Break time....

Break time again....way too much living...obeying...humbling...sacrificing...loving....caring going on around here...may you all be abundantly blessed right now in the season that you are in.  ~Sue~

Birthday Blessings...

My wonderful (only) son turned 10 last week...and after 'days' of celebrating...he is one happy boy!  For some reason, 10 just seems so much older than 9 to me....he seems so much older.  I can catch glimpses of the man he will become....as I pray for guidance and wisdom to raise him up according to the Lord's will for his life.

He is so loving...creative, brave, tough, tender, sensitive, smart...and He loves the Lord.....he loves His word....and He gets it....in an amazingly mature way...his insights are dead on...Oh, how I look forward to watching the Lord's will unfold for his life!  To my son....Ronnie, you are loved so very, very much!

My wonderful son!

Family celebration....

Ronnie's gf birthday cake...and his constant sidekick, Anna!

Cool Lego and Ninjago birthday!

Ronnie and Caleb...they could be twins!

Sisterly love for a "Ronnie" sandwich!

Cousin Ty, Ronnie and Anna...the 3 Muskateers!

January Joy....

Words that have been going thru my mind lately...joy...amazing grace...intent...being present in the moment....it has become a challenge...what used to be natural...now has to be intentional...I almost said that 'we've become a nation of....' but let's be honest...I have become distracted...'escaping' when I need a little peace and quiet.  Internet is so quietly addictive...it's always there...it is visual...it allows us to 'visit' minutely...and provides instant knowledge at our fingertips...and for a person who loves to read...to research...this can be addictive.  I say addictive...and yet, I am on all "good" things...keeping in touch with friends and family...reading devotionals, homeschooling, cooking and organizational articles/blogs...but I am finding for me...that thinking that I would only be on for "one minute"...turns out to be a restful (but totally disconnected and distracted 30 minutes)....so convicting...as I pray for the Lord to help me to re-focus on Him...my family...the basics of my life before the internet entered it...so I am praying for help in being 'deliberate'...using the good...not taking my attention away from my family.  I've been challanged....and the peace that I suspect I will find will be so worth the self-denial and self-discipline (that I've sorely lacked).

I'll be focusing on Grace...and Joy....and Gratefulness....I've always documented my blessings in pictures...as long as I can remember...and that will continue here.  Might be daily...might be a month...when led by Him...but I will be counting my blessings at home...getting back to basics...in our home...and in my heart.

Looking for the joy in the unexpected...and joining with the many other women counting it all joy...over at Joy Dare    ~Sue~

Precious friends....and new life!

So grateful for our church...His word...and getting back to the basics...

Parenting...with Grace...

curling up in warmth....focusing on Him...

Joy of family...little cousins....

Hiding God's word in our hearts...

Just because...I love watching them...

Antique bowls...filled with good fruits...

Kefir smoothies...because they make me happy!

Blessings of a full fridge...and a new one...only the 2nd one we've gotten in  22 years...

View from my deck...awe-inspiring...sunset...winter sky...

Feet...and God's gentle leading

"...He will never make you take one step beyond what your feet are able to endure.  Never mind if you think you are unable to take another step, for either He will strengthen you to make you able, or He will call a sudden halt, and you will not have to take it at all."  Frances Ridley Havergal

My "everyday" foot fashion look! LOL

With my RA and Fibro being in what feels like a never-ending flare for so very long now...my mornings are especially challenging and painful...I move slowly...and as the RA keeps flaring seemingly in every joint...my feet have changed...and hurt.  These ugly green crocs are one of my best friends.

I was so blessed this morning by this devotion in Streams in the Desert!  He knows my pain...He knows my hurts...and that my feet hurt...He knows my limitations...and He truly has been faithful to either strengthen me for His purposes...or has many times called a halt...either by cancellations, or illness...or even snowstorms...He calms the storms of these diseases...He soothes my soul.

Taking life one day at a time...moment by moment...trusting in His leading...He will direct where my feet go...and not one step outside of His will.

May you be strengthened and encouraged to trust our Shepherd to guide your steps....moment by moment.  ~Sue~

"It's raining Bean Juice!"

Bean rain!  This is what 3 of my 4 children were laughingly  yelling today as bean juice became a misty volcano and then rained down on my kitchen!  That picture is Ronnie & Anna pointing to the ceiling where evidence of my folly was dripping down.

Let me back up...it is cold here...like single digits cold...so I decided to make a large amount of chili and let it simmer all day.  So...after soaking 2lbs of dried pinto beans overnight, into the pressure cooker they went.  Well...as I usually do, I used the 'quick release' method and removed the jiggler from the pressure cooker...apparently, I had a lot of liquid in there and it spewed all over...looked just like a volcano! LOL  As the jiggler was hot...I was frantically trying to get it back on to stop the explosion while the kids are laughing hysterically!  Ronnie says "We are SO lucky!  I bet we're the only family in the world to have it raining bean juice in our kitchen!"

Sara said " Wow....Meghan and Dad don't know how much fun they miss while they are at work!"....This was before she had to clean the ceiling since she was the only one who could reach.  Fun times, fun times!  LOL

What silly 'unique' to you memories have you made in the kitchen lately?  Blessings!  ~Sue~

Yarn Along....

Joining with Ginny over at Small Things for her yarn along.  Anyone with a love of reading and 'fiber' love...knitting or crocheting, please feel free to join along  or head over to see what everyone else is reading or working on!  (I love checking this out...I've gotten great recommendations for books for myself and the children...and lots of inspiration for relaxing, fiber fun)

Well...over the holidays, I'm sad to say, that I only made 2 hats...between my RA and Fibro in major flares, just making memories happen for our family was about all I had in me.  I am still working on my nieces afghan...although it is slow until these flares are under control.  I did promise my little one, Anna, that I would make her a hat...with a couple stripes she said...and ear flaps...and braids...and a tassel...so that is what I am working on finishing right now...in warm wool.  Hopefully, next week I'll have a picture of Anna IN the hat! LOL  The little ones and I started a nightly read-aloud of 'Little Men'.  I wasn't sure at first if both my son and daughter would like it...and it is rather old fashioned, but it is quickly becoming much beloved by all of us.

Enjoying the fiber and the fire tonight with temperatures in the low single digits.  Keep warm everyone!  ~Sue~

10,000 small resolutions....

‎"So, we wake up each day committed to live in the small moments of our daily lives with open eyes and humbly expectant hearts." 


It's the day by day...moment by moment quiet 'resolutions' that make up change...spirit led change...excellent article for this time of "Resolutions" for the New Year.....small steps...moment by moment.

Desiring God

Operation Deepen Faith 2012

It's "Operation Deepen Faith" in the Gorecki home this year!  After much prayer...our family has felt led to read thru the Bible in one year....and this is the year!  We are very excited about what God is going to do thru His Word.


We are excited and blessed that our church, The Bible Chapel is encouraging everyone to do this as well...and will be sending out daily email devotions along with the scripture reading schedule...I can only imagine, since God's word never returns void, how this will impact our family, our church and our community.  I'm thinking revival...personal and corporate...and community wide!


We are also availing ourselves of the Bible reading schedule and daily emails from www.familymatters.com...with 6 of us and our individual schedules, when we come together in the evening for prayer, these resources will allow all of us to "be on the same page"...to hold each other accountable and strengthen each other on our walk with the Lord.

What I feel led to do with my little ones, is read thru this with them every morning ...

And use this resource (which is very cool...timeline, archeological photos and history)  and...

This resource to really 'bring it alive' and flesh it out for them.    My 10 year old may do the regular reading with us as well.

If you would like to join us and receive these wonderful daily devotions and readings, please go to  thebiblechapel.org and sign up for our pastor's blog.


We are blessed to have my "daughter of my heart", Gabrielle, in Idaho joining us for this spiritual journey this year.


May 2012 be a year of many, many blessings for everyone!  ~Sue~