God's Grace is Amazing.

 God's Grace is absolutely Amazing!

Have you ever stopped to think about how many different choices that God allows us to make each and every day?

We wake up with decisions to make.  Am I hungry and do I plan on eating?  Do I feel like going before God today and seeking His will for my life?  What do I plan to wear today? Am I going to eat lunch at home or invite someone to meet me at a nice restaurant?

We are able to make hundreds of decisions or choices (whatever you want to call them) every single day.

I can tell you for certain, that I do not make all the RIGHT choices that I need to make.  I can choose to be kind to others, or I can allow my sometimes "bad mood" to rare its big head.  

This has happened in my life and as hard as I try, it might possibly happen again....... God allows me to make choices.  

I had a situation just recently come up, where I was asked to help someone.  Normally, this would be an instant thing for me.  Sure, I am always willing to help people in need.  However, this was a bit different.   I had a somewhat bitter heart and making the correct decision was not looking that great on my part.  But I knew I needed to do what would be pleasing to God.   

Many years ago, I had a friend....not a close, close friend, but someone that I considered to be my friend.  Little did I know, (even though we had known each other for YEARS" .....that their apparent definition of friendship was not the same as mine.  

This was not a TRUE friend.  

Here I was, with the opportunity in front of me, to help this person, as life has been a little difficult for them.  My very first thoughts were not so good.  I thought, NO WAY am I going to go out of my way to help someone who in the past, thought so little of our friendship.  

A few days later, I found myself constantly thinking about this situation.  I could not find peace in my heart with the choice I was making.  I asked God to guide my heart and help me to rid myself of selfish thoughts of hurt and anger.......To help me to do what was right.

God's Grace is Amazing!!!  I'm going to say this again.

God's Grace is Amazing.

Even when we allow ourselves to dwell on the things that has hurt us in the past, God beautifully appears in our souls and can instantly wipe the hurt away, and change our hearts to do good.  

This is GRACE!  HIS grace is sufficient for all my needs. Even when I am tempted to walk away from what I know is right, and selfishly try to get revenge for past hurts, God gives me Grace and leads me to the right path.  

Blessings My Friends...

Shug....💗  

* I am thankful that God led me to do the right thing and I did do what was right.  We never know who we may have (unintentionally Perhaps) hurt in the past.....and we never know when WE might very well be a person in NEED.   

Family Traditions

 Family Traditions...

Most all of us have some kind of family traditions that we do each year at the Holidays.  

We have a few of these that take place at  Thanksgiving, and a lot of traditions at Christmas.

Of course, the main tradition as for many, is Turkey and Dressing for our Thanksgiving meal.  🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃. Even though I am not a fan of Turkey, this big ol' bird is a must at our dinner table.  

Eat, Talk about all the many things we are Thankful for, sleep and eat some more is what fills our Thanksgiving day!

Then comes Black Friday!!  Shopping for the girls and hanging the outdoor lights for the guys.

This picture ↑↑↑ came up on my timeline yesterday and I still think it is funny! 😁

This is when we shopped from about 3:00 in the morning until 8:00 at night.  WOO..too much for me now days!

Here are a couple of pictures from our shopping this year!

Me, Shan and Mylee Jo

Mylee, Trista, Shanda and Emily

The store we were at in the above photo, had the cutest Christmas Decorations.  I think maybe we were in this particular store for quite some time!

After all the shopping, it was time to meet the guys.  We always go to the Jalepeno Tree for Mexican Food.  Family Tradition!!!

I was waiting on us to be seated when I took this picture of the Aquarium, and the top of my head.

After a long day of shopping, it feels great to sit and rest the feet.

We had many laughs as the waitress was getting our drinks placed in front of us.  

Mylee spilled her Dr. Pepper and about 5 min after we got it cleaned up, she spilled the second glass of Dr Pepper.  Our little waitress was so sweet and helped us get the table cleaned up again.  

And finally we were all settled.  

What kind of traditions do you all enjoy at Thanksgiving?  

Shug 💛
 

Who doesn't Love a Pumpkin Roll?

 Pumpkin Rolls!!  

Who doesn't LOVE a good Pumpkin Roll?

This is one of my favorite Fall desserts and what better time to fix one, than Thanksgiving week.  

My taste buds draw me to the sweet taste of pumpkin, cinnamon and cream cheese!

HOPE YOU ALL LIKE THIS RECIPE:

3/4 Cup all purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1 cup granulated sugar

3 eggs

2/3 cup canned pumpkin 

1 tsp vanilla extract

FILLING:

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

2 Tablespoons butter, softened

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup powdered sugar........a little extra for dusting.

1.  Preheat oven 350 degrees.  Line a jelly roll pan (15 x 10") with parchment paper, leaving an extra inch of parchment sticking up on both sides.  Very lightly, grease the parchment paper.

2.  In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon and pumpkin spice.  In a separate bowl mix the eggs, sugar, vanilla and pumpkin until smooth.

3.  Add dry ingredients to the bowl and stir just until combined

4.  Spread batter evenly in the prepared pan. 

5.  Bake for 14-15 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

6. Immediately lift the parchment paper and hot cake out of the pan and onto a flat heat safe surface.

7.  While the cake is still hot, start at one of the short ends, use your hands to gently roll the cake along with the parchment paper, all the way up.  Allow to cool completely.

8. While the cake is cooling, mix the cream cheese, butter, vanilla and powdered sugar together with an electric mixer until smooth.  

9.  Once the cake is completely cooled, unroll it carefully.  Gently smooth the filling in an even layer over the cake.  

10.  Roll up the cake without the parchment paper.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour.  

11. When ready to serve, dust top with powdered sugar and cut into slices.  Store remaining in refrigerator.  

YUM....Yum

Shug 💛

The Big Debate

 Let me see if you all can settle the debate that our family is having over the "main" meat for our Thanksgiving meal.   😀

Why a debate?  Why not two meats?  Good Questions!

A delicious, moist HAM

OR .........

This Gorgeous Turkey?

Do you serve both at your Thanksgiving feast?  Or do you just have one of them?

3 people in our family prefer Turkey......the rest of us (5) prefer Ham!

I say the majority rules...

Shug....💛

Beyond Thankful

 Carry a Thankful Heart 💛 wherever you go!

            💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛

I read this on a little sign on Thursday of this past week, and it was as if a lightning bolt had hit me.  WHY?

Because I knew this was God speaking to my heart.

My confession...  Earlier in the week I was a bit upset over a very simple situation.  I had prayed about this very thing for several days, and when the outcome was not what I was praying for, I honestly was angry.  Who was I angry at?  

I am not even sure.  I was angry for the outcome....I was angry that God did not answer the way I wanted it to be....I was angry for praying what I prayed.  AND.. the worst thing is, I found myself a bit angry with God.  

I had convinced myself that even though this was a very small and somewhat crazy thing to even pray about, that God wanted me to Ask for what I wanted.  But, with the outcome, I felt as if God never took the time to listen to my prayer.

God absolutely cares about everything that we pray about!  

I later realized that I was not even praying for the right thing.  How does this happen one might ask?

Because, I already had set in my mind what I wanted and was not looking at the entire situation.  It wasn't Favor that I needed to be praying for....I needed to be praying for a the one thing that I was blinded to and that was a different Attitude.  

I am Beyond thankful that God loves me even in my anger.  God loves me when I pray for the wrong things.  HE LOVES ME and understands every single thing about me.  

I am beyond Thankful....

Shug....💛 

Something Good

 Today is the beginning of a new day.....Let it be Something Good!!

I've been planning out our Thanksgiving meal. 

Sam and I were visiting last evening and we discussed what I was going to be cooking for Thanksgiving this year.  Of course.....it's a definite on the SOUTHERN CORNBREAD DRESSING.  

And then there is all of the other fixings.  Sam thinks I cook WAY TOO MUCH!  And, I do!!

I try to fix each persons favorite dish, but now with 18 seated at our dinner table, this can be a whole lot of food.  

When it comes to the desserts, oh wow!

My crew pretty much prefers chocolate.  

I am not a chocolate eater, so my mind goes to baking cakes, pecan pie, apple pies, coconut pies, cookies.....etc.  

So much food is wasted.  Even when the family all comes back for the evening meal.  WAY TOO MUCH FOOD.

After mine and Sam's discussion last evening, I have decided to cut my menu WAY back!  

Turkey - Ham

Southern Cornbread Dressing

Giblet Gravy

Cream Potatoes

Green Beans

Mac-Cheese dish

deviled Eggs - cranberry salad

Rolls and Sweet Tea

Can I do it....??  👀

OH....and Chocolate delight dessert

Change is coming!

Shug....💥

There has been a Change

 Oh goodness...I am not good with change!  Especially when it comes to the TIME change.

This does not work well with my body time clock.  I'm sure this is true for many people.  

Last night, I was ready to go to bed at 7:30.

It was dark outside and our bed was certainly calling my name. 

I'm just not good with this time change!

😴😴😴😴😴😴😴

Daylight Savings time on Sunday should always be followed by a Holiday on Monday!!

If we are not moving forward....then we are falling behind ☺

On a POSITIVE note about the time change. 

 I 💛 seeing bright lights at night, and now that it gets dark earlier, I have that much more time to let the lights shine!

source

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On a different Note.....Mylee's 2023 Basketball photos are so cute...I have to share!

She LOVES Basketball and the best thing about her games, is.....SHE HAS FUN!

Have a Blessed Day dear Friends..

Shug...💥