Remembering to be Thankful!

Happy November 1st! What?!?!?! November is already here...how in the world did this happen! 

Every year when November rolls around I giggle a little bit about how people that complain and cuss all year long are all the sudden thankful for those which they are complaining about. But, last night I was convicted a little bit of this myself! How easy is it to fall into the poor me story when things are hard or we aren't in the right mind set. 

But, last night I was sitting thinking of so many around me that have so much more to handle and they do so with such grace. We have a sweet friend in her 20's that just found out she has MS....in her 20? That isn't fair...in your 20 you are just getting started with adulthood and slam now this? But, do you know what that friend has taught me this week? That God is faithful in your 20's just like he is in your 80's. God is going to be faithful to my sweet dear friend and he is going to give her the grace and understanding to deal with this head on. He is always so faithful why would it be different now. 

Another lady here in town is fighting cancer. Cancer friends....how many people we all know that have fought or are fighting this awful things. But, she is taking each day beautifully. Such a inspiration to so many around her...and she doesn't even know it. 

So, thankfulness...today I am thankful for Grace. Grace to me is not getting what I deserve. I deserve hell, I deserve to die a sinners death but because of Jesus grace on the cross I have been pardoned.

 I am thankful for grace as a mother...so many times we just lose heart as mom's we stop planning meals and so we eat out too much, we stop washing clothes so we send our kids to school in yesterday jeans, we lose heart to keep up with homework, reading, spelling, sports, and the list goes on. As mom's it is so easy to lose heart...but, grace....we have grace and for that I am thankful.

I am thankful for grace as a wife. How many times do we lose heart as wives? Chad is too sweet to me. He is always asking me what he can do to help...no matter if it is a trip to walmart (no one wants to do that) or something around the house...he shows me more grace everyday than I deserve. 

Grace as friends. It is hard to keep up. It is hard to find time to visit, go out to eat, or just spend time with those sweet friends. My BFF I hardly ever get to see because her and I are in two different parts of life right now...but grace my friends she understands and shows me grace. 

I love the people in my life...I am thankful for those that are in the trench with me everyday...I love the ones I don't get to see often...each one of these dear people have helped shaped the person that I am today. I am thankful for the grace they have shown me and I am thankful for the Grace Jesus Christ shows me daily. So, friends take care today is a new day! Let's go out and show the Lord how thankful we are for his many blessings! 

Count them one by one, 

Katie 

Here we go again....maybe

I would like to say I am going to do better...but, you have heard that before...I would like to say I am going to blog and stay with it....but, I will tell you this....I am going to try~ 

It is hard to find time but I do very much enjoy writing thoughts, and other things that are import to me. I won't be posting many pictures so if you are looking for pictures go check out my social media. I will have picture post maybe once a month. It is just hard to have time to upload pictures to this so...not going to worry about that as much as I did. 

So, I hope you enjoy! 

Wish me luck! 

Katie

Where does the time go?

Today...September 9, 2015 Kalebh will play his first school sports game. This is a day he has dreamed about since he was 4. He would go and watch the Lockney Longhorns play. They would be kids he knew and that were in our youth group. We would sit in the stand and he would watch the game...very intently. He would wait for the cheerleaders to throw candy into the stand...and his time has come. He will go out with the Lockney Shorthorns. He will take the field and he will play his little heart out...just like he did when Landon Cotham played, Graden Long, Mason Ragland, and Landry Kidd...To name a few. He loved those boys and still looks up to each of them.

Kalebh was so excited last night I had to pull out some all natural sleeping aid. He couldn't go to sleep...but, once he did he slept great. And this morning he bounced right out of bed ready to get dressed and put on that Jr. High Jersey (That smells to high heavens I'm sure) But, none the less he is so excited.

 The only person I think that is more excited than Kalebh is his sweet Daddy. The only thing better than it being the 1st Jr. High game...is it's against Floydada! So here we go friends...Beat those Winds!

But, honestly how many times in our lives are we so excited about world things? How many times do we "lose" sleep because we are excited about things happening in our lives and our world? As I would like to make the point...we need to get this excited bout God's plans for us...at the same time I think these things are what God uses to mold us into who he wants to be. I don't know about you but I know God is working on me daily. He speaks to me through my sweet kids. And he shows me things that make me a better Mom, wife and child of the king. So, lets not get lost in the day to day life. Lets get excited about the big things...and the small things...lets make a difference in others lives and for the kingdom in the big things and the little things...lets go and glorify God in ALL that we do!

Friends, as I sit as a mom in the stand I will be a nervous wreck because that is what you do when your kids are out on the field but I will be so excited because I have seen first had the excitement in my sons eyes! I cannot wait!

Love to all!

Enjoying the beauty!

Today I decided it was so pretty outside and that instead of letting my Kindergarten classes doing centers/computer time…I decided to take them on a walk. The wind isn’t blowing and it is so pretty outside. So, we went for a nature walk. It amazed me how many kids didn’t know what tree roots were, or the difference between a pinecone or an acorn.  God blessed my heart today in a special way in letting these little boys and girls see some of his beauty at  it’s best. We saw birds flying and playing water, beautiful flowers,  leaves, and other animals walking about. Sometimes in life we have to put everything down and get outside and enjoy the beauty.

Psalm 19:1 – The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.

Catching up!

Hello Friend and neighbors!

Lots has happened and is happening around the Cook Casa!

We have just wrapped up stock show season for the 2015 year. It is a little sad to not have any animals besides our sweet Astro on feed but man the extra cash will be nice…nah we will find something else to do with it I am sure J

Kalebh had a great run this year. He did great a county and then ended up placing 15 in Houston. We missed the sale by 3 places but we were thankful to get pulled and looked at. It was great for Kalebh and so exciting for us in the stands. Kaileigh is SO thankful this is her last year to have to sit and watch. Next year she will be able to show and she cannot wait. There is talk about goats, sheep, heifers, pigs and chickens…LOL! I am good with the pigs…that’s it! Only time will tell what she can work her Daddy over for. I am thankful to be stock showing family. We meet so many new and fun people. We get to love on animals and our kids learn so many different life lessons. And there is shopping at the shows...good shopping!

Kaileigh is still going to vision therapy and doing a great job. She is working hard and we are starting to see some BIG improvements. We are very thankful for the help of these wonderful people. Kaileigh is playing a little basketball this spring and loving that. If we can keep her on her feet that will be great too!

Kalebh has started baseball and those of you that know Kalebh know he LOVES baseball. That is all he thinks about this time of year. He has started practice and his first game is in over a week. YAY! We are also counting down the days till the Astro’s opening day! 13 days!

Chad is busy keeping up with the kids, sale season and church we sometimes have to wake up 10 min early to just talk to each other. But, we love having our kids active and we are looking forward to all this wonderful warmer weather to be outside some!

As I was reminded on facebook last night from a wonderful man’s life that we have had the joy of hearing many times…at youth events and revivals. My prayer for each of us is that we can be life-breathers and room changers. My prayer this week is that when I walk into a room it changes for the good. Positive thinking, hard working, and I always love to laugh…so full of laughter. God desires for us to be a light and an example. He never said our lives had to be boring and dull…he wants us to be excited and have fun making a difference on this earth…so join me in honoring a life meant to be lived fully as example of a life breather or a room changer.

“He came that we might have life and have it more abundantly” John 10:10

Give Me New Eyes

Hello! Maybe I should reintroduce myself since it has been so long since I have written. A lot has happened and I could write a book I am sure…However, most of you or at least my Dad ( I think he might be the only person that reads this J) follow me on facebook, twitter or instagram. I am not going to go back over what has happened or not happened since November. Just going to carry on! LOL.

As some of you know or maybe I have said in earlier post Kaileigh has been diagnosed with some eye issues and other things to do with vision that aren’t developed correctly. Kaileigh is going to Vision Therapy every week. We have learned a lot about the eyes, brain, reading, reflexes understanding, and thankfulness. We are so thankful that we were sent to Dr. Riley and his team. They are amazing! God is always faithful we know that! But, sometimes those reminders are so helpful. Kaileigh is progressing…slowly but making progress each week.

This last week I went to the eye doctor and who knew…as you get older your eyes get older too…and need more help. Well, my prescription has changed. My glasses are oh only about 11 years old so I decided it was time to get some new ones. I wear contacts daily so I don’t wear glasses much. But, anyway I go to get glasses. As we are leaving the eye place to head to eat supper it is me, Kalebh and Kaileigh (Chad had a meeting) I noticed my vision was very different with glasses…who knew I was so tall. As I would look down the ground seemed so far away. My glasses changed my vision. The next night I went home after school and took my contacts out and put glasses on before going to the game. I was encouraged to take my contacts out after school or so to give my eyes time to “breath”. Anyway, as we were going to the game I didn’t notice much…However, watching a fast moving basketball game is a totally different story! It was hard on me. My distance was different. I have a stigmatism in one eye and I guess getting use to that corrected vision is just hard.

So, here is my point. How many times as Christians do we sit and pray for go to open our eyes, to help us love like He loves, to help us be who HE created us to be, to allow us to be HIS hands and Feet…Well, I know I do. How many times does he open our eyes to the hurt? To the pain? To the people he has placed in our lives that drive us crazy but he wants us to love them, teach them and share HIM with them? I know too many times I just look through those “new” glasses and say ummm well this is crazy…you want me to do what?!?! You want me to say what?!?! And take those new glasses off put my clear contacts back on and carry on…till I have my prayer time or I am writing in my prayer Journal and then I again say…Lord, please help me to see people through your eyes.

Here is my prayer from now on…

Lord, I come to you knowing that many times I ask for you to help me to love others the way you do, to help me see others with your eyes, to be your hands and feet. God, I ask for all of these things when I spend time talking to you often. However, many times I think you open my eyes to these very things and yet I just close my eyes and then just forget about what I have asked you the Lord of all to help me see and do. So, God I ask that you help me…and my sweet friends and family reading this to not just see people…but, to see people for who you created them to be. I know there are so many hurting people…some in my very own family. I ask that you allow us as Christians as a whole to take time to not just see them with our eyes…but, to see them with YOUR eyes. God please work in our lives. We love you!

Amen

Thanksgiving

I read a quote today that left me thinking....God never said to be thankful...he said to GIVE thanks! So many times I walk around saying I am so thankful for this, that or the other but I seldom stop and GIVE thanks! I have been thinking this morning of all the things I am thankful for and have started making a list of ways to GIVE thanks! As I spend time in God's word I always thank Him for my blessings, kids, family and so on...but, I also need to GIVE thanks to the people HE has put in my life or the things HE has given me. Just some food for though. Lets all spend this Thanksgiving and Christmas and GIVE thanks! 

Speaking of thanks! I am giving a big THANKS to our Healer and Comforter! This time last year my family was in Artesia with Aj and her family between chemo treatments. Aj had been so very sick. But, was feeling good enough to make the trip to Mom and Dad's. Aj had no hair, had to take nausea medications.