Thursday, March 13

My 27 Thanks:
1. I can be strong in His grace. 2 Timothy 2:1.
2. The supernatural strengthening you need doesn’t come because you deserve it. God makes His supernatural power available to you and me for free!
3.  God’s grace makes this strength available to every Believer!
4. His power is available to anyone who releases his or her faith to receive it.
5. And because it’s available by grace — for free — a person doesn’t have to feel worthy to receive it!
6. I had a very productive morning.
7. The Holy Spirit is a great strategist.
8. He helps me all the time!
9. I got several compliments on my bright-colored outfit today.
10. Abby is back to work today and feeling much better!
11. My friend, Debby, sent me a very timely and beautiful word of encouragement today!
12. I got to share vision about the school with the staff today.
13. We are starting a school.
14. A teacher and former colleague contacted me and ask if I would officiate her wedding ceremony! So sweet.
15. I spoke to my MIL today. It was so good to chat with her and I am so glad they are home!
16. The weather is amazing.
17. Spring is springing.
18. Gary was a huge help at church today. Spring clean out is upon us and he is so sweet to help.
19. I love opportunities to down-size and remove clutter.
20. Gary grilled tonight. I love using our grill. It makes dinner cleanup so easy and the food is yummy!
21. We all sat at the table and ate dinner together. I love these moments shared together.
22. Thursday is family movie night!
23. Judah took turns sitting on both of our laps. We love our snuggle time.
24. Abby told us about an app that is a fun game. So, we got it and all had a great time playing it together.
25. My mom is coming to the city for a visit tomorrow! And, we get to do what we want…we have no plans.
26. Sweet dreams.
27. Rest.

Wednesday, March 12

My 27 Thanks:

1. My husband has no trouble getting up super early for the station. He takes great pride in his work.
2. He is disciplined!
3. He tries really hard to get ready quietly so he doesn’t wake Judah and me up. He is stealthy!
4. Both Abby and Lori are sick today. I am so thankful for both of them. When they are out of commission, I realize how blessed and grateful I am for their work!
5. Abby and Lori are both starting to feel a little better.
6. Pastor Marcia and Leslie proofread the policy manual for the Jr. Academy for me! I really appreciate their help and keen eyes!
7. Attention to details.
8. Time was on my side today.
9. Laura helped me out with Judah.
10. Antioch has been a tremendous help with our school launch.
11. I have received some great advise from seasoned leaders.
12. I spoke with a Senior Pastor of a local church today. Sadly, he confessed to me that the reason he doesn’t have Wednesday night church service is because he couldn’t get anyone in the congregation to help serve in ministries like kids ministry. Wow! My heart broke for that church. But, then I rejoiced. I have an awesome, committed team of leaders.
13. I received some really sweet words from Mrs. Laura Randall tonight at church.
14. My in-laws made it home safely after a 2 week vacation. I am really glad they are back!
15. I was concerned about our Kidmin team tonight because so many were out for various reasons. But, we all pulled together and had a great night of ministry!
16. Kids have great energy!
17. Judah smiles so big when playing with his friends.
18. My friend and fellow Kidmin leader, Rochelle, is celebrating her birthday today. I am so glad her sweet smile and zeal for life is in my life.
19. The building process has begun for my friend Ava’s house.
20. What the devil meant for bad, God uses for GOOD!
21. Perseverance.
22. My buddy, Debby, waited for me to shut down kids ministry so I didn’t have to walk out to my car alone.
23. Thoughtful people.
24. Judah was in a great mood on the way home from church. And, he didn’t fall asleep
25. I found out tonight that a couple who has tried for years to get pregnant and did in vitro 3 times is having a baby in April. I cried tears of joy for them and I don’t even know them. But, what a miracle!
26. They are having a little girl. Her name is Elleana. It is Hebrew for “Our God Answers.” Yes, yes He does!
27. The prayers or a Righteous man avail much!

Tuesday, March 11

My 27 Thanks:

1. Gary got home early enough to wake me up in time to get ready for work. I slept through my alarm.
2. The first thing Gary does when coming home from the station is kiss me good morning.
3. We are studying the book of Acts as a team.
4. As a church, we are still living out the book of Acts. Those days are not over for the church!
5. The book of Acts presents a perfect blueprint for the church to follow.
6. Praise and Obedience to The Lord brings growth.
7. Jesus sent us the Holy Spirit so we could do even greater things.
8. It’s a beautiful day.
9. Gary and Judah got to spend the whole day together.
10. Gary got to work out. He loves working out and I am glad someone in our family makes use of our monthly YMCA fee!
11. Gary and Judah brought me lunch.
12. Pastor Marcia spent an hour investing truth into my life.
13. Revelation of the Word.
14. There are some decisions in life that God wants you to make for yourself.
15. How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time! I am glad that I learned that a while ago.
16. His yoke is easy and His burden is light.
17. He will never give us more than we can handle.
18. I was able to work out multiple schedules and details today.
19. People all around me have had the stomach bug, but I have not been touched by it.
20. Gary and I both believe in the importance of hard work!
21. Judah and I had snuggle time tonight.
22. My little boy LOVES me well. He loves to hug and kiss me and always smiles when he sees me after a day at work.
23. Gary picked up Qdoba tonight for dinner. It was nice to have an evening free of cooking and cleaning.
24. A fellow firefighter surprised Gary and I with really thoughtful gifts tonight. It was such a surprising, sweet gesture of kindness.
25. People are like bugs, they are drawn to your light. I want my light to SHINE bright for all to see.
26. Living Testimonies.
27. Jesus is the Cornerstone. You can either build on Him or stumble over Him. I choose to build.

Monday, March 10

My 27 Thanks:

1. It is a beautiful day.

2. It was in the 70s today for temperature.

3. Judah and I had a relaxing morning!

4. My SIL, Laura, now has the stomach bug that is going around. So, I was able to help her get the girls to school.

5. I live close to both Laura and my In-Laws. Our close proximity makes things super convenient.

6. I love listening to little kid conversations. I love how they communicate thoughts and feelings. It is so cute.

7. Judah and the girls were so excited to see each other. They have such a close relationship and love each other so much.

8. Judah is so close with his cousins. He calls them his brothers and sisters.

9. Mrs. Lori and I had a meeting about the new curriculum. Mrs. Lori is such a blessing. She is super organized and knows her stuff.

10. I am so excited about the new curriculum plan we are launching in April.

11. Plans that have been in the works for a while are now coming together.

12. The leaders are really excited too.

13. God has a way of working things out on our behalf.

14. Seasons. I am glad that there are seasons in our lives.

15. I was able to take off work early to pick up Judah.

16. He was so excited when I told him that the girls got to come home with us and play.

17. We finally got to play outside.

18. Laura is feeling better and the rest she got today really helped her out.

19. My new neighbor, Lisa, came over for a visit.

20. She is super friendly and personable.

21. Both she and her husband work as child and youth advocates. They love kids and youth too. They have devoted their lives to serving youth and kids.

22. Gary fought a grass fire for 5 hours today-I am really glad he returned to the station safely.

23. After Judah went to sleep, I was able to catch up on some work.

24. Quality is in the details.

25. There is always light at the end of the tunnel.

26. The smartest people in the world are those who realize their gifts, as well as their limitations. I want to be smart.

27. God has surrounded us with people who can help us with our limitations. No one has to do it all alone.

Sunday, March 9

My 27 Thanks:
1. It’s Spring forward! Daylight will be longer. I love this time of year.

2. I have the morning off! I love teaching kids, but it is nice to have the morning as an audience member.

3. The kids were so excited to have Pastor Clayton back.

4. Pastor Clayton uses a lot of fun Science to illustrate his points. The kids loved it.

5. I have a great team of leaders!

6. I had lunch with about 50 of my leaders today.

7. Fellowship.

8. Growing together.

9. Gary and Abby were a huge help in setting up and tearing down the luncheon event.

10. My friend and fellow KidMin leader, Deborah, has some exciting decisions ahead of her.

11. God orders our steps!

12. Clayton brought us all a book full of helpful tips, game ideas, and small group starter questions.

13. Games are fun and they are an effective tool in Kids Ministry.

14. Fresh ideas and fun, innovative teaching styles.

15. Pizza. People like it and it is a quick, fairly cheap meal that feeds a large group of people.

16. Eagle One pizza in South OKC is yummy and gives our church an unbelievable deal!

17. My friend and fellow KidMin Leader, Tim Downing, is finishing his active tour of duty this week. Soon, he will be back home with his awesome family.

18. Cherryl came home with us this afternoon. She is an awesome young woman of God. And, Judah loves his Cherryl time.

19. Chemise helped me choreograph the movements to Happy. Chemise is a multi-talented woman! I enjoyed my time with her. She is so full of fun and energy.

20. “Happy” is going to be a super fun and witty sketch that deals with a heavy issue…depression. I am excited to use it to help support Pastor’s message.

21. My friend Deborah came and helped us too. She loves to dance and I am thankful that she is willing to use her gift for the Lord.

22. The special song for this Sunday morning, Feel Again, went well. The execution was perfect. I love creativity that supports messages and helps drive home the point!

23. Frog, my senior Ranger commander, came to my luncheon. I really appreciated his willingness to come and to learn with me. He really enjoyed it too.

24. We didn’t spend money on food at all today…and, it is a Sunday. Wow! I am pretty thankful that we saved some money today.

25. Today went well. It was busy, but all worked out for good.

26. Life.

27. Our family had the most enjoyable 4-day! It was a really nice break away from our busy schedules.

Saturday, March 8

My 27 Thanks:

1. Today is my love’s 34th birthday.
2. We got to spend the entire day together.
3. Judah was beyond thrilled that his daddy is having a birthday! Judah said “Happy Birthday, Daddy” all day long.
4. We took our time and had a relaxing morning.
5. We didn’t have anything on our schedule.
6. We spent the afternoon in Bricktown. I love the progress of this part of our City.
7. I live in Oklahoma City. I love my town.
8. We enjoyed a fun lunch at Texadelphia.
9. I know Jesus.
10. Gary dropped us off and picked us up at the front door, so we didn’t get too cold.
11. By chance, we participated in a fun fishing lesson at bass pro.
12. We enjoyed dinner with friends our good Louisiana friends, the Polands.
13. Great food and great service.
14. I love to share kids ministry stories and learn from one another.
15. We got to pay a visit to station 8.
16. Friends who are like family.
17. Gray got lots of birthday greetings and felt special!
18. Everyone needs rest!
19. God rested.
20. We took a break this weekend and had a nice time of rest and relaxation! It was awesome.
21. Judah told me what to write in Gary’s birthday card.
22. Gary grinned from ear to ear with excitement over Judah’s birthday greetings. It was such a sweet moment.
23. Judah and I baked a special birthday cake for Gary. We had fun and I let Judah lick the bowl.
24. Judah made Gary’s birthday so special.
25. Family time.
26. This is our last day of cold weather for a long time, I hope!
27. 2 Thessalonians 1:7

Friday, March 7th

My 27 Thanks:

1. We slept in.
2. Gary and I both love Rick Renner’s devotional and talk about them when we can in the mornings.
3. My husband loves the Word of God.
4. The Holy Spirit is jealous for me.
5. He loves spending time with me!
6. Gary and I worked together to fold 5,000 loads of laundry (it wasn’t that big, but it felt like it).
7. We all have more than enough clothes in our closet. We are so blessed.
8. I have a washer and dryer in my home!
9. The temperature started out cool, but warmed up nicely throughout the day.
10. We enjoyed lunch at Pei Wei.
11. We took Judah to Chuck E Cheese to play games.
12. Mom mom and Pa pa got Judah a Chuck E Cheese gift card for Christmas-great idea. Judah had a blast playing games and getting tickets.
13. Chuck E Cheese has a secure checkout for kids.
14. We had a nice walk around the neighborhood.
15. I really enjoyed our time outside today. I am looking forward to warmer, longer days.
16. I have learned to put my trust in God alone. I am fully aware that “mankind” will fail you.
17. Even though I may not always understand, I can trust that God always has my best interests at heart.
18. Fridays!
19. Gary and I cooked a yummy, healthy dinner together.
20. Judah went to bed early.
21. I really enjoyed the easy, relaxed atmosphere of this Friday. It was so nice to have some down time.
22. Gary and I enjoyed a movie together.
23. I love nights when you get to stay up late because you know you can sleep in late in the morning.
24. Gary leads our family with discernment.
25. You can be led by the Spirit of God, as well as have earthly sense.
26. Gary and I trust that we are under the covering of a good shepherd.
27. Wisdom.

Thursday, March 6

My 27 Thanks

1. God works in mysterious ways!
2. His thoughts are higher than mine!
3. His ways are bigger than mine!
4. Gary helped my dad with the final load out of operation “Move out Grandmas House!”
5. Her house is completely cleaned out, my Uncle is moved, and all is settled.
6. My dad and the entire family are so glad this process is over.
7. My dad and Gary bragged about how helpful Judah was in the process. I have such a good, helpful boy!
8. Creative meeting was creative once again. I love time that is set aside for thinking.
9. I have so much energy in those settings.
10. Ideas. I love them: good, bad, or ugly! Killing an idea or running with it is so much fun!
11. Creativity.
12. Chemise already has choreography to a skit/ dance we are going to do to launch Easter series Jesus > ________.
13. Sometimes my job requires me to make really tough decisions, but never as tough as the ones Pastor has to make. I am glad that I am not in his shoes.
14. Gary, Judah, and I made it to the Lego movie at the exact start time-we cut it close, but we made it!
15. The theater wasn’t crowded at all!
16. We all laughed throughout the whole movie.
17. We get to enjoy entertainment like going to the movies-a true luxury for some- and we get to do it often!
18. Judah took turns sitting on both mine and Gary’s lap.
19. I have the sweetest family.
20. I love the song, Awesome. “Everything is awesome, Everything is cool when your part of a team!”
21. Life is just better together!
22. We had a yummy dinner in the theater. It was so nice to have an evening free of cooking and cleaning.
23. The building progress in Moore is coming along nicely. It is amazing to see what all has been rebuilt in less than a year since the devastating tornado.
24. People are getting new homes!
25. Beauty comes from ashes.
26. My friend, Angela, sent me the sweetest text. She thanked me for stepping into the nursery Wednesday night while the nursery leaders watched their sons in the badge ceremony! Hello, THaNK YOU, Angela!
27. Hope.

Wednesday, March 5
My 27 Thanks

1. I got up! I have been so tired this week. I am thankful that I got up with or without a giddy in my Gallup.
2. Judah is learning to like his booster seat and I think we can finally transition from the car seat.
3. He can get out of the car by himself now.
4. Ms. Linda and Ms. Stacy always greet us with the sweetest smiles! I have really enjoyed having them as Judah’s first set of teachers.
5. I met with DHS this morning. My meeting went well.
6. I am working with a really nice licensing supervisor.
7. She was impressed with our GREAT facility.
8. I enjoyed yummy leftovers for lunch. Sometimes simple decisions make life easier. I didn’t have to go anywhere or spend any money.
9. Gladys brought leftovers too. So, we enjoyed lunch together. It was so nice to visit with Gladys again.
10. Gladys’ heart is so big and beautiful. She makes me laugh.
11. I am so thankful for a flexible work schedule. I had to leave early today and pick up Judah from school. It is nice to be able to easily do that.
12. I got to pick Judah up from school today. I rarely get to do it. So, it is always nice to be the one the pick him up.
13. Judah and I got to rest together before church.
14. We had to make some last-minute staffing changes and Jose, one of my kidmin leaders, heard our question “who can lead the game now?” He jumped in and lead the game well. He is an awesome kidmin leader.
15. My team all worked together and played “musical chairs” in Kidmin so everyone could see their son in the badge ceremony.
16. It all worked out.
17. The boys were so proud of their awards.
18. By the time we checked out all the kids and cleaned up, the church was empty and dark. I am so glad that I have Abby now and she walked out with me.
19. Deborah and Amy both helped me with Judah tonight. I am so glad these two ladies are on my Wednesday night team.
20. I was able to share the vision of school with more interested peeps.
21. Jeremiah 17: 7-8.
22. Blessed is the man whose trust is in the Lord.
23. If you trust the Lord, you will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots to the stream.
24. The tree doesn’t fear when heat comes. We don’t have to fear when disaster comes.
25. The tree has no worries in a year of drought because it never fails to bear fruit!
26. If we are planted in Him, we will always bear fruit.
27. Jesus >__________!

Tuesday, March 4
My 27 Thanks

1. I slept well. Usually, I don’t sleep when Gary is at the station. But, I slept well last night.
2. Gary got home earlier than usual and I got to visit with him some before leaving for work.
3. Judah woke up in the best of moods. He was smiling from ear to ear and was ready to play.
4. Gary told me that he is starting to feel more at home with his new fire station.
5. We had staff lunch today. Gary and Judah joined me!
6. When Judah saw me down the hallway at work, he came running towards me with outstretched arms and a huge smile!
7. Bear hugs from my boy!
8. Gary dressed really nice today. He knows how much I love it when he dresses up for me.
9. My husband is so handsome.
10. Gary was able to help Grant start his car.
11. Gary is handy!
12. Pastor Ted shared with me that his personality used to be just like mine. He used to be a dreamer too. He made the staff aware too.
13. I worked late today, but left feeling more accomplished.
14. The snow and ice are almost gone from the roads. I am so glad winter is almost behind us.
15. My brother stayed late at his chiropractic office to give me an adjustment.
16. My neck adjusted well. It is getting better.
17. I shared my heart with Gary tonight on a few issues I am dealing with. He cares for my Heart and gives me sound counsel.
18. I am not a victim, I am a victor!
19. God brings something significant out of what seems insignificant.
20. Your family, your upbringing, your past, etc… may put you at a disadvantage, but you don’t have to stay there.
21. God can bring greatness out of a great mess!
22. We enjoyed a very yummy, home cooked meal for dinner.
23. At dinner, we all shared discussions about our day.
24. Gary cooked dinner so I could spend some time with Judah.
25. Gary gave Judah a haircut. It looks really cute and it was free. The only bad part is that Judah looks so grown up with his hair short.
26. Several people complimented my hair today. Kind words sure do lift the spirit.
27. Kind words from others.