Counting My Blessings

 It's November. That means that thanksgiving is not far off-and what better way to bring in the holidays than to count our blessings? One challenge that I did last year was the thankful challenge. This year I almost forgot about the challenge; and although I am a week late I am still going to participate this year, too. All you have to do is write down seven things your thankful for each day through this month. It's not only a fun challenge but very rewarding. It make me realize how much God has blessed me!
 Click here for the challenge details.

Today I am thankful for sunsets, life and health, changing seasons, ducks---one of my baby sisters favorite words, color in ordinary life, fall hydrangeas, and my family.

 "Seven times a day do I praise thee because of thy righteous judgments."
                                               Psalm 119:164

What are you thankful for today?

Necessities for any holiday...

A holiday would not be complete without yummy food, family, laughter, and at least one amazing dessert.
Sigh...I love my life. I'm so blessed!


By the way-- The picture is hair glistening in the sunlight. Congratulations to Annie for being the first to correctly answer the guessing game!
Everyone that commented guessed correctly. Did y'all know you are very smart?


Have a memorable thanksgiving!

Hello Autumn

 Hello rake

Hello golden leaves

 Hello apples

Hello sweaters, jackets, boots

 Hello early sunsets 

Hello camp fires

Hello s'mores

Hello chilly breezes and cinnamon spices.
Welcome fall.

What do you like best about autumn?

Good bye summer.

 Good bye daisies

 Good bye bare feet

Good bye golden corn

 Good bye marigolds

 

Good bye caterpillars 

 

Good bye butterflies

 

 

 Saying my farewells to summer. Awaiting the arrival of fall.

 

What are you going to miss with summer's departure?

Thanksgiving blessings...

I hope you all are having a wonderful holiday! Much celebrating, fellow shipping, and eating are on my agenda for today and tomorrow. 

Here are only some of the blessings I am thankful for...

~...My salvation and grace... I am amazed that Christ made me and calls me His. Even when I sin, He forgives me for all my imperfections. I am blessed by being God's child. ~ ...My family. My two wonderful, wise parents. I am so blessed to have parents that love me and give me the best they can give. ~... My sisters. What would I do without them? They make me laugh. They are a joy to be around and an inspiration and comfort. ~... My brothers. I love them so much... They are an incredible gift from God. The joy they bring to our family. ~ ...Food. God always provides. I have never been with out food. I am so thankful for that. I am thankful for how yummy He makes it. So much variety and tastes. ~... A home. I wonderful home that gives protection and shelter. It keeps me warm and safe. It is not only a protection but a beautiful home. ~... My bed. What a comfortable sleep I get on it every night.~ ... Education. I am so thankful to not only have so many different sources and tools of how to learn, but I am truly grateful to be home educated. It is such a blessing to have a choice on who educates me and what is used to help me learn. I am so happy that I can learn and pray freely all day to God. ~... Health. I am healthy so often and so blessed with a working and functioning body. ~... Clothes. I am so thankful to be able to have something to wear. Not only am I blessed with clothing but I have so much of a choice as to what to wear. ~... Beautiful weather. God gives such a variety of weather and seasons. It's a joy to watch His hands in nature.~... Sunshine and Moon. The sun and the moon are such a great source of light. What would we do with out light? We would not be here. ~... Nature. God's lovely creations are awe inspiring.~...Medicine. I am so glad to have medicine to help feel better and be healthier.~...Friends.What a blessing to have like minded Christians in my area, who I can fellowship with and enjoy good times with.~... My Church. God has given me a wonderful church that I can attend and worship God with freely.~...Music. What would life be like with out melodies? ~...Violin and Piano. I am so happy that I have the opportunity to learn an instrument and am so blessed to have them in my home.~...Paper. I am so happy to have paper. I am able to write down words and sketch and draw on clean pieces of lovely white paper.~...Cameras. What would I do with out a camera? It is such a joy to be able to capture life in the lens of a camera and show with my abilities God's creation.~...The comforts of life. I have so many comforts. Everything I use is clean and comfortable. God blesses me. ~...The bible. I am so grateful God has given this book to all of His children. His words give me hope and a future.~...Laughter. What beautiful noises and joy laughter brings. One of my favorite pass times is laughing.~...Life! What a precious gift life is. Not just life here on earth but the life each of us has in store for us in heaven with God!

What a beautiful day to meditate on how blessed we are on this Thanksgiving day.

 

 We can always look at life and see God working in are lives.
                            What are you thankful for?

"Fall" out there

I have been simply loving fall. I am all out there when it comes to anything autumn-y!
I decided to write a whole seasonal post.

I took these leaf photos by spinning them around.

With my sister spinning, we captured some unique pictures.

Here are a couple of poems that the season has inspired me to write...

 Autumn
It whispers with the leaves,
It talks through the breeze,
I hear it shouting with the gusts of wind.
It's icy breath touching my neck and arms.
Painting colors on the trees,
making music on bird's wings.
Soaring high and whirling low.
Sweet and sharp, like a harp:
 Jesus Christ's art.

Leaves
Streaked with color,splashed with detail,

vibrant shades of red, orange, yellow.

Dancing and swirling, frolicking with the wind,

whispering good byes, for it is summers end.

::Pumpkin cookies::

Here is a very tasty pumpkin recipe that I tried baking today... They are so yummy!
They seem to be more cakey than the classic cookie, but I can't stop eating them.
Click here for the recipe! They're like biting into an autumn breeze... almost. :-)

                                     In the oven.

                                         They contain cinnamon, nutmeg, all spice, vanilla and pumpkin.

                                     Many ingredients that taste like fall.

                                  My grandma got three pretty orange roses.

                                

God blesses us richly with beauty all around...it makes me happy when a new season arrives.
                                    
                   What have you been up to?...

Fall joys

                                          Isn't fall remarkable.  It is so nice to have a change in the weather.

                          Instead of hot, sticky, stuffy air, it is cool and refreshing...

                       The air has a sharp burst of chill to it... With beautiful, bright reds,

                 

                                Crisp oranges,

                                and bright yellows.

The leaves and weather is changing and so is my wardrobe... :-)
Good bye, flip flops! Hello, scarves and boots!

Fall is one of my favorite seasons, although every season has favorable aspects... "Autumn" has many warm memories and joys packed into the word. God has given us so much to enjoy here on earth. Different seasons, beauty and handy work. Christ's artistry has His' signature written all over it.

What is you favorite thing about fall?... :-)

Happy Thanksgiving....

I will post 26 things that I am thankful for, since today is the 26th and it's Thanks giving. ( These are not in order though. Only the two above are close to how much I am thankful for them.)


1. God's Grace

2. Our Savior, Jesus

3. My wonderful loving, family

4. Scrumptious, delicious, healthy food

5. Clothing. Warm, comfortable, durable clothes

6. A home

7. Education at my finger tips

8. Friends

9. The Bible

10. Transportation

11. My father's job

12. My sisters' companionship

13. Nature and God's creation all around

14. Art supplies

15. Musical instruments and music in general.

16. Bathrooms, showers, and bath tubs

17. Good books

18. Entertainment and board games

19. My mother's love and compassion

20. My father's care and affection

21. Sanitary homes, food, clothing, and much more.

22. Getting sick. Which helps us understand how blessed we are, when not sick.

23. A warm bed at night

24. Our brains, which can do so much good in the world. ( But some times don't.)

25. Baby smiles

26. Cheerful toddler giggles

What? Is it already 26! Oh my!

How blessed I am by God. :)


I hope you had and are still having a wonderful Thanks giving!

For lunch we went to our Grandma's house with Turkey, rolls, stuffing, pumpkin pie, and much more!! With cousins, aunts, uncles, and grandparents it was a wonderful evening. Now our family is home relaxing after a wonderful meal and fellowship.


What did you do for Thanks giving?

Thoughts on my mind..

First is First, Thanks giving. I love the 26th it gives some thing to celebrate and gives us time to think about how blessed we are. But I don't like how society thinks of it. Last year I heard a commercial that was basically saying " Be thankful, to be thankful" We shouldn't be thankful to nothing. God is the way of all good things. When we are thankful we should firstly be thankful to God from whom all blessings flow.

The song "Santa Clause is Coming to town" is another example. The words go. " ...So be good for goodness sake..." We as Christians should not be good for "goodness" sake, but for God's sake, to glorify him we should be not only be good, but to strive to be like Christ.

Now that I have that said, Praise the Lord for all the blessing found in my life! Thank you Lord!
Here are some pictures of how God is working in our lives and on earth. He using his hand all around to make beautiful things. Such as these leaves.







More thoughts

My Favorite things about the holidays:

Every Christmas my sisters and I make home made gifts for our parents, grandma, and each other. This is one of my favorite things about the holidays that I love. Also on my agendas, I am knitting a quilt. Who knows when I'll be finished. I'll post a picture of when I'm finished, though. :)

I also love getting our tree for Christmas. We go to a tree farm near our home every year. It is a very memorable time. Then, when we get home we decorate with all our ornaments, and play Christmas music.

I love the cold, sharp wind and air, for a change instead of the heat.

And best of all it a time to Celebrate Christ's birth. God's gift to us. With out his gift we would be lost with no one to show us the way.


My least favorite things about the Holidays:

There only on complaint but a very long one. It it that my birthday is the day after Christmas making it so close that it's not as enjoyable, as it could be. Your probably saying Well, don't you get more presents with Christmas and your Birthday together? Yes, but It's almost an over load of presents and excitement to my over excited self. To make sob story more dramatic. You get no presents during the rest of the year. :( *Sniffle* Now your probably saying "Come on, Leah that hardly something to cry over. Yes, I should be glad that I was even born. ;) But I had to write something in this section.


Well, that's all for my jumbled thoughts as the holidays near! For now, at least.



What are your favorite parts about the holidays? What about the draw backs that you have found?

Have a blessed day!

Pictures and A Contest

Here are couple of pictures from Amicalola Falls. My family and I went there today.



Here are two Robins that a saw a couple days ago.

Now, here is another picture with a Robin.



Can you find the Robin?
Who ever finds the Robin and can tell me, in there own words where it is on the photo will win a prize. :) The winner will be announced Wednesday!


Hope you had a blessed Friday! :D