Win a new dress from Layers Clothing & Simple Finds!

Wow! What beautiful dresses! Simple Finds is giving away one dress from Layers Clothing. Be sure to enter quickly – the contest ends December 2, 2008!

Even if you’re not the winner, be sure to visit Layers Clothing to see their new holiday collection.

27 Days of Thanksgiving – Days 22-27

Family

It has been one crazy week here as we’ve spent the last six days packing, loading the moving truck, unloading the moving truck, cleaning, and trying to do a bit of organizing and set-up. The last of the boxes was moved into the house at 1:15 this morning. It’s official now – the Bentley family has moved. Praise the Lord, we’re finished!

There’s still lots of unpacking, set-up, organizing, and re-arranging to do, but we’re all here. All together again.

That’s what I’m most thankful about in regards to this move. Our family being together. And the fact that I have a family that likes to be together. I am so blessed.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

blessing book entry day 22: Friends who are willing to drop what they’re doing to lend a hand when needed.
blessing book entry day 23: More friends who are willing to drop what they’re doing to lend a hand when needed.
blessing book entry day 24: Music.
blessing book entry day 25: Bits of rest.
blessing book entry day 26: Photos and memories.
blessing book entry day 27: The freedom to celebrate our blessings!

Thank you for taking part in the 27 Days of Thanksgiving! What are you thankful for today?

27 Days of Thanksgiving – Days 19, 20, 21

The Intangible

I’m typing this post from a Panera Bread, thankful for the free wi-fi they offer. Tomorrow we pack the moving van and wave goodbye to McKenney, on our way to the official beginning of a new verse in life’s song. Today I’m thankful for memories. For the dreams that keep us moving. For the prize that we keep running towards.

Today I’m thankful for the intangible. Faith, hope and dreams.

Blessing book entry day 19: my parents and their marriage that has not only lasted, but thrived for 31 years
Blessing book entry day 20: having a place to call home for so many years
Blessing book entry day 21: the hope that I have a home in Heaven

What are you thankful for today? How are you sharing it? Post a link to your blog entry/ies here!

27 Days of Thanksgiving – Day 18

Enter His Gates

Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.”
Psalm 100:4

When we enter into prayer, how often do we enter with thanksgiving? How often do we step into the courts of the Lord offering praises to our King? I know that all too often my prayers begin with me, not with Him. Today I’m going to start working towards entering into my Father’s gates with thanksgiving and praise.

Blessing book entry for day 18: I’m thankful that He holds me and my future in His hands.

What are you thankful for today?

27 Days of Thanksgiving – Days 16 & 17

Thank you for this person, Lord.

I thank my God every time I remember you. Philippians 1:3

How often do we thank God for the people He brings to mind? When you suddenly find yourself thinking of a friend, a family member, a co-worker, a government leader . . . do you thank the Lord for them? There is no one on earth God did place here. No one He did not create and does not love. The next time He whispers someone’s name in our ears, let’s remember to tell Him thank you for them and ask Him to bless and guide them.

Blessing book entry for day 16: my sister Anna

Blessing book entry for day 17: my nieces and nephews

Who or what are you thankful for today?

27 Days of Thanksgiving – Days 13, 14, 15

Little Things

Being in the midst of a move is not the best time to try and blog daily! Today I’m thankful that I have internet access again. But I wanted to share with y’all a story from Wednesday night, and three particular things I was grateful for.

Wednesday evening I drove down to Richmond from the new house in Winchester. I had a dance class and afterwards I went out for ice cream with a few friends. It was late when I finally left, but thankfully I only had an hour’s drive home, since I was returning to Dinwiddie. I arrived home well after midnight and, stepping out of the car, observed that the night was very bright, even though it was a starless night and the moon was hiding. Grabbing my camera bag and my purse, I headed up to the front porch and opened the screen door. Placing my hand on the doorknob, I started to turn it. It didn’t budge. Confused, I tried again. Still nothing. This time I tried turning the knob and pressing against the door with my hip at the same time. The door didn’t open. It was locked.

Stepping back, tears began to fill my eyes as the puzzlement gave way to frustration. We never lock our front door! How had this happened? It was after midnight in almost the middle of nowhere. There was no spare key. What was I to do?

I stood there for a few minutes, trying to process the situation and decide what to do. The back door is always locked, and it currently has dozens upon dozens of moving boxes piled in front of it, but I decided to walk around to the back and check it out anyway.

Thankful moment #1: the starless, moonless, yet incredibly bright night

Dropping my bags in a wicker chair on the front porch, I made my way around to the back of the house, climbed the steps, stepped over the cat, and reached for the door. “Please, Lord,” I prayed. “Let it be open!”

Thankful moment #2: the back door, which is always locked, was not latched

Relief washed over me. Now the challenge. Would the door open enough for me to get inside? I pushed on the door and it swung inward about three or four inches before hitting a stack of boxes and coming to a sharp stop. I pushed again. It didn’t move. Reaching my arm in I was able to grab a corner of one box and give it a push away from the door. Then I slipped in my foot and wedged as much of my body into that small opening as possible. Then I wriggled and pushed and squirmed until finally I was in the house!

Thankful moment #3: God made me small

It’s so wonderful to look at a situation and see the little things God does that make such a big difference to us. He’s so amazing. 🙂

Blessing book entry day 13: bright nights, unlocked back doors, being little

Blessing book entry day 14: dance, and friends to dance with

Blessing book entry day 15: my family

What are you thankful for today? And what have you been thankful for the past several days? Please share your links here so we can rejoice with you!

27 Days of Thanksgiving – Day 12

Give Thanks

This has been one of my favorite songs since I was a little girl.

Blessing book entry for today: Music.

What are you thankful for today? Add your link here!

27 Days of Thanksgiving – Day 11

A Happy Home

I thought that since I started this “project” due to an ungrateful heart regarding our new house, I should post things about it that I am thankful for. Then I can look back over this list whenever I need to be reminded of the good things.

• I get to paint my room lavender and Daddy’s putting in white wood flooring for me.
• The craft supplies will have a space of their own – not in my bedroom!
• We have two kitchens.
• When I lay in bed at night, my right ear pressed against my pillow, the heater sounds like rain. I love the sound of rain.
• The view from my room is beautiful. Horses in a pasture, a gorgeous backyard (the neighbor’s), and a bit of woods.
• It just takes a two-minute drive before the mountains come into view.
• Our family is together again!

That’s what I was able to come up with in just a few minutes. I’m sure time will reveal more wonderful things to be thankful for. 🙂

My blessing book entry for today: My incredible daddy.

What are you thankful for today?

27 Days of Thanksgiving – Days 9 & 10

My apologies for the tardiness of this post. Between working on the house and having an ear infection, I’ve just not set aside the time to update my blog. I’ll try to be better about the next couple weeks!

Our Soldiers

I don’t know about you, but every time I see a soldier in uniform I want to run up and thank him profusely for serving our country. Some days I do. And I usually start do cry as I do so. Most days my bashfulness takes over and I just wish I had the courage to speak up. What amazes me is the smile it puts on a soldier’s face to know that he’s appreciated. I need to work on overcoming that shyness and expressing my thanks more often. What our soldiers do for us is definitely more of a sacrifice than me taking a moment to step out of my comfort zone.

Why don’t you take a moment today to thank a soldier, too. You can even do it without leaving your house! Here are some links to various ways you can express your gratitude to the men (and the women) who lay down their lives for yours and mine every day. It’s because of them that we still enjoy the freedoms of this country and live in safety. Let’s not let them go unappreciated.

Let’s Say Thanks – Select a greeting card designed by a child, enter your message, and hit “send.” Xerox will print your card and deliver it to a soldier.

Adopt A Platoon – Adopt a solider, or a whole platoon, and send him letters or care packages.

Give 2 The Troops – Help send care packages to our soldiers overseas.

A Million Thanks – Send a thank-you letter to a soldier.

donate a phone card – Support our troops by helping them call home.

Blessing Book Day 9: A healthy, happy family who loves each other.

Blessing Book Day 10: Our soldiers.

What are you doing today to cultivate or share a heart of gratitude? Link here to your blog entry!

27 Days of Thanksgiving – Day 8

Beautiful Days

“This is the day which the Lord has made; Let us rejoice and be glad in it.” Psalm 118:24

Every night before she goes to bed, my six-year-old niece “says her prayers.” Never a prayer goes by when she doesn’t say, “Thank you, Lord, for this pretty day.”

A pretty day, or a beautiful day, is not dependent upon the weather. Or the current circumstances of our life. Every day a beautiful day just is. Because the Lord has made.

Let us rejoice and be glad in it!

My blessing book entry for today: Beautiful days. The kind that are beautiful when I wake up with sunshine in my soul, and the kind that are beautiful when I feel the Lord’s new mercies washing over me, and the kind that are beautiful when my heart is filled with sadness and yet God is in control and has made the day. Beautiful.

What are you doing today to cultivate or share a heart of gratitude? Link here to your blog entry!