Why I Count it All JOY Wednesday

I am determined to count it all joy today!! I am blogging from my phone so none of my images or pictures will upload so if you want to link up grab my button from last week (below), make your list and join us for some JOY!!

As I type, I am headed to Oklahoma City to the state going away ceremony for my sons army unit. They are leaving next Friday, the 25th, for a 12-18 month deployment to Afghanistan.

I am filled with JOY because even though his leaving rips my heart out, I am so proud of his heart to serve!!

I am filled with JOY because I have another week with him!!

I am filled with JOY because while he is gone, his baby, Slaid, will be staying with us!!

I am filled with JOY because this week was Valentines Day and continuing tradition, I made a nice dinner for all of us (pictures later) and we got to enjoy extra time together!!

I am filled with JOY because the same God who watches over and protects us at home will be holding Shane in the palm of His hand while he is serving our country overseas!!

I am filled with JOY because it was 75 degrees yesterday and we all went for a walk together!!

I am filled with JOY because there are tulips on my dining room table and they are beautiful!!

I am filled with JOY because my sweet niece is going to have her first baby in August!!

I am filled with JOY because I serve a God of peace and understanding. A God who knows my heart, He knows my Joys and He knows my hurts, He knows my strengths and He knows my challenges, and no matter what He loves me and keeps me and gives me the peace I need!!

Thank you Jesus for keeping you hand on us today as we travel and fins the JOY in all situations!! Thank you for loving me!!

What is filling you with JOY??

Counting it all JOY!!
Angel

Why I Count it all Joy Wednesday

Welcome to Why I Count It All Joy Wednesday!! To join in on all the JOY, grab my button, make your own JOY list, it doesn’t have to be long, one thing, one hundred things, it doesn’t matter, just find your JOY and come back and link up so you can share it with us.  Remember JOY is contagious!!
I am filled with JOY because it is another week and we are having another snow storm.  After living in the Tulsa area my whole life, I am amazed.  I have never seen so much snow, and we are loving it!!  The kids are sledding, they built a giant igloo in our back yard that is big enough for the whole family to get in, there have been hilarious snowball fights, lots of shoveling, and we are still pretty buried.  
We have so enJOYed the unexpected time together.  Here we are right on the brink of Shane deploying (two weeks) and our wonderful Father gave us a blizzard and a couple extra snow storms to keep us all in and playing together.  Time that would have otherwise been filled with errands, school, work, ball games, etc...
Here are a few pictures of the JOY this week!!

Lovin' the Grandbabies
Ella and Papo about to hit the hills



Slaid is really growing and loving life

The boys having fun

 These two sure make me wonder if we are still in Oklahoma...



Adam and Isaac are loving all this extra fun!!



Believing you are so enjoying your family and friends and are all filled with the wonderful JOY of the Lord!!


Counting it all JOY!!





The linky I have always used has now decided to charge to use it so until I figure something else out, I would love it if you would continue to share your JOY you just won't be able to link up.  Sorry

Friday Funnies

friday funnies



Today I am joining my friend, Kim, for Friday Funnies!!  If you want to enjoy more funnies or have a funny of your own to share, join us at Homesteaders Heart 

Believe it or not, we have well over a foot of snow from our Blizzard still on the ground and it is currently snowing again.  The forecast is for 4-6 more inches.  I don’t know how familiar you are with Oklahoma, but this isn’t normal!!  I LOVE IT!!
Back to Friday Funnies...
I recently received an email with some stories of Children in Church and thought some of them were really funny and wanted to share!!
A little boy was in a relative’s wedding.  As he was coming down the aisle, he would take two steps, stop, and turn to the crowd.  While facing the crowd, he would put his hands up like claws and roar.
So it went, step, step, ROAR, step, step, ROAR, all the way down the aisle.  As you can imagine, the crowd was near tears from laughing so hard by the time he reached the pulpit.

When asked what he was doing, the child sniffed and said, “I was being the Ring Bear.”

and another...
A ten-year old, under the tutelage of her grandmother, was becoming quite knowledgeable about the Bible.  Then, one day, she floored her grandmother by asking. “Which Virgin was the mother of Jesus?  The Virgin Mary or the King James Virgin?
Hope you spend your Friday laughing!!
Counting it all JOY!!

Why I Count it all Joy Wednesday


Welcome to Why I Count It All Joy Wednesday!! To join in on all the JOY, grab my button, make your own JOY list, it doesn’t have to be long, one thing, one hundred things, it doesn’t matter, just find your JOY and come back and link up so you can share it with us.  Remember JOY is contagious!!
I am filled with JOY because I serve a great God who never ceases to amaze me!!
I am filled with JOY because last weekend we had near record temperature in the 70’s.  We spent a lot of time outside and really enjoying the sunshine!!
I am filled with JOY because yesterday we had a record snowfall.  In our area of Oklahoma we ranged from 14-21 inches.  Amazing!!
I am filled with JOY because in the midst of that wonderful snowstorm, I had my sweet hubby home, my wonderful kids home, both my grandbabies here, a fire in the fireplace,  stew in the crockpot, brownies in the oven, and games being played...makes for one JOYfilled momma!!
I am filled with JOY because I got to enjoy watching a lot of this...




No matter how big they get, they are never too big for Dad to pull them around on a sled!!

I am filled with JOY because we spent an evening with some of our very best friends!!  Between the two families we have 11 kids not counting the in-laws or the grandbabies.  We always have so much fun and laugh until we hurt!!
I am filled with JOY because Dan is painting the set for a stage at a local church.  He is so extremely talented and I love it when he has the opportunity to use his God given gifts!!
I am filled with JOY because Adam and Isaac are doing a great job playing basketball.  Their team is undefeated!!  Go Arrows!!
I am filled with JOY because even though Shane is leaving in four weeks and it is truly ripping my heart out, he will have two weeks off work to spend with Slaid and our family right before he goes!!
I am filled with JOY because we just bought season passes to Silver Dollar City again.  I love that it is only 4 hours away and we can go up for a weekend at a moments notice and enjoy some much needed family time without spending a fortune!!
I am filled with JOY because the Lord gives us so many things to be JOYful for, we just have to stop long enough to recognize them!!
For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven.  Ecclesiastes 3:1

What is bringing you JOY this week?

Counting it all JOY!!