Month Eleven

     As another month comes to a close, here is a quick recap of my 4 goals for 2011.

#1 Start a blog called Everyday Thankfulness to encouraging thankfulness.

#2 Start a blog called Pupperville Ponderings where I can post all my puppet stories with some added thoughts to ponder.

#3 Finish making the rest of my unfinished puppets.

#4 Finish studying out the book of Revelation

      Now, how am I standing?

#1 I've continued posting daily to the Everyday Thankfulness and now have passed the 330 mark. Planning for next year has also started.

#2 Pupperville Ponderings has continued through out November and planning has started for next year as well

#3 As for my puppets I'm not sure if I'll find the extra decorations I would like for three of them so I was going to put their pictures on line but I need a working camera for that and I can't get either one of ours to work.

#4 My study of Revelation completed it's next leg of its journey and I'm thinking about what I want to do next with it.

      How have you been doing on your goals... It will soon be time to set some new ones.

      Dear Lord, Thank you

• For the ability to set goals to work towards
• For making progress towards fulfilling them

Quesadilla Maker

     I'm not sure exactly which Christmas it was but I bought my wife a Quesadilla maker. While it is not used often it is handy for turning tortilla shells into a great snack or meal. The most often made quesadilla is one with pepperoni, cheese and pizza sauce but many other meats and sauces have been tried.

      Dear Lord, Thank you

• For Quesadilla makers

Psalms 100:4

2 Corinthians 9:15

The Great Meal

     Every year we enjoy a fabulous feast on Thanksgiving day – somewhere. This year has been no exception. While we had already filled up on cake (pancakes for breakfast and birthday cake for lunch) there was room for turkey, potatoes and gravy, stuffing, corn, green bean hot dish, garlic biscuits, giffta (cranberry salad) and water or milk to drink. Later we will be enjoying pie (apple, pecan or mint) I can think of other food I have been able to enjoy over the years that we didn't have this time but what we did have I am very thankful for and for the work that was put into preparing it.

      Dear Lord, Thank you

• For the great meal we had
• For the work that was put into it

David Allan's Birthday / Thanksgiving

      Behold, children are a gift of the LORD, The fruit of the womb is a reward. - Psalms 127:3 (NAS)

      Today is Thanksgiving and we have many things to be thankful for and should be thankful for – not only today but everyday. As it happens, this year Thanksgiving shares the day with my youngest son's birthday. As I look back to two years ago today this is what I remember.

• In 2009 Thanksgiving was on November 26^th and our midwife was anxious for us to have our baby so she could go celebrate thanksgiving about 5 hours or so away.
• We had no certain due date to go on and our best guesses ranged from early October to early November. I was sure of November.
• Anxious to get labor under way my wife had tried a few things without any luck. The midwife left some herbs or something to try and the thought of taking them must have been enough.
• I think I knew contractions had started when I left for work that morning or I was made aware once I arrived at work by way of email.
• While at work I kept in touch with my wife and around noon she said to come home – I did.
• When I got home my wife was still sewing between contractions.
• We called a friend over that wanted to be there for the birth and called the midwife to put her on standby.
• After while we called the midwife back and said come and she arrived with about 15 minutes to spare
• I think the cord was around the neck and the midwife was getting a little concerned that he didn't start breathing right away but all ended up fine and now we have a boy who's very much a boy starting his terrible two's early.

      Dear Lord, Thank you

• For David Allan and the two years he's been with us

• For all 7 of the children you have given us
  
  
• For all the blessings you have sent our way

Silverware

     Having seven kids gives us many opportunities to watch them grow and learn as in learning how to use a spoon, fork and knife. It can be comical at times to watch them as they use their silverware to pick something up only to drop it time and time again or pick it up with the spoon or fork and than grab it with their fingers and shove it in their mouth..

      There are a few foods that we eat without silverware at our house but many meals would be nearly impossible to eat if we didn't have silverware around.

      Dear Lord, Thank you

• For silverware

Glasses

     Whether you call them glasses, cups, mugs, or something else whether they're made from glass, plastic, ceramics, tin, paper, Styrofoam or something else, you more than likely have them in your kitchen. At our house we have many glasses and they are used to drink water, milk, juice, pop, shakes and they are used to eat pudding, blizzards, soup and a few other things. At times they are even used for holding flowers. Are you thankful for the glasses in your house?

      Dear Lord, Thank you

• For glasses

Plates

     In our kitchen are several plates. I think most kitchens have them. We have the supposedly unbreakable kind (lots of them) a set of plates with cow designs that are breakable and don't get used often and once in awhile we have some of the really good plates – made from paper that don't need to be washed.

      While we may not often think of plates as something to be thankful for – imagine eating without them or bowls – Yes we have bowls too but not made of paper and they are often getting used to the point its hard to find one when you need it.

      Dear Lord, Thank you

• For plates
• For bowls

Psalm 7:17

Colossians 3:17

Griddle

     There's an old country song that talks about the sun coming up and cakes on the griddle. Well, today it's the griddle that we can be thankful for. While it is mostly used to cook breakfast foods like pancakes, eggs, bacon and hash browns, it does get used for more than that. I remember well the griddle my mom had while growing up. It was designed to plug into an outlet on the back of the stove and it really wasn't that big or the size family we had. The one we have now is much bigger yet even it is too small some days.

      Dear Lord, Thank you

• For the griddle

Waffle Iron

      Do you have a waffle iron in your kitchen? This is another item in the kitchen for which we can be thankful for. While waffles are not my favorite food, they are good to eat and can be covered with a variety of toppings. When I think of waffles, I always remember a family reunion of sorts at my great grandparents place. I don't remember but very little as I was quite young at the time but what I do remember is waffles, waffles, and more waffles. As if it was some kind of waffle bake off.

     We currently have one waffle iron (we had two till a mouse chewed up the electrical cord on one) and it does get used from time to time.

      Dear Lord, Thank you

• For waffle irons

Storage Containers

      They come in many sizes and shapes and can be found in the cupboards, on the counter top, in the freezer and in the refrigerator. At our house we have a variety of storage containers. Many of our containers are like what they are holding – leftovers. Ice-cream pails, yogurt containers, whip-cream containers, and the likes are reused many times at our house. Of course we do have a little fancier bowls and lids we may use when making Jello, pudding, salad, etc. for a special meal.

     If we didn't have these containers, a lot of food would end up wasted and a lot of dishes might not ever get made so....

      Dear Lord, Thank you

• For storage containers

Cake Pans

      To our almost 2 year old, they are a toy to pull out of the cupboards but our cake pans are used for much more. The most obvious use for such a pan is to bake a cake in. We have several sizes including the cupcake size. These pans are also used for making bars, baking meatloaf and chicken, and a variety of hot dishes.

      Dear Lord, Thank you

• For cake pans
• For the delicious foods that are made in them

Microwave

      History tells us that a melted candy bar resulted in the microwaves we have in our kitchens. I vaguely remember when we got our first microwave growing up . That microwave has been replaced more than once now. Here at our house we have a micro wave that was given to us used when we got married and its still working and works many times a day.

     Microwaves make it easy to quickly heat up something to eat not only here but where I work as well.

      Dear Lord, Thank you

• For microwaves

Psalm 95:2

Psalm 118:28

Popcorn maker

     I'm not sure when it arrived at our house but we have a popcorn maker that gets used every so often. While I am not a big popcorn fan – unless its made unhealthy – the kids like to eat it. As a snack while watching movies in the living room.

      Over the years I can remember making popcorn in various ways. The old fashion way was some oil in a pan with the seeds and than you stood at the stove and shook it. I also remember what looked like a pie pan with a lid on it that you could do basicly the same thing with and we used them in the fish house. Some where in the past we had a popcorn maker that popped by blowing hot air and you had to have a bowl close by to catch it. And of course we can't forget the microwave but that's another day.

Dear Lord, Thank you

• For Popcorn makers

Mixer

     Whether it be a hand mixer or stationary mixer, most kitchen have one or the other or both. Currently, we only have a hand mixer with a story. For many years we would buy the cheapest mixers we could buy and for many years we kept replacing the mixers – they never seemed to hold up while mixing cookie dough. Than one year after the mixer broke down and I had to go get another one – I decided to get a “Kitchen Aide” brand. Since than we have not had to buy a new mixer but the beaters – that's another story, they kept breaking – again they wouldn't hold up in the cookie dough – so when I replaced them this last time I got some dough hooks – hopefully that takes care of all the problems for at our house the mixer gets used a lot.

      Dear Lord, Thank you

• For the mixer

Deep Freezer

     I love to pick blueberries and one year I got spoiled – picking blueberries that is. That year the berries were so thick that I was picking a 5qt pail in an hour and 15 minutes. I was passing up spots I used to think were good. Since the berries were so plentiful that year I started selling them at work. I sold lots of berries and could have sold more. - what foes that have to do with today's item to be thankful for? Well, it was with the money I earned from those berries that we were able to buy a deep freezer. - a wonderful addition to our kitchen.

     Now I know that most people who have deep freezers don't usually keep them in the kitchen – they take up space – but that is where ours resides and most of the time it is quite full. Having the freezer allows us to often buy in bulk when things are cheaper and keep them around for awhile.

      Dear Lord, Thank you

• For our deep freezer

Bread Maker

     Not every kitchen has one of these. Growing up my mom never had one and still doesn't but I bought one for my wife for Mother's day one year and a replacement for it last year at Christmas. The bread maker at our house is used weekly and sometimes several times a day.

     It is used for various breads – pizza dough, dough for fry bread, dough for buns, dough for bread sticks, etc. Of course all these things could be made by hand but the machine is nice.

      Dear Lord, Thank you

• For Bread Makers

Cupboards

     Another Item in the kitchen to be thankful for this month at is the cupboard. Actually, if your kitchen is like most kitchens you have many cupboards. At our house we have cupboards for dishes, spices, pots and pans, small appliances, food, etc.

     Not only do cupboards make for great storage areas to help keep a kitchen clean and orginized, they also make for a great place to play...

Dear Lord, Thank you

• For cupboards

Psalms 69:30

1 Thessalonians 5:18

Sink

      There's an expression "Everything but the kitchen sink." Well, I'm including the kitchen sink as something for which we can be thankful for. Well, I must admit I do not use it very often and the plumbing underneath it has often caused problems, it would be missed if it were not. I suppose we could wash dishes in a bath tub as I know it's been done and I'm sure we could find another source for water but I'm glad we don't need to.

      Dear Lord, Thank you

• For the sink

Table

      In our kitchen is a oval table - green in color. It was bought for us just before we got married - when we were able to use it with out the extending sleeves in the middle of it, before we had 7 kids. When we sit around it a meals times we are very cramped around it and if we are having a big meal there is usually not enough room but I'm still thankful for the table.

      Besides serving meals on the table, it is/ has been used for sewing, jigsaw puzzle assembly, school work, stacking laundry, groceries, cookie making, etc..

      Dear Lord, Thank you

• For our table

Stove

      Somewhere in most every kitchen I have been in there is a stove or oven or range or what ever you may want to call it. We use an electric on, we've used a gas one, and my Grandmother used to tell of the wood one they used- as an incubator after my twin uncles were born several months prematurely (one didn't survive) Due to the fact that we have stoves and ovens we are able to enjoy many hot meals and many of those food wouldn't even be possible to have with out them being baked, boiled, fried, etc on the stove or in the oven.

      Dear Lord, Thank you

• For stoves

Kitchen

      A new month begins today and so does a new theme. For this month I've actually decided to use two themes. The first of theses two themes will be the kitchen. How many things can you find in your kitchen for which you are thankful for? How many of those items have you said thank you for?

      The second of the themes is related to the 4th Thursday of the month - Thanksgiving and I will be using scriptures to remind us of the theme of thankfulness of which I hope you are.

      Dear Lord, Thank you

• For our kitchens
• For the Bible and it's reminders for us to be thankful.