Thankful Thursday

  Today I am thankful that I homeschool my children!  I am thankful that we have the freedom to worship our Saviour as we see fit and to teach our children of Him. I am thankful that El Roi is shaking things up in my life! Thankful for small moments where happiness abounds. I am thankful for bits of time spent in the car where I can gather my thoughts and take a deep breath... Thankful that I am on the being healthy journey.. Thankful for "baby steps, Bob" a reminder that it's ok to take it one small step at a time. Thankful for my 15 passenger van. I never stop being grateful for it!! Thankful for my dh who brought home a dozen roses for me on Monday evening! He did it just because...  

Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY..........

Outside my window...it's sunny and fallish

I am thinking...that I need to get downstairs and get my children busy on studying Spain

I am thankful for..my husband! He was made just for me!

From the learning rooms...children are watching a travel DVD on Spain.

From the kitchen...lunch is being prepared

I am wearing...gray wind pants and blue shirt

I am creating...a warm atmosphere

I am going...to enjoy this day for it is given to me by the L-rd!

I am reading..

Things I Wish Id Known Sooner Personal Discoveries of a Mother of Twelve

 

I am hoping... that all of our homeschooling is finished for the day.

I am hearing...life all around me!

Around the house...homeschooling, lunch, cleaning and discovery

One of my favorite things...loving on my munchkins!!

few plans for the rest of the week....getting in G-d's word, keeping on task, piano moving, home fellowship, thrift shopping, etc..

Blessings to you today!!!

His plan..

We are going back to the place I grew up the end of October! I am so very excited! I am looking forward to seeing everyone and catching up! My smallest munchkins will get to meet family they haven't! And the other ones have grown so much since the last time we were there.

We didn't get to take a vacation this past summer so although this isn't a vacation persay, as we're going for actual specific reasons, it's close enough for us!  

I have had many worries in regards to this trip but I am again feeling the Spirit near to me whispering in my ear; trust me....

TRUST=
1. To have or place reliance; depend:

I am being asked to place my trust in Him. To have trust in Him and to depend and rely on Him.
All things hard to do if I am relying on myself too much! All things hard to do if I am not keeping my eyes on Him and instead on my circumstances.

Is it possible that I can have this assurance within that all things will work out for His glory and purpose? I can not see nor tell the future but I have this certainty that everything is already working as He has planned.
 
“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11)

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” (Proverbs 3:5)

 ”A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.” (Proverbs 16:9)



God, You are my God
Earnestly I seek You, oh my soul
I thirst for You
My body aches in a dry and weary land
I’ve seen You in Your sanctuary
I beheld Your pow’r and shouted glory
My soul is full, my lips will sing Your praise
Lift your voices

Let the sound of praise be heard
All the ends of Earth
Praise the Holy One
Sing the glory of His name
Every tongue proclaim
Praise the Holy One

You are my help, I sing
In the shadow of Your wings
My soul will cling
Your right hand holds me up
You are my king, You are my God
Lift your voices

I will sing for Your glory
For Your love is better than life
I will sing for Your glory
For Your love is better than life
Better than life

Frugal Friday

Frugal Friday Tip

I love coffee; flavored coffee! But I can't have it as often as I would like because of the expense, so I have been on the lookout for other ways to make those same yummy drinks without the cost.
I found this book at my local library and can't wait to try one of these wonderful recipes...

Italian Delight Espresso

1/4 oz.-1/2 oz. amaretto or almond flavored syrup
2-4 oz. hot, fresh espresso or strong coffee
1/2-1 oz. sambuca (optional)
whipped cream, for garnish

1. Pour the amaretto into a tempered glass mug
2. Add the espresso and the sambuca
3. Top with a dollop of whipped cream.

YUMMY!! :)

Now and Then!

I am here to update my spot in the blogging world with pics of some of my favorite kiddos....
JaidenNoah..

ZaraLayna and Isaac doing "school"...

Morgan-Britney; her formal graduation pics..

My sweety baby KianAdley who is now 4 months old...

I so enjoy looking back through my picture albums to where I was last year at this time. it's like a living history in pictures!
Here I am last year at this time in September... I was taking my first trimester belly shot!

at the lake with my family for our Mikvah..

and going through the maternity clothes that other sweet ladies had sent to me! 

I was newly pregnant with sweet baby KianAdley! I was so excited, happy and blessed! Now he is here with me and I am again excited, happy and blessed! 

Relationship

I love it when the L-rd takes my ideas of something and turns them all upside down.

I love when He shows me something in an entirely new way that I would not have seen without His illumination!

I love it when He takes the things in my life and teaches me hard lessons. I have to stop and give myself time to adjust to new ways of thinking and doing.

I can, instead of grumbling, be thankful for those things that bring Him more deeply into my life and heart!

Today I heard that it's not just knowing Elohim's word but actually doing it. So many of us "know" His word. We can quote scriptures and chapters but are we living it out in our day to day lives?

A prayer I have prayed over the years is that I would be so much like Messiah that where He begins and I end would not be able to be seen. That only he would shine out from me to others. His Spirit alive and active within me!

I pray that my friends and neighbors can see Him in my life. Even those strangers I meet at the grocery store or gas station would see His light in my witness. There is no greater gain for me in this life than to be known as His Beloved. I want to be living His word every day!
 
My view of relationships has been upended. But it's good and beautiful! It feels good to be changing and allowing myself to be more vulnerable and needy. Being real.

There may be those who can't accept this in me or others until they can allow it in themselves. I know, I have been there, but I pray that they too can be free to be real!

My oldest child who is 18 reminds me often that when I am myself I free others to be themselves. I have tried this out in groups and meetings and it is so true! When I let the "real" me shine forth than I see a change in how others act also!
 
When allowing myself to be real beyond just the surface I can let others see my struggles and strengths. I can then be what someone else needs and encourage them as they walk through the trials in their lives.

It all comes back full circle. And what beauty and love it carries as it comes!

I like the brick analogy I read about recently. As things arise in relationships if we don't deal with them each brick eventually piles upon another brick until we have a wall built up and the relationship fails.

I am making it my goal to deal with those bricks so that walls never have a chance to come between me and someone I love and care about.

Do you have bricks in your life that you need to deal with?

Elohim created us to need others. He didn't create us to be an island unto ourselves. We need each other. We women need other women! We need relationship! We learn how to love others through our relationships. We allow the L-rd to teach us more about ourselves by letting others into our hearts home.
 
I pray that we may all find those people that we can be safe with and have relationship! And I pray we can overcome our fears and experience the beauty that Elohim is giving us through others!

Need help with ideas on a reward for myself!

I have lost 49 lbs in 3 1/2 months!

When I had lost 32lbs I treated myself to getting my nails done! That was fun! But here I am having lost all this weight; pregnancy poundage gone! WOOHOO! and I want to treat myself to something. I need your help with ideas on what I could do. It can't be anything expensive but I need to do something as this keeps me motivated and I want to lose more so I need it!

Simple Woman...

FOR TODAY..........

Outside my window...it's partly cloudy but the sun is trying to peek through the clouds.

I am thinking...how grateful I am for the changes the L-rd is making in my heart.

I am thankful for..the ability to bless others by being Christ's hands here on earth.

From the learning rooms...working on finishing up our first unit after spending extra time studying Greece.

From the kitchen...baked oatmeal for breakfast..and a meal for a friend cooking in the oven.

I am wearing...a light blue skirt and feminine shirt..

I am creating...a place that's filled with safety..a sweet haven for my children away from the storms of life..

I am going...to be leaving here shortly to drop off a meal

I am reading..a few books..Friendships for Grown Ups & Lessons At Blackberry Inn

I am hoping...to get the bathrooms cleaned today!

I am hearing... music from the Passion Worship Band.

Around the house...kiddos up and doing chores and getting busy on school work

One of my favorite things...fitting into my clothes again!!!!!

few plans for the rest of the week...ladies home fellowship meeting tonite, celebrating the Biblical Feast; Yom Teruah, boys book club Friday..

Here is picture thought I am sharing...

Frugal Friday Tip...

Today I wanted to give a Frugal Friday tip. Something we do to bring down food costs. It's nothing big but every little bit helps.
Instead of spending money on those expensive sprays to grease pans we take olive oil or another oil of our choice and pour it into a spray bottle. It works just as well and we have saved money in the process!

As we all know, money doesn't grow on trees!

I am thankful...

My thankful list is long. There are so many wonderful things that I am grateful for.  My life is full of the glorious and amazing!

I am thankful that I have not much for with less I am able to see that I have more..

I am thankful for the riches I have found in the Word..

I am thankful that I have hidden treasure. Every year more of the treasure shows itself and blooms before my eyes!

I am thankul that I have learned to bloom right where He has planted me!

I am thankful for rain as it washes away the dirt and grime left from previous days.

I am thankful for renewal.

I am thankful for my country where I can worship my Creator in freedom.

I am thankful for the Mikvah of Repentance  where all has become new!

I am thankful for beauty right outside my window.

I am thankful that my eyes have been opened!

I am thankful for nature and the bounty it holds.

I am thankful for the word thanksgiving where I can remember all He has blessed me with!

Let them give thanks to the Lord for His unfailing love and His wonderful deeds for men,
For He satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things. ~Psalm 107:8-9