Why I Count it all Joy Wednesday

Help spread the JOY!!  Grab my button, make your own JOY list, post it, and come back and leave a comment telling me you did!!  Make the world a JOYfilled place!!

I am filled with JOY because the Lord has blessed me with another day and not just any ol’ day...it’s my birthday!!

I am filled with JOY because Drew and Isaac went to Panera and picked up breakfast for me this morning!!  What sweet boys I have!!

I am filled with JOY because when I went in my bathroom to shower this morning, my sweet, sweet hubby had written “Happy Birthday, I love you” on my mirror!!  He brings JOY to me daily!!

I am filled with JOY because even though Shane is gone, I will hear from him sometime today!!  I truly miss that boy!!

I am filled with JOY because I woke up to tons of emails, facebook comments, texts, and even a phone call all wishing me a happy birthday!!  I love my friends and family!!

I am filled with JOY because Andy, my SIL, dropped my 4 year-old granddaughter, Ella, off this morning and when he left without saying happy birthday to me Ella said, “Oh well, he must have forgotten your birthday but it’s a good thing I am here!!  We are going to have sooo much fun.”

I am filled with JOY because my hubby, kiddos (except Shane), and my grandkids are all taking me to dinner tonight!!

I am filled with JOY because even while I have been dealing with life, dealing with Shane leaving, dealing with my sweet grandson coming to live with me, and just being drained emotionally some of my sweet blog friends have continued to post and help spread the JOY on their Wednesday posts!!  You girls are amazing!!!  Love you

I am filled with JOY because Joseph, our missionary friend who stayed with us last summer, facebooked me and wants me to get on skype so he and his family can sing happy birthday to me today!!  How cool is that!!  It won’t even be in English!!  Such a JOY knowing him!!

I am filled with JOY because we are leaving Friday to spend a couple days in Branson!!  Taking the kids and both grandkids to Silver Dollar City!!  How fun!!

I am filled with JOY because we all finally got our hair cut, and boy did we ALL need it!!

I am filled with JOY because Jesus is the peace and strength I need and always shows up to wrap His arms around me at just the right time!!

Those who sow with tears will reap with songs of joy. Those who go out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with them.  Psalm 126:5-6

What is filling you with JOY today???

Counting it all Joy!!

Why I Count it all Joy Wednesday

It is Why I Count it all JOY Wednesday!!  Please join me.  Grab my button, make your list and post it on your blog!!  Come back here and leave me a comment letting me know you joined in!!

I am filled with JOY because Jesus is my strength!!

I am filled with JOY because we are making it through this week, one step at a time!!

I am filled with JOY because my sweet grandson is staying with us while Shane is deployed!!  He is precious!!

I am filled with JOY because Shane will get to come home for 4 days during his training before he leaves for Afghanistan!!

I am filled with JOY because even though things like this deployment rip our hearts out, we are such a close family and we stick together and hold each other up always!!

I am filled with JOY because I have had so many family members, friends, and blog friends call, come by, text, and facebook me this week.  All the love and support has been awesome!!  We are so blessed!!

I am filled with JOY because Adam and Isaac’s basketball team ended the season undefeated and then won the championship in the post season tournament this past weekend!!

I am filled with JOY because there’s only two more weeks until spring break!!  That’s my birthday week and we will probably go to Branson for a day or two!!

I am filled with JOY because even though Shane left really sick, our God is The Healer and He has His hand on Shane.  

I am filled with JOY because Jesus brings me Joy in all things!!  In the midst of all our pain, He shows up in big ways, He shows us the JOY in all situations!!

“Do not grieve, the JOY of the Lord is your strength”  Nehemiah 8:10

What is filling you with JOY this week??

Counting it all JOY!!

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

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!!

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 the day that no matter what else is going on, I reflect on and share some of the JOYs in my life!!

I am filled with JOY because Drew has been headache free for about 2 weeks and we saw a Neurologist today and things are looking good with all that!!  Praise Jesus!!

I am filled with JOY because I am having a date day with my sweet twin boys today!!

I am filled with JOY because I have been praying for Joanne for about two weeks and we are now getting great reports from her husband!!  If you don’t know about Joanne, she is a mom and wife who suffered a major stroke and has been in critical condition since.  You can follow her blog, which her husband is doing now, here.

I am filled with JOY because this past weekend our pastor’s message was entitled “I Quit - complaining”  It was wonderful, a great word, and really encouraged us to find the JOY instead of complaining!!

I am filled with JOY because my sweet little grandbaby Slaid has really started smiling and responding to us and it just makes my heart sing!!

I am filled with JOY because even though Shane deploys on Feb. 25th, we still have a month of laughter left!!

I am filled with JOY because last night both the grandkids were here and I sat and watched my sweet hubby sit in the floor holding both of them!!  He is such a great Papo!!

I am filled with JOY because I have a house to live in, a car to drive, some money in the bank, food in my pantry, a wonderful family who loves me, and a risen Savior who makes it all possible!!

I am filled with JOY because some of you love to spread the JOY as much as I do!!

Light is shed upon the righteous and joy on the upright in heart. Rejoice in the LORD, you who are righteous, and praise his holy name. Psalm 97:11-12

What is bringing you JOY this week??

Counting it all Joy!!