Thanksgiving...

I've been thinking a lot about what I have to be thankful for this year.  It's definitely been a trying year, full of ups and downs, heartaches, happiness, job loss, job gain.  A possible move that turned into a non-move!  Time spent with people I love and want to be near.  Time APART from people I love and want to be near.  But through it all, God has just blessed me in so many ways.  Here are just a few:

I'm thankful for McKenna.  My oldest.  My ham.  My personality.  She is so much a wonderful mixture of the best bits of both mom and dad and I couldn't ask for a better teenager!  She has been such a  blessing to me, helpful in so many ways.  She's turning into such a young lady!

Peyton is a reason to be thankful for, as well.  She's my dreamer, my Sugarbean.  She has such a girlish quality about her, yet still maintains her tomboyish charm!  She's got a servant's heart and always loves to make me happy.

God provided me with a job at a Christian office.  I have an environment that encourages talk of God and puts Him first in all aspects of the office...I love it!  He's also given me an exciting opportunity to co-lead in Sown, our women's Bible study group.  During that time, He has challenged me to seek Him more, love Him more, be DESPERATE for Him.

I'm also thankful that He's shown me where I need to grow and change; where I need to trust Him.

I'm thankful for my family---my mom who loves me and helps me in every way possible.  My dad, who loves me in spite of me!  My brother and sister-in-law who love me and pray for me.

Love you, Mom!

I'm thankful for my Chicago family, too.  I can't be near them like I want to yet, but I'll be there soon.  Sheree-who is steady and encouraging, who prays for me and my girls.  For Jeremy, who sticks it out with me, even when I act crazy some (actually most) days from missing him!  (And a shout out to the Minnesota crew-Danielle seems to send me a message that is encouraging exactly when I need it.)

There's so much more that I'm thankful for.  But those are the bigger ones.  Here's to one more year of things to be thankful for.

Dedication pictures

A Dedication

Dedication of children in a church....parents do it all the time.  You see proud moms and dads with grandparents and whoever else standing in the front of a church with their babies and toddlers and having a dedication done. 

What is a dedication you ask?  A dedication is a ceremony (for lack of a better term) that is done during church in which a child is dedicated to God.  The pastor and perhaps even a few Godly men will pray over the child and his or her parents during that time.  However, the dedication is less about the children and more about the parent.

To me, a dedication is about the parent taking responsibility in training up their child in Christ's ways.  You are saying that you will raise your children in a Christlike home, teaching them about Christ's love, and showing them how to live it out loud.  You are saying that you are in it 100% to make sure that your child is raised up with Christ's love pouring over onto them, so that there is never a doubt who made them, who loved them, who gave His life for them, and who will come again for them one day.  It's a bold statement to all who witness this.  And those people that are there....your friends and your family?  They're there to witness this commitment that you're making.

This is something I never did with either of my girls.  I grew up in church and so did they, but for whatever reason, I didn't do it.  And now, I'm ready to make that statement.  So, on November 19th during the 6pm service at Cheyenne Hills Church, I'm going to have my 13 year old and 7 year old daughters dedicated.  It's unusual to see older children up there, but when I talked to Pastor Galen about it, he said the same thing I was thinking....it's never too late.  I explained to McKenna and Peyton that this is less about them and more about me.  I'm making the commitment before God and a roomful of witnesses and saying that Jesus is IT for our family. 

I'm inviting all of you, my friends and family that can make it to be there.  I want you to hold me accountable to what I'm promising to God and my children....that we will never look back to the ways of the world.  We are pressing forward with God as our foundation.  I don't think I can give a better gift in my lifetime to my girls.