For you bless the righteous, O Lord ; you cover him with favor as with a shield.
Psalm 5:12 ESV
Welcome to Friday
Good morning! This is the day that our beautiful, glorious and awesome God has made. I am thrilled to have already experienced the warmth, joy and love of the Lord we serve and love. I can just tell that today is another great day for us to enjoy, savor, and fill with moments and memories.
Welcome to Friday! How are you doing? How are things going with you and your loved ones this week? What have you been up to this week? Were you able to finish what you set out to do? What things, tasks, hobbies or activities brought you the most satisfaction this week? What other things did you enjoy during your week?
I truly hope that you have had an excellent week. I pray that you have been able to see, experience and be excited about the many blessings and abundant favor that surrounds us. I hope and pray that you are feeling well, doing well and that your loved ones are doing well also.
We are doing very good this week. The three older girls are finishing up exams before Christmas break begins. This is better than past years where they would have break and then exams the next week.
Sydney's exams aren't as intense as the high school crew, but I am proud of the fact that she has decided to buckle down to make sure she is ready. She also worked on some computer coding/programming this week. If you have a few minutes she will gladly tell you about it. I gave her the nickname "Chef" this week, because she got up early a couple of days to cook herself and her sisters breakfast. She made pancake puppies.
Cassarra is doing well. She helped work on some Christmas things, coloring sheets, and gift ideas in between studying for exams. She, of course, has a lot of exams since she is taking so many AP classes. I know that she will be fine since she has been a studying for weeks ahead.
And Gabbi has been really putting in more effort these last few weeks. She has gotten organized and is preparing herself to excel. She has exams this week, but unlike other schools, her school didn't completely abandon the Christmas party tradition. Her school allowed them to enjoy a Christmas party in the midst of exam week. That was right up her alley. Otherwise I think she is ready for a break in the school action.
Ava and Paige don't have exams, so there last few days have been markedly different from the other three. Paige's class has been learning coding and game programming. She wrote a great blog post about coding and how much fun you can have. Then she actually began doing it. Rumor has it the game player has made her own game. I am sure she will make an awesome coder and game designer. Ava is finally waking up without complaint. Ava gets dressed, goes downstairs and then back to sleep. We still have not mastered the art of getting in and out the car in the drop off line, but we are making progress.
Emma has been a delight this week, bedtime aside. I got to ride with her this week as Trish had to take me to work. My car, or "Music" as Emma has named it, was in the shop for and ABS and brake repair. The first morning Trish picked me up from Chick-fil-a, which is across the street from the repair shop. Emma and I split some breakfast, and she entertained me throughout the ride. On the way home that afternoon she asked if I had to go get "Music". When I said, "Yeah, I have to get it from the shop," she responded, "no from Chick-fil-a." Now the next morning that I needed a lift, I didn't get Chick-fil-a. I also didn't get the same bubbly conversation. Instead Emma said half way through the ride that she was ready to go home. Only after explaining that I needed a ride to work did she relent and start the great banter again.
Trish is doing well. She does the amazing. I am so blessed to have her keeping all of us together. She worked on photo albums, getting ready for Christmas and a host of other things. We had a good time going out this past weekend for date night. We had a light dinner and managed to pick up a few Christmas gift idea items. She planned an amazing set of sleepovers for the whole family downstairs, created a spectacular birthday event for Paige, helped all the girls during the week, and made time for each of them too. Again, I've searched the house and I haven't found a cape, but it must be there. Along with a halo, a crown, and a lot of other things worn by a superwoman/queen/angel/mom/virtuous wife/great person.
Well, I hope you have a great remainder of the day. I am thankful for you and all of my many other blessings:
- My beautiful wife, wonderful family and great friends
- Enjoying Paige's birthday celebration
- Birthday lunch and dinner were Paige's selections
- Cake and ice cream
- Watching Paige open her gifts
- Her sisters buying birthday presents was an unexpected blessing
- Enjoying my Aunt Tryphena's Christmas concert at Reid Chapel
- Seeing, talking and enjoying the time with several of my Aunts
- Talking and laughing with cousin Solomon and Cheryl
- Catching up w/ my other cousins at the concert
- meeting new people at the church
- Performing in the church orchestra on Sunday
- Didn't miss my notes
- Was finally able to play the whole song through twice
- Paige and Sydney performed in the bells choir
- Sydney played the flute in the orchestra
- Youth group planning session
- Very enlightening, entertaining and profitable
- Received a very freeing blessing from one of the parents
- Favor
- Being reminded to give thanks for the little things, for all things, and in all things
- Date night
- Working brakes on the car
- Free brake repair at the brake shop
- Getting the car fixed well under the initial estimate for parts alone
- Bible Study with Yuhui
- We spent a lot of time understanding the multiple facets of "You are the salt of the earth"
- A lot of new insights gained, shared and enjoyed
- Dinner at the table Thursday night with Marco's pizza
- Pancake puffs from the Chef
- Laughter and buckets of it
- Remembering trips to target
- Remembering when the kids were young
- Looking through old photos
- Fixing a complex problem (it took me two days to track it down)
- One of my best friends got married and shared the thrilling news
- Another set of friends are getting married today
- Answered prayers this week for success and favor
- Getting off work early today
Psalm 136: 1 (NIV) Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good. His love endures forever. Give thanks to the God of gods. His love endures forever. Give thanks to the Lord of lords: His love endures forever.
Welcome to Friday!
May the Perfect surround you in His perfect peace, and free you from stress. The Holy God bless you to enjoy the joy, and love of an ongoing, intimate relationship with Himself, your Creator —
