Blessing #5 - My God children.
For those of you who are close to me, you know why I am writing this particular blessing tonight. I have had the sheer joy of spending my weekend with my Godson Anthony. Anthony is four years old. He is the son of my dear friend Anna and because they live in New Jersey, I don't often have the chance to spend one on one time with him. Taking the time to do so has been such an honor and I have learned so much about him and myself in the short 12 hours we've been together. Anthony's parents are on vacation in Puerto Rico right now, the honeymoon they never had, so the time I have had has not been as "the friend of mom" but as sole care-giver for the time being. I am exhausted, to my core, but also, so so fulfilled.
I picked Anthony up at noon today. We went to my favorite pizzeria where I ordered a slice and he ordered noodles with sauce. He then decided, upon seeing my slice, that he wanted it. So I picked the mushrooms off and gave him my pizza, and I enjoyed his pasta. We then did some shopping, where I spent WAY too much on a ghost flashlight that lights up blue, red and purple and gummy bears that he has yet to touch. Later in the evening we went to my sister's house for a jewelry party (I'm sure he was excited about that!) and then came home and put him in bed. It was this time that I realized how much he truly means to me. He asked me to crawl into bed with him and just sit with him for a while. I put in my favorite VHS, Winnie the Pooh and the Seasons of Giving (since a VCR is all we have in the guestroom) and laid down with him. He fell asleep on my lap and for over an hour, every time I moved, he woke up... But finally he didn't. And when I freed myself, I turned to look at his adorable sleeping face and realized that these are the small moments that make life worth living. I can't wait to take him to the pumpkin patch tomorrow. <3
Now, I am proud to report that Anthony is not my only god-child. I have been blessed with four of them! Jacob who is nine, Jayden who is eight, Anthony who is four and little Natalie Rose who is six months old.
I regret that I cannot spend as much time with all of them as I would like. Two jobs, a husband, a home, three cats and commitments to the community keep me moving all the time. But they are all just as wonderful as the next in my eyes.
I have not had the blessing of my own children, but until that day, I will gladly enjoy the ones my friends have trusted me with.
Being a God-parent means taking the responsibility to make sure the child is raised with a good Christian lifestyle. So many people these days think otherwise. Over and over again I have seen people choose their children's Godparents by who is their best friend at time or who they feel they owe something to. This saddens me because I believe the term is overused and misused. Does it make sense to ask an atheist to be the GOD-Father of your child? How will that person ever really uphold the meaning of the position? I have had the joy of discussing God and Jesus to all of my Godchildren (the ones who can talk at least. Sorry Natalie.) And I just love when they ask to learn more. I have made tradition of buying each one their "first Christmas" ornaments and have even bought children's Bibles for a couple of them.
I'm not trying to get onto a religious rant. I am simply stating that I take my position very seriously.
These children have become staples in my life and I am so glad that I have been given the opportunity to be such an important part of all of their lives.
I love watching them grow. They are all completely different from each other and it is amazing to sit back and watch what each becomes. I am sure they will all be beautiful, successful and caring people, as their parents and myself of course, will do whatever it takes to achieve just that.
The only way this night could have been better is if I had all four of my beautiful Godchildren snuggling with me. <3
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Monday, September 26, 2011
My Blessings ... #4
Blessing #4 - The Food on my Table
This blessing wasn't originally on my list of blessings but I ended up spending my evening exchanging recipes with my friends and now, this blessing just seems right.
I enjoy cooking to the point that it is my therapy. When I was a kid I hung out inside, while my sister and cousins were running around outside, intrigued by the things my grandfather could do in the kitchen. I would watch his every move, memorize his secret ingredients and, when I was old enough, try to recreate his dishes. Obviously I never could recreazte them. Let's face it, it's never as good as grandpas! So, I started tweaking the recipes and creating my own variations.
My favorite family recipe to this day is my Grandma Dukett's fudge, which is actually a German Tablet. For those who don't know, a tablet (tabe-let) is actually a sugar confection that originated in Scotland. The difference is the brittle, grainy texture as it is close to a candy than a fudge. Being a Dukett recipe, cocoa and peanut butter were added. In a Dukett home, Christmas is not Christmas unless there is a pot of this amazing deliciousness boiling on the stove.
Oops, I've gone off on a rant. The point is, there are so many people out there without food, none the less the amazing dishes that we get to enjoy everyday.
We should thank God every time we sit at the table. Especially if you have food in front of you like I've had the pleasure of enjoying in my lifetime.
Oops, I've gone off on a rant. The point is, there are so many people out there without food, none the less the amazing dishes that we get to enjoy everyday.
We should thank God every time we sit at the table. Especially if you have food in front of you like I've had the pleasure of enjoying in my lifetime.
Sunday, September 25, 2011
My Blessings ... #3
Blessing #3 - My Job...
I decided to thank God for this particular blessing tonight because it's something I've been thinking a lot about. I have been feeling a bit under the weather lately and I plan to visit my doctor in the morning. I am so grateful to have the option to do that.
In today's economy, jobs are difficult to come by, especially good ones. My job offers me full 40 hour work weeks, great benefits and most importantly, an enjoyable place to work.
In February my Aunt Joan passed away unexpectaby. This meant an emergency trip to Iowa that did not fall on my usual pass days of Tuesdays and Wednesdays. The HR department was so helpful and understanding. It was such a relief to hear them say "do what you need to do for your family and we will take care of the details." The staff at Vernon Downs has become my second family and I am proud to be entering my 4th year with such a great company. Now, I can't lie, it isn't always peaches and cream. Sometimes, like everyone else on the planet, I just don't feel like going to work. But on days like that I just remind myself how lucky I am. There are so many people out there who can't even find jobs. I was able to find one that I enjoy, that I am proud of, with a company that truly cares for their employees. For this, I am truly blessed.
I decided to thank God for this particular blessing tonight because it's something I've been thinking a lot about. I have been feeling a bit under the weather lately and I plan to visit my doctor in the morning. I am so grateful to have the option to do that.
In today's economy, jobs are difficult to come by, especially good ones. My job offers me full 40 hour work weeks, great benefits and most importantly, an enjoyable place to work.
In February my Aunt Joan passed away unexpectaby. This meant an emergency trip to Iowa that did not fall on my usual pass days of Tuesdays and Wednesdays. The HR department was so helpful and understanding. It was such a relief to hear them say "do what you need to do for your family and we will take care of the details." The staff at Vernon Downs has become my second family and I am proud to be entering my 4th year with such a great company. Now, I can't lie, it isn't always peaches and cream. Sometimes, like everyone else on the planet, I just don't feel like going to work. But on days like that I just remind myself how lucky I am. There are so many people out there who can't even find jobs. I was able to find one that I enjoy, that I am proud of, with a company that truly cares for their employees. For this, I am truly blessed.
Saturday, September 24, 2011
My Blessings Cont...
Blessing #2 - My Husband
First and foremost I want to thank God for making this man giving me the opportunity to meet him and promise forever to him.
I fell in love with Steve over all others because he listened to me when no one else did. When I say listen, I don't mean that he sat quietly, while I talked, and nodded and said "yup." I mean he really listened, and heard, and remembered pretty much everything I said to him, even the small stuff. It doesn't seem like much but I assumed it meant that he truly cared about what I had to say to him. And, let's face it, that is a quality that is hard to come by. Through the years Steve has become my rock. I find myself going to him with everything, happy and not so happy. Things that I never even thought of sharing with a man, I rush home to tell him about. No matter what I am doing, if I am not with him, I miss him. He has literally fulfilled me and made my life complete. He accepted me for who I am. He accepted my two cats who, until I met him, had been my world. (Don't judge me.) and even allowed me to add another into the mix. (Rampage McMurderface.) We've started a beautiful life together, in a beautiful new duplex and we have grown so close that I couldn't imagine not having him by my side. I couldn't ask for a better husband and friend. There is not another man on this planet I would rather father my children. Forever is just not long enough, but I am so blessed to have at least that.
First and foremost I want to thank God for making this man giving me the opportunity to meet him and promise forever to him.
I fell in love with Steve over all others because he listened to me when no one else did. When I say listen, I don't mean that he sat quietly, while I talked, and nodded and said "yup." I mean he really listened, and heard, and remembered pretty much everything I said to him, even the small stuff. It doesn't seem like much but I assumed it meant that he truly cared about what I had to say to him. And, let's face it, that is a quality that is hard to come by. Through the years Steve has become my rock. I find myself going to him with everything, happy and not so happy. Things that I never even thought of sharing with a man, I rush home to tell him about. No matter what I am doing, if I am not with him, I miss him. He has literally fulfilled me and made my life complete. He accepted me for who I am. He accepted my two cats who, until I met him, had been my world. (Don't judge me.) and even allowed me to add another into the mix. (Rampage McMurderface.) We've started a beautiful life together, in a beautiful new duplex and we have grown so close that I couldn't imagine not having him by my side. I couldn't ask for a better husband and friend. There is not another man on this planet I would rather father my children. Forever is just not long enough, but I am so blessed to have at least that.
Friday, September 23, 2011
My Blessings...
I've been feeling a little low lately. I cannot honestly say why, but I can say, it's getting a little old. I decided it was time to count my blessings. This is an exercise I use often when I'm feeling down and out, to remind me that I have so much, and I am taking all of it for granted and being grumpy, sometimes, about things that don't matter much in the big scheme of things. I also decided that counting my blessings to myself, though helping emotionally, isn't really keeping me accountable. So, your job is to keep me accountable. I am throwing all of my blessings out there so someone, anyone, can stop me in my grumpiest state and say "Hey! Didn't you just say you were thankful for..." I am going to dedicate the next 7 days to counting my blessings, one per day, for all to see...
Blessing #1 - My Faith
This is my number one blessing because this is the most solid. My faith is consistent even when I am not. I admit that I am not the most committed Christian on the planet. Regrettably, I go through phases, sometimes living in my devotions, and other times going months without stepping within 100 feet of a church. It's not that I love God any less from one minute to the next. It's the classic story of allowing myself to get wrapped up in other things and becoming too "busy." I am just starting to realize that when I become too busy for God, God seems to become too "busy" for me. Not in the sense of abandonment. I truly believe that He is there every step of the way. But in the sense that, if I don't pray, how can I expect Him to answer me? It's as if he is stepping back saying "Ok Jen, you think you can handle this alone? I'm just going to sit this one out. I will be right over here waiting for you to realize that you need me." I know God would never let me fall too hard, but sometimes you need some scrapes and bruises to learn the lessons. During these times, things don't go so well. The frustrations pile up. Nothing goes as planned. The car breaks down the same day a massive debt is due and I have to work a double shift. Accounting homework is due and I can't for the life of me figure it out and oh crap, I'm sick again. My cell phone is broken but in hindsight I probably shouldn't have thrown it at the wall during that argument with my husband. After a few weeks of this, I finally fall to my knees, throw my hands in the air and cry "ok! Alright! I give up. You take over." And just like that, things seem to get easier, or at least less painful. I pick up my Bible and go off to church, where I am welcomed with open arms and "we've missed you"s. The answers to the accounting homework just come to me. I can't even remember what the argument was about and oh look! I have insurance on my phone... and the wall. And there is God, standing over me with a big "I told you so" grin on His face. He doesn't need to speak to get his message across. "I was here the whole time. You're the one who strayed." I am so blessed. My faith never waivers. My Father never walks away. There is always the safety net of Christ below me. My question to you is: Why is it our nature to keep trying to take on life alone? Shouldn't we know better by now? I know I should.
Blessing #1 - My Faith
This is my number one blessing because this is the most solid. My faith is consistent even when I am not. I admit that I am not the most committed Christian on the planet. Regrettably, I go through phases, sometimes living in my devotions, and other times going months without stepping within 100 feet of a church. It's not that I love God any less from one minute to the next. It's the classic story of allowing myself to get wrapped up in other things and becoming too "busy." I am just starting to realize that when I become too busy for God, God seems to become too "busy" for me. Not in the sense of abandonment. I truly believe that He is there every step of the way. But in the sense that, if I don't pray, how can I expect Him to answer me? It's as if he is stepping back saying "Ok Jen, you think you can handle this alone? I'm just going to sit this one out. I will be right over here waiting for you to realize that you need me." I know God would never let me fall too hard, but sometimes you need some scrapes and bruises to learn the lessons. During these times, things don't go so well. The frustrations pile up. Nothing goes as planned. The car breaks down the same day a massive debt is due and I have to work a double shift. Accounting homework is due and I can't for the life of me figure it out and oh crap, I'm sick again. My cell phone is broken but in hindsight I probably shouldn't have thrown it at the wall during that argument with my husband. After a few weeks of this, I finally fall to my knees, throw my hands in the air and cry "ok! Alright! I give up. You take over." And just like that, things seem to get easier, or at least less painful. I pick up my Bible and go off to church, where I am welcomed with open arms and "we've missed you"s. The answers to the accounting homework just come to me. I can't even remember what the argument was about and oh look! I have insurance on my phone... and the wall. And there is God, standing over me with a big "I told you so" grin on His face. He doesn't need to speak to get his message across. "I was here the whole time. You're the one who strayed." I am so blessed. My faith never waivers. My Father never walks away. There is always the safety net of Christ below me. My question to you is: Why is it our nature to keep trying to take on life alone? Shouldn't we know better by now? I know I should.
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