count your blessings

Yes, I'm a bit late in posting about our Thanksgiving festivities, but still want to reflect a bit on this very special holiday...because we have so much to be thankful for this year and because Thanksgiving is so quickly forgotten. I love the focus the Thanksgiving holiday brings on gratefulness. "Do everything without complaining or arguing..." Philippians 2:14
Mom's centerpiece at the Thanksgiving table

Our pastor had a wonderful message on Thanksgiving weekend about grumbling. It was so good and I wanted to write down so much...with baby in my arms, it didn't happen. I kept nudging and whispering to Kevin "did you write that down?". :)

The Power of Disposition - Disposition (our mood) determines how much we grumble. Numbers 14 1-10 is the story of the Israelites travelling to the Promised Land. God had just blessed them by freeing them from slavery and they soon quickly forgot that and focused on their present...not so great...circumstances. It's sometimes hard to read that passage and not think "those ungrateful brats!" And then I think about how many times I do the same thing...grumble about my present circumstance...just after God has given and blessed me so much.

I'm Thankful for pumpkin pie and this little pumpkin pie. (Thanksgiving with Grandma S.)
I'm thankful for a wonderful family including a mom & dad that open their home frequently and bless us with their hospitality.
My nephew Jake is a pumpkin pie lover and don't forget the whipped cream!
I'm thankful for nieces & nephews and all the laughter and joy they bring to our family.

Grumblers deal with three types of dispositions:

1. Hyperbole - saying things that are a lot worse than they are.

2. Hollowness - they don't remember what God did for them in the past.

3. Hopelessness

"When you complain, you exhibit the fact that you don't have the knowledge of God within you."
Too much Thanksgiving turkey. :)

I'm thankful for a loving husband and father who participates in family times.

The consequences of grumbling-

What we lose when we complain is exhibited again by the Israelites in Numbers 14: 11-45

11 The LORD said to Moses, "How long will these people treat me with contempt? How long will they refuse to believe in me, in spite of all the miraculous signs I have performed among them? 12 I will strike them down with a plague and destroy them, but I will make you into a nation greater and stronger than they."

26 The LORD said to Moses and Aaron: 27 "How long will this wicked community grumble against me? I have heard the complaints of these grumbling Israelites.

And we all know how the story ends when they ultimately lose the blessing of living in the beautiful land the Lord had promised them.

Grumblers lose:

1.Opportunities God had planned to bless us with.

2.God's Presence which helps us discern wisely.

Basically there are two groups we can choose to be in...

1. Complainers - If you grumble you'll be humbled

2.En-couragers (putting courage into someone) - If you encourage you'll be exalted.

It was unseasonably warm this day as you can see.

I'm thankful for warm November days.
I'm thankful for relaxing Sunday afternoons.

Kindergarten Indian Lunch
I'm thankful for opportunities to watch my kindergartner in his classroom at school.
If only I could slow this special kindergarten year down that is already half over.
I loved attending Caedmon's special Indian lunch at school. I loved listening to the Thanksgiving songs he sang with his class. I loved listening to him recite Psalm 100 that he had been memorizing for the past month.
I loved how he wanted to sit by me and Luca to eat his lunch instead of his friends. :)
When I asked him who he wanted to take a picture with, he said Bryce. Here he is with Bryce and Simon...the two friends he talks about constantly at home.

Thanksgiving Morning


We actually didn't have any plans on Thanksgiving Day this year. My mom had to work and Kevin's parents were out of town. We stayed home the whole day and enjoyed it together with our little family making breakfast, playing games and watching movies.
Daddy's delicious pumpkin pancakes & sausage

Mommy and Luca Time

I'm thankful that God knows exactly what He is doing and I don't. It's amazing how much can change in one short year. I'm thankful for these sweet cheeks to kiss and smell.
We skipped out on the great shopping deals on black Friday and headed to the children's museum in Indy with the family.
Our little brother, Immanuel, came along too.

I love these stroller days when baby takes a nap so easily in there still.
We watched a play with a twist on the wizard of oz.A very fun day!