Fun In My Fairy Costume!

Our sweet friends the Penders, Louders, and
Scharbauers were oh so brave and had a Halloween Party for me & all my friends!

Tuesday's Treasure: Gratitude

"Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life.

It turns what we have into enough, and more.

It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, and confusion to clarity.

It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend.

Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and

creates a vision for tomorrow"

Melody Beattie

November is just around the corner. Can you believe it? With the Thanksgiving holiday quickly approching, I feel a sudden attitude of gratitude. My hope is to take this month and really appreciate the many blessings God has given me.

I am loving Colossians right now. In Chapter 3, verse 16 we are instructed to "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God."

So...Today....I am grateful for all those things that go missing because their absence reminds me how blessed I am to have had them at all.

Love This....

Thank you for this sink of dirty dishes; we have plenty of food to eat. Thank you for this pile of dirty, stinky laundry; we have plenty of nice clothes to wear. And I would like to thank you, Lord, for those unmade beds; they were so warm and comfortable last night. I know that many have no bed.

My thanks to you, Lord, for this bathroom, complete with all the splattered mess, soggy, grimy towels and dirty lavatory; they are so convenient. Thank you for this finger-smudged refrigerator that needs defrosting so badly; it has served us faithfully for many years. It is full of cold drinks and enough leftovers for two or three meals. Thank you, Lord, for this oven that absolutely must be cleaned today; it has baked so many things over the years.

The whole family is grateful for that tall grass that needs mowing, the lawn that needs raking; we all enjoy the yard. Thank you, Lord, even for that slamming screen door. My kids are healthy and able to run and play.


Lord, the presence of all these chores awaiting me says You have richly blessed my family. I shall do them cheerfully and I shall do them gratefully. Even though I clutch my blanket and growl when the alarm rings, Thank you, Lord, that I can hear. There are many who are deaf. Even though I keep my eyes closed against the morning light as long as possible, Thank you, Lord, that I can see. Many are blind.


Even though I huddle in my bed and put off rising, Thank you, Lord, that I have the strength to rise. There are many who are bedridden. Even though the first hour of my day is hectic, when socks are lost, Toast is burned and tempers are short, my children are so loud, Thank you, Lord, for my family. There are many who are lonely.


Even though our breakfast table never looks like the pictures in magazines and the menu is at times not balanced, Thank you, Lord, for the food we have. There are many who are hungry. Even though the routine of my job is often monotonous, Thank you, Lord, for the opportunity to work. There are many who have no job.

Even though I grumble and bemoan my fate from day to day and wish my circumstances were not so modest, Thank you, Lord, for life. LORD, THANK YOU !!!!

My little Aggie

Tuesday's Treasure:Gratitude

"Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life.

It turns what we have into enough, and more.

It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, and confusion to clarity.

It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend.

Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow"

Melody Beattie

November is just around the corner. Can you believe it? With the Thanksgiving holiday quickly approching, I feel a sudden attitude of gratitude. My hope is to take this month and really appreciate the many blessings God has given me.

I am loving Colossians right now. In Chapter 3, verse 16 we are instructed to "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God."

So...Today....I am grateful for all those things that go missing because their absence reminds me how blessed I am to have had them at all.

All You Ever Wanted To Know About Me...

I was challenged to do this by a blogging cousin and so I will challenge my readers to the same. Let me know when you post yours!

I AM...always growing!

I WANT...to lose some much needed pounds :)

I HAVE...a BIG God!

I KEEP...a stash of swiffer wet bottles...I am obesessed!!

I WISH I COULD...be better in the kitchen

I FEAR...something bad happening to my family

I HEAR...my little one putting all her babies down for "nite-nite" (love it)

I DON"T THINK... Chris will ever trust me with our finances..I am awful at simple adding and subtracting

I REGRET... not working out everyday

I LOVE...my days off with Baby K

I AM NOT...going to let circumstances steal my joy

I DANCE...to Barney...yep...I said it

I SING...all the time! In the shower, in the car. I sing really loud when it's just me in the house

I NEVER...want to look back and say, "I wish I would've/could've."

I CRY WHEN I WATCH...movies about death or young people that lose sight of who they are in Christ

I AM NOT ALWAYS...perfect! Can you believe that?

I HATE THAT....there are people that don't know about God

I'M CONFUSED ABOUT...how to be a super-mom

I NEED...to be packing for a trip to Lubbock to see the Ags play

I SHOULD...be on the treadmill instead of on the computer

Have a blessed Friday!! Gig Em!

Sneak Peak at Our New Family Pics!!

Can't wait to see all of them!!!

http://www.amandamcneelyblog.com/

Tuesday's Treasure: I give up...and that's okay

Lately when I look in the mirror I expect to see a confident woman who is juggling all the "balls of life", she is in the best shape of her life, has perfect hair, and of course...has on perfect lip-gloss!

Okay, not really but sometimes I feel like I make expectations for myself that are not obtainable. And when I fail at all the checklists I have made for myself, I beat myself up and feel like a failure.

Yesterday at church God was giving me a side message to our study in Revelation. It's okay that I feel inadequate as a mom, wife, and friend. The fact that I can't do it all on my own gives me an opportunity to put my my dependence on Christ to rely on Him..instead of myself. I will always fail my expectations and my greatest treasure is to become even more in need of His strength in all things.

I am on assignment from God to being a loving wife, teacher to my little one, and a friend that loves at all times. But it is a path of disciplined grace. Richard Foster explains : "It is discipline, because there is work for us to do. It is Grace, because the life of God which we enter is a gift which we can never earn....Discipline in and of itself does not make us righteous, it merely places us before God....The transformation..is God's work." What you are today is what you are becoming; You are today what you have been becoming; Every day is a little life, and our whole life is but a day repeated. And lastly..it's all because of grace.

Lord, thank you that I don't have it all and thank you for giving me the grace and freedom in you to render myself helpless-in need of You.

Help me to "strip off every weight" that keeps my spirit down and hinders me from being all that I am through you. That's the key Lord, I am nothing without you, but in You "I can do all things". So I will take today, this day that you have graced me with and accomplish all that I can-and if I don't get it all done...that's just okay. :)

Kaitlyn's Funny Phrases

Kaitlyn is saying some of the cutest things!! To hear her sweet little voice is so much better...but I am loving

"Bye Duys (guys), See ya!"

" I sorry" (she says this when she falls down or when you stub your toe..anytime something hurts and it's so funny)

Papa Harper will say "Go Longhorns". Kaitlyn starts shaking her head and says "No, no Go Aggies!"

We've all been sneezing and coughing lately and she will get right up in my face, hold my cheeks and say "Bless you Mommy"

In the morningns when Chris takes her to my mom's on the day I work I say "Love you baby" and she say " I love you too...but it's more like "I bout you too"

Kaitlyn is loving saying her prayers. Her favorite part is A-men! Love it!!

Grandma Harper taught Kailtyn the B-I-B-L-E song. It's so cute at the end she yells BIBLE! And then she immeditaly says "Jesus", which means she wants to sing Jesus love me. When we get to the "Yes, Jesus loves me" part, she sings in really high pitch "Loves Me"!! Love it!!

Just a couple of pics

Just a couple of pics of Kaitlyn and her friends!
Here is my sweet friend Jessica reading all the kids a story.

 And Kaitlyn pushing her BFF Ellery in the swing.

(Think Kailtyn is going to make a great big sister one day)

Andy my little on in her cute ponytail!

And me and my sweet girl..all smiles!

Tuesday's Treasure: Teachable Moments

In my quiet time this week I came across a challenge that was too good not to share word-for-word. "As mothers, you and I have countless daily opportunities in our homes to plant God's Word deeply in the minds and souls of our children. We just need to take advantage of those opportunities. and we have the blessed privilege of tending their hearts and bringing them up in the training and admonition of the Lord (Eph 6:4). But first, we must comprehend that the little hearts God has placed in our care as children are treasures indeed. Then we must nurture a heart of passion for His word so that our passion will overflow into the lives of those we love."


According to God's word, my speech is to be seasoned with salt (Col 4:6) and this wonderful mothering verse give me -and you- instruction, permission, responsibility, and encouragement to salt our children continually with God's wisdom. Out of our mouths at every opportunity must come salt-God's truth.

Deuteronomy 6:6-7 says this to parents "These words which I command to you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.

Lord, today I make the decision to be that ever-waiting, ever-watching mom, prepared to teach my daughter about You through the course of everyday life. Help me to see those Teachable Moments to point every tiny detail of our day to Your love and heart.

$2 = 2 Hours of Fun

Rolled out the parchment paper and had fun with the

$1 playdough set and $1 cookie cutters I got at Dollar Tree.

I'm not sure who had more fun...Kaitlyn or Chris & I!

Tuesday's Treasure: Prayers for Our Children

I found this awesome prayer and have spent the last week looking each scripture up and personalizing my prayer over Kaitlyn. My little one is finally getting old enough for us to start teaching her right and wrong, and most importantly the ways of the Lord.
I got convicted this week about how much time I let her watch Barney videos-that honestly she has learned so much from!

How much more can I invest in the heart of my precious one, to teach her about how to become a child of faith. I would to someday have this memorized and pray over her each night.
Prayer For My Sweet Baby K

Acts 19:20.........I thank you Father that Your Word prevails over Kaitlyn,

Isa 54:13...........that she is taught of the Lord and will continue to be

Prov 13:1.......... the fruit of godly instruction and correction.

Prov 2:6............ Father, give Chris and I counsel and wisdom in bringing up Kaitlyn.

1Pet 1:14.......... I pray that she is obedient, not conforming to the things of the flesh,

1Pet 1:15.......... but holy, in all conduct.

1Pet 2:2........... desiring the pure milk of the Word that she may grow.

Jas 1:19............That she is swift to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger.

Heb 13:5.......... That her conduct is without covetousness,

Heb 13:5.......... and she is content with what she has.

Heb 13:16......... May she not forget to do what is right and to share.

2Pet 3:18.......... I pray that Kaitlyn grows in the grace and knowledge of our Lord,

1Thes 4:1......... and abound more and more in how she should walk and please You.

1Pet 5:5........... That she may submit to her elders, and to one another,

1Pet 5:5........... being clothed with humility.

1Pet 5:7........... That she will cast her cares upon You, Father, for You care for her.

Jas 1:22............I pray that she becomes a doer of the Word, and not hearer only,

Ph'm 1:6...........effectively sharing her faith.

2Tim 1:7 ..........not having a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind.

2Tim 1:9...........Father, You have saved Kailtyn and called her with a holy calling,

2Tim 1:9 ..........not according to works, but according to Your own purpose.

2Tim 4:18.........Deliver her from every evil work and preserve her.

1Jn 5:18 ..........Because Your protection keeps her safe, I pray that the wicked one does not touch her.

Ps 91:11..........Give Your angels special charge to accompany, defend, preserve

Ps 4:8.............and provide safety for Kaitlyn, day and night.

1Jn 2:5 ...........Because she will keep Your Word, Your love is being perfected in her.

1Jn 2:15 .........I pray that she does not love the world or the things in the world,

3Jn 1:11..........and that she does not imitate what is evil, but what is good.

1Jn 1:7 ...........I pray that she walks in the light as You are in the Light,

Jas 4:8 ...........cleansing her hands and purifying her heart,

2Tim 2:22 .......May Kaitlyn follow after righteousness, faith, love, and peace.

Heb 13:18........May she have a good conscience and desire to live honorably,

Prov 3:4 ..........having favor and high esteem with God and man.

"I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of Him. So now I give her to you Lord. For her whole life she will be given over to You." (1 Samuel 1:27-28)

Fredricksburg...

Just a couple of pics of our sweet family in Fredricksburg this weekend.