Five For Friday: Favorites of Autumn

 As much as I am a lover of summer I do have a high appreciation for fall.  I thought for today, I could list 5 reasons why.  

1.  I love, love, love the changing colors of the leaves.  The yellows, reds and orange make everything look so beautiful.  Unfortunately, the changing of colors means those leaves are going to end up falling to the ground.  It prepares us for the new things to come and I can appreciate that.  

2.  Fall is a time when my husband begins reminding me that it's soon time for me to start making pumpkin rolls.  I do love the taste of pumpkin rolls but I do not enjoy pumpkin pie.  I can also enjoy the taste of pumpkin spice coffee.  I actually prefer apples, though.  September is the time we purchase apple cider and it's enjoyed by all four of us.  If we can squeeze in the time, we also spend quality time picking apples at a nearby orchard.  

3.  Autumn is the season of my birthday.  It also ends with my son's birthday.  

4.  It's the start of football season, and although personally I'm not a big fan of the sport I appreciate that my husband and son are.  Just seeing the joy in their faces as their team wins.  Now since our kids are in marching band we have been spending every Friday at the high school stadium watching the game and seeing them perform on the field.  

5.  Going from hot to cool is a little difficult for me but I do enjoy having the chance to snuggle under a soft blanket and wearing sweaters and pants.  Sweat shirts are my absolute favorite.

What is your favorite thing about Autumn?

God's Promise

 

I snapped this picture last night after a thunderstorm came through the area.  The rainbow was actually much brighter than the picture shows.  To the right is our American flag, half mast in honor of the 3 police officers senselessly taken from my community last week.  The strategic placement was not intentional but I look at this picture and am reminded that even through the hardest of times we can still rely on the promises of God.  Many have taken these colors and used it as a symbol of their pride but I will always see a rainbow for what it is.  

This also reminds me of something else - we can see beauty after the storm.  

Beginning of Autumn

 Happy Monday everyone and welcome to the first official day of autumn.  On the radio this morning they were talking about whether or not these seasons come sooner than the calendar says.  Many agree that fall begins in the beginning of September after school begins and those leaves begin to change colors.  I know I'm a stickler for waiting until the official calendar date to get everything ready because I don't want to rush anything.  Today the new season began with brisk, cool temperatures.  Hoping to get the lawn mowed before the expected rain comes in.  I also have yet to pull out that orange tub filled with fall decor down from the attic.  Maybe today.

This morning the boys in my school van were quiet and a few even fell asleep.  Monday mornings are difficult.  I'm sure they will be filled with energy later, as they always are on the way home.  

The weekend went by quickly.  Friday was the Homecoming game where we won.  They also had a nice tribute to our local police officers.  On Saturday we traveled far for the kids' cross-country invitational.  They both did well.  Then we stopped for a quick bite of Popeyes before going home where they had to rush to get ready for Homecoming.  As they were at the dance my husband and I enjoyed a few hours outside under a dark, cloudy sky with a fire and some cooked marshmallows.  

Yesterday we went to church and then I spent all 6 hours watching the memorial service for Charlie Kirk.  Such an amazing tribute filled with speeches sharing the Gospel.  Erika's speech was .... wow!  She is the epitome of a Godly woman.  

Last week our community was hit with a devastating loss of 3 police officers while serving a search warrant.  This tragedy has made national news.  This is something we always see on television but never think it could happen in our own backyard.  It was so close to my backyard that I even recognized the faces of the officers when they showed the pictures.  I love how this community came together to support them.  I'll never understand the evil that is in this world and there seems to be so much of it lately but I also see how so many are coming together in a spiritual revival unlike anything I had ever witnessed.  If you are confused about who Jesus is I encourage you to find a Bible-focused church, read Scripture and pray.  You may also reach out to me and I will be happy to pray for you and share words of encouragement.  

FOUR FOR FRIDAY

 FIVE FOUR FOR FRIDAY because I didn't seem to have a fifth picture worth posting.  I'm going to do my best to no longer add pictures with my children's faces, something I should have already done for the sake of safety.  They are at the age where I should be asking permission but there are also a lot of crazies in the world.  I notice I've been getting a huge amount of visitors (all welcomed, thank you) but I need to be careful.  There are so many wonderful people out there but there's also those who cannot be trusted.  

In the midst of all the craziness going on in our nation and in the extremely busy schedules of our personal lives, my husband and I found some time to check out a new ice cream shop close by.  I got a caramel apple flavor and it did, in fact, taste exactly like a caramel apple.  

A sample of my daughter's homecoming dress.  I cannot believe she is old enough for homecoming.  

Just two siblings awaiting each of their turns at a cross-country meet.  My son did awesome and my daughter hit a personal record.  

The humans are faced with busy schedules but this dog gets to enjoy full days of laziness and relaxation.  

That's it!  Thank you for visiting and I wish you and your loved ones an amazing weekend.  

It's Not A Time For Silence

 I often wonder if I should sometimes use my blogging platform, and also social media, as a way to speak on the controversial side of things.  I understand that when people come to a blog they just want to receive some freedom from the noise they hear elsewhere and I have often felt the same.  Then again, I realize that when we stay silent against evil then evil will prevail more.  Unfortunately, there is no escaping the evil that goes on in our world.  We can no longer be immune to it.  

As Christians, we are to be the hands and feet of Jesus.  We are to do the work He has called us to do.  We are also supposed to share the Gospel, even with those that don't want to hear it.  Charlie Kirk did just that.  He was a man who loved God, loved his family and loved this country.  He sincerely loved the youth of our country and wanted to offer them an open dialogue so they could express themselves but then hear something from a different point of view.  A point of view that went against the vile things that are being taught today.  A point of view that supported religious freedom, traditional marriage and family, and teaching the youth to figure out how to love themselves for who God made them and not what the rest of the world wants them to believe they are.

I'm always hearing people fearing that we will end up in another Civil War but I believe we have already been in one for several years now.  When a man is shot for free speech we are no longer the country we are supposed to be. 

I am sad for the Kirk family and all who knew him personally.  The coward behind the gun, and all others involved, did not silence him yesterday, they only woke the sleeping bear in the rest of us.  I will not stop speaking the name of Jesus and I will not be silenced for my beliefs; religious and political.  

Charlie Kirk was not just a "right-wing activist" as the mainstream media calls him.  He was someone's husband and the father of two precious babies who will have to grow up without him.  I will be keeping them in prayer.  

This is also a day to remember the tragedy that occurred twenty-four years ago.   I will never forget sitting in my parents' living room watching some television on my day off of work, planning out my wedding that would take place eight months later.  Then my television show changed to the news and everything from that point on changed.  My sister's friend, Ralph Licciardi, was working in one of the tower's and never made it out.  Many people lost loved ones.  Many were in the presence of the attack and have those images etched in their minds for a lifetime.  Those of us who watched from our television screens will forever remember the fear and uncertainty of that day.  Never forget and teach it to the younger generations.  

A Chilly Start To The Week

My trees are giving a hint that the autumn season is creeping in.  The weather this morning is a chilly 65 degrees and I'm not sure how I feel about having to put a sweater on.  I confess, I do like this time of year but I do not look forward to the season that comes after fall.  I won't get into that now, though.  

I've been notified that I have to change pick up times for my three boys because a forth one was added and he lives a bit out of the way.  Starting tomorrow I will have to leave the house earlier to do my school van run.  I'm not sure how I feel about that either.  Still, it's a job I'm grateful for and less stress than I've had to deal with before in many, many other jobs.  

I told my daughter I may be pulling the fall decorations out of the attic this weekend and we can get a head start on getting things out but I like to keep all the patriotic things around for September 11th.  I prefer waiting until the actual first day of fall but never before Patriots Day.  

My son is still dealing with a cough, my daughter ended up getting sick but seems to be recovering faster than her brother has and now my husband is sick, too.  What is going on?  I often feel my throat getting scratchy but I can also feel my body fighting it.  A mother cannot get sick.  

This week will be busy with cross-country practices and a meet, band practices and a football game on Friday and this weekend will be even busier.  I should also get to yard work when time allows.  

Have a great week, friends!  Thanks for taking the time to stop by my little blog.  

Eagle Scout Celebration

 It's official.  We have an Eagle Scout.  Last night was the Eagle Court of Honor held for our Matthew and it was a great event.  I am so, so proud of how far he had gone with scouting and I feel a mixture of sadness and relief that this chapter is closed.  Relief because it's one less thing we have to worry about but sadness because being a part of scouts has been his life since the age of 6.  He did a lot and learned a lot.  Scouting has taught him many things I would have never thought of teaching him myself.  

We had many in attendance, including a representative of the Marine Corp, someone from the Sons of the American Revolution, our county commissioner and state representative - all who gave wonderful speeches.  One of our pastor's came along with his wife and started the night with an incredible opening prayer.  We ordered a ton of pulled pork from a man from our church who has started his own barbecue business and my husband made a ton of mac n cheese.   

I am so proud of the young man he is and I congratulate him on this great achievement.  I wasn't sure if he would have gone the entire way but he wanted to and did.  

They say the days are long and the years are short and that is absolutely true.  Here is a picture of where it all began, my six year old Tiger Scout.  Where did this little boy go?  

And to give an update on his sickness, I was worried he wouldn't be able to attend the event but in the last few days he's only been dealing with congestion and cough and also a rash.  During our second visit to the doctor, with a different doctor, he thought maybe it could be Hand, Foot and Mouth, which has been going around.  Things seem to be getting slightly better aside from a cough, which may be lingering for awhile.  Sickness always hits this poor guy hard.