To Chop or Not To Chop

I tend to go through 'hair phases'. I had short hair for quite a while, and then I decided to grow it out. There have been a couple of times that I went short again, but I didn't like the cut and could help but feel like I looked 16 so I grew it out again. It's a vicious cycle. Haha! Currently my hair is at the longest I think it's ever been and I see all these adorable cuts and want to try short hair again, but I'm scared I won't like it, not to mention it's taken quite a bit of time to get it this long.

But then I became inspired by a post I saw on Instagram. I've decided to continue to grow my hair out and then sometime next year I'm going to chop it off -- I'm going to donate it! What better reason to cut it off, than to give it to an organization that makes wigs for cancer patients. And...if I hate it, I can rest assured that it went for a good cause!

I thought it would be fun to kind of update my hair growth progress until I donate it. So here's how long it is now, and I'll probably update every few months or so. I'll also be researching organizations and deciding/praying about which one I want to give to.

Have you ever donated your hair?

365 Days of Thanks || Week 4

1.22.14 - An encouraging sermon - challenging me to make sure I'm giving my best to the Lord!

1.23.14 - Skype/Google Hangout

1.24.14 - Reconnecting with a former student. She was in the kindergarten class that I subbed in before I started teaching on my own. I feel old! lol

1.25.14 - The opportunity to teach piano lessons.

1.26.14 - One of our teen girls came to church after being away for 1 1/2 years! Praise the Lord!

1.27.14 - My God provides for all of my needs!

1.28.14 - Peace that passes all understanding!

What are you thankful for?

And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. 

Colossians 3:15

365 Days of Thanks || Week 3

1.15.14 - Cows...because they give milk, and milk makes ice cream! :)

1.16.14 - My wonderful, loving parents. They're the best!

1.17.14 - The weekends

1.18.14 - Nail polish. Such a small thing can instantly make you feel girly. 

1.19.14 - The great church the Lord has us in

1.20.14 - That our Pastor's wife is improving from her pneumonia, and hasn't needed to be transferred to a bigger hospital. (Update: she was able to go home!)

1.21.14 - A God that we can trust! He'll never leave us or forsake us! (Heb 13:5)

What are you thankful for?

Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. 

Psalm 100:4

A Different World

I grew up in a Christian home where the Bible was read and consulted for life's problems. We went to church on Sundays and Wednesdays and any other special times the doors were open. I attended youth group and the many fellowships, camps, conferences, and missions trips that were offered. I will forever be grateful for the life the Lord blessed me with. 

Before you think I lived a perfect life, I'll be the first to tell you it wasn't. I had my share of mess ups despite my 'sheltered' upbringing. I made decisions and acted in ways I wish I had done differently, but praise God for His mercy and forgiveness during those times!

As I look back at the way I was brought up, my heart is burdened. It's burdened for the youth in our church that aren't getting the same upbringing I did. You see, with the exception of a few occasional appearances, none of their parents come to church. They're being taught the Bible for a couple of hours a week at church and bombarded with worldly influences for the rest of it. They don't have someone in their home to say, 'let's pray about this matter you're struggling with' or 'what does the Bible have to say about this?' They're the only ones getting up for church in the morning while everyone else sleeps in. Instead of being encouraged to attend all youth activities, I imagine it's more like 'Well, if that's the way you want to spend your weekend, go ahead.'

In the past year, the Lord has really been showing me how important it is to invest in our youth - particularly our girls, since I can't really invest in the guys as a single woman. :) They need someone they can look up to for an example of how to live a godly life as a young woman, and that it's a good thing to be a feminine woman in this increasingly gender-confused world. They need someone who can pray with them and share Scriptures with them about things they are struggling with. They need someone to encourage them and cheer them on to do what's right when everyone else around them says, 'Give in to the temptations. God isn't worth your time.' They need someone to show them just how special they are and how much God loves them and how He wants to be a part of their lives.

I pray I can be that someone in their lives. 

365 Days of Thanks || Week 2

1.8.14 - We got snow! It's not much, but it's snow!! (It melted a few days later...boo)

1.9.14 - For all those years of piano lessons - even if I didn't like it at the time

1.10.14 - Good health. Though there's times I may not be feeling well, it could always be worse.

1.11.14 - My KitchenAid mixer

1.12.14 - Lunch out with one of the teen girls

1.13.14 - Even though I'd love snow, I'm thankful for the warmer weather we had today making it possible for the kids to play outside for a while.

1.14.14 - That my mom (and Mrs. D. through HomeEc) took the time to teach me how to cook. 

What are you thankful for?

It is a good thing to give thanks unto the LORD, and to sing praises unto thy name, O most High:

Psalm 92:1

365 Days of Thanks || Week 1

1.1.14 - A day spent with friends

1.2.14 - One on one time with Braxton

1.3.14 - Three girls came to our monthly tween/teen girl Bible study

1.4.14 - This challenge - it has made me reflect more throughout the day of the things I'm thankful for

1.5.14 - One of my Sunday School girls felt like she could talk to me about something she's been struggling with

1.6.14 - The opportunity to watch and invest in the lives of these two precious children 

1.7.14 - The experience and knowledge I gained working as a church secretary for 5 years that I'm now able to use in my new church

What are you thankful for?

O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever.

1 Chronicles 16:34

A Few Things Christmas Related...

I made my very first burlap wreath! I love it so much!

We had an ugly sweater Christmas party ;)

In our Christmas jammies...haha!

Christmas Day!

Tessa & I have been having fun playing piano duets together recently. Here's one that we played in December.

A Challenge: 365 days of thanks

Welcome to 2014! I can't believe it's here! This year I want to purpose to be more thankful. I want to reflect on every day and find something to be thankful for. There's going to be good days and not so good days, but there's always something to be thankful for!

So my challenge to myself is to post weekly what I've been thankful for in that past week. At the end of the year I'll have 52 posts and 365 things I'm thankful for (that I've written at least!).

You can join in too! If you have a blog and write a post about it, leave a link to your post in the comments. If you don't have a blog (or don't want to do a post), you can put what you're thankful for in the comments! I'd love to hear what you're thankful for!

Here's to a year of thanks! Happy New Year!

"In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you."

I Thessalonians 5:18