Me & My Gang...Living Life.

I'm taking a little break from Why I count it all JOY Wednesday. I don't
know why. I just don't know if I will continue that theme. Been thinking about
changing my thoughts on Wednesday since all I do is talk about my family
& life here in the Thomason Household in my JOYS. I thought I would just
title it different. Who knows...maybe I will keep it. Maybe I won't. :)

How are we living life this week?

Well..it's happen...Lauren came home & asked if she could have a boyfriend. I think
we have managed pretty good since she is 14 hasn't had one yet. Matt & talked to her
quite a bit about it & decided she could "school date", but there would be no going
& doing anything & such. We didn't want to tell her "no" because I know when you
do that...they might do it behind your back & that my friend is not what you want.
So we will see, not sure how this will go. Any advice from you seasoned parents?

See these little eggs? Every year I buy ferns for my porches & these cute little babies
appear. EVERY year. Isn't God cool how he makes these creatures? I mean they can
build a house out of twigs & trash! It amazes me!!

 And these peeps! We now have 3 more chicks!! 

A gentleman from our church brought these over to my kids this weekend.

Meet Charlie, Pippy, Zipper

We know have 8 chickens. :) 

I am waiting patiently for the teacher that I am subbing for 

to have that baby boy!! Come on already sweet little man!

But I will enjoy my time until he comes. 

Lauren won an award at our Ovations Banquet. 

It's a banquet honoring our Youth & Early Childhood  Volunteers

She won it for creating a team that goes up early on Wednesday nights

& sets up chairs. SO SO proud of my girl!!! 

Owning that faith!!

My PW friend Joy...she is becoming one of my BFFs in life. 

In One month...I will be in Nashville with all my PWs. 

I. Can't. WAIT!!!

We are hooked on a few reality shows...one being Survivor.

We sit & watch it together.

Who do you want to win?

Yes...I am a Rob fan. 

I do like that poor Matt on Exile Island too.

The girls are heading to a mission trip to our Church camp this weekend

 to help prepare it for camp this summer. We will go get them

& then see my niece off to her prom in Joplin. 

can't wait!! 

So this is just a few things that's going on with

Me & my Gang. 

How about yours?

What's on MY Mind Monday???

It was a CrAzY busy weekend...

How Amazing Jesus is...Shopping...bridal showers...cupcakes...wind... my response
isn't always what people are looking for....blah blah

I am always reminded of how I am NOT a shopper. A few hours & I'm
ready to take a Nap or go home. Seriously...I know...I'm just not a Shopper.

BUT...because I'm an awesome aunt...**wink** I went to the Mall on Friday night.
Can't remember the last time that happen...to shop for bridesmaids dresses for my
niece's wedding in June. We had fun...but didn't find the dresses that night.

On Saturday we had Danielle's shower....I can't believe she is old enough to be
 married. I love that girl. Had a great turnout & I am telling u...I ate way to many
of these cupcakes...

The Bride....

You know...I'm learning I'm not someone who can hide their response very well 

or hide it if I'm totally upset with you or annoyed with you. I try really hard, but 

there are times when people say things to me....that totally shock me & I know I 

don't respond the way they want. I don't know if I should apologize or just say...

hey...it's how I am. hmmm....

My garden...I have all my veggies in the ground. My sweet HBL built boxes for 

me this year. I LOVE THEM!! Pics to come.

This is probably my last Free Monday until school is out...that kinda makes me 

sad...

Matt preached about... is Jesus Amazing to you or are you Amused by Him? 

Great message on remembering to be Amazed by HIM. 

My sister is really on my heart. Please pray for her & her family. Lots going on there

in their world. She is so precious to me. 

It's so stinkin windy here! Come on already!

Tracking Weigh Watchers points....hard to remember, but necessary!! 

Have a great MONDAY!!

Becoming Less

Can you say...Roller Coaster? Yep that's what I feel like.

Up one hill...down the other....up again...down again.

Last week I didn't get to weigh in...but I just couldn't stand it.

So I bought a scale the next day...yes I did not own a scale.

Weighed myself last Saturday...it said...up 3 pounds compared to the
WW scale...WHAT?? Of course I knew it could be a little off so I wasn't to
freaked out. Last night I weighed in at WW & it said I was 1lb up from 2 weeks
ago. I came home & weighed & my scale was only .4 off of the WW scale.
Soooo....needless to say. Last week I was obviously up like I guessed...probably
like a little over 2 pounds... Which means I lost those 2 pounds this week, that I had
previously gained the week before. Are you following this...because I'm lost myself.
HA! Anyway...the scale does not really need to be the topic here so let's move ON.

I have to share a little victory I had. DOnuts. Yes those yummy cakey circles with
holes in the middle. I could really eat a whole dozen Krispie Kremes. On Tuesday
they had a breakfast at work with egg casserole...fruit & DONUTS. An entire
box of them. I grabbed one & took just a few bits & I was done. Seriously.
And let me tell ya...they put that box with about 6 donuts left on the counter next
 to me & it sat there & sat there all day & that sweet aroma almost got to me again.
But I said...you do not have power over me! And I did NOT eat another one all day.
I know this sounds so silly to some of you. But this is BIG for me. Normally I would have
probably not only had one...I would have had 2 or even 3.

God is working on me with this sweet tooth issue. I can feel it coming on at certain parts of the
day. Take for example...after work. I used to come home & plop in front of the TV &
eat a ding dong & a Dr. Pepper or anything chocolate & a Dr. Pepper. I did...I promise!
And it was like a moment in paradise for me. Too put it frankly...it was like a make out
session with my love...kinda sad huh!!  I have managed to stop drinking Dr. Pepper pretty much.
 I only have it occasionally & you know what...it doesn't do for me what it
used to at all. Infact, it kinda makes me sick at my stomach. I stopped drinking it when
we started running. It just weighed me down. Instead I am either not having a snack or
picking something healthy.
Another time of the day is after supper....growing up I always had a little dessert after dinner
& I think it's just a habit that I have carried on into adulthood. So I bought some Dove Dark
Chocolate little bites & they are 1 point. I allow myself to have one when I am craving
something sweet. Now the former Steph would eat about 3 or 4 of them in secret.

One verse that I keep saying this week is...
For he satisfies the thirsty & fills the hungry with good things. Ps107:9

He alone can satisfy my emptyness...nothing else. I have said no to several things this
week & I can see Him filling me with His goodness.

It's really hard for me to become less. I am prideful. So that is my week. I feel
like I had a good week & I am looking foward to what He will do thru this journey
in the next week.

HOw about you? Do you have a certain time of the day that triggers your eating?
How do you keep it from taking over you?

He must become Greater...I must become less. John 3:30

Night Out with the FCC staff & Chris Tomlin

Chris Tomlin...that man can sing for Jesus!!

It wasn't just a concert...it was a worship service.

I am becoming more & more aware in my life that our staff is

becoming the community in which I can lean on...depend on & trust.

We are trying to build stronger relationships among our staff & providing

nights out together is a way of laying a foundation for this to take place.

Louie Giglio brought it! He talked about how we are all part of GOd's symphony,

the planets, the creatures, the mountains...us...all of it singing to the Lord in praise.

Can you imagine how loud that is? But what blows my mind is God hears each intimate

detail of our lives...he hears the whispers...our cries...our joys. ALL OF IT!!

Chris's Band

Some of my favorite people...This is our Senior Pastor & his wife

Charlie & Pam Curran...and our Jr. High Pastor & his wife...

James & Lydia Summers. Lydia is Charlie & Pam's daughter,

she & James both grew up in our church.

So  incredibly blessed to have them ALL on staff.

And this sweet little couple  will be married in May. Amanda grew

up at FCC & she met Kyle last year while sponsoring YQ.

Amanda is one of our secretaries at FCC.

So proud of this girl. Do you know for their honeymoon they

are going on a mission trip! HOW COOL!!!

3 other staff members when with us, but they got out of there before

I could snap their picture...:(

It was such an amazing night of worship.

And if our God is for us...then who can stand against us?

Hoping these times encourage & spur us on.

Why I count it all JOY Wednesday!!

It's Wednesday!! WOO HOO!! 

Join me & My friend Angel as we count our JOYS!!

Why am I filled with JOY this week?

This silly dog of ours, Faith. She just loves our kids..

especially Lauren. She rode around on the 4 wheeler with her the other day.

Who needs ice cream when you have Ketchup? YUCK!!

My sweet buddy Dawson went to Braums with us the other night. 

He had a bowl of ice cream, but decided to eat the ketchup too!!

What are you a One year old or something?? LOL!

 The Curran family.

Charlie & Pam celebrated their 30 year anniversary this week. 

I love this family. They have been such a Godly example to me.

Charlie is our Senior Pastor at FCC.

p.s. I took this pic...:) 

Little Ms. Alea Conder...She accepted Christ as her Savior on

Sunday & her daddy baptized her! Precious!! Alea was adopted

as a baby & is just full of life!! She is so joyful!

We finally finished our Family Wall art.

can't wait to share that with ya'll.

Matt's stepmom sent a little surprise in the mail yesterday!

Yeah! I love surprises!! Now he can take me on a date!

Nicer weather...aww.

Watching life happen when people don't know your watching & seeing

JOY on their faces.

My mom & I are having a bridal shower for my niece Danielle on Saturday!!

My sister & her family will be here for the weekend! Super yeah!!

I resisted donuts all day yesterday in kindergarten.

They sat right behind me on the counter...smelling so yummy...begging me

to open them & eat them. But I didn't.
This is really super hard for me...but I was victorious over them

with the power of the Holy Spirit!!! AMEN!

And if our God is for us...then who could ever stop us...& if our

God is with ....then what could stand against us?

NOTHING can!!

That sound has just rang in my heart this week!

What is bringing JOY in your heart this week??

What's on my Mind Monday???

Yep...that's the question you have all been asking yourself..
A DAY LATE...yea get over it! I was busy...kinda
What is on Steph's mind today....uh huh right?


My garden...our dirt is looking so much better this year.
The last few years it's been hard & clumpy.

How my "free" days are coming to an end...:( I start my maternity
leave in Kindergarten soon. Mixed emotions...

Shoveling...how such a simple thing can make you so SORE!! GEEZ!!

Integrity...seems hard to find in people sometimes.

Going to baby showers for girls that were in our youth group when we first
came 14 years ago...they are such good moms. So blessed to be a part of their lives.

Lack of Sleep...I feel like I could go to bed & sleep a day or two. But I can't sleep
in like I used too...my bones start hurting. Getting old...isn't easy.

How hard it is for me to resist sweets. I am making better choices, but I have to
pray & give it to GOD every single minute of the day.

Watching my HBL preach on Sunday mornings & how preacher man comes out
in him...he gets so into it. Spirit filled life!

Resume...I am turning in one for a full time job this week...for the first time in years.
SCARED...excited...terrified....praying for God's will. More on that when I can talk about it.

It's warm it's cold...it's warm it's cold. Never know what to wear!

Wind...it is blowing like a hair dryer across Oklahoma.

Jesus loves me this I know...

So that's about all I want to let you in on for now. I pray you all have
a great week!

Becoming Less

I'm a little sad to say....
I didn't get to weigh in last night.
Matt & I went to the Chris Tomlin concert & had to leave before my meeting.
So...this is the first week I haven't weighed in.
If I'm truly being honest I'm pretty sure I didn't lose any this week...
But I am looking forward to next week & having AMAZING results.

Do you ever feel like an Isrealite wandering in the desert for 40 years?
                                               I do.

I am 38 years old...closing in on 39...so 40 years is realistic to me. If God gives

me 40 more years on this earth...I don't want to spend it wandering in
the desert. Instead I desire to head straight to the Promise Land of freedom
& truly depend on God to fill me. Asking God to be my daily portion.

I have to keep in mind my ultimate goal of this journey...isn't about my size,
how my jeans fit, my weight, but to crave Jesus & His truths & as the filler
of my heart. Nothing else.

It is getting easier to say NO to somethings I wasn't able to before. Though
that stinking Key Lime pie that was left at my house after small group
became an obsession to me. Why oh Why do I love sweets so much. I ate
a piece for the first 3 days then said...NO MORE. & haven't touched it since.

I haven't tracked my points as well this week...gonna get back on top of that too.
Accountability...Oh how I need it.
Do  you have any tips...suggestions this week for me?
I have thought about posting some recipes & some daily food charts to help
give you some ideas of what I eat. What do you think?