Here in the midwest, fall has definitely arrived! Last night, we went to our nephew's football game immediately after work and we were FREEZING in the stands! Even those dressed in sweaters & sweatshirts were cold! (I must admit it was quite nice to be snuggled extra close to my hubby as we both were trying to warm up!) We truly love the fall season. The leaves here this week have really started to change...it's so beautiful! (Oh, and my nephew's team won -- woohoo!)

Kim from Seasons of my Heart and a few of her friends take part in "Food for Friday" so I decided to jump on the bandwagon to share some of our fall favorites, too! Today's recipe comes from our lovely friend, Susan Sumner. She was a former neighbor, and one we just adore! I think of her each time I make this. It is WONDERFUL and seemingly foolproof. (I've made many times and it always turns out yummy!)

Pumpkin Bread
(makes 3 loaves)

3 cups sugar
1 cup oil
4 eggs
1 reg. size can of pumpkin
1 1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
3 1/3 cups of flour

Oatmeal or Sliced Almonds (optional)

Pour batter into 3 greased and floured loaf pans. If you'd like, sprinkle on a little oatmeal or a few sliced almonds on top. Bake for approximately 90 minutes at 325 degrees (or when toothpick inserted comes out clean). As you might have guessed, this is not low-fat...but it is DELICIOUS! Enjoy!

Happy weekend to you!

I've known since early Monday morning what I planned to share today. I was reading my daily Bible, disappointed in myself for falling a few days behind (I was then reading the passages for Friday, 9/26). That morning found me in Isaiah 43. As my eyes fell upon this portion, these words seemed to be highlighted-in-neon, bold print and underscored:

"Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past;
See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up;
do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert
and streams in the wasteland."

I read this phrase over and over. I finished my quiet time encouraged and at peace, thinking in God's perfect timing, I was intended to read that on Monday. I say that because in the hours before bed on Sunday, I was praying about something I’ve prayed over for years. It was one of those moments I just felt so weary, deep within my heart. I suspect you've been there too. You pray about something for so long, yet see no evidence of change. And though you haven't "given up," you sometimes surrender to the discouragement. Tears falling, heart aching...I was there.

Had any doubt remained that God intended that truth for me on Monday, it disappeared soon after I arrived at work. As I began checking e-mail, a devotional message I receive regularly arrived. (You're probably smiling now, knowing where this is going...) Bet you can guess what scripture was the basis for that devotional message...yep. Then, later that same morning (because God knows I sometimes need a virtual 2 x 4 to the forehead), I received a message from a friend, quoting yes, this same scripture! Wow! Got it, Lord! You can bet this week, I'm praying with renewed purpose and excitement about this long-standing desire of my heart. Thank you sweet Father, for this undeniable encouragement from your Word. I praise you that you love us enough to show us these glimpses when our faith begins to wane.

Where does this find you? Is there something that's burdened your heart far too long? Are you discouraged and hurting today, looking with human eyes at what seems like a hopeless situation? I pray as you read and ponder this promise from our Lord, you too will be encouraged. Keep trusting, believing and resting in Him. He is able, but even more importantly, He is faithful.

Good morning!

Both Lea of Shabby Olde Potting Shed and Kristi of KiKi’s Corner have tagged me for Seven Random Things. The rules are to share seven random things about you, tag seven friends, then visit their blogs and let them know they’ve been tagged.

I came to a conclusion while trying to think of what seven things to share…I need a little more adventure in my life! Hopefully, you will find these at least somewhat interesting. If nothing else…insight into my quirkiness. Here goes…

1. I can’t swim. I can float, but only on my stomach (strange, I know!) I’ll go into water up to my chin, but never deeper than that. (Call me chicken…it’s ok.)

2. I love to create things (ornaments, note cards, scrapbooks, etc…)

3. I’m an organizer. In fact, you could say that’s how I make my living (setting up and organizing large files and projects for a law firm). On the home front, I’m not quite as good at maintaining the organization (which somewhat defeats the purpose of trying to be organized in the first place…)

4. Due to circumstances completely beyond my control, I was 20 minutes late for my own wedding! (In fact, I had a friend who nicknamed me “10 till 8,” because my wedding, though scheduled for 7:30 pm, didn’t start until 7:50 pm!)

5. I love to color. When Tom and I were first married and money was in short supply, we bought two coloring books and a 64 pack of crayons. When we couldn’t afford dinner and a movie out (which was often), we’d fix grilled cheese sandwiches and pull out the coloring books. We spent many weekend nights coloring Snoopy and Masters of the Universe (I still have these somewhere in storage!) lol

6. When I was a little girl, I always wished my name was Julie or Holly. Most of my Barbies, stuffed animals and baby dolls were Julie or Holly. I always chose one of those two names for myself when playing school or office, too.

7. I love talking to people one-on-one, but public speaking before a group absolutely scares me to death. Just thinking about it quickens my pulse and causes me to break out into a sweat!

Still with me? Still awake? (Hope so.) These are my tagged friends…can’t wait to see their answers!

Cheryl of Hope for Each Day

Cindy of 12 Arrows

e-Mom of Chysalis

Julie of Jewelz Sightings

Krista of Krista's Chronicles and Coffee Talk

Lynn of Somewhere in the Middle

Tricia of It’s All About Him

Be a blessing to someone today…
Tracy

Good morning,

First, I want to thank Iris for faithfully providing us the opportunity to share our thankful hearts each week. What a blessing it has been, and continues to be. I understand this sweet sister has a birthday this weekend…Happy Birthday Iris! ☺ We’re so thankful for you!

Today also finds me thankful for…

♥ The hope and promise we have in Christ. As we’ve spent time with Karen’s immediate family, we’ve been able to encourage a number of them with God’s word. Her family is a very musical one, so we knew songs like “With Hope” by Steven Curtis Chapman “Homesick” by MercyMe and others would be especially encouraging, so we’ve shared those with them over the past few days, as well. In our conversations, several of them told us they struggle with things of faith, yet they were so grateful to be reminded of what God promises for His children, because Karen had that faith. It is our prayer that they too will come to embrace or restore their faith in Christ through this loss.

♥ The Holy Spirit. Tom and I have been more aware than usual of His presence throughout the past few days. You could undoubtedly sense Him in her room during prayer, and we have felt His promptings and guidance in many of our interactions and conversations.

♥ Your faithful prayers and kind friendship. What an encouragement you’ve been! Karen’s sister, MaryBeth, told me she knows it is the prayers of friends and family that are sustaining them right now, and will continue to in the time to come. Thank you for being willing to pray not only for their family, but for lifting us, as well. It means more than I can adequately express.

♥ The eight people who will benefit from Karen’s loss through organs she donated. What a gift to pass along! She was a registered dietician, so she understood the importance of eating healthy and exercising, so her organs are likely very healthy ones. I always thought I wanted to be an organ donor, but having a better understanding of the process has confirmed it. (I hope you too will think about it. If it's something you would like to do, tell someone close to you and indicate your wishes on your driver's license.)

May this Thursday find you thankful…
Tracy

To read what other thankful hearts are saying, join us at Sting my Heart.

Tom and I just returned home from the hospital. Earlier tonight, we received one of those dreaded and surreal telephone calls saying that Tom's cousin, Karen had suffered a "devastating head injury" today. She was airlifted to a local hospital and after a battery of tests, confirmed to have no brain activity.

We know God can do anything, so of course we immediately prayed that if it be within His will, He would work a miracle and bring about some activity, and ultimately restore the damage that had been done. We headed to the hospital and were shown the way to a waiting area that was absolutely overflowing with family and friends, most of whom are in shock. Around 10:00 pm, her parish priest arrived and called everyone to her room for prayer. There were so many people filling every space around her and spilling out into the hallway. She is undoubtedly well-loved.

Karen is one of the most kind and caring people you'd ever want to know. She has a very strong faith in the Lord and is an incredible servant. This month, she and her husband, Mark are celebrating 25 years of marriage. They have three sons. One who is a sophomore in high school, one who is a senior and their oldest, who is a junior in college. The oldest has been on a mission trip in Spain. He's in the process of trying to get home as quickly as possible. Karen and Tom are the same age (51). They grew up together. When Tom and I were engaged and then married, she was one of the first people in the family to reach out and try to make me feel welcome.

Even though there are already many praying for Karen, her husband, their boys and her siblings, could you please pray, too? We pray with hope, yet fully trust in God's sovereign will. Many thanks.

UPDATE (Sunday afternoon): We learned a short time ago, Karen has passed away. God did indeed heal her body...though not the way we would have hoped. I do ask your continuing prayers for Mark and their boys. They're all great guys and they adored Karen. Please also pray for her siblings. Their family is strong and very close. They have endured a number of tragic losses and difficulties in the past few years. This loss will be felt deeply. Thank you so much.

As you can imagine, after Sunday’s windstorm I am so very thankful this week…

♥ First, that our damage was truly minimal. I’m especially grateful none of the trees surrounding our home came down. There are so many in our area who lost very old, large trees and many suffered substantial damage to their homes. There were a number of people who died as a result of fallen trees or power lines. The husband of a good friend narrowly missed being hit by a falling utility pole while driving their van on Sunday.

♥ That our power was restored by Monday night! You really don’t know just how much you utilize electricity until you don’t have it. I truly have a new appreciation this week for lights, my appliances, computer, tv, air conditioning, etc. I still have several co-workers and extended family without power.

♥ The weather since the storm has been absolutely beautiful, and there is no rain in the forecast until early next week! This has been and will continue to be a huge help to the linemen working to restore power, as well as the contractors trying to repair home and roof damage.

♥ That we were able to call on linemen from North and South Carolina to assist our crews in repairing downed lines, replace transformers/utility poles and restore power. They’re still working around the clock to get power back for the remaining residents (about 200,000).

♥ The opportunities for service this has provided. One local ministry gave out thousands of bags of ice. Several churches have provided dinners for those in the community without power. I’ve also heard of those who have grilled what was left in their freezer and shared it with friends and neighbors. I was able to talk with many co-workers and offer to have them in our home either to stay, to take showers, etc. I offered to do laundry or anything they might need. Most importantly, I was able to encourage them and let them know I would pray for them. I believe God was planting some seeds through those conversations.

♥ That I have an even greater understanding and compassion toward those who endure hurricanes year after year.

♥ That my fridge and freezer haven’t been this clean since they were new. ☺

♥ That I now have the opportunity to be a bit more prepared next time!

Please continue to pray for those affected in any way by these last few hurricanes.

May this Thursday find you thankful!
Tracy

To read other Thankful Thursday posts, join us at Sting my Heart.

Woke up Monday still without electricity. Both Tom and I took a vacation day. We placed a call first thing to a contractor for our roof damage and started cleaning up some of the mess in our yard. We were still working in the yard (as were many around us) Monday afternoon when our next door neighbor returned home from work. He told us the power outage was enormous, and had affected 90% of the Greater Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky area. There were trees and power lines down everywhere. The energy company had restored power at that time to 200,000 people, but there were still a vast number of people without. Apparently our linemen had headed to Texas to assist with Hurricane Ike, leaving very few to service our area.

(Photos courtesy of Cincinnati Enquirer - Scott Martini)

(Photo courtesy of wcpo.com - dmrsrn)

Please continue to pray with me for those everywhere who sustained damage, but especially those in Texas who received the brunt of Hurricane Ike’s wrath. Please also pray for the service men working around the clock to repair lines and restore power.

Hope this finds you well. Thanks once again for your prayers and kindness for my hubby and I. We’ve been able to spend some sweet and precious time together in the last couple of weeks. A few rough moments (as we expected), but we’ve truly sensed God’s unmistakable presence through your prayers.

In the midst of my blogging break, Tom and I celebrated our 24th wedding anniversary. If you wouldn’t mind, I’d like to reminisce a bit, and share some sweet thoughts, both to and about my beloved.

Here we are, September 1, 1984. (I dare say a few of you weren’t even born yet!) Would you just look at my man. Is he handsome or what!?! I had always wished as a little girl my hubby would have brown eyes. God certainly delivered that and then some! ☺ I can’t help but smile when I see my hat in this photo. It started in the right place, tilted down at the front in a very sophisticated way, but after several hours, many hugs and a few dances later, it looks more like I was a cowgirl bride. (lol) All kidding aside, we had a beautiful wedding. I remember thinking that day I couldn't possibly love him any more. All these years later, I'm thankful to know that was but a glimpse of the love I have for him today.

As others have done, I want to share with Tom 24 special things I love about him.

1. I love that you always reach over and take my hand when we pray.
2. I love that you call me “your very best girl.”
3. I love that you always make a point of thanking me when I make a meal.
4. I love watching what an amazing Dad you are.
5. I love they way you're so attentive to take care of trees, our yard and especially the flowers I plant.
6. I love riding the bus to work with you each morning.
7. I love the way you sneak and do the laundry sometimes to surprise me.
8. I love that you’re so careful to keep your side of the vanity so nice and neat.
9. I love your sweet e-cards.
10. I love the name game we always play.
11. I love that even when you’re tired, you’ll often ask, “What can I do to help you?”
12. I love watching storms with you from the back porch.
13. I love that anytime we finish a meal, you insist on clearing the dishes and putting away the leftovers.
14. I love that you’re a kid at heart.
15. I love that you’re a man of a thousand faces and voices.
16. I love watching movies with you, especially when they make you laugh.
17. I love how much you love everything about fall.
18. I love the way you call me outside to see a beautiful sunset or starry sky.
19. I love the way you surprise me with sweet treats.
20. I love how excited you get about Christmas.
21. I love taking walks with you, especially on snowy days.
22. I love how excited you get and how much you want to “see all there is to see” when we travel someplace new.
23. I love that you always encourage me more than usual on Bible study days, because you know I get a bit anxious.
24. I love that you truly cherish Brennan and I.

I could honestly go on and on…there so much more I love about you. I’m beyond blessed. Happy (belated) Anniversary, Sweetie!

Just wanted to let you know I'm taking a blogging break. Planning to spend some extra time with my hubby. Be back soon.

In the meantime, here are links to some of my favorite previous posts...

Worth the Wait

The Potter & the Clay

Commit and Rest

A Loving Reminder from God

Lessons for Life (Through an Old Man at the Airport)

A Gracious Second Chance

Opposite Extremes

Today, my heart is overwhelmed with thanks and love for you. My blog and e-mail inbox has been flooded with kind words, prayer and encouraging scriptures, since sharing our need earlier this week. Quite a number of them came from those who were introducing themselves for the first time! I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, God is so good to me through you! My husband, who didn’t even know yet about the post (or your many kind words) even expressed he now has peace. This is not to say there won’t be many tears as we say good-bye, or some difficult days, but that dread and heart heaviness we were both feeling has lifted. I feel certain your prayers helped us through the period of “Acceptance.”

Can I be really honest with you? My hubby and I could really use your prayers. Hearts are tender and somewhat heavy in my house these days. Soon our one and only son, Brennan will depart for college, over 400 miles from home. In one fell swoop, we will become empty nesters. Unlike some of our friends with a house full of kids, we’ve never been eager for this stage. Our little family has always been very close. I wouldn’t trade that for anything, nor would I change it if given the chance to do it all again. But it does make this particular time especially difficult. There are no other kids in our home clamoring for our attention. No other babies for the tending. (We don’t even have a dog, for heaven sake!)

My hubby and I both know God’s grace is more than sufficient to meet our needs and ease our heartbreak. We are confident He has gone to great lengths to prepare us for this time. We’re leaning hard on that, in fact. We also know countless parents have experienced what we’re preparing to walk through and just like them, we’ll be alright, we just dread the process. Typically, Tom and I are much more inclined to the giving of prayers and encouragement as opposed to the asking for it. But because I consider you friends, I want to be real, transparent and honest before you. Several of you have already been praying for us. We can’t express how much we appreciate that. We also know that in the grand scheme, there are those with far greater needs and certainly far deeper pain than ours.

For those with little ones, I know this day seems far away. Believe me when I tell you it will be here before you know it and you’ll wonder how in the world it happened. Can I give some advice you can never hear too often? Cherish the everyday moments. Read the extra story. Play a bit longer. Talk a little more. Hug & kiss them every chance you get. Speak words of love and affirmation daily. Linger over them as they sleep. Pray for God’s greatest blessings in their lives. Savor them like never before. You’ll never regret it.

Here's a little glimpse of Brennan's first 19 years of life...