Thankful for Favorites!

I am combining my Thankful Thursday post with the Friday Fave Five post.

Thank you to Pam and Susanne for hosting these each week.

My favorite things are shown in pictures and the things I am thankful for are in bold type.

Tomorrow is a busy day with work until 12:30, then dash home to greet my parents who are coming in from the central part of the state to see the HizKidzPraise show and spend the night. I need to get the girls settled after school and dinner made early as we need to be at the church by 6 pm. One of my sisters and her husband are also coming for the show. We all will meet back at my house for dessert after the performance. Then at 10 pm I need to be at the airport to pick up my husband who has been on the "left coast". (e-mom....if you are reading this, let me explain. We don't say "left" because of political leanings...but rather, because when Courtney was 2 (she is now 16) we taught her that the west coast was on the left side of the map and the east coast was on the right. For "left" I taught her to make an "L" with her left hand so she would remember. The name "left coast" has always stuck. :)

Ok....here are my 5 fave things from this past week:

This holiday dress.
SALE!!

A favorite moment this week was when I saw this dress hanging in the mall and that it was on sale! It was originally $90 and I got it for $20 less!! It was some kind "holiday dress" sale. And...I was specifically at the mall to purchase a holiday dress, not knowing that this particular store had a sale going on. In fact, this was the last store I looked in. My husband's company Christmas party is coming up. My friend Lynn's husband owns the band that plays at the parties......and they play awesome music for ballroom dancing. This dress fit perfectly so of course I bought it! I usually wear black to formal events so getting it in cranberry was a plus for me. The full skirt will be fun for dancing in! Thank you, God for seasonal sales!!

No, one of my favorite things
is not actually Facebook itself.
BUT....
One of my fave things this week was
the inbox message tab.

I had saved a message from a friend that I really needed to re-read this week. I usually just read and delete. I hate cluttered inboxes whether it's Facebook or emails. So...I read them, reply when necessary, and then delete.

But....I saved this particular one from early July. It was about how thankful this friend was and how something the Lord showed me through journaling ministered to her...so I am thankful for saved messages that mean something to me, to read when I need an encouraging word!

Sunrise
on Tuesday morning
as seen from my deck

I am so thankful that this week has been good weather! We are having a very mild autumn here in the capital region of NYS. I am hoping this is a sign that winter will be equally mild....as in not much snow or sub-zero temps!! When my husband is away, I often awake very early and tend to stay up late.....so...I have been a bit tired this week.....but....Tuesday morning I had lots of energy and snapped this pic while the coffee was brewing. Thank you, God for gorgeous sunrises!!

"The Birthday of a King" dance

I am thankful that the dancers for this song came out on time during Monday evening's rehearsal. The night before, they were quite late. I always breathe a prayer during what I know are the costume changes for the dancers. There is alot of confusion sometimes and it isn't always with the children....it is often the volunteers! So....I was so excited when I saw them actually get out on stage on time for this number. There are LOTS of children in this dance so it makes it challenging in the changing room.....but.....don't they look beautiful singing for the Lord?? Thank you, God for this group of dancers and their hard work!

Claire worshipping the Lord
through lyrical ballet
at the
Parent Preview rehearsal
on Monday evening.

I am thankful for this children's ministry at our church. HizKidzPraise is a wonderful way for elementary and junior high children to use their natural giftings/talents for the glory of God. Many of the children have a passion for drama, dance and/or music and it shows in their performances. Now, I believe many of them do get involved because their parents want them to, but for several of them, they really show talent in those areas of the arts. I am so thankful that the director (she is also a friend of mine) is one who encourages the children to use their secular training in this capacity.

So...thank you, God for the HizKidzPraise ministry and for all the volunteers......we have lots of fun putting it all together but the best part is seeing God work through these children.

Tomorrow evening is the opening nite of "Operation Christmas Child" which is the musical from which the above dance pics represent. I will post more pictures next week before leaving on Thanksgiving vacation. Please, my praying friends, keep this show in your prayers.......my daughter is so excited and I just pray that the non-Believers that we invited will be filled with the Word of God and the Truth that is represented in this production. Have a wonderful weekend.......... and leave me a comment before you leave, about what you are most thankful for this week!! If you don't have a blog, just sign in as anonymous and then leave your initial(s). THANKS!!

(note: to see the pics up close, just click on the photo. This applies to the dance and sunrise pics!)