Faith, Family, Fun…

I am currently reading Ann Voskamp’s book “One Thousand Gifts.”  I started writing those gifts on Thanksgiving Day.  I don’t know how long it will take to get to 1000 but I will keep writing until I get there.  There are so many things to be thankful for…big things but so many more little things that I just need to take the time to listen and look for.  Won’t you join me?

The hubby and I are headed to Family Life’s “Weekend to Remember” for the weekend.  Click here to check it out and see if there is a weekend near you.

Incredibly busy weekend, but overall really good.  Friday night my husband and I went out to dinner to celebrate our 20th wedding anniversary. We had a great time but I was wiped out from a pretty stressful week at work.  It was nice to go home and relax and watch a movie just the two of us.

Saturday morning my daughter and I hit the road to buy new jazz and tap shoes.  Our goal is to make it from September to May (recital) without having to buy new ones. At the rate she is growing I hope we can make it.  We then treated ourselves to manicures and pedicures. And finished up with Target and Kohls before heading to a birthday party.  Spent the evening cleaning out my office…no easy feat and it is going to take another day to finish it.

Sunday was spent worshiping the Lord and getting our kids room ready for our new Word of Life club to begin.  My good friend Lisa helped me clean out our room and closet.  We just about filled up the dumpster.  We are ready to tackle the year and help these children learn about God and grow spiritually.

I mentioned in an earlier post that September is my new year so I am starting it off with a couple of Bible studies and new routines.  Last Thursday I began a new program called “Maximize Your Mornings.” It is about starting your day right by getting up early and spending time with God.  I am not a morning person but I have gotten up early and completed my quiet time everyday since Thursday.  Saturday was the hardest but so far so good.  I have found that my days are going better and I am praying for resolve to see this through.

I joined an online book club that started on Friday called “The Resolution Revolution” based on the book “Resolution for Women” written by Priscilla Shirer.  It is based on the new movie “Courageous” coming out on September 30th.  My Sunday school class is going to see it and I can’t wait.

Tuesday night starts a 6 week study by Priscilla on Jonah.  I love women’s Bible studies, especially those done in someone’s home.  Learning about God’s Word with other women over coffee and yummy goodies strengthens me spiritually.

Add in time with hubby and kids, homework, dinner, laundry, housework,  etc., and the days are full.

My memory verse this week is 1 Samuel 12:16 – Now then, stand still and see this great thing the LORD is about to do before your eyes!

Has the summer flown by or what?  Seems like just yesterday the kids were having their last day of school and in 4 days they start a brand new year.  September 1st is more of a “new year” to me than January 1st.  It is a time where some sort of structure comes back into the house (at least our version of structure), my kids are back home more than one day at a time (having spent the majority of their summer with their grandparents), and our last mini-vacation of the year.  We are headed out this afternoon to Nags Head, North Carolina.  Not sure exactly what we will see with all of the damage from Hurricane Irene last weekend but we will have a relaxing, fun-filled weekend anyway as a family.

I plan to spend some time in God’s Word as I look at one of His most special creations to me (outside of my children, of course), the ocean.  The sound and the feel bring about a peace in my heart…I plan to take some video on my phone so that I can relive it until next summer.

I’m not sure I will get the hang of this blogging thing.  So much goes through my mind but getting it down in words isn’t as easy as I thought it would be and of course making it interesting for the reader is a definite.

Back in April we traveled to California to visit my mom’s family and to drive the Pacific Coast from Carmel to San Francisco.  Here is our trip in pictures…

1st plane ride

  My Nana…

 
Family

 

Yosemite National Park

San Francisco

We took over 1100 pictures so this doesn’t even come close to everything we did but you get the picture (no pun intended).

April is upon us and Spring is here according to the calendar.  The weather hasn’t gotten the word yet, but I know it will be here and I need to be patient.  There are many areas in my life that I need to be patient about…my spiritual journey, my family and myself.  To wait upon the Lord and allow Him to do a good work in me.

Philippians 1:6 – “being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”

I am finishing up a 4 day weekend.  Back to work and school tomorrow.  I did manage to get all the Christmas decorations put up (with a little help from the hubby).  This is the latest we have ever had them up but time just seemed to get away from me.  The first half of January has been a blur and as I look at my calendar it appears the second half will be the same.  So much to do and so little time…

So back in January 2010 one of my goals was to read more and to NOT buy any new books until I had read all the other books I currently own but haven’t read.  I did ok but there were some I just had to buy and they are going on my 2011 list.  So how did I do?  Well I did finish some on my list and actually finished some not on my list.

Simplify Your Time – Ramsland – check
The Worn Out Woman – Stephens & Gray – check
Give God A Year – Lewis – check
So Long Insecurity – Moore – check

I was able to add to the list and finish… 

Surprised By Worship – Travis Cottrell
On Christmas Eve – Thomas Kincaid
On Strike for Christmas – Sheila Roberts
Foreign to Familiar – Sarah Lanier
I Danced in Africa – Elizabeth Marshall – twice


On tap for 2011…


Crazy Love – Frances Chan
Radical – David Platt


…and some from the 2010 list.

Time just seems to get away from me…it seems like only yesterday since my last post but it’s been almost two months.  I keep telling myself I am going to get better at this blogging thing.

June was made up of dance recital (see my last post), piano recital and Word of Life Camp.  For the last three summers, George and Daniel and I head to upstate New York to the Adirondack Mountains to attend WOL camp.  It is a Christian camp for 6 year to 18 year olds.  Of course since the trip is 12 hours one way the adults have to stay the week.  There is just as much to do for the adults as the kids.  We have such a blast.  Bible study multiple times a day, all of our meals are provided, hanging out with the most awesome friends and spending some time together as a couple.  It is sad to leave Daniel & Olivia for a week but it won’t be long before they will be attending with us.

Wow, what a busy week we’ve had in the Ellis household…dance recital for Olivia from Wednesday through Saturday.  She did great.

Daniel had piano recital yesterday.  We are very proud of him and hope that he will continue with it next year.

Back to work tomorrow…and only 2 1/2 days left of school.  Woohoo!