*Thankful For*

*Thankful For*

As I end the *Thankful For* post today I want us all to remember what we have said we are thankful for. Even if you didn't post anything I know it has been on all our minds.  I would like for us to remember this throughout the year and to be thankful for what the Lord has given us. Not just during Thanksgiving or the Holidays but to always be thankful. 

I wrote this a few weeks back but it is important for children to see thankfulness throughout the entire year. If it is practiced throughout the year, children will learn that those attitudes should be a way of life.
We do this through being a role model. Leading them by example.

First Thessalonian 5:18 reminds us that we are "to give thanks in all circumstances" (NIV); we are truly supposed to be thankful at all times.  

 

Giving Thanks to God for All Things Big or Small.

A Note to you from Me:

Thank you to all of you who have participated in the Thankful For post. I have enjoyed seeing what you are all thankful for and I look forward to hearing how everyones Thanksgiving went. I know other who have read them have found them encouraging. So thank you again!

 Don't forget I will be taking a few days off this week.  Wednesday the 25th -Sunday 29th. So I will be up running full force come Monday morning the 30th. I have some things planned for December that I think you will enjoy!! 

Take care and have a safe and wonderful Thanksgiving!

Mommy Buzz

*Thankful For*

Thankful For: Another Day

How often do we roll out of bed come morning in a hurry to get ready for work, get our kids up to go somewhere, or to get ready for the day before our little ones get up and forget to thank the Lord for another day?

Today I am thankful for another day. I get another day with my husband and children. I have another day to teach and train my children in the admonition of the Lord. I have another day to spend loving my husband. What a blessing. Don't take each day for-granted. Be thankful for all things big or small.

So today I was reminded to be thankful for another day... 

*Thankful For*

So this was actually yesterday's *Thankful For* but I decided to use it for today's.

Last night when we were leaving our bible study Ethan and I started to have a conversation and this is how it went:

Ethan:" Momma, are you going to ask me what I am thankful for today?"

Me: "Sure Ethan, What are you thankful for today?"

Ethan: "Umm, I am thankful for my friend Micah. "

Me: "That is very sweet Ethan... You should be very thankful to have friends. And yes, we are very thankful for Micah. "

As I closed the door to the car, I thought," That was so sweet of him to ask me if I was going to ask him today what he was thankful for. And  then for him to say his little friend. I guess he is really remembering to be thankful for things." 

So last night Ethan was thankful for his friend Micah.

*ThankFul For*

Thankful For: My husband having a job

I am so thankful today that my husband has a job. Well let me repeat that--I am thankful everyday that my husband has a job. He has been very blessed thus far and I pray that God continues to bless him with this job. Back in January my husbands company put a hold on raises and promotions. They unfortunately have had a few layoffs this past year unexpectedly and it is so sad to hear.  It just makes me realize how blessed we are right now for him to have his job.

I know some of you out their are without a job right now, or maybe your spouse is. I know that it can be tough, but hang in their.

We will go through difficult seasons in our life but remember that God will not give us more then we can handle. He wants us to cling to Him and His word and rely on Him. When we put 100% of our faith in Him it is amazing to see how He blesses us!
 

*Thankful For*

*Thankful For*

                  I asked Ethan today what he was thankful for and he said," For my Books." This child loves to read.... What a blessing...

I am thankful that he loves to be read too!

I think it is so important for children to be read too and learn how to read for themselves. I found these 5 reasons as to why your children should read... I think they are so true...

1. Books help children develop vital language skills.
2. Reading can open up new worlds and enrich children's lives and imagination 
3. Reading can enhance children's social skills. 
4. Reading can improve hand-eye coordination. 
5. Reading can provide children with plenty of good, clean fun!
   

*Thankful For: Our Freedom in this Country*

*Thankful For*

As we are nearing Thanksgiving I thought I would write a post on being thankful for: Our Freedom in this Country

As Americans we take for-granted what we have on a day to day basis. As I think about the men and women serving our country my heart goes out to them and their families.

I recently joined a MOPS group here in the Savannah-Richmond Hill Area. I am beginning to realize that alot of the women who are joining the group are Military wives. They are wanting someone to connect with, to talk to, to share with what is going on in their lives, to go and have play dates with, to have someone else besides themselves and their children to talk to because many of their husbands are deployed.

Many of them will be having Thanksgiving without their spouse..So be thankful for the poeple you do have around you to celebrate the holidays with.

If it wasn't for the many women and men who have served this county, risking their lives day after day, decade after decade, century after century, then we would not have the freedom we have today.

Just think about this:

We can walk around in public singing songs with Jesus in it to our children; We can pray at a restaurant before we eat our meal; We can read our bible on our break at work or in between classes at school; We can talk openly about so many things that other countries don't have the freedom to do.

So I think we should be very thankful for our freedom!

*Thankful For: My Husband*

So I realized last night as I was vegging on the couch that I forgot to write a *Thankful For* for the day... So I thought, "I will just post one first thing in the morning"-- well little did I know the following would occur...

First off-- I woke up late due to not sleeping great last night -- and then--my child woke up crying because he thought I left him in bed and only got his brother up-- and then--my computer and Internet wouldn't work.... So all around this morning didn't go as I had planned.. (Wow, that was a long sentence)

So needless to say, I have my little one down and the other one playing, while I catch up on e-mails, the blog, and my cup of coffee (which I don't normally drink.)

I am finally getting to the *Thankful For* Part:

I am thankful for my husband

*Thankful For*

Today I am Thankful for: My Sister

My sweet sister, her husband, and two boys just left from spending the weekend with us in Savannah. We had a wonderful time gallivanting around going simply wherever we wanted.We wished that they could stay longer but are grateful for the time we had with them.

For those of you who know my sister you know that she is the kindest most giving person. She has a huge heart and loves to make you happy. She loves the Lord and is faithfully following him. I am thankful for a sister who I can talk with, laugh with, cry with, make memories with, and who knows me on my very best and very worst of days.

You know--It is amazing the difference that just a few years can make. Looking back we weren't the closest growing up but as we grew older and started our own families we realized that we had more in common then we thought.  We enjoy doing anything together and could sit for hours talking  about everything under the sun!  She won't judge me, or make hurtful comments behind my back.  You know-- having a sister is like having a best friend that you can't get rid of, because whatever I do, she will still be there. I love her for that!

So today I was reminded as my sister and her family drove off how sweet it is to have such a wonderful sister.

To my sister,
"Thank you for being such a wonderful sister to me. I can not even begin to find the words to describe how I appreciate  you and love you. You are an amazing mommy, sister, wive and friend.   I Love You!"

I thought that I would compile a list of quotes that I really like about sisters.  Some of them express my thoughts of having a sister....

She is your mirror, shining back at you with a world of possibilities.  She is your witness, who sees you at your worst and best, and loves you anyway.  She is your partner in crime, your midnight companion, someone who knows when you are smiling, even in the dark.  She is your teacher, your defense attorney, your personal press agent, even your shrink.  Some days, she's the reason you wish you were an only child.

A sister is a little bit of childhood that can never be lost.

You can kid the world.  But not your sister.

Sisters is probably the most competitive relationship within the family, but once the sisters are grown, it becomes the strongest relationship.

If your sister is in a tearing hurry to go out and cannot catch your eye, she's wearing your best sweater. ( I liked this b.c it reminded me of when all my sisters and I lived at home)

Sisters don't need words.  They have perfected a language of snarls and smiles and frowns and winks - expressions of shocked surprise and incredulity and disbelief.  Sniffs and snorts and gasps and sighs - that can undermine any tale you're telling.   

*Thankful For*

Today I asked Ethan what he was thankful for and he said, "My baby brother."

He adores him so much. It is the sweetest thing you could possibly imagine.

I am so thankful that the Lord has blessed us with such sweet little boys. Ethan loves Tucker so much.Ethan has recently started telling Tucker, "Tucker, you know better...You don't do that... Momma doesn't want it that way..." I just listen to him and laugh because I think it is so adorable.

Oh, the minds of our children...If we could just for a minute be in there mind thinking what they are thinking--they have this constantly churning mind--full of questions and so curious.

Thank you Lord for my two sweet little boys!

*Thankful For: God's Merciful Grace*

This Morning was Gus' morning to answer what he was thankful for, here is his response:

I am thankful for... 

unmerited favor and grace from a merciful God and Father, Jesus Christ our Savior, and Holy Spirit.  without the plan of God, work of Christ fulfilling the plan, and the presence of the Holy Spirit with us, where would we be?  Apart from this work, we are nothing and deserve eternal death. Man is in complete ruin and sin.  God's plan, revealed in the Bible, is to bring us to Him again.  Thanks be to God our Father, Christ our Saviour,  and the Holy Spirit of Promise; for without the executed finished work, we die in our trespasses and sins.

Thank you dear Lord for such a wonderful husband. He has truly been a Godly leader of our home, a wonderful father, and an amazing husband.

Thankful for: Our Safety Today!

Today I am thankful for our safety while on the road today...

I know this may sound really cheesy but let me tell you the story and then maybe it will make more since.

This morning my children and I were on our way to MOPS. I recently joined a MOPS group in Richmond Hill to try and get to know other women while I am up here. So shortly after I pulled out of the gates of our neighborhood there was an accident. A family had gone into the woods and hit a tree. Fire and Rescue had just gotten there and the ambulance shortly arrived. I was waved to pull over til they could clear off the debris and glass off the road. I told Ethan that we needed to pray for the people in the car as well as the other 4 cars that were involved. So we said a prayer and was shortly waved to continue on. Ethan started asking questions and I tried to explain the best I could.

I got up to the next main light and another accident had just happened. I mean--  just happened--no one had even had a chance to get out of the car. As I drove by, I saw the lady, she was an older women of probably 70 or older... I remember her head just hanging as if she had been knocked unconscious...I wanted to help but with two children in my car and with the accident being in the middle of a busy intersection it would have been unsafe for me to help. I am not for sure what the out come was but again I told Ethan we needed to pray. At this point Ethan was so concerned for all the people involved in both accidents. He has been talking about them all day.

So tonight the people involved in the accidents today are heavy on my heart.  I am thankful that God allowed us to be safe and that we were not involved in either. It was the sweetest thing to hear my 3 year old praying in the back seat of the car for the people involved in the accidents.

So as I said at the beginning I know when you mention safety it sounds a little weird but after seeing 2 today--I am very blessed to be home safe tonight with my children.

Thank you Lord for protecting us today.

*Thankful For*

Thankful For: My Children

Today I am thankful for my Children. I look at them and know that I am so blessed. God is so wonderful!

As I was thinking about them I was wondering how,we as parents instill an attitude of gratitude into the lives of our children? How do we make children realize that they have much for which they can be thankful? How do we teach them the admonition found in 1 Chronicles 16:34: "Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good. His love endures forever" (NIV)? 

Here are some ways we can do that:

Give Love, Not Just Rewards. 

A thankful attitude is alive in people who appreciate what they have. When parents reward their children for every accomplishment, or bribe their children with monetary rewards for good behavior, those children begin to expect rewards. Rewards should be reserved for special times.Give a "hug" or say "I love you" to show how proud of them you are, or how happy you are for them doing something right.

Give Your Child Responsibility. 

I think that children who are given more responsibility in their own home and for their own possessions take more pride in what they have. In turn, they are more thankful.

Get Involved In Your Community. 

It helps children understand how to appreciate and be thankful for the health of their own lives when they see how sick others are. The holiday season is the perfect time to start a new tradition in your family: get involved in community projects.

Be A Role Model. 

Children imitate us parents, so let your children see a thankful attitude in your own life. 

Make Thankfulness A Year-Round Concept.      

It sometimes seems that we stress thankfulness only during the months of November and December. If thankful attitudes are practiced all year long; however, children will learn that those attitudes should be a way of life. First Thessalonian 5:18 reminds us that we are "to give thanks in all circumstances" (NIV); we are truly supposed to be thankful at all times.  

Be thankful for your children. They are a blessing from the Lord. 

*Thankful For*

Today was the day I asked Ethan what he was thankful for:

He was thankful for his food.

How simple is the mind of young children?

That they are thankful for the food that they are given.

I know this is very small but it is something that we should all be thankful for!

Thank you Lord for providing for our needs each and everyday!

{Good Morning Mondays}

~Good Morning Mondays~

I know each day has a new morning but is it a "good" morning? Do you wake up thanking God for the health of you and your family? I know as mothers we have mornings that we wake up grumpy, want to go back to sleep instead of getting the kids up, can't wait til nap time, didn't get that cup of coffee, running late for work or an appointment, your kids aren't cooperating, etc. and the list goes on. But do we truly take a step back and thank God for all that we have?

Since it is now the month of November-we will be celebrating Thanksgiving soon. I would like to share with you all something that either my husband, children, or I am thankful for. I will hopefully-time allowing- be able to share something new with you each day.

I would love for you to join in and share with Mommy Buzz what is you are thankful for. Now you do not have to share everyday, unless you want to, but sharing something with us once would be awesome!

I think we take alot for granted and sometimes we look past the simple-est things to be grateful for.

Join Me-- in this month of November-- as we share with each other the things that we are thankful for!

I am thankful today for Ethan's health. This past weekend Ethan jumped out of a chair and we had to visit the ER. It was a quick fix for the Doctor. All Ethan had was Nurse Maids Elbow. Which just means his arm needed to be popped back into place. I am very thankful it wasn't more then that!

Visit Our Family Blog: trip to the ER for the full story!