1. I only had to work 2 days and the rest of the family was out all week!
2. We went to 2 Tiger ball games and the Tigers hired a new football coach (Rob is at the press conference as I type)
3. We decorated the house for Christmas and "Buddy" the elf came to watch us this month to be sure everyone is on there best behavior! A good quote from Lane....after the trees were put up (one is a smaller one with more kid like decor and the other is a large one that has more "dressy" ornaments with lots of crosses and a nativity scene in the middle of it....Lane said "Momma, I think santa should put our presents under this tree in here, because it is the more santa one, and that other one is the more Jesusy one!" She said it as if she didn't want to disrespect Jesus by putting Santa presents under it...it was really cute!
4. We watched the Macy's parade on T.V. and I fantasized about being there......had 2 great turkey dinners with family (my dad makes the best dressing in the world!) And both my kids like it!
5. Rob and I celebrated our anniversary with a Grisanti's meal and "The Blindside" movie...which is a whole different reason to be thankful....
6. I personally am thankful that God re-opened my eyes to the blessings that I have in a home, children who eat 3 meals a day and are loved on daily, and a husband who is a great father....as opposed to the large population that lives right here in my own community and in this country and most definitely in other countires, who have none of those things. I literally cried all the way home from watching that movie, wondering what I can do to help the poverty situation...kids who don't know if they will eat one meal today or not, kids who are cold, mothers and fathers who wonder if they will be able to provide something for their kids tomorrow, mothers and fathers who don't know how to show love to their kids because they have never been shown love themselves, people who live in situations that are dirty and dangerous. I want to question why does it have to be this way, God?? And although I don't know if I can know the answer to that, my faith tells me that I all I can do is do my part to be a Christian who shows love to all I come in contact with. Although, I certainly don't have answers for this stuff, all I can do is try to work in the sitations that are put in front of my face instead of ignoring them or thinking that someone else will take care of that. I pray that God will continue to keep it fresh in my heart that there is a lot of suffering out there and I can do my part to help. I am thankful that I went to see that movie to remind me of that!
7. I went shopping on black friday with mom and Lane, which I haven't done in years and it was actually not too bad!
8. I had dinner with some great friends, a couple of which I don't get to see very much, and I am thankful for all of them.
9. We had a great day at church today...our new minister, the Reverend Doctor Scott Sealy has been called to ministry at our church and I am thankful for him and his family. We lit the first candle of advent and have a special advent processional service tonight.
10. Advent is here and I am so thankful for that....a time to rest in the coming of Christ. We are so busy this time of year that it is ironic that advent is supposed to be a time of rest. But if we can't rest in knowing our Christ will return and we will live eternally with him and rest in knowing that we believe in the virgin birth of the Messiah, then what can we rest in? I pray that I will rest this advent season rather than running around crazy to get things that I THINK are important, but really are somewhat meaningless done! I am attaching a link for an advent daily reading....our sunday school teacher gave us one, and I thought I'd share a similar one here It is at least one way I can rest each day until Christmas in the grace of God.
Here are some pictures from the week:
This is the "Santa" tree with our elf on it...but look it is actually a little "Jesusy" too!!
After Black Friday shopping!
1 comment:
Laura, you are very wise to be appreciative for all of your blessings and compassionate to want to help those less fortunate. That is our purpose afterall--to learn from and to serve each other, and the joys and sorrows of life is what links us together. xo
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