Baby It's Cold Outside

We have been getting our first taste of snow. It snowed a little bit yesterday evening and is snowing again. It has been melting quickly but it sure is pretty coming down. Living in Memphis, I had forgotten how pretty snow can be. I may hate driving in it, but there is a real beauty to snow. Especially if you can look at it from the comfort of your nice warm home.

But winter is on it's way in so with a somewhat hesitant but optimistic salute, I say "Let it Snow!"

Test Pilot's Testimony

I was just listening to the testimony of test fighter pilot, Russell O'Quinn on Love Worth Finding Ministries. It is a funny, inspiring and challenging message that I think you will enjoy so I decided to share it with you.
It's a video so I don't know if all of you will be able to listen but if you can, it's worth your time. Click here to listen to the testimony or here to view his website.

Another Reason for Thankfulness

Update:
Vince just informed me that he will be home today! He wasn't supposed to be home until tomorrow or the next day but because of unforeseen circumstances, he gets to come home to spend Thanksgiving with me. He will be home this afternoon and then finish his trip tomorrow. This will sure break up the long trip.
We are still planning to go to Kim and Ray's but he will be with me and I am so thankful for that!
Also, we got our first snow this morning. Okay, in all honesty we got our first flakes today, but it's still snow! It won't be doing too much and it's melting as soon as it touches the ground but it's a nice Thanksgiving extra nonetheless.
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving and don't eat too much!

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving
For each new morning with its light,
For rest and shelter of the night,
For health and food,
For love and friends,
For everything Thy goodness sends.
--Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882)
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Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good.
For His mercy endures forever. Ps. 107:1
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It is good to give thanks to the LORD,
And to sing praises to Your name, O Most High;
To declare Your lovingkindness in the morning,
And Your faithfulness every night... Ps. 92:1-2
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"No people on earth have more cause to be thankful than ours, and this is said reverently, in no spirit of boastfulness in our own strength, but with gratitude to the Giver of good who has blessed us with the conditions which have enabled us to achieve so large a measure of well-being and of happiness."
- Theodore Roosevelt, Inaugural address, Saturday, March 4, 1905

In Everything Give Thanks

Sunday night at church we had small groups. That's where a small group of people get together and discuss the morning's sermon and have fellowship, of course there is food as well. We do this often and it's great fun.
One thing that we did that night was go around the table and tell some things that we are thankful for. There was such a wide range of things that people had to be thankful for but the one common thread was that above all, we were thankful for all that God had done in our lives and the gift of His salvation.
Thanksgiving so often gets overlooked as an almost "in between" holiday, between Halloween (which gets far too much notice) and Christmas. But it should be a special time for us to reflect on the things Christ has done, who He is and the blessings we enjoy. Of course we should do that year round but I'm sure I'm not the only one who tends to take things for granted. Why is it we need a holiday to remind us to be thankful?
If we were to look back on the year, it would probably amaze us at what God has done, what He has brought us through, what He has provided. Some things we are surely not even aware of, but as a nation, as a people, we have so many reason to rejoice (always) with thanksgiving in our hearts.
Vince left on a four day trip yesterday. He will be gone until Friday. Since he is gone for the big day, we had our Thanksgiving meal Monday. I cooked all day and when I was finished I had enough food for twice as many people. It all turned out good and I'm still enjoying it. We'll be having turkey in one form or another for a long while. If you know me, you know that left-overs only appeal to me for about one day, but as someone said, "A big part of Thanksgiving is the thankfulness that we have enough food, abundantly so, when so many around the world will be going to bed hungry tonight. While we are passing around the multiple side dishes, the big turkey and the various pies, remember that many will be digging in the trash cans for scraps; and while we are loosening our belt at the end of the day, many will be tripping over their clothing because they hang so loosely on their flesh."
On a brighter note:
I will be going over to Kim and Ray's house for Thanksgiving day. That is, if the weather cooperates. It's supposed to snow! It should be a fun day. I enjoy my time with them and am thankful God has provided a family to celebrate the day with since I can't be with my own family and Vince will be gone.

Happy Birthday!

Today is Vince's 28th birthday. He is working and won't be home at all today but we celebrated the other day in Taylor.
I was told he wanted a cheesecake upon his return so I guess I'll be making a birthday cheesecake tomorrow before he gets home.

Happy Birthday, Baby, I Love You!

Pictures of Heritage Park- Taylor, MI

An old school house

The view from the bridge that crosses the big pond
Vince and some pretty trees
Walking through Heritage Village at the park
The sunset over the pond

The log cabin The church. It was built in the late 1800's by German settlers. It's my favorite building out there.
The bridge
Looking toward Heritage Village from the other side of the pond

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All of these building are either replicas of an actual building from a bygone era, or in some cases, they are the actual buildings built in the late 1800's. Many of them were moved to the park in 1989, thus creating a nice place for families to spend the day and preserving a little of Michigan's little-known history. Some of the buildings are decorated to look authentic while others have businesses inside. The three I can think of are a dog gourmet shop with home-made pet treats, a hershey's ice cream parlor and a coffee shop. There are a lot of trails at the park that pick up with the trails around the village so it makes for an enjoyable afternoon.
(Don't forget, if you want to see a larger image, click on the picture and it will enlarge it.)

Memories are Made of Moments Like These

Yesterday was one of those days that are so good you will remember them for a long time. It wasn't so much that yesterday hold a monumental event, it was just a really special day.
Vince got home in the morning from doing a quick trip last night. When he got home we went to Taylor and spent the day. We kinda celebrated his birthday (Nov. 16) since he will be gone for the actual day.
We did a lot of different little things that added up to a lot of fun.
We did some shopping and Vince picked out his own birthday gift. Only those of you who know him well will understand this. :) He picked out a new piece of luggage to take on his trips. It's really nice.
I had gotten two coupons off the internet for free coffee so we went to Borders and got two free speciality coffee's from Seattle's Best. That was a nice treat.
Then we went to Heritage Park which is quickly becoming one of our favorite spots. The weather had been nice all day but the sun was starting to go down while we were walking around the park and it was getting a little nippy. We didn't mind because the air felt good and it was a really pretty evening. One of life's simple pleasures is walking around a nice area in the crisp fall air, holding the hand of the one you love and enjoying the moment together. I have some picture's from the evening that I'll post so you can get an idea of what Heritage Park looks like. It's a very neat place.
After we left the park we went to Red Robin. Vince loves that restaurant and it didn't hurt that he got a free meal, including dessert, because it was his birthday. That was another free thing I had found on the Internet. All in all, we really cleaned up yesterday with free stuff.
While we were driving around yesterday and going in and out of stores, I was amazed at how much Christmas is already starting to appear. It shouldn't surprise me that much but every year it catches me off guard. It's not even Thanksgiving and almost every store is playing Christmas music and slowly but surely houses are getting all decked out in their holiday finery.
I love the Christmas season, but is it just me or does it lose some of the fun when it makes it's appearance so early? It's another sign of commercialism and it seems in some ways they are shoving it in your face saying, "It's Christmas, you gotta buy stuff!". It takes so much away from what Christmas is. Christmas should be about simpler things.
I have to admit that I am anxiously awaiting the day after Thanksgiving when I can really get into the Christmas spirit and start doing Christmasy things but I don't want to rush it. I want to enjoy each moment for the sake of that moment and not push what's coming next.
Speaking of the season and the winter that comes along with it, Vince and I broke down and bought boots yesterday. I haven't owned a pair of boots since I was in grade school but both of us are anticipating snow (him more than me) and are beginning to have visions of snowmen and yes, snowball fights. I'm beginning to think living in the North won't be so bad. :)

In Honor Of

For all those who have sacrificed so much for our freedom, we thank you!

I'm proud to be an American
where at least I know I'm free,
And I won't forget the men who died
who gave that right to me,
And I gladly stand up next to you
and defend her still today,
'Cause there ain't no doubt I love this land
God Bless the U.S.A. ~Lee Greenwood

Lord, hold our troops in your loving hands. Protect them as they protect us.Bless them and their families for the selfless acts they perform for us in our time of need. Amen.

Pictures of S. Rockwood

These picutres were taken today. They are what's left of our fall. The peak season is over and the wind has blown most of the leaves off the trees by now but I wanted to share these with you. All of these were taken in South Rockwood near our apartment.

Harvesting Joy

The days are starting to get pretty nippy here and we have gotten into the dreaded routine of de-icing our car in the mornings. Vince and I are enjoying this (believe it or not) because although there is a definite chill in the air, the excitement of the fall season is all around us and these are the times to treasure. Fall is always a special time for me for many reasons and every year the season brings a certain joy and a renewed sense of the blessings God continuously surrounds us with. Not to mention the beauty of nature as it changes it's colors and sings out one more glorious song of praise to it's Creator before hiding beneath it's cloak of winter.
Lets see, what's been going on.
Vince had his fed-ride (a flight with someone from the FAA) and did well. He has one more slight hurdle to jump this Monday and then they will consider him fit to fly on his own. This has been such a long process and we will be glad to be done with it but it has also been a time of leaning on God yet again and finding Him, as always, faithful.
On Halloween, our church up here had a Harvest Festival. Vince was working but I was able to attend. I really enjoyed it. We had a chilli-cookoff, a hay ride, a bonfire and then we had a devotional time with singing, testimonies and prayer. What a wonderful way to spend the evening. On a day when so many horrible things are supported and even celebrated, it was such a joy to spend that time praising God and enjoying the fellowship of believers.
I am still having to come to the library to get internet but Vince is at home right now trying to get that worked out for us. Hopefully very soon we will be connected again and I won't have to come all the way (a whole mile!) to the library to catch up on things.
Tonight we will be going over to a couples house from church. We are looking forward to it. It's exciting to see God open up new friendships for us so quickly. We are so blessed that God has led us to this church because we are enjoying quick friendships. Also we feel there will be many opportunities to get involved in the church and to serve. We couldn't be happier about that.
As the saying goes, "Where God guides, He provides". We felt God leading us to this area and He sure is providing for us. God is just so good!