I mentioned in my last post that I started a "give thanks" project with my Sunday School Class of 10-12 year olds.
The defintion of thanks that we wrote down in Sunday School turned out rather well.
See below...
Thanks - an expression of gratitude; being grateful; giving glory to God; giving praise or glory for what God has blessed you with.
So here is the beginning of our One Thousand Gifts:
1 Life
2 Momma
3 Daddy
4 myself
5 Friends
6 Smart in School
7 Parents
8 Shelter (home)
9 Food
10 10 Commandments
11 Rules
12 Education
13 Holiness
14 Jesus
15 Christianity
16 Brain
17 Clothes
18 Salvation
19 Bibles
20 Bicycles
21 Sight (to see)
22 Health
23 Taste
24 Cars
25 Technology
26 Hearing
27 Land
28 Oxygen (breathing)
29 Preachers
30 Sunday School Teachers
31 Odyssey
32 Brothers
33 Sisters
34 Candy
35 Aunts
36 Uncles
We have a long ways to go to reach 1,000 - but at least we have started.
I am going to work on reward ideas for the project's end.
After that much effort, they will deserve something special.
I am thinking about starting a personal list also; I could probably finish mine before this Sunday School list is finished. It's a thought anyway...
But for now, I am thankful for my Sunday School class.
Aren't kids great?
9.27.2009
The Gratitude Community from Ann Voskamp
See the new banner at the bottom of the page...
It is from one of my favorite blogs.
My blog-reading began when I looked up Selah's website to check on their CDs. From there, I went to "Bring the Rain" to read.
My list has grown of the blogs I like.
I started my own blog that I randomly choose to update.
(I thought I would be more consistent.)
And one day on Bring the Rain, Angie put a link to some blogs where she found beauty. One of these went directly to the blog "holy experience" by Ann Voskamp. It is WONDERFUL!
And since Thanksgiving is almost here, I am adding a "Give Thanks" aspect to my Sunday School class. I want to see what our "1000 Gifts" will include.
We started last Sunday morning, so I am going to try to update their list on "Multitude Monday" and maybe join the gratitude community linked here.
One thing I am grateful for this week:
I had one of those "oh no" moments.
Thursday afternoon, I arrived home from work and had a list of things to work on before I left. In the midst of working on that list, I decided to cook me a pizza. I left the house around 7ish and started back from Pembroke late that night.(after midnight I think?) About half-way through the 45 minute drive, I had the thought - "did I turn the oven off?" A sick feeling settled in my stomach as I wondered about that. All I could think about is a oven set at over 400 degrees and staying on for over 5 hours. Bad results flew through my mind - smoke swirling, flames leaping, house destroyed, my laptop gone with countless pictures and so many other albums and memories to lose. Desperate prayers then raced through my mind.
As I reviewed my afternoon, I remembered turning the oven light off. So while I was almost sure I turned the oven off too, I still worried. I pushed the speed limit and anxiously waited until I turned that final curve leading to the house. And thank God - there it stood.
Safe and sound.
I am grateful.
I normally think the house is ugly - but it looked beautiful that night.
Oh - and I had turned the oven off. whew.......
The devil battled my mind with fear and worries that night - which is something that I face quite often. But, I am so thankful that my "oh no" moment became a "grateful" moment. God is so good!
And once again - I am grateful!
It is from one of my favorite blogs.
My blog-reading began when I looked up Selah's website to check on their CDs. From there, I went to "Bring the Rain" to read.
My list has grown of the blogs I like.
I started my own blog that I randomly choose to update.
(I thought I would be more consistent.)
And one day on Bring the Rain, Angie put a link to some blogs where she found beauty. One of these went directly to the blog "holy experience" by Ann Voskamp. It is WONDERFUL!
And since Thanksgiving is almost here, I am adding a "Give Thanks" aspect to my Sunday School class. I want to see what our "1000 Gifts" will include.
We started last Sunday morning, so I am going to try to update their list on "Multitude Monday" and maybe join the gratitude community linked here.
One thing I am grateful for this week:
I had one of those "oh no" moments.
Thursday afternoon, I arrived home from work and had a list of things to work on before I left. In the midst of working on that list, I decided to cook me a pizza. I left the house around 7ish and started back from Pembroke late that night.(after midnight I think?) About half-way through the 45 minute drive, I had the thought - "did I turn the oven off?" A sick feeling settled in my stomach as I wondered about that. All I could think about is a oven set at over 400 degrees and staying on for over 5 hours. Bad results flew through my mind - smoke swirling, flames leaping, house destroyed, my laptop gone with countless pictures and so many other albums and memories to lose. Desperate prayers then raced through my mind.
As I reviewed my afternoon, I remembered turning the oven light off. So while I was almost sure I turned the oven off too, I still worried. I pushed the speed limit and anxiously waited until I turned that final curve leading to the house. And thank God - there it stood.
Safe and sound.
I am grateful.
I normally think the house is ugly - but it looked beautiful that night.
Oh - and I had turned the oven off. whew.......
The devil battled my mind with fear and worries that night - which is something that I face quite often. But, I am so thankful that my "oh no" moment became a "grateful" moment. God is so good!
And once again - I am grateful!
9.22.2009
Quite an Amateur at This...but It's Ok
Photoshop is one complicated program.
But I love learning how to create new projects or use certain tools.
I read a blog posting from the "Pioneer Woman" about Storyboards using Photoshop.
From this blog, I discovered the "Move" tool and the nifty "Grid."
So, just to practice with this and create a complimentary photo from a recent shoot -I created THIS.....
It reminds me of a negative strip -
I wanted to include the different poses into one photo for memory's sake.
It is jumbled - and not terribly pretty.
But it is practice.
And I like it.
So for me - it's quite ok! :D
And before the gerber daisies quit blooming, I had to take a few shots.
I even poured water on the flower to see how much of the detail I could capture.
And so here goes another project -
I absolutely LOVE it!
It reminds me that learning is time consuming, hard, but worth the effort and more often than not - exciting!
Smiling today!
But I love learning how to create new projects or use certain tools.
I read a blog posting from the "Pioneer Woman" about Storyboards using Photoshop.
From this blog, I discovered the "Move" tool and the nifty "Grid."
So, just to practice with this and create a complimentary photo from a recent shoot -I created THIS.....
It reminds me of a negative strip -
I wanted to include the different poses into one photo for memory's sake.
It is jumbled - and not terribly pretty.
But it is practice.
And I like it.
So for me - it's quite ok! :D
And before the gerber daisies quit blooming, I had to take a few shots.
I even poured water on the flower to see how much of the detail I could capture.
And so here goes another project -
I absolutely LOVE it!
It reminds me that learning is time consuming, hard, but worth the effort and more often than not - exciting!
Smiling today!
9.15.2009
A Work in Progress
Lately, that is what I think of a lot - my life is a work in progress.
I want to have all the answers, get it all done, but one thing gets in the way....the four letter word that we all face - TIME!
I had planned to update my blog with a review of Christian Living, keep up with current happenings in my life, and publish reviews of church sermons and lessons.
The key factor in the above sentence - "I" and "planned."
I am finding out more and more that "my" plans are just that - "mine."
And more often than not, it seems like they do not work how I thought they would.
One of the bright spots in my days right now: my Sunday School Class. Last year, I had the assistant position - but it is more work, AND more fun as the "teacher."
My life is NOT how I want it to be right now - and my plans are seemingly crumbled - some of my hopes shattered - but my consolation is this: "He's Still Working on Me" and that I AM a work in progress.
Good and bad. Happy and Sad. Stress and Relief.
I'm in a decision-making phase of my life.
And maybe one day I can look back and see that through all this I am facing - I did make progress.
Until then I plan to "press on - in Jesus' name."
With that phrase from a Selah song, I am reminded of their new CD.
It is awesome - my favorite song is "You Deliver Me."
When the road is winding and way too long - "He" will deliver me.
Not my plans.
Not my decisions.
But His hand - His deliverance.
His shaping.
His plans.
Sometimes easy, sometimes hard.
Right now, it seems hard.
And I just don't know.
But one day - the sun will come.
It won't rain always.
Sounds like HOPE to me!
So here I am today - with too many thoughts in my mind.
Too much rambling.
And glad that I remain...
...a work in progress! :D
I want to have all the answers, get it all done, but one thing gets in the way....the four letter word that we all face - TIME!
I had planned to update my blog with a review of Christian Living, keep up with current happenings in my life, and publish reviews of church sermons and lessons.
The key factor in the above sentence - "I" and "planned."
I am finding out more and more that "my" plans are just that - "mine."
And more often than not, it seems like they do not work how I thought they would.
One of the bright spots in my days right now: my Sunday School Class. Last year, I had the assistant position - but it is more work, AND more fun as the "teacher."
My life is NOT how I want it to be right now - and my plans are seemingly crumbled - some of my hopes shattered - but my consolation is this: "He's Still Working on Me" and that I AM a work in progress.
Good and bad. Happy and Sad. Stress and Relief.
I'm in a decision-making phase of my life.
And maybe one day I can look back and see that through all this I am facing - I did make progress.
Until then I plan to "press on - in Jesus' name."
With that phrase from a Selah song, I am reminded of their new CD.
It is awesome - my favorite song is "You Deliver Me."
When the road is winding and way too long - "He" will deliver me.
Not my plans.
Not my decisions.
But His hand - His deliverance.
His shaping.
His plans.
Sometimes easy, sometimes hard.
Right now, it seems hard.
And I just don't know.
But one day - the sun will come.
It won't rain always.
Sounds like HOPE to me!
So here I am today - with too many thoughts in my mind.
Too much rambling.
And glad that I remain...
...a work in progress! :D
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)