Steak and Gravy

When I want something delicious and comforting, steak and gravy is one of my go to recipes.  I've been eating this dish since I was a child, prepared by both my grandmother and mother.  It's simple food at it's best.  It doesn't pretend to be something it's not and the result is a savory, unpretentious plate of pure heaven served over rice.

First, you trim several pounds of round steak to your taste.  I prefer very little fat on my meat, so I trim heavily, but my mother would gasp and point out that cutting off the fat takes away some of the flavor.  I'm no health nut, but I don't mind sacrificing slimy fat even if it does add flavor!

Once the meat has been trimmed to your satisfaction, sprinkle with salt and pepper.

In a heavy pot or large cast iron skillet, heat a few tablespoons of oil and add meat to brown.

While the meat is browning, chop a yellow onion and set aside.

Continue to brown the meat until it's really brown.  This is what gives the gravy a nice, dark color and flavor.  When the meat is good and brown, and there are lots of little bits on the bottom of the pot, remove the meat.

Now add the chopped onion to the pot and stir until they are almost clear.  Add a few cloves of minced garlic about halfway through sauteing the onions.

Once the onions and garlic are cooked, add the round steak back the pot and stir for a few minutes.

Add enough water to just cover the meat.

Let the meat simmer for about an hour or until the meat is tender.  Keep checking because if you overcook the steak it will be dry.  I forgot to take pictures of the next part, but mix 1/4 cup of flour with 3/4 cup of water.  Remove the meat from the pot, and bring the broth to a boil.  Using a mesh strainer, pour the flour mixture through the strainer into the pot and whisk together quickly.  Allow the gravy to boil for a minute or two while stirring, then add the meat back to the pot.  Taste the gravy to make sure the seasonings are okay.  (I like to add a little cayenne pepper here)  If the gravy tastes "weak", you can add a teaspoon or so of beef bouillon.

And there you have steak and gravy.  I don't have picture of the final dish served over rice because I am serving it tomorrow as Sunday lunch, so I haven't made the rice yet.

I hope this will be a dish that you try and fall in love with.  It is one of the staple dishes in my kitchen, and I generally serve it over rice, with green beans and homemade biscuits.

Steak and Gravy

2-3 lbs round steak, trimmed
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
Water to cover steak
1/4 c flour
3/4 c water

Peace

I have this weight around my neck.  It has 4 bedrooms, two bathrooms, one awesome fireplace and a backyard with two big pecan trees.  The house we left behind in Texas has been just one trial after another for us.  First we had no luck selling it for a variety of reasons.  Then we found a renter who, over the course of the last 10 months, has paid her rent on time exactly once.  We tried so hard to be understanding, because we knew she was newly divorced and on her own again for the first time in many years.  We waived late fees, and accepted excuse after excuse but then discovered that she had lied to us on several occasions.

Trevor received a text from her this past week informing us that she had moved out last weekend (3 months before her lease was up) because she just couldn't afford the rent.  We kind of figured that out since she hasn't paid her rent for the last two months.  Two months that we still had to pay the mortgage and the rent for our current home.  Two months of sending emails and texts with no replies.  Two months of eagerly checking the mail only to be disappointed.

Sigh.

Trevor sent her an email indicating what she owes us, and politely told her that we didn't appreciate the fact that she had sneaked out of the property and broken her lease.  She replied with a snippy email that basically said that she had a big orange U-Haul truck outside the house all weekend, so she hadn't sneaked out of the house since her moving activities were in full view of our in-law's house.

Really?  Unless I'm wrong (and I'm not), she did not sign a contract with my brother-in-law.  She signed a rental agreement with us, and even if Trevor's family was standing at the end of the driveway handing out cold water and sandwiches to them as they moved, she owed us the courtesy of a move-out notice.  In case she hadn't noticed, we live in Oklahoma and can't see her driveway from here.

A person who needs to get out of a lease, customarily submits at least a 30 day notice to the owners, not a text to say that they are already gone.  A person who isn't sneaky leaves a forwarding address to the owners of the property they vacated.  A person who is acting in a aboveboard, honest way would never move out and then disappear.

Needless to say, it's been a frustrating week for us and we would love nothing more than to sell the house and be done with it.  We're really tired of dealing with it long distance.  Trevor drove down to Dayton today so that he could make sure the house is clean and ready to either sell or rent.  He found a property manager that he is meeting with, and with any luck we can resolve this soon.

When Trevor told me what happened, I just felt sick to my stomach.  All I could think about was our savings and how much we would have to use to straighten this out, and how this means that I won't be able to go part time or even think about quitting my job in the foreseeable future.  I was angry at our renter and I  felt the burden of that house pressing in on me.

After allowing myself a few hours of self-pity, I began to feel a little ashamed of myself.  We are living in a beautiful home, my children are healthy and happy, I have a wonderful marriage to a man I adore.  We have friends and family who love us, and a God who holds us in the palm of His hand.  Despite our seemingly insurmountable problems, He has orchestrated it all from the beginning and knows how it's going to end.  All we have to do is trust that He is in control and that no matter what happens He is working for our good and His glory.

I find so much comfort in his sovereignty over my life.  It's not my inner strength or my "can do" attitude that will get me through this.  It's my complete and utter trust in Him.  I have to guard my heart and mind against worrying and fretting, because that time would be better spent in prayer and thanksgiving to the living God who commands my destiny.  Does this mean that we just shrug our shoulders and hope that everything just works out in the end?  Absolutely not!  We have a responsibility to be good stewards of our finances and property, so we clean up the mess that has been left for us.  But we don't do it with a defeatist attitude and a frown.

We are able to do it with joy, because we have peace.  It doesn't matter if our saving dwindles to nothing, and we have to give up some of our comforts until the house situation is resolved.  We have peace, and there is nothing in the world that compares.

The Father's Bargain

Paul Washer preached the gospel this morning at our church.  He was in town because of our youth camp, where he will be the keynote speaker.  I had never heard of him before the announcement that he would be preaching, but now that I have heard him I will be seeking more from him.


He preached on one verse this morning:  II Corinthians 5:21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.  If you are interested in his sermon, you can watch it here.  I spent 80 minutes in complete captivation as he presented that one verse of scripture in such a way as to make me rejoice, weep, praise God,  feel the love of God as well as understand His wrath all at the same time.  It was an emotionally and spiritually grueling hour and 20 minutes, but I wouldn't take back one single second of it.


In his sermon, he quoted Puritan preacher John Flavel several times, but it was this excerpt that really brought me to my knees.  Paul conveyed it in such a powerful way and you can see it at around 1:03 on the video.  I would encourage you to watch at the very least that small part of his sermon, because it is absolutely amazing.  Here is the text from "The Father's Bargain".


Here you may suppose the Father to say when driving His bargain with Christ for you:

The Father speaks. 


My Son, here is a company of poor, miserable souls that have utterly undone themselves and now lay open to my justice. Justice demands satisfaction for them, or will satisfy itself in the eternal ruin of them.


The Son responds. 


O my Father. Such is my love to and pity for them, that rather then they shall perish eternally I will be responsible for them as their guarantee. Bring in all thy bills, that I may see what they owe thee. Bring them all in, that there be no after-reckonings with them. At my hands shall thou require it. I would rather choose to suffer the wrath that is theirs then they should suffer it. Upon me, my Father, upon me be all their debt.

The Father responds. 


But my Son, if thou undertake for them, thou must reckon to pay the last mite. Expect no abatement. Son, if I spare them... I will not spare you.

The Son responds. 


Content Father. Let it be so. Charge it all upon me. I am able to discharge it. And though it prove a kind of undoing to me, though it impoverish all my riches, empty all my treasures... I am content to take it."


Excerpt from "The Father's Bargain"
John Flavel

High Flight

In honor of the last space shuttle flight....


High Flight

 Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of Earth
 And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
 Sunward I’ve climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth
 of sun-split clouds, — and done a hundred things
 You have not dreamed of — wheeled and soared and swung
 High in the sunlit silence. Hov’ring there,
 I’ve chased the shouting wind along, and flung
 My eager craft through footless halls of air....

 Up, up the long, delirious, burning blue
 I’ve topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace.
 Where never lark, or even eagle flew —
 And, while with silent lifting mind I have trod
 The high untrespassed sanctity of space,
 - Put out my hand, and touched the face of God.


--John Magee

Character Assassination in the Media

The media circus surrounding the Casey Anthony trial this week has been crazy.  First a verdict of not guilty was returned for the murder of Caylee, but then she was found guilty of lying to law enforcement officers.  Public outrage was immediate and fierce, including my own.  But as I've read and listened to many of the comments about Ms. Anthony, it has made me stop and think about what really happened in that court room.

I know this isn't going to win me any popularity contests, but a jury of her peers heard all the evidence and were unable to convict Ms. Anthony because the prosecution could not clearly show cause of death. Let me pose a question. If you were on trial, had lied about very important issues, but were still very much innocent of murder, wouldn't YOU want a jury that was careful in it's deliberation of the facts? Or would you prefer that they be swayed by the public's opinion of you, no matter how skewed it might be?  Only God knows exactly what happened to that little girl, and if it was Casey she will get her due and it will be far worse than our justice system can mete out.

I don't really know what I believe about the case.  I actually only have the information that the media gives me so I don't think that I have enough facts to form an informed, intelligent opinion.  I understand the outrage that a small child is dead, possibly at the hands of a family member, but there is also the possibility that her death really was accidental.  It saddens me to see people picketing outside the courthouse, screaming that Ms. Anthony is a baby murderer and that she deserves to die.  This is not an election where we can pout after the candidate we supported lost, and sometimes make disparaging comments about the winner.  This wasn't a majority wins situation.  The twelve people who represent the rest of us heard the evidence and returned a verdict based on facts to which we are not necessarily privy, although many have used the limited information in the media to make uninformed opinions about her guilt.

I don't think that I am defending Casey Anthony here, at least that is not my intent.  But you cannot even argue that she's a celebrity (have you seen the pictures of her and OJ side by side yet?).  She is a person who was plucked out of obscurity and became front page news because a child was involved, and we are always more outraged when children are involved.  If I can't believe that the twelve people who returned a not guilty verdict did so with the utmost deliberation and consideration, then I have no hope for myself or anyone else who might find themselves accused of a crime they did not commit finding justice.  It would have disturbed me more had they convicted her based on the public outcry that she was guilty, instead of really looking at the evidence and facts of the case.

It's so easy to get caught up in the anger and incredulousness that a case like this invariably causes, but much harder to look beyond how we feel so we can see what really might have happened.  It's tragic enough that one life was ended and destroyed, but compounding that by destroying another one who might be innocent will not bring her back.  The old adage that two wrongs don't make a right is absolutely true here.  


Did Casey Anthony kill her daughter?  I don't have the answer to that question, but if I believe in our system of justice then I have to believe that insofar as they were able, our imperfect version of justice was served this week.  

Friends

It started with a text inviting us to watch fireworks with friends, and grew into an entire weekend of fun and fellowship.  The plans to organize my linen closet, and rearrange the shelves in the utility room, were replaced with swimming, friends around the kitchen table and a picnic on the church lawn.

We set out Friday evening with our friends Curtis and Jyl to watch the fireworks with the rest of our city.  We went early to find a good, grassy spot to set up camp and found a great place just across the street from the launch zone.  With the help of seven kids, we soon had the chairs and coolers unpacked and placed in the growing patch of shade as the sun began to set.  Although our little area was small, the kids still found a way to run around and play.  The adults sat together and visited to the sound of our children laughing (and occasionally crying) as we waited for the sun to finish her descent in the sky.

The Griffins have become such good friends to our family, in no small part because Trevor and I have found good friends in Curtis and Jyl separately.  If you are married for any length of time, you will develop friendships with couples based on the friendship of the wives or husbands.  Sometimes these relationships are brought into a marriage at the beginning, and even though you might not click with the wife of his best friend, you can still hang out and have a good time.  She's not someone to whom you would tell your innermost thoughts, but she's fun to have over with her husband for a movie night.

Then there are some couple friends that don't really work because you might love noshing about scrapbooking, cooking and how fun it would be to decorate a little girls' room with her, but the husbands have absolutely nothing in common.  There is no animosity, but they really have nothing to say beyond the initial pleasantries.  You really want the "married couple friends" thing to work, but you find that it's just uncomfortable to be together in that capacity.

So when you find a married couple where both husband and wife are good friends individually, and we all have fun collectively you feel like the stars have aligned and all is right with the world.  Our children are friends and play well together (even fighting at times like siblings), and we have a genuine love for this family.  God blessed us with many dear friendships since we've moved to Oklahoma, and we've been grateful for each one because we needed that support without any family here.  Our friends have become our family, and it's simply God's hand of providence that we have been cared for so lovingly.

So as we sat in the balmy July air watching the fireworks burst in the sky above us, I looked around at Trevor, Curtis, Jyl and all the kids and said a prayer of thanksgiving for our life here.  Thankfulness for living in this great country and for having friends with whom we can share these celebrations.  Most importantly, thankfulness for these friends who are of an eternal variety and although miles and circumstances might separate us in this life, death never will.

We're Over Half-Way There

One decade

Ten years

520 weeks

3640 days

87,364 hours

5,241,600 minutes

According to current life expectancies for males in the United States, Nathan has already lived 13% of his life.  He's officially reached the point where his time under our roof is shorter than what has been spent.  He has reached the double digits in terms of age, and he is beginning his slow climb to manhood. He stands just a foot shorter than me, and I see the years sliding through my grasping fingers although I try my very best to slow them down.

Yet in spite of his growth and the passage of time, he is still my little boy.  He sits near me with a companionable arm slung around my shoulders, or stays in my arms for a long good night hug.  He leans into my hand as I touch his head in passing, and gives me that special smile that he's had since he was a toddler.  Yes, he's still a boy but I see glimpses of the man he will become.  I see it when he is concentrating on a project or struggling to hold back tears when he feels they are not appropriate.

The years are slipping away, so I must use the time I have left to teach him all the things he needs to know before he leaves home.  Trevor and I work diligently to show him what it means to be a man and a husband, in charge of a household and family.  He's only ten, but these lessons are learned in small steps over time.  We teach him to respect and cherish women, not because they are somehow inferior or weak-minded but because that is how God created us to be.  We try to model kindness, generosity and good stewardship, but above all we try to model the love of Christ.

This can be a terribly slippery slope if we insist on being legalistic and rigid, but such a teaching opportunity if we allow ourselves to remember that we can only love like Christ because of the grace we have been given.  We fail over and over again to show that love in a million different ways, but letting our children see that we are not perfect is important.   I think our children see our sin more clearly than anyone else because they live with us and watch our behavior so closely.  It's impossible to model perfection for them since we are imperfect, but it's in our imperfection that Christ is seen more clearly.  We can show them that we are fallen, but forgiven by His blood.  We can model lives that delight in God and glorify Him by the million other ways that we are able to show His love because He first loved us.

So today I breathe a prayer of thanksgiving for the gift that was given to us ten years ago.  A prayer for his salvation and a prayer for a long life spent serving and glorifying the One who made him.  A prayer of protection and a prayer that he will not always be happy, but that he will always have joy.

Happy Birthday Nathan.

A Blues Primer

I was going through my email folders, and came across this gem that my uncle sent me several years ago.  It is just as funny today as it was then and so I wanted to share.

Blues Primer

1. Most Blues begin, "Woke up this morning..." 

2."I got a good woman" is a bad way to begin the Blues, unless you
stick something nasty in the next line like, "I got a good woman, with
the meanest face in town." 

3. The Blues is simple. After you get the first line right, repeat it.
Then find something that rhymes...sort of: "Got a good woman with the
meanest face in town. Yes, I got a good woman with the meanest face in
town. Got teeth like Margaret Thatcher, and she weigh 500 pound." 

4. The Blues is not about choice. You stuck in a ditch, you stuck in a
ditch-ain't no way out. 

5. Blues cars: Chevys, Fords, Cadillacs and broken-down trucks. Blues
don't travel in Volvos, BMWs, or Sport Utility Vehicles. Most Blues
transportation is a Greyhound bus or a southbound train. Jet aircraft
an' state-sponsored motor pools ain't even in the running. Walkin'
plays a major part in the blues lifestyle. So does fixin' to die. 

6. Teenagers can't sing the Blues. They ain't fixin' to die yet. Adults
sing the Blues. In Blues, "adulthood" means being old enough to get the
electric chair if you shoot a man in Memphis. 

7. Blues can take place in New York City but not in Hawaii or any place
in Canada. Hard times in Minneapolis or Seattle is probably just
clinical depression. Chicago, St. Louis, and Kansas City are still the
best places to have the Blues. You cannot have the blues in any place
that don't get rain. 

8. A man with male pattern baldness ain't the blues. A woman with male
pattern baldness is. Breaking your leg cause you skiing is not the
blues. Breaking your leg 'cause an alligator be chomping on it is. 

9. You can't have no Blues in an office or a shopping mall. The lighting
is wrong. Go outside to the parking lot or sit by the dumpster. 

10. Good places for the Blues: 

   a. highway 

   b. jailhouse 

   c. empty bed 

   d. bottom of a whiskey glass 

 Bad places: 

   a. Dillard's 

   b. gallery openings 

   c. Ivy League institutions 

   d. golf courses 

11. No one will believe it's the Blues if you wear a suit, 'less you
happen to be an old black person, and you slept in it. 

12. Do you have the right to sing the Blues?

Yes, if: 

   a. you older than dirt 

   b. you blind 

   c. you shot a man in Memphis 

   d. you can't be satisfied 

  No, if: 

   a. you have all your teeth 

   b. you were once blind but now can see 

   c. the man in Memphis lived 

   d. you have a 401K or trust fund 

13. Blues is not a matter of color. It's a matter of bad luck. Tiger
Woods cannot sing the blues. Sonny Liston could. Ugly white people also
got a leg up on the blues. 

14. If you ask for water and your darlin' gives you gasoline, it's the
Blues. Other acceptable Blues beverages are: 

   a. cheap wine 

   b. whiskey or bourbon 

   c. muddy water 

   d. nasty black coffee 

 The following are NOT Blues beverages: 

   a. Perrier 

   b. Chardonnay 

   c. Snapple 

   d. Slim Fast 

15. If death occurs in a cheap motel or a shotgun shack, it's a Blues
death. Stabbed in the back by a jealous lover is another Blues way to
die. So is the electric chair, substance abuse, and dying lonely on a
broken down cot. You can't have a Blues death if you die during a
tennis match or getting liposuction. 

16. Some Blues names for women: 

   a. Sadie 

   b. Big Mama 

   c. Bessie 

   d. Fat River Dumpling 

17 Some Blues names for men: 

   a. Joe 

   b. Willie 

   c. Little Willie 

   d. Big Willie 

18. Persons with names like Michelle, Amber, Debbie, and Heather can't
sing the Blues no matter how many men they shoot in Memphis. 

19. Make your own Blues name Starter Kit: 

   a. name of physical infirmity (Blind, Cripple, Lame, etc.) 

   b. first name (see above) plus name of fruit (Lemon, Lime, Kiwi,etc.) 

   c. last name of President (Jefferson, Johnson, Fillmore, etc.) 

For example, Blind Lime Jefferson, Jakeleg Lemon Johnson or Cripple
Kiwi Fillmore, etc. (Well, maybe not "Kiwi.") 

20. I don't care how tragic your life: if you own a computer, you
cannot sing the blues.

It's Almost Time!

Was it really just Thanksgiving?  It doesn't seem like it's been over three months since my last blog entry, but the calendar doesn't lie.  It's already Mardi Gras I didn't even finish the Giving Thanks Challenge from last year, which makes me feel a little ashamed and a lot guilty.  I had such good intentions when I started that challenge, not the least of which was to commit to blogging more regularly.

Yes.  Well.  (sigh)

So a quick recap.  Thanksgiving in Louisiana was wonderful, Christmas in Oklahoma was fabulous and we saw the New Year in with good friends.  January and February brought several feet of snow and our first experience with sledding.  Now we are coasting into spring, and with it comes Spring break!!!!  I don't recall the last time I took an entire week off from work, but that is exactly what I am doing next week.  Amber, David and my nephew Travis are flying up from Louisiana to see us and I am stoked to have the entire week to hang out and just have fun.  We don't have any concrete plans and nothing but time.

Travis turned one last month, and I can't wait to see him again!  He has grown so much in the past few months, and I can't wait to hold him and play with him to my heart's content.  Nathan and Grace are excited about seeing him too, and Gracie wants to feed him.  I keep explaining to her that he is a big boy now and can eat with his hands, but she keeps insisting that he will need help with his spoon!

My parents came to see us the kids this past weekend, and we had a great time.  We didn't tell Nathan and Grace that they were coming, and so Trevor played a trick on them.  My mom called right before they arrived, so Trevor called the kids into the living room in a stern voice and made them sit on the couch.  They were sitting there wondering what they had done, when Nannie and Papa walked through the door.  I wasn't there, but apparently the joy was palpable and their relief was great!  I couldn't get Grace to let go of Nannie's hand all weekend, and I was starting to feel a little shunned by the time they left Monday morning!

So now I am almost halfway through the week, and I am having a hard time concentrating at work since in my mind Spring break is already here!  I'll do my best to post some pictures and anecdotes next week, and to be better about blogging in general.

I'm Giving Thanks...for Hair Dye

I have been dyeing my hair for over a third of my life, trying in vain to keep the silver from peeking out through the dark brown strands.  I don't remember my exact age the first time I perused the aisle in the drugstore that I thought was reserved for grandmothers and employees of the world's oldest profession, but  I know it was before I was married.  For those of you who are trying to figure out the math, I was in my early twenties.

At first I could go months between colorings, because the grey was not really widespread.  It was mostly an effort to keep it under control.  I remember my dad going silver at a pretty early age, and then lamenting how much older it made him look.  My mom always told him that if he had started coloring it when it first began, no one would have ever known and I took that to heart.

But it wasn't long before I was more salt than pepper in between colorings, and I just wasn't ready to have silver hair in my thirties.  So I kept coloring my hair, but finding that the color was not lasting as long between times as it used to.  So I started doing root touch-ups between colorings, and while thankful for the means to cover the silver I was not happy with all of the maintenance I was forced to provide.  I am a comb my hair straight or throw it up in a pony tail kind of girl.  I am a step below low maintenance when it comes to hair and makeup.

So while I am thankful for all of the years hair color has covered up my age increasing, youth decreasing silver, I think the time is approaching when I just leave it all behind and let my hair look the way God intended.  Until someone asks me if I'm Trevor's mother....then all bets are off!

I'm Giving Thanks...for a Helping Hand

Life has not exactly turned out the way I expected in terms of my role as a wife and mother. I'm still working full-time, and spend more time away from my house than I do in it. Evenings are rushed with cooking, basic cleaning, and getting everything ready for the kids for school the next day.

Weekends are spent catching up on the pile of laundry, housework and school projects that didn't get completed during the week. I also spend much of my time on Saturday and Sunday fulfilling obligations that I have made for myself to friends, church and family. Whether it's trying to get costumes planned and sewn for a program, or making food for church or a friend, it feels like my weekends are cram-packed with so many things that I don't really find the time to relax.

I wish that I didn't have to always rush around to get things done.  I wish I had the luxury of running errands during the week and not fighting the grocery store crowds on Saturday. I wish I had more time to spend with my children. I wish I could volunteer as a class mom and organize their parties. I wish, I wish, I wish.

But one wish was fulfilled by my sweet husband several months ago when he budgeted out enough money to have a maid service come in every other week to do the heavy cleaning for us. No longer do I A) spend all day Saturday scrubbing the house or B) spend all weekend feeling guilty for being too tired to scrub the house. Every other Thursday I come home to the smell of furniture polish and the clean look of freshly mopped floors. The crumbs are gone from the corners of the kitchen,and the bathrooms sparkle.

So even though my weekends are still hectic (even more so, now with the particularly crazy brand of hectic the holiday season brings), I have more time to enjoy my family. Time to let Gracie help me cook, and time to help Nathan paint his Awana Grand Prix car. Time to slow down and crochet for a little while without looking around the living room telling myself that I should get up and dust first. So today I am thankful for the maid service that gives me a helping hand and back a little bit of my time.

I'm Giving Thanks...for Evenings With My Husband

As I pull into the driveway after a full day of work, I am already thinking ahead to all the things that need to be done once I walk through the back door.  I shift the Tahoe in park, and take a deep breath as I turn the key and grab my purse.  I love my children and my home, but sometimes I wish for a little more time alone and a little less to do.

I open the door and call out for Nathan and Grace, and they come running from the back of the house to say hello as I drop my purse and keys on the stool by the back door.   After the usual rounds of hugs and kisses, they go back to what they were doing and I begin the evening checklist of things to do.  First I go through their backpacks for notes, homework and grades and sign all pertinent papers for the next day.  I make sure that all the junk is removed and that their jackets are hung up on the coat rack.

Once the backpacks are emptied, I begin the daily torture of trying to figure out what to make for dinner. Sometimes this just turns into an internet order to Dominos or a box of macaroni and cheese, but on the nights that I do cook this is when I get it started.  After dinner is cooking, I pick up the living room and/or put on a load of laundry.  All of this activity is of course punctuated with questions from, conflict resolution for and repeating myself 326 times to the kids.  By the time Trevor gets home at six, I am exhausted.

We eat dinner together and then we all sort of do our own thing for a little while.  But all too soon, arguments ensue regarding who took their bath first last night, and who has to do it first tonight.  Once the logistics are finally worked out, baths are taken and the kids are ready for bed it's time for Trevor and I to wind down.  We receive our goodnight hugs and sugar from Nathan and Grace, and then we have a few hours to just be together, talk and hang out.  Usually we watch television together, but we frequently pause it as we think of things to discuss.

It's my favorite part of the day.  So today I am giving thanks for evenings alone with my husband.

I'm Giving Thanks...for Hot Beverages

I work in a radiation oncology department, and in order to keep our machines running properly the ambient temperature has to be several degrees below normal. Sometimes this works to our advantage when we are really busy and running around like crazy to stay on schedule. But on days like this when it's fairly slow and steady, my hands start to get cold and the rest of my body quickly follows. Sometimes I'll get a blanket out of the warmer, but more often then not I get a hot beverage. I've kept spiced tea mix here for the last few months and I've sipped on more than my share.

So today I am thankful for hot drinks on cold days (or cold departments!).

I'm Giving Thanks...for iChat and Skype

My family is scattered  all over the country these days.  Washington DC, Houston, Denver, Tulsa, Hammond, Louisiana.  I talk to my family members on the phone fairly frequently, but there is nothing like seeing them in person.  Unfortunately, it's difficult to get everyone together at one time due to time and financial restraints, and we don't see one another nearly as often as we would like.

Luckily for us we have iChat and Skype so that we can video conference any time we want to.  I Skyped with my sister and nephew earlier this afternoon, and got to see him give her sweet 9 month old baby kisses.  A little later I conferenced with my brother who is in Albuquerque on business, and my sister in law and nephew who are in DC all at the same time with iChat.  It wasn't as good as seeing them in person, but it was a close second.  So today I am thankful for the technology of iChat and Skype so I can see my family more often.

I'm Giving Thanks...for Prayer

This morning I attended a baby shower for my sweet friend Erica.  She is due in just weeks, and it was a sweet time of fellowship as we showered her with gifts and well wishes for the baby boy she is still nurturing in her body.  After the gifts were opened and plates were full of good things to eat, our friend Maggie explained that it was Erica's desire that we have a time of prayer for the new baby and for her family.  I've been to several baby showers where we had a short devotional about motherhood, the blessing of children and the design of the core family unit.  I think the devotionals add a sense of worship to the gathering of friends and family, as well as blessing the mother-to-be.

But this time of prayer?  Wow.  It was amazing.  Maggie began the prayer, each person prayed if they felt led to do so, and then Maggie closed it at the end.  They began as prayers of thanksgiving for Erica and her family, and petitions for a safe birth and strength for the coming days.  But as each woman added her prayer to the to growing stream of vertical worship, they expanded to include early salvation for our children, repentance for those children who have gone astray and pleas that we would be an encouragement to one another.  As I sat there, I felt enveloped by love and a joy that can only come from people of God praying for each other.

So today I am thankful for prayer.  Not just the prayers I utter to God when I am alone, but for the prayers that are said for me when I am completely unaware.  The intercession made on my behalf by people who love me and love Christ is one of the greatest gifts that God gives His people.  Who have you prayed for lately?

I'm Giving Thanks...for Rain

I love rainy days.  Well, I love rainy days that don't involve me getting out of the house.  I love curling up with a good book and reading while the rain drums a soothing rhythm on the roof and the water runs down the windows and makes tiny streams in the road.  I love falling asleep to the sound of rain falling outside and rushing over the edge of the eaves in sheets as I snuggle down under the quilt, knowing that I am safe and warm.

The thing I miss most about the weather in Houston is the rain, although I never would have said I loved it when I was living there.  It was just a part of life and I didn't really give it much thought.  I'm certainly not complaining about the beautiful, clear days we've had this fall here in Tulsa, but I do miss those good soaking rains that make it smell like the world has been washed clean.  It's not unusual to have an entire week of rain and clouds back home, but here we are lucky if a storm lasts longer than a few hours.  The weather tends to be quick and violent in Oklahoma, and it feels like the rain never lasts long enough.

Thursday morning, I woke up from a deep sleep by a strange sound.  I actually sat up in bed in confusion trying to put a name to it when Trevor sleepily told me that it was just rain.  I've become accustomed to it's absence and I had to laugh at myself as I settled back in to sleep.  Never in a million years did I think I would be confused by the sound of rain!

It's been raining today and I have been relishing every moment of it.  It's cooled the air and washed the streets clean.  We really need this respite from the dry weather, so today I am thankful for the rain.

I'm Giving Thanks...for Veterans

I sometimes think that Veteran's Day is the most undervalued and under appreciated patriotic holiday that our country celebrates.  Even Labor Day gets more attention and excitement than the only day of the year that we set aside to thank those who serve and have served in our nation's armed forces.  Memorial Day is spent remembering those who have given their lives for our freedom, but the one day we designate to encourage and thank those who are still with us seems to get lost in the bustle before Thanksgiving and Christmas.

As I reflected today on all the veterans that I know on a personal basis, I realized that I really didn't know how Veteran's Day became a national holiday.  I found that it was originally known as Armistice Day which commemorated the signing of the Armistice.   It was signed by the Germans on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918, which effectively ended World War I.  President Woodrow Wilson declared it a national holiday the following year, to be celebrated each year on November 11.  In 1954, President Dwight Eisenhower expanded the holiday to include all veterans, not just those of WWI, so Armistice was replaced with Veterans and has been known by that name ever since.

So today I am thankful for all veterans.  Those who have never seen the heat of battle and those who have been deep in the trenches.  Those who keep the vast machinery of our armed forces running smoothly behind the scenes, and those who fly overhead to keep us safe from threats foreign and domestic.  I am thankful that there are brave men and women who put their lives at risk on a day to day basis so I can raise my children without fear, and have the freedom to voice my opinions as I am doing right now.  Thank you and God speed.

I'm Giving Thanks...for Amazon

I am not by nature a person that enjoys crowds, which by extension means that I do not like to shop during the holidays.  The stores are overcrowded and hot, people are constantly in my personal space (which, by the way, increases to a circumference roughly the size of a hula hoop when I leave the house), and then I have to haul all the stuff I bought home.

Enter Amazon online shopping.  I started shopping this way several years ago and found it to be a very satisfactory solution to my crowd hating issue.  Friends and family made wish lists there, and I was able to purchase the perfect gift without ever leaving the comfort of my armchair.  I would watch for free shipping specials, and deals that provided guilt-free buying for Christmas.  The very best part of the whole arrangement was that each and every item was shipped directly to my front door, or to the front door of the recipient.

Holiday shopping has become so easy that I am generally done by the time the first of December rolls around.  There are always a few items that I shop for the old-fashioned way, but by and large I do it all online.  The beauty of early shopping is that I don't spend all of December worrying and stressing over my shopping list and how I'm going to find time to go out and get it all done.  I can actually enjoy the Christmas season, and savor all the moments with family and friends.  I also have more time to bake, which is always important this time of year.

So today, I am thankful for Amazon and online shopping.

No Pressure

We were sitting together in the living room when Gracie came in with a part from her Little Mermaid bath tub play set in her little hand.  She walked to Trevor, held it out and said:

Daddy, since I know you're an engineer and you can fix anything, can you please fix this?

No pressure, baby.  No pressure at all.

I'm Giving Thanks...for Fall Sunsets

It's no secret that fall is my favorite time of year, and for reasons too numerous to list here.  But even within my favorite season I have very specific things that I love.  For instance, I love the acrid smell of smoke in the air, a brisk breeze on my skin and the sight of that singularly blue sky that only autumn can produce.

But one of my favorite things about fall is the time just before sunset, when day is standing on the threshold of night and the sinking sun casts golden light through the changing leaves and lengthens the shadows.  I always marvel at the beauty of the setting sun in all seasons, but it's particularly beautiful now.  So today I am giving thanks for the simplicity of the sunset, bringing with it the close of another day and the stillness of the night.

I'm Giving Thanks...for My Bible

Scripture is the single most important tangible possession that a person can own.  It gives instructions for living and more importantly, the story of the gospel from start to finish to show us the way to salvation through Christ.  Every verse in the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation tells a portion of the story of redemption and shows Christ as it's grand subject.

But when I say that I am thankful for my Bible, I mean that on a very personal level.  My parents gave me my Bible for Christmas in 1990.  It has my name embossed on the maroon leather front cover and when I married, I proudly added my new last name to it.  I know that many people do not like to write or underline in their Bibles, but I have twenty years worth of writing, underlining and highlighting in between the covers.  It contains the the things I learned from Beth Moore studies, my own reflection during my quiet time and hundreds of sermons given by men of God on Sunday morning.

There is nothing that I can add to scripture to make it better.  As a matter of fact, that would be anathema to do so, but all of my notations are road maps in my continuing journey to spiritual maturity.  I have quotes from John Piper, RC Sproul, John Calvin and Martin Luther in the margins, indicating times in my study when their wise words helped me to better understand a passage or verse.

The pages are soft and well used.  The cover is worn and coming apart in some places, but feels just right in my hands.  In it I carry a bookmark given to me by my grandmother when Gramps died that has a copy of his obituary on it...a short testament to a beautiful life lived for the glory of God.  There's always a stray bulletin or two between the pages, and a paper with the passages to read for Sunday school each week.

It's more than just a book simply by virtue of being the inspired Word of God.  Even if I never wrote one word in it, or underlined one passage it would still be the most important book that I own.  But because it has been well used and loved, it means so much more to me.  It's a legacy of all the knowledge and wisdom I've accrued over the years; information that has helped to make me the person that I am today in Christ.  I pray that one day my children will read my Bible and not be surprised by what I've written, but be able to say instead that they saw me put my knowledge to use in a life lived for Christ and His glory.

I'm Giving Thanks...for Feeling Included

When we moved to Oklahoma almost a year and a half ago, I was certain that this was where God wanted us to be.  But in spite of that feeling of assurance, I was still nervous about living with two young children in a new town with no friends or family.  Would we fit in?  Would people like us?  How would we find a babysitter when we didn't know a soul?

All of those fears were put to rest when we joined our church and met a group of the most wonderful people.  People who babysat our children.  People who brought us food when Trevor's grandmother passed away.  People who love Christ and do their best to show His love as they go about their everyday business.  But even as welcoming as a group of people can be, it's a fact of life that when you're the new person, you have to work at breaking into circles of friends and becoming a part of that group.  No matter how old I get, I still feel like it's the first day of Kindergarten all over again and I'm trying to figure out who wants to be my friend.

This is not a criticism of anyone at our church, because we were overwhelmingly welcomed and made to feel like we belonged from the very beginning.  What I'm talking about is that feeling of true friendship that can only come with time.  Discovering which people had the most in common with Trevor and me, and who we really clicked with on a personal level.  Which acquaintances developed into something deeper and more honest than the others, and who felt comfortable calling on us for favors at a moment's notice as we did them.

Now that we've had time to get to know people (and let's be honest....they've gotten to know us, warts quirks and all), we really feel like we have more than just a wonderful church family.  We have friends.  And it's an indescribable feeling to feel included and loved, and to know that there are people here who love us for who we are.  We miss our families but I'm thankful today that God has provided a circle of friends to stand in the gap and that we are included.

I'm Giving Thanks...for Difficult Circumstances

I posted the other day about my Tahoe breaking down on the way to work and how Trevor came to my rescue.  Sadly, the story doesn't end there but continues on to include a brand new transmission.  In years past, this would have sent me into a frenzy of worry and stress about how the amount of money in our checking account would cover the final amount of the bill.  About which credit card we were going to max out to supplement our inadequate savings, and then about how we would pay our bills that month (and conceivably the next).

But when we got the news about this expensive repair, my first thought was not about any of those things.  It was to thank God for providing for us in this economy, and for sending a renter for our house in Texas.  The first rent check could not have come at a better time, and because of some financial decisions that we made a few months ago we had money set aside for just such an emergency.  God is teaching us to be good stewards of our money.  He's teaching us that He is capable of taking care of our every need.  He is teaching us that the end game for everything that happens to us in this life is for our good and His glory.

The money we have to spend on this unexpected repair is not without it's own set of difficulties.  It sets us back in our savings, and it lengthens the amount of time it will take to reach our financial goals but those are such temporal things.  The eternal lessons we have gleaned are far more important and so today I am giving thanks for difficult circumstances and the way God grows us when we respond in faith, joy and thanksgiving.

I'm Giving Thanks...for Friday Nights

I love anticipation. I actually enjoy the anticipation of an event almost more than I enjoy the actual event. That's why Thursday is my favorite day of the week. I have all day to anticipate Friday and the weekend, but it's close enough to the end of the week that it feels almost festive. Right now I'm at work thinking about all the fun stuff we could do tonight. It's supposed to be cold, so I think that it would be fun to start a fire in the fire pit and roast some marshmallows, and enjoy sitting outside in a warm blanket.

I think I might make a big pot of stew, and maybe some homemade biscuits to go with. I might spend the entire evening watching movies with Trevor and the kids while I work on my afghan. The point is that Friday nights bring with them a sense of eager anticipation and the feeling that anything is possible, and I just love feeling like that! When my head finally hits my pillow tonight, what I envisioned for my evening may be markedly different from what actually happened, but that's the beauty of Friday nights.

So today I'm thankful for Friday nights and their endless possibilities.

I'm Giving Thanks...for My Husband

This morning began in the usual way:  hitting the snooze roughly 14 times, quick shower because I overslept and rushing out the door with my coffee and on the road to work all within 30 minutes of getting out of bed.  I took my exit and after the first stop light realized that something was not right with the Tahoe.  It seemed to be hesitating when I accelerated and a faint grinding noise was coming from the vicinity of the transmission.  I pulled off the road about a block from the hospital and called Trevor to see what I should do.  I was afraid to park in the underground garage in case the truck needed to be towed.

He told me he would be there in a few minutes, so I called my manager and then settled back to wait.  I wasn't in any distress and the weather was incredibly nice, but the sight of Trevor turning into the parking lot still made my heart skip with joy.  I knew that once he arrived, everything would be okay even if the Tahoe was not drivable.  He was there to take care of it.

He checked a few things, tried to drive it and then decided to call AAA to tow the truck to a repair shop. He made the call, got out and dealt with the tow truck driver, drove us to the repair shop and then handled all the details regarding the Tahoe.  Guess what I did?  I sat in the comfort of the heated passenger seat and read a book on my iPad, completely secure in the knowledge that Trevor had everything under control.  I drove him to work, and then took his truck back to the hospital.

It's a simple story with no real drama or stress (besides the fact that we were both two hours late for work), but it illustrates the kind of husband with whom I have been blessed.  He never complains or thinks of himself when I need him.  He comes directly to my aid, and makes sure that I'm taken care of.  He always has my back, even when it is inconvenient for him or involves doing something that he dislikes.  He makes me feel safe and cherished every day of my life, and for that I am thankful.

I'm Giving Thanks...for Lunesta

In recent years, I have noticed a difference in my sleep patterns.  I find it difficult to fall asleep;   sometimes it's like my mind is on overdrive and I can't turn it off.  A million thoughts and ideas go running through my head and no matter how hard I try to concentrate on drifting off to sleep, it won't happen.  When I finally get to sleep, it only takes a small noise or movement to wake me.  As soon as I'm awake, I might as well take a shower and get dressed for work because my sleeping is over for the night, even if it is 1:30 in the morning.  To say the least it's incredibly frustrating, and after months of trying over the counter sleep aids I finally told my doctor and he prescribed Lunesta.

I don't think I'm exaggerating when I say that it is a miracle drug.  Seriously.  I am finally able to go to sleep, stay asleep and wake up feeling as though I actually slept all night instead of watching bad early morning television.  I discovered that my bouts of insomnia were cyclic.  Once I got my sleep patterns under control, I stopped taking the Lunesta and I was fine for a while.  When I would have a bad night of insomnia, I would take Lunesta for the next few nights to get me back on track and then I was good to go again.

So today I am thankful for Lunesta (and so is my family).

I'm Giving Thanks...for the Right to Vote

We have so freedoms afforded to us as United States citizens.  So many rights that we often take them for granted and become complacent because of the sense of entitlement they tend to bring.  We have so many rights that we begin to assign rights where there are none.  We assume that our rights (real and perceived) can never be taken away from us, so we allow others to make decisions for us by not voting.  We claim to be so confused by the convoluted state of our government that we can't vote intelligently because we don't understand the issues.  We decry the corruption in high places and become so disillusioned that we feel as though no matter who we put in office it won't matter, because they will succumb to the pervasive dishonesty and trading of favors.

We have so many excuses to not vote:  not enough time, the lines are too long, forgetting to register....the list goes on and on.  Sadly, the same people who don't take the time to vote are often the first to complain when the politicians make decisions that don't align with their values.  It's like the lottery...you've got to play to win.  You forfeit the right to bellyache if you are unwilling to exercise your right to vote.

I would love to see the election results if 100% of the population cast their votes.  What would a true majority look like, and what would it say?  I think liberals and conservatives alike would be surprised.

It was with a distinct sense of pride  that I signed my name this morning to indicate that I cast my vote in the mid-term elections.  I added my voice to the millions of other Americans who took the time to speak today.  I am thankful for the right to vote.

I'm Giving Thanks...for Beautiful Fall Weather

For some reason I am surprised every single year when I turn the page on my calendar and it reads November.  I always feel as though we just finished the holiday season, and that I'm not quite ready to face another.  It's not that I don't enjoy Thanksgiving and Christmas, but that the years seem to be flying by too quickly for my taste.  I heard a quote recently about raising children that pretty much sums up how I feel:

The days are long, but the years are short.

The days that we spend in the trenches of parenthood and marriage can seem never ending, and when we have several of those days in a row it feels as though time is standing still.  But then there are the days of complete joy and contentment when all seems right with the world and we float along on the emotional high we get from enjoying our children and our spouses, that more than compensates for all the rest.  But at year's end, the good and the bad days seem to blend together in one long blur with sporadic highlights here and there.

So here I am at the beginning of the end of 2010, and I find that I have much for which I am thankful.  I've done this challenge for the last three years, and my previous lists can be found here, here and here.  If you would like to participate in the Giving Thanks Challenge, go see Leah at South Breeze Farm and grab the button for your blog, or just update your Facebook status each day with something for which you are thankful.

This year, the first item on my list is the beautiful fall weather here in Oklahoma.  We've had a string of beautiful days and nights this fall, and they make me wish that I did not work in a basement!  The days are comfortable and sunny and the nights are cool and breezy.  We've had our bedroom window open for about three weeks now, enjoying the cool air all night.  I realize that Oklahoma does not have particularly cool weather in the fall compared to other parts of the country, but since my only real frame of reference is the Gulf coast, the temperatures are perfect!

So, what are you thankful for?