Although it seems like all I have done this week is use Kleenex, sip hot tea, sip grapefruit juice, eat grapefruit, drink more grapefruit juice and eat chicken soup, and drink more grapefruit juice......here is how I am being filled up by the Lord...despite all that grapefruit juice!

• American Idol: I know it might be weird to thank the Lord for the show "American Idol" but...it is one show that we allow our daughters to watch in the evenings and it allows me, the mom, to be a part of their life. We don't have cable. We are strict when it comes to certain programs. The girls are 5 years apart so even if there is a movie or something that is fine for the 14 yr. old, it often is not, for the 9 yr. old. So..this allows me to have some time with them, keep up with what is happening culturally in an appropriate fashion (meaning as a Christian family we do not object to this show as entertainment). It really blessed me this week to have my oldest sitting close to me on the couch...especially since earlier today she SOOO did not want me to walk close to her in the mall....(sigh...)
• Sale prices: again, this might seem like a shallow/materialistic thing to feel thankful for but....without sales I could not have done much Easter clothes shopping today. I feel guilty sometimes shopping for my self. My husband is always telling me to get my self some new black high heels. So..today, on the way out of the mall, we passed through JCPenney. Now I typically don't care for their shoes, overpriced for substandard quality (in my opinion...I feel that way about most of their clothing as well). But..they were having a shoe sale. My teen ended up with an adorable pair of high wedged sandels ( a compromise by me as she wanted shoes from another store that looked like something a hooker would wear..I am not kidding...no way was I gonna buy 4 inch hot pink strappy sandels for a 14 yr old to wear on Easter!!) I ended up with black, open-toed pumps, kinda trendy but on sale!! Yeah! And Claire got a new purse plus a free one, 2 pairs of sox plus a free pair, 2 pairs of earrings plus 1 free (LimitedToo) and Webkinz were 25% off at LibbyLu so the girls used their own money to purchase new ones. Oh, and Courtney got a cute denim skirt for only $12.99 to wear for Easter and a really cute sweater to wear with it from Aeropostale...again...on sale!! Thank you God for sales!
• My Savior: He has kept me in the palm of His Hand this week. Although my plans were to begin major spring cleaning and have people over, His plan was for me to just rest in Him. I felt His peace in a way I don't usually feel when rushing all over during vacations. I was "forced" to just rest. Be Still. If having the flu and an ear infection caused me to stop and be still, then praise Him! And it's funny...but by this morning I was really feeling refreshed.
• Claire's friend Samahria. She is one of the most polite children that I have ever had for a sleepover! She is respectful, kind, honest, clean, a helper, and didn't mind just muffins for breakfast! She is a good friend to Claire and they play wonderfully together. We also learn alot from her. She has a Jewish dad so she was telling me about some of the Jewish holidays they celebrate, like Passover. She is very interesting and a delight to have in our home. It also gave Claire a fun evening of American Idol plus a sleepover! Praise God for good friends. (and we got to invite her to our church...she just has to ask her mom & dad)
  
• My husband: what a guy. He didn't mind soup and sandwiches the other nite when I was just too achy to cook a major meal. He didn't mind running to the store for milk when we ran out. He didn't mind being the one to read to Claire when he was tired so my throat could rest. He doesn't mind when laundry is left on the dryer.....he is such an easy man to live with! He called to check on me often this week which he rarely does. Thank you God for this man in my life!
• Our new church satellite: it is official! It was even in the morning paper! Our church (Grace Fellowship...see side bar link) will be adding a satellite church in a town about 10 miles north of here for our brethern who come down from the north. The new pastor has been hired and has preached a couple of times to the congregation and to the youth in the youth center. He is wonderful! What a blessing he will be to our satellite church. What a blessing to be a part of something new the Lord is doing in the body! The new church (Grace North) will be opening sometime in the fall. We can't wait! We will continue to stay here in town but this will be so good for some of our friends who have had to travel quite a ways just to get to church! The sanctuary in the new place will be able to hold about 300 people. It was awesome to see a nice write-up in the city paper about it...thank you Lord! I also thank Him for our senior pastor's vision for this new satellite church and our board of elders for their faithful service!

What are you thankful for today? Are there certain things about your own church that you are thankful for today?