A CHRIST Centered Countdown to CHRISTmas Idea

(Today is the first Sunday of Advent so I am reposting this Advent/ Christmas idea. It's not too late for you to start! Many young families in our church began a tradition of counting down the days to Christmas with their children in this way.  The tags are easy to make with whatever you have on hand and the Names of Jesus and scriptures I used are included below. )
Thanksgiving is now past and if we aren't careful Christmas will be here before you know it with the CHRIST of CHRISTmas forgotten in the midst of all of the holiday hustle and bustle. Some years ago I desired to find a simple way to make sure I was focused on Jesus, the reason for the season, during the busy month of December. I had an idea to countdown to Christmas using twenty five names of Jesus found in the Bible.  I made simple little tags with the name on one side and the scripture where that title is found on the other side. Starting on the first of December, each morning through Christmas day I would hang one of the tags on a branch I'd gathered from the yard, (eventually I bought a mini faux tree for that purpose). This simple ritual helped me to focus for a few moments each day on what that name reveals to me about Jesus.  This is a great advent activity to do with your whole family - I wish I'd thought of it before all my children where grown!  But, my grandchildren enjoy helping me when they are at our house.   (Join me for the rest of this post on Sunday, December 1st at Woman to Woman Ministries, where each Sunday I share a bit of Sunday Soul Food!)

still following,

Also happily linking up with:

Sunday Scripture Blessings

Susan B. Mead

Sue Moore Donaldson

Weekly Gratitude Journal

It's Thanksgiving week! I love Thanksgiving. I love gathering with our loved ones. I love the cooking and the baking and the feasting together. I love that we have a national holiday to give thanks. But, thanksgiving to God should be our lifestyle everyday, not just one day a year. I pray that you will all have a blessed Thanksgiving day, but most of all, that all of our hearts would overflow with thanks to God each and every day.

 ****************

Since 2009 I've been counting my blessings thanks to the prompting of Ann Voskamp.

 I continue to count my thanks, 

piling up gratitude day by day in my journal.

(and capturing some of my blessings via my camera or iPhone)

#12,702-#12,722

11-18-19-

-a specific answer to prayer

-a few minutes of quiet and prayer before waking the grandkids up for school

-the gorgeous sunrise and view of the Columbia River, the foothills and Mt. Hood 

wrapped in ribbons of fog with the fall colors on the trees peeking through 

as I drove our two middle granddaughters to school

11-19-19-

-an unexpected blessing

-my husband's dental problem that turned into us finding a solution regarding dental insurance

-food, laughter, learning and praying together with our small group

11-20-19-

-the neighbors huge weeping willow tree all golden yellow

-family group texts about Thanksgiving plans

-a day with nothing pressing on my schedule so I could take my husband to his dental appointments since he couldn't drive himself while on pain meds

11-21-19- 

-a successful dental surgery 

-holiday plaid pillowcases for under $4

-always God provides for us

11-22-19-

-our oldest granddaughter stopping by to see us for a few minutes

-her first job interview

-our beautiful Pacific Northwest

11-23-19-

-God's provision even through finding sales on Christmas gifts for our family

-Romans 8-nothing can separate us from God's love

-a pot of homemade Zuppa Toscana soup

11-24-19-

-early Sunday morning texts from my husband-

(thank You, God that he was well enough to preach an awesome message today!)

-hanging out with our granddaughter  between church services

-communication that clears the air

still following,

Peace Be Still

With Thanksgiving coming up this week and Christmas right on its heels, to-do lists can be long, calendars can be full and budgets can be stretched. I'm typing these words as much for myself as for you."Peace, be still!" In Mark 4:39 Jesus spoke these words to the stormy wind and waves and immediately "there was a great calm, a perfect peacefulness".

At the beginning of the approaching busy holiday season, I am choosing to speak these words over my own mind and heart, my own thoughts and emotions, "Peace, be still!"

We don't have to let a storm of anxiety or frustration or grumpiness rage on uncontrollably within. We have the authority, like Jesus, to speak to the storm and tell it to cease.  (Join me for the rest of this post on Sunday, November 24th at Woman to Woman Ministries, where each Sunday I share a bit of Sunday Soul Food!)

still following,

Also happily linking up with:

Sunday Scripture Blessings

Susan B. Mead

Sue Moore Donaldson

Weekly Gratitude Journal

We had the three middle grandkids all weekend-our oldest daughter's two girls and our middle daughter's youngest son. Our granddaughters are back home now and our grandson is going home this evening.The house is cleaned and tidied after letting the grandkids camp out in the living room together and cover the dining room table with craft projects. I think a good time was had by all. Now Nana needs a bubble bath and an early bedtime!

 ****************

Since 2009 I've been counting my blessings thanks to the prompting of Ann Voskamp.

 I continue to count my thanks, 

piling up gratitude day by day in my journal.

(and capturing some of my blessings via my camera or iPhone)

#12,676-#12,701

11-11-19-

-Veteran's Day! Thank You, God for those who serve/ have served our country

(my dad)

-taking the day off together since we'll have three of the grands here on our usual day off

-taking our two youngest grandkids on a walk on this beautiful day

-a delicious dinner at our youngest daughter's 

11-12-19-

-thank you God, for an unexpected blessing

-catching up with a friend I haven't heard from in a while

-pork chops in mushroom gravy. Yummy.

-God's provision 

11-13-19-

-a friend coming to see me

-a beautiful autumn sunset on my walk

-God who works out the details on our behalf

11-14-19-

-God working out today's busy schedule

-our neighbor who leaf blows our whole cul-de-sac

-a single, large, golden colored maple leaf floating in the air

-the workers and volunteers who keep our neighborhood park clean

-a powerful night of worship and prayer

11-15-19-

-a quiet Friday date day morning before getting the three middle grands for the weekend

-dinner with the kiddos at Spaghetti Factory

-doing crafts together

-watching old movies on the new Disney app

11-16-19-

a good night's sleep for all of us

-an afternoon snack for the grandkids of cookies warm from the oven and a glass of cold milk

-ending a fun and noisy day with with the grands by reading a Bible story, worship and prayer

11-17-19-

-a fabulous message at church this morning

-our youngest daughter and the grandbabies surprising us by visiting our church

-the grandkids and I spending Sunday afternoon in our pajamas

still following,

The Lord Directs Our Steps

There have been times when I've questioned the direction of the Lord in our lives, times when things didn't turn out the way I thought they should, times when He led us through valleys that I didn't think we were going to make it through. It's afterwards, (Not always right away. Sometimes it's taken quite a while!), that in hindsight I can see how He set us up to not only make it through, but to come through the valley stronger in Him. Looking back I see His handiwork in the details, the ways He provided just in time or the way He would send some encouragement when we were just about to give up. (Join me for the rest of this post on Sunday, November 17th at Woman to Woman Ministries, where each Sunday I share a bit of Sunday Soul Food!)

still following,

Also happily linking up with:

Sunday Scripture Blessings

Susan B. Mead

Sue Moore Donaldson

Weekly Gratitude Journal

We took an extra day off on Veteran's Day since this coming Friday on our day off we will be caring for three of the grandkids. For that reason, I'm posting my weekly gratitude journal a day late. 

 ****************

Since 2009 I've been counting my blessings thanks to the prompting of Ann Voskamp.

 I continue to count my thanks, 

piling up gratitude day by day in my journal.

(and capturing some of my blessings via my camera or iPhone)

#12,651-#12,675

11-4-19-

-Romans 8

-a walk around my hometown with my youngest grandson

-youngest granddaughter's toothy grin

-taking our two middle granddaughters to Starbucks after picking them up from school 

and a fun visit with them while we enjoyed our treats

11-5-19-

-sleeping in a wee bit

-a big cup of coffee made for me by my guy

-foggy mornings outside and a warm, cozy house inside

-making homemade bread and soup for tonight's small group, 

(I love to cook and bake!)

-our small group

11-6-19-

-lunch at my favorite restaurant by the river with my sister and brother-in-law

-the smell of woodsmoke from the neighbor's fireplace while out on my walk

-"God is kind, but He's not soft. In kindness He takes us firmly by the hand 

and leads us into a radical life change." Romans 2:3-4MSG

11-7-19-

-a sweet friend and her baby boy coming over for tea and a visit

-a good book that made me cry at the end

-a really good prayer and worship night at church

11-8-19-

-Friday date day

-God's provision through finding really good bargains on Christmas gifts

-dinner with my guy at one of our favorite iconic Portland restaurants

11-9-19-

-a wonderful prayer time 

-God's work in people's lives

-a walk on this drizzle-y beach-like day while having a good chat on the phone with G.

11-10-19-

-all of our dear ones from Truelife Espanol

-a great combined Sunday service and a great dinner together afterwards

-God at work in making us one

-returning visitors and more new faces

still following,

Developing A Thanksgiving Lifestyle

Thanksgiving Day is quickly approaching! I believe that thanksgiving should be more than something we focus on for one day a year. For that reason, I am repeating this post about a simple way to make thanksgiving more than just a holiday. I believe it should be the lifestyle of the believer.

 It was really eye opening to me the day I stumbled upon Deuteronomy 28:47,(Amplified Bible, Classic Edition), in my Bible reading. In this verse we find out that one of the reasons that God's people were living a less than life was "Because you did not serve the Lord your God with joyfulness of mind and heart in gratitude for the abundance of all with which He had blessed you." Gratitude is important to God and it's life changing for us.  Ann Voskamp, author of the book One Thousand Gifts, writes, "Give thanks if you are joyful is, in reality, to be joyful give thanks." Did you notice in that verse in Deuteronomy how, to God, both our joyfulness and our gratitude are not only important, but connected?  (Join me for the rest of this post on Sunday, November 10th at Woman to Woman Ministries, where each Sunday I share a bit of Sunday Soul Food!)

still following,

Also happily linking up with:

Sunday Scripture Blessings

Susan B. Mead

Sue Moore Donaldson

Weekly Gratitude Journal

Choosing gratitude and keeping a journal of at least three things each day that I thank God for helps me to cope with the reality that time is zooming by. How is it already November? How are we already on the cusp of a new year?  As we get older, the days seem to go by faster and faster. I don't know why that is. But, what I do know is that these years of gratitude journaling have helped me to see that God is always faithful and it reassures me that He always will be faithful. Always. Yesterday, today and forever.

 ****************

Since 2009 I've been counting my blessings thanks to the prompting of Ann Voskamp.

 I continue to count my thanks, 

piling up gratitude day by day in my journal.

(and capturing some of my blessings via my camera or iPhone)

#12,625-#12,650

10-28-19-

-God's care for me

-frosty mornings and cold weather with clear blue skies 

-laying in my granddaughter's backyard swing under the branches of their oak tree 

turned all golden while they play on their trampoline

-getting to chat with my oldest daughter and son-in-law

-my husband surprising me by having the grocery shopping done and dinner ready for me

 when I got home from grandkid sitting

10-29-19-

-an answer to prayer for more workers in children's ministry

-Jeremiah 31

-cozy candlelight and a fire in the fireplace

10-30-19-

-a day stuck at home waiting for a service appointment with the gas company 

that resulted in getting my pre-holiday deep cleaning done. YaY!

-our gas fireplace all cleaned for free!

-letting go of more stuff

10-31-19-

-photos of the grandkids in their costumes

(oldest granddaughter)

(oldest grandson with his sister's best friend)

(the two middle granddaughters, in the middle in this photo, with their friends)

(middle grandson)

(youngest grandson)

(youngest grandson and youngest granddaughter in their lobster boat that their daddy made)

-chai tea lattes and a visit with my friend

-a cold but clear day for all the little trick or treaters

11-1-19-

-November!

-my husband taking me to one of my favorite lunch spots for Friday Date Day

-oldest grandson mowing our yard and oldest granddaughter folding a load of laundry

 for us while we were out-what a surprise!

11-2-19-

-spending the day in Kirkland/Bellevue with youngest grandson while Papa, 

his parents and baby sister were at the Huskies game

-this beautiful day by Lake Washington

-lunch with my little buddy at Teriyaki Madness-they had worship music playing in the restaurant

-my grandson taking a long nap in the stroller while I walked 

-our granddaughter facetiming with us

11-3-19-

-God answering prayer

-the truth that God really is a good, good Father to me

-my husband's message today

-Sunday afternoon rest

still following,