In All Your Ways

Day 21: Mission Accomplished!

2014-12-20T17:44:00.000-08:00

Yes, it is day 21 and I successfully posted every day with three things for which I am thankful! So here are my final items to share:

My kids and I are officially on Christmas break; all the assignments are done and graded. I am thankful for this break and looking forward to a couple of weeks without school commitments.

From time to time I enjoy doing jigsaw puzzles, and today was one of those days. We have a cute Peanuts Christmas puzzle which I started last night and finished today. I am thankful for some quiet relaxation time doing a puzzle on this rainy day - a much better choice than navigating the mall!

My family and I are about to watch another Christmas movie this evening and I am once again thankful for that time we can have together.

Praying you have a blessed and thankful Christmas!

Linda

Day 20: Becoming a Habit...?

2014-12-19T20:09:00.000-08:00

Well, my discipline of giving thanks for at least three things each day is drawing towards a close, and with two days to complete my goal of 21 days of being thankful I believe that it is becoming a habit for me. Even on the days which seem uneventful and I normally wouldn't look for reasons to be thankful, I am doing that now. However, I could see myself slipping back into my old ways if I don't consciously continue to make the effort to give thanks. Even though I won't continue to post my daily thanks, I will endeavor to be thankful on a daily basis.

Yesterday my daughter couldn't find her glasses, she was pretty sure she had them when we left church on Wednesday evening but couldn't remember having them after that point. We looked everywhere around the house and especially in her room. I even called the church to see if they had been turned in. I was starting to worry because we really don't have the money to replace them for her at this time, and she needs them. This afternoon I found them in my car, praise the Lord! We were both so happy for her to have them back again.

My husband and son went today to assist my sister in law with packing up her apartment to move. I am thankful that they were able to help her out with this and it didn't take them too long.

A friend of mine had surgery today and I have been praying for her, I just got a brief update that the surgery went well and she seems to be noticing relief of her symptoms. I am thankful for a successful surgery for her.

Blessings,

Linda

Day 19: Growing Up

2014-12-18T20:04:00.002-08:00

You've heard it said many times before that your children will grow up so fast, so enjoy them while you have them. It's true, even though my kids are still at home the reality that I may only have them living with us for a few more years hits me hard from time to time. This was one of those days. My son went through his orientation at the college today and will begin classes in January. When he mentioned he'd like to move into his own place when he is 18 it made me sad because that's not too far in the future.

So, choosing to be thankful......

I am thankful for each year, day, moment I have had and have with each of my kids. They are both wonderful youth, growing into adults. I am proud of them and excited for their accomplishments, their opportunities and their potential.

I am thankful that God is sovereign, He knows me and my needs and will provide because He is faithful and good, and He loves me.

Last night I slept through the night for the first time in I don't know how long. I am so thankful for that especially because I have been sick for 3 weeks now, so a good night sleep helped me to feel stronger today.

Blessings,

Linda

Day 18: No Catastrophes!

2014-12-17T21:24:00.000-08:00

I guess I can say that today was a pretty good day because there were no major problems! Yay! Sorry..... it just seems like I've been sharing all the things which have been going wrong so I should be thankful when things go right!

I am thankful that my washer worked properly today, my car didn't encounter any new issues, and my husband's truck seemed to run ok.

God reminds and convicts me of areas in which I need to grow as a christian. I am thankful for this even though sometimes His correction is hard to receive.

This evening was our last AWANA club before Christmas break;my daughter's group performed a skit for the younger ages and I am thankful for each of those youth and their hearts to serve the Lord.

Blessings,
Linda

Day 17: Persevering

2014-12-16T21:27:00.001-08:00

It definitely feels like we are experiencing spiritual attack; one thing after another seems to go wrong or challenge us. Today it was a problem with my husband's truck, and a problem with my washing machine.

I am thankful that when my husband took his truck into the repair shop we use, the manager took care of him at no cost! They couldn't duplicate the problem he had but it is running ok at the moment.

My son has a friend over to hang out with him today and tomorrow. I am thankful for him to have this time with his friend

My daughter and I had fun playing scrabble this evening, I am thankful for time to enjoy relaxing and enjoying her company.

Blessings,

Linda

Day 16: Amidst the Challenges

2014-12-15T21:36:00.002-08:00

Yes, it was one of those days..... several things just did not go well, especially the fact that our dog chewed up my husband's Bible, his favorite bible which he has used for more years than I can remember and is full of notes, highlighting, etc. Sigh.

So once again I have to look for things to be thankful for; the dog won't be on the list today.

I am thankful for God's strength which carries me through the difficult days.

I am thankful that God's grace is sufficient for me, that His power is perfected in weakness. 2 Cor.12:9

I am thankful for hugs from my family which comfort me when I need them!

Blessings,

Linda

Day 15: For What I Have

2014-12-14T18:12:00.000-08:00

Happy Sunday to you! I hope you have been able to enjoy a day relaxing and also have been able to spend time with the Lord.

Today I am thankful for the opportunity to be in church, to worship God and to hear the message preached by our pastor. I am thankful for the reminder to trust in Him for all things and to seek to follow Him in order to fulfill my purpose in life.

We have been struggling financially and I am thankful that God has given me the ability to cook and bake to provide meals for my family with limited resources. Though I can't always prepare the meals I would like to, I am thankful for His provision.

I am thankful that my husband, kids, and I each have cell phones and are able to keep in touch - especially on evenings like this when my kids are going to church youth group by themselves. I appreciate the text message to let me know they have arrived safely!

Blessings,

Linda

Day 14: Busy Day

2014-12-13T20:58:00.001-08:00

Some days are filled to the full, and for my daughter this was one of those days, lots of fun activities to be thankful for.

My daughter started a book club a couple of years ago, and once a month we have a gathering of about 7-8 girls who have a lot of fun together. I am thankful that my daughter has some great friends, they get loud and crazy but I love them all.

Next stop was a birthday party at the rollerskating rink; I am thankful she had a great time there and nobody broke any bones!

This evening we attended a Christmas drama performance at our friends' church; I am thankful for the message they shared and the reality that 'A Baby Changes Everything'. Jesus did come into the world to seek and save that which was lost.

Blessings,

Linda

Day 13: It's the Little Things

2014-12-12T21:40:00.001-08:00

Sometimes it seems like I am waiting for something big or exciting to happen in order to have a reason to give thanks. I want to be aware of all the seemingly ordinary things going on and consciously be genuinely thankful rather than just take them for granted. Hence today's three things:

My kids and I went to Target this afternoon in order for them to choose items for their youth group white elephant gift exchange on Sunday. It was fun to walk around with them, laughing at the really silly items they might consider bringing. I am thankful for that time with my kids.

Most week nights my husband works in the evening so isn't home for dinner with us. Tonight he was home and I am thankful our family could share dinner together.

This evening we enjoyed a Christmas movie together at home, along with some popcorn. So thankful for my husband and kids, I love them all and enjoyed our family time.

Blessings,

Linda

Day 12: In Everything ....

2014-12-11T20:56:00.001-08:00

Sometimes we face really difficult situations and wonder what's going on and if God is there. I know from experience and from God's word that He has promised to never leave nor forsake us.

I am thankful that God is present and sovereign in my life and that He loves me. Regardless of my circumstances I am thankful that He will give the strength I need.

I have enjoyed reading a good book today and am thankful for that time of relaxation.

My hubby is still not feeling well, I am thankful that his assistant was able to cover for him this evening so that he could come home early to rest.

Blessings,

Linda

Day 11: Continued Thankfulness

2014-12-10T21:17:00.001-08:00

It's kind of late for me so another short post as I just got home from AWANA.

Each week before our AWANA club begins we are blessed by the provision of a meal at the church. Our commander's wife prepares a meal for the leaders and their families. I am so thankful for her and her ministry to us.

Our weather is very wet and windy today, I am thankful for safety for my family today and pray for God's continued protection.

My husband gas been suffering from a bad cough, I am thankful he was able to see the Dr. today and get some antibiotics.

Blessings,

Linda

Day 10: Quick Update

2014-12-09T20:15:00.000-08:00

This is just a brief post as I'm not feeling too great right now (headache) but I don't want to miss out on giving thanks!

I am thankful for the Bible, God's word, which is always present to encourage and guide me. When I open my heart to read it I receive abundance of blessings; sometimes I am encouraged, sometimes convicted, sometimes challenged, but never disappointed.
Our son got registered today to begin Running Start classes at the community college in January. I am excited for him and thankful for the funds made available for him to take classes at no cost to us.
Our home is generally peaceful, I am thankful for that especially when I feel like I need some rest - which I am looking forward to now!

Until tomorrow.....

Linda

Day 9: Thankful for Loved Ones

2014-12-08T19:58:00.000-08:00

We received some sad news today; over the weekend a man that we have known for some time passed away very suddenly and unexpectedly. This was a real shock to us and and we feel deeply for his wife, especially since their youngest son died earlier this year. It is unimaginable how difficult this time must be for her and their other son.
Our thoughts and prayers are with them now.

Though I have no reason to give thanks for this tragic loss, I do find myself giving thanks for my own family and realize how important it is not to take each moment for granted.

I am thankful that I have both my children and my husband with me and I cherish the love we share; it is my prayer that we would continue to grow closer as a family and enjoy each other.
Today was a bit of a challenge for me in the homeschooling realm. So, I am looking for reasons to give thanks in this area - I am thankful for small steps of progress and victory.
I am thankful that God's mercies are new every morning, that He loves me unconditionally even when I feel I least deserve it. Great is His faithfulness!

Blessings to you.....

Linda

Day 8: Thankful for Fellowship

2014-12-07T19:26:00.000-08:00

As a stay-at-home homeschooling mom sometimes I can feel lonely and secluded, so it's always nice for me to get out of the house and spend time with other people. Therefore my thanksgiving today revolves around that theme:

I am thankful that I got to be in church this morning to worship, receive teaching, and fellowship with other believers. It is good for me spiritually and emotionally to receive that encouragement.
This evening my hubby and I went to a Christmas party for a business networking group that he is involved in; I enjoyed the opportunity to meet some new people and had a nice time visiting.
On a slightly different note, since we were at the party this evening my son - with his newly obtained drivers license - was able to drive our daughter and himself to their church youth group. I am thankful that he is able to do that and I do know they arrived safely. Looking forward to them getting home later!

Hope your weekend has been a blessing to you!
(Oh, and I'm thankful for Snoopy too, I just love him!!)

Linda

Day 7: Getting Easier

2014-12-06T21:45:00.000-08:00

Already after just seven days of consciously making an effort to be thankful, I am finding that it is coming more naturally and instead of just seeing something as a problem, I can look at it from the perspective of " well, I can be thankful that....."

Not so easy, is for me to remember to post my thankfulness on my blog each day, probably that is due to the fact that I have been out of the habit of blogging these past few years. Anyway, just a quick note today to record what I am thankful for:

I am thankful for my mum, who lives in Scotland; I speak with her each Saturday morning and I really appreciate the time we have to chat and catch up on what's going on in each others lives.
I am thankful to have met a few new people today at a business meeting we attended. I pray that the relationship can grow and be a blessing to them and me.
I am thankful for some time this evening with my daughter doing our nails together. It is fun to have teenagers!

Tomorrow is Sunday, I am looking forward to church and some other activities, see you then!

Linda

Day 6: Being Productive

2014-12-05T21:56:00.000-08:00

Productivity makes me happy! I know, it sounds silly but I really do feel good when I accomplish a lot and time is well used. While today was not one of those days where I felt like Wonder-woman, I did keep working along at a steady pace and got quite a bit accomplished. I especially like to feel 'caught up' before the weekend arrives.

My three items of thanksgiving for today are:

I am thankful to be able to be active and busy: in homeschooling my kids, caring for my home and family, and for the sense of accomplishment when I complete tasks.
We recently became Melaleuca customers and received our first order today, so I am thankful for all the new products to try. The cleaning products are environmentally safe and don't contain any harsh chemicals which will be better for my family.
I have had a sore throat for the past week along with generally not feeling very well; today my throat feels better and I am thankful for that, even though I have a little bit of a cough I am glad to be feeling better.

See you tomorrow!

Linda

Day 5: With Thanksgiving and Prayer

2014-12-04T18:57:00.000-08:00

Today we add another milestone in our family life, our 16 year old son obtained his driver's license! He got his permit in June, took driver's education in August and has been getting all the required hours of practice in. He actually passed the road test in October but here in Washington state, teen drivers are required to hold the learner's permit for a period of 6 months before they can acquire the license. The six month mark hit today and so necessitated a trip to the Department of Licensing. I was quite surprised when the lady asked for $89! I thought we had paid all the required fees already when we paid for the permit, the driver's ed. and the testing fees, but no........

Therefore it is with prayer that I give thanks today!

I am thankful that our son has obtained his license and can now go out driving unsupervised (did I really say that???) Ok, so really I'm thankful that he got his license and I'll be praying for his safety and wisdom while he drives unsupervised. This may take a little getting used to.

I am thankful that it is not freezing today. Though it is kind of rainy, the rain has brought slightly warmer temperatures. Can't complain about our cold weather, however, when much of the country has been hit hard with severe cold and snow.

I am thankful for a home to live in with so many comforts and conveniences.

I hope your day has been blessed and you are able to find several things for which to be thankful.

Linda

Day 4: Taking Time to be Thankful

2014-12-03T20:48:00.001-08:00

Thiis was a busy day, but I am reminded that in the midst of the chores, laundry, homeschooling, and church activities I still need to slow down and give thanks.

Today I am thankful for the following three things:

1. For the opportunity to homeschool my children; this is year 9 for us and there have been many challenges, ups and downs, and blessings. I have made mistakes along the way but I am so thankful to have been able to share these years with my kids.

2. For the AWANA program at our church. I am thankful that I can be a part of this ministry; it is a blessing for me to serve as the secretary for the Trek and Journey groups ( jr. high & high school).

3. As I write number 3, I just got home for the evening and I am thankful to be home and looking forward to some rest.

Until tomorrow .....

Linda

Day 3: It's a Test

2014-12-02T20:57:00.001-08:00

It has to be a test. Right? As soon as you determine to make a positive change a multitude of trying situations come your way.

Today was part 2 of the household electrical saga. I won't go into all the details, suffice it to say that we encountered new issues, apparently resolved them, and experienced recurrence of previous issues. Aargh!!

So, to be thankful today??? Here are 3 things for which I can genuinely give thanks:

1. My daughter! She is sweet and thoughtful and fun to be with. I am thankful for the way she tries to encourage me when I am stressed!

2. My son! He loves the computer, gaming, and all such things. I have come to appreciate that we don't like all the same things and that's ok!. I am thankful that he can help me when I have a technology-related problem!

3. My cat- Quincy! He is just so soft, and

cute. He can pretty much always bring a smile to my face. (Except when he's doing something he shouldn't, like stealing ornaments from the Christmas tree!!)

Well, that's it for today, see you tomorrow!

Linda

Day 2: Being Thankful When Things Go Wrong

2014-12-01T21:07:00.000-08:00

You know there are those days where it just seems like one thing after another goes wrong, and it's not always easy to give thanks in the midst of unfortunate events. However, there is great benefit in looking for ways to be thankful despite the circumstances.

Recently we have been having some electrical issues in our home; if we would run too many appliances on one circuit the breaker would trip and there were issues with resetting it. A couple of weeks ago my husband replaced the breaker for that circuit and we thought it was all running well. Today, however, I plugged one of our space heaters into my daughter's bedroom to get it warmed up for her. A little while later as we were
sitting in our bonus room we started to smell a fishy odor, we looked everywhere to try to determine where the odor was originating form and just couldn't figure it out. As it continued to get worse I decided to Google the issue to try to figure out what might be causing it. Immediate results showed probable electrical overload or fault, so I figured we should unplug the space heater and see if that resolved the problem.

It seemed like the odor was subsiding and I moved onto other things. Approximately 15 minutes later my son came and told me the power had gone out in that area of the house. We tried flipping the breaker and unplugging everything in the affected rooms, but were unable to restore the power. So, of course this is not convenient and will take some effort and money to fix. All this leads me to my first reason to give thanks today:

I am thankful that we were able to discover the electrical issue before it started a fire in our home. Although this is one more stress we don't need right now, things could have been tragically worse and I thank God for protecting our family.
This year I was able to purchase a small Christmas gift for each of my family members back home in Scotland and am thankful that I was able to get them in the mail today so that they can receive them before Christmas.
I am thankful for my husband who loves me and provides for our family; we have been married for 22 years and I give God thanks for blessing our marriage.

Thanks for stopping by, I hope you can find some reasons to give thanks today!

Linda

Day 1: Developing the Habit of Thanksgiving

2014-11-30T20:47:00.001-08:00

This morning in church our pastor shared a message entitled 'Five Ways to Give Thanks' in which he explained that it takes 21 days of repetition to develop a habit. He challenged us to express 3 things each day for which we are thankful and continue the practice for 21 days.

So, here I am, I thought I would post my items here just to give me a consistent place to document my daily thanksgiving.

In the past I posted a series called Thirty Days of Thanksgiving, this will be a bit different because these will be more personal things for which I am thankful. So join me if you like and feel free to share things you are thankful for too.

Today I am thankful for:

1. Today's message in church through which God challenged me to be more thankful.

2. For safety on the icy roads today as my family and I travelled to and from church several times.

3. For a warm fireplace to sit near on this cold day, and a yummy cup of hot chocolate!

See you tomorrow!

Linda

Yummy Quinoa Recipes

2014-05-24T11:22:00.000-07:00

Quinoa is definitely a popular ingredient nowadays, and rightly so with the nutritional punch it packs! I have been searching Pinterest lately for new-to-me recipes that are healthful and delicious. A couple that I tried this week turned out so well I decided I'd share the links here also.

The first one is California Quinoa Salad, I didn't include the edamame in the recipe as my hubby didn't want the soy, and I only used the juice of 2 limes because mine were a good size and it tasted good with that quantity. Otherwise I prepared the recipe as described. It was super easy and super good!

Yesterday I made the Quinoa Chili which was also delicious. I only made a few changes because I was short a couple of ingredients: I only had one can of tomatoes, and a 4oz can of chilies, and one can of kidney beans instead of two. I tasted it before adding the cayenne and decided it didn't need the extra spice (my daughter doesn't like very spicy food). It was really flavorful, definitely will make this recipe again.

I intended to take photos of each recipe but forgot, however mine looked just like the photos on the original blogs so I was happy with the results. You can check those out and I hope you are inspired to try them too!

You are welcome to follow me on Pinterest!

Linda

Homeschool Buyers Co-op Summer Fun Reading Program

2013-06-03T18:39:00.001-07:00

The Homeschool Buyer Co-op is a free homeschooling organization for both new and veteran homeschoolers. Co-op membership is free and confidential, and entitles homeschooling families to GroupBuy discounts on high-quality curriculum. On the site you'll find lots of free information, such as databases of free curriculum, field trips, and educational contests and scholarships. Highly recommended. Click here for more information.

I have been a member of Homeschool Buyers Co-op for several years; they have some great deals. Last year I purchased Rosetta Stone- Italian for my son at a great discount and earned Smartpoints which can be redeemed for other curriculum.

Right now they are running their Summer Fun Reading Program which gives your kids the opportunity to log their daily reading and be eligible for the prize drawings; go check it out and sign up - it's free! There's nothing to lose!
Oh, did I mention that the grand prize is an Apple iPad??

Getting Ready for School

2012-08-22T17:42:00.000-07:00

Summer is almost over for us, we didn't do much on our break so we are looking forward to getting back to school next week. Most of my lesson planning has been done for a while, and it feels good to be organized. Today I'm cleaning up our 'school room' in preparation for Monday -if I could just get my filing done!!
This year will be different for us, I am using a mix of homeschool materials for the kids whereas in the past we have always used curriculum packages. It was a lot of work -but fun- to research and find the best choices for our family this year; I am happy with the materials we will use and am excited about teaching with them. I will share some details and opinions as I begin using each, for now I'd like to tell you about a helpful planning and record-keeping tool I'm using this year.

My planning began in June (I think!), I started by setting our school calendar dates, then designating subjects and lessons for each day to fit in all that we need to cover for the year. My daughter likes to be able to look at the day's assignments and see what she has to accomplish, so I used a desktop planner which I had on hand and started filling in her daily work. I decided to just use a separate planner for my son to avoid confusion.
Since my son is in high school, record-keeping and transcripts are important to me now, so I set off on my web mission to find a good resource for those purposes. I came across Homeschool Tracker which I had used briefly several years ago, they still offer a free 'Basic' version so I downloaded it and began to play around with it. I liked it but the Plus version and Online version offer much more, including the ability to make transcripts. I downloaded the 'trial' of Homeschool Tracker Plus and started inputting information for our past school year. Very nice! I now have our upcoming school year planned with my kids daily schedules laid out. Since I have already done most of our lesson planning in my books I am not doing very detailed plans in the program as I don't need to create more work for myself. It is very easy to make a series of lesson plans however, based upon lesson/chapter number etc., I appreciate this feature. Each day I will input any grading and the program will keep track of it; it is easy to create a variety of reports at any time. I chose the Homeschool Tracker Plus over the Homeschool Tracker Online because it fits my budget better and I prefer not to have to rely on internet to access my program.

I would highly recommend the program if you are looking for something similar; the company offers a referral program so if you purchase through my links I receive a small referral fee!

Linda

Merging my blogs...

2012-08-21T16:40:00.001-07:00

Thanks for visiting In All Your Ways!

I have another blog which I began back in 2009 also, sadly both blogs have been somewhat neglected, however I would like to remedy that and get back to writing a bit more frequently.
Focusing on one blog rather than two seems to be more practical and manageable for me at this time, therefore I am merging! I have exported the posts from Smart Mom Savings into "In All Your Ways", and so you will find a mix of devotional thoughts, recipes, household ideas, homeschooling, money-saving tips and more here in the future.
So, if you are visiting "In All Your Ways" for the first time, I welcome you and hope you'll stop by again and leave a comment.

Linda