Ending 2011

My poor neglected blog.

Although my one & only post for the whole month of December was on the 2nd, 
there is hardly a day that passes that I don't wish I was posting 
some life-changing, earth-shattering blog.
{Ha ... I'd like to do that, just once!}

So, in the fashion that will totally fit right in with this entire month, 
I will attempt to share with you my closing thoughts for 2011.
I'll have to be quick though ... it's 11:38 & counting!


Oh boy ... what a month this has been.

This year has been one of many changes ... some good, some not so good.
But through it all, God has been faithful.


I've found myself, my husband, my family the object of many conversations ...
& the subject of many a Facebook status & comment.
Fun?  Not so much.

I've felt the sting of rejection ... from family & friends.
Tough?  Absolutely.


We've weathered through job changes ... structuring & restructuring.
Testing of our faith?  Oh yes!


Our sons got their driver's license.
Nerves on edge?  Yes x a million!


The hardest part of all, watching my precious friend suffer the loss of her 20 yr old
daughter in an auto accident ...
Seeing my sons cry over the loss of their friend.
Words can't even begin to describe the sorrow.


But through it all, God has been faithful!

We began a new church work & God has blessed abundantly.
There is not much that's more rewarding than seeing spiritual growth among 
fellow believers.
Hearing the testimonies of how God is working in lives is so encouraging.
To God be the Glory for the great things He has done!!


We had a wonderful week's vacation in South Carolina, 
one of our most favorite places ever.
So grateful for that opportunity to make memories with the one's I love most.

Through all of life's ups & downs, we've grown closer as a family.
That's a blessing that cannot be measured.


But, to start this new year off right, we're looking forward with a fresh vision ...
and asking God for His blessings.

My prayer for 2012 ...
{I've been praying this for a few night's already ... getting in to practice}


1}  I pray that my husband James is saturated with the anointing & presence of God, 
as he leads our home, disciples me & our sons, & shepherds our congregation.
I am asking God for a special outpouring on his life ... & trusting God to bring it on!!


2}  I pray for our sons ... for direction in their studies, careers & ministries, 
& the for future wives that God has picked especially for them.
I ask God for His continued protection & guidance during these teenage years.
I know He has a plan.


3}  I pray for God to continue molding me in this amazing ministry that He's called
me in to ... my ministry as a wife & mother, a calling most noble, indeed.
I ask for Proverbs 31 & Titus 2 to become alive in my life greater than ever before.


4} And lastly, I pray that God will help me find my 'voice' for blogging ... 
'my words,' if you will.
I want to effectively communicate on a more spiritual level this year.
I pray for boldness & courage to share topics that would be a help & encouragement 
to others  ... & the strength to endure the potential backlash that comes from others
who don't see things eye-to-eye ;)


I believe in prayer.
I believe God hears when I call out to Him.
And I believe when 2013 rolls around, I can look back at this blog & see how 
God answered my humble petitions.
He is ever faithful.


To all of you, my bloggie friends & followers ... 'And a Happy New Year!'

Day 30 ~ 30 Days of Thanks

I totally enjoyed this season of gratefulness!
These 30 days of thinking & preparing for this blogging commitment truly did
increase a grateful spirit.

The final day of the month of November is always a special one ...
it's James' birthday.

This is James on his 2nd birthday

He had already fussed a bit about the idea of doing anything extra, & it turned out
that he had to work later than usual.
So, we just opted to have a 'normal' family evening here at home.
Believe it or not, we didn't even have a spectacular dinner.
We had left-overs!!
I had baked a ham the evening before, so I fried some of that up & made
homemade biscuits & gravy & a skillet of scrambled eggs, one of James' very favorite meals.

We all gave him our cards & gifts ... & that was that.
Not a big 'to do' at all ... just the way he likes it.

James is my perfect match.
Our 'story' is the greatest prayer that God ever answered in my life.
I will always be incredibly thankful for James ... & hope to never live one day without him.