30 Days of Thanks: Day 17

 

Matthew 6:25-27

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear.  Is not life more than food, and the body more then clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.  Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?"

Thank God for your (true) identity.

Lord, I struggle with this one.  Sometimes I feel like I need a constant reminder of what my true identity really is.  The messages of the world barrage me--not good enough, not thin enough, not skilled enough--just not enough.  But You say that my value doesn't come through what the world says I am.  That my value has nothing to do with skill, or appearance or anything I do.  It has everything to do with who You say that I am and that You created me to be in relationship with You.  You say that I am loved, I am Your beloved, I am never trying to measure up because Your grace covers up my imperfections.  You formed me in my mother's womb and knew me before I took my first breath.  You say I am yours and that makes me enough. 

 

 

30 Days of Thanks: Day 16

 

Matthew 6:19-21

"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.  But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy and where thieves do not break in and steal.  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."  

Thank God for children.

Thank you Lord for the blessing of my children.  You have loaned me three beautiful miracles.  I thank you for wisdom in raising them, grace and mercy for the mistakes I've made.  Thank you for the joy that they bring to our lives and to the lives of those they encounter.  Thank you that each of my children have accepted you as their Savior and that I was able to lead them through the prayer of salvation.  Thank you for the gifts and talents you've given them and help them to always use those for Your glory!  Thank you, Lord for Tera, Daniel and Michael. 

 

 

Navitat

It was a beautiful afternoon Sunday for Daniel to finally get to redeem his adventure birthday present at Navitat at the Ijams Nature Center in Knoxville.

This is sometimes what I get when I try to take pictures of people on hikes...

Miniatures

Michael spent quite a bit of time working on a miniature library for his book club project on "Sixty-Eight Rooms" by Marianne Malone.

He fashioned book cases from gift boxes and painted them.  The books were made from construction paper and cardboard.   A shoe box lined with scrapbook paper were the frame for his miniature library.  A printed portrait of Queen Elizabeth was a last minute finishing touch on his room. 

A key chain charm and paper clips made the chandelier.  A button, golf tee and cupcake liner were used to create a floor lamp.  

Yarn rug

A small table, book and colored pencil (toothpick)

Bookcases, a portrait in a picture frame and a wire sculpture (paper clips)

A clock

30 Days of Thanks: Day 15

 

Luke 12:32-34

"Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.  Sell your possessions and give to the poor.  Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fall, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys.  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

Thank God for forgiveness.

Thank you, Lord for forgiveness that has been provided for us through Your Son, Jesus that died on the cross and rose again.  Thank You that Your forgiveness is unconditional and unending.  Help us to forgive others in the way You have forgiven us.  You give us the strength to forgive those who have sinned against us.  Help us to remember that the debt owed to us by others is only a fraction of the debt that we owe to You.  Thank You! 

 

30 Days of Thanks: Day 14

 

Luke 12:27-31

"Consider how the wild flowers grow.  They do not labor or spin.  Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.  If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you-you of little faith!  And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink, do not worry about it.  For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them.  But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well."   

Thank God for your gifts.

Thank you, Lord for the talents you've given me.  Thank you for giving me the ability to make music with my voice and to lead others in worship to you.  Thank you for the gift of teaching and being able to use that gift to homeschool our children.  Thank you for the gift of discernment.  Thank you, Lord for being able to cook food for my family and to be able to manage our household well.  All these are gifts you have equipped me with and I thank you! 

30 Days of Thanks: Days 12 and 13

 

Luke 12: 13- 26

Then one from the crowd said to Him, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me."  But He said to him, "Man, who made Me a judge or an arbitrator over you?"  And He said to them, "Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses."  Then He spoke a parable to them, saying:  "The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully.  And he thought within himself, saying, "What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops?"  So he said, ' I will do this:  I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods.  And I will say to my soul, "Soul, you  have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry."  But God said to him, 'Fool!  This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?' So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God."

Then He said to His disciples, "Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; nor about the body, what you will put on.  Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing.  Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, which have neither storehouse nor barn; and God feeds them.  Of how much more value are you than the birds?  And which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?  If you then are not able to do the least, why are you anxious for the rest?"

Thank God for Prayer.

Thank God for His Provision.

Thank you Lord for the ability to talk to you at any time or any place.  You have given us a free open line to you whenever.   "The Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.” Oh Lord, thank you!  The ONE that knows us better than any man ever could is the ONE interceding for us.  

Thank you Lord for your provision.  You are our provider. "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows."  You give us everything we need--materially, emotionally and spiritually.  The Scripture tells us not to worry because You are our provider.  So many times we forget and worry about tomorrow, but we have never been in true want because You give us Yourself and so much more. 

 

 

Fun Fridays: Book Club

The boys were assigned at the beginning of the semester to pick a book to read, make a project to share on book club day for Fun Fridays.  

Sam chose "The Call of the Wild" by Jack London and created a sandwich book report for his project.  Michael read "Sixty-Eight Rooms" by Marianne Malone and created a miniature room (more details later in another post).  

I asked the boys some discussion questions about their books (Characters? Setting? Plot? Climax?  Favorite/Least favorite parts? Unwise decisions by the characters?  Would you read another book by this author?)  and they presented their projects!  

Fun Fridays: AMSE Museum Field trip

Last week, we went on a field trip for Fun Fridays to the American Museum of Science and Energy.  Our family had enjoyed the AMSE museum for years at its previous location.  This was the first time any of us had visited them at their new location.  I heard "It's so much smaller" quite a few times throughout our visit. But we still had a great time!