Award Time

eceived two blog awards this week. I am feeling incredibly blessed. The first came from my amazing new friend Meghan from The Tuckers Take Tennessee. She has been such a blessing to me. She has been inspiring me to be a better mom!

The award comes with questions you need to answer when you pay it forward. Here are your questions:

1. What is your favorite thing about summer? Sitting around the campfire with my family. Telling stories and talking about our dreams.

2. What is your favorite color? green

3. What is your favorite part of blogging? discovering amazing women who love the Lord

4. What is the first thing you do every day? make some coffee :-)

5. What is the last thing you do every day? pray

6. What is your favorite day of the year? My Anniversary

7. What is one free activity you enjoy doing with your family? Going to the Library (especially now that we are moving to a town with a great one!)

8. What is one thing you can’t live without? my amazing family

9. What is your favorite meal? Italian anything white and creamy

10. What is your favorite children’s book? Gigi God's Little Princess


The second award I received was from Sara @ Walking With Angels. Thank you so much Sara!!!

I am sharing both of these awards with 10 more wonderful bloggers. Thank you ladies, you all area such a huge blessing to me!

1. Stacey @ 29 Lincoln Avenue

2. Tracie @ tsj Photography

3. Megan @ Half-Pint House (speaking of which, check out her cool products, very cool!)

4. Collette @ Jesus Loves Mums

5. Marci @ Overcoming Busy

6. Cherie @ Heart and Soul Reflections

7. Teri Lynne @ Pleasing to You

8. Michelle @ So I Married a Mennonite

9. Myra @ My Blessed Life

10. Stef @ Layton Family Joy

Unwrapping the Power of Prayer

Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. Mark 11:24

I had a restless night of sleep last night. My husband and I prayed and I just could not fall asleep. My heart was heavy for some of the prayer requests we had. I should have gotten out of bed, grabbed my Bible and spent a little more time in prayer; I know that God is listening. I know that He hears me.

I was thinking about this last year and some of the answers to prayer that we have experienced. There are big things and small things. There are happy endings and sad endings. And I know that God had his hand on every detail.

Today there is a little first grade girl that my daughter goes to school with that is having a biopsy on a tumor in her brain. My heart aches for her and her family. A little girl full of smiles and giggles that was supposed to have her seventh birthday party last weekend. The party was cancelled and she is now in the hospital awaiting tests and possible surgery.

I believe in a Mighty God that can heal her.

My heart also aches for someone close to me that has not been able to conceive her first child. She waits every month hoping and anticipating, and every month she has been disappointed in the results.

I believe in a Mighty God that give her the miracle of child.

I watch the news stories of the devastation in Haiti. It is hard for me to even turn on the tv.

I believe in a Mighty God that can bring hope into a place that has none.

Today I am unwrapping the Power of Prayer. I know that God hears me, I know that God hears you. I ask that you join me today. I ask that you take time from your day to pray for those that need God today.

What gifts are you Unwrapping today? Join Emily over at Chatting at the Sky as she unwraps the gift of this day.

Blog Journey

Well, I have been blogging for almost a year. It took me awhile to figure out how it all works and I am still learning something new everyday. Along with the blog redesign I am going to try to organize my thoughts in my blog a little better. I have been praying about the ministry of this blog. Around Christmas when my daughter was in the hospital the blog got set aside. The projects I was working on didn't get finished (i.e. our Jesse Tree & Our Advent Wreath Celebration). I am hoping to reorganize my thoughts in the new year. Get more organized and plan ahead.

I wanted to share with you some of the things you can look for in the upcoming year. If you haven't noticed the new design added categories along the right side bar. These categories are where I am headed in 2010. I have included the scriptures I am focusing on for each category as well.

My Journey: I will continue to share with you my faith journey. It is my prayer that we will all find the road that leads to life.

Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
Matthew 7:13-14

The Gathering Place: One thing that I love to do is entertain. And I think that God intends for us to open our homes to people. The Gathering Place is all things Home. From trying to be the Proverbs 31 wife to a new recipe that I can share with you my friends.

But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD." Joshua 24:15

Family Room: This is a place to share the devotions we do as a family. We are currently working on the ABC's of Scriptures. I will share the faith journey we take as a family.

Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Deutoronomy 11:19

Agape Love: Agape is the greek word translated as love in some New Testament scripture. Agape love stands for self-sacrifice. Agape love is the unconditional love that we receive from Christ. I decided that Agape Love was a great category for my posts on marriage. Christ's love is the model of love in our marriage.

A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. John 13:34

Daughters of the King: As sisters in Christ we are all Daughters of the King. We can laugh together, cry together, and encourage each other as we celebrate our royalty.

Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. Ecclesiastes 4:12

Random Reflections: A place for me to share the many random, miscellaneous thoughts I have on life.

Photo Album: I love to take pictures. I love to share these pictures with you. This is my place to record our journey through the lens of my camera.

On The Shelf: Some of you may wonder why and how I read all of these books for my blog. First of all, I love to read. Second of all, I feel it is part of my ministry. When I was first saved I didn't know how to share my faith with others. Instead I used books. I would share books with my family and friends. They could read for themselves what I was feeling. The words that I couldn't find in my head were shared through books. There are so many books that can help share the gospel of Christ in non-threatening ways.

Mamavation: This is my journey to healthy living. Not only do I need to daily focus on my spiritual health, but also my physical health. Mamavation is a wonderful support system that is helping me accomplish my goals.

I hope you enjoy where I am headed in 2010, I don't know the plans that God has in store for me this year, but I am excited to be still and listen to His leading.

Oh the Places I'll Stay

Hello Everyone! I am guest posting today over at Skimbaco Lifestyle. I wrote about South Dakota, My Home. It is part of Katja's Win a Ticket to Blissdom contest. Please head over and check out my post. If you leave a comment you will be helping me try to get to Nashville for my very first Blogger Conference!

Snowed In

Christmas Day has come and gone. Normally we would be headed for home for the girls to discover what goodies Santa left in their stockings.

However, this South Dakota storm still is raging and we are enjoying more quality time with Grandma and Grandpa. The snow is still falling, the wind is still blowing and a lot of the roads are still closed to travel.

We have been unrushed and unstressed about the weather. We have been enjoying the holidays to the fullest. I started the holiday a little stressed while we were still at home waiting to get on the road to my in-laws. Once we arrived, I tried to relax and enjoy Christmas Eve, but I was watching the weather and praying that we could make the 45 minute drive to my hometown.

We left a little earlier than normal from our Christmas Eve celebration and arrived safely to our next destination. When we drove into the driveway I breathed a sigh of relief because I knew I was home.

I thanked my husband profusely for getting me to my mom and dad's for Christmas. He did cut his family time a little short with no complaints because he knew how important it was for me to get home.

No gift he could give me would have topped the time I have been able to spend in my childhood home. Christmas just isn't Christmas without it to me. And I know how much my mom and dad appreciate him for getting us here, too.

The presents have long since been opened and played with, but the quality time that we are spending as a family is what our girls will never forget. Right now as I get caught up in the online world, the girls are watching Annie with Grammy and Grandpa. I love the holidays at home and I really don't mind all the snow now that I am home.

Walking in the Light

When our associate pastor was praying on Sunday he prayed the verse from 1 John 1:5, "God is light; in him there is no darkness at all."

I turned to 1 John this morning to study this verse. I read beyond verse 5:
"If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son, purifies us from all sin."

Am I walking in the light today? Am I focused on Him?

As I begin my day I am focused on letting God's light shine all around me. For as the Bible says, if you walk in the light no darkness can exist.

Snow & Sickness

I really am here and not just reviewing books. . .I have just been crazy busy with birthdays and sickness.

I just got home from a weekend of being unplugged. It was a nice little getaway to the Black Hills to my aunt and uncle's cabin on the mountain. This morning we woke up to about 6 inches of snow. It was so beautiful. . .but then I was back to reality that it is still October and we had to get down the mountain.

I came home to a sick little girl. Hoping it is just a cold and not strep throat or the flu. My husband had a great weekend with the girls and everyone missed me. It is nice to come home to smiles.

When I sat down in my chair tonight I opened my Bible. I flipped to a few different books, but I couldn't focus. I am headed to bed now and tomorrow I hope to start fresh with a cup of coffee and the Lord.

Birthday Giveaway Winners

Time to announce the winners of my first giveaway. I know I am not giving away huge prizes, but these prizes are prizes given to you by me. They all have significance in my life. So, I guess you could say I am giving you a little piece of my heart. So congratulations, thanks for stopping by. I hope to do more giveaways in the near future. I couldn't get the random number generator to copy and paste into my entry so I used random.org to pick my winners, but I can't show it to you. Hopefully I will figure that out by next time.

Winner of 1 Year Subscription to Family Fun (#8) Amanda

Winner of The Shack by William P. Young (#3) - JennyMac


Winner of Scrapbook Pack (#6) Rebekah

Winner of My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers (#13) Chele at Proverbs 31 Woman