Thanksgiving

Come this time of year, people on Facebook tend to post a "thanks" everyday.  I decided to take the challenge this year and find things that I'm truly thankful for and blessed by.  Here is a compilation of everything that I posted up to Thanksgiving day.  Advent comes early this year, so that is the reason for stopping at Thanksgiving.  I want to be able to not focus on what God has given me, but how he changed the world one Christmas 2000+ years ago.

November 1st- I'm thankful that Jesus conquered the grave and I have eternal life.
2- I'm thankful for healthy kids and husband.
3- I'm thankful to God for the bountiful provisions of basic needs of food, shelter and clothing.

4- I'm thankful to God for a heritage full of ancestors that paved the way for me, giving me role models for life and showing with their actions: their love for God and their dedication to the church and Centenary College.














5- I'm thankful to God for using A. C. "Cheesy" Voran and Will Andress as match makers, putting my parents together and choosing my best friends and husband.
6- I'm thankful that God gave me an incredible mother and a wonderful mother-in-law.

7- I'm thankful to God for giving us different seasons and changes in weather, even day-light savings time. 
8- I'm thankful to God for the gift on music and my voice, even if it is not solo quality. And, I also give thanks for the beautiful mentors he placed in my life: Debbie Talley and Wendy Sharpless. 
9-I'm thankful to God for friends that you can pick up right where you left off, even if it is years in between.

10- I'm thankful to God for giving me the sweetest sisters (and sister-in-laws) on the planet.

11- I'm thankful to God for all the men and women who have giving their lives to serve this great nation for our freedom. 
12- I'm thankful to God for sweet cousins my kids get to grow up with.

13- I'm thankful to God that we can worship Him wherever we are and that He is in control.
14- I'm thankful to God for my Daddy who I miss very much on this, his birthday.

15- I'm thankful to God for giving me such a sweet husband and best friend who takes care of me and loves me unconditionally.

16- I'm thankful to God for giving me Cavett and for his sweet sense of empathy toward others.
17- I'm thankful to God for giving me Kendrick who keeps making me laugh and his endless supply of hugs.

18- I know I've kinda already said thanks for her but, gotta do it again. I'm thankful to God for my sweet mother-in-law who drove 3 hours round trip just to bring me some soup to help me feel better.
19- I'm thankful to God for quite time and family naps.
20- I'm thankful to God for rain.
21- I'm thankful to God for my BSF class.
22- I'm thankful to God for the Holy Spirit's enabling, strength and endurance that I desparately need today. 
23- I'm thankful for my big families on both sides. 

24- I'm thankful to God for who He is and how he has revealed himself to me. 

Thanksgiving Blessings

My children, end of discussion. 

If I have nothing else (other than God), it is these two little miracles. 

And of course, my dear husband.

School Thanksgiving Activities

Kendrick was first to have his school's Thanksgiving celebration on Thursday. I went up to the school that day and volunteered cutting and peeling apples for almost 2 hours. But, it was worth it to be able to see him all dressed up in his Indian outfit giving thanks on the floor for lunch with 60 other kiddos. It wasn't really a "parent come and oogle over your kid" thing. It was just a feast.



Walking to the fest with a bubble in his mouth, and holding a little baby turkey.



There was also a pretty cool pilgrim village where they saw the Mayflower and signed the ship's log book, learned about planting and growing corn, how they built houses then and the first Thanksgiving meal.

On Friday, we enjoyed Cavett's school Thanksgiving Play.  He was dressed as a pilgrim, others were turkeys or indians.  (Of which I volunteered on Tuesday about 3 hours helping them make the Indian pillowcase vests.)  There was a story read and each time one of the characters were addressed, lines were spoken as a group.  For example the Pilgrim women said, "Mercy me!" in the sweetest voices.  Pilgrim men:  Bang! Bang!  Indian Men: Big and brave.  Turkeys: Gobble, gobble. 

Just as we were getting into the story, Cavett leaves his place on stage and goes with another little girl to the microphone on the side.  He had a SOLO that he had kept from us until this morning on the way to school when Stephen heard a hint of what might be to come, but didn't quite get the story straight before Cavett left the car.

It was awesome and I was so proud! 

Now, the chicken dance on the other hand was just plain hilarious!  If this doesn't make you laugh out loud, there is something wrong, especially the last 45 seconds or so.

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

Thanksgiving Highlights

Watching Stephen carve the turkey for his Dad.

• Dinner in Grand Saline complete with 2 turkeys, ham, mashed potatoes, the best sweet potatoes ever, the best green beans wrapped in bacon ever, 2 kinds of yummy dressing and a never ending sideboard of desserts including chocolate chip bourbon pecan pie.







• Watching my boys play tennis ball golf with their older cousins and uncles.







• Taking my first ride on a four wheeler.







• Watching the boys take a dip in the upstairs hot tub.







• Flipping through my great-great grandmother's burned bible to find family teasures pinned to pages.


• Playing dress up in Uldene's costume jewelry with the girls.


• Trapping a skunk and Stephen shooting him with a 9mm.


• Being thankful for 2 large, kind, beautiful families with many generations of dear saints before them all of which who love me and my own little family.

Thanksgiving and a New Year

As I sat this morning reading the Dallas Morning News, something I only do in Grand Saline, I was drawn to the Guide section and the front page article written by a professor at SMU. It was all about how he loves Thanksgiving and July 4th because they aren't driven by "God or gifts." As I read on I became even more dismayed and disheartened at his description of those around the dinner table, no longer in the "Old World Manner" of grandparents, aunts, uncles and younger cousins. This article but made me even more thankful for the true "Old World" family of which I have on both sides. But, this is not the reason I wanted to blog this morning. It is just the jumping off point.

This Sunday marks the beginning of Advent, the start of the liturgical new year, or the new year in the church calendar. It only makes sense to me to end my year here as well. My season is over and it is time to reflect and begin anew patiently awaiting and preparing for my King to arrive.

This year God has spoken to me more than ever and my faith has grown immensely. It wasn't a point of conversion, as I have always believed, but it was more a sense of growth. The changes in my life this year were not coincidental. They were God-incidental. He had a plan and he spoke it to us as we could handle it and needed to know. He guided us to the right practice and literally showed us a "sign." He provided a home and a guided us to the school for our children and even though we had no idea at the time, it was all in preparation for us to spend a majority of the next 4 months in Grand Saline to be with Stephen's Dad in his final days. And through this tragedy and the passing of 4 other relatives my view of eternal life has been strengthened.

Here, I could begin a list of what I am thankful for this day beginning with Stephen and my kids, but what I am most thankful for this year is what God has done for me. He sent his Son in human form to earth to die on a cross to take away our sins. The blameless Lamb of God was sacrificed. He paid the ultimate price for us and is relentless in forgiving us. He never tires of forgiving and he never waivers in his love. How blessed we are, and all we have to do is believe in Him and receive His love.

So, for a SMU professor to say that today is not about God ultimately breaks my heart and I feel sorry for that man who has not found the joy and His purpose in life. Today, along with all of my many thanks for my many blessings, I pray and intercede for those who have not found Him. To the rest of my fellow believers I pray that you have a God-filled Thanksgiving and give thanks to Him who has given us plenty.

"I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life." John 5:24

Photo Story Friday

I am so thankful for my in-laws. They make holidays so much fun. From card games to Badmitton to trips to the local Gator Farm--it doesn't matter what we are doing I emjoy being around them. Here are a few pics of our Thanksgiving together.

Literacy Thursday

Welcome to week 3 of Literacy Thursday. Since it is Thanksgiving I decided to share one of our favorite betime/prayer books--Good Night God by Holly Bea. What is most perfect about it at this time is that the illustrations depict the wonderful sights of autumn.

The book has sweet illustrations of a bowl-cut, blond haired little boy walking through the park with his Dad. He says good night in rhyme to all things he sees on the walk and to things once he gets home. It sweetly ends by thanking God and telling Him good night.

Enjoy this one with your little one as you thank God for all that He has blessed you with this year and throughout your life. Happy Thanksgiving!

Hosted by: Jennifer at if you're happy and you know it

Turkey.

Some of you know that I am all about turkey at Thanksgiving, but not just any turkey. For years I have eaten a Greenberg Turkey for Thanksgiving and sometimes at Christmas too. One year while Stephen was in dental school and we were flat broke I got a free turkey for buying a certain amount of groceries from they grocery store. I cooked it, but is was so dry it was unbelievable. In fact, as I was cutting the dried out carcass, I sliced my finger with the knife so bad that I had to take a Valium for the pain. I probably should have had stitches.

Anyway, back to Greenbergs.....This is a smoked turkey from Tyler, TX. They ship and far distances, too. It comes to you fully cooked. You can eat it right then or freeze it for later. This is the first year that I ordered my very own. I ordered it just for me and my immediate family--Stephen and Cavett. I know, its a little selfish, but this is the most amazing turkey EVER, hands down. I fight people for the peppery parts!

We decided to not save it for later and carved it up tonight for an early Thanksgiving. Cavett has never eaten turkey, but tonight he tried it and it was like history repeating itself. My Mom never cooked a turkey, my grandmother never cooked turkey. We always ordered a Greenberg. I remember sitting in the kitchen watching my Dad/Mom (depending on the year) carve the Greenberg. I remember not liking turkey, but at some point the time came when I recognized the difference between turkey and a Greenberg. From there on out, you cannot keep your hands away from picking the meat off this bird and stealing a bite. Cavett must have had at least a quarter of a pound. Every time we glanced at him he was "stealing" another bite. I wish I could say the same for Kendrick. But, his day will come soon enough. I foresee Greenberg turkeys being in business for centuries!

It's not too late to order your very own. Check out http://www.gobblegobble.com/. However, if you live in the Tyler, TX area, be prepared to stand in a long line to pick yours up. They don't ship in town. But, if you live there, you would already know about this turkey!!!!