Thankful Thursday- on THURSDAY!!!

This week I'm thankful for...
~The fact that Thankful Thursday is on Thursday, haha. I hate posting something with a date on it when it isn't the real date...haha, okay, now, really...
~Little Marsha's adoption!!!
~Peter's new skill- he learned how to roll over!!!
~Fresh tomatoes from the garden!
~Little ones to read to.
~The Moody Family series- I have been reading the younger ones "Summer with the Moodys"while babysitting siblings lately.
~Watching Emmi get wrapped up in a story (this girl has some adorable faces when she concentrates, and she has definitely been concentrating on the Moody books!)
~Green onions (these are fun to grow!).
~Fellowship with fellow believers.
~Watermelon.
~Blossoming friendships.
~Violins.
~Recorders.
~Hearing Tori play "Amazing Grace" on said recorder.
~The history of the people who wrote some of my favorite hymns.
~A visit from our Grandparents and Aunts last Monday.
~A bed full of family telling/ reminding others of family stories that were the cause of much laughter ;)... (at about eleven o'clock at night, which may have also been part of the cause of the hysterical laughter. That, and the relief that that piece of toilet paper wasn't permanently stuck in Abbi's nose...)
~So much to be grateful for!
~The fact that Andrew is now so interested in reading.
~Peter's other new skill, although less used- giggling :)!
~Jesus' grace to sinners

26 Give thanks to the God of heaven,
for his steadfast love endures forever.

~Psalm 136: 26

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For Gramma...

 Gramma sent us some little toy animals to stuff after Peter was born, and I thought I would share a few pictures :).

Box of goodies!

"Wuggles" to be stuffed.

I don't remember the instructions being that hard, haha!

Emmi first!

Finished!

Abbi's turn!!!

She loves her horse!

The stuffing fit in very tightly ;)...

 

 Bethi making her's.

*Tori did make one, but refused pictures, haha, just so you know :. And I had the camera after we had it figured out. I know Gramma will ask :)!!!

Kangaroo baby

The little kangaroo joey that I made for Emmi's birthday....

Many people have asked to see him, sorry I took so long :P! As of yet I still have to make the Mama Kanga, but here, at least, is baby :).

Friday already! Thankful Thursday post...

This week I've been thankful for... 
~Laughter over schoolwork.
~Laughter over meals.
~Tacos for brunch (haha, yes, we're weird...)
~Christians who will stand up for their faith,
~And teach others to do the same.
~Answers in Genesis' ministry.
~Leftovers.
~Dried flowers.
~Paper waiting to be filled.
~Writing.
~Literature.
~Dictionaries.
~Spelling words.
~History.
~Vacuums.
~Brooms.
~Dusters.
~Rags.
~Good can openers.
~Being able to buy pumpkin anytime of the year.
~So that we can make pumpkin muffins anytime of the year!
~The grace of Jesus.
~Family bible time.
~Little voices answering questions about the truths of God :)!

(Give thanks unto the lord, for...)

23 It is he who remembered us in our low estate, for his steadfast love endures forever; 24 and rescued us from our foes, for his steadfast love endures forever; 25 he who gives food to all flesh, for his steadfast love endures forever.

~Psalm 136:23-25

Thankful Thursday...

This week, I'm thankful for....
~Apples.

~Birds.

~Trees.

~Dandelions (the white and yellow dandelions, contrary to the beliefs of a couple of girls I know, haha, are the same flowers... I think that everybody knows that now! In fact, I don't think they mentioned it until they had figured it out, but it was still funny ;)!)
~Horses. (We pass a couple on our way to church :).)
~Watermelons- our garden (I mean, our compost heap, lol...) grew some watermelons, free of work, for us this year ;). For a bit more of our "hands-off", accidental gardening skills ;), you can read this post from last year.
~Cantaloupe (read above statement ;)!).
~Gardens.
~Red tomatoes. I was amazed the other day at the grocery store. Even in a man-made building, the beauty God has made can still be displayed. Tori and I were talking about how beautiful the big pile of ripe, red tomatoes were, I thought it was neat :).
~Yellow flowers on
~Green vines.
~Reading new books I have wanted to read for years (and having them live up to my expectations!)
~Reading others thankful thoughts!
~Peach jam (made from free peaches!).
~Trying new recipes, whether I make, or just eat them :).
~Lots of recipes to choose from!
~Cooking.
~Old hymns.
~Singing praises to God along with our church family.
~Singing with my family as we work together.
~Enjoying time with family and friends, working, playing, talking, laughing, and living together.
~The Bible.
~Little hands.

~Getting to babysit :).
~Cradles...
~...Turned horses.
~Bears.
~And little grinning girls who are just so cute, even when "riding" the cradle ;)!

(Give Thanks...)

17 to him who struck down great kings, for his steadfast love endures forever; 18 and killed mighty kings, for his steadfast love endures forever; 19 Sihon, king of the Amorites, for his steadfast love endures forever; 20 and Og, king of Bashan, for his steadfast love endures forever; 21 and gave their land as a heritage, for his steadfast love endures forever; 22 a heritage to Israel his servant, for his steadfast love endures forever.

~Psalm 136:17-22

If you would take the time

to read this post, and then pray, not only for this little boy Tommy, but also the others in that orphanage, I would be so thankful! These children need so much, and it will only happen through the work of God! Please pray, for families for these children, for someone to tell them that they truly are loved, especially by God, but also by others, who know the true worth of the blessings of the Lord. I don't know who all will read this, but please pray, and consider whether your family might be the family that is called to rescue this little boy!

"The Basket of Flowers" by Christopher von Schmid

I loved this book! I had wanted to read it for a while, and our Grandma blessed us with it a couple weeks ago.
This book is about a gardener with a strong faith in the Lord.  As a young man, he refuses a high position as he feels that in this position he would not be able to fulfill his duty to the Lord. After losing his wife and all but one of his children, he then spends the rest of his life pouring the Lord's truth into this daughter. When Mary is accused of stealing from the Countess, trials follow, and in the end they are banished from the only home this young girl has known. After several circumstances whith lead to the ending in which Mary's name is cleared, circumstances that include the death of her Father, the young girl is returned to favor when her innocence is brought to light. Through the book, the gardener constantly points his daughter to the Lord, using flowers, which they both love so much, to tell beautiful allegory's about Christ.
I thought that this was a really good book, not dry at all, but still filled with so many truths, and showing the love of a Father and daughter united in the Lord.
And, before I close this post, I have to share my favorite quote from the book-
"There is no situation in life so thorny or so miserable that we may not find blessings under the thorns if we look carefully for them."

~James, the gardener, in 

"The Basket of Flowers", 

by Christopher von Schmid

Tardy Thankful Thoughts, again...

Over the past few weeks, I have had many blessings from God to be thankful for- like...
~Freedom.
~Sleepovers with family.
~Blankets.
~Pillows.
~Pencils.
~Art books.
~Old nature journals.
~Biographies.
~Art.
~Erasers.
~Notebooks.
~The Bible.
~Reading old journals, which bring fresh thoughts of things past.
~For-fun books.
~Educational books.
~Documentaries.
~Fourth of July traditions, like...
~...Homemade Ice cream.
~...Ice cream cones.
~...Fireworks.
~... Hamburgers.
~M&m's.
~Watermelons.
~Peaches.
~Blenders.
~Sewing machines.
~Sewing with loved ones.
~Irons.
~Ironing boards.
~Rotary cutters.
~Rotary mats
~Measuring tapes.
 ~Water!
~Air conditioning.
~Trees.
~Squirrels- it was fun watching the squirrel that eat out of the feeder upside down at Grandpa and Grandma's :).
~Chipmunks- this one would dive into the other feeder :)!
~Shoes.
~Grass.
~Flowers.
~Butterflies.
~Birds.
~Swallowtail butterflies (I got pictures of the first one I've ever been close to a couple weeks ago!)
~Blueberries.
~Leaves.
~Shade.
~Sun.
~Blueberry Popsicles after blueberry picking.
~Swings.
~Pails (the lady who used to run the blueberry farm loves our blueberry pails, it was one thing she mentioned every time we went!).
~Baby snuggles.
~Making cards and decorating paper to make it fun to write on.
~Reading great tips on how to be better at this.
~Stickers.
~Markers.
~Fun paper.
~Fun scissors.
~Dried flowers.
~Bows and ribbons.
~Crochet patterns.
~Reasons to crochet...
~...Which include babies...
~... little ones...
~... loved ones...
~...birthdays...
~... and Christmas...
~Or just crocheting for fun :).
~And lots to be thankful about!!!

(Give Thanks...)

10 to him who struck down the firstborn of Egypt, for his steadfast love endures forever; 11 and brought Israel out from among them, for his steadfast love endures forever; 12 with a strong hand and an outstretched arm, for his steadfast love endures forever; 13 to him who divided the Red Sea in two, for his steadfast love endures forever; 14 and made Israel pass through the midst of it, for his steadfast love endures forever; 15 but overthrew^a Pharaoh and his host in the Red Sea, for his steadfast love endures forever; 16 to him who led his people through the wilderness, for his steadfast love endures forever;

~Psalm 136:10-16

Happy Fourth!!!

So if the Son sets you free, you shall be free indeed.
John 8:36

On this July Fourth, we are so grateful for our freedom...
...both the freedom that so many men died to give us...
...and the freedom that is ours through our Lord's death.
Praise the Lord!!!!

Duck pond pictures

Turtles on a log!

This kind of stumped some people :)! What is it?

Thanks to Daddy for all the great shots!!! June is a really good time down here to go- there were babies everywhere! There was also one family of ducks with thirteen ducklings, it was ADORABLE!!!