Thanksgiving Thursdays

       A week from today is the big Thanksgiving day!  As I watch people bustle about buying groceries and thanksgiving décor to prepare their houses, I wonder how many have prepared their hearts for this day. It is so easy to get caught up in the holiday instead of the meaning. As most of you know, this day was celebrated by the Pilgrims (and some Indians) as a day of thanks to God for bringing them through all the hard times.

They could have focused on the vast amount of them who had died in the previous years. They could have focused on how little food they had to eat or how drafty their houses were.  They could have focused on the negative aspects of their life in America, but they didn’t! Instead, they gave thanks. They realized that there was still so much more to be thankful about. So much so, that they set aside 3 whole days for feasting worshiping, and thanking God. In lieu of that fact there is a verse I would like to have us all memorize this week.

            “I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.” Psalm 34:1 (Emphasis Mine)

       At all times, bad or good, hard or plentiful, rich or poor; we will bless the LORD who causes all things to work for good. Continually, we shall praise Him. Our hearts shall trust in Him and not be shaken. We know that He is faithful. He is the definition of faithfulness and we can rest in whatever He brings.

            So this Thanksgiving, maybe your life is not what you wish it was. Maybe you’re going through a really hard season. There will always be reasons that could keep us from praising God. However, just like the Pilgrims, don’t let it stop you!

If the only reason you could think of to praise Him was because He sent His only Son to die in your place, then your lips would be filled with praise all day long. But, we all know, He has given us so many more reasons to praise Him. Keep your eyes, ears, and heart open to see the blessings He has bestowed upon you and your family. Make the most of this Thanksgiving, spend it praising Him. Let the stress of food and family drift away, and just look around and bless Him for His goodness. After all, that is the true spirit of Thanksgiving!

Because of Grace,
Maiden Princess

P.S. What I am thankful this week is: two wonderful, hard-working, and loving parents who God placed in my life to nurture and protect me. They are such a blessing to me and I wouldn’t want any other people in the world to take the place of the parents God has so richly blessed me with! I love you Mom and Dad, and I appreciate the great examples you are to me! Love you always!

I was going to keep up with the Young Maiden's Daybook thing but I realized that it's too much for me. So, I regret to say that I will no longer be doing YMD on Mondays.  I will however, keep up with the quote of the week and Thanksgiving Thursdays and whatever I can fit in between. Right now I feel like my life is spinning out of control and I need to sort some things out and make some adjustments so that I can be organized and disciplined again.

The book is going slowly, I haven't really been able to let things flow. I have a lot of thoughts but I think I'm trying to make them too profesional and it's scaring me into not writing at all. Please pray that I will trust completely in God and not allow fear to keep me from doing God's will for me. At the same time I dont' want to rush into things too fast, I just want to do it in His time. Lately, to make sure I cover all my bases, I have been writing my thoughts out as articles even though I dont' think they're very good. I figure I can go back and fix them later but at least my thoughts will be down. So, there's your progress report.....here's your quote of the week !

Autumn, the year's last, loveliest smile. ~William Cullen Bryant

Enjoy today while it's here, because soon fall will be over and winter will be here. Enjoy each season to it's fullest and then you will never regret the time you spent there when you enter the next one. Winter shall soon be upon us, let us enjoy the few days of fall-ish weather we have.

Enjoying the Presence of our Savior,

Maiden Princess

Goats In Our Yard

       Yesterday night we came home from my Dad’s doctor appointment and got out of the car. It was dark outside and we were getting ready to go into the house when I realized that there were animals in our yard! At first I thought they were deer and then I looked closer and realized that we had two goats in our yard! This was a huge shocker because we have never had goats in our yard before. We didn’t even know any of our neighbors had goats. Well, come to find out, none of our immediate neighbors did.

          I could hardly sleep last night thinking about those poor goats, (a male and female if you’re wondering), shivering and huddled together out in the cold twenty degree night. This morning we got to know them a little more but they seemed very skittish towards us. They laid by the car all night, and munched on the cornstalks stacked by our deck.   We tried feeding them some carrots but they didn’t want to come near us. We tried shelled corn but they just didn’t seem interested. I filled up a bucket of water and they drank out of that but mostly they just walked round and round our house. Occasionally, the female would come up on our back deck and look in the sliding glass door. It was very comical! They seemed very interested in Chloe, but she was scared of them.  They were much bigger after all!

          Finally, after many phone calls we decided to call Animal Control.  They came out about 2 this afternoon and we chased the goats around for about an hour.  We caught the female but the male (who had horns) was determined not to get caught. Even though he had a problem with his back left leg (he limped and had a problem with that hoof) so after an hour of chasing through fields, abandoned barns and through a plowed garden, we decided to let him be. He wandered back by our house but soon left again after he realized we were gonna tie him up. So, he wandered away to a neighbor’s house. Whether he’ll be back or we’ll be able to get him back with the other goat is yet to be determined!

So that’s some of what’s been happening at our house lately! Anything exciting with any of you guys?

Thanksgiving Thursdays

I can hardly believe that a week has already gone by since I decided to do this. This afternoon was a very busy one for me and I just finally got time to sit down and type this up. Sorry it’s so late. 

I started a thankful journal last week too and I have written in it every night except one. I generally fill up a whole page, although, sometimes I don’t have time. J I have really enjoyed doing this and it helps keep my mind on being thankful.  I generally write in it before I go to bed, but dividing it up into parts is also neat. That way I can think about what I’m thankful about all day long. I know that on hard days all I have to do is pull out my thankful journal and read through its pages to be reminded of how much I’ve truly been blessed.

The verse I have to share for this week is : “I will sing to LORD as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have my being, let my meditation be pleasing to Him; as for me, I shall be glad in the LORD.” Psalm 104:33-34

This week I am thankful for: God’s faithfulness. The fact that when He makes a promise He fulfills it. What He says, He means. When I am so faithless, He ALWAYS remains faithful. Truly, who is a God like our God and who is a King like our King? Because of His faithfulness I can rest in His promises and trust in His goodness.

What are you thankful for this week? Have you started a Thanksgiving journal? Remember that Thanksgiving is only 2 weeks away, now is the best time to start preparing your heart! Have a blessed Thursday in Him!

Only Because of His Grace,

Maiden Princess

“You shall follow the LORD your God and fear Him; and you shall keep His commandments, listen to His voice, serve Him, and cling to Him.” Deuteronomy 13:4

The verbs in this verse immediately caught my eye. Follow, fear, keep, listen, serve, and cling. We walk by faith, but faith is action!  Faith is walking in His will, not knowing what will come about, but trusting that it will all be for our good.  May we be found as a faithful people whose eyes are always on the LORD and whose hearts are burning to do His will! Have a blessed Tuesday. J

Walking By His Side,

Maiden Princess

Today… November 9^th, 2009

Outside my window… is green grass, a cloudless sky, a field of uncombined soybeans, and down the road my Great-Grandma’s farmhouse (which is now abandoned) surrounded by barren trees.

I am thinking… I want a grapefruit for breakfast J

I am thankful for… God’s faithfulness and unceasing mercies

I am wearing…pajamas.  Guy’s black basketball shorts with a white t-shirt

I am reading…Plymouth Pioneers by Coleen L. Reece and the Bible

I am creating…A devotional for young women about inner beauty

One of my favorite things… fall

For education this week… learning about the Pilgrims more in-depth

A keeper at home skill I am using/learning … cooking and learning to submit more fully

A spiritual lesson I’m learning…to take every thought captive to the Lord Most High

A godly character trait I plan to work on… graciousness

Scripture I am memorizing…”But as for me, I will hope continually, and I will praise You yet more and more. My mouth shall tell of Your righteousness and Your salvation all day long; for I do not know the sum of them.” Psalm 71:14-15

I am praying for… many different things but specifically my brother

For the rest of the week… I will be leaning on His strong ever-lasting arms and keeping my gaze locked in to His.

A picture I’d like to share…

Thanksgiving Thursdays

I am starting a new weekly tradition.  Yesterday, I realized how close Thanksgiving was to being upon us. Three weeks from today to be exact. So, to keep me in the right frame of mind all year through I will post one thing I'm thankful for each Thursday and a Scripture on thanksgiving or rejoicing.

I would love it if you would like to join me by either commenting and telling one thing you are thankful for that day or starting Thanksgiving Thrusdays on your own blog. Either way we want to cultivate a thankful heart all year round. May we make it a lifestyle and not just a holiday!

Without further ado: Today I am thankful for: The harvest of fall, God's provioions for us in and through all things!

"I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify Him with thanskgiving." Psalm 69:30

So what are you thankful for today?  Let me know!

Because of Grace,
Maiden Princess

Today…

Outside my window…the stars are twinkling (sorry this is late)

I am thinking…that I can’t wait for the day my brother comes back to the LORD

I am thankful for…all my wonderful family and a list of things too long to post! J

I am wearing…pajamas.  LOL. They consist of Old Navy cotton pink, brown, and white plaid pj pants with a dark blue short-sleeve t-shirt

I am reading…The Mayflower Adventure by Coleen L. Reece and the Bible

I am creating…A devotional for young women about inner beauty

One of my favorite things…babies

For education this week…learning to be more diligent

A keeper at home skill I am using/learning …cooking and learning to submit more fully

A spiritual lesson I’m learning…to trust in God through all things because He is implicitly faithful!

A godly character trait I plan to work on…contentment and thankfulness

Scripture I am memorizing…”But as for me, I will hope continually, and I will praise You yet more and more. My mouth shall tell of Your righteousness and Your salvation all day long; for I do not know the sum of them.” Psalm 71:14-15

I am praying for…my brother to come to know the LORD as his personal Savior and for many other people.

For the rest of the week…I will be striving to rest in God’s faithfulness and have joy in the midst of all things!

What’s Been Up With Me Lately

       Life has been, well, life!  I have had ups and downs this week. Tears and triumphs were also mixed in. The stuff with my brother has been weighing heavily upon my heart, and although I will not pretend it has not been painful (very painful and traumatic) the LORD has been with me, strengthening me, each step of the way. Without Him I would never make it. He is, and always will be, so good to me!

          The book has been coming slowly.  I have actually only written one “day” so far since I told you about the whole thing.  It was very hard for me think about writing without getting nervous. I knew I just needed to let go of the worry and doubt and let God work through me, so that is what I did yesterday afternoon.  I had a really good devotional time with the LORD in the morning, in which I repented of doubting the LORD and His strength, then, that afternoon I was finally able to write something. It is so much easier for me to write when it’s just a blog post, but when it comes to thinking it might be in a book, whew! That scares me. It definitely is moving slower than I had hoped but hey, this is the LORD’s book, not mine! We’re going by His timing, and again, not mine! J  I guess I’ll just have to wait on Him. (It seems like everything in my life right now includes waiting on Him. Although, I guess that is the best place to be! J)

          I just finished the book The Pursuit of God by A.W. Tozer. It was very good and I would recommend it for a challenging, deep, read about God. He covered topics like the presence of God, what is true worship, getting to know the LORD personally and challenging your perception of what pursuing God means.  Suffice it say, it was very good!  I would encourage you to read it. Some parts were a bit deep for me, but I loved it none the less.  Although, I do not agree with all his doctrinal views, it was a very encouraging and deeply challenging book!

          Well, I’d like to write more but cooking and cleaning await me.  Alas, there seems to be so little time in the day!  May you all be blessed today, despite the rain!

Love in Him,
Maiden Princess