Grains of Gratitude Oct 12, 2008

Hosted by mum2Brady

I'm a little late posting my "Sunday" Grains of Gratitude, but "better late than never!", right?

This past week has been full of ups and downs! Thankfully the "ups" win out every time!

This week I received notice that I was not selected on two of the positions for which I interviewed recently. I had really been excited about one of them especially and thought I had a good chance at getting the job. The woman who interviewed me said that they had selected someone with experience in the same field, so I do understand - I had never worked in that type of setting before. The same reason was given for the other position being filled by someone else - I also had not worked in that field before either.

At first, the news really got me! It's so easy to fall into the trap of playing those old "tapes" in my mind about not being good enough, but it didn't last long. I went to my knees before God and cried out for his help. I'm so thankful to have a relationship in Jesus and know that is where my strength comes from to get through the storms. Once I released the negative thoughts and laid it all at the cross before God, I was able to "get back on the horse" and start sending out more resumes. I am in constant prayer and know that God will open the door for a job in which I can best serve.

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you,
says the LORD,
thoughts of peace and not of evil,
to give you a future and a hope.
Jeremiah 29:11

Tuesday Elizabeth and I took Addy and all the daycare kids to the pumpkin patch so that each of them could find their own "special" pumpkin to take home with them. When we got there a photographer from The Daily Oklahoman was there and asked if he could take pictures of the kids. He took several pictures and posted two of them in the paper on Saturday. The kids each found their pumpkin and then we were able to get a group shot before we left(with almost all faces looking forward).

Wednesday night, at AWANAS, Addy earned a badge for her vest by reciting seven different memory verses! She was so proud (as were we all!) - so now I'll be sewing on the new patch this week. She loves reading and memorizing and constantly tries to get her mommy to let her do more and more reading. Elizabeth spaces out the lessons so that Addy has enough time to really soak up each one and doesn't let her go past each day's lesson. Addy's like a little sponge and just absorbs everything around her! She loves learning and it's fun to watch her grow in knowledge every day!

Friday night Michael and Liz had some international friends fly in and they will be here until Tuesday morning. They have been such great guests and it's been fun getting to know them. They arrived bearing gifts - even for me! I was so surprised and so grateful. They gave me a bottle of Chanel #5 and I absolutely love it! They also brought me a couple of blouses that are beautiful! They, of course, brought many gifts for Elizabeth, Michael and Addy.

Friday was one of the guest's birthdays, so Elizabeth planned a surprise birthday party for her to be held Saturday evening. She took them all to Arbuckle Wilderness - a park you drive thru with animals roaming throughout. They come up to your car and you can feed them - if you buy the feed, of course. They did and they said it was a lot of fun!

While they were gone, Michael wrapped up gifts and picked up some balloons for decoration and I baked a cake for the birthday lady! She was so surprised! It is such a blessing to be able to be a part of the happiness of another person!

Sunday, we all went to church together, went out for lunch and then went to the Oklahoma City Bombing Memorial. Since the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995, I have never been to the site once the memorial was finished. It really is awesome! There's a feeling you have as you walk through and see all the chairs - one for each of the 169 people who were killed in the bombing. I think the hardest part is seeing all the small chairs representing the children who were killed. It brings back the memories of that horrible day - as if were yesterday! There was also a statue that represents Jesus weeping! His hand is over His face with bowed head and the inscription reads "And Jesus wept". I know that must be true. So many wept that day and for many days after!

Once we finished at the memorial we then went to Bricktown and rode the water taxi on the canal. We had a great captain/tour guide and the ride was a lot of fun! He picked on some Texans who were on the taxi and they took it very well. There are some bronze statues around the canal and the story behind their creation was interesting. The artist is a professor at Oklahoma University and in the sculpture of the Oklahoma LandRun (still under construction), he put his own face on the wagon driver closest to the canal! When the sculpture is finished there will be 46 different figures - representing Oklahoma's place as the 46th state! I learned many things that I had not known before. There is great art surrounding the canal - sculptures, mosaics and murals. I'm grateful for the beauty that surrounds me.

I am so thankful for the blessings in my life! I am especially thankful for the gift of life given for each of us when Jesus Christ died on the cross! There's nothing greater than knowing God and being able to serve Him!

What are YOU grateful for today???? For more Grains, visit Brady's Bunch!

In His Love and Blessings
annb

Grains of Gratitude / Sunday February 17

Grains of Gratitude

Hosted by http://bradysbunch02.blogspot.com

Another week gone by - so quickly! The older I get, the faster they go! Last week was a good week - even with the transition we're going through. I'm so blessed in many ways!

This week I'm grateful for . . .

. . . . My new granddaughter, Abigail aka Gabby. She was born on Monday - C-Section because she was breech. Candace is still sore, but getting better and she says Gabby is really a good baby! I knew she would be! Her two big brothers were really good babies, too! I think it might be because Candace is so calm during her pregnancies. She's a good mom and loves her babies like crazy!

. . . . Surgery scheduled for Friday! Chance will go in on Friday to get the rods taken out of his hand from back in November when he broke his wrist. Remember this?

One of the rods really bothers him because it is rubbing against his skin. You can feel it and see it from the outside! It does look really uncomfortable. He's been "one-armed" for so long now. I hope he will be able to use it when the rods come out. We already know he will be in physical therapy and I'm sure that will help!

. . . . The love of God! As imperfect as I am, I know that nothing can separate me from Him.

"neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation,
will be able to separate us
from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Romans 8:39

What are you thankful for today? See more "gratitude" at http://bradysbunch02.blogspot.com/ !

In His Love and Blessings,
annb

Grains of Gratitude July 22

Grains of Gratitude

Hosted by Christine at http://bradysbunch02.blogspot.com

This has been a great week around the B family! Exciting things are happening!

This week I’m grateful for . . . .

. . . . A job for Chance. Michael arranged for Chance to have an interview at the company where he works. Chance went for his interview at 8:00 on Monday and was hired and started work immediately! Michael works for a company that does computer work with a lot of the school systems in the state and Chance has been pulling cable all week! He’s enjoying the job and has been able to work with Michael most days. On Monday he worked with a crew in Macomb (somewhere in OK). That got him going for the week and I’m thankful that he’s enjoying it. He starts school – his senior year – in about three weeks so will only be working until then. If things work out well, he may be able to go back to work with the same company once he graduates. He loves computers and is really good with them. He wants to study computers, programming and graphics so hopefully, he will be able to work while still getting the training he desires.

. . . . Michael and Elizabeth! They have opened their home to Chance, allowing him to stay with them through the week so that he can ride back and forth with Michael. It’s great to know that they’re always there for us – ready, willing and anxious to help out!

. . . . A raise for Jody! Jody had his performance evaluation this past week. It was a great evaluation (never doubted it) and he was given one of the best raises he’s received since he started working there about 15 years ago. He was also given some new duties that are more supervisory, which will be a plus for him – less manual labor and more management!

. . . . A somewhat unexpected windfall! Jody and I are still in “recovery mode” from the year I stayed home – unemployed – and cared for my Mom. We both still know it was the best thing to do, but we knew going into it that there would be consequences to that decision. Not only are we still recovering but also after buying a car in April we have not yet been able to get the payments straightened out with the loan company. In both June and July there were two payments – automatic transactions – taken from our bank account instead of one. Now, I’m sure that might not be a big deal to some people but to Jody and me – it’s a VERY BIG deal! As I said, we’re still trying to recover from a year with only one paycheck coming in to take care of expenses. So, hopefully we now have that matter straightened out – after a couple of hours on the phone with the loan company!

The windfall comes into place in this way: Both my parents had shares in mineral rights on several different pieces of land. They didn’t own the land, only a portion of the mineral rights. So for as many years as I can remember, checks were paid to my parents for those mineral rights where oil had been struck. The checks were not anything that put us into monetary wealth, but they were income nevertheless. When my parents died, of course those rights were given to us, their children. Now instead of the number of shares being paid to one (couple), the dividends now had to divided between six of us! Anyway to make a long story short and to get to my point, Jody and I sold our shares this week – to one of my brothers – and in this way we have more money that we will be able to put towards some of those “Recovery” items!

. . . . My granddaughter, Addy. Addy calls Jody and I regularly just to talk and keep us updated on her life! I absolutely loves that she calls us. She called me Thursday evening and invited me to come on Friday afternoon to her swimming lessons. She has now completed her second session and on the last day, the kids can have spectators to show off what they’ve learned. This is my second time to go – 1st session and 2nd session – and I’ve enjoyed seeing what she’s learned in each session. She started out the first session hesitant, not even liking to get her face in the water and just really not too sure about any of it. She now loves to “bob” anywhere there’s water and she was thrilled to show me on Friday that she can jump into the 5 foot end of the pool (my heart jumps into my throat each time she jumps into the water) and then make it to the side by herself! I know realistically the instructor is right there and all the parents are right there, but when I see her jump into that water knowing she can’t touch the bottom, I have to admit that it scares me a little – okay a LOT! She’s doing very well and the instructors of both sessions were quite thrilled with her progress!

. . . . The beauty of God’s world! My friend Debbie and I, for lunch on Friday walked over to the student union where they have a Chick Filet! I love Chick Filet and it was great discovering that there is one so close to our offices. It’s about three blocks from the office, so we walked over there, ordered food then walked back to a spot about halfway between the student union and Children’s Hospital where we work, and sat enjoying our lunch under a shade umbrella. There is a small area set up with tables and chairs all around a beautiful waterfall. There was a guy working on the water when we first got there, but he finished up and got it going pretty quick. Trees, flowers and all kinds of greenery surround the area and the cool spray from the waterfall was great and cooled off the area. We’ve decided that we are going to take our lunch over there to eat often during the week.
That’s a bit of what I’m thankful for this past week. What are you thankful for today?

Grains of Gratitude October 28

Grains of Gratitude
Hosted by Mum2Brady

I am thankful for so many blessings my life! I’m afraid I’ve not taken the time lately to really just be quiet and be thankful! I’m in the midst of so much turmoil right now – not sure what’s going on, but it’s causing me to look at my life in a way that I’ve been afraid to look at it in a very long time! I’m glad to be able to just stop and be thankful and to praise God for the goodness and mercy He affords me.

Today I’m thankful for. . . .

. . . the fact that I am the mother of only . . one . . more. . teenager! I was reading Annie’s blog this morning and when I read about Amanda’s speeding ticket it really brought back some memories! Our two older girls, Toni and Elizabeth were the Speeding Ticket Queens when they were younger! It seemed like one of them was always getting a ticket for speeding! I honestly don’t even know how many either of them received because we never paid even one ticket for them! They each had to go to court and face the judge and pay the “piper” themselves! I’m a huge believer in consequences for actions and they earned the tickets themselves, so they could deal with the consequences themselves! Chance will be 18 in January and the only thing saving us so far, I guess, is that we haven’t allowed him to get his license yet. I think the difference between a 16-year old and an 18-year old is huge and the added two years will, hopefully, give him a more mature and responsible attitude about driving. Of course, that’s only one reason that I’m thankful to have my last teenager almost grown! He’s a great kid, but he’s still a teenager!

. . . my job – once again! I’m so blessed to work in an office with only women. Not only are we an office of only women, but we are all so close in age that we share so much! This past week was a tough one! My job as a Credentialer of Medical Staff at a hospital can be stressful! We work on deadlines – always, and because of the importance of the work done by our office staff, we are under close scrutiny for the job we do for each member of the medical staff! Some of the girls have really been feeling the stress and it came out this week – but it also is very helpful to all of us to know how each of us is feeling. Each Wednesday morning we have a staff meeting to go over any issues we may have that could adversely affect the credentialing process of a practitioner. This past week, because of all the stress, our meeting turned into a crying and hugging session! Boss D is such a wonderful boss! She works very hard to help us each to deal with any issues that may affect us – both at work and at home and will do any thing she can to alleviate the stress! She set aside a couple of deadlines, that could be moved back a bit, and we have all pitched in to help clear up some of the “looming” deadlines that could not be moved! We are an office of nine women and any one of us would do anything in the world for any one of the others! It’s an amazing place to work!

. . . my daughter, Elizabeth. She is such an awesome woman! She and I share a very close relationship and I can’t imagine my life without her! We talk every day – even if we have nothing to talk about! I see her two or three times a week, at least! She listens to me . . . really listens to me and helps me to see things in a different light when I feel overwhelmed or when I feel down in the dumps! She and her husband, Michael are spirit-filled, fully devoted followers of Christ and they are truly an inspiration to me! Elizabeth has taught me so many things and I am still learning from her! God so richly blessed me when He chose me to be her Mother! He sent her to me at a time in my life when I needed salvation in more ways than one!

. . . for all of my children and grandchildren. They bring so much joy to my life! Addy came over on Thursday evening and Joey and Levi came over yesterday. Last weekend was Addy’s birthday party at the Children’s Museum and Blake and Toni were there! I love to see the kids and nothing could replace the feeling of being their mom and grandma.

. . . for the gift of free will! God was so generous to give each of us free will to make our own choices in this life! Even though He knew the choices each and every one of us would make, He still gave us this gift! How much greater that gift becomes when we choose to give Him all the glory and praise for every aspect of our lives! We don’t have to follow Christ – but oh, what a blessing when we choose to make Him the top priority in our lives! How sad for those who make the choice to follow Satan! How sad for those who will never know the awesome power of our Lord! Thank you, God, for free will and for the gift of salvation offered to all!

What are you thankful for today? Visit Mum2Brady and see what others are grateful for today!

Grains of Gratitude August 5

Hosted by Christine at http://bradysbunch02.blogspot.com

Today begins another new week and I can’t start the new one without showing my gratitude for the blessings I enjoyed last week! Expressing my gratitude here is another way to thank God for His mercy and for the greatest gift ever given – the life of His son, for our salvation!

Today I’m thankful for . . .

. . . . LifeChurch! Craig’s message was awesome today with the focus on Ephesians 2:10, “For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Many of us, myself included, have difficulty concentrating on the fact that we are “God’s workmanship” instead of believing the negative image we have of ourselves based on criticisms and hurts we carry with us from the past. I actually talked about this same thing here, in a recent post on my other blog “In Due Time”, which is where I write about issues I face in regard to lifestyle changes I am implementing in order to be a fully devoted follower of Christ.

Once again, it seemed like Craig’s lesson was meant especially for me. I always come away from the service feeling uplifted and ready to face another week with new tools to use in my daily life, which will strengthen my relationship with God.

I signed up to serve at church during the worship service which is one hour earlier than the service I attend, so today was my first day of serving. I asked for the babies and I was put in the classroom for the babies between 12 and 24 months! I loved it! The babies were so sweet and came right to me to hold them. At this age, they all want cuddles and loving and I’m more than happy to oblige!

One of the team leaders came to the classroom about twenty minutes before the class was over and asked if one of us would like to move to the class just below – the ages from birth to one year. I immediately volunteered thinking how fun it would be to cuddle those little bitty babies! I have definitely decided that I want to stay in the older group! There were a lot of newborns in the class and when I first walked in there were either three or four babies crying. Each of the workers had one baby in tow; there were babies in swings all around the room; two babies in their little jumper seats and it was chaotic! I immediately took one of the crying babies and got her to sleep, laid her down and then had two more to give bottles to at the same time! I had one in each hand! I was much calmer in the room with the “cuddlers”.

. . . . My team of co-workers. My boss is so great at knowing when we need a break because the work we do is very detailed and everything has a deadline. Now, just having a deadline is really not the hardest part. The hardest part of meeting our deadlines is that we have to rely on other people to submit to us all the documentation necessary to complete the job. Most are really good about it, but just a few who don’t realize the impact late submission causes, can really throw a kink into everything!

We had a working lunch away from the office on Thursday. We went as a group to Cattlemen’s restaurant. It was so nice to be able to spend a little time away from the office, just being together. We had a great lunch and went back to work feeling refreshed and ready to tackle the job again!

. . . . My son, Chance! Last week was his third week on his job and I am so proud of him! His boss, along with Michael, the job foreman and others have really bragged on what a great job he’s doing for them. He really has shown that he’s not a little boy anymore, but that he can do a man’s job and do it very well! He was in Sayre from Monday through Thursday last week and by God’s grace, Michael was able to go with him. They will go back for just a couple of days this week to finish and then Friday this week, will be Chance’s last day. He starts school on Monday.

He has the opportunity to work during his school breaks, but right now at least, he is saying that he doesn’t think he wants to do that. He would rather enjoy his senior year and then go back to work once he graduates. This has been a great opportunity for him and I believe, and am praying, that it will lead to great things once he is out of school!

. . . . My Mom and Dad. Friday was their wedding anniversary and it really made me think about them a lot. I’m so thankful that they taught us to love the Lord and to live a life of service to Him! I know that they could not have given us a better gift! I miss them every day, but I know that we will be together again!

. . . . My husband, Jody. This summer Chance has been gone from home more than he’s been here. Jody and I have been alone most of the summer learning how to live each day without children in our home. When we married we already had three children – two from his first marriage and one from my first marriage. Eleven months after our wedding, we had our fourth child. We’ve never been without children since the beginning and it is definitely different than we are used to in our home. It’s been nice. It’s been quiet and peaceful. Jody is really becoming quite the “Handy Helper” around here. He has even unloaded and loaded the dishwasher several times! He is truly one of God’s blessings in my life!

I love to count my blessings and see what the Lord has done each week! I am so blessed and know where my blessings come from! I love the Lord and wake every day thankful for another day to serve Him!

I love Christine's question, "What are you thankful for today?" and it always makes me stop, think and be thankful for my blessings!

Grains of Gratitude 06/24

Hosted by Christine at Brady's Bunch!

This week I"m grateful for many things (as usual). God has so richly blessed me and there's no way I could even begin to count the blessings He has given me!

This week I'm grateful for . . . .

. . . . . Pastor Craig, who preaches straight from the scriptures and is not afraid of stepping on toes. This morning as he was preaching from the book of Jonah and speaking about the evil that was going on in Nineveh, he talked about the moral decay of today's people - even in the Church! He talked about repenting before God because he has not been able to teach his congregations so that they understand the importance of living a life of obedience to God! He is an awesome preacher and he presents a lesson every week that touches me and many others and the fact that he feels like he is failing God in some way because there are still people in the Church who choose a life contrary to the teachings of Our Lord speaks volumes about the Godly man that he is!

. . . . . I'm grateful for my husband and the life that we share together. He is a good man, willing to make changes in his life and in our marriage that will draw us closer in our relationship to God. He has shown me this past week that he is willing to make changes, even though they draw him out of his comfort zone. This week has been one of the best weeks in our 18-year marriage.

. . . . . I'm grateful for the beauty God has given us on this earth. We have had so much rain here - breaking a record that was set back in 1947! The rain has done amazing things to my flowers and I'm enjoying the beautiful colors so much! I dug up some of the flowers from my bed for my daughter to plant in her yard because my flowerbeds are too full now after the amount of rain we've had the past month!

. . . . . I'm grateful for the relationships I have with my children! This morning Jody and I took our two youngest grandsons to church with us and I'm going to try to get my oldest grandson to go with us next week. Even though our oldest daughter and our youngest daughter don't attend church anymore, I know that they want their children to have a foundation in God and they are very willing for us to take the kids with us.

. . . . . I'm so grateful for my job and the women I work with on the job! I think I must list this same one each time, but I truly am grateful. It's wonderful to wake up in the morning ready to go to work, knowing that it will be a good day because of the atmosphere created by the friendships we have with each other.

. . . . . God has blessed me so richly and I never forget the greatest blessing He has given - His son who died on the cross and carried with Him our sins and our sickness. I will never be worthy of such a gift, but I thank God for His grace and mercy and for the greatest gift ever given!

. . . . . I'm grateful for Christine - hosting the Grains of Gratitude, reminding me always to be thankful for each day and it's blessings.

Grains of Gratitude July 8

Hosted by Christine, at Brady's Bunch!

It's time again for Grains of Gratitude and I'm always ready with a thankful heart for the blessings I've been given over the past week!

This week I'm grateful for . . .

. . . Sunshine! We've had so much rain here over the past month and it's wonderful to have the sunshine to enjoy once again. Of course with the sunshine comes the heat! The mornings are so beautiful as the sun comes up and the dew is still on the grass. To wake up early and hear the birds singing is a joy in itself. The hill we live on (at the bottom) is so quiet and far enough from the road that we don't have to listen to the sounds of the cars going by!

. . . My mom and dad for this great piece of land they allowed us to buy from them. Both my parents are gone now, but living on this hill keeps them close in my heart. My parents picked this land together when my dad retired. They knew this would be the place they would live for the rest of their life. I think they made a good choice and I'm thankful that part of it's mine now!

. . . For a day off work in the middle of the week! It was great to go to work for two days then off for the holiday and then back to work for two days and then off again for the weekend!

. . . For paid time off(pto)! Since I work at a hospital and hospitals don't close for holidays we are required to use our earned pto for time off. I'm thankful that they "give" us the opportunity to earn pto so that we have it to use when the office is closed for holidays!

. . . For family time on July 4! Jody grilled burgers, bratwurst and chicken breasts for our big 4th cookout! Michael, Elizabeth and Addy plus Nick, Candace, Levi and Joey all came to share the meal with us. Candace had to go to work at 6:00, so Nick took her to work - leaving the boys - and then came back and by then it was time to start the fireworks! We had plenty and not only did we enjoy our own, but we were able to see at least three other "shows" over the treetops!

. . . That we live outside of any city limits and can shoot off fireworks here at home! I have never really liked fireworks - too scary and noisy for me - but I tolerate them each year and even sit outside (for the most part) with everyone else to watch. Sometimes I have to go behind the storm door and compose myself before I can join in again!

Our Grand Finale was one of those times! Michael had bought this big round can full of smaller canisters that when set go off one right after another and these fireworks really gave off a beautiful show. Before Jody and Chance lit it I had moved from my seat on the steps to standing by the front door - just in case! I told you - I'm a big chicken when it comes to loud noise and pieces of burning whatever flying down through the air! Well, the fireworks from the can started and they were beautiful - lots of colors and lots of booms! When the last canister exploded in the sky it was a bit low - and Addy and I ran for the safety behind the storm door! Thank goodness I had moved closer before they started! Elizabeth got hit beside her eye and then again on her neck where part of "the light show" came down too quickly and too close! But all in all, it was a great fireworks display! What's a fireworks display without a spectacular ending?!

. . . Church at LifeChurch! Pastor Craig started a new series this morning and the lesson was great! The series is called "At The Movies" and each week a movie will be spotlighted and the lesson will be in relation to that particular movie. Today's movie was "Walk The Line" - the story of Johnny Cash. I learned things that I did not know about Johnny Cash - that he was raised in a Christian family and had an older brother that he idolized who wanted to be a minister when he grew up! His brother was killed in an accident when they were young which created a lot of hurt in Johnny Cash - and even more hurt caused by his father's actions and words directed at Johnny after his brother's death. Pastor Craig played the last video Mr. Cash ever made and it was really touching. At the end of the video, Johnny expresses how he would live his life differently if he had it to do over again - never losing himself in many of the self-destructive behaviors he participated in during his lifetime! He urges anyone reading his message to listen when they are taught the Good News of Christ and not to waste time, but to seek God's Direction - of course I'm paraphrasing! It really was a great message!

Those are a few of the blessings I'm thankful for this week! What are you thankful for? Thank you, Christine, for hosting "Grains of Gratitude"!

Grains of Gratitude Oct 12, 2008

Hosted by mum2Brady

I'm a little late posting my "Sunday" Grains of Gratitude, but "better late than never!", right?

This past week has been full of ups and downs! Thankfully the "ups" win out every time!

This week I received notice that I was not selected on two of the positions for which I interviewed recently. I had really been excited about one of them especially and thought I had a good chance at getting the job. The woman who interviewed me said that they had selected someone with experience in the same field, so I do understand - I had never worked in that type of setting before. The same reason was given for the other position being filled by someone else - I also had not worked in that field before either.

At first, the news really got me! It's so easy to fall into the trap of playing those old "tapes" in my mind about not being good enough, but it didn't last long. I went to my knees before God and cried out for his help. I'm so thankful to have a relationship in Jesus and know that is where my strength comes from to get through the storms. Once I released the negative thoughts and laid it all at the cross before God, I was able to "get back on the horse" and start sending out more resumes. I am in constant prayer and know that God will open the door for a job in which I can best serve.

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you,
says the LORD,
thoughts of peace and not of evil,
to give you a future and a hope.
Jeremiah 29:11

Tuesday Elizabeth and I took Addy and all the daycare kids to the pumpkin patch so that each of them could find their own "special" pumpkin to take home with them. When we got there a photographer from The Daily Oklahoman was there and asked if he could take pictures of the kids. He took several pictures and posted two of them in the paper on Saturday. The kids each found their pumpkin and then we were able to get a group shot before we left(with almost all faces looking forward).

Wednesday night, at AWANAS, Addy earned a badge for her vest by reciting seven different memory verses! She was so proud (as were we all!) - so now I'll be sewing on the new patch this week. She loves reading and memorizing and constantly tries to get her mommy to let her do more and more reading. Elizabeth spaces out the lessons so that Addy has enough time to really soak up each one and doesn't let her go past each day's lesson. Addy's like a little sponge and just absorbs everything around her! She loves learning and it's fun to watch her grow in knowledge every day!

Friday night Michael and Liz had some international friends fly in and they will be here until Tuesday morning. They have been such great guests and it's been fun getting to know them. They arrived bearing gifts - even for me! I was so surprised and so grateful. They gave me a bottle of Chanel #5 and I absolutely love it! They also brought me a couple of blouses that are beautiful! They, of course, brought many gifts for Elizabeth, Michael and Addy.

Friday was one of the guest's birthdays, so Elizabeth planned a surprise birthday party for her to be held Saturday evening. She took them all to Arbuckle Wilderness - a park you drive thru with animals roaming throughout. They come up to your car and you can feed them - if you buy the feed, of course. They did and they said it was a lot of fun!

While they were gone, Michael wrapped up gifts and picked up some balloons for decoration and I baked a cake for the birthday lady! She was so surprised! It is such a blessing to be able to be a part of the happiness of another person!

Sunday, we all went to church together, went out for lunch and then went to the Oklahoma City Bombing Memorial. Since the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995, I have never been to the site once the memorial was finished. It really is awesome! There's a feeling you have as you walk through and see all the chairs - one for each of the 169 people who were killed in the bombing. I think the hardest part is seeing all the small chairs representing the children who were killed. It brings back the memories of that horrible day - as if were yesterday! There was also a statue that represents Jesus weeping! His hand is over His face with bowed head and the inscription reads "And Jesus wept". I know that must be true. So many wept that day and for many days after!

Once we finished at the memorial we then went to Bricktown and rode the water taxi on the canal. We had a great captain/tour guide and the ride was a lot of fun! He picked on some Texans who were on the taxi and they took it very well. There are some bronze statues around the canal and the story behind their creation was interesting. The artist is a professor at Oklahoma University and in the sculpture of the Oklahoma LandRun (still under construction), he put his own face on the wagon driver closest to the canal! When the sculpture is finished there will be 46 different figures - representing Oklahoma's place as the 46th state! I learned many things that I had not known before. There is great art surrounding the canal - sculptures, mosaics and murals. I'm grateful for the beauty that surrounds me.

I am so thankful for the blessings in my life! I am especially thankful for the gift of life given for each of us when Jesus Christ died on the cross! There's nothing greater than knowing God and being able to serve Him!

What are YOU grateful for today???? For more Grains, visit Brady's Bunch!

In His Love and Blessings
annb

Grains of Gratitude / Sunday February 17

Grains of Gratitude

Hosted by http://bradysbunch02.blogspot.com

Another week gone by - so quickly! The older I get, the faster they go! Last week was a good week - even with the transition we're going through. I'm so blessed in many ways!

This week I'm grateful for . . .

. . . . My new granddaughter, Abigail aka Gabby. She was born on Monday - C-Section because she was breech. Candace is still sore, but getting better and she says Gabby is really a good baby! I knew she would be! Her two big brothers were really good babies, too! I think it might be because Candace is so calm during her pregnancies. She's a good mom and loves her babies like crazy!

. . . . Surgery scheduled for Friday! Chance will go in on Friday to get the rods taken out of his hand from back in November when he broke his wrist. Remember this?

One of the rods really bothers him because it is rubbing against his skin. You can feel it and see it from the outside! It does look really uncomfortable. He's been "one-armed" for so long now. I hope he will be able to use it when the rods come out. We already know he will be in physical therapy and I'm sure that will help!

. . . . The love of God! As imperfect as I am, I know that nothing can separate me from Him.

"neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation,
will be able to separate us
from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Romans 8:39

What are you thankful for today? See more "gratitude" at http://bradysbunch02.blogspot.com/ !

In His Love and Blessings,
annb

Grains of Gratitude October 28

Grains of Gratitude
Hosted by Mum2Brady

I am thankful for so many blessings my life! I’m afraid I’ve not taken the time lately to really just be quiet and be thankful! I’m in the midst of so much turmoil right now – not sure what’s going on, but it’s causing me to look at my life in a way that I’ve been afraid to look at it in a very long time! I’m glad to be able to just stop and be thankful and to praise God for the goodness and mercy He affords me.

Today I’m thankful for. . . .

. . . the fact that I am the mother of only . . one . . more. . teenager! I was reading Annie’s blog this morning and when I read about Amanda’s speeding ticket it really brought back some memories! Our two older girls, Toni and Elizabeth were the Speeding Ticket Queens when they were younger! It seemed like one of them was always getting a ticket for speeding! I honestly don’t even know how many either of them received because we never paid even one ticket for them! They each had to go to court and face the judge and pay the “piper” themselves! I’m a huge believer in consequences for actions and they earned the tickets themselves, so they could deal with the consequences themselves! Chance will be 18 in January and the only thing saving us so far, I guess, is that we haven’t allowed him to get his license yet. I think the difference between a 16-year old and an 18-year old is huge and the added two years will, hopefully, give him a more mature and responsible attitude about driving. Of course, that’s only one reason that I’m thankful to have my last teenager almost grown! He’s a great kid, but he’s still a teenager!

. . . my job – once again! I’m so blessed to work in an office with only women. Not only are we an office of only women, but we are all so close in age that we share so much! This past week was a tough one! My job as a Credentialer of Medical Staff at a hospital can be stressful! We work on deadlines – always, and because of the importance of the work done by our office staff, we are under close scrutiny for the job we do for each member of the medical staff! Some of the girls have really been feeling the stress and it came out this week – but it also is very helpful to all of us to know how each of us is feeling. Each Wednesday morning we have a staff meeting to go over any issues we may have that could adversely affect the credentialing process of a practitioner. This past week, because of all the stress, our meeting turned into a crying and hugging session! Boss D is such a wonderful boss! She works very hard to help us each to deal with any issues that may affect us – both at work and at home and will do any thing she can to alleviate the stress! She set aside a couple of deadlines, that could be moved back a bit, and we have all pitched in to help clear up some of the “looming” deadlines that could not be moved! We are an office of nine women and any one of us would do anything in the world for any one of the others! It’s an amazing place to work!

. . . my daughter, Elizabeth. She is such an awesome woman! She and I share a very close relationship and I can’t imagine my life without her! We talk every day – even if we have nothing to talk about! I see her two or three times a week, at least! She listens to me . . . really listens to me and helps me to see things in a different light when I feel overwhelmed or when I feel down in the dumps! She and her husband, Michael are spirit-filled, fully devoted followers of Christ and they are truly an inspiration to me! Elizabeth has taught me so many things and I am still learning from her! God so richly blessed me when He chose me to be her Mother! He sent her to me at a time in my life when I needed salvation in more ways than one!

. . . for all of my children and grandchildren. They bring so much joy to my life! Addy came over on Thursday evening and Joey and Levi came over yesterday. Last weekend was Addy’s birthday party at the Children’s Museum and Blake and Toni were there! I love to see the kids and nothing could replace the feeling of being their mom and grandma.

. . . for the gift of free will! God was so generous to give each of us free will to make our own choices in this life! Even though He knew the choices each and every one of us would make, He still gave us this gift! How much greater that gift becomes when we choose to give Him all the glory and praise for every aspect of our lives! We don’t have to follow Christ – but oh, what a blessing when we choose to make Him the top priority in our lives! How sad for those who make the choice to follow Satan! How sad for those who will never know the awesome power of our Lord! Thank you, God, for free will and for the gift of salvation offered to all!

What are you thankful for today? Visit Mum2Brady and see what others are grateful for today!

Grains of Gratitude August 5

Hosted by Christine at http://bradysbunch02.blogspot.com

Today begins another new week and I can’t start the new one without showing my gratitude for the blessings I enjoyed last week! Expressing my gratitude here is another way to thank God for His mercy and for the greatest gift ever given – the life of His son, for our salvation!

Today I’m thankful for . . .

. . . . LifeChurch! Craig’s message was awesome today with the focus on Ephesians 2:10, “For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Many of us, myself included, have difficulty concentrating on the fact that we are “God’s workmanship” instead of believing the negative image we have of ourselves based on criticisms and hurts we carry with us from the past. I actually talked about this same thing here, in a recent post on my other blog “In Due Time”, which is where I write about issues I face in regard to lifestyle changes I am implementing in order to be a fully devoted follower of Christ.

Once again, it seemed like Craig’s lesson was meant especially for me. I always come away from the service feeling uplifted and ready to face another week with new tools to use in my daily life, which will strengthen my relationship with God.

I signed up to serve at church during the worship service which is one hour earlier than the service I attend, so today was my first day of serving. I asked for the babies and I was put in the classroom for the babies between 12 and 24 months! I loved it! The babies were so sweet and came right to me to hold them. At this age, they all want cuddles and loving and I’m more than happy to oblige!

One of the team leaders came to the classroom about twenty minutes before the class was over and asked if one of us would like to move to the class just below – the ages from birth to one year. I immediately volunteered thinking how fun it would be to cuddle those little bitty babies! I have definitely decided that I want to stay in the older group! There were a lot of newborns in the class and when I first walked in there were either three or four babies crying. Each of the workers had one baby in tow; there were babies in swings all around the room; two babies in their little jumper seats and it was chaotic! I immediately took one of the crying babies and got her to sleep, laid her down and then had two more to give bottles to at the same time! I had one in each hand! I was much calmer in the room with the “cuddlers”.

. . . . My team of co-workers. My boss is so great at knowing when we need a break because the work we do is very detailed and everything has a deadline. Now, just having a deadline is really not the hardest part. The hardest part of meeting our deadlines is that we have to rely on other people to submit to us all the documentation necessary to complete the job. Most are really good about it, but just a few who don’t realize the impact late submission causes, can really throw a kink into everything!

We had a working lunch away from the office on Thursday. We went as a group to Cattlemen’s restaurant. It was so nice to be able to spend a little time away from the office, just being together. We had a great lunch and went back to work feeling refreshed and ready to tackle the job again!

. . . . My son, Chance! Last week was his third week on his job and I am so proud of him! His boss, along with Michael, the job foreman and others have really bragged on what a great job he’s doing for them. He really has shown that he’s not a little boy anymore, but that he can do a man’s job and do it very well! He was in Sayre from Monday through Thursday last week and by God’s grace, Michael was able to go with him. They will go back for just a couple of days this week to finish and then Friday this week, will be Chance’s last day. He starts school on Monday.

He has the opportunity to work during his school breaks, but right now at least, he is saying that he doesn’t think he wants to do that. He would rather enjoy his senior year and then go back to work once he graduates. This has been a great opportunity for him and I believe, and am praying, that it will lead to great things once he is out of school!

. . . . My Mom and Dad. Friday was their wedding anniversary and it really made me think about them a lot. I’m so thankful that they taught us to love the Lord and to live a life of service to Him! I know that they could not have given us a better gift! I miss them every day, but I know that we will be together again!

. . . . My husband, Jody. This summer Chance has been gone from home more than he’s been here. Jody and I have been alone most of the summer learning how to live each day without children in our home. When we married we already had three children – two from his first marriage and one from my first marriage. Eleven months after our wedding, we had our fourth child. We’ve never been without children since the beginning and it is definitely different than we are used to in our home. It’s been nice. It’s been quiet and peaceful. Jody is really becoming quite the “Handy Helper” around here. He has even unloaded and loaded the dishwasher several times! He is truly one of God’s blessings in my life!

I love to count my blessings and see what the Lord has done each week! I am so blessed and know where my blessings come from! I love the Lord and wake every day thankful for another day to serve Him!

I love Christine's question, "What are you thankful for today?" and it always makes me stop, think and be thankful for my blessings!

Grains of Gratitude July 22

Grains of Gratitude

Hosted by Christine at http://bradysbunch02.blogspot.com

This has been a great week around the B family! Exciting things are happening!

This week I’m grateful for . . . .

. . . . A job for Chance. Michael arranged for Chance to have an interview at the company where he works. Chance went for his interview at 8:00 on Monday and was hired and started work immediately! Michael works for a company that does computer work with a lot of the school systems in the state and Chance has been pulling cable all week! He’s enjoying the job and has been able to work with Michael most days. On Monday he worked with a crew in Macomb (somewhere in OK). That got him going for the week and I’m thankful that he’s enjoying it. He starts school – his senior year – in about three weeks so will only be working until then. If things work out well, he may be able to go back to work with the same company once he graduates. He loves computers and is really good with them. He wants to study computers, programming and graphics so hopefully, he will be able to work while still getting the training he desires.

. . . . Michael and Elizabeth! They have opened their home to Chance, allowing him to stay with them through the week so that he can ride back and forth with Michael. It’s great to know that they’re always there for us – ready, willing and anxious to help out!

. . . . A raise for Jody! Jody had his performance evaluation this past week. It was a great evaluation (never doubted it) and he was given one of the best raises he’s received since he started working there about 15 years ago. He was also given some new duties that are more supervisory, which will be a plus for him – less manual labor and more management!

. . . . A somewhat unexpected windfall! Jody and I are still in “recovery mode” from the year I stayed home – unemployed – and cared for my Mom. We both still know it was the best thing to do, but we knew going into it that there would be consequences to that decision. Not only are we still recovering but also after buying a car in April we have not yet been able to get the payments straightened out with the loan company. In both June and July there were two payments – automatic transactions – taken from our bank account instead of one. Now, I’m sure that might not be a big deal to some people but to Jody and me – it’s a VERY BIG deal! As I said, we’re still trying to recover from a year with only one paycheck coming in to take care of expenses. So, hopefully we now have that matter straightened out – after a couple of hours on the phone with the loan company!

The windfall comes into place in this way: Both my parents had shares in mineral rights on several different pieces of land. They didn’t own the land, only a portion of the mineral rights. So for as many years as I can remember, checks were paid to my parents for those mineral rights where oil had been struck. The checks were not anything that put us into monetary wealth, but they were income nevertheless. When my parents died, of course those rights were given to us, their children. Now instead of the number of shares being paid to one (couple), the dividends now had to divided between six of us! Anyway to make a long story short and to get to my point, Jody and I sold our shares this week – to one of my brothers – and in this way we have more money that we will be able to put towards some of those “Recovery” items!

. . . . My granddaughter, Addy. Addy calls Jody and I regularly just to talk and keep us updated on her life! I absolutely loves that she calls us. She called me Thursday evening and invited me to come on Friday afternoon to her swimming lessons. She has now completed her second session and on the last day, the kids can have spectators to show off what they’ve learned. This is my second time to go – 1st session and 2nd session – and I’ve enjoyed seeing what she’s learned in each session. She started out the first session hesitant, not even liking to get her face in the water and just really not too sure about any of it. She now loves to “bob” anywhere there’s water and she was thrilled to show me on Friday that she can jump into the 5 foot end of the pool (my heart jumps into my throat each time she jumps into the water) and then make it to the side by herself! I know realistically the instructor is right there and all the parents are right there, but when I see her jump into that water knowing she can’t touch the bottom, I have to admit that it scares me a little – okay a LOT! She’s doing very well and the instructors of both sessions were quite thrilled with her progress!

. . . . The beauty of God’s world! My friend Debbie and I, for lunch on Friday walked over to the student union where they have a Chick Filet! I love Chick Filet and it was great discovering that there is one so close to our offices. It’s about three blocks from the office, so we walked over there, ordered food then walked back to a spot about halfway between the student union and Children’s Hospital where we work, and sat enjoying our lunch under a shade umbrella. There is a small area set up with tables and chairs all around a beautiful waterfall. There was a guy working on the water when we first got there, but he finished up and got it going pretty quick. Trees, flowers and all kinds of greenery surround the area and the cool spray from the waterfall was great and cooled off the area. We’ve decided that we are going to take our lunch over there to eat often during the week.
That’s a bit of what I’m thankful for this past week. What are you thankful for today?

Grains of Gratitude July 8

Hosted by Christine, at Brady's Bunch!

It's time again for Grains of Gratitude and I'm always ready with a thankful heart for the blessings I've been given over the past week!

This week I'm grateful for . . .

. . . Sunshine! We've had so much rain here over the past month and it's wonderful to have the sunshine to enjoy once again. Of course with the sunshine comes the heat! The mornings are so beautiful as the sun comes up and the dew is still on the grass. To wake up early and hear the birds singing is a joy in itself. The hill we live on (at the bottom) is so quiet and far enough from the road that we don't have to listen to the sounds of the cars going by!

. . . My mom and dad for this great piece of land they allowed us to buy from them. Both my parents are gone now, but living on this hill keeps them close in my heart. My parents picked this land together when my dad retired. They knew this would be the place they would live for the rest of their life. I think they made a good choice and I'm thankful that part of it's mine now!

. . . For a day off work in the middle of the week! It was great to go to work for two days then off for the holiday and then back to work for two days and then off again for the weekend!

. . . For paid time off(pto)! Since I work at a hospital and hospitals don't close for holidays we are required to use our earned pto for time off. I'm thankful that they "give" us the opportunity to earn pto so that we have it to use when the office is closed for holidays!

. . . For family time on July 4! Jody grilled burgers, bratwurst and chicken breasts for our big 4th cookout! Michael, Elizabeth and Addy plus Nick, Candace, Levi and Joey all came to share the meal with us. Candace had to go to work at 6:00, so Nick took her to work - leaving the boys - and then came back and by then it was time to start the fireworks! We had plenty and not only did we enjoy our own, but we were able to see at least three other "shows" over the treetops!

. . . That we live outside of any city limits and can shoot off fireworks here at home! I have never really liked fireworks - too scary and noisy for me - but I tolerate them each year and even sit outside (for the most part) with everyone else to watch. Sometimes I have to go behind the storm door and compose myself before I can join in again!

Our Grand Finale was one of those times! Michael had bought this big round can full of smaller canisters that when set go off one right after another and these fireworks really gave off a beautiful show. Before Jody and Chance lit it I had moved from my seat on the steps to standing by the front door - just in case! I told you - I'm a big chicken when it comes to loud noise and pieces of burning whatever flying down through the air! Well, the fireworks from the can started and they were beautiful - lots of colors and lots of booms! When the last canister exploded in the sky it was a bit low - and Addy and I ran for the safety behind the storm door! Thank goodness I had moved closer before they started! Elizabeth got hit beside her eye and then again on her neck where part of "the light show" came down too quickly and too close! But all in all, it was a great fireworks display! What's a fireworks display without a spectacular ending?!

. . . Church at LifeChurch! Pastor Craig started a new series this morning and the lesson was great! The series is called "At The Movies" and each week a movie will be spotlighted and the lesson will be in relation to that particular movie. Today's movie was "Walk The Line" - the story of Johnny Cash. I learned things that I did not know about Johnny Cash - that he was raised in a Christian family and had an older brother that he idolized who wanted to be a minister when he grew up! His brother was killed in an accident when they were young which created a lot of hurt in Johnny Cash - and even more hurt caused by his father's actions and words directed at Johnny after his brother's death. Pastor Craig played the last video Mr. Cash ever made and it was really touching. At the end of the video, Johnny expresses how he would live his life differently if he had it to do over again - never losing himself in many of the self-destructive behaviors he participated in during his lifetime! He urges anyone reading his message to listen when they are taught the Good News of Christ and not to waste time, but to seek God's Direction - of course I'm paraphrasing! It really was a great message!

Those are a few of the blessings I'm thankful for this week! What are you thankful for? Thank you, Christine, for hosting "Grains of Gratitude"!

Grains of Gratitude 06/24

Hosted by Christine at Brady's Bunch!

This week I"m grateful for many things (as usual). God has so richly blessed me and there's no way I could even begin to count the blessings He has given me!

This week I'm grateful for . . . .

. . . . . Pastor Craig, who preaches straight from the scriptures and is not afraid of stepping on toes. This morning as he was preaching from the book of Jonah and speaking about the evil that was going on in Nineveh, he talked about the moral decay of today's people - even in the Church! He talked about repenting before God because he has not been able to teach his congregations so that they understand the importance of living a life of obedience to God! He is an awesome preacher and he presents a lesson every week that touches me and many others and the fact that he feels like he is failing God in some way because there are still people in the Church who choose a life contrary to the teachings of Our Lord speaks volumes about the Godly man that he is!

. . . . . I'm grateful for my husband and the life that we share together. He is a good man, willing to make changes in his life and in our marriage that will draw us closer in our relationship to God. He has shown me this past week that he is willing to make changes, even though they draw him out of his comfort zone. This week has been one of the best weeks in our 18-year marriage.

. . . . . I'm grateful for the beauty God has given us on this earth. We have had so much rain here - breaking a record that was set back in 1947! The rain has done amazing things to my flowers and I'm enjoying the beautiful colors so much! I dug up some of the flowers from my bed for my daughter to plant in her yard because my flowerbeds are too full now after the amount of rain we've had the past month!

. . . . . I'm grateful for the relationships I have with my children! This morning Jody and I took our two youngest grandsons to church with us and I'm going to try to get my oldest grandson to go with us next week. Even though our oldest daughter and our youngest daughter don't attend church anymore, I know that they want their children to have a foundation in God and they are very willing for us to take the kids with us.

. . . . . I'm so grateful for my job and the women I work with on the job! I think I must list this same one each time, but I truly am grateful. It's wonderful to wake up in the morning ready to go to work, knowing that it will be a good day because of the atmosphere created by the friendships we have with each other.

. . . . . God has blessed me so richly and I never forget the greatest blessing He has given - His son who died on the cross and carried with Him our sins and our sickness. I will never be worthy of such a gift, but I thank God for His grace and mercy and for the greatest gift ever given!

. . . . . I'm grateful for Christine - hosting the Grains of Gratitude, reminding me always to be thankful for each day and it's blessings.