Counting My Blessings, Day Eight

My heart has been encouraged, as I've taken some time each day during this week leading up to Thanksgiving Day to focus on the many abundant and rich blessings that God has given me. I truly do have so much to be thankful for and blessings too numerous to count!

I conclude my week of counting blessings by being thankful for the blessing of Christian music. When I feel depressed or discouraged, listening to praise and worship music always lifts my spirits and restores joy to my soul. I love the traditional hymns, but I also enjoy contemporary Christian music. Often the words speak directly to me or to the situation I'm dealing with at the time. I am so thankful for the amazing artists and musicians who willingly use their gifts and talents in the ministry of music. Many of them will never know, this side of heaven, how their songs have impacted and changed lives.

Counting My Blessings, Day Seven

Today I am thankful for the blessing of beautiful sunsets that declare the glory of God and proclaim the work of his hands!

Counting My Blessings, Day Six

I'm so thankful for God's word and for the wonderful promises found in scripture. I love the Bible and cherish each moment I spend reading it. I have many different Bibles, but my favorite one of all is my Women Of Faith Study Bible. I love everything about this Bible, especially the wide margins and study helps. I enjoy writing out prayers in my Bible, and this one allows me plenty of room for taking notes and writing. Treasures are found in scripture, and it's a wonderful blessing to be able to read and study God's word.

Counting My Blessings, Day Five

Today, I'm thankful for the joy that babies bring into our lives. There is just something extra sweet about a baby! When our youngest granddaughter is here it seems as if the world stops and everything revolves around her. I never tire of sitting in the rocking chair holding her while she sleeps. Her sweet smiles and precious little baby face can make all the cares in the world fade away. I cherish each moment I have with her, because I know she is going to start crawling soon, and then she won't be content just to sit on grandmas lap. Babies are such blessings and I'm so thankful for the newest baby in our family, sweet Cabella Ruth.

Counting My Blessings, Day Four

Today I'm thankful for the special men in my life.

My Dad, a retired farmer, who worked hard all his life to support his family. He worked seven days a week without a vacation from the time he was a teenage boy until he retired. He is probably the most generous person I know, and has helped countless people over the years.

My husband, who has worked hard to support me and our four children over the past 32 years, which made it possible for me to be a stay-at-home mother. If not for his willingness to work hard, I would not have been able to stay home and be there for our children.

My sons Justin and Josh, who are wonderful men, work hard at their jobs, and truly love their wives. I know I can always count on them if I need something. They would be there for me in a minute. I'm so proud of the fine young men they have become.

My sweet grandson, Austin, who is always a joy to be around. He is always full of life and loves the outdoors, just like his Daddy.

My son-in-law-to-be, Barak, who is always there for our youngest daughter and truly loves and respects her. It's such a good feeling in today's world to see a young man show respect and love for your daughter, and to know he will always take good care of her.

I have a lot to be thankful for with the special men in my life!

Counting My Blessings, Day Three

Today I am thankful for God's beautiful creation, and thankful that I live in a place where I only have to look in my backyard to enjoy the wonders of all He has made. What an amazing and wondrous creation it is!

Counting My Blessings Day Two

Today I am thankful for the beautiful and special women who are part of my life: My daughters, Heather and Heidi; daughter-in-laws, Jess and Missy; and the sweetest little granddaughters in the whole world, Amayah Grace and Cabella Ruth. I feel incredibly blessed to have them in my life and thank God for each of them.

Counting My Blessings

Temperatures have been colder than usual for mid November, and I've found myself dreading the frigid months ahead. I dislike cold weather and the winter months are my least favorite of all. I miss the fall foliage and being outdoors.

Today, I found myself already grumbling about the cold weather and it's not even winter yet. I knew I was going to be in trouble if I didn't get my attitude in check, so I decided I needed a little attitude adjustment! I know from past experience that it's hard to feel thankful while complaining, but it's also hard to complain while being thankful! I decided the perfect remedy for my complaining attitude would be to start counting my blessings each day. I have so much to be thankful for and God has blessed me in more ways than I can count. With Thanksgiving just a week away, I decided it would be good for me to post a different thing I'm thankful for each day over the next week through Thanksgiving day .

I'll start off today by being thankful for the soothing comfort of tea. Nothing evokes feelings of warmth and comfort like a cup of steaming hot tea, and I feel no kitchen would be complete without a tea kettle. I always had a fondness for tea pots and tea kettles, often hosting pretend tea parties with my dolls when I was a young girl. I still have the tiny blue and white china tea set I got for Christmas one year. Of all the gifts I received as a child, it was my favorite.

Tea and hospitality seem to go hand in hand, and time spent with friends is sweeter over a cup of tea. When I phone an elderly friend of mine to tell her I'm stopping by for a visit, she always says, "I'll put the tea kettle on!" It's always a treat to walk into her cozy kitchen and be greeted by the steaming tea kettle, and even more so on chilly evenings. There's just something about the clinking of cups and saucers that makes the world seem a little more peaceful.

Season of Transition

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven. Ecclesiastes 3: 1

Change is in the air. The last of the fall leaves have fallen and rather frigid temperatures seem to be settling in. Early mornings spent strolling through the woods and walking by the pond have been replaced by time spent indoors, and I'm thankful for the warmth of the old wood stove. As the fall season slowly transitions into winter here in the mountains, I find myself also in a new season of transition.


For a long time I've contemplated giving up my work-at-home job as a Medical Transcriptionist to return to caring for my home and family exclusively, as well as focus more on writing. It's something I've prayed about for a long time. In my heart I never felt right about working, but always seemed to find a way to justify it. I know God's word is clear that a woman's priorities are to be centered around the home, so I thought since I was in the home that I was doing the right thing. I was working at home, therefore, I must be in God's will! The problem was that my job was the number one priority. When we work at home, it's still work. We still have deadlines to meet and our work often takes center stage over things in the home.


As always, God is faithful in bringing us to the place where He wants us to be. Over the past several weeks I developed some increasing health issues that zapped my energy level and will require major surgery in the near future. At the same time my job became increasingly demanding as my boss took on more accounts. Just keeping up with all the new information was a full time job in itself. Things at home became more and more neglected. There was little time to cook, and we often ended up buying high priced take-out meals. I continually felt conviction over the state of my home. I felt for a long time that God wanted me just to focus on things at home, but yet I was afraid to take that step of faith to trust Him to supply all our needs. The medical bills arriving in the mailbox on a daily basis were a constant reminder of how much we could use the extra income. I found myself consumed with worry, fear, and nagging doubts. What if my husband was no longer able to work due to an injury or illness? What if we can't make ends meet on one income? What will people think? After all, I only have one child left at home and she is nearly eighteen. Surely I can handle a job since I have no small children! And the economy is bad right now. We need all the extra income we can get. I have to work!


Yet, my life continued to unravel before my eyes. I was exhausted and tired of trying to keep up with the rat race. Not only was the house falling apart, my entire life was pure chaos. I would read scripture, and God's word would reveal truth to me that I pushed aside and ignored, choosing instead to find an excuse not to walk in obedience. All of my worrying, fear, and excuse making only revealed the truth; I had a trust problem. I was not trusting the God who supplied our needs over three decades of raising four children solely on my husbands income; often on much meager wages than we have now. I was failing to trust the same God who never allowed us to go hungry or failed to take care of us. God had never once given me a reason not to trust Him, yet I was choosing to act as if He had.


Circumstances with my job escalated last week, and I felt as if God was putting me in a position where I finally had to take a stand. I could no longer ignore what needed to be done. It was time to step out in faith and step down from working for a season to focus on my health, my relationship with God, and those things which He has entrusted into my care; my family and my home. I parted on good terms with my boss, and she told me my job will be there if and when I choose to return, which is another blessing from God. After explaining my situation and sharing with her how I felt, she waived the two week notice that is usually required, and I was able to step down immediately. I don't know how long this season will last, but right now I know my role is to care for my home and family to the best of my ability. God will let me know when it's time to move in a different direction.


As I make the transition from working to being a full time homemaker, I pray I will embrace this new season with joy and a grateful heart, as I once again accept the highest calling of all; the call to be a wife, mother, and homemaker.

Dusk By The Pond

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Psalm 19: 1

God is Faithful in all Seasons

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

With the majority of the leaves having fallen now, I’ve been amused by all the vacant bird nests throughout the trees and bushes here in the woods. In late fall, I always enjoy scouting out the woods looking for nests. It's interesting to see how many different birds have nested nearby that I was unaware of. Seeing all the vacant nests reminds me of the nearness of my own approaching “empty nest.”

I have to smile when I think back to the baby and toddler years and how I thought those busy days would never end. I remember elderly ladies in the grocery store (as I struggled to restrain a two year old in the midst of a temper tantrum and break up a fight between school-age boys) smiling and saying, “Enjoy them while they are little honey, because they grow up so fast!” At times I felt irritated with them for saying those things. I used to think that it was easy for them to say that, because they weren’t struggling to juggle children and groceries and get everyone to the car in one piece. Now I’m the older woman in the grocery store telling young mothers to enjoy their children because they grow up fast. It’s funny how time changes things and we find ourselves in new roles and new seasons of life, all in such a short time. One day it just seemed to happen; somewhere between changing diapers, nighttime feedings, wiping off sticky fingered toddlers, endless peanut butter and jelly sandwich lunches, helping with homework, juggling after school sports schedules, and the trying teen years, the nest grew emptier and emptier and now the baby is almost eighteen.

Lately, it seems we are constantly experiencing the end of certain events that have been a part of raising four children over the past 32 years. This year our youngest was the last of the four children to get a learners permit. The last one I had to teach to drive. September marked the “last” first day of school for us and the last child to enter her senior year. The last parent-teacher conferences will be attended this year. She will be the last to graduate. Monday night marked the last Halloween parade that she will be participating in with her dance studio, and next spring will mark the last dance recital. As I drive her to dance lessons and to her job at the dance studio, I cherish every trip knowing the time is so very short. Soon, she will have her license and won’t need me to drive her anywhere. It’s a strange feeling after spending so many years driving children to sports, games, and dance lessons.

I’ve been given a glimpse into the empty nest over the past year when the youngest started dating. My husband is a long distance trucker, rarely home, which means I’ve been spending more and more time home alone. It’s as if God is slowly preparing me for this new approaching season. It's been a learning process for me, and I'm finding it helpful to talk to other woman who have already experienced the empty nest, or who are close to experiencing it.

I received an e-mail several weeks ago from my friend Kathy, who lives in Alabama. Her wise words were such an encouragement and a blessing to me. She is also facing the nearness of the empty nest, as her youngest is a senior this year. Her e-mail was a much-needed reminder for me to continue trusting in God and waiting to see what He wants me to do at this new season rather than thinking about filling up my alone time with “stuff.” With her permission, I share the following from her e-mail:

“I know you and I share a bond because I’m spending a good bit of time alone too. My son is working at the Y and is a senior in high school, so he always has something going on. My husband works long hours at the store, so I’m learning to spend my afternoons reading my Bible while sitting on the deck watching the hummingbirds and squirrels. It has been a HUGE change for me, but the Lord has constantly reminded me that,”I’m all you need Kathy.” So instead of fighting it with busyness, I have finally said, “Okay, Lord, here I am!” I’m trying to spend time with Him during my new found alone time. “

I was encouraged by how she simply chose to surrender this new season of life to God rather than filling it with more stuff and activities. How often do we say, "Okay, Lord, here I am?" Too often we are quick to fill up those empty places in our life with other things that may not be part of Gods plan for us. We are quick to act without taking the time to seek God's wisdom for our life. Our culture today is so busy and fast paced that we often don’t think about just waiting and being still before God to see where He leads us.

This new season of life has already been a season of incredible grace and spiritual growth for me personally. I’m learning the importance of letting go gracefully, and I’m learning to accept things, knowing that God is in control. I don’t know what the future holds or what God has planned for me and that is okay. I can trust Him and rest in His promises as the empty nest draws near. Like my friend Kathy, I am also learning to say, "Okay, Lord, here I am, use me in this season as You desire." Though life is ever changing, God does not change. He is faithful, always, in all seasons of life.