Praise God for Gift Cards

All I can say is "Praise God for gift cards".  Date night tonight is being brought to you courtesy of Mom and Dad Morgan and their Christmas gift of gift cards.  I think it will be dinner at Applebee's and coffee at Starbucks.  What a blessing because we have $0.12 in our Entertainment budget category until the 15th.  Isn't God good?!!!??  I also think a nice conversation at Barnes and Noble while looking at books will be fun.  We might be birthday shopping for Jesse and JoyAnn.  It's hard to believe they will be eight years old on the 21st of this month.  We had saved some money up for the birthday gifts/festivities. 

Making every moment count.  Making every penny count.  Making every bite count.  I'm learning to live in the moment and think consciously, thoughtfully, purposefully. Ok...enough of my ramblings.  I'm headed out the door with kids in tow to home school co-op.  Praise God for the freedom to home educate :-)

Have a great weekend,

Janelle

Back in the Saddle

So I will be sharing my testimony with the Mtn. View CR group on July 12th.  Things have changed dramatically in the last three years.  I am excited to share God's story through me.  Also Nathan and I are considering returning to CR as participants.  Exciting stuff....

In August Nathan and I hope to attend a Precept leader training.  We both have a hunger to know the Word and to be able to teach it to our children and others that desire to know God more intimately.  This is really exciting.  I believe it to be a step towards our ultimate calling in Christ. 

Just wanted to jot these things down.  Will write more when I can.

My Theme Song for 2011

I'm DARING TO BE different. I'm daring to walk in PEACE. I'm daring to become healthy and YES NOT FAT!!! I'm daring to swim upstream, to homeschool my children, to love my husband, to STUDY GOD's word, to embrace LIFE head on and live ABUNDANTLY.

Happy New Year,

Janelle

Lazy Days, Strawberries and Smiles

So today my family had the GREAT pleasure of driving to Knob Creek Orchard and Creamery in Lawndale, NC. It is off of exit 105 (I-40) and then 18 miles S. on HWY 18. It took us less than an hour to get there, and it was worth EVERY minute of the drive. We purchased two gallons of SWEET, HUGE, WONDERFUL strawberries. We also got some wonderful tomatoes. We then had homemade ice cream and rocked on the porch for a while. It was a blessed afternoon.

We then treated the kids to McDonalds (aka McNasty's) and Nathan and I enjoyed our hungarian mushroom soup from Apple a Day in Blk. Mtn. and a side of apple slaw. We ate the slaw on the trip down, and after our outing the soup was STILL WARM!

We laughed, read, loved, ate, played, talked, sang, smiled and shared today. Today was a day when we ALL were present in the moment. I am grateful for days such as this one, and pray that we have MANY more.

God bless anyone who reads this post, and please live every day to the fullest!

But a Vapor

So today I found out that a friend of mine passed away suddenly. Andy DeLong a godly man, husband, father, excellent trumpet player, devoted real estate broker. He will be missed. Live is short, and I was reminded today that I'm spending more time thinking about living than acutally living. I am sorry for the DeLong's loss, and for mine as well, but grateful for the reminder "It's How You Live".

Kevin started a series two weeks ago based loosely on the book "One Month to Live". His series is entitled "30 Days to Live". I am very proud of Kevin and Carson and their hard work to place this sermon series together and small group curriculum. I am looking forward to learning, growing, changing and embracing life. So in the last two weeks, the last two DAYS I have been reminded to LIVE, LAUGH, LOVE and LEARN.