A Year of Blessings

Two years have passed since I was last active on this blog and a lot has happened.  Some amazingly wonderful things and some very humbling health concerns for me and devastating hard losses of loved ones.  Through it all we have grown in our love for one another and in our faith in God's sovereignty.  We are learning to continually give thanks and to look to our good and gracious God for wisdom and guidance in all things.  💛

"In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you."  
1 Thessalonians 5:18

It would be too hard at this point to go back and try to chronicle in detail all that has happened, so I'll just pick up where we are right now.  It is my desire to begin to post updates for our family in the coming year, but there are no guarantees as to the regularity of them.  😀

Here is our most recent family photo ~

Scott and I celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary this year. We've been together for 31 years though.  ❤  We took a 3 day trip to Duluth in November.  We don't often get away so it was special to have a few days with just the two of us.

Our daughter moved closer to us with her two boys.  Nana and Papa enjoy having them closer and being able to be a more regular part of their lives.  Warren turned 3 in September and Owen turned 2 in November.

 

Our first son Jonathan married his bride Mikayla in June of this year.

Second son, Christopher graduated from high school this Spring.

Andrew, our youngest turned 16 and is growing in height at amazing speeds this last year!

God's blessings to each of you as we close out 2018 and move into 2019.  We are abundantly blessed and my prayer is that each of will continue to seek the Lord in all things.  

Joyfully His,

Theresa

QUOTE of the day: 

 "There are lots of cars out today but no gorillas."

~Warren, 3 years old one day this last week when we were driving back to Nana's house.  He was watching all the traffic on the road.  I sure wish I knew the context of his sentence.  Nana was glad there weren't any gorillas on the road either. 😀

Photo credit for professional pictures goes to my sister, Amanda from Amanda Petersen Photography.  

Christmas Eve Daybook

FOR TODAY ~ Monday, December 24th, 2018

❤💚 Merry Christmas from our family to yours!  ❤💚

 

Outside my window...  It's a beautiful day, sunny/partly sunny with a high temp of 27.  There are only a few patches of snow around our place after the warmer temps over the last week.  We hit 41 two days last week and upper 30's as well which resulted in a lot of snow melt.

I am thinking...  About our extended family Christmas gathering later today.

I am thankful...  For good traveling weather for the holiday weekend and to be with all of our family.

In the kitchen...  No cooking here today.  My brother is making a 30 pound roast and mashed potatoes.  Mom is making dinner rolls and scalloped corn.  Later in the day we'll have lots of snacks and Christmas cookies.

I am wearing...  A denim jean skirt, a navy snowman sweater from Christopher & Banks and an antler headband decked out with blinking Christmas lights.  😄

I am creating...  Nothing on the hook or needles right now.  I just finished a messy bun or ponytail hat for my niece and a large afghan for my sister in law.

I am going...  Home to Sleepy Eye, MN to my parent's house.

I am wondering...  If everyone will enjoy our family game time.  We are playing bingo this year.  Everyone has been collecting small white elephant type gifts from around their house to contribute to the prize bin.  My sister is also brining a new game this year called Scribble Head.

I am reading...  I have a few books going right now.  I'm re-reading The Imitation of Christ a little each night before bed on my Kindle.  In the mornings I am reading through Genesis and a book called, A Woman for God's Glory. 

I am looking forward to... 4 days away at my hermitage in a few weeks.

Around the house...  It's the day before Christmas... lots of boxes, bins, wrapping paper around.  😉  

A favorite Scripture for today...  "And this is the testimony; God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son."  1 John 5:11 ~ We included this scripture on our Christmas picture this year.

One of my favorite things...  Hearing my grandsons say, "Love you, Nana." 💙💙  I don't think that will ever get old.  These two little darlings have been the best thing in my life these last 3 years.  They bring so much joy to all of us.  

A few plans for the rest of the week:  No Plans!  Woo Hoo!!!  

Have a lovely Christmas week

Trust

"Oh my God, I trust in thee:  let me not be ashamed, let not mine enemies triumph over me."

Psalm 25:2

"Trust in the Lord and do good..."

Psalm 37:3a

"Blessed is that man that maketh the Lord his trust and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies."

Psalm 40:4

"What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.  In God I will praise his word, in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me."

Psalm 56:3-4

"My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him.  He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defense; I shall not be moved.  In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God.  Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him:  God is a refuge for us.  Selah."

Psalm 62:5-8

"O Israel, trust thou in the LORD: he is their help and their shield.  O house of Aaron, trust in the LORD: he is their help and their shield.  Ye that fear the LORD, trust in the LORD: he is their help and their shield."

Psalm 115:9-11

"It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man."

Psalm 118:8

"Hear me speedily, O LORD: my spirit faileth:  hide not thy face from me, lest I  be like unto them that go down into the pit.  Cause me to hear thy loving-kindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto thee."

Psalm 143:7-8

"Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding."  In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths."

Proverbs 3:5-6

Who is among you that feareth the LORD, that obeyeth the voice of his servant, that walketh in darkness, and hath no light?  Let him trust in the name of the LORD, and stay upon his God."

Isaiah 50:10

"Trust ye not in a friend, put ye not confidence in a guide:  keep the doors of thy mouth from her that lieth in thy bosom.  For the son dishonoreth the father, the daughter riseth up against her mother, the daughter in law against her mother in law; a man's enemies are the men of his own house.  Therefore I will look unto the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me."

Micah 7:5-7

"The LORD is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him."

Nahum 1:7