Today, I am grateful for...

the fact that I could stay in bed and get some rest.

Photo Source

I started getting sick on Sunday and now I've got a full blown cough and congestion thing going on.  I am grateful that I was able to stay in bed - which is not easy for me to do - and take my medicine every 4 hours.  My husband was really great and helped out and so did the kids when they got home from school.  I hate being sick, but I am glad that I have so many caretakers willing to let me rest when I need to and I know I will be feeling a little better by tomorrow thanks to them.

Today, I am grateful for...

12 - I am grateful for great coffee and seasonal flavored creamers to make my cup of joe even more decadent.  I enjoy a good coffee any time of the day or evening.  I especially enjoy good company while I sip said coffee.  This weekend has been especially nice because my dear friend Erin is here and she makes sure that there is always fresh coffee in the pot.  She picked up this great coffee and these amazing flavored creamers. Yum!

13 - I am grateful for our church and for the people that make up our church.  We have been pastoring this church for 5 years now and I can truly say that I am excited to see what God holds for us in the future.  We are at a new location and we are starting new ministries within the church.  I am very close to my family, but we all live miles and miles apart.  The church family has become my family here.  I am humbled by their love for us and inspired by their love for God.  Thank you Lord for putting each of them in our lives.

14 - I am grateful that my sister, Esther, decided to send my daughter some Skechers Twinkle Toes shoes that Abby had outgrown.  We love hand-me-downs, but these were especially nice 'cause they were like NEW! Naomi has been wanting a pair for a while, but they are a bit pricey!  She wore them to school the very next day.  Thank you Esther for thinking of her - they are perfect!!

Today, I am grateful for...

9 - My washer and dryer.  Yup. These items are something we take for granted until one of them breaks!  I will never forget a mission trip we took to Mexico.  There was a young boy, about 12 years old, washing his clothes in a large outdoor sink with a giant bar of soap.  I saw him struggling to squeeze out the water from a pair of jeans.  He very patiently scrubbed, rinsed and wrung out each item of clothing.  I tried to imagine doing that for six people and just could not even think of it.  I am so thankful for our modern conveniences!

Photo Source

10 - I am thankful for our new English ministry at our church.  We have started with having Thursday night prayer and Bible study, but will be kicking off with our first English only Sunday service on December 4th.  I'm excited to see what the Lord will do!

11-  Today I am thankful for two things.  I am thankful first for all of our service men and women, past and present, that sacrifice their time, their comfort, and their lives so that we may enjoy the freedoms of this great country.  I am thankful to come from a long line of men and women that have shown courage and served this country well.

Photo Source

I am also SO very thankful for my daughter Taryn.  We call her T-rex thanks to my little guy who gave her that nickname a while back.  Taryn is one of those kids that is always enthusiastic and positive.  She loves life and is not afraid of a challenge.  She's had to deal with difficult days sometimes with her severe asthma and allergies, but she's never let it slow her down.  She does well at school and is such a help at home and church.  Love you T-Rex!!

Today, I am grateful for...

so many things!!  I actually need to catch up a few gratitude posts because I was away from any internet connections and didn't get them posted.  So, I will catch you all up real quick.

4 - I am super thankful for some dear friends that blessed us by  inviting us to a Couples Retreat weekend in -Newport Beach.  We had a wonderful time and enjoyed the teaching, the worship, the fellowship, the laughter (great comedian on Saturday night) and the time we got to spend together.  Thank you Lord for putting them in our path!

So thankful for Dennis and Gloria.  What a great gift they shared with us!  It was a super relaxed atmosphere, but we got to dress up a little for the dinner on Saturday night which was really nice. 

5 - I am thankful for laughter.  Like I mentioned in the above post, there was a comedian that performed for an hour on Saturday night.  I loved his clean humor.  My husband and I laughed so hard and I was near tears a couple of times because I laughed so hard!  Here's an older clip of him - Scott Wood.


6 - I am thankful for rain!  I am from Washington state and must admit that I pretty much took the rain for granted.  Now when it rains - here in Southern California - you take notice!  Especially if there's a cool lightning and thunder storm like there was tonight.  My kids really loved it.  We told Marco that God was taking pictures of us and that was what all the flashes were for.  He believed us at first! haha  =)

Source

7 - I am thankful for facebook and other social networks that help me stay in touch with my friends and family far away.  I think it's super cool that my brother and sister can go out to eat with the family and post pics for me to see it all right away.  They live clear out in Michigan.  I miss them so much! This way, I can at least feel like I "see" them on a regular basis.

This was one of the pictures Esther posted from their dinner last night. It was so cool to see it so fast!  I sure do miss these amazing people!!

Today I am thankful for the roof over my head.  We are currently renting - but I love my home and I'm so thankful for a place that is warm and safe that my kids can come home to.  We will be having friends visiting with us this week and they are in transition of a move and I'm glad that I can open my home to them and offer them some comfort.  I will also be having some very special guests visiting next Wednesday to share an early Thanksgiving with us.  I am glad that I can open my home and my kitchen to show them that I love them and that I am grateful for them!  Thank you Lord for always providing the best for my family and me!

Hello friends!!

So, I have been away from my blog - and all other internet connections for a few days - but it was for a really great reason!  I will catch up with you all tomorrow and share what I've been up to...in the mean time, I leave you with this quote:

Source

Today, I am grateful for...

God's grace.

Source

"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:" Ephesians 2:8
I am thankful that I have been made new and that He loves me as I am.  I am thankful that I am  free to CHOOSE Him and free to serve Him. I am thankful that He loved me before I was formed.
“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart;..." Jeremiah 1:5
I am thankful that He thinks about ME! In this great big world...He thinks of me!
"How precious to me are your thoughts, God! How vast is the sum of them! 
Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand— when I awake, I am still with you." Psalm 139:17-18
I am thankful that Jesus Christ paid the highest price for me by GIVING His life on the cross that we might be free from hell.  Even though we are sinners, He loved us all so much that He died for us.
"But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8
Today, I am thankful for my Savior, my Friend, my Lord.  You are many things to me.

Source

CHORUS from "More Than Wonderful"

For He’s more wonderful than my mind can concieve 
He’s more wonderful than my heart can believe 
He goes beyond my highest hopes and fondest dreams. 
He’s everything that my soul ever longed for 
Everything He’s promised and so much more 
More than amazing, more than marvelous 
More than miraculous could ever be 
He’s more than wonderful, that’s what Jesus is to me. 

Today, I am grateful for...

my Mother-in-law and Father-in-law.

I have heard some people call their in-laws "In-loves" and that name would certainly apply here. Jaime and Daissy are the other parents I received through marrying my husband - parents-in-love.  I like that!
I'm not going to lie and say that things have always been perfect between us, but I can't imagine life without them now.  Not only are they a great help and encouragement to my husband and I, they are amazing grandparents to my children.  They have been our mentors in ministry work and pastoring.  They just celebrated their 26th anniversary pastoring the same church.
Today, I am so grateful for my in-loves, Pastor Jaime and Daissy Morales!

One of the many times they spoiled us by taking us out to eat. Here, we are at the Korean BBQ place. 

Last year, celebrating 25 years of faithful service pastoring their church.

Ephesians 6:2~"Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise;"

Today, I am grateful for...

my husband!

At a Mariners game with my husband.

Besides being one of the hardest working men I know, he's also an amazing husband, father, pastor and friend.  Three of our four children are in school.  They go to three different schools.  He takes all of them to school and even does the pick up.  Yes, his schedule allows him to do that - but no, he doesn't HAVE to do it.
He's very thoughtful of "big days" like holidays and birthdays, but he's also thoughtful of little things like date nights.

"Pastor Marco"  This is his passion.

He is my pastor and has worked so hard these last 5 years.  Five years ago, we started a bi-lingual church.  Now when I say bilingual, I don't mean we have Spanish and English services.  I mean that we have a service where he preaches in Spanish and then translates himself on the spot back and forth.  All of our worship music is that way too.  It's not easy, but he knows it's needed, especially in our area.  This way, families don't have to be in separate services due to language barriers.  He has a great heart for people and for our community.  He loves God and knows that this is he is called out to do this.  That gives me security.
When we were dating in college, I loved how involved he was in his ministry on the weekends. Whether it was with the inner-city kids of Chicago or the elderly/mental patients he ministered to on Sundays.  He would, make them laugh, pray for them, encourage them...

This was a hilarious site. Marco and Robert trying to put together a toy for my youngest daughter. It had about a million pieces. LOL  They were serious in this shot, but it got pretty slapstick at one point. haha

He also has an incredible sense of humor.  He is naturally quiet and somewhat shy - but that's not the case if he really knows someone and feels comfortable around them. LOL He is hilarious!

 He stayed ALL day at a junior high volleyball tournament to watch Taryn play.

 Took all the kids, plus a friend, to Yogurtland on Hannah's birthday.

Marco with his oldest baby. She's 16 now.

Anyway, this month will be a month of gratitude for me.  I know that I have so much for which to be thankful. Thirty things to mention will not be hard at all!  Won't you join me in sharing your gratitude each day?