GratiTuesday - Miracles

For more GratiTuesday, click here!

Remember his marvellous works that he hath done, his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth..

 1 Chronicles 16:12

Do y'all know that we serve a Lord that is still in the miracle business?

What? Y'all need a good example?!? I am so glad you asked!!

As y'all know, my little bun in the oven is a little over half-baked. Well about 11 weeks ago, it was one of those mornings- you know the one where if y'all can just get down the stairs and stuff breakfast in the kids mouth, the morning might be okay? Well it was one of those mornings...

I had just walked out of my bedroom and Lincoln was screaming, wanting carried down the stairs. Dylan was already downstairs. I scooped up Lincoln, all the while hearing a voice in my head say.. "Don't do it!".

I was down to the second step and felt it... there was some kind of rolly (like my BIG words) toy (car, tractor, etc.) under my foot. That's when I felt myself fly backward.

For those of you that have not seen my home... I am going to attempt to "draw" how my stairs are...

                                                        -------------

                                                      /

                                                    /

                                                 /

                                                  \

                                                    \

Okay... So that's not really a good "drawing" but I hope you get the idea... Our stairs go down (about 7 stairs) one way and down the opposite way (about 7 stairs). I slipped on the top 2nd down step. (I really hope that makes sense!)

After falling down the top flight of stairs, I felt myself hit the wall with so much force that it flipped me down the next flight. At that point, I realized I had dropped Lincoln. I freaked out! I started twisting and turning and screaming down the final set. That was NOT a good thing!

I found myself at the bottom of the stairs, unable to move. I couldn't find Lincoln, but Dylan was quickly at my side. I ordered Dylan to bring me the phone and find Lincoln. He did both without a word of backtalk (that my friends is a miracle right there!). I quickly called Andy, who works 40 minutes away and Dylan came to tell me that Lincoln was okay.

As I got off the phone with Andy, I realized that I was sitting in a puddle of fluid. Talk about freaking out!

I quickly dialed my doctor who informed me that the worst might possibly have just  happened. (Now for some of you IRL friends. I know you don't like my doctor, I just had to add that info... ) She informed to that I was to come straight to her office and not go to the hospital. In the meantime, Andy had called my father-in-law and he had shown up, found Lincoln was fine and was looking at me as if saying, no pleading.. "please, please don't ask me to come near you... ". It's actually quite funny now but at the time, it was horrible.

When the call with the doctor ended, I have NEVER heard such a sound as came from my heart. It was a sound of anger, sadness, heart-breaking urging and yearning with God. It scared me. I didn't know where it came from...

Andy finally came in and loaded me in the car. As we drove to the doctor, I can't even begin to tell you the bargains I began making with God. Praying that he would spare the little life inside of me. BEGGING!

After checking and an ultrasound, it was deemed a miracle by me. My doctor, not so much. She had some crazy scientific "maybe" explanation.

Now... Did I pee myself? Did I break something? It's all speculation. Right now the doctor is saying that I had an extra sac of water that ruptured...

Want to know how I feel? The Lord was with me. He saved my life, Lincoln's life and my unborn son's life.

TO GOD BE THE GLORY! I don't need science to explain because I know my Heavenly Father is still today, this very day in the miracle business...

Gratituesday: Just What I Needed

If you haven't had a chance yet, click here for an awesome giveaway opportunity!
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This past weekend was just what I needed. It was relaxing... It was resting... It was a total gift from God.

Friday night, we went over to a game night at a friend's home. It is not normally something we would do but we decided to go anyway. Early that day when I found out this event was happening, I contacted my cousin and she was available to watch our kids ( I am totally weird about who watches my kids but that is a whole different post!).

I fed the kids and Catie came in. Andy and I snuck (is that a word?) off for a dinner date at Panera Bread. We sat and we chatted. We relaxed. And most important, we got on the same page. It was great!

We then went to the game night. It was a lot of fun. We enjoyed getting to meet knew people and play games. We stayed for a while and then headed home. We came home to an quiet house. The boys were asleep!

After a good night's sleep, we all got up gradually and had a yummy huge breakfast. This was the first Saturday in a while that we didn't have to rush off to basketball. After lounging around, we ran a few errands. We decided to have my aunt and uncle over for dinner to eat, play games and let our boys watch the Kids Choice Awards together. Once again, another great evening!

Sunday morning we went to church and praised and worshipped. It was a great service. After, we went to my Grandmother's for family lunch and then home for Sunday rest time.

That evening we went to see the African Children's Choir at our church. It was a great experience! The boys loved and it, as well as Andy and I! Then we went home and had dinner and began to prepare for the week.

God's love and His attention in the details is just amazing to me. He knew the relaxation and rest that I needed and He provided.

We are truly blessed and grateful around here! Have a story of gratitude or just want to read more -- click here!

GratiTuesday: Upward

I just L.O.V.E. GratiTuesday! I love the schedule time that I weekly sit down and think of just all that I have to be thankful for. I often have such a hard time picking what I am going to share with y'all. Isn't GratiTuesday just a blessing? Laura is definently a woman blessing other women!

This week I just want to praise the Lord and tell him how grateful I am for blessing our first Upward basketball game.

I feel am so grateful that God found me worthy to coach and witness to these young souls.

I am already learning so much from these sweet little souls.

I am so grateful that their little hearts are so innocent and they yearn to learn about the Lord.

I am grateful that the Lord equipped me to teach them about Him and even a little bball.

What are you grateful for today? We serve an AWESOME God, don't we?!?
_______________________________________________________
*This is linked to GratiTuesday.

Women Blessing Women: Equipping

I really need to come clean and be completely honest. When I started feeling lead to write this series, I was not at all excited. I kept arguing with God and kept losing. The arguments consisted of:

• 
  
  Lord, I am not a good enough writer to write this series.
  
  
  
• 
  
  Lord, I do not have the right words.
  
  
  
• 
  
  Lord, I don't know how you could use me to write this series.
  
  
  
• 
  
  Lord, just make my mom do it!
  
  
  

I have learned a lot from my mom. She is the director of Women's Ministries at our church. She has a love and passion for it. I am on the committee but I must once again tell the truth, I like to be part of the planning of fun!

Now in complete seriousness, I felt the Lord tell me that the same struggles I have with writing this series are the first issues I should write about...  equipping.

I don't feel equipped to bring such a strong message to an audience of Godly women and  a lot of time, women do not feel equipped to bless each other. Here are some of the excuses:

• I am too young. I am too middle-aged. I am too old.
• I just got married. I want time for me and my husband.
• I work.
• I am too busy.
• My kids take all my energy.
• We don't have any money.
• I am grouchy. I can hardly bless my family much less other women.
• I don't feel like it.

I have felt most of those excuses from time to time.

But do you know exactly what they are? They are excuses, lines Satan is feeding you. Satan does not want you to bring faith and love (things of God) to others. He does not want you to uplift each other in the name of God. He despises, even hates, things of God.

So today is the day that we stop feeding ourselves these excuses. Today is the day where we pray that the Lord's will be done. Even if it's hard. We need to pray that God frees up time. We need to pray that He gives us ideas.

Today I am grateful that God has made me look past those excuses and share with you just how we can bless each other.

So what about you? Are you ready to put aside the excuses and let God use you?

I challenge you. I challenge you to pray this week and ask that your heart and mind be opened.

It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

-Ephesians 4:11-13-

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

*This post is linked to GratiTuesday.

GratiTuesday: This Time Last Year

This time last year, we were running around to specialists trying to figure out why our little baby wasn't gaining weight. The doctors could not find the reason, the specialist could not find a reason and I could not find a reason.

It was a really trying time. Whenever you have a young child and there may be something wrong, you worry. We never found the reason for Lincoln's lack of weight gain.

Well I want to give a quick little update!

The below pictures are Lincoln at 8 months and 12 lbs. taken around Christmas time.


----------------------------------------------------------------

The below pictures are of Lincoln at 19 months and 27 lbs. taken this Christmas!

Today I want to take the time to thank the Lord that my son is healthy and at an almost average weight. The Lord's hand was upon us and for that I am eternally grateful! There are some great posts of gratefulness today at Heavenly Homemakers take a looksie!

GratiTuesday: Jason

This is my husband's cousin, Jason and today I want to tell you just why I am so grateful for this wonderful man...

Jason has not had the easiest life, but what he has made out of it and what he stands for is what makes me proud to know this man...

Jason was born with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. He was abused by his biological parents. He also has a very low IQ. Jason was eight years old when Andy's Aunt Janice and Uncle Dennis adopted him.

Though he has been through all these trials, the adult he has become amazes me.

Jason works a full time job and takes good care of himself.

He is the kindest man that I have ever met. He has a heart of gold and would do anything for anyone.

This past Christmas was when it hit me just how important knowing him is to me.

You see, I have told you all and it has been obvious to those around me just how much Christmas and the Holidays stress me out. This year in particular I was just not looking forward to the celebration. I would get to events and be fine, but I would dread getting there.

On Christmas night, we were handing out presents and Jason handed his gifts to our boys. The love and heartfelt joy that I saw in Jason made my heart turn...When the boys enjoyed their gifts from him, he was so excited.

You see, Jason with all his greatness, shows the true meaning of Christmas. His childlike faith and joy is so contagious. He is such a joy. At that moment I remember thinking of the great lesson he taught me.

So today, I am thankful that God uses people and God used Jason to teach me a different attitude about Christmas and life... Today I am so grateful for Jason!

Head on over to Laura's to take part in more Gratituesday!

GratiTuesday - A Grateful Year in Review

Before I get into just how blessed we were this year, I want to share with y'all the Christmas letter we sent out. I hope it conveyed to our friends and family AND conveys to you all the message of how God has abundantly blessed us this year!

--------------------------------------------------------------

Merry Christmas from the Davis Family!

I have to be honest with y’all; I did not want to write a Christmas letter. I didn’t want to take the time to try and figure out what to say. This year has been pretty uneventful and we have been blessed… Hey there, wait a minute! I should write and tell how we have been blessed beyond belief this year… God has been faithful!

Lincoln is getting so big. He is going to be two years old in April. I cannot believe a year ago we were running around trying to find why he wouldn’t gain weight. We went to the pediatrician this week and he is on track and healthy. Praise be to God! He is a handful and he definitely has his Mama’s spunk! I love him so much! He is into everything that Dylan and the cousins are into. He wants to hang with the big boys! He doesn’t talk yet (except for Mama! :)), but why should he when Mama and Dylan fill everything in for him!

Dylan is also getting so big! He is so tall (110 percentile to be exact!). He is going to be five years old in June. It is so hard to believe the little boy (don’t tell him I called him little) that saved my life is already getting so big. It seems just like yesterday! He loves to play outside and with superheroes! I am homeschooling him right now and we are both enjoying our time together. If you would have told me it would be going this well, I would have laughed at you. It is truly God’s work! He is such a blessing and I love and enjoy every minute of being around him. He has a heart of gold and I cannot wait to see what the Lord has in store for him!

With this crazy economy, we are blessed that Andy is still working at Evenflo. There have been quite a few lay-offs and he’s still there and working his way up to doing new important parts of the business. We have been blessed!

I spent the summer gardening and preserving food. We were blessed in abundance. We were not only able to put up enough food for ourselves but also for friends and family that were in need. Blessings, blessings and more blessings! God is faithful!

We hope this letter finds you and yours healthy! We love you all and you are in our prayers!
Andy, Jodi, Dylan and Lincoln
-----------------------------------------------------------

Through GratiTuesday, I was able to write a lot of posts about what I was grateful for. Here is a quick explanation and if you click on them, they will take you to the post itself.

• As always, I am so thankful for a Savior that found me worth His dying on a Cross and taking on my sins AND then He continues to forgive me for my sins and shortcomings! Also, the Lord always knows our hearts and knows and hears our needs and communicates what we need to hear and believe.
• I am so blessed to be a help-meet to a Godly husband and father.
• Everyday (good and bad) I give the Lord thanks for two special boys that He has thought me worthy to raise. They make me so proud, they teach me lessons and I learn from teaching them, Dylan is beginning to help out around the house, and lastly that they love each other so much.
• 
  
  We not only have a roof over our heads, we have worked hard to make our home a haven from the troubles of the World.
  
  
  
• I am extremely grateful that I have a husband that has a steady and sufficient income so that I can stay home and take care of our home and children.
• This year I began home-educating Dylan. It has been such an incredible bonding experience and the memories we have made will be forever engrained in us.
• 
  
  This year, we were blessed with a plentiful harvest from our garden that not only provided food for us and our family but others that were in need.
  
  
  
• I didn't say a whole lot about it but back in August, I was in a serious car accident. I was only slightly injured but my car was hurt badly. Not only was I not seriously hurt but in the car behind me was my mother and my children. If they would have been in the car, they would have been seriously hurt or killed (mainly my mom in the passenger seat). I was also very thankful we had car insurance.
• In January, we went on a cruise with my family to celebrate my Grandparents 50th wedding anniversary.
• Andy and I have great friends that hold us accountable and are always there for us!
• 
  
  After a lot of praying and debating, I am grateful that the Lord has directed me on the type of blog He wants me to share and I am grateful that He has choosen me to be His messenger.
  
  
  
• 
  
  I am very grateful that this year after many years of silence, the Lord has prompted me to begin to open up and share the birth story of my first son Dylan (part 1 and part 2. I promise I will pick it back up soon in the New Year. It truly is a hard topic for me.)
  
  
  
• 
  
  I am so grateful for my sisters and friends that I have made in the blogging community. Who knew some of your best friends could come from the internet?
  
  
  
• 
  
  I am sorry but this just has to be said... I AM SO THANKFUL FOR MY JARS!
  
  
  

This year has been a year full of blessings. We were continually shown God's faithfulness! I cannot praise Him enough!

For more incredible stories of God's greatness, go check out Heavenly Homemakers!

Date Nite

Today is GratiTuesday over at Heavenly Homemakers. I have something that I am very grateful for and cannot wait to share it with you...

As a mother, I find that I hardly ever take the time for myself none the less my husband and myself. I am finding that for days at a time, I am not leaving our home and the kids are always occupying my mind and all my attention.

The teens in our church youth group are going to be attending an International Youth Convention this upcoming summer. They are trying to earn money. (Enter great and makes me oh so grateful
idea....)

They decided around the Holidays, they would provide childcare at a reasonable (I think too cheap!) price on Saturday evening from 6P-9P at our church.

Andy and I totally took advantage of this... What a great idea for us to drop our kids off and get time together, while supporting an awesome purpose!

We really enjoyed our time together. It made our marriage stronger. It made me notice that I did not a little adult interaction. AND it made me feel like I wasn't just a mother, but a wife and a woman. A wife and woman which God made to have feelings and needs of her own. It was an awesome experience.

I do not know if they are going to continue this new fundraiser. However, I am all for the continuation! :)

So if your church youth group is looking for a great and servicing fundraiser, this is one idea I would throw out to you! AND if there is nothing like this available to you, I highly recommend finding time to get out of the house with your husband. It is always nice to be reminded that you are more than a mother (even though it's nice to be that too!)
------------------------------------------------------------------
This post is linked to GratiTuesday.

GratiTuesday: Christmas Tree Traditions

The first weekend, beginning with the Friday after Thanksgiving, we begin our weekend of Christmas Tree Traditions.

This is one of my favorite times of the year.

My Great-Grandfather started the tradition of everyone in the family having their own Christmas tree. It was always something special we did together every year. My Great-Grandparents would come over and we would decorate it together and share that special time together.

Even though they are gone, it is still a tradition I do with my own children. Christmas trees just have a special meaning for me. There are many trees that hold a wonderful place in my heart...

Today I am thankful for those traditions and I would like to share them with you... Hope you enjoy them!

This is our family tree. We put it out together. It has homemade ornaments and family ornaments on it. We always put up this tree the Friday after Thanksgiving.

This is a tree at our church that my mother is in charge of. This is my favorite tree. It is the Giving Tree. Every year my mom finds families in need and we take an ornament off of the tree that has a special gift on it to purchase. The whole church takes part. This year, there are 8 families and over 125 ornaments for children's gifts. It is an incredible tradition to start when trying to teach your children about giving to others...

The first Sunday after Thanksgiving, our church holds a "Hanging of the Greens" service. We all come together in the evening and begin by singing Christmas carols together. Here is (from front to back) Lincoln, my Dad, Dylan and Andy holding up the ladder. Andy was lucky to be volunteered by the Pastor from the pulpit to hold the ladder. :)

Sorry about the "red eye" but here is a sweet picture of my Dad and Lincoln singing.

Here is the picture of the church Christmas tree before the ornaments were hung...

Andy is doing a wonderful job with the ladder!

Dylan and Lincoln hanging their decorations...

Here are the ornaments for the boys tree sitting out and waiting to be hung...

The tree waiting to be decorated...

I decided to help a little...

I will be posting the boys Christmas tree picture at a later date! I love to keep y'all waiting in anticipation... :)

This post is like to Gratituesdays.

our husband's jobs and our jobs...

This post serves two purposes, to inform you all of Andy's job situation (and how grateful we are!) and how I feel it is best to help our husbands.

This past week Andy called and I could tell by his voice that something was amiss. "Things are bad here today," was all he said. The kids were screaming and the first time I didn't hear him. The poor guy had to repeat it again.


Last year, to the day were the first layoffs at Evenflo. They let forty people go. This week when they let people go, there were only nine, but they were all in Andy's division. People that he worked close with and had formed friendship were there one second and they no longer had employment the next.


I (along with Andy) am extremely grateful that Andy still has employment. It is being said that Andy's division will no longer have layoffs but there will be more in other areas.


The job field and work force are extremely difficult right now. The area we live in is said to only get worse before it gets better. There is a lot of unemployment. Many of our friends and family members have been jobless for six months or more, some even longer than a year.


We feel very blessed to still have income and are doing our best to help those around us. This week as I prayed for my husband's job, I felt God speaking to me. There are many things I can be doing to help my husband and the Lord put those on my heart.


Bathe your husband in prayer.
When we wake in the morning, when we go to bed at night, while our husbands are at work, we should be bathing them in prayer. As I said above, the workplace is a very stressful enviroment. With all the layoffs, there is a lot of work being put on the people that still have jobs. They have to do their job as well as others. In my husband's company, they have made it abundantly clear that if you complain, have a bad attitude or do not earn your keep, you are in danger of losing your job. There can be no mistakes, no bad days, nothing. You have to be on your toes. When this is your job environment, you have to count your blessings and do the best you can. Keep a smile on your face, not complain and perservere. Therefore, as wives, we should be praying continually over our husbands mind and emotions while he is at his workplace.


Be good stewards.
I know that my husband is working hard for the money that is brought home. Therefore, I should be doing my best to spread a dollar as far as I can. I should be spending less and saving more. I should be paying off debt instead of going on shopping sprees. We should be eating at home more and spending more time doing activities that do not cost as much. And, in my opinion the most important (I have stated how I stand on being God's messenger) is tithing. When we tithe, we give God what is rightfully His and He knows our heart and blesses us. When we give our tithe first, God is faithful and our needs are met. Therefore, tithe should be one of the first steps toward being good stewards with our husband's income.


Keep everyone healthy.
When we keep our families healthy, our husband does not have to worry about what is going on at home and it also keeps him in top physical condition. When our husbands are sick, it is harder for them to work their best and have a good frame of mind and spirit. When everyone is healthy, it also saves money but not having to seek medical intervention or help. We also do not have to buy products that aid in making us well. As mothers, we can keep our family healthy by teaching proper handwashing to our children (and enforce it!), take vitamins, and eat healthy food. When our bodies are in top running condition, we are more likely to fight off illness.


Take care of our home.
My husband does not mind if he comes home to a dirty house (or so he says!) but I can tell it is taxing on him to try and relax in a cluttered and uninviting environment. Therefore, I try and always have our home at least picked up when I know he is almost home. It doesn't mean that I thoroughly clean my home everyday, but it does mean that there are not dirty clothes on the couch where he comes to sit.


Take care of the children.
Our kids are very important to my husband and me. I know when I used to work and Andy had Dylan at home, it would have been very upsetting if I had to worry about whether Dylan was properly take care of. I never had to. If there is an obedience problem at home or there is sickness, I try not to call and vent to Andy. He has his own problems to deal with at work, he should have not have to hear about what is going on at home. He is at work, there is nothing he can do but worry and be anxious. Therefore, I try and keep my job at home MY job.


I also never threaten the boys with "just wait until your dad gets home!". That does two things, one it makes a hostile environment for Andy to come home to and second, it underminds my authority. The boys do not take my seriously. So when there is a problem at home I do not call Andy and I handle it myself.


Be dressed.
When Andy gets home, I always have all of us dressed. How disheartening would it be to get up early, work hard all day and then come home and see the rest of your family still in their PJ's? I, for one, would not be happy!


Love them when they return home.
Now I am going to admit, I am not a touchy feely, lovey type person. However, I always try to greet my husband with a kiss and a hug when he gets home. I want him to know that I missed him and I am grateful for him. I also try and show my love by having dinner on the table or almost there. He is hungry for food, love and appreciation and time to relax. I try to help with all those.


Thank him.
Thank him for being the provider and leader of the home. Let him know you appreciate him and do not take him for granted. This makes him feel good about spending time and energy. It gives him a sense of purpose and it tells him that he is loved and admired.


This post is like to Gratituesdays.

Gratituesday: My Halloween Flat Tire

Do y'all have plans?

Are you extremely particular about your plans?

Oh, not I... cough.. cough..Ok... Ok.. Actually, I AM!

I had our Trick-or-Treat running about planned to a T and there was no room for error!

We had to be at...

Place A from 4:45-5:00
Place B from 5:00-5:30
Place C from 5:30-6

AND....That's where we stopped... We didn't get past Place C for a long time.

We were right on schedule leaving Place C, getting ready to put Yoda in his car seat and Andy looks down...

What is that?!? We have NO time for error!! It was a flat tire. Sitting there, right on the curb, FLAT as a pancake!

I am fit to be tied!! Though, I am not stupid, I am not going to show how upset I am to my husband who is on the ground jacking up a tire... I'm NO dummy!!!

About that time my aunt comes out (we are from the same hot-blooded, red headed tempered women), she was a miracle worker. She took Yoda from me, told my cousin to get Dylan, and then told me to follow. We walked in the house and my aunt grabbed the boys bags and took us trick-or-treating around their neighborhood.

It was a really nice time. It didn't matter that we weren't able to get to Place D until late, I had a relaxed and enjoyable time with my aunt and cousin. A time that I wouldn't have shared if I had rushed to the next place.

They also took care of my kids while we walked around. The took them up to the doors and carried them. They even picked them up when they feel down. All I had to do was walk behind and enjoy. It was truly a blessing.

The other blessing that came out of the flat tire happening on Halloween.... Andy has training this week and will not be able to get out of the office and will be working late. If I were to have been driving around this week and had gotten the flat by myself and with the kids, I would have been hysterical and Andy would have been upset. I do not do situations like that well. I would have broken down.

Therefore, God knew just what I needed, just when the tire should blow. Sometimes, I am just amazed about how it seems that He has his hand in the littlest situations in my life. Situations, that don't really matter in the scheme of things.

So not only were we kept safe this Halloween holiday, I was blessed by God's little interruptions.
------------------------------------------------------
This is linked to Gratituesdays at Heavenly Homemakers.

A Great Weekend with the Ladies

Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor.

For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone

when he falls for he has no one to help him up.

Ecclesiastes 4:9-10

Today I am oh so grateful for a relaxing, much needed weekend with the ladies. We had such a great time and my mom did an AWESOME job! I am so proud to be her daughter!

Here are a few GREAT pictures from the weekend. I hope you enjoy looking at them just as much as I did taking them!

For more Gratituesday click here.

Oh by the way... do y'all know which picture is me?!? :) I snuck it in there on you!