Golden Star, Early Thanksgiving, Road Trip...

Nathan had a dress rehearsal for his Thanksgiving program that they are doing for an assisted living home in Springdale. Parents aren't allowed to go on the field trip because we have so many K4 students this year, so they decided to do a dress rehearsal for the parents. Nathan was not in the mood for some reason. These are the best of the photos before the program...


He certainly did not want to be there! Once the program started he stood up with the rest of the kids and instead of singing and doing the motions, his bottom lip just started quivering and he started to cry. Big tears were running down his face. I hated seeing him like that so I motioned for him to come sit with me and he did for the rest of the program. This was after the program...he was in a little better mood....



"Golden Star" was the Indian name that he picked out.

Nathan's wonderful teacher Mrs. K.

We had Thanksgiving dinner in Russellville yesterday. We all went down (Rick & Grandma included) yesterday morning. Grandma went to visit with one of her friends. They went by to pick up Billy and take him to lunch. I could tell that she had a really good time. I know she misses them. We went to Aunt Jane & Uncle Terry's for lunch. There were 14 adults and probably close to that many kids. We had a wonderful meal and a good time visiting with everyone. Of course, we missed Aunt Susan, Gran and mom greatly. It just was not the same without them. But they are praising God every minute of every day in Heaven and full of joy. Aunt Jane had lit a candle in their honor, which was very nice. We also had a hay ride. Sara and Chris were able to find a trailer and loaded it with hay and took all the kids a few blocks to a park. We played at the park for a few minutes and then back to the house. It was VERY cold on that hayride, but it was a lot of fun!

We are headed on a road trip on Tuesday. If you think about it that day, please pray for us to have good weather and traveling safety. Grandma, the boys and I will be heading out at 5am to Lake Jackson, TX to see Aunt Ginger and all the Texas bunch. We are so looking forward to it. Rick & Rick will be leaving out at 5am on Wednesday morning. Please pray for them also. I am a little nervous about traveling without a man. (Don't tell them I said that!)I have never traveled this far with the kids alone. Grandma will be with us, but can you picture me and Grandma trying to change a tire...I think not!! Anyway, I am off work tomorrow and the boys will be in school. I should have plenty of time to get everything packed and ready for our trip. I have three new movies for the boys so that should keep them occupied for a while. What in the world did our parents do to keep us occupied on our roadtrips?!?! before portable dvd players and handheld video games and sometimes with no air conditioning! I'm surprised they have any hair left. I would have pulled all of mine out already! :-)

For anyone traveling for Thansgiving...have a safe trip and enjoy the time with your families! And try not to eat too much!!

Love to all,

Christy

Photo of Kurt's ornament...

Isn't this beautiful?!?! Have a wonderful evening!

Thankfulness....

I am thankful for my boys. I am thankful that they are able to go to a Christian school where they can learn about Jesus and read the Bible daily. I am thankful that their little hearts are so open and soak it up like a sponge. I took them today to pick out their Christmas ornaments for 2008. I have always bought them one, but this year I thought I'd let them start picking them out. We went to Hobby Lobby. They always have a ton of different types of ornaments and this week they happened to be 50% off. Nathan went for something that I guessed he would....a train. He loves trains! Kurt, on the other hand, surprised me a little bit. I was trying to help him and I suggested a few different ones that had to do with baseball. He fell in love with baseball this year. But he said no. After searching the many rows of ornaments, he all of a sudden stopped in his tracks. "I found it mommy, I found my ornament!" It is a beautiful ornament of an angel with her wings spread. Within the spread of her wings is Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus. He thought the angel was so pretty and he always loves anything that has to do with Jesus. He is so proud of that ornament! I was almost in tears right there in Hobby Lobby!
As Thanksgiving approaches, please remember to be thankful to God for what He has blessed you with! It's all His anyway. And also let you family know how much you love them. Every moment you have with them is precious!
Happy Thanksgiving!!
Love,
Christy

Bible Verse of the Week...

PSALM 17:8 (NIV)
KEEP ME AS THE APPLE OF YOUR EYE; HIDE ME IN THE SHADOW OF YOUR WINGS.

To pray this verse before God as David did is so humbling. David prayed that God would keep him. With as much care as a man keeps the apple of his eye with which nature has wonderfully fenced and teaches us to guard. If we keep God's law as the apple of our eye( Proverbs 7:2) we may expect that God will keep us; because it is said that those whose touches them touches the apple of His eye. (Zec. 2:8) With much tenderness as a hen would gather her young ones under her wings with; David prayed for God to do the same with him.

I love this verse and use it in my own personal "apple ministry" that God has given me. Some years back Harv gave me 2 different pictures with apple theme with Psalm 17:8 on them because He knew how uplifting the verse is to me and how much I love apple things. My "apple ministry" is about reminding others they are the apple of His eye. I will put together a very simple lunch and ask a girlfriend to come and join me. I use all apple dishes, glasses and so on. When someone comes for the first time they take home a apple potholder or hand towel as a reminder that they are the apple of His eye. I have done this ministry for years . Every girlfriend that has been so kind to be my guest has been a blessing to have for lunch. Many times the friends are on their lunch time so everything is ready for them when they get here. I always look forward to whoever is coming. I am getting ready to start the "apple ministry" up again and excited for great times with grand ladies! There are many new friends that I am now going to be able to include. And yes, I can't wait to visit again with some of you that have already been here. There is just something special about sitting down with a girlfriend one on one for lunch...

Just as this verse brought encouragment to David I am sure it brings encouragement to all of us too. You might want to turn it into a minsitry too. If not this verse then pick one of your favorite and ask God to show you how you can minister in His name through the verse.

Relationships are so important to God. The 10 Commandments are all about relationships, first to God then to others. Who do you have a relationship with today that needs a reminder that they are the apple of God's eye? I just smile when I quote this verse..........can't help it.........so uplifting to me. I pray you see how it can also bring a smile to your face and lift your spirit.

Lord thank you for allowing us to be the apple of your eye when we seek you and obey you. Lord thank you for peace in knowing we can hide under the shadow of your wings and never be alone. Lord help each one of us this week to remind someone they too are the apple of your eye. Help us all to be in ministry serving you for your gain and your glory. I love you, Lord. Amen

Let me encourage you this week to give someone an apple and tell them it is a reminder they are the apple of His eye. I promise you it will make your day, touch their heart , and bring a smile to the face of our Lord.

Loving others to Jesus with you.
In His grip, Ginger

Papa & Nathan

Papa & Nathan ... I think this is one of the sweetest pictures. It really sums up papa, dad, uncle, etc. that Rick is. Both Uncle Rick and Aunt Kathy were just the bomb to all the kids. No matter how tired or wore out either of them were they always made the kids feel special on all their many visits here in Texas. Even on the days when the reports weren't what we wanted they always managed to bring smiles & joy that will be remembered always. While Aunt Kathy will not be next to Uncle Rick when he is here now we will still hold those memories close to our hearts of the times we had. We are sooooo looking forward to our visit with Kurt, Nathan, Aunt Christy, Grandma Georgia, Uncle Rick and the other Uncle Rick over Thanksgiving!!! We love you guys!

Bible Verse of the Week...

1 THESSALONIANS 5:18 (NIV)
GIVE THANKS IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES, FOR THIS IS GOD'S WILL FOR YOU IN CHRIST JESUS.

The holiday season, more than any other time, we count our blessings. We should be running out of time before we exhaust the list! I love Paul's word here in 1THESSALONIANS 5:18. He is not telling us to give thanks for all circumstances but be thankful in them. Because you and I know there are many circumstances we find ourselves in, that we could never have an attitude of thankfulness for being in those circumstances; but because we know the LORD is with us in those difficult circumstances we should be thankful for HIS PRESENCE in them. GOD'S will for us is to always see HIS SON JESUS in the circumstances. When we exercise our faith and see JESUS in our circumstances, no matter how difficult the circumstances are, then we will give thanks from our humble heart that HE is right there with us. Having this atttitude will overflow in gratitude before HIM.

I was sitting out in the backyard the other day after school with our youngest grandchild, Sara Paige. She and I were sitting in the swing just having a grand time being together. Sara looked around the yard at her Grand-Dad's pumpkins and mums on the deck, his 2 colorful fall flags blowing in the wind, roses and flowers blooming. She then looked over at me and told me that she was so thankful for the fall season! She said "you know Mimi pumpkins and tomatoes just make me think of fall!" You would have had to see her little face as she shared this with me to fully appreciate her excitement. I have no clue as to why she threw "tomatoes" in there, but she was thankful for her little view of the fall season just the same! As I have pondered what Sara said, I thought to myself the "pumpkins" are what we associate with the fall and Thanksgiving season so they are the things we will be thankful for. Then here comes the "tomatoes," which we don't think of as being apart of the fall and Thanksgiving season, so we have a harder time being thankful in the "tomatoes" (difficult times). So my friend, I give thanks to my little grand-daughter for reminding me how I am going to do my best to thank the LORD for this fall season, thank HIM for the pumpkins and yes, thank HIM in "tomato" times!

Precious LORD and only SAVIOR thank YOU for this fall season with all it's brightness! LORD help us to have an attitude of gratitude before YOU for the good seasons in our life and for YOU being in our difficult and painful seasons. Regardless of what season we are in, we are never in a hopeless season so PRAISE YOU LORD! I pray that we will stop and count our many blessings and realize how YOU bless us. Thank YOU LORD for loving us and forgiving us of our sins. I love YOU, LORD. Amen.

You are a "pumpkin" in my life..........so uplifting encouraging, and kind! Thank you and have a CHRIST-center week.

In HIS grip, Ginger