Our mouths...

Our mouths have the capacity for praise or destruction...
"Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts.  Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark."  James 3:5

This verse was a part of the Community Bible Study that I completed for this past week.  James is an interesting book of the Bible.  It's very relevant to today and is timeless...as is God's Word as a whole now that I mention it. :)  Here are some things I'm thankful for that relate to my mouth...

The ability to talk
The ability to eat
Swallowing
Breathing
Eating/tasting foods
Drinking
Praise
Vehicle to share my thoughts/joys/frustrations with others
Can share the Word of God/Fruits of the Spirit
Is beautiful...love to make my lips shine with chapstick/gloss

# 746-755

Sunshiney day...

It's a sunshiney day, and I'm thankful for that as well as...
A morning of quiet with my husband as the kids slept in...
A fire in our fireplace to warm up our cool house...
Pumpkin pie mixed with oatmeal for breakfast...mmm....
Hot peppermint tea in a snowflake cup that matched my snowflake new pjs...
Morning quiet time...movie/TV time for Addison to watch Bedtime Stories...
Time for me to watch Brothers and Sisters upstairs...a super family drama...
Praise that my best friend from childhood, Sara, is pregnant with her first child!...
Super couples/family dinner/Bible study time last night at our house...4 couples and 7 kids!  wild...
and a Halloween weekend to rest and enjoy trunk or treat this afternoon at church.

# 736-745

Little Officer and a Bumble B...

Pre-Halloween Dress Up Day! 

The Yard is covered in leaves, and we had fun playing outside in the chilly fall weather yesterday afternoon.

God is so good, he has blessed us with a beautiful place to play...warm clothes to wear, and tons of fun!

Thankful...

Today started out with another fresh tantrum from Addison...arghh.  We worked through it though, and no he is at peace with breakfast, a head on the couch, and a fire in the fireplace (it's in the 30s here!)

Dear God,
Today I am thankful to you for...

Quiet
Fires
Hot Tea ready to drink up next
Children resting peacefully
Drippy nose...the feeling of cold in the air
Sleeping in...I finally "slept in" until 6 a.m. today!
Max Lucado...love his short stories of faith and encouragement
Candlelight
Creaks...the house is waking up
Hums...the fridge works and it's full of food to eat.

726-735

More Color...

Praise God for the glorious colors of nature that surround us!  Hope you have your own tastes of fall around you in your neck of the woods!  This is the same tree in our backyard...Bryan was eating his early dinner, and this was the view from the kitchen/deck.  Amazing!

Austin, TX 10/21-10/24/10

Our backyard...burning red colored leaves this week!  Gorgeous!

Bryan loves to stand on stools/climb/shoot hoops!

Addison and Josie looking at the monkey at the Austin Zoo.

Tyler, Bill, and Josie...all smiles!

Bill, Josie, and Tyler...in the lap of luxury!

Jennifer and Tommy on the Austin Zoo Train

Addison and Josie ready for a ride on the Austin Zoo Train!

The Krajeckis, Town Lake, Austin

The Zephyr Train, Town Lake, Austin: The Krajecki Family

Jim and Tyler relaxing on the back deck.

The Cooks at Town Lake, Austin

The Cook Family: Riding the Zilker Zephyr Train Ride, Town Lake, Austin

Tyler William Krajecki

"The Track"

"The Spa"

Cousins Connecting

Addison and Bryan, the Cookie Monsters, pre-trip snack attack

Playing in Shaving Cream, Occupational Therapy...Bryan loved it!  Surprise!

Addison also loved the activity...he's a great fun big brother!

#706-725

Spiritual Gifts....

 I'm taking a class at church called Grace Full Leadership.  I learned that my spiritual gifts are prophecy, faith, miracles, and servanthood.  I'll be exploring these further in the coming weeks! :)  I'm truly thankful for our church, and that I'm seeing more about its mission first hand and meeting more women within the church.  I'm thankful for these gifts today...

Grace
Mercy
Peace
Passion
Rest
Adventures
Darkness contrasted with light
Running with my friend Ann
Packing for a trip to TX
The beginning of a new day


# 696-705

Fall Blessings...

 Fall is full of blessings...
Leaves of brilliant colors
Fallen leaves to jump in and crunch on as you walk
Cool breezes
Full moon morning
A Visit from Grandpas
Leadership class for Women of Grace
Community Bible Study
Playgroup time with neighbors
Hot Chai Tea and Caramel Apple Cider at Starbucks...mmm...warmth in a cup
Preparing for Christmas/winter...we have sleds now!
 
# 686-695

Leaves...

Leaves are changing, falling, and blowing around.

We are often the same way.

God brings us back to him with Grace.

Week with Grandpas...

Pictures...

I wanted to post more pictures today, but I cannot find our camera.  I will post some soon!  I'll be back later today hopefully to blog too.
Jenn

Love your neighbor...

If you really keep the royal law found in scripture, "Love your neighbor as yourself," you are doing right.
JAMES 2:8

Dear Heavenly Father,
We love our neighbors, and our neighbors show love in return.  We are blessed.  Thank you God for our neighbors.  We had a fabulous play group yesterday afternoon painting pumpkins, talking, and playing.  I also attended a Women of Grace event at our church with many neighbors and friends.  It was fun also.  We have finally felt like Kansas is "home."  I'm grateful for that feeling, and for our friends.  Amen

Children...

"Children are a heritage from the LORD, offspring a reward from him" (Psalm 127:3 TNIV).

Kids...they are a blessing and a glimmer of Grace always.  I'm thankful for our two boys, our neighbor's kids who will come to our house to play this afternoon, and for the children that I encounter in any given day.   They are sweet, funny, kind, and loving.  I pray that I can be more child-like at times.  Candid with others and with God.  May today be your day to act childish!

He has showed you...

He has showed you, O man, what is good.  And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. MICAH 6:8

Children get in trouble.  They love mercy.  They walk humbly with God and shout at him at times.  Do we?  Addison cracked me up yesterday.  He was standing under our front tree with leaves changing rich orange and red colors.  The leaves were falling.  Addison yelled, "Stop it God! I don't want the leaves to fall!"  He loves being outdoors.  He loves the Lord.  I hope to have his sense of innocence and candidness.  Later, he got into trouble for through leaves and a frisbee at Papa and Bryan.  He was hitting me too.  He had to go to time out on our indoor steps.  He was mad.  He was thankful though to be let out/free, and he was glad to be forgiven.  Sometimes we need time outs too as adults, and we need to appreciate the mercy others and the Lord give us. 

May we act justly today, love mercy, and walk humbly with God.  AMEN

Daniel...

Daniel and I have been married for eight years (as of yesterday).  We celebrated a great anniversary day with gifts exchanged, and papa babysat for us so that we could have a dinner and a movie date night!  It was a fabulous day, and I'm so thankful for my husband.  He truly is an amazing man.

"Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as Christ God forgave you."
Ephesians 4:32

Change...

Fall leaves are changing, and it reminds me of how we change.  God graces us with Life, and as our life goes through seasons we change.  We eventually will die and fall.  He raises us up to Him when we believe in His Word.  I hope that each of you feel his Grace, Love, and develop Faith in Him.  I'm working on mine.  :) 

"Papa"

Bryan said "papa" for the first time yesterday twice.  It was really sweet in that he is here to hear it.  Now we'll have to expand his vocabulary to include "granny" and "grandpa."  Little by little...

Addison continues to enjoy playing with his "Big Bad Bow."  We rescued one dart from the rooftop (Daniel on a ladder with a squeegee stick) and one from a tree (thanks to God's wind/rain). 

I've enjoyed having dad here with us, and we look forward to another visitor...Grandpa Dan!

Happiness...

We had a wonderful Saturday yesterday.   I'm thankful for...

Fishing time with Papa and Addison

Catching 7 fish!  Papa even caught a large mouth bass!

Time with Bryan (the others went to a Build and Grow workshop at Lowe's)

Craigslist...I can find the neatest things on there!

Football games

Bass Pro and Walmart shopping adventure with Papa and Addison...we ended up with the "Big Bad Bow" NERF (See above!)

Successful watch party for the NOLES with many fans and friends plus a win against the Miami Hurricanes!

Cool weather...cool temps so windows are open!

Free Online music...today's playlist "Autumn in Repair," a Kansas City Christian group

Quiet morning/me time!

# 676 - 685

Moments...

Moments with friends and family = Treasured Memories and Spaces in Time

Recently we went to the Deanna Rose Farmstead with my friend Patty and her kids.  The following photos were taken in the fall decor...

These were taken on Wednesday (10/6/10)

The following photos were taken of Papa and the kids after his arrival on (10/7/10)...

Bryan is quite the character lately.  He takes after his brother in that he is very strong willed, funny, and sweet!