30 Days of Thanksliving {part 4}

O give thanks to the Lord, call on His name; make known His doings among the peoples! 1 Chronicles 16: 8
Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. I Thessalonians 5:18

day 22: thanksliving: I've enjoyed recording my thanks a day later as it's given me opportunity to reflect on each yesterday and remember. I'm very thankful for God giving us discernment, wisdom and help in the very small details of life and in the big challenges too. I'm also thankful for time with Trenton and Alea talking about what it means to be thankful and what we are thankful for.

day 23: thanksliving: my two girls helping me clean and bake with lots of cheerful smiles, being prompted by the Lord to give to others, fresh hair cuts for 4 of us, warm snuggles from my little guy who is still not feeling well, and the table set for ten :)

day 24: thanksliving: yesterday was a good day of putting the finishing touches on the house and my contributions to dinner. We hosted Maurice's mom, sister, niece, nephew and aunt. Good company, good food! Lots to be thankful for! God is gracious.

day 25: thanksliving: I'm thankful for my hunny receiving therapy on his hurt knee, I'm thankful for a day of ease with my kids and family movie night watching Cars 2.

day 26: thanksliving: Good day with the family and a fun afternoon with a friend. My creative side has been sparked! I'm so thankful for great family, fun friends and a date night with my hunny.

Day 27: thanksliving: First Sunday of Advent--hope, assurance and certainty of God's rescue for our future. Powerful message and a good day of celebrating with our church family.

day 28: thanksliving: thankful for God's mercy and grace each day, thankful for my hunny and appreciate how hard he works, thankful for my girls who are so helpful and for my little guy who keeps me on my toes, and I'm thankful for the start of *Advent!

day 29: thanksliving: enjoyed a field trip with some of God's furry creatures (and slimy ones too!), lunch with friends, and school in the afternoon. Grateful for my hunny who helps keep me balanced and grounded in what really matters. I must remember that I cannot control what others think of me or what they do; I can only control me. Praying that I live my life filled with integrity and all out love for God. 

Thanksgiving Day small tablescape

Edited to add: Day 30: thanksliving: thankful for finishing something I started...documenting my thanks for 30 whole days! {that's progress, folks!} Thankful for concentrating on the things I'm thankful for...sure chased the grumpies away on a daily basis.

*Be sure to visit again soon as I'm getting together a post of all the great resources I've found for Advent.

Easy Reference: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3

30 Days of Thanksliving {part 3}

I chose to document the month of Thanksgiving with a daily Facebook update. (Scroll to the bottom to find easy links to Part 1 and Part 2.) I posted what I was thankful for the day after each day. This delayed posting allowed me to deliberately reflect on yesterday and assign words for the blessings that God has given me. And isn't it all blessings? Music is one means of grace that God has bestowed to not only uplift my heart, but also music gives melody to my thoughts, feelings and beliefs. The song Blessing by Laura Story is one such song.

Day 15: Thanksliving--thankful for lunch and reconnecting with a friend I have not seen in a LONG time. Her little guy is a cutie pie. 

Day 16: thanksliving: Thankful for being able to spend time with Trenton. Yesterday both girls were off doing other things, and Trenton wasn't feeling very good. We snuggled on the couch, even did his school on the couch and generally took it easy.

Day 17 of thanksliving: I'm so thankful for the gift of friends...they help carry burdens, make the day brighter and are an all around joy!

day 18--I'm thankful for the ways God provides what we need when we need it: extra sleep in the morning, encouraging chat on FB with a friend, insurance taking care of several outside house things damaged by the hail and sharing a conversation with a sweet friend.

day 19: thanksliving--so thankful for my hunny and how he takes care of the kids and I. He really lives out "in sickness and in health." Yesterday he gently took care of Trenton...and then me today as Trenton must be sharing his germs. Thanks, hunny. 

day 20: thanksliving--eternally grateful for the Gospel. Over the last few weeks, at church we've heard from many different ministries and how they are meeting needs of people everywhere. Inspiring...challenging...

day 21 of thanksliving: thankful for the chiropractor (who Trenton affectionately called the "choir practice"), thankful for oohs and ahhs of my girls after they saw the completed craft closet, and thankful for my cozy bed where I can rest my weary bones! Please keep praying for health and wellness to be restored to the our household. Marissa and Trenton are both not feeling well at all.

Side note: cleaning the craft closet had been on my "goals list" for SEVERAL weeks. I finally conquered it! Oh the sweet taste of completion. I really need to taste it more often. :) 

Easy Reference: Part 1, Part 2

30 Days of Thanksliving {part 2}

I'm so glad I am taking the time to repost my 30 Days of Thanksliving. (If you haven't read part 1, click here to read it.) You and I both know that 30 Days of Thanksliving will slide fairly effortlessly into a LIFE of Thanksliving. Did I say effortlessly? I meant to say "will slide into a life of Thanksliving if I continue to be intentional and thoughtful."

Day 8 of a month of thanksgiving: I'm thankful for God's grace and the freedoms He gives us. Freedoms I do not ever want to take for granted. My prayer is that a month of thanksgiving will turn into a thanks~living.

Day 9 of a life of thanks-living: I'm thankful for God's provisions for us.

Day 10 of thanks-living: I'm thankful for the freedoms we have to worship God and educate our children. I'm thankful for Christian radio.

Day 11: Thankful for the service men and women who serve our country here and abroad and their families who are making huge sacrifices too.

Day 12: Thankful for the different "jobs" God has given me. Marissa and I had a good time cleaning and shopping in the afternoon. I love being a wife and mom!

Day 13: Thanksliving--thankful for a Sunday afternoon date with my hunny.

Day 14: Thanksliving--thankful for shopping with my kids for gifts for others. It was a good reminder especially to the younger one that love puts others before ourselves.

For easy reference:  Part 1

30 Days of Thanksliving

For each of the days in November, I posted what I was thankful for. I posted in Facebook and wanted to transfer them here for longevity's sake. A long time reader and believer in 1000 Gifts, I've tried different ways of keeping track of my heart's gratitude. Maybe on my blog is the way?? I'm a good starter, but not a good follow-through-er. I'm working on changing that.

So, here are my 30 Days of Thanksliving {divided into 4 parts}

day 2 of a month of thanks: I'm thankful for my wonderful hunny. thanks for helping me rearrange the furniture the other day...and thanks for not freaking out when I wanted to put it all back the way it was. :)

Oh, what's that, you didn't see day 1--that's because I didn't do it yesterday...I'm thankful for God's grace!

Day 3 of a month of thanks...I'm thankful that God is Peace when life is hard.
Read this sweet story on one of my favorite blogs...

Day 4 of a month of thanks...(yesterday)...thankful for friends. God has graciously given me wonderful friends who dig in and walk this life with me. I'm thankful that my friends challenge me to be more like Christ. And laughing with friends is one of the greatest gifts!!

Day of thanks #5: thankful for my husband and the opportunity to attend a beautiful, encouraging wedding together on this lovely autumn day

Day 6--month of thanksgiving: So thankful for our church family. Pastor who teaches boldly, yet lovingly; members who love and serve each other, a women's class that enters into each others' stories treasuring and loving each other. God is so good.

day 7 of a month of giving thanks: I'm thankful for my 3 kids--sometimes they make me want to tear my hair out strand by strand but even through that, I love them. They challenge me to be a better me and they love me unconditionally. I love my kids.

Stromboli with friends

Last week I enjoyed a fun dinner with some friends. We talked about being more intentional about getting together...and since we all need to eat, well, dinner sounded like a good way to fellowship. I made stromboli, and others brought salad and desserts.

This stromboli recipe is written on a hand-penned 3x5 card from my friend Julie. Unable to make this recipe without thinking of Julie, I'm eternally thankful that God allowed us to be friends. I miss her so very much.

Here is the recipe:

Stromboli

*You can use frozen bread dough, thawed, or make the dough in the bread machine following these instructions: 
1 1/4 c. warm water
3 T. oil
1/8 c. + 2 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
2 T. instant mashed potato flakes
3 c bread flour
1 1/2 tsp. yeast
Dough setting on bread machine.

When dough is finished, roll out on floured surface into large rectangle (like 8"x15").
Brush lightly with oil and sprinkle with oregano and mozzarella cheese. Evenly sprinkle about 1/2-3/4 lb ground beef (browned and drained), pepperoni and more mozzarella.
Roll longways and pinch to seal ends (wet dough to get it to stick together.)
Bake on stone or sprayed baking sheet. 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until slightly golden brown.
Serve slices with warmed pizza sauce.

You can add other meats such as cooked, drained sausage to the inside. Can also be made as lunch meat stromboli--use cheddar cheese, lunch meat and dip in mustard/mayonnaise, etc.