Thankful Thursday 2012 Week 5

101. the smell of christmas trees
102. working students
103.  calling out a good deed
104.  cozy scarfs
105.  car line in the cold to refresh my mind
106.  cold sunrises to bring warmth
107.  dash, the elf
108.  my principal
109.  a new computer
110.  a new desk to put it on
111.  gingerbread men making messes 
112.  cookies and watching addie sign for cookies
113.  students who don't complain about christmas music
114.  tangelos
115.  jokes from the pulpit..Why can't you take a turkey to church?  He uses foul language :)
116.  mucinex
117.  clean water to drink
118.  a charlie brown christmas
119.  hot tea
120.  buds on a christmas cactus
121.  the best friends
122.  bloggers who inspire
123.  packages
124.  christmas cards!
125.  my mom

The Good Deeds Challenge

The Christmas season is upon us, the season of giving, and the most wonderful time of the year.  My pastor challenged us Sunday with a Good Deeds Challenge:  to do as many good deeds as possible in the next five weeks, set your own personal record.  Now, I listened intently, even took notes, but in my mind I was rolling over all the ideas of good deeds there are.   So, when God speaks to me it is usually not a soft whisper, it is a yell, in your face, Karrie DO SOMETHING.   

My friends, Amy and Kendal, have started using the wonderful pinterest for good deeds, good shopping, and just plain good stuff.  And by doing so they have done a good deed.  I have been inspired, directed really, by people close to me to do something different, to stray from the status quo and to do what most people don't do - to think of others before myself.  In a season where we glorify giving, but practice selfishness.  I must be a light.  And in turn I call you to be a light as well. 

⁷ Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. ⁸ Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. ⁹ Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. ¹⁰ Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.  Galatians 6: 7-10

Sometimes, it may feel like we are losing by doing good, but we must keep being do gooders. 

It is our call, it is our difference, it is our signature trait. 

And the best part and the biggest secret of all about kindness, good deeds, service is......
      it is contagious.


Here we go, my pastors challenge to our church.....

do as many good deeds as possible

my challenge to you......

come tell us what you did!

Can't wait to hear about your good deeds, I know you are doing them!

Here is a place to start:

• take a treat to a neighbor
• send someone a handwritten note
• give up your seat to someone else
• say thank you
• send a day brighten text
• tell a young mother she is doing a good job
• put some ones grocery cart up for them

my black friday

Stationery card

View the entire collection of cards.

Christmas cards ordered

DaySpring gifts confirmed.


New computer on its way :)

all from the comfort of my recliner

I declare a success.

Thankful Thursday 2012 Week 4

51.  my granaw
52.  singing carols on a train coming home from the north pole
53.  items delivered to the homeless shelter
54.  an excellent checkup for addie
55.  the magic of christmas
56.  family meals
57.  my husband, my husband, my husband
58.  pintos with friends
59.  shampooed carpet
60.  my mom!
61.  bandaids
62.  my cell phone
63.  new shampoo
64.  owen listening
65.  a week off
66.  heat
67.  a fixed toilet
68.  jessica's mini van
69.  a night out with friends
70.  best friends who know your story
71.  pictures
72.  unexpected texts
73.  the holy spirit's filling power
74.  addie noises
75.   a helpful son

Thankful Thursday 2012 Week 3

51.  parents who care about their kids
52.  beautiful saturdays
53.  a local community college
54.  owen saving a wooly worm
55.  78 OCC shoeboxes
56.  frost
57.  phone case cover, the very next day i got i slung my phone across the parking lot - not a scratch ;)
58.  mountain dew in the drink machine
59.  owen wants a n.c. state birthday party!
60.  the perfect song on the radio
61.  the email that says no faculty meeting
62.  finding a penny
63.  that my sunday school class is willing to bring food to people they have never meet
64.  a week off
65.  a week filled with family
66.  shoes that feel good on my feet
67.  a helping husband
68.  addie's giggles
69.  addie's loving
70.  my pillow
71.  that everything is funny to 11 year olds EVERYTHING
72.  rocking a sleeping baby
73.  cool rocks
74.  recipes
75.  sleep







Lovely Linky's

when in doubt....serve

i wasn't sure it would work

i had no idea how it would

we set a goal of 30 boxes

who knew we would end with 78.

they brought toothbrushes, toothpaste, soap, pencils, sharpeners, crayons, markers, coloring books, socks, combs, brushes, paper, pens, erasers, shirts, hats, gloves, toboggans, hair bows, bands, and clips, balls, yo-yos, jump ropes, candy, puzzles, bandaids, stuffed animals.......and we packed and wrapped and laughed and prayed

we ended with the exact amount of stuff and boxes and I know God already knew what we needed and He knows what the child who receives this box needs also.

so don't choose not to serve when you aren't sure.

when in doubt....serve any way!

"For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake" 2 Corinthians 4:5

If you aren't familar with the organization Samaritan's Purse, let me introduce you.

http://www.samaritanspurse.org/

They do service and they do it well, from diaster relief to operation christmas child they reach out to those who need and you can easily get involved, which I encourage you to do.

thankful thursday 2012 week 2

26. revival
27. surprise visits from family
28. pacifers
29. forgiveness
30. days off work
31. dinner with family
32. baby animals - visited the zoo this weekend
33. watching my son go pray at the alter and when i asked what he prayed for "when Jesus is ready, I want him to come into my heart"
34.  hugs from best friends 
35.  the privilege to vote
36.  our troops
37.  team teaching
38.  mom's homemade soup
39.  coffee!
40.  christmas music
41.  my mom
42.  listening to owen play the mandolin
43.  addie's dancing skills
44.   Jesus Qoute: “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.  Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.  The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” 
45.  time change - driving to work in the daylight
46.  beautiful colors of fall
47.  new coats
48.  text with best friend
49.  hubby making sweet tea for me
50.  excitement for things ahead










lovely linkys:

Emily at Imperfect Prose
Paula at Welcoming Spirit

learning



Crazy Hair Day 11/1/12

my son is learning lots of new things like
what the middle finger is
and the a word and the s word
and "what is the real f word because i don't think its fat maybe its fatious, mom"
and i want to put him in his room until he is 18 and only send food in
but i can't
so i keep teaching right from wrong
and keep being the meanest parent in the whole world
because its the right thing to do


any great parenting advice?



thankful thursday 2012 week 1

wow....another year of thankfuls

i usually write a long thing for each, but now i have not 1 kid but 2 and laundry and papers to grade and boards to work on and the list goes on.....so snippets is what you get :)


1.  husband who will be a goat in a puppet show
2.  son picking up the whole bag of crackers he poured in the floor, without complaining
3.  the brisk fall air
4.  riding to school with a cool 6th grader
5.  a church family that helps each other
6.  baby girl sleeping all night in her bed
7.  gates on the porches!!
8.  listening to owen read
9.  watching addie pretend to read like her big brother
10.  sharing kids, secrets, and life with my brothers wife
11.  my students
12.  the student who says "thank you for taking the the time to teach us" everyday!
13.  mom's potato soup
14.  shopping with the hubby
15.  seeing the moon and stars out my living room window
16.  carving pumpkins with the best friends
17.  The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? Psalm 27:10
18.  losing 10 pounds
19.  Christmas is 53 days away!!!
20.  emails from my hallmates
21.  russian tea
22.  trust
23.  3 day weekend
24.  bestie having a baby
25.  handmade quilts made by my great grandma



lovely linky's
http://jenbucketlist.blogspot.com/2012/11/thankfulliving-begins-link-up.html