I linked my blog to this earlier in the week but wanted to post the whole thing....It's just a beautiful and challenging thought/prayer.....
John Piper on why God would start with himself as king of Israel and then bring human kingship into Israel's history later through a spectacular sin (Israel's rebellious request for a human king):"We should learn from this how stiff-necked and rebellious and unthankful we are...Each time they forgot God and went after other things. That is not just the story of Israel. It's the story of humanity. It's the story of my life and your life. Even as Christians, we are not steadfast in our affections for God. We have thankful days and unthankful days. And even our thankful days are not as thankful as they should be.
Just think of how joyful and thankful you would be if your heart responded to God himself and his ten thousand gifts with the admiration and gratitude of which he is worthy." (from
Spectacular Sins)
As Thanksgiving is only two days away, I am especially struck by the truth of this text in my life. I am an unthankful person. Like Israel, I so often forget God and live as if He is an afterthought or bit-part in the story of my life. I forget how He's provided, rescued, saved, sustained and redeemed.
Lord, forgive me for so easily forgetting You. Help me to have a thankful heart always, not just at Thanksgiving. Thank you for Thanksgiving and other reminders of Your providence. Help me impart a spirit of thankfulness to Audrey, Reid, and, according to Your pleasing will, this baby growing inside me. Thank you for each day I carry this little miracle. Thank you for the grace, righteousness and perfect thankfulness imputed to me by Your Son. For that, I am forever thankful.
Waiting for our Daddy to come home
Shopping with Mommy.....we love our sling!
Shopping with Gampa and Gamma....doing the Air Plane (her favorite!)
The perfect end to a busy day! Hot bath, candles and a hot cup of tea with fresh honey :) 
Playing in the Ball Pit at Joels (no she doesn't need one!)
and our favorite....the cabinets at Gamma and Gampa's house :)
The cabinets under the TV are full of all Stephie Jo's toys.....so much fun! Half the time she would rather empty the cabinets and climb inside instead of playing with her toys, haha!
break!!!! Can't wait!
We decorated while Daddy was at the movies with Gampa....Stephanie thought the tree was pretty cool (but she hasn't messed with it.....yet)
She and Boulder are best buds.....they are so cute together!!!
Look close....can you see those teeth!!! The two top ones cut through, the top side ones are almost through.
This is her new thing....hanging upside down. She cracks me up!
Stephanie and her Gampa watching a movie.....he came to visit his sick little girl. She sat and watched movies for two hours :( She is NEVER that still!!! The dr has me giving her 1tsp of pedialite every 5 minutes until she is barf free for 4 hours....then she gets 2tsp every 5 min for another 4 hours......8 hours barf free and she can have formula. So far as soon as I introduce the formula back she starts to throw up again by the 2nd or 3rd bottle (which are only 4oz at this point). No fun! Can't figure out if it's a bug or teething.....I really think it's teething! 4 teeth at once....that's a big job!
Later in the evening she was watching Nemo and playing with her toothbrush....I'm sure it felt wonderful on her little gums!!
