Second Day of Thanksgiving (better late than never)

I am thankful that after Thanksgiving we will begin the season of celebrating the fact that our Lord left His Heavenly home to come down and live among us. And for a purpose that secured everlasting life for His people. Think about that, and I challenge you to listen to the song in the video below and not be overcome with gratitude (and tears! So far I have not been successful).

I am also thankful that my life has been full of babies. Children are a blessing from God. They have taught me so much over the years, and it has been an absolute joy to watch them grow up.
Nothing lifts my spirits like a child. They are the most precious things in the world.

MercyMe - God With Us

David Crowder*Band - O For A Thousand Tongues To Sing

First Day of Thanksgiving

I am going to take this week of Thanksgiving to write about some things for which I am thankful. They will be in no particular order, except for today, I am writing about the two things that are most important to me.

First of all, I am thankful for my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Without Him I would be dead in my sin, doomed to alienation from my Creator and everlasting torment in Hell. So much did my Creator love me that while I was a vile sinner, loving the things that directly go against His nature, He sent His Son to pay the penalty for my disobedience and hatred for God. So much did He love me, that Christ took on the punishment that should have been mine, even taking on a punishment that made Him a curse before His Father (by hanging on a tree, Deuteronomy 21:22-23, Galatians 3:13). And now through Christ I have full communion with God, peace, joy, and anticipation of everlasting life in Heaven.

Makes me want to sing the hymn by Charles Wesley that has been on my heart the last couple weeks (I've made Craig listen to the David Crowder Band version multiple times):

O for a thousand tongues to sing
My great Redeemer’s praise,
The glories of my God and King,
The triumphs of His grace!

My gracious Master and my God,
Assist me to proclaim,
To spread through all the earth abroad
The honors of Thy name.

Jesus! the name that charms our fears,
That bids our sorrows cease;
’Tis music in the sinner’s ears,
’Tis life, and health, and peace.

He breaks the power of canceled sin,
He sets the prisoner free;
His blood can make the foulest clean,
His blood availed for me.

He speaks, and, listening to His voice,
New life the dead receive,
The mournful, broken hearts rejoice,
The humble poor believe.

Hear Him, ye deaf; His praise, ye dumb,
Your loosened tongues employ;
Ye blind, behold your Savior come,
And leap, ye lame, for joy.

In Christ your Head, you then shall know,
Shall feel your sins forgiven;
Anticipate your heaven below,
And own that love is heaven.

Glory to God, and praise and love
Be ever, ever given,
By saints below and saints above,
The church in earth and heaven.

On this glad day the glorious Sun
Of Righteousness arose;
On my benighted soul He shone
And filled it with repose.

Sudden expired the legal strife,
’Twas then I ceased to grieve;
My second, real, living life
I then began to live.

Then with my heart I first believed,
Believed with faith divine,
Power with the Holy Ghost received
To call the Savior mine.

I felt my Lord’s atoning blood
Close to my soul applied;
Me, me He loved, the Son of God,
For me, for me He died!

I found and owned His promise true,
Ascertained of my part,
My pardon passed in heaven I knew
When written on my heart.

Look unto Him, ye nations, own
Your God, ye fallen race;
Look, and be saved through faith alone,
Be justified by grace.

See all your sins on Jesus laid:
The Lamb of God was slain,
His soul was once an offering made
For every soul of man.

Awake from guilty nature’s sleep,
And Christ shall give you light,
Cast all your sins into the deep,
And wash the Æthiop white.

Harlots and publicans and thieves
In holy triumph join!
Saved is the sinner that believes
From crimes as great as mine.

Murderers and all ye hellish crew
In holy triumph join!
Believe the Savior died for you;
For me the Savior died.

With me, your chief, ye then shall know,
Shall feel your sins forgiven;
Anticipate your heaven below,
And own that love is heaven.

Secondly, I am thankful for Craig, the husband God has given me. He is a faithful and loving provider. I cannot imagine a life without him. No other man could be a better husband to me than Craig (multiple people have made this observation on seperate occasions). God created me to be a helpmate to Craig, but I benefit more from our relationship than he does. I love him with all my heart.

Zechariah 4- Zechariah is shown a new golden lampstand similar to the one in the tabernacle only it was continuously supplied with oil through two olive trees, which means its light would never go out. This lampstand points us to the true Light.

Also in the passage, Zechariah is asked if his understands all that he is shown, he replies that he does not, so he is given understanding. So to we will be given understanding if we run to God and ask for His guidance.

The Blog Guidebook

If you blog, and would like to have your blog listed for FREE, I found this wonderful site called The Blog Guidebook. Click the button on the right of my page to go directly to their super cute site!

The Big Man Around Campus

Craig is a celebrity.
We stopped by the community college to drop off some paper work and Craig asked if I wanted to go see his picture.
What?
Yep, that's my husband. He's so cool they're using his picture for the Mechanical Engineering Technology brochures. He's going places.

Inniswoods

Here are a few pictures of a recent trip our family took to see all the Fall colors at Inniswoods.
We picked a beautiful day to go. It was so warm and sunny.

Calvin loved the frog pond, even though he didn't get to see any frogs.

And Ebie loved being able to walk the trails on her own.

Exodus 25:31-40 The last few days I have been reading about God's instructions to the Isrealites on how to build the tabernacle. The tabernacle was meant to be a copy of the Lord's heavenly throne room, and so each piece had great significance. God commanded the people to make every piece out of the finest materials. They were told that any who felt called to give materials, skills, money, or time should do so because it was the Lord calling them. It was interesting to learn that the people were called to give whatever they were ABLE to give. God does not expect more, and does not accept less. Not all are expected to give the same thing or the same amount, but we are expected to give of what the Lord has given us. We are also called to give of our very best. Now it is up to me to listen to what God is calling me to give and to give my very best.

The Craft Show

The craft show was this past weekend, up near Lake Erie, at German's Villa. It didn't go as well as I had hoped, but it helped me to realize that I need to diversify my product.

I enjoyed being there though. I was there sitting alongside the veterans. Some of the vendors had been doing this for 30 years or so and it was fun being called a "vendor"with them. The remaining clips/bows from the show will be put up in my etsy shop soon.

This post is brought to you by: Rob and Susan Miller!

My computer is having issues. It is old and has a lot of stuff on it. Craig and I have been taking things off of it to free up more space so that it will feel better. ALL my pictures are safe and sound (including these two of my beautiful baby), backed up on a portable hard drive my uncle Rob and aunt Susan generously gave me.
Thank you, thank you, thank you, Rob and Susan!

The craft show is this Saturday. Still busy getting things made for that. Whatever doesn't sell there will be put on my Etsy account for anyone interested. I'll post the information for that when the time comes. I am also very happy to report that even though I have not been posting, I have been doing my Bible studying everyday. I am thanking God for giving me diligence in that area especially. It has been such a blessing and encouragement!