12.31.23

"Praise the LORD!

Praise, O servants of the LORD;

praise the name of the LORD.

Blessed be the name of the LORD 

from this time on and forevermore.

From the rising of the sun to its setting

the name of the LORD is to be praised.

The LORD is high above all nations,

and His glory above the heavens."

Psalm 113:1-4

Thankful tonight that I can look back at these 365 counted Good Gifts,

knowing they are only a snapshot of the LORD's grace, mercy, and kindness to me this year.

Just keep counting...

12.30.23

"The Boys in the Boat"

It was a good day for a good movie with the girls!

Thanks, Laura for planning and executing this outing for us Trew women!

 

12.29.23

Hooray! It's always a good time with sweet Rachael and her kiddos!

I'm thankful for her willingness to be creative with ways to connect and have conversations,

and am so glad we got our monthly date in just in the nick of time!!

"So encourage each other and build each other up,

just as you are already doing."

1 Thessalonians 5:11

12.28.23

Back home after our night away doing fancy big city things, 

and this discovery on the top of my bookshelf made me laugh out loud!!

Glad for this subtle nudge that perhaps dusting soon might be a good idea.

12.27.23

Camp Bobby

Nashville, Tennessee

Thankful for an enjoyable evening catching up with dear, old friends! 

Also...how fun is this rooftop venue?!! 

12.26.23

The guys are back at work, so it's a perfect day for lunch and a movie with my girls!

And now I'm ready to go to Biltmore and see it decorated for Christmas again!

 

12.25.23

Christmas Morning was extra sweet for me to share with our amazing "kids"!!

12.24.23

"Now may our LORD Jesus Christ Himself and GOD our Father,

who loved us and by His GRACE gave us eternal comfort and 

a wonderful hope, comfort you and strengthen you in every good thing you do and say."

2 Thessalonians 2:16-17 

 

12.23.23

Cracker Barrel Christmas for this gang of Merry Makers 

Hard to choose just one Good Gift from this family celebration ~

* The staff accommodated our large party seating us all together very quickly.

* Our server was patient, kind, efficient and just all around wonderful!

* Everyone got to to eat what they wanted and none of us had to cook. Or clean up.

* It was warm enough we could enjoy sitting on the front porch for exchanging gifts.

* No one else was even waiting out there, so we just made ourselves right at home! 

* My goal is to sneak this family photo onto their wall before our 2nd Annual CBC...

 

12.22.23

Hooray for getting to have a fun houseguest for Christmas Break!!

12.21.23

Such a JOY-filled visit with our friends at the farm today!!

Goats | Gator Rides | Snacks for Jack | Baby Calves | and an awesome Cookie Chat!!

 

12.20.23

Oops! I got a good chuckle out of this situation...

and am pretty sure my brother-in-law won't even notice!

 

12.19.23

December Mail Days are the Most Delightful

12.18.23

Sharing stories with friends was the JOY highlight of my day!!

Especially this well loved requested one ♡

 

12.17.23

🌟 Double Good Creative Arts Gift Counting 🌟

Our sweet preschoolers acting out the birth of John the Baptist in the morning,

and tonight, worshiping with Enoch at A Crossgates Christmas-NO OTHER KING in Mississippi!

 

12.16.23

Loved getting to share a little time side by side with my friend the professional gift wrapper!

 

12.15.23

Hooray for talented friends and the ACMS Christmas Cabaret 🎄 

 

12.14.23

Thankful for these helping hands with this each year...

12.13.23

What JOY to sing Christmas carols with our friends!!

I LOVE how they knew every.single.word to the traditional hymns!!!

Joy to the World, indeed!

The Lord is come!

 

12.12.23

Glad for a Holly Jolly evening with North Pole friends!!

12.11.23

In today's episode of "Real Life is Stranger [better] than Fiction"... 

Since no one wanted to abandon their already full carts, 

we just kept shopping...all the while saying, 

"I smell smoke. Do you smell smoke? I wonder what's on fire?"

Turns out a fire in a cooler in the produce section can crank out a LOT of smoke.

Good job, Walmart employees for building a cool barricade and staying calm.

And letting us complete our shopping mission.

And giving me a great story to share for the rest of the day! 🔥

 

12.10.23

Thank you, sweet Ellie for a perfect addition to our Christmas tree!!

I love the memory from this year's Thanksgiving Day puzzle!!!

12.09.23

Thankful for the Best Double Date friends! 🍣🎶🎄

12.08.23

Always love the opportunity to worship with Enoch!!

Tonight was even sweeter with these dear friends!!

 

12.07.23

Such JOY with these sweet friends at Esther's parents' church on their property!!

Preparing hearts and the room for celebrating the birth of King Jesus!

 

12.06.23

Community Group with the SWEETEST of friends!!

12.05.23

These guys crack me up! 

Especially the way they come running when they think they're going to get a snack

Thankful for fresh air and Goat Therapy this day!

 

12.04.23

Hometown Christmas Parade Tradition and these sweet buddies ♡

12.03.23

Every once in awhile I like to revisit Sunday dinner snacks of my youth

 

12.02.23

Thanks, Scott for making it So Cozy at the Cabin!

 

12.01.23

Good Family Times 

Rocking out with Dreams of Kings at Angela's to kick off December!

 

11.30.23

Giving Thanks for:

Listening to and singing Christmas music while gathering greenery

Here with Us 

by Joy Williams

It's still a mystery to me

That the hands of God could be so small

How tiny fingers reaching in the night

Were the very hands that measured the sky

Hallelujah, hallelujah 

Heaven's love reaching down to save the world

Hallelujah, hallelujah 

Son of God, servant King

Here with us, You're here with us

It's still a mystery to me

How His infant eyes have seen the dawn of time

How His ears have heard an angel's symphony

But still Mary had to rock her Savior to sleep

Hallelujah, hallelujah 

Heaven's love reaching down to save the world

Hallelujah, hallelujah 

Son of God, servant King

Here with us, You're here with us

Jesus, the Christ, born in Bethlehem

A baby born to save, to save the souls of man

Hallelujah, hallelujah 

Heaven's love reaching down to save the world

Hallelujah, hallelujah 

Son of God, servant King

Here with us

Hallelujah, hallelujah 

Heaven's love reaching down to save the world

Hallelujah, hallelujah 

Son of God, servant King

Here with us,

You're here with us

You're here with us

11.29.23

Giving Thanks for:

Time to sit with and thank God for these memories and my Mom 

 

11.28.23

Giving Thanks for:

This evening of beautiful music shared with people I love,

and this prayer in the service that Kim had shared earlier today.

"O God, who makes us glad with the yearly remembrance of the birth of thy only Son, Jesus Christ:

Grant that as we joyfully receive Him for our redeemer, so we may with sure confidence behold Him, when He shall come to be our judge; who liveth and reigneth with thee 

and the Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. 

Amen."

11.27.23

Giving Thanks for:

A sweet day of "Shopping Small" downtown and then...way out of town!

Hooray for having our Christmas tree now and a few gifts to put under it too!

 

11.26.23

Giving Thanks for:

Thanksgiving meal leftovers...one tiny pie at a time

    

 

11.25.23

Giving Thanks for:

A Quiet Day

"For the Lord is GOOD.

His UNFAILING LOVE continues forever, 

and His FAITHFULNESS continues to each generation."

Psalm 100:5

His love endures forever

His love endures forever

His love endures forever

Amen

11.24.23

Giving Thanks for:

Kicking off the Christmas season with this sweet ride

It was as joyful to hear all about it as it would have been if I had ridden it myself.

 

11.23.23

Giving Thanks for:

Fun, Feasting, and Family

I love traditions and a full house.

These people and the ones I didn't get a picture of too.

"Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!

His faithful love endures forever."

Psalm 107:1

 

11.22.23

Giving Thanks for:

People in my life who have different gifts than I do

Especially today, it is this dear helpful one!

Planner | Organized | Excellent attention to detail | 

Finishes task in advance (!) 

11.21.23

Giving Thanks for:

Emma's help with grocery shopping and unloading and thinking through all the things!

 

11.20.23

Giving Thanks for:

The people at Food City who look out for folks like me...

the ones who don't check guidelines for how long it takes to thaw a turkey. 

Relieved to find a few of these guys in a refrigerated cooler and not the freezer!!

Thanks also, Rachel for the gentle nudge to rally for a trip to the store! 

11.19.23

Giving Thanks for:

Peace and comfort in altered plans when we both started feeling poorly.

And finding all the ingredients for homemade soup and sandwich night in the house!