Random Things That Caught My Eye

I love photos-I have photo albums full of them and boxes full of them waiting to be scrap booked some day-I love to capture anything and everything-mostly my family.  My sweet husband got my a new digital Cannon SLR camera for christmas and I love it.  I have taken a few classes-but I still don't much (when my kids are bigger I hope to take a few courses at Hardin Simmons where my husband teaches)-I would love to be as good and some of the blogs I follow-that is a dream! But I thought I would share these anyways.

This photo I took while we were in the car driving on the highway somewhere between NY and Texas.  I thought that one cloud in the back round looked like a cross.  I just loved it.

A random house in Abilene(actually I think the have now made it into a museum in town.  It is fun to drive by and see.  Nothing like an outhouse and rail road crossing sign in your front yard-or your neighbor's front yard for that matter!

This is a church in down town Abilene-it is really interesting-I want to see the inside some time.

When you enter a section on down town Abilene-near where I have to drive past to go to work at our church.

The bell tower at our church.

            The pipes to the organ in our church.

One of the stain glass windows above the baptismal in our church.

Just thought he was cute!  A llama at Round Up Sunday-we do this every August the last Sunday of the month-we all wear western clothes (it is a Texas thing-I know just a little strange for a NY girl) and have a huge barbeque dinner and there are games and animals to feed and pet and all sorts of things!

Where my husband teaches at Hardin Simmons University.

I have always loved the sky but since we have moved to West Texas where we have no real mountains-not many trees-and the landscaping gets burnt by the blazing sun half of the year-you learn to really love the big open sky and huge puffy clouds-I love to take pictures of it.

This is one of my friend's daughter and her new husband-I took photos for them for their Christmas Eve wedding.

Random shots of nature

My favorite animal.

Analeigh at the Zoo-sporting her favorite shades.

Brandon facing defeat after his snowman fell over!

Alyssa watching from inside the house while Analeigh and the boys were building snowman on the outside.  I was taking Alyssa's picture and the reflection on the window caught Analeigh. Thought it was fun.

Daddy Daughter Dance this year 2010 for Valentine's Day-they have done this every year since we moved here 4 years ago.

This summer July 09-My Grandma (who will soon be turning 96) and Analeigh.  4 generations and 94 years apart!  She ran to my grandma and hugged her all on her own-it melted my heart-I was so excited I had my camera out.

Our little Analeigh turns 2! Happy Birthday Sweet One.

                  Our precious little bundle-I can hardly believe our last baby that God blessed us with is 2!  How can that be?   You have always been such a joy-so happy and cheerful.

I think it is because you were such a surprise and such an answer to our prayers (for each of us.)

All my sweet blessings. 12-08

The girls in Glorieta NM for Music Week (part of mommy's job)

Your sissy Alyssa wanted another girl in our house so bad-she already had two brothers is what she said why did she need another? lol  She loves you so.

You love the outdoors and this is when you started walking around 1-you couldn't get enough of being in the back yard with the dogs.

Thank you for being such a happy-loving baby-your smile (like this when you greet me each day) is worth it's weight in gold-how could anyone start their day out bad after seeing that?!

And your pretty, big brown eyes that melt our hearts!

Your love for life makes me love things even more-things like the first snow for you just a few weeks ago-I thought we would never get you indoors.

Or helping out at the Pancake Supper at Church to raise money for Shoes for Orphan Souls.

Or sneeking up to feed our frogs on the bookshelf built into the side of the fireplace(there so you couldn't reach them lol!)

You find joy in the simplest things and really are the life of the party.

I can't believe that you are 2 already!!!!  Where have these 2 years gone? I think knowing you are the last baby I will ever have has made these last two years a bitter sweet thing.  I look forward to the next 60 (for me maybe) or more birthdays with you my sweet Squee (your nick name short for Analeigh-rhymes well-daddy and the kids started it and it has stuck.)
Happy 2nd Birthday my sweet, precious, 4th gift from God-your truly are a gift that we wanted, prayed for, and don't deserve.  We LOVE you with all our hearts.

I love you-
Your Mom

Getting to Know You

I am following a blog  called "Dancing Barefoot on Weathered Ground" @ http://lynnettekraft.blogspot.com
Great blog-great photos-great life stories that will touch your heart about her family and her walk with God.
You need to hop over there and check out this blog-you won't regret it.  Just click on the cute button called "Getting to Know You" on my site and sit back and get ready to laugh-cry-and enjoy beautiful photos!
Hope you enjoy it!

Blog Parade

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1. What's your favorite time of the day, and why?

I would have to say night time.  I get so much done when everyone else is in bed and it is my time to just sit with my hubby and have him rub my feet while he watches something he has recorded and I fall asleep (I know really romantic-lol) or we talk or I do something creative like scrap book or sew or knit or take photos or blog.  Some me time-hard to find during the day between 4 little ones and a part time job at the church.

2. If health wasn't an issue, what food could you live off of?

Chocolate-just about anything with chocolate on it is good for me.  I think I could give up all other foods but chips and cheese dip if I could live off of chocolate only.  Some days I do!

3. If you could have one wish granted (besides wishing for more wishes), what would it be?

That all my children will come to know Christ as their personal Lord and Savior (two have so far-two are still too young) but if that happens I will die a happy lady some day-all will be well because I know they will  have peace  an joy no matter what happens in their lives.

4. What's one thing that you get teased about a lot?

My laugh and how often and how loud it is I guess.  I'd rather be laughing than crying (I do that a lot too!) people always ask if I am always so happy.  I really try to be. With 4 kids if I didn't laugh I would have to cry a lot I think. lol

5. If you could choose one movie, book, or TV show to spend your life in, which would you pick? What type of character would you be?

I love Karen Kingsbury books-I guess one of her novels as a good character-maybe a professional singer.

6. If you could have one talent that you don't already have, what would it be?

To play the piano really well.  I love to hear it played-where it just rolls off someone's fingers-when you know it is a God given talent.  I took lesson for 6 years but whew-will only play for myself.

7.If money were no object, where would you go on vacation?

The Holy Land

8. If you were an awesome singer, which genre would you sing?

Christian Music-all I sing now-not an awesome singer but have sung since I was 4 in church and love it with all my heart.

9. If you could have a $10,000 shopping spree to one store, what would it be?

Either Target or Hobby Lobby (although right now I would like to get a new floor in the spare room/guest room and two new toilets in two of our bathroom so it might be LOWES.

10. If you could live in any point in time, when would it be? I really like now-but maybe back 100 years when things weren't so busy and people made more time for each other-I think having all that we have is great but it makes us not so considerate of other people and being neighborly and kind.

11. If every outfit in your wardrobe had to be one color, what would it be?

PURPLE!  Love it and always will-but it must not be the "in" color since I can't find much that fits me in that color.

12. If you were one of the seven dwarves, which one would you be?

Since my hubby has been out of town for 5 days my kids would say "Grumpy" I am afraid-lol!  But normally I am "Happy" or "Sleepy".

13. What's the last album you listened to?

Avolon's Greatest Hymns-love it.  I listened to it almost every morning when I get ready.  Keeps me focused.  Love to sing in the shower to it.

14. What's something we'd be surprised to know about you? I traveled with the Continental Singers in 91-or that I was a live in nanny for 2 years @ the age of 19-21 or I have lived in 6 states-I don't know it depends on who is reading this and if they know me or not!

THINGS LEARNED

I received an e-mail one day from a friend that I hung onto because I liked what it had to say.  I found it while cleaning out my desk at work the other day and decided I would post it with pictures on my blog. I liked what it said and thought I would share it.   (Maya Angelou said the following)

I've learned that no matter what happens or how bad it seems today, life does go on and it will be better tomorrow.

I've learned that you can tell a lot about a person by the way he/she handles these three things: a rainy day, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas lights!

I've learned that regardless of your relationship with your parents, you'll miss them when they're gone from your life.

My parents with my kids!

I've learned that making a living is not the same thing as making a life.

I have learned that life sometimes gives you a second chance.

 

My sister (after she got out of the hospital from an aneurysm) with my girls in NY.

I've learned that you shouldn't go through life with a catcher's mitt on both hands; you need to be able to throw some things back.

I've learned that even when I have pains, I don't have to be one.

I've learned that every day you should reach out and touch someone.  People love a warm hug, or just a friendly pat the back.

I've learned that I still have a lot to learn!

I've learned that people will forget what you've said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.

Thought this was pretty good!

I pray daily that God can use me in some way to touch the life of someone-maybe the person cashing me out in line at the store-maybe the person next to me in line at the gas station-maybe my neighbor-maybe a friend, family member, stranger-maybe just someone that no one has smiled at-hugged-waved to-said a kind word to all day. I pray that God will be quick to open my eyes and heart and hands to those who need it and also quick to close my mind, heart, and mouth to anything that I might think, say or feel that isn't God-Like-that isn't uplifting or kind.  Lord help me to be your eyes-hands-feet-whatever you would want me to be today and every day to those who need to see you-feel your spirit and know that you love them!

On this Pathway to Purpose

Jill

1. If you could compete in one Olympic event (not necessarily winter sports) what would it be? Ice skating-as a teenager I wanted so badly to take lessons at our local rink-1. too expensive and 2. too tall-some sports are better if you are shorter I think.

2. Do you remember a specific Olympic moment from the past? I don't think I will ever forgot this one and the death that has happened-so sad.

3. Have you ever known anyone who competed in the Olympics? No
4. If everyday activities were Olympic-worthy, which activity would you have a gold medal in? Diaper changing!  Changed more than I can count in the past 11 years with 4 babies and then taking care of others babies in my home at times and the church nursery-I can do it in my sleep-have I think!
5. Do you know anything about your ethnic heritage? Lots of German-that is what I blame for my temper and big boned statue.
6. Do you enjoy sleeping late? If 7am is sleeping late-that is about as late as I have gotten in the last 12 years.
7. Have you ever performed CPR on anyone? Do you know how? (Yes, that's two, I know. Whatevs.) I never have. I have taken CPR training.  Thankful to God for the angel he sent to the pool the day my daughter drowned who knew how and started her breathing again.  Pray I never have to do it.
8. Name one country you'd like to visit and explain why. Israel. I would love to visit the Holy Land-to experience the sites that I have read about in my Bible.
9. Have you ever fixed up a couple romantically? No, but my husband and I were set up-Valentine's 16 years ago.
10. What is the last book you read? The Shack
11. Do you enjoy sleeping late? This was already asked-apparently whoever started this doesn't get to sleep late and needs it-lol.  Yes I would love to-isn't happening anytime soon.
12. What is your favorite meal at your favorite restaurant? I love Mexican or Chinese-I'll even take a good Pizza!  Not too picky.

This was fun!  Answer these and pass it on!

Jill

Gratefulness

grate·ful  (grtfl)

adj.

1. Appreciative of benefits received; thankful.

2. Expressing gratitude.

3. Affording pleasure or comfort; agreeable.

---

I have recently watched a lot of different things happen to people I know and love and some people I only know of through friends, but in a way I think that God bonds us together. I have grown to love and respect them as well because I have watched them experience trials I can only imagine trying to get through and only by the grace of God I have not experienced in my life.


Like the death of a baby that was born with a rare heart disease that was hospitalized for the whole 8 months of his precious life, or cancer of your teenage or adult son, or an aneurysm and blood clots, or a heart attack, or cancer of your mother who finally couldn't fight it anymore and went home to be with Jesus and the list goes on and on.


Over the last year some of these things have occurred in the lives of my sister, grandmother and dad, others to friends I have grown up with and members of their extended family and friends I have only know a short time since living in Abilene.  Yet with each one I have found it has affected me in both big and small ways.  One of the biggest ways is that it has brought more attention to the fact that I have so much in my own life to be thankful for, to get down on my knees before the throne of God and with a heart full of gratitude be thankful for!


While going to have an ultrasound done on my stomach the other day (since aneurysms are hereditary and Jackie, my sister, had one rupture last year) I was thinking a lot about what being grateful really meant. Going in the hospital, lying there during the ultrasound, leaving with no answers but the Dr. will call in a day or two, to then later that day coming home to a message to call the office and not being able to because they were now closed so I had to wait till the next day to find out the results-made me stop and think-what will I do or say if there is a problem?  How will I react? Will I be joyful, grateful, no matter what it might be?  Thankfully when the Dr. office called the next day every thing was fine, but I thought about it all day-how would I have been had it not been ok?

I am so blessed-beyond what I deserve I know for sure.  Sometimes it is almost overwhelming that God loves me so much that He has blessed me with a wonderful, godly, husband, 4 beautiful, healthy children, my home, by family (mom, dad, sister,grandma who is 95!), my part-time job, my church and church family, friends all over the world( literally) from all the places I have lived and traveled, and most of all the promise and gift of my salvation and what that means for my future.  

I heard a pastor speaking the other day and he said if anyone told you being a Christian would be easy-they fed you a line and I am sorry.  The bible never promises that once we become a "Child of God" that the pathway will be straight and problem free, that life will be a bed of roses-what it does promise is that He will never leave us or forsake us and that doesn't mean a problem free life- just that when those times happen He is there to help us through the storm-to hold our hand and our hearts and to even carry us during the times we can't take one more step.

I have been through a few times like that in the past few years. The lose of two babies to miscarriages- finding out my dad has a form of cancer in his bladder-my daughter drowning and God sending an angel there that day to do CPR and start her breathing again-my sister having an aneurysm rupture and getting a call that she might not live-to Mike's dad having an accident (to this day we don't know what happened or how he got home) and being in the hospital for 6 weeks and almost losing him-lots of things that I felt like I am not sure I can make it through this let alone be "grateful" God. Yet the bible calls us to be "Be joyful always, pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 5:16  

Easy when life is hunky dory, not so much when the water is a little rougher-when the waves seem to be swallowing you up and you can't come up for air. I have watched people go through trials that only God's grace can get them through-grace that only God can give us when we are passing through the trials in our lives-we can't understand it unless we are there experiencing it-He gives us what we need when we need it.

I guess that is how and why we are to be "joyful in all circumstances."

I am learning to try and take each day to find the "joy" in that day-even hour by hour!  To be "grateful" for even my trials because they are what makes us stronger in our faith I think-closer to Him-to be still and listen to what He wants from us and even what He may have in store for our future.  

Valentine's Day is tomorrow-I love that day because it is the day God brought Mike into my life 16 years ago and we have been together even since.  From that He gave me not only a wonderful husband but 4 beautiful kids and a wonderful life-full of blessings.  One more of those blessings is that Derek (my 8 year old) accepted Christ in his heart about a month ago and he is getting baptized tomorrow on Valentine's Day-giving his heart to God.  As a mom that is one of the greatest blessings I have to be grateful for and like when Alyssa did this 3 years ago my heart is overwhelmed with joy.
  

So much to be grateful for-so much still to learn to accept and be grateful for-on this

My treasures that I am so "grateful" for!






Pathway to Purpose

 Jill