1000 Gifts Continued...

#88 a wonderful school year

#89 family time

#90 lazy summer days

#91 Pebblebeach wedding / vacation

#92 Kacie's mission trip to Africa

#93 Amarillo Mission Trip

#94 Camp Goddard

#95 Bunco friends

#96 walking at 6:30

#97 beaches



#98 sunrises

May 2010

I suppose I will attempt to play catch up again and recap the last 5 months. My wish....to write daily. Annalee - you do motivate me!!!



Luke's Senior Youth Group

Kacie graduates from ACU

Luke's Senior Pics!






Prom with Jessica!






to be continued....

I can't believe Cody is 16. Not only did we spend the day with family and friends at the traditional egg hunt, but we surprised Cody with a party.

I love the memories my boys are creating with every event at IHS. One of those incredible memories will be the play at Irving High School that Luke was a part of along with several of his closest buddies!!! January 28, 29 and 30 were three fun nights of South Pacific!

Friends....

Happy New Year!

Have you ever had something that belonged to you and you wonder later why you never replaced it, got rid of it, or THREW IT AWAY!


Here is that item for me:

A cracked colander held together with a twisty tie. I'm embarrassed to say how long I have had this. I know it has been long enough that I cannot remember how long I have had this colander...like this, held together with a twisty tie.

Well....I replaced it today:

And it only cost $4.00. Why........... did I wait so long?

It hit me as I was throwing away the old, cracked, broken colander, that I too have things in my life that I'm holding on to and not wanting to throw away.

Because of Jesus, it's free! I can let go of the old, the broken things in my life, the cracked, the junk, the "whatevers" that are pulling me down, ..and start new. It cost Him everything, but for me...nothing.

2010...

" Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you, and over all these virtues put on love, which binds them together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."

I want to be Julie....Julie Powell....at least the Julie Powell in the movie 'Julie & Julia'. Here is a person who felt she never finished anything, commented she probably has ADD and then searches for what she loves the most and writes about it. Why didn't I think about cooking from Julia Childs cookbook The Art of Mastering French Cooking, and then blog about the recipes for 365 days?

So...being the obsessive compulsive person that I am, I have spent most of the day trying to come up with the perfect topic to write about for the next 365 days. ( I have already been to Barnes and Noble looking at ever topic, cookbook, etc...for ideas.)

I even seriously looked at a book about 'Ifs'. If this were to happen...or if this happened...or what if...

What I realized about that was how can I have a grateful heart if I'm focusing on the what ifs of my life. If I am recognizing God's gifts then I can't possible be thinking about 'if this...or if that...'.

So I am back to where I started.

• I will acknowledge God's daily gifts to me.
• I will post them because I am trying to get to 1000. (And we all know that there are so many more than 1000 everyday!)
• I will be grateful for good books, good movies, encouraging blogs, and moments that make me think, create, blog, smile, and remember.

So...
#87 'Julie and Julia' - a feel-good movie!

The Gifts Continue....

#71 Christmas in Abilene and San Angelo.





#72 Having Kacie home for the holidays.





#73 Cousins that love each other.





#74 Laughter




(Brady got the biggest hamburger any of us had ever seen at Mary's cafe in Strawn)




(Hunter and Luke making Chocolate Chip cookies!)


#75 Christmas cookies.





#76 My new nephew Graham.





#77 Anticipating snow.


#78 The blessing of knowing what the real gift is.



#79 Sunday mornings.


#80 Cleaning out the pantry. (yes, there were items in ther from 2006)


#81 Not having to leave my house unless I want to.


#82 A quick walk in the rain/snow.


#83 The reading of "A Canjun Christmas".





#84 Sweet memories!





#85 Yearly traditions...Mike playing Santa at the gym.





#86 Gingerbread Houses.



(these gingerbread houses made by our life group kids)