Happy Turkey Day!

 Thanksgiving 2011...

Break my heart for what breaks Yours..

It's late. Tomorrow my table will be filled with love and laughter of all I hold so dear. Plates will be piled high with mashed potatoes and that famous green bean casserole. Turkey and ham will leave our tummy's wondering if there's room for more.

And yet...admiring it all, the house still and quiet.... I just wonder.

How many will eat alone on this day of thanks....and how many more will not eat at all.

What will be such a joyous day in our house could be heartbreaking for so many more.

Thankful for a heart of gratitude. Thankful for His nudge; that my heart breaks for what breaks His. Thankful for the call to give, to serve, to respond.

Deuteronomy 15:10-11

You shall give to him freely and your heart shall not be grudging when you give to him, because for this the LORD your God will bless you in all your work and in all that you undertake. For there will never cease to be poor in the land. Therefore I command you, 'You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in your land.

And so my prayer for tomorrow is....hands open wide to others; arms extended in awe of the One who gave it all.

Praise Him from whom all blessings flow!

My 4 year old!

Little Miss turned 4 this week!!!

Wasn't it just yesterday we were celebrating 1??!!!

 

 And then having her TuTu Cute 2nd birthday?

 And then last year mommy getting super emotional (I was 9 months pregnant!!) thinking about sharing her love with another person?? here

 

 Love you too much sweet Kaitlyn!
Happy Birthday to my 4 year old princess!

A thankful heart...

Since the first of November, Kaitlyn and I have been writing something we are thankful for on our message board in our kitchen. This morning I asked her what we were thankful for today. 

She ran out of the kitchen and came back holding this.

She said, "Mommy, I am thankful for the kids in Africa"

This is our Hope for Korah print that we bought from our dear friend Wynne. 

Read all about Korah how you can get your very own print here

Words can not express what Wynne's heart for adopting their precious Camp has done in the heart of our family. We can not wait to meet our new friend from Africa, Baby Camp!! 

So today we are thankful for the "kids in Africa" and we pray a special blessing over their precious lives. 

ASK......Learning Commandment 10

We finished up our semester at ASK Community Bible Study learning the last commandment. 

Commandment 10: Don't Want What Other People Have

With Thanksgiving on the horizon, we talked about being thankful for everything God has given us and made a cute turkey craft naming a few things we are thankful for. 

My little Mustard Seeds know their commandments!
I am so proud of them! 

I made them all a book to continue memorizing God's commands. 

I don't even know where to begin talking about how God has spoken to my heart while teaching 3 year old's the 10 Commandments.

I have learned so many lessons about His love, His faithfulness, and His jealousy towards us. Between ASK and the Women's CBS study I did this fall, God has reminded me to keep Him #1 in my life. He has reminded me that He alone should be on the throne of my heart. 

What are we up to???

.....ummm....??? but life seems super busy lately. It doesn't help that sometimes I feel like a circus clown chasing after Jackson. ;) My house looks like a complete disaster when I am trying to get ready for work. He's here-he's there....and then "oh no, I don't hear him, where is he"?

Life is full of lots of love, laughter, and messes now that Little Brother is mobile. What joy he has brought to our little home!

I am hosting Thanksgiving this year for both my family and Chris' family. It is sooooo nice to do it all at once and that everyone is such great friends. Luckily our mamas are taking care of the ham and turkey! But... I started thinking about the little things..how many butters do I need, do I have enough salt and pepper shakers. Will I have enough serving spoons? Small when you think about how blessed we are to have all our family in one town-all healthy-all Christ followers! So incredibly thankful for our family! There are so many that will be alone this season.

I am also hosting an ornament exchange, A Meaningful Christmas, a week after Thanksgiving with my girlfriends which means Christmas will hit the Bledsoe household probably on Black Friday. Or will it??? Little Mister has already forced me to take everything off my coffee table and end tables....so just how will he keep his little hands from my decorations?

Speaking of my little man...he turns 1 year old in 2 weeks!!!

And Sister turns 4 next Wednesday!!

Whew! On top of that we finished ASK this week, Chris started a new job, the house has to be cleaned, meals made, laundry folded, and I'm still working 2 days a week.

Lord thank you for so much...for Your presence in our lives; for Your protection, Your provision. Thank you for a house full of love and chaos and noise and fingerprints on the fridge that remind me of My Precious Family.

ASK......Learning Commandment 8 & 9

Last week we learned Do Not Steal; Commandment 8!

We talked about how that sneaky serpent told Eve she could steal a piece of fruit that God told her not to touch. We also discussed that God ALWAYS provides a way out when we are tempted to disobey one of His commands.

Kaitlyn had a BIG talk with Dad when we got home that stealing was wrong....and that he couldn't steal anymore kisses from her! HA!!! He likes to sing her a line from a song that says "I've always got to steal my kisses from you"

This week we learned Commandment 9; Do not Lie.

We learned to BEE Truthful!

I had a great teaching moment with Kaitlyn about lying this week. 

Kaitlyn accidentally broke a hook off the wall in my bathroom that our bathroom towels hang on. I told her that I would have to tell daddy when he got home....in that I couldn't fix it and he would need to. Little Miss thought I meant I would tell daddy and she would be in trouble.

SOOOOOO....she says "Mom, can we pretend Jackson did it and tell daddy so Jackson will get in trouble"

WHAT!!?? I'm not going to lie (heeheee) my heart hurt in that moment. To hear the work of our sinful nature come out of a 3 year old mouth....ouch! 

I am so thankful at a great teaching moment with Kaitlyn about lying, but spitting mad at Satan. Kaitlyn and I said a BIG prayer in that moment that God would always help us tell the truth. 

I heard it once said,  to pray out loud with your children prayers you want them to repeat and pray for themselves. I try to always end our prayers with a personal plea..." God, help Kaitlyn and I love you more and more everyday and always obey your commands".  3 nights later, she prayed the same thing!!

Lord, thank you that I see the fruits of time invested in studying your word and teaching little one's about you!! Thank you that you are working in my little Kaitlyn's heart. May her heart ache to obey you.

Jackson: 11 Months!

Jackson!!!!! Only 1 more month and we celebrate your BIG birthday!!!! You can now say mama, bottle, and bye-bye. We think we have heard dada a time or two also!

I love you to pieces...but BOY!!!! you are everywhere and into everything!!!

 

You keep this mama on her toes. I am sure there will be more of these bumps and bruises to come.  Mama needs to get ready for the rough and tough boy that plays hard!  

You still have moments of complete preciousness!! Moments where my heart is filled with so much love that I think it might burst!! We are so thankful for your little smile in our lives! Love you baby boy!!!

Praying God's Word....November

Week 1: 1Chronicles 16:34

"Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.

Week 2: Colossians 3:15-17
And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 

Week 3:Psalm 107:43

Let the one who is wise heed these things
and ponder the loving deeds of the LORD.

Week 4: 2 Corinthians 2:14

We thank God for the power Christ has given us. He leads us and makes us win in everything.He speaks through us wherever we go. 

The Good News is like a sweet smell to those who hear it.