life is good!

life is good

oh yes, indeed.

you see,

i can count on one hand

how many days

until i see my overseas family!

for real!

i have patiently waited

while my husband's work commitments

 kept us home

i have patiently waited 

as 'things' 

kept us home

i have patiently waited

as my six year old grandson

got more and more mature

i have patiently waited

as my newborn grandson

grew and grew

and now...

it is for real.

in less than a week

i will be

 holding & loving

my two beautiful grandsons.

i will be laughing with

 my daughter and son in law.

oh the joy.

oh the excitement.

oh the happiness.

i have patiently waited

and 

i plan to savor and soak up

EVERY single moment of

EVERY single day.

life is good?

oh, yes indeed.

thankful. blessed. grateful.

sigh.

oh yes.

my heart is ready.

this granny's heart is ready!

the day before

i am thankful.

so many blessings

in my life.

more than enough

to last a lifetime

&

i am grateful.

for them all.

~~~~

i sit today....

the day before

 thanksgiving.

and think of the

families that are getting their 

homes ready;

cooking and cleaning

 and so much

 excitement filling the air!

some families will be

reunited with loved ones

they haven't seen all year!

some will be hosting small

intimate gatherings

with their closest of friends...

but, let us not forget the families

who will be missing loved ones.

empty places at the table.

families

who have loved ones

 who are gone

and those who have family

that live far away...

for a hole is there.

laughter is missing.

the emptiness is real.

many families

with an ache

this time of year

i pray for them.

these families

who are missing someone

this thanksgiving.

i lift you up

as i remember

 my own family

who live so far away...

and also families

 whom have family members

celebrating thanksgiving in the

presence of our heavenly

Father.

blessings

be upon you all

this year.

there is much to be thankful for.

even in the smallest of moments

there is beauty and wonder.

thankful.
grateful.
yes, indeed.

may your home be filled with love

this thankgiving.

smile.

the power of a simple

smile.

have you ever thought about

the simple act of smiling

at someone

and 

what it can mean to the

receiver?

this week

i concentrated on offering a

smile;

in the crosswalks, the coffee shop,

 the grocery store, church,

while on my daily walks

 & to my own family! 

the simple act

 of turning UP the sides of your mouth

i believe,

can actually have

 an impact!

we never know

what kind of day

someone may have had

and that simple smile

could really lift their spirits!

i try to look at things with the glass-half full.

it is just easier for me to do.

to not dwell.

i do NOT like to dwell on the ugly---

i just don't.

so i try to see the good.

the good 

in the small things.

the good

in the little things.

the good

in the simple things.

most days it is pretty easy

for me to see at least

 a little something

that is

beautiful.

to savor 

 sweet moments--

soaking in the 

simple little things

that make me happy-

and

 to just disregard the uglies!

it is how i get through the day;

really it is!!

~~~~

now,  let's be honest,

some days

when the world seems 

dark & the uglies

feel so BIG 

well, let's be honest

it is a lot harder to do!

but, i try to remember to

look around me.

to see the beauty

that i know

is in every single day!

and. i. smile.

so how about it friends.

did you share a simple

smile with anyone?

did you notice

something sweet

as you went about your day?

did you take time

to soak in a sweet moment?

did you laugh?

share a kind word?

maybe it was something small

or 

something simple 

that made 

you stop and smile.

as for me?

here are a few of my sweet moments

this past week:

salted caramel mochas. (with whip!)

completing a super-hero 5k. (costume and all)

 scarf weather!

colorful pumpkins in my yard.

coffee dates.

dinner dates.

worship music.

scented candles.

laughter.

starting a new book.

a warm fireplace.

 smiles shared

&

for daughters and son in laws who are 

raising their children to know & love Jesus!

yes.

i. am. grateful.

yes.

there are reasons to smile.

yes.

sweet moments,

indeed.

i am linking up to:

 SWEET SATURDAYS

Please join us
link up
your sweet moments

by

clicking on the link underneath the button!!!

http://tawnimarie.wordpress.com/sweet-saturdays/

accepting challenges

via pinterest

our church has been offering 

different challenges for the congregation

& opportunities for growth.

two i am tackling:

new testament- 49 day reading plan

&

a prayer of thanksgiving

to do daily

i took the 

challenge of the 49 day

new testament reading.

i love to read!

lately i have

been reading approximately 2-3 books

a week

but, i had missed a lot of days for the 49 day plan

and wasn't looking forward to playing 'catch up'...

then on sunday 

the pastor said,

"i don't care if it takes you

49, 69 or 89 days

as long as you get through it!!"

yay!

then, tonight at small group

we were given a prayer;

our challenge is to

read it every day 

until our small group 

meets next month.

if anyone is interested in joining me, 

i will be reading this every day-

starting tomorrow morning! :)

for thirty days

i will commit to read it 

here it is:

My dear Father in Heaven-

I come to you today as a child of God

who has been adopted into your eternal family.

I come as a person who is a new creation in Christ

who is completely reconciled to you.

Not by what I have done,

but by what you have done for me

in Christ and on my behalf.

I thank you today that I am justified

because Jesus was made a sin offering for me and 

that you have made me the righteousness of God in Christ.

I thank you today that my life is now hidden with Christ in God

I thank you that you will never count my sins against me

I thank you I am blessed

I thank you I have been rescued

I thank you I am redeemed

I thank you I am free from condemnation

I thank you my mind is renewed

I thank you my life is transformed

I thank you I am like a tree by the river

I thank you I am bearing fruit

I thank you I am connected to the vine

I thank you I am God's workmanship

I thank you I have been chosen

I thank you I am on over comer

I thank you I am filled with the Holy Spirit

I thank you I can do all things through Christ

I thank you that you answer prayer

I thank you for the power of faith

i plan to read this prayer through

every morning while

having my morning coffee.

if you decide to join me

in saying this every morning

will you please let me know? 

i would love to hear from

and share it with you.

shiny blessings. :)

with a grateful heart

turkey via the graphic fairy

via pintrest

i have many 

things to be thankful for

this holiday.

 although

not all of our family

can gather together today

&

 i will miss each one of them

more than words 

can say!

i am choosing

to concentrate on the joy

i have in my life.

not in the sorrow of missing

my loved ones.

today is a day for

happiness.

family.

laughter.

(lots of food!)

and being thankful.

i am

grateful-

may you be blessed

today and always.

simply

song-Mary Chapin Carpenter

simply this:
i am thankful
each and every day;

on this friday

it is friday!

can we get a whoo-hoo!?

we have had a lot of

little things to accomplish

before our daughter leaves

 on tues.

the biggest being;

an engagement party

this sunday 

for her and her fiance'

here at our house.

there is a house to clean

and a yard to get ready

and of course pedicures

to enjoy...;)

my daughter and i

have enjoyed her stay 

here at the house;

we have been getting up

and walking and talking 

every morning-

what a wonderful way to start

my morning!

i have so many things

to be thankful for and 

grateful for this friday!

source: pinterest

i hope that you my friends

have many things this friday

to be happy for

as well!

the sun is shining

how about you?

are you shining today? :)

it's all in the name

letter g

i have many titles & names
along with my given name;
i am a daughter, sister and friend.

i am a wife and i am a mother-
i never could have imagined
the love i feel for my husband and
our three daughters (and son in laws)

and yes, i have another name
that when spoken by two little boys
melts my heart and turns me into mush...
that name is:
granny.

i will never be the same-
the love i have for my grandsons
is amazing, deep and strong,
it rocks me to the core.

a granny's love

i am grateful, oh so grateful.

grateful heart

my appointment yesterday went great.
the drug i take has possible side affects
one being bone loss (it is an anti-estrogen)
so i had a bone density test done
along with my blood work...
my bone density test was wonderful with
no signs of damage from the drug! Yippee
my initial blood work showed no evidence of cancer
so i am doing a happy dance today!

thoughts of:
happiness
gratefulness
humbleness
joy

all jumble together
spilling out in praise!!!


thank you for the wonderful words
you offered-

i am blessed

thank you

beauty we call life

today is another day
it is wednesday
and some people
call it 'hump' day
since it is in the middle
of the week.

today is beautiful
if you only look

there is lovely everywhere

i joined the 'be the change' project
yesterday and the challenge
was to do something for someone
and make an effort
it could be large or small
just be the change!

i did many things yesterday
for my part.

i smiled at the lady in
the checkout who
i believe was
having a hard day.

bought coffee for
two different people

wrote an encouraging
text to my ex-sister in law
who is VERY ill right now

wrote a positive and uplifting
note to a classmate on facebook
who needed to hear some
nice things about what
she is doing right now

nothing too terribly
awe-inspiring

but, then again
i try to do this everyday

to live with a grateful &
happy heart-
to shine my light...

today i am off
to treat a dear friend for coffee

and also i printed out a
'pay it forward' slip to buy
the person behind me in line
her next cup of coffee.
it is something we can print
from the local christian radio station.

i also heard that an old classmate
of mine is on hard times right now
he lost his job and what i hear
is that he is standing on the corner
by walmart.
i am on the lookout for him today
so i can give him a little something
to help.

everyday is a chance
a new day
a fresh beginning
to start again
to be happy to be alive
and to show kindness

your smile
to a stranger today
could make the difference
in their life right now

maybe that is all they
need to make it through
another day...your smile.

we are not called to be perfect
that is impossible.
all our past mistakes are in
the past, we need to leave
them there and start today
brand new...
we can wake up
and take a new step
towards looking at
and seeing beauty
in each and every day!

may you be blessed today.
may you see beauty today
in even the smallest of things...
life is good
it is a gift.


*sidenote: thank you to the feature
today lydia!!! 


we do see beautiful!!!!

and these i love

today i am grateful-

these faces make me smile

and they remind me

of how beautiful 

life really is

have a lovely wednesday

may the sun shine & smile 

on you!

good morning, monday

good morning, monday~

we celebrated my husband's birthday yesterday

 (his actual b-day was thursday)

we took the kids/family all out to eat

and then they all wound up here at the house

to play cards and eat dairy queen ice-cream cake!

it was a perfect day~

today i am going to the orthopedic doctor

to be fitted for a wedge,

which i will be wearing in my boot

my daughter and i are going to

stop at the thrift store,

then picking up the 2 year old grandson

who will be staying here for a few days

while his mommy & daddy go to oklahoma

so on this monday morning

as i sit here with my coffee

contemplating the day that

lies ahead of me-

i am truly grateful

for it all!

may you too, find yourself

happy and blessed-

my prayer is that you look up towards the sun

let the shadows fall behind you-

may you be reassured that

there is always a rainbow

at the end,

that no matter what the storm

there is a rainbow 

waiting for you,

full of colors

that shine and light your way

to a better day!

life this monday~

not sure if it is allergies or a cold
but, man oh man...
been feeling pretty nasty!

so today,
this monday
i am going to post
some pictures
of our july so far-

we had a 1st birthday celebration-

& had a bit of sparkler fun on the 4th-

went to the local parade with the two grandsons-

 family reunion time at the lake-

vegas get-away with our friends-

yesterday we had a family day 

here in our backyard,

our friends TWIN grandsons

 came to play with our grandsons

and all FOUR boys had a great time together-

after seeing my july in photos

i think this ol' granny needs a nap! LOL

i hope this finds you well and happy.

yesterday, our sermon was all about 

being grateful. having a grateful heart.

our pastor shared this quote

which i totally loved;

let God's promises shine

on your problems    -Corrie Ten Boom

he also shared a story

(paraphrased of course) 

about a baby girl who

clapped for everything,

she would see her mom's face and clap

see her cereal and clap...

they took her to the beach and she clapped

when she saw the waves...

she was always so happy and would clap

when she saw something that made her smile.

someone asked her parents,

"are you worried that she claps for everything?"

and they answered...

"we only worry she will stop"

~~~~~

how awesome and true is this?

i think when we are small

we are so excited and happy over

the smallest of things,

as we get older it seems

it takes more and more 

to make us happy!

i want to have a happy heart

like that little girl-

to clap and smile at the little things

in life and be grateful 

for it ALL!

may you enjoy blessings today

and see good and happiness 

in even the smallest of thing!