Thankful Thursdays! White Christmas!

Christmas is here and it is almost over but there are a few things I am thankful for this Christmas!

1. Tons of Snow on the ground. Which means a White Christmas!

2. Bill and Jen Kline who opened there home and arms to me this Christmas and allowed me to join them for Christmas.

3. My family even though we are in 4 different states this Christmas we are making it through.

4. For Christmas food and yummyness.

5. For my brand new crock pot that I have asked Santa for over the last couple years and I finally got it! (Thanks Mrs. Claus)

6. For fires in the fireplace and lazy Christmas days!

7. For new Christmas memories!

Thankful Tuesdays! My Mom!

I love willow tree and I love this one. They are just so precious! My mom and I use to have matching aprons when I was little so this picture made me think about that :)

Okay so last week in all the craziness of the last week of school before Christmas I missed posting what I am thankful for so I decided that this week I am going to do Thankful Tuesday and Thursday!

So today I am thankful for my mom. Growing up we did not have a great relationship. I always fought her for my dads attention because I thought I would win but I never did. I can even remember laying in their bed in between my mom and dad looking over at my dad and told him that when mom dies I am going to marry you. And of course my mom would tell me that the bible says.... But did I care no not one bit it went in one ear and out the other. However she was smart enough not to fight with me over it and just let me think I won. lol

1. She loves me no matter what I do or say.

2. She accepts me no matter what I look like or smell like.

3. She showed and taught me what it means to have a relationship with Jesus.

4. She did my hair till I was 12 because it was so long.

5. She showed me how to be a mom and wife (even though I am not either yet)

6. She taught me how to cook.

7. She taught me how to do my hair and to take care of myself!

(okay a little story to add to this one)

I was 11 when I became a women and it was a Sunday night after we had just gotten home from a big youth rally. My parents along with all the other staff members where at the church for some reason and all the staff kids where at our house eating dinner. I went into the bathroom to go potty when I realized that something was not right. So first thing I did was yell for Cassie who is a few years older than me to come into the bathroom. She came in and helped me out and than I called my mom. Little did I know when she answered the phone with her crying daughter on the phone that I was on speaker phone and all the staff heard everything I said! :( )

8. I love that if I can't poop I just call her and talk to her for a few minutes and than I have to go lol (do not ask me why but it works)

9. I love that she plays with my hair and tickles my back even at my age.

10. I love that she listens to me and does not judge me because of what I say.

11. I love that she was able to be a stay at home mom for most of my life.

12. I love that she and my dad showed me what a true christian relationship should look like. (not that they where perfect)

13. I love that she raised me in a christian home.

14. I loved it when she would take me grocery shopping with her and it was just the two of us.

15. I loved it when we would have our mother daughter days.

16. I love that she supports me no matter what.

And even though we have been through some hard times and we still do not have the best relationship I know that one day we will have an amazing one. And I will continue to pray for it!

Embarrassing Teaching Moment!

Okay so last Friday was our last day of school for two weeks so at the end of the day we where having closing circle, eating some cookies and candy canes. Then two of my moms came in and decided to sit in circle with us. While we where sitting there one of the moms decided to ask all the kids what they where asking Santa for for Christmas! Well one of the little boys said he wants a Nintendo ds which made the other mom ask well what is that! So I proceeded to tell her that I think it is the new version of a playboy ...... I mean game boy. Man you should have seen my face it was as red as my hair! So then of course the moms had to give me a hard time by saying we know what Miss. Jinny does in her free time. And we have some good black mail for the rest of the school year! Thank goodness I teach 4 year old's and not middle schooler's! :) Man my face is getting hot right now just telling the story! :) lol

White Christmas!

Did anyone ask for a white Christmas? If you did you have it :) Lots and lots of snow here in Durango today! Thinking of snow makes me think of Christmas when we lived in Lubbock, Texas. My dad had always dreamed of a white Christmas so he prayed to God for a white Christmas in Texas. We all laughed at him and told him no way but he just continued to tell us that we did not have enough faith. The next morning we woke up and low and behold there was snow on the ground. Now let me explain when I say snow I mean a dust like maybe an inch but hey it was snow! :) lol That was my dads favorite gift that Christmas. So as I sit here and think about tomorrow being Christmas and watch the snow fall I am reminded of my dads one wish.... a white Christmas. Maybe this year he told God to allow it to snow a ton this Christmas so that I would remember how much he always loves me! This is my first Christmas here in Durango in over 4 years so this is my first white Christmas since my dad past away!

So today I ask you to remember those who have lost someone this year and years past. It does not get any easier and I pray for those who have lost people and who are going through this Christmas season with out them! Merry Christmas all!

SNOW!

Okay so it snowed a lot last night and school was canceled so I wanted to show you all what my car looks like right now! I can't even get out of my driveway because no one has plowed it so if I where to shovel my car out it would be pointless cause I can't move it anywhere! :( Plus I have no shovel lol! Or snow boats! :(

Favorite Christmas Movies!

Okay fellow Bloggers.....

What are your favorite Christmas movies?

~ Miracle on 34th Street

~ Elf

~ The Polar Express

Just to name a few :) Now I want to hear all of ya'lls favorite! :)

Christmas Happiness!

What is Christmas Happiness? Here is what I think Christmas Happiness is! If you have anything to add please comment and let me know! I would love to hear it! :)

* Christmas Carols

* Christmas Lights

* Hot Drinks

* Warm Blankets

* Presents

* Houses Decorated

* Christmas Music

* Ornaments

* Christmas Movies

Just to name a few! I love Christmas Happiness ..... Don't you! :)

Thankful Thursdays!

1) I am thankful for Children's laughs, hugs and kisses! No matter how hard the day is they make it all better!

2) I am thankful for my co workers who love the Lord and who encourage me on a day to day bases!

3) I am thankful for new friends ..... People who have not known me long but allow me to be myself!

4) I am thankful for old friends ........ Who challenge me to be a better person and who love me no matter what!

5) I am thankful for Christmas and all that it entails!

6) I am thankful for pj's and days that you can stay home and keep them on all day!

7) I am thankful for snow, snowmen, and snow ball fights!

I forgot one!

Family Traditions Continued!

~ My parents every year buy us a new Christmas tree ornament! (I love that part too)

Funny Stories! (at least I think so)

Hey All,

So I thought that I would tell you all some funny things that happened yesterday.... I hope you all find them as funny as I did! :)

Okay so yesterday after nap I asked one of my little girls in my class how she slept and what she dreamed about. (Okay a little background needed here I think every day when you ask this little girl how she slept and what she dreamed about she always says good and that she dreamed about Mater and Lighting) So yesterday I thought it would be just like always. NOT! So I asked her what she dreamed about and she said nothing and then the proceeded to tell me that her dreams must have all run out. Than her best friend who was standing there as well said well than we better go and find them! :) It was super cute at least I thought so!

Than last night I had dinner over at the Palmer's which has been a tradition for several years now. Well I was sitting on the couch as Mark and Jill where getting the kids ready for bed. When all of a sudden I heard Jack crying and Jill laughing which made me laugh a little to myself but than when I found out what she was really laughing about it made it that much more funny and I lol! Jill came out and told me that Jack had just peed on his face! Man oh man did I think that was funny! :)

Okay I think that is all for now! But I have decided that since I don't have any kids of my own as of yet I am going to tell funny stories about other peoples! :)

Christmas Time and Memories!

Okay so here I am..... I know what you have been thinking where has Jinny been? Well a lot has been happening lately but I am back!

Christmas time is a bitter, sweet time of year! This was my dads favorite holiday and we had many family traditions! So I decided I would share them with all of you bloggers!

FAMILY TRADITIONS!

1. We would watch Scrooge (the original) on Thanksgiving night

2. The day after Thanksgiving the Christmas music started playing and the decorations went up

3. Than that night we would watch Miracle on 34th street and drink eggnog!

4. When my older Brother Matt would get into town right before Christmas we would take a trip as family and go to Farmington to go shopping for each other.

5. On Christmas Eve after church we would come home and get to open our Christmas pj's and than we would have a family game night with lots of snacks waiting for Santa to come!

6. On Christmas morning we would go and wake up our parents and my dad would have to go out and see if Santa. He would than light up the Christmas tree, start a fire, and turn on the Christmas music.

7. Than us kids would get to come out and our Santa presents where unwrapped and sitting under the tree as well as our stocking (which is still my favorite part) :)

8. Once we where done with our stockings my dad would pass out the presents. Now my mom got smart and would put different names on the presents like Santa, snowmen, and tree. So that none of us kids would know what presents where ours. Mind you every year my mom would mess up at least one present and put the wrong name on it so one kid would be short a present. Which always seemed like it was me lol! And I hated it! :) After my dad was done passing out presents we would go around and open one present at a time till they where all open!

9. After the presents where open us kids would go and put our gifts away while my mom put in the home made Cinnamon rolls! (MAN are they yummy)

10. After breakfast it was time to get ready for the Christmas dinner and guest so we would be running around getting everything ready! :)

After us kids figured out that Santa is not real my parents told us that if we stopped believing Santa would not come so to this day all of us kids still believe in Santa. lol (hear that mom I believe) Christmas is such a great time of year! I am so blessed to have so many amazing memories of Christmas! Merry Christmas every one!

The Spring is Painted!

Okay so today we had a children's ministry work day! It was amazing and we got so much done! I am so excited! I feel like I have totally accomplished something! I just wanted to show you all a picture just for fun! Jill, Jo, and I worked on this boat for 6 1/2 hours! It was great fun! Thanks to all of you who showed up and helped!

Billy was reall itching for a paint fight sad to say it did not happen! Someday it will though Billy you just wait! :)

Dress Up Day!

Okay so here is just a little fun we had at school so I thought I would share some pictures with everyone! Hope you enjoy!

Toby (football head) and Billy (the football player)

Zane the Pirate (he was in time out so he was not very happy with me but I needed a picture) :)

Nola and Simba (this was not planned but super cute)

Miss. Jinny and Calan the Scarecrow!

Sorting out the pumpkin seeds! Some of them loved it and some of them hated it! I love it! :)

Pumpkin Patch and Hay ride lots and lots of fun!

Thankful Thursdays!

Okay so here I go... I think that this is a great idea and I am going to try and start to weekly write down the things I am thankful for so lets begin.....

1. I am thankful for my parents and the loving caring home they raised me in!

~I am thankful for my dad.... for the amazing man of God he was and for teaching me and training me up to be the women I am today!

~I am thankful for my mom.... she is such an amazing women and the best mom I could ask for! She has taught me how to be a women and encouraged me to see my dreams come true!

2. I am thankful for my brother Matt.... he has helped me to become the women I am today and loved me no matter what. He has challenged me to become what God has for me and encourages me to accomplish my goals.

3. I am thankful for my job and for the parents who trust me with their kids. I am thankful that I am able to teach them about the love of Jesus everyday. And that He has allowed me to be his hands and feet to my little ones!

4. I am thankful for my close friends! Those past and present!

5. I am thankful that I live in a country where I have freedom!

6. I am thankful for fall and for all the wonderful colors!

7. I am thankful for hugs (they are the best)!

8. I am thankful for laughter!

Addicted!

Okay so I think that the first step to recovery is admitting you have a problem right.... Well I have a problem. You see I signed up for this cool thing on line because a friend of mine decided she wanted to talk about me and my future husband and ask people on the web if they wanted to help her find me a man. So I just had to sign up because I thought that it was the only way I could tell her what I was thinking. Well come to find out after I signed up for this addiction I could have just written her as anonymous! Fancy that and now look where I am at addicted to something! Oh man oh man! I bet all of you are wondering what is this she is addicted to! Well let me just tell you........

I AM ADDICTED TO MY BLOG SPOT!

Man that felt good to just get that off of my chest! :) Now I can start recovery! :) Thanks Linn for writing about me! :)

Testimony!

So tonight I had the amazing opportunity to speak to our church youth group. The series that they are talking about is struggles. Adam asked me to talk about my dad. This is the first time besides in a small group setting that I have actually talked about my dad in front of a big group of people. I was really nervous but I made it through! ;) It actually was a lot of fun! Before I went up I just continued praying that God would speak through me what I spoke would be his words and not my own. Then He began to tell me that although I might not see a reason for my dads death this is the beginning of my ability to speak into peoples lives. That He is going to use me to show His love and faithfulness through the hardest times! It was so amazing just knowing that God is going to use my trails to speak into other peoples lives. Man God is good! Thankfully I did an internship last year and one of my classes was public speaking so I was not all that nervous just a little bit lol! However it was really amazing sitting up there looking into these kids eye some who have no hope and telling them that God did not just make them to fill up space but that He has a calling and I purpose for each of their lives!

Impatience!

Learn to be patient, so that you will please God and be given what he has promised.

Hebrews 10:36

I am still reading the book Dream Releasers and last night I started reading the chapter labeled "Dream Killers". I was totally convicted when I read one of the dream killers is impatience! Than I read this verse and it totally hit me! Not until I am patient and allow God to do his plan in his timing will be dreams come true!

Sisters?

Since I was a little girl I would ask my mom and dad to tell Santa that I wanted a sister for Christmas. Just like the little girl on miracle on 34th street! :) But my parents would always tell me that they could not have any more kids. But did I care no I just kept on praying that God would bring me a sister. Never would I imagine how he was going to do that.

My sister is not a blood sister however I would say that she is better than a blood sister she is a God sent sister. I first heard about my sister from her mom, I would go into her computer lab and she would show me pictures and tell me stories about her daughter and her family. I can still remember a picture she showed me of my sister, her husband, and her little girl. It was Halloween and they where all dressed up so cute. As I looked at the picture never would I have imagined that one day she would be my sister and my best friend.

A year or more past and still her mom would tell me all about her until one day I got to meet her for myself. I started out seeing her at church and than school started and I had her daughter in my 3 year old class. I was hooked, her little girl stole my heart and still has it. I can never get it back :) lol! After that we became youth leaders together and that lead us into a sister hood that will never be broken. We have gone through many many things together. At times I might get frustrated or upset at her but I ALWAYS know that she is there. She is my dream releaser, my shoulder to cry on, my best friend, and my sister.

I could never have dreamed up a more perfect sister. I had to wait 18 years to meet her but now that I have her I will never let go. :) I am blessed to have her in my life and I thank God every day for the privilege to know her.

Who is this sister you might ask.....

Jennifer Lynn Kline

Jen I am blessed to have you in my life and as I am writing this I have tears running down my face because words will never be able to describe how thankful I am to truly call you SISTER!

Coffee Break!

I love coffee and a good book so I thought I would tell you all about what I am reading right now. I am reading a book called dream releasers. It is such and amazing book I could go on forever about it but I won't lol! I know on one of my earlier posts I wrote about my dreams and how I have always wanted to be a wife and a mommy! Well Kim suggested that I read this book called dream releaser so I am. In the beginning of the book is a quote that I really like and that I am confessing over my life right now! So I wanted to share with you this quote.....

You are never given a dream without also being given the power to make it come true.

Richard Bach

Okay just a little coffee for thought today :)

Memories!

So many times I get so stuck on the well when this was like this and when this happened I did this that I do not allow myself or God to think outside the box. I put limitations on myself and even on God thinking well you can't or won't do that. I am not good enough for that or I am not wise enough to speak into that persons life. But now I am beginning to realize that God is God nothing is to big, to small, to stupid, or to made up for Him to accomplish. I am learning that I can do ALL things through Him. That no matter what I might be going through, coming out of, or stepping into God is big enough and when I call on He is there. I need to stop looking behind me, to the left or to the right and begin looking in front of me. At the amazing, beautiful, and wonderful things God has in store for me. No longer holding on to memories for dear life but holding on to the hand of my loving father who is saying come with me I will find you rest and comfort. I will show you who and what I have called you to BECOME not who you where. I have a plan and a hope that is MUCH BIGGER than your own. I want to be the dream re leaser and giver not the dream taker!

Okay so that is my random thought for the night! Good night! :)

Dreams!

Lately I have been really stuggling with my dreams.... will they come true? are they real dreams? how and what can i do to see my dreams come true?

Ever since I was a little girl my dream was to become a mommy and a wife. I have always wanted to have little ones to call my own. I have wanted a husband to share in my future and to build a family with. I can remember lining my baby dolls and stuffed animals up and acting like they where my class, one christmas I even asked for all teacher stuff' I would play school and than go home to my husband and kids. I can remember playing doctor with my cousins acting like we where having babies and than once we went around and all had our babies we would start playing mommys.

As I have gotten older my dream to be a mommy and wife has grown bigger and bigger. Many people say oh man you are so young you have your whole life a head of you. And you know what I want to say to that "well when you have been playing mommy and wife since you were five it feels like forever you have been dreaming of it for a million years." :) And you know who the people are who are telling me this.... they are mommies and wives they act like oh it is no big deal it will happen someday but for me it is a hard dream to wait for and say oh someday.
I was raised in a very loving and open home my family is not perfect by any means but I am blessed to call them family. I watched how my parents raised me and knew that someday I wanted to be able to raise a child like my parents have. I want to hug on them and kiss them and call them my own. I want to know that my dream to be a mommy and a wife is not just a dream that I wake up from every morning but a reality. I want to wake up next to my husband or wake up four times a night with little ones of my own. (okay after I have my own no one is allowed to hold this over my head lol) I want to know that my dream is a reality!

I know and believe that God has put this passion inside me for a reason and a purpose. I know and believe that this will come true. God is totally teaching me to be patient lol! Which I can tell you now at times I am not.

When I think of my dreams my dads favorite verse come to mind.....
For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord. Plans to prosper you and not to
harm you. Plans to give you a HOPE and a FUTURE.
Jeremiah 29:11

I know that God has given me this burning passion, this dream so that He can see it come to reality. I just have to learn to wait on the Lord and know that His timing might not be my own! (And man is this hard) However I also know that this is a dream that He has given me for this stage of my life. I now need to begin to seek His face daily and pray for this dream so that His hand will move!

Daddy's Girl!

I am the only girl of three kids, I have an older brother and a younger brother. So as you can guess I had a very close relationship with my dad. However every Christmas I would ask for a baby sister and they would always tell me that mommy can not have anymore babies. Well after a couple years I got smart and told them they could adopt a little girl and I could than have a baby sister. Well they did not fall for that my dad use to tell me that if we adopted a little girl I would not be daddy's only girl! And since I already told my mom that when she died I was going to marry daddy I could not have another girl around to try and take my place. :)
As I said earlier I had a very close relationship with my daddy. I remember having daddy daughter dates ever since I was a little girl where our hands would be interlock and our minds set on what an exciting and fun night was ahead of us. Even when I got older we would go on our special dates this will always be one of the many memories I remember of my dad.
When my dad past away suddenly my world was torn apart. I had no clue who I was or what I stood for. What my purpose was in life and what my future had in tale. I realized that I saw who I was in my dad not in my savior. Although I was daddy's little girl I was more consumed with what he thought about me than what Jesus Christ thought about me. Although at times I get mad and frustrated because I do not understand the reason for my dads death and probably never will I do know that I have begun to be my heavenly fathers little girl. This is a process for sure and it has taken me over 4 years to get to this point. I am finally content with who I am in Christ some days are better than others but every day is a new one.
Although I will always be my daddy's little girl I am beginning to find and fall in love with my heavenly daddy. And I am allowing myself to be his little girl!

What is a Woman....

"" A woman is not born a woman. Nor does she become one when she marries a man, bears a child or does their dirty linen, not even when she joins a women's liberation movement. A woman becomes a woman when she becomes what God wants her to be.""

This is my life quote.... This is something that has taken me a long time to figure out. Since I was a little girl I have always wanted to be a wife, mommy, and a teacher. I have always thought that I needed to find my self in someone or something but really I need to find myself in God. I need to always remind myself that God loves me no matter what I look like, smell like, or act like. That He loves me unconditionally. My life Goal is to become who GOD wants me to become.