, who would've known?

B- BAKING -its a release for me .. ever see a furious baker? thats me!

C- CORINTHIANS- 1 Corinthians 13 to be exact.

D- DINNER TIME- I sit around the dinner table with some sort of family everynight, laugh and talk about the day.
DATE NIGHT- cause I get to go out with the most handsome, smart, funny guy on this planet.

E- ERASERS - because I make a lot of mistakes.

---EDITING- thankful to see someone elses heart & soul and for being able to share that with them while editing.

---EASTERBREAD- It's the bread of angels.

F- FORGIVENESS- period.
FLORENCE & THE MACHINE- she's magical and God made her for me.

G- GROCERIES- There has been times where our cupboards are bare and our Fridge has looked sickly... but God always provides.

--GARAGE - cause no one thinks to look for me there.

--GELATO- pistashio FOREVER!

H- HUSBAND- I am thankful for his hard work, dedication, and commitment. He makes me laugh till I pee my pants... a little, & loves me for me,no matter how crazy I make him. I am most thankful for his over the top HUGE heart... I know nobody like him.

--HOMEWORK- thankful for another opporutnity to teach my kids and bond with them.

I- ICE- I love ice in my cold drink.. cause it just doesnt seem cold without it.

J- JUXTAPOSITION - It helps you appreciate the other end of the spectrum of what your eyes see.

K- KINESICS- thankful for non-verbal communication.

L- LACE- black lace in particular.... I LOVE it!

M- MIRRORS- the one I have in my bathroom and the one that God holds up.
MUSIC- music holds so much weight for me. Very inspirational and fun.

N- NEW SHOE SMELL- I love the smell of new shoes... =/ .. strange, I know.

O- OSHA- that training keeps my husband knowledgable and safe.

--OCTOPUS - Im thankful for her 8 arms... she may think its a curse but I see it as a blessing.

P- PHOTOGRAPHY- a form of Art that takes me to the highest peak where I'm humble.

Q- QUIET- cause when it happens I am EXTREMELY thankful. Im sure God planned it that way.

R- RASCALS- Seth, Shane, Rozzy & Scotty.. This is my purpose.

S- SCRIPTURE - Proverbs 31 in particular

--STROLLER- cause there's no way I could carry everything... (okay I envy the octopus a little)

--SNUGGLING- with my babies... they still like that .... for now.

T- TRASH - Thankful I have somewhere to throw that old Halloween candy, torn up toys or file papers or mail under "T" for Trash.


U- UMBRELLA - not for rain but of love.

V- VICTORY- Victory in Jesus.

W- WINGS - on angels and when God wants something to fly (relationships, work, situations) he gives it wings to soar.

X- X-RAY - I know this sounds silly, like I couldn't come up with another "X" word but I am truly thankful for the X-ray machine... I have 4 kids and being able to go to the dr. for an x-ray comes in pretty handy when you have kids.

Y- YULE TIDE- Christmas is my favorite day.

Z- ZEE FAMILY - every single member of my family. thankful for each and everyone of them... I love them beyond measure.

the Gratitude Challenge - Day 1

I did this challenge last year... or half of it.. I am committing to doing it ALL this year and encourage you to do the same. Everyday I will post a new challenge. You can follow this on the blog or on facebook. I also encourage you to post your gratitude challenge answers as a comment on the blog..I'd love to hear what your thankful for.

Have fun and as the old hymns says "count your many blessings, name them one by one, count your many blessings see what God has done."

Day 1- Today you start the Gratitude Challenge. Make a commitment to take note and give thanks for the next 21 days. Express why you accepted this challenge and what you hope to acheive from it.

**I accepted this challenge because, although I'm thankful for many things, I take many things for granted. I hope to acheive a deeper appreciation for things, both positive and negetive, and always keep my thankfulness at the forefront of my mind and thoughts, as a constant reminder of how blessed I am... and by doing that leading by example for my family. I do so truly desire to be a Proverbs 31 woman.

Hate Month

So many things have happened in the last 2,3,4 weeks. its been a blur...

a big, foggy,hazy blurrrrrrrrrrrr....
and here's what I remember from it......

There is no greater reminder of how fast time flies than to remember, what seems like yesterday, when your child (or children) were just babies.

We got rain. I felt like reading my Twiglight Saga again. The weather was very
"Fork-sy".
I remembered, at this time 22 months ago, I was moving into our, now very loud,busy,loving,comfortable home & preparing for our new baby boy Scotty.
I remembered nursing him and playing guitar hero with the kids..... at the same time.

Danny was working in town.

We did our own Thanksgiving at home... for the first time.
I remember it was a lot of work.... but totally worth it to start our own tradition.

A few weeks ago I
thought about the upcoming month, formerly knowns as "hate month" for me.
Yes.... I've dedicated an entire month to things that I "hate". Things & people that are so small and insignificant that I let bother me. and shouldn't. Therefore I let irritation, pet peeves, & unresolved past situations lay unchecked and it morphs into anger and resenment. .... resulting into emotional vomit.
For a few years in a row now I've worked really hard to fight the emptiness or void I feel inside (during October).
I didn't this year. It was acutally a love month for me and before I had time to let anything get under my skin it was Halloween and I only had about 8 more hours to actually get heated about something to hold up my bargain with "hate month".
** November snuck up on me and I believe God intended it to be that way.

In October....
I baked up a tower of cupcakes.
shopped for costumes.
ate with family.
lost my voice.
returned a rented movie late.
ate healthier food.
cried at the doctors office.
cried myself to sleep.
worried.
read on lesson worry.
stopped worrying.
left some laundry in piles.
bought the new Kings of Leon cd.... and thouroughly enjoyed it..... my fav.
thought about being 30.
cheered for Bristol Palin & Jennifer Grey on Dancing with the Stars.
talked to Danny until 2am.
felt like a teenager doing that.
felt like an old woman when i woke up the next morning.
missed my husband until i felt short of breath.

prayed and thanked God for all the things above and then all the things I forgot to mention. I truly am so thankful for hate month ....