Did someone say GIVEAWAY????

Hello, Sweet Friends!

I'm checking in this morning to tell you about a family that my friend Amie is trying to help out by having a bloggy makeover giveaway!!!! (How COOL is THAT???)


See, she has a friend named Linn (The Saunder Family) who is the Mom in a family of 12 that just lost EVERYTHING in a house fire.





Now there is a campaign that has been started to help get this family on "Extreme Home Makeover" and you can read more about it HERE. The address for this blog is, "Love Builds A House," how ADORABLE and fitting is that? (Of course it's lovebuildsahouse.blogspot.com or you can just click on the link in this paragraph) This blog has been set up for the quest that has begun to get their home rebuilt. If you have a moment hop around these links and get to know this sweet family.

I've added a button on my sidebar and we'd love for you to "grab it" if you'd like to do a post of your own about this family, or even better, add it to YOUR sidebar! (If you do, be sure to hop over to Amie's and leave a comment letting her know about it so that you'll be entered for the FREE BLOGGY Makeover!)


Thanks again, Amie for doing your part to get this campaign up and running! I'd never met this family before yesterday and I've already fallen in love with them. =-)

Now, I'd like to thank YOU, my Precious Friends, for being so pro-active yourselves! Doesn't it feel GREAT to help someone in need? Especially when all we have to do is go and leave a comment on the Extreme Home Makeover Blog! See, there's this REALLY LONG application you have to fill out to get them "officially nominated"... not to worry, the HARD part has already been done... all we have to do is leave a comment "encouraging" them to consider the Saunder family. (I know about the app because I downloaded it to nominate my friends from Habitat for Hope and BELIEVE ME... it's a LOT of paperwork! Well, at least for someone with ADHD like myself... HA!!

Alrighty friends... that's it for me today! I hope you all have a wonderful day! Thanks again for getting involved!

YIPPEE... I actually posted TWO days in a row! ;-)

Okay, seriously now... I said I wanted to share something that I learned about GOD recently and I just couldn't wait to share it. (Maybe it'll keep some of you from experiencing unnecessary guilt)



See, I'd always heard that we should "give thanks" for everything. Here's the scripture... (It's AMAZING how ONE little word can change the WHOLE meaning of a sentence)




1 Thessalonians 5:18
in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.




See, I'd been thinking I was having a rebellious attitude towards GOD for not being thankful for the path my life has taken. (Losing Brent, you know? I mean, we have been thankful for many things during this trial, but not for the very act of losing him or for the way he suffered)

Well, you may have heard me mention that I don't put a lot of faith in what other people tell me about the Bible. Not immediately anyway. See, there are SO MANY scriptures that we've found over the past 3-4 years that have been TERRIBLY misquoted... so if I hear something I go and look it up for myself.

ANYWAY... all of that to say that I was in my room folding clothes one night and the TV (itself) changed the channel from what I was watching to a pastor that I used to LOVE to listen to. (It was Tony Evans... I suppose I had set the thing to change itself when he came on)

Now, I've not heard Mr. Evans preach anything that didn't line up with scripture.. but there are MANY others that I have. (Thus my check it for yourself attitude... PLEASE, if you find a preacher on TV that tells you GOD wants NOTHING but GOOD for you.. change the channel.. that's JUST NOT SCRIPTURAL! The Bible tells us to EXPECT trials.. oh well, that's another post)

So, I don't remember the theme of what Mr. Evans was preaching but I DO remember him using 1 Thessalonians 5:18. I listened closely as he explained how we don't HAVE to be thankful FOR everything.. but we are to be thankful IN everything. See, I KNEW I was NOT thankful for losing our son and watching him suffer the way he did. HOWEVER, IN those circumstances.. (we have learned) some came to accept JESUS as LORD of their lives. Now THAT my friends is something to be THANKFUL for!


So I don't have to thankful for all of the TERRIBLE things that have happened since October of 04 (the year we learned Brent had cancer), but IN those trials we were and ARE thankful for MANY things in CHRIST JESUS! (We were always looking for SOMETHING to be thankful for.. You know.. even in those last days, the CREATOR of ALL allowed us to witness "conversations" between HIMSELF and Brent as HE prepared him to go HOME! Again, THAT is something to be THANKFUL for!)


You see what I'm saying?? We're NOT thankful for sin, but in this sin-filled world, we ARE thankful that GOD'S own SON came to pay for our sins. (So in that sense we ARE thankful "IN" everything, but not necessarily FOR everything.


I can't tell you the burden that knowing this lifted from me!




Okay, now on the day to day stuff...

For our History class yesterday we watched the 44th Presidential Inauguration. I explained to the boys that THIS was history in the making for so many reasons. I also told them that we need to pray for him just as we did for President Bush. I explained that we need to PRAY that our new President will seek the HEART of GOD in EVERY decision he makes and if he's not saved, that he will be. (You know, because the Bible says we will be know by their "fruits" Matthew 7:20) I know that he was elected (by some) because he's so liberal in areas like abortion... but it's in THOSE VERY AREAS that I PRAY that he will KNOW GOD'S HEART and will not allow countless babies to be killed every day. Okay... all of that has been debated over and over BEFORE the election... I won't drag you though it again today. See, I'm ADHD like that. It only takes a second for me to get off track. LOL!!

I guess that's it for me today. It's time to wake the little people and get them ready for school. I hope you all have a WONDERFUL day!

Catching up.. (AGAIN) O:-)

Hello, Sweet Friends...


Man, you guys NEVER cease to AMAZE me! I was truly blown AWAY by your sweet thoughts and words of encouragement over the holidays. (And or course, all the comments/emails/text messages since then)


It was really hard this year... I don't know if it's the time that's passed, or just part of the grieving process, but I had A LOT more of the really HARD memories (kind of like "flashbacks") than I have the previous two Christmases. (Yes, it's only been two years, but 3 Christmases... didn't want to confuse anyone with my statement... Now that I think of it, I'm probably the only person on earth that can get turned around so quickly.. HA!!)


At any rate, GOD IS GOOD and we had a nice Christmas after all. Even WITH the virus that lingered in our home for over a week. LOL!!! Our poor Gabe had it TWICE! I was actually the ONLY person here that DIDN'T get it. ;-)


Now, to "fess up" about my absence here....

See, I'm a bit of a procrastinator.. I'm actually A LOT MORE than "just a bit" but I don't think there's a term for it. Hehehe.. O:-)


SOOOO... I kept myself busy as not to think... well, in keeping myself "busy" (which wasn't really much more than just spending LOTS of time with the hubby and boys) I just found myself avoiding the computer altogether. THEN.... as I found myself becoming MORE and MORE behind, the harder it was to jump back in and just DO IT!


All of that to say that the "dark clouds" have lifted (you know, other than those breakdowns that you don't see coming). There's been LOTS of LAUGHTER and roughhousing as well as a few sighs (when the holidays were over and we had to start back to school) HA!!


GOD has DEFINITELY been our STRENGTH AND OUR JOY! I learned a lesson about HIM along those lines during the holiday season that I can't wait to share with you! (Don't worry, I won't do it in this post.. I don't wanna keep you ALL day!) O:-)


I've truly thought about you all hundreds of times and have MISSED "hanging out" with you here. (And at YOUR places as well) I HOPE to try to jump back in tomorrow and just start blabbing again. I mean, today I felt like you guys deserved some sort of explanation about where I've been and what we've been up to. ☺


Oh, before I go, I want to say THANK YOU for the many prayers you've lifted for me and my family during the holidays. (The term, "Thank You," seems so small compared to the gratitude I feel towards you all) I truly cannot say how much your love and support has meant to us! (((HUGS)))


Alrighty, I guess that's it for me today... I'll be back to my regular rambling soon. (HOPEFULLY, tomorrow!) ;-)

Hello SWEET Friends! I'm on our couch, buried under two of my favorite little men of all time! (And sitting next to another- that'd be my hubby of course!)

I've been meaning to update before now.. I'm terribly sorry that I haven't! We made it through the holidays and it seems that we're falling back into our new "norm". There's a lot to yack about, and YACK I WILL.. It just won't be tonight.

I didn't want to keep putting it off. Some of you, my AMAZING & PRECIOUS friends, have started worrying & I didn't want to let that keep going. I PROMISE I'll do a "real update" soon... Until then, I want you all to know we're okay. The holidays were hard, but it does seem that getting the first of the year behind us has really helped.

Oh, I've been checking my email from my phone and I'm SURE I've overlooked a lot.. However, it's still all online and I'll read it all soon. (I actually got online the other night for the first time since I don't know when... I had a total of 1000 emails! Granted, most of it's junk.. I've got a lot to sift through. All of that to say that I know some of you have emailed and I've failed you mail you back. Again, I'm sorry! I hope to get back in my "groove" again really soon! I hate that I worried you, but love that you care enough to!

Thanks again (SO MUCH) for keeping up with us.. We CERTAINLY APPRECIATE your prayers more than I could ever say!!!!

I hope to "see" you soon...
Love,
Tonya
Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone