30 Days to Give Thanks Day 15 & 16

This is a bit late. But I have been busy for several days prepping for the Homeschool Support Group’s Thanksgiving Celebration which happened today.

Day 15,  Today I am thankful for my dear loving friend Joyce. Who is more than just a friend. She is a surrogate mother to me, she is grandmother to my son. She has stepped into our lives in a beautiful way bringing love and joy far beyond anything I could imagine. She encourages me in her words and in her deeds. She only ever speaks kindness about others, and even when she gets upset she never speaks ill about another soul. She has laughter in her heart, even if her sense of humor is a bit quirky and through her loving arms, the Lord brought laughter into my heart as well. I love you Ms. Joyce.

Proverbs 22:11
He who loves purity of heart And has grace on his lips, The king will be his friend.

Father, my Lord and King, you know all things. You knew when you worked all things to bring this friend into my life that you were working to build a lasting bond through a surrogate family relationship. You knew as we laughed together over the lunch table that day the child that was yet to be conceived would come through her family into my family. And even though I didn’t know what was to come about, you built a bond there. You forged a friendship that would grow to love. It was through that love that you planned my role as a mother to this woman’s grandson. You oh my faithful Father, had heard my prayer and through the love of this friendship you answered me, O my soul, you answered it in a most precious way, and I thank YOU. Through Jesus, I pray, Thankfully for answering that prayer with a prayer of abiding friendship.

Day 16

Today I am thankful for the laughter and joy in the faces of children.

Our little girls and boys in bonnets and hats.

 Today our group had a Thanksgiving party celebrating the American holiday of thanksgiving. It was so adorable seeing our children and even our mom’s and dad’s dressed with little pilgrim bonnets and hats. 

Adding our bounty to the mix.

Each family brought together a “Bountiful Trail Mix.” Each family brought 1 item and then we shared those items by adding them to the mix. The end result was beautiful bounty. They looked adorable in their native American headbands. They had a blast racing milk carton boats using balloons as their sails. They loved building boats out of walnut shells and then sailing them in the water bucket. The food, oh my the food was so delicious with such bounty as Rotisserie Chicken, Corn casserole, green bean casserole, fresh bread and homemade mashed potatoes. Is your mouth watering?

The parents performed an improvisational narrative reading, which was funny and whimsical bringing smiles and laughter to our children’s hearts. 

Prepping costumes for the narrative read.

I stopped at a couple of points throughout the event to just stop and listen. Have you ever just stopped and listened to a child’s laughter? I fully believe there is no more beautiful sound in this whole earth than the pure sweet sound of a child’s laughter. If there is it might possibly be the sound of the saints raising voices of praise to the Father. But my heart was full at that sound today, and I was so ever grateful that God allowed me the opportunity and led the way for this group to have formed. 

I was even more grateful that the parents worked as a cohesive unit to meet the needs of the party, so that our children could have those moments and build those beautiful memories.

Psalm 126:2
Then our mouth was filled with laughter, And our tongue with singing. Then they said among the nations, “The LORD has done great things for them.”

Most gracious Father, creator of all life. You have blessed my soul with laughter on this day. You have filled it with joy that is immeasurable. Thank you dear Friend for the beauty of a child’s laugh, for the joy that comes in being surrounded by it. Thank you for once again working all things together so that this group could form. I pray, that you will work through me to be a shining example of the Lord Jesus. It is through His precious name, Jesus, that I pray.


To see more 30 Days to Give Thanks posts, click here:My co-host Davonne Parks 30 Days to Give Thanks Posts Click Here:

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