Thanksgiving Thanks! 2013

Our ONLY decoration.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Sometimes ideas come to us at the last minute. Today I decided that we'd read some "thankful" verses at each meal and give thanks for something different.

Breakfast 

We gave thanks for something physical (stuff we got & we had two cousins with us):

Alex - this house
Elijah - Dodge
Ava - food
Autumn - house
Josiah - Lego People
Lora - clothes
Jorja - dogs
Jacob - Daddy & Mommy
Destiny - toy cars
Dakota - air soft
Mama - soap
Daddy - hot coffee (he had just come in from hunting)

"We give thanks to you, O God; 

we give thanks, for your name is near. 

We recount your wondrous deeds." 

Psalm 75:1

Dear heavenly Father, We thank you for this beautiful, clear, cold morning. 

We thank you that you have blessed us with everything that we need. No need has gone unmet. 

We thank you for the thins we have blessed us with that make life easier. 

And we thank you for blessing us with things we enjoy, things that just make life fun, things we can play with. We thank you, Lord, for how you have bountifully blessed us. 

Thank you. In Jesus name, Amen.

A boy cousin

some girl cousins

Lunch 

We gave thanks for something relational (yes, I had to explain that):

Alex - Grandparents
Jorja - Cousins (who had just gone home)
Josiah - Toys
Lora - Mama & Daddy
Jacob - Bicycle 
Ava - Friends and Family
Elijah - Pets
Autumn - Brothers and Sisters
Daddy - Family
Mama - Homeschooling 'cause we all get to be together

“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 

Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. 

You are my friends if you do what I command you. 

No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; 

but I have called you friends."

John 15:12-15c

O Lord, we are thankful that you call us friend. 

And we are dearly beloved. 

We thank you that you love us so much you gave your life for ours.

Lord, thank you for these children you've blessed us with and the time we get to spend with them.

Thank you for a godly marriage. Continue to strengthen us for battle. 

Thank you for all our many extended family members. ALL of them.

Mamas, Daddies, Aunts, Uncles, Brothers, Sister, Cousins, Nephews, Nieces, the fringe folks. 

 All of them.

Thank You for placing godly friends in our path to share life with.

Thank You for our ancestors and service members who made 

this day of freedom and giving thanks possible.

Thank you for Your love from above and loved ones down here.

Help us, Lord, to show Your love to others.

In Jesus name, Amen.

Supper 

We gave thanks for something spiritual (and we agreed that spiritual has a lot of vowels in it & we had to not allow "Holy Ghost/Spirit" unless they could give a reason why):

Ava - Home in Heaven
Autumn - Salvation
Elijah - Everlasting life
Alex - A saved life
Lora - Jesus
Jorja - Church
Jacob - A house
Josiah - "AAARRRRGGGHHHAAA" & making faces
Mama - The Comforter, the Holy Spirit and all that He does for us and through us.
Daddy - The Word of God

 "I appeal to you therefore, brothers,

by the mercies of God, 

to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, 

holy and acceptable to God, 

which is your spiritual worship."

Romans 12:1

Then the Daddy prayed.

Thankful that we are gathered together

We can study Your Word

Help us to truly be thankful for what we have

And that we aren't getting what we truly deserve.

Amen!

We did our giving thanks stuff at the table then gathered in the living room for some worship - we mostly followed The Family Thanksgiving Worship Time guide found at Raising Arrows. It includes links to the verses and hymn. 

CLUE!

The older four went to a fancy, fun, frilly party, Based (mostly) on the Clue movie they were given a character and had to dress up as and act like their character. (Autumn was "behind the scenes," although she could have dressed up anyway, she chose not to).

Ava was Mr. Body's maid, Miss Evette Bucket (pronounced Bouquet - and something her character had to argue about all night). She was desperatly trying to break into show business. And was Justina Beeper's biggest fan (Justina, also happened to be the long lost Body, sister of Mr. Body - and . . . the MURDERER!)



Keep scrolling down . . .

The boys were Officer Sherlock and Officer Holmes. (I had a really hard time calling this post CLUE! and not Starsky and Hutch). They went armed! (unloaded airsoft guns). You can CLICK HERE for some theme music while viewing Officer Sherlock and Officer Holmes.

The officers were checking out an abondoned vehicle in the woods and happened upon this engaging dinner party. No BODY seemed to mind them being there and they were useful in searching people for weapons.
Several people died.
Thankfully, a cute coroner just happened to be there also.
When Mr. Body died, during dinner, Mrs. Scarlett sitting next to him announced cooly and calmly, "Oh, he's dead," and continued to eat her meal.

Josiah Prays

I wish the video camera was working so that I could record the sweet little voice that goes with this prayer.
Josiah and God are still getting to know one another and the boy likes to talk.
And he prays sssssllllllooooowwwwwwlllllllyyyyyy.

"God,

A Josiah Bird

I pray . . . for my brothers  ... I like sisters and Mama and Daddy . . . I have  . . .
I like the circus
I like trucks and monster trucks
I like the house that dtaerut#*?tidgh rsrkglarb avhaoeutrgh scerm* ali$klaehrag?adyt#@akdry
I like them
I like Burger King
I like Pizza
I like McDonalds
I like Burger King
I like to go on the bridge and in the park and swim and play and . . .
I like my dogs and petting my dogs
I like Amen."


That's it. He can really pray a long time. I'm glad he wants God to know all about him - now, if he'll just listen so God can tell him all about Him.

"Jesus said, 'Let the little children come to me 

and do not hinder them, 

for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.'"

Matthew 19:14

Acts 12:6-19 from the perspective of Peter

(I wrote this as an answer to a question in my Bible Study. I had fun with it so I thought I'd share Peter's testimony).

After my arrest, I must have been tired, I fell asleep, securely, doubly bound with chain between two guards. Another two guards stood outside the door.

As I lay sleeping something bumped my side which seemed to wake me, although I thought I was having a vision or a dream. Before me stood an angel of the Lord, and a light shone in my cell which must have been from him for I could see no other source.

He said, “Get up quickly.” And the chains fell off my hands. He spoke again, “Dress yourself and put on your sandals.” So, I did. Then, “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me.” I put on my cloak and he led me out of the cell. My guards never even looked at me. They seemed neither to hear or see, as though they were still in the dark. I was sure it was a pleasant vision.

The angel lead me to the outer gate which seemed to open on it's on as we arrived, we walked out in to the street. Immediately the angel left me.

It took me several minutes to come to myself. To realize that what had just happened was not a dream. Now I am sure that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting.

When I realized this I went to the house of Mary, the mother of John Mark where I found many gathered praying earnestly for my sake. I knocked at the gateway and the young servant, Rhoda came to answer but in her excitement didn't open the door. I continued to knock, smiling to myself at Rhoda's response. After some commotion within the door was opened to me. I had to quiet them down after their amazement at seeing me. The Lord answered their prayers far beyond anything they had imagined, beyond anything they could think to ask or pray.

I explained to them how the Lord brought me out of prison. Instructed them to tell it all to James and the brothers. Then departed and went to another place. I hid there while Herod searched for me. The sentries, who stood guard over me in the prison were put to death, I shared the Word of Jesus with them but I know not weather any one of them believed and turned to the Lord.

Now, here I am in Caesarea, telling you all of God's love and provision for me.