My cup is filled

For the past 11 years my family has had a "Thanksgiving tablecloth" upon which, each Thanksgiving, we write the things we are most thankful for that year.  As I reread the tablecloth on Thursday, I was struck by how far God has seen our family in the past 11 years.  He’s seen us through the ups and the downs, the disappointments and the excitements. He’s been with us through every memory we’ve made, all the laughter we’ve shared and each individual day since Thanksgiving 2002.  As I sat there pondering that, it got me thinking about all my favorite memories……..

Family movie nights while drinking hot cocoa by the fireside…

Bon fires in the backyard in summer (officially dubbed “bond fires” for the bonding that we do during those fires)

Yearly camping trips …

Trips to the beach and the “fun” that comes with them..
(For the record, I’m still the winner Shyloh! ;)

Family swim days..

       This list goes on forever, and with each memory I am reminded even more so of how grateful I am to be part of such an amazing family. While we don’t always get along, we always forgive. We’re not always patient, but we are always trying. We’re not perfect and by no means is everything peaceful, but one thing is sure: we are always family. Here in Neyville, the only that matters at the end of each day is the love we have for one another.  As I go to bed each night with dozens of “good nights” ringing through the house, I rest in the promise that no matter what may happen, I never have to face tomorrow alone. There will always be a slew of people at my side.

Yes, my cup is full. My God has filled my cup of blessings to overflowing and each member of this family (however ornery) adds to this cup and fills my heart with love and joy. 

 So what am I most thankful for, besides God, this year? My crazy and abnormal, fun filled family! <3

                                  

"I thank my God every time I remember you." 
Philippians 1:3

"For the glory of God!"

Random facts and questions

 

    My sweet friend Caitie from littlecaitie.wordpress.com recently nominated me for the Liebster blog award so I'm blogging this in response to her nomination. I've never heard of this award before today, but now that I have I'm exited to participate. The Liebster award is translated in German to something like "sweetest" or "kindest". It's a fun way to find new blogs to read and encourage fellow bloggers. Depending on which source you use, the rules will vary but in a nutshell it is basically a way boost audiences for new or small blogs. I answer 10 questions that Caitie asked me and give 10 random or odd facts about myself, then I nominate 5-15 blogs (or however many I follow) and leave 10 different questions for them to answer. This is kind of a fun way to get to know our fellow bloggers and for my readers to get to know a little bit more about me:) So here we go.....

Questions from Caitie:
1 // What is your goal right now? Hmm.. my goal right now is to draw closer to God so much so that people can no longer see me as an individual, but to look at me will be to see God in me.

2 // Random small pleasure? People watching..that can be so entertaining!


3 // Stripes or polka dots? Hands down polka dots! Especially white polka dots on red or royal blue:)


4 // Beach or mountains? Mountains all the way...love that pine scent and the woody scenery!


5 // What is your favorite Saturday morning ritual? Doing personal devotions around the kitchen table with the family

6 // How do you feel about calendars? I like them when they're not chaotic, lol. (I'm not too of fond of them when they are chaotic:)) 

7 // What is your favorite holiday tradition? Ooh.. writing letters to Jesus and rereading them while listening to Daddy read the Christmas story on Christmas morning!

8 // What countries have you traveled to? Trick question for me... I've "landed in" Turkey, South Africa, Senegal, and England but I've "lived" in Kenya and Zambia:)

9 // What is your favorite book? Definitely Hind's Feet on High Places (highly recommendable)

10 // What is your happiest memory? Oh, I would have to say that would be when I came home from Zambia last summer! <3

10 Random facts about myself: 
1. I love driving with my windows rolled down (I'm kind of a dog when I drive as I like the wind on my face, lol) 
 
2. I have always wanted to study astronomy and get a pilot's license.. and a plane:)

3. I have numerous adopted grandparents at the retirement home I volunteer at

4. I'm a tutor yet I stink at Algebra and geometry.. oxymoron I know, lol (I always tell people I can't do those subjects:)

5.I have a strange infatuation with shadows..they intrigue me for some reason

6. I'm a huge fan of poetry and British literature

7. I have friends in numerous countries in the world

8. When I was little I was so meticulous about how my bed looked that my sisters had to do "therapy" on me to cure me of that (aka...they wrecked my bed numerous times a day, haha). Needless to say, after that I'm "cured" lol.

9. It has been 2 weeks since I've worn jeans and prior to that it had been over 3 months (if you can't tell I'm partial to skirts:)

10. I've rescued and released dozens of sparrows and a pigeon (I've even helped raise a day old kitten)

Nominees: 
http://bustingagut.blogspot.com/ 
http://shhfamily.blogspot.com/ 
http://www.drawneartotheking.blogspot.com/ 
 http://shhkids.blogspot.com/

Questions for nominees: 
1.// What is your strangest habit?
2.// How has God moved in your life in the last year?
3.// What has been your greatest faith builder?
4.//  What's the craziest thing you've ever done in your life?
5.// What's your life verse?
6.//  What's your favorite vacation spot?
7.//  What's your favorite season?
8.//  What was your greatest life lesson?
9.//  What's your favorite book of the Bible?
10.//  What's your favorite song?


   Well, that's that! A few random tidbits about myself:) Thanks for reading this out of the norm blogpost. When you leave here check out the blogs I nominated. They're great reads!

"For the glory of God!" 

Reaching for the mountain

At a recent church retreat as I sat with tears in my eyes and burning heart, my Shepherd spoke to me.  In an experience I’ll never forget, He revealed Himself to me as my Shepherd (something I’ve known all along yet never experienced this way) and changed the way I think of life and faith. I see now that life is a journey of faith, a journey that He Himself is taking me on. The closer to Him I get the more I stumble and fall. I have fallen many times yet each time I am again humbled by the grace and compassion that my Shepherd extends towards me. 

     Talking to a friend I described it as this: “completed faith is like a distant mountain. We are always traveling towards it yet never reaching it.”   We are on a perpetual journey with our Shepherd and each time we stop and think, “At last I have arrived. My faith has never been greater!” that is when we fall. And we fall hard.  Why do we fall?  So that we can learn from our mistakes and humbly realize just how far we are from that mountain.  The stronger we think our faith is, the weaker we really are for pride is slowly seeping in and poisoning our faith. 

   My brothers and sisters, wherever you are in life, be you in the dark valley, along lonely seashores or on peaceful heights, NEVER GIVE UP! Continue onward in the face of present evils reaching always for the hand that strengthens our faith, for one day our King will return and on that day our faith will be complete in Him! Until then it is ours not to question the path He chooses or assume we are complete, but to hold tight to His hand and rest in the promises of our Shepherd. 

   "Take the first step in faith. You don't have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step"

-Martin Luther King Jr.

"For the glory of God!"