Him alone

a thankful heart

2012-01-23T06:57:00.005-05:00

When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”
“Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”
Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.”
The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Feed my sheep.....
Then he said to him, “Follow me!”  John 21:15-17,19b

last fall He set me to reading Radical. at the end of the first chapter my toes were sore (of course i actually enjoy having my toes stepped on when it's Love doing the stepping). however, by mid-book it almost hurt to take a deep breath. it was a lot to process; how had i missed the depth in these scriptures i'd read so many times before?
after Radical I read Weird, Because Normal Isn't Working, which was very much in line with Radical - only somehow, thankfully, it was lighter on the toes.
the beginning of this year He led me to read Crazy Love. i was excited, i knew the book had something to do with love(obviously) which excited me. otherwise i had no idea what it was about. it's taken a few weeks, i've finished reading it. even after His call last fall to read Radical and Weird, Crazy Love was still a challenging read. it was, yet again, a call for me to look at His Word and see deeper truth. a reminder of what He's calling me to. Crazy, Radical, or Weird, for me it's all one in the same: an invitation to walk with Him, to experience Him, to be loved, and to love - really.
and so, in His mercy and grace He had me read the same thing three times. three.    and now, that same Mercy and Grace is telling me it's time to move ahead. one minute at a time, one step at a time, one day at a time. His wonderful, crazy love in me, causing my life to be radical, and downright weird as i follow Him.

~     ~    ~   ~    ~   ~   ~
i am forever thankful, forever counting His gifts and giving Him praise (from my 1400's)

living this life one day at a time
that His love is ever reaching
and when He knows it necessary, He will graciously lead me three times to the very same thing

one quiet moment beautifully interrupted by
leaves falling from trees
the perfect "who-hoo-hooo-who" of an owl in the distance
the caw of a crow and
a gander of geese calling over from a neighbor's yard

that we are fearfully and wonderfully made, truly
that i am called to be me and nobody else, simply me; that i am God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for me to do Eph 2:10

that in the midst of being tempted to ask, "why?" He continues to teach me to take every thought captive and the words from my mouth are, "Father God, Sovereign God, God of Goodness and Truth, i trust You; for You alone are God, and i thank You."

the way the sky can be so many different shades of blue

that Saturday we volunteered with SoSA and had our first experience with gleaning
first stop, this sweet woman grew a tree from seed and now donates the fruit

boy love reaching high

my I do

girl love in action

her one tree yeilded 29 bags of fruit

'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'

after dropping off harvest one, we headed to site number two, where we were joined by two others also gleaning for the first time
another family donated two of their grapefuit trees for a partial harvest

'We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.'

together, the six of us gleaned 89 bags of grapefruit
what a joy to serve in gleaning, we are excited for the next time (:

~ ~ ~

Dear, dear Corinthians, I can't tell you how much I long for you to enter this wide-open, spacious life. We didn't fence you in. The smallness you feel comes from within you. Your lives aren't small, but you're living them in a small way. I'm speaking as plainly as I can and with great affection. Open up your lives. Live openly and expansively! 2 Corinthians 6:11-13 The Message

Dear, dear Grateful Friends, I pray that we will open up our lives and live openly and expansively this week!
The LORD bless you and keep you;
The LORD make His face shine upon you,
And be gracious to you;
The LORD lift up His countenance upon you,
And give you peace. Num 6:24-26

joining Ann and the community of thankful counters

Quoting

2012-01-20T08:09:00.002-05:00

I don't know Ms. Dillard, but I like this quote.

“Because how we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives.” ~ Annie Dillard

true.
so very true
(sometimes i need a reminder).

Monday Gratitude

2012-01-16T06:39:00.008-05:00

i am forever grateful, forever counting His gifts (from my 1400's)....

our Advent wreath and baby Jesus

the fun gift of a nature backpack

fresh Florida strawberries, and

when they become dessert

girl love's bunny, grooming under the china cabinet

boy love sportin' his daddy's sports coat

my I do hanging white lights, for me (:

boy love's exciting 2011 bday gift from Grandma & Granddaddy - a gift that keeps on giving {:

Roly - no legs yet

Tom has hind legs

a fantastic four original - an end table

boy love & daddy made it

girl love & mommy stained it

after the table, the daddy went to work on boy love's project

now he's ready to hunt his favorite venison dinner

girl love catching me catching her with the dictionary - just for fun!

and did i mention that New Year's brought my first pair of converse tennis shoes?

((did you just roll your eyes? i promise to wear them K love acceptably :))

and i'm all smiles as February once again brings our west loves east!

~ ~ ~

i am incredibly thankful for the giving of thanks

gratitude leading to praise - He inhabits the praises of His people

But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel. Psalm 22:3

friends, it is my hope that we find ourselves singing His praises all the day long [:

-t-

joining Ann and the community of thankful counters

too good not to share

2012-01-11T21:37:00.000-05:00

i can't help myself; it's so good, i wanna share it with you (a portion of The Deeps, from The Valley of Vision). maybe consider making it yours too?

Plough deep in me, great Lord,
heavenly Husbandman,
that my being may be a tilled field,
the roots of grace spreading far and wide,
until Thou alone art seen in me,
thy beauty golden like summer harvest,
thy fruitfulness as autumn plenty.

I have no master but Thee,
no law but Thy will,
no delight but Thyself,
no wealth but that Thou givest,
no good but that Thou blessest,
no peace but that Thou bestowest.
I am nothing but that Thou makest me.
I have nothing but that I receive from Thee.
I can be nothing but that grace adorns me.
Quarry me deep, dear Lord,
and then fill me to overflowing
with living water.

amen, Lord Jesus. amen.

2012

2011-12-31T09:59:00.002-05:00

i have said it countless times and i will say it infinitely many more, our God is amazing.
a - maz - ing.
and   oh  how  He  loves  me.

in late October i began praying for the naming of 2012
i've jotted notes in my journal. a word here. a few more there. a phrase. a question.
all in seeking His theme for my 2012
i was pretty sure i had it
and then He confirmed it
(oh how He loves me. His grace, His amazing grace)

i was reading Weird Because Normal Isn't Working, and i turned to chapter 15, "Just One Thing"
the chapter began with Craig's telling of New Year's resolutions and how by Valentine's 75% of people who made them have broken them. no more broken resolutions for him. he now asks God, "What is the one thing you want to be different in my life next year?"
he offers four questions to ask God in prayer time to help provide clarity - and each question has the number one in it

the last word i'd written in my journal for the naming of 2012 was "one"
at the time i was unsure. "what? one? what does that look like? what exactly would that be about? how would i walk out a year named one?"
surprisingly, wonderfully the answers came quickly

focusing on the One (laying down the idols of self and of people pleasing)
For thou art great, and doest wondrous things: thou art God alone Psalm 86:10
For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus I Timothy 2:5
One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all Ephesians 4:6

a year of choosing one thing at a time. a year of purposefully taking life one day at a time, one intentional minute after another
Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own Matthew 6:34

cherishing that my I do & i are one flesh
That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh. Genesis 2:24

living before an audience of One, to the glory of One
She gave this name to the LORD who spoke to her: “You are the God who sees me,” for she said, “I have now seen the One who sees me.” Genesis 16:13
For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s. 1 Corinthians 6:20
...that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen. 1 Peter 4:11b
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:16

knowing that He has already met my one need
For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation. Romans 5:6-11
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ... that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation...  For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 2 Corinthians 5

trusting that He'll meet me in the one place i need Him to (the place that He alONE knows i truly need to be met at), and that it will be in His timing - not one minute before, not one minute after
...but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint. Isaiah 40:31
Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. Galatians 6:9-10

my 2012, The Year of One.

~   ~   ~

Happy New Year Friends! i pray for His blessings upon you & yours in this, your 2012 - one more of His many gifts to each of us

The LORD bless you and keep you;
The LORD make His face shine upon you,
And be gracious to you;
The LORD lift up His countenance upon you,
And give you peace. Numbers 6

Happy Birthday Kara!

2011-12-30T00:01:00.000-05:00

Happy birthday to you,
Happy birthday to you,
Happy birthday, Dear Kara,
Happy birthday to you!

Love you, Dear One.

-t- is for thankful

2011-12-19T06:07:00.002-05:00

forever grateful, forever counting His gifts (from my 1400's)

the flipping of pages as boy love & girl love consult one another,
"did you choose a rabbit?"
"what about chickens or orphan care at Maria's?"
- gifts to Him -

‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’ Matthew 25

children singing and telling of His love
our girl love, angel #2

But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” Luke 2

the fun in sharing time and baking with friends

the fun old wives' tale that if your necklace clasp is in the front, it means someone is thinking of you; finding mine in front i smile, think of someone maybe thinking of me, and whisper a prayer for them

Advent trees, candles, wreaths, devotionals, conversations, sharing, togetherness

that Isaac said he'd heard it said, there are only two types of people
the one's who walk into a room and say, 'here i am'
and the one's who walk into a room and say, 'there you are'

hot cocoa with whipped cream

my I do, boy love, girl love, and r2-d2 playing trouble

red grapefruit fresh from the florida tree

prayers whispered for safe travels, for each one on their way to Hialeah, Oregon, Alabama, Tennessee
the hopes and excitement for time shared
peace. like a river ((because as I've read at Ann's: Peace is a person))

the joy in His coming
(thank you, Jesus.
happy birthday)

wishing you & yours a Merry Christmas and
joining Ann and the community of thankful counters

-t- is for thankful

2011-12-12T05:23:00.122-05:00

have i mentioned that i have my share of issues, challenges, difficulties? even if i haven't s-p-e-l-l-e-d it out, i have no doubt you've picked up on it. i mean, i'm human - just like you.... but let's get back to me (:
one of my issues is my difficulty in making what should be trivial decisions: colored lights or white lights? cake or pie? here or there? green beans or broccoli? eat in or eat out? if in, what to eat? if out, where to eat?! all to often i make mountains out of molehills - - inside of three seconds i can take trivial and transform it into massive

all of this rambling isn't really going anywhere BIG nor anywhere all that important. however, it is going here: if you had asked me one week ago, "what's your favorite holiday?" (pretty trivial question, right? i mean, it's personal preference. still) i would've hemmed and hawed around it, unable to decide. but guess what? (can you hear the drum roll?) if you ask me today i'll answer: my favorite holiday is Christmas.

yes. my favorite holiday is Christmas - celebrating the birth of Christ, God's only begotten Son, Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. celebrating that He came. for me. for you. and my enjoyment of Christmas goes on and on. i like Christmas trees; real and artificial, with their lights of any color. i like ornaments crafted by my children and loved ones. i like ornaments purchased at the store. i like Christmas music, reflective and worshipful and silly and fun. i like bells and candy canes. i like twinkling lights. i like nativities on lawns and coffee tables. i like advent wreaths and jesse trees. i like red and green m&m's and Christmas cookies. i like sending and receiving Christmas cards. and i like that all of these things invite me to praise my Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace, Jesus.

i know, i know; it's only one trivial decision made. but, it's a start.

~ ~ ~

-t- is for thankful, and i am.
i am forever grateful, forever counting His gifts to me (from my 1400's)

compassion and understanding (even through e-mail), and prayers lifted in love ((thank you, Dear One))

joy, pure joy
His joy bubbling up and over as she shared her myriad of praises

boy love excitedly reading a book to me as we drive away from the library
the way he laughs loud in mid-sentence

this:
When they heard these things they became silent; and they glorified God, saying, “Then God has also granted to the Gentiles repentance to life.” Acts 11:18

a really good nights sleep, and
that most all of my nights are (praise Him!)

closing my eyes and seeing it all again:
the guest room as i walked in,
the fun of our pictures everywhere
fresh flowers harvested and arranged by sweet Peach hands
the curtains and the pillow shams
and
the food awaiting our rumbling tummies
and the meals planned and prepared
and
an evening walk her and her puppy love
and coffee and tea and yummy late night chocolates from a favorite confectionery
and
the bees that just wanted a little of her delicious meal
the story of how the week before they'd carried away chicken
and
them taking time off to allow us the privilege of enjoying them
their kindness in running around Oregon with us, sharing all the sights and making memories to last a lifetime
how she made a late night run. just for us.
her gift of hospitality
that He shines in and through her, beautifully
He is beautiful. as is she. beautiful

how sometimes an author cuts to the quick:
Enough is never enough. Most of us have lifestyled our way into the black pit of normal... At its root, it's actually more than a lifestyle problem; it's a spiritual problem. WEIRD Because normal isn't working.

that in May i started reading fiction again
and Kara recently introduced me to this Jacksonville boy, a fine author
and my favorite so far: Wrapped in Rain

receiving Christmas cards in the mail
sending Christmas cards in the mail

saying, "it's my pleasure"
because it is

her call that said he likes it that we show up

the joy and smiles as i go back and re-read through lists of 2011 thankfulness,
both mine and those i hold dear

that 2012 may very well bring my west loves east,
right here to us in central florida!

our girl love writing an unsolicited thank you note,
gratitude is multiplying (:

joyfully joining Ann and the community of thankful counters

forever thankful

2011-12-05T15:14:00.007-05:00

i am forever grateful, forever counting His gifts (in my 1300's)

receiving His gift of opportunity, saying yes

the bunkbed ((thank you, Jimmy))

Wycliffe, ice cream & coffee with The Party of Five

that work brought her here. the conference was really good. and better yet we had the opportunity to share an evening with her

her story of Loraine, Ellen, MaryElle, and the Kenmore sewing machine - and the fun in awaiting the rest of the story

talking. praying. trusting. listening
a meeting bringing better understanding

the way the light falls,
shadows cast

dark blue curtains with purple lights shining up from the floor and white Christmas lights hung vertically in front - the way it looks like a starry night

a Christmas celebration get together
sweet, sweaty kids. a baby girl. fried gator. homemade chocolate icing. and an advent wreath made with infant socks (:

Sea World during the Christmas season

gratitude & praying away the grumps {:

joyfully joining Ann and the community of thankful counters

2011-11-28T13:09:00.002-05:00

i am forever grateful, forever counting His gifts (in my 1300's)

Syntomeida epilais - in the back yard

his gift to Compassion, his gift to me

our beach trip

see its eyes?

and hanging out, outta water

the seriously fun business of shelling in Captiva

a favorite find (and yes, we placed all living creatures back into the Gulf)

this horseshoe crab was deceased, but we still left him at the beach (stinky)

sunset after a wonderful day

an afternoon walk

His blessings night....

and day

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

boy love sheriff in town (real gun-slingers tie down, don't ya know?)

he transforms to football player too { :

the excitement of the arrival of: Mel & Lou? Speck & Spot? Roly & Poly? (still working on names)

girl love's pumpkin chess pie

tried and true recipes penned in a great aunt's hand

moms suggestion to use the leftover dough for stay-at-home-black-Friday cinnamon rolls

good use of the miniature bed boy love made (with assistance) at Mimi & Poppy's

ya know those red wax casings on a baby-bel?? in the hands of boy love!!

that boy love purchased three ornaments from girl love's sale

this "a" on girl love's door

the peacock feather on her chest of drawers

boy love asked for a bunk bed (apparently they're contagious :)
my I do said the project would be a joy- and it is ( :

the bed is framed, the other pieces are cut, sanded, and stained
mostly the work of the Daddy, but with a little help from the rest of us
the time together in this project has been priceless, from the smiles to the conversation
assembly will 'come together' next weekend & I'll post the completed project pics (:

I am ever thankful for His love. His grace. His peace.
and the way the Holy Spirit seemingly breathes unity,
the way the Holy Spirit calms and soothes me as I face circumstances where I am unsure.
that I can trust Him. that there is Hope in the waiting.
that He has answered in other areas, and as always His answers are beautiful. He is beautiful.

friends, may The LORD bless you and keep you;
The LORD make His face shine upon you,
And be gracious to you;

The LORD lift up His countenance upon you,

And give you peace. Numbers 6:24-26

joyfully joining Ann and the community of thankful counters

forever grateful

2011-11-07T05:47:00.003-05:00

i am thankful - for more than i could ever type
i wish that i had made time to type even a few of the details here
but sadly i haven't, and there isn't time to be spared at present

however, i just couldn't let another week go by in silence

my heart sings His praise. He is wonderful and He is wonderful to me.
i pray that your cup is running over too

joyfully joining Ann and the community of thankful counters

Multitude Monday

2011-10-10T05:07:00.085-04:00

He bids me, "come"

and I do, "here am i, Lord"

by His grace i have come (without great struggle this time - His grace)

He speaks. I read His Living Word
and I read what he has written, an invitation to seek Truth, to draw nigh to our God

and the wheels are turning slowly, questions are being asked. i am asking questions. i compare his words with His Word.
and now, there is a choice, i have a choice to make.

i have heard this from the pulpit more than once, from men who seek Him and long to lead our parched selves to the One alone who is Living Water... and now I read these words. again.

The rich man in Mark 10 didn't see Jesus for who he was. The rich man perceived him as a respectable religious figure, calling him "good teacher." However Jesus was not, and never is, interested in being seen as a respectable teacher. He is the sovereign Lord. He doesn't give options for people to consider; he gives commands for people to obey. (from Radical, emphasis mine)

Sovereign Lord.
                no options.
   commands.
                for me
           to obey.

obedience. disobedience. there is no other option, save these two

and then, just in case i might consider re-considering ((there is a thief who would like to steal this Truth)), a quote from Elizabeth Elliot:

Jim's aim was to know God. His course, obedience--the only course that could lead to the fulfillment of his aim.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

i am forever grateful, forever counting His gifts (from my 1300's)....

warm cinnamon rolls and fresh coffee
blueberries from Florida and peaches from Oregon
scrambled eggs with lots of cheese

a weekend shared with my parents

boy love and Granddaddy playing Battleship
girl love and Grandma playing school

the feel of tree bark across my palm
big trees, with big limbs - all the better for climbing

looking up to the grey sky through green leaves

His Word whispering gentle in my mind

chrysanthemums, streaked yellow and orange

three days of cool breeze
the pitter pat of rain
the windows open

our Father, Abba
that He pursues us,
He calls to us
all too big for me to understand
yet, i know - understanding is not neccesary,
His gift of faith is

gratitude. humility. peace. longing
trust. obedience. hope. love

joyfully joining Ann and the community of thankful counters

Blessings

2011-10-07T06:48:00.001-04:00

i am sharing this song with you; i think it's food for thought

Multitude Monday

2011-10-03T06:38:00.007-04:00

i've missed being here (and sadly i've missed writing down some of the gifts. there is something in the writing, the official recording of His blessing).

it's been a few weeks. they've been beautiful days of blessing, and some of the joys have been down right hard... and to some degree it's just the beginning, because as she reminded me, "what's 24 years in light of Him? a speck." yes. she's right, just a speck in eternity.

i have been learning things new to me, and re-learning things not so new to me. all by His grace. oh, His grace - His amazing grace.

i completed a study on the meditations of my heart and the words of my mouth - a work in progress (praise Him for progress). and then i picked up a new read, she said it was good. and it is. it's good in the best of ways. the kind of good that steps on toes and stretches so far it's uncomfortable, but you know it's right as rain.

Simplicity is... a way of being.... the Christian focus of simplicity is to abide in Christ... As a result of this abiding, we organically manifest fruit such as love, joy and peace.... Simplicity's undoing process creates space for God to work with our motives and thoughts.... Self-awareness is central to transformation because it shows us what we truly treasure.... the Spirit gives us insightful awareness so we have a place to start. God is not mad at us, but mad about us. God is a safe shelter in which we can face our underlying motives and determine our next steps.... Any practice of simplicity, no matter how small, invites us to take a step on the path of treasuring God as we let go of other things. (from Abundant Simplicity, Jan Johnson)

.... and then on a Wednesday eve i listened to Ann. i can still hear her voice, gentle with strong truth:

I may want Christ, but to be crucified, to sacrifice? I may want to be rescued, but do I want to be refined? I may want to be in Christ... but to be inconvenienced?

((selah))
~ ~ ~ ~

i am forever grateful, forever counting His gifts to me (from my 1300's)

my smile as i quietly watch --as if my presence may be a secret-- my i do browsing through the library shelves
so strong, so handsome
a seeker - in all things seeking more of Him

the joy in the sound of their laughter as it floats all through the house

thinking back a few weeks to the swing on Mimi & Poppy's back porch
swinging slowly. birds chirping, hummingbird wings buzzing by

the way that He has blessed me to share these specks of time with women who love Him, really ((praise Him for eternal friendships))
women resting in the joy and freedom and peace of His love, His grace, His mercy
women living, really. living with Him, in Him, by Him, through Him, because of Him
beautiful, radiant women practicing His presence, living victoriously in Him alone

and i am thankful that there is joy and rest and hope in the knowing
and today i am reminded of this i know:
“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing." John 15:5

Let them praise the name of the LORD,
for his name alone is exalted;
his splendor is above the earth and the heavens. Psalm 148:13

joyfully joining Ann and the community of thankful counters

Multitude Monday

2011-10-02T11:54:00.000-04:00

i am forever grateful, forever counting His gifts (from my 1300's)

i am thankful that in the middle of October - closer to the beginning of 2012 than the beginning of 2011:

He is ever faithful, continuing to teach me that He alone is relevant

He continues to teach her that practice is truly 'to focus on God's perfecting work... and there is rest in the solid and un-shifting' ((Him alone))

that she is aware, alive, and engaged - living victoriously

~ ~ ~

i am thankful that this post was penned to remember me to truths He has revealed to my heart

for sitting on the sofa after a full day with my right side pressed against his left side, sharing details of our day

that boy love is relishing each page of the chronicles of narnia

that girl love continues to enjoy snuggling in the dark and sharing stories from her day

for boy love catching my eye as he comes off the football field & giving me his fabulous wink & a smile

for the anticipation of phone calls this week, today even!

~ ~

“Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty;
the whole earth is full of his glory.” Isaiah 6:3

joyfully joining Ann and the community of thankful counters

relationship

2011-09-17T07:52:00.001-04:00

i am thinking of time shared with a Dear One this week. i hear her heart echoing in my thoughts, and i am filled with His delight in knowing His truth. she knows. i know. praise Him, in His mercy, in His grace - we know. what simple, divine beauty in knowing. knowing His grace. knowing His love. knowing Him. oh, praise Him! the joy in knowing.

The Valley of Vision, WORSHIP

Glorious God,
It is the flame of my life to worship thee,
the crown and glory of my soul to adore thee,
heavenly pleasure to approach thee.
Give me power by thy Spirit to help me worship now,
that i may forget the world,
be brought into the fullness of life,
be refreshed, be comforted, be blessed.
Give me knowledge of thy goodness
that I might not be over-awed by thy greatness;
Give me Jesus, Son of Man, Son of God,
that I might not be terrified,
but be drawn near with filial love,
with holy boldness;
He is my Mediator, Brother, Interpreter, Branch, Daysman, Lamb;
him I glorify,
in him I am set on high.
Crowns to give I have none,
but what thou hast given I return,
content to feel that everything is mine when it is thine,
and the more fully mine when I have yielded it to thee.
Let me live wholly to my Saviour,
free from distractions,
from carking care,
from hindrances to the pursuit of the narrow way.
I am pardoned through the blood of Jesus -
give me a new sense of it,
continue to pardon me by it,
may I come every day to the fountain,
and every day be washed anew,
that I may worship thee always
in spirit and truth.

I will bless the Lord at all times;
His praise shall continually be in my mouth. Psalm 34:1

as we walk with Him,
May He grant you according to your heart's desire,
And fulfill all your purpose. Psalm 20:4

Wednesday

2011-09-14T10:27:00.001-04:00

and i stand before Him. the prayer true,

again.

this - a battle.

peace. thanksgiving, gratitude. hope, joy. and then
there's the lingering
the difficulty in the knowing the past; which is, yes, why i'm here again.
i hate knowing that i've messed up again. i hate knowing that i am gonna miss the mark again.
i know the truth. i know it's not try harder. i know Forgiveness. i know Relationship. i know Grace. i know Love. i know.
i    know
i        k-n-o-w
     i            k -n -o -w
        i            k - n - o - w

now, to live it.

each breath worship, as He is my Hope.

prayers for Ann on this Winds-day :)

Multitude of gratitude

2011-08-22T00:23:00.004-04:00

i am forever grateful, forever counting His gifts

thankful for our holiday with our loved ones in the west
His love, our love, their love
the way my cup runneth over

His travelling mercies

my excitement for next weeks gratitude list,
which i expect to be full of pictures (how will i choose)!
but for now, i say good night & leave you with these happy pictures:

joyfully joining Ann and the community of thankful counters

Monday recollection

2011-08-15T05:57:00.022-04:00

i am forever grateful, forever counting His gifts (a recollection from January)

i believe in the Sacred echo
i hear it again and again,
and it always leads to Him.

yesterday i typed words read the day before that:
"This day is what matters. Today is the only day we have to give to Jesus." Isaac Hunter

and today i read these:
"I have always been struck by Moses' statement, "Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom." (Psalm 90:12)
There is certain type of focus, intentionality and perspective that we gain when we understand the capacity or quantity of our life." Gary Barkalow

"we are not as earnest as dying men ought to be... how much the shortness of our time ought to stir our hearts…to ardency of love and fervency of zeal…in our days of sojourning here!” Charles Spurgeon

flipping through a journal of days gone by and
reading this prayer penned by my hand (copied from Sally Clarkson)
"No matter what my life holds, I will choose, with the eyes of my heart, to see Your goodness, to trust You in all seasons of life, to seek to dance with You in the joy you have provided. I will choose to bring Your light into the dark places of my life. I will, as Christ, for the joy before me in eternity, see things from an eternal perspective and recognize Your hand of love in each moment of my life. I will sow seeds of faith, hope, and joy in the garden of my heart, so that I will reap a harvest of joy. As an act of my will, I will follow Your lead from this day forward."

knowing the year of Faithfully Relevant has been lived before ((it didn't yet have a name))
understanding the year of Faithfully Relevant will be lived again ((Lord willing. and it will have a different name))

this:

Why is everyone hungry for more? "More, more," they say.

"More, more."

I have God's more-than-enough,

More joy in one ordinary day

Than they get in all their shopping sprees.

At day's end I'm ready for sound sleep,

For you, God, have put my life back together.

Psalm 4:6-8 The Message

the Sacred echo to 'faithfully relevant' in this quote:
"God is so great that all things give Him glory – if you mean that they should.”
~Ignatius Loyola

friends. kindred spirits. those of the house of Joseph
sisters and brothers, we have been adopted. in Him we are for all eternity siblings

and Wednesday,
the Fantastic Four head west!

joyfully joining Ann and the community of thankful counters

Sacred Echo for me

2011-08-13T08:01:00.002-04:00

this morning this is a Sacred Echo (for me. you?)

Charles Spurgeon's Morning and Evening - Saturday, August 13, 2011
Morning
"The cedars of Lebanon which he hath planted."
Psalm 104:16
Lebanon's cedars are emblematic of the Christian, in that they owe their planting entirely to the Lord. This is quite true of every child of God. He is not man-planted, nor self-planted, but God-planted. The mysterious hand of the divine Spirit dropped the living seed into a heart which he had himself prepared for its reception. Every true heir of heaven owns the great Husbandman as his planter. Moreover, the cedars of Lebanon are not dependent upon man for their watering; they stand on the lofty rock, unmoistened by human irrigation; and yet our heavenly Father supplieth them. Thus it is with the Christian who has learned to live by faith. He is independent of man, even in temporal things; for his continued maintenance he looks to the Lord his God, and to him alone. The dew of heaven is his portion, and the God of heaven is his fountain. Again, the cedars of Lebanon are not protected by any mortal power. They owe nothing to man for their preservation from stormy wind and tempest. They are God's trees, kept and preserved by him, and by him alone. It is precisely the same with the Christian. He is not a hot-house plant, sheltered from temptation; he stands in the most exposed position; he has no shelter, no protection, except this, that the broad wings of the eternal God always cover the cedars which he himself has planted. Like cedars, believers are full of sap, having vitality enough to be ever green, even amid winter's snows. Lastly, the flourishing and majestic condition of the cedar is to the praise of God only. The Lord, even the Lord alone hath been everything unto the cedars, and, therefore David very sweetly puts it in one of the psalms, "Praise ye the Lord, fruitful trees and all cedars." In the believer there is nothing that can magnify man; he is planted, nourished, and protected by the Lord's own hand, and to him let all the glory be ascribed. (emphasis mine)

This day He awoke me. His sun in the sky.
This day I have His breath of life; He's given The Way of life. He is ever calling and I am ever thanking and praising Him ((to be among His cedars)).
Him alone.

Thankful

2011-08-08T06:17:00.058-04:00

O God, You are my God;
Early will I seek You;
My soul thirsts for You;
My flesh longs for You
In a dry and thirsty land
Where there is no water.
² So I have looked for You in the sanctuary,
To see Your power and Your glory.
³ Because Your lovingkindness is better than life,
My lips shall praise You.
⁴ Thus I will bless You while I live;
I will lift up my hands in Your name.
⁵ My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness,
And my mouth shall praise You with joyful lips.
⁶ When I remember You on my bed,
I meditate on You in the night watches.
⁷ Because You have been my help,
Therefore in the shadow of Your wings I will rejoice.
⁸ My soul follows close behind You;
Your right hand upholds me.
~ Psalm 63

i am forever grateful, forever counting (from my 1200's)

listening to and hearing her heart as she shares the joy of accepting His invitation. right then, right there - on a plane
unexpected. delight. peace.
His amazing grace. the joy that emanates still

brushing my teeth, boy love enters. he smiles at me.
something catches his eye, i am watching him. he is looking in the mirror.
he smiles easily. then he says, quite simply:
i didn't realize i looked this good in this

the way He placed the Five exactly where He wants them
with neighbors who warmly welcome, and space that multiplies
with lamps, lamps, and more lamps - each a reminder of Light (John 8:12, Psalm 119:105)
and two giant containers of sprinkles. and a tutu

week one of football: check
week two of football: in progress
enjoying his season one week at a time
appreciating boy loves passion for the game

anticipation, as the fall will bring girl love's first horse show

boy love's exclamation,
"mommy, someone gave me a sentimental quarter!"

24 amazingly, wonderful hours with my love
me & my I do together

a fun stay-over for our little loves with grandma & granddaddy
an airplane ride
surfers and dragons on the big tv
making a favorite: oatmeal cream pies
aging doggie with arthritis kissed for comfort
book marks made
memories made
the question: when can we do it again?!

quiet mornings with my Father
conviction, mercy
forgiveness, grace
love, comfort, peace
joy

joining Ann in the community of thankful counters

Multitude Monday

2011-08-01T05:57:00.030-04:00

i am forever grateful, forever counting His gifts (from my 1200's)

i'm thankful a friend and neighbor told our little loves in celebration of their birthdays she'd take them for their first roller skating adventure. we had a blast - falling here, there, and everywhere :}

girl love, Ms. Teresa, boy love (a well hydrated perspirer :), and the mommy who hadn't skated in 24 years

boy love making strides

did i mention ten-year-old girl love is only two inches shy of me?!

from the plants out back
monarchs & queens - collected, observed, fed, and set free

thinking on this quote from Archbishop William Temple:

"Your religion is what you do with your solitude."

gerber daisies on the kitchen table

butterfly books from the library

a swimming pool in the back yard

writing Juliette's favorite Bible verse on the dry erase easel
the moment it caught her eye

seeing her bubbling joy in print
witnessing it first hand

the joy in putting 'feet to prayers'
my joy in putting 'feet to prayers'

smiling about a good dog

this found at the dollar spot (Target)
the way something so simple assists in the order of our week

'Cheesey' (boy love's mouse) in a cardboard car

and as always, i am thankful that you took the time to stop here & share in His gifts to me

See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! 1 John 3:1a

joining Ann

Multitude of gratitude

2011-07-25T08:31:00.001-04:00

i am forever grateful, forever counting His gifts (from my 1200's)

i am thankful for this quote:

What he is after is us -our laughter, our tears, our dreams, our fears, our heart of hearts. How few of us truly believe this. We've never been wanted for our heart, our truest self, not really, not for long. The thought that God wants our heart seems too good to be true.
(The Sacred Romance , 91)

and these verses:
Light is sown for the righteous,
And gladness for the upright in heart.

Rejoice in the LORD, you righteous,

And give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name.
Psalm 97:11-12

i am thankful for His grace

And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” II Corinthians 12:9

Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! 1 John 3:1a

and i am thankful for you.
and for your reading these gifts,
as we glorify our Daddy God in thanksgiving

dear friends, may
The LORD bless you and keep you;
The LORD make His face shine upon you,
And be gracious to you;
The LORD lift up His countenance upon you,
And give you peace. Numbers 6:24-26

2011-07-21T09:38:00.000-04:00

i'm still learning that waiting for Him is a beautiful place to be

w, a, and e

2011-07-20T14:03:00.000-04:00

i was thinking, as i so often do, when i realized that i have nearly always lived on a street with a 'w'

in the fall of my second year i moved to gailWood circle. in the spring of my twenty-third year i moved to haWkes island drive. in 2005 i moved to Wakeview and three years ago i landed on WhiteWater way.

we were driving along to church, discussing the fact that one day we'll move again. maybe next year. maybe not. only God knows, and we trust Him.
it was here that i announced that the next street must have a 'w'

there were question marks all around. i explained to their interested, smiling faces.
our children quickly realized that, of course, they too had always lived at an address with a 'w'
my I do began running through all the names of his streets. 'w' stops for him at our first shared address, he came up with 'a' and 'e'
my wheels were turning as i ran back through mine, announcing I also have 'a'

so, girl love decidedly announced our next street has to have: w, a, and an e

it hit me. w, a, e. e, a, w. e, w, a. a, w, e. AWE, every street we've lived on together has been filled with a sense of awe (an overwhelming feeling of reverence, admiration, fear, etc., produced by that which is grand, sublime, extremely powerful, or the like; A feeling of reverential respect mixed with fear or wonder). We stand in awe of Him; as He moves us from here to there - as He wills.

it doesn't really matter if there's a 'w' or an 'a' or an 'e' - - ((still, i'm not denying it'll be in the back of my mind)) - - what matters is that wherever and whenever we remain in awe of Him; That every address is met with gratitude, reverence, respect, fear, and wonder for our Father God

linking with Emily

this morning

2011-07-17T13:02:00.002-04:00

this morning Alastair Sterne quoted Archbishop William Temple:
"Your religion is what you do with your solitude."

that is something for me to think about.

"O Lord, reveal thyself to us this evening!"

2011-07-14T23:22:00.000-04:00

it's so good. i can't help it, i want to share it with you :)

If Christ be your one and only love, if your heart has cast out all rivals, you will not long lack the comfort of his presence. Mary Magdalene sought thus because she loved much. Let us arouse ourselves to the same intensity of affection; let our heart, like Mary's, be full of Christ, and our love, like hers, will be satisfied with nothing short of himself. O Lord, reveal thyself to us this evening! ~ Charles Spurgeon's Morning and Evening, July 14

Thanksgiving

2011-07-11T22:34:00.000-04:00

i am forever grateful, forever counting His gifts (from my 1200's)....

i am thankful that He continues to lead me in His truth (last week He remembered me to waiting on Him - it is not passive):

"Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day."
Psalm 25:5

"It is a happy thing when we can address the Lord with the confidence which David here manifests, it gives us great power in prayer, and comfort in trial. "On thee do I wait all the day." Patience is the fair handmaid and daughter of faith; we cheerfully wait when we are certain that we shall not wait in vain. It is our duty and our privilege to wait upon the Lord in service, in worship, in expectancy, in trust all the days of our life. Our faith will be tried faith, and if it be of the true kind, it will bear continued trial without yielding. We shall not grow weary of waiting upon God if we remember how long and how graciously he once waited for us." ~ Charles Spurgeon's Evening, July 8

i am thankful for a bird in the birdbath
and discovering new butterflies in the yard
for the opportunity and strength to mow the lawn
and the smell of freshly mown grass

i am thankful to pray for those He loves
the honor of standing with them
the joy of hoping in Him
peace in trusting Him
faith in the waiting

that Ann's post said this:
God, the Only one who didn’t have to, He stopped and rested to show us who need to – how to.

and the current sermon series is this:
Sabbath: The Rest of God
“…and on the seventh day He rested from all His work.”

i am thankful that He loves me
oh, how He loves me

Multitude Monday

2011-07-04T05:29:00.086-04:00

Be not afraid of saying too much in the praises of God; all the danger is of saying too little - Matthew Henry

i am forever grateful, forever counting His gifts (from my 1100's)....

i am thankful for the images i imagine as i hear the tales of toby-doo
smiling, self-comforting, sunning, and the list goes on

my reduce, reuse! cup
a sweet strawberry in my water

looking up through the trees to the blue, blue sky
looking up through the trees to the dark grey sky
looking up through the trees to the billowy clouds
looking up

that He has blessed me with eternal sisters
who love me, because He loved first
who walk with me
who pray with me
who fast with me
who love Him passionately
my eternal sisters

hearing girl love say, "doesn't the rain smell wonderful?!"
at the very same time boy love is singing his own version,
"it's raining, it's pouring, everyone is snoring!"

being reminded that waiting on the Lord is not passive

knowing that i bring nothing to the table
acknowledging that i fall short. but
oh, His grace. His amazing Grace!
i am His and i have the Light of life

this from Charles Spurgeon's Morning and Evening - Monday, June 27:

Beloved, it is not office, it is earnestness; it is not position, it is grace which will enable us to glorify God.... God is glorified by our serving him in our proper vocations.... Think little of yourselves, but do not think too little of your callings.... Let your first care be to glorify God to the utmost of your power where you are. Fill your present sphere to his praise, and if he needs you in another he will show it you. This evening lay aside vexatious ambition, and embrace peaceful content.

boy love asking me how to write a post script

the fourth of July
our nephews birthday (i remember the waiting room, the anticipation - it seems not long ago, yet it's been 11 years)
our nations Independence day
fireworks to celebrate both

this from Justin Davis:
peace is not the absence of conflict. peace is the presence of righteousness that allows a relationship to be restored. peace keeping is not the same as peace making. (Eph 4:15)

the ebb and flow
the cleansing

Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love
and his wonderful deeds for mankind.
Let them sacrifice thank offerings
and tell of his works with songs of joy (Psalm 107:21-22)

Blessed Be His Name

2011-07-03T21:13:00.001-04:00

waiting

2011-06-30T16:06:00.000-04:00

an eternal sister sent me an invite to this song.... i have taken it in & i have made it my own.

and now i share it with you :)

Multitude Monday

2011-06-27T09:55:00.000-04:00

^{Psalm 107}
¹ Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;
his love endures forever.
² Let the redeemed of the LORD tell their story—
⁸ Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love
and his wonderful deeds for mankind,
⁹ for he satisfies the thirsty
and fills the hungry with good things.

i am forever grateful, forever counting... eucharisteo from the 1100's

Joi Williams basketball camp for girl-love and boy-love
their tales of fun, discipline, learning, and laughing

being home to enjoy conversation with my I do

clean sheets and
laundry dried out on the line

last Saturday, our day at the beach with the Dutch princess
the beach bag she gifted
sun, sand, and surf
sand fleas and mussels captured and placed in a beach pail for observation
a stop at mcdonalds on the way home
the Dutch princess saying, "let's sing!"
singing every song we could think of
all five voices singing Amazing Grace

my reading A Lineage of Grace

eight-year-old boy-love sweaty kisses
ten-year-old girl-love sitting on my knees talking with me at basketball

looking back to realize service was sometimes where i least expected it
opportunities to serve, outside of the box
opportunities to serve within the box

I will praise you, LORD, among the nations;
I will sing of you among the peoples.
⁴ For great is your love, higher than the heavens;
your faithfulness reaches to the skies.
⁵ Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;
let your glory be over all the earth.
-Psalm 108

²⁴ The LORD bless you
and keep you;
²⁵ the LORD make his face shine on you
and be gracious to you;
²⁶ the LORD turn his face toward you
and give you peace. (Numbers 6)

gratitude, His grace written on my page

2011-06-20T06:57:00.001-04:00

forever grateful, forever counting (from my 1100's)

that for the first time, they wished to talk with me daily
the way their voices sound so small on the other end of the phone line
listening to them play the song they composed together
the story of the one that ate the bait and got away
the ice cream treats delivered by the neighbor who just happens to be the Baskin Robbins man
the burying of treasure, to be dug up on their next visit

bunny-love relaxing in our seen-better-days, crushed velvet, gold chair

fresh tomatoes from our container garden (ha! it's one container)

the excitement of closing one school year and opening another
new beginnings, full of anticipation
that she sent the email that said 'check this out'

that (unknowingly) we both read this e-book and were blessedly surprised to share in the sharing

baby girl born; both she and her mother, beautiful and safe
a loving and proud grandma sharing the news

whenever i am asked to play the ice breaker game where you state an adjective that describes you which begins with the same letter of your name, i am blessed to say, "thankful"

phone dates, eternal friendships
prayers

i am thankful that the term "princess" brings a picture to my mind
(it's not Snow White, Cinderella, or Belle)
she is beautiful (His daughters are - Love within, radiating), and no one cares that her dress is worn (it's from adventure and battle - she is a warrior)

the beauty of His children as they trust Him,
as they marvel at the wonder of His miraculous ways

books of remembrance and gratitude; His love recorded, His grace written on the page

knowing that i am not perfect
knowing that i cannot be perfect
knowing that His perfect love casts out fear (1 John)
that i am free to be me - the who i am, because of Whose i am

safe travels for all
road trip with my mom
returning home with our beautiful children

visiting an aunt born in 1922
her stories, her story

our guest, the Dutch princess
her laughter
the way she stops mid-sentence to sing a line or two of the song playing on the radio
(i'll forever smile a smile of her remembrance when i hear, "i was made to love you" and "i refuse" :)
a special recipe she prepared for us

the 'fun' picture

and the joy in my prayers and great hope for her future (Jeremiah 29:11)

~ ~ ~
i would like to go on and on....
there is so much more, for i am richly blessed.
oh how He loves me so,
and oh how He loves you!

may The Lord bless you and keep you;
the Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you;
the Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.
(Numbers 6:24–26, NIV)

Multitude Monday

2011-05-23T06:51:00.001-04:00

i am thankful, ever grateful, forever counting. again, i find myself short on time to type it out. nonetheless my gratitudes abound; all glory, honor, and praise to God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ.

Multitude of gratitude

2011-05-09T06:47:00.001-04:00

forever thankful, forever counting His gifts #1018-1034

i am thankful for this breath, and the next, and the one after that

i am thankful for the cliche' that reminds us today is called the present as it is a gift

i am thankful for ten minute cat naps

i am grateful for His confirmation to my seeking heart
as Beth said, "love with insight... the world says 'love is blind' but God calls us to love with insight"
And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God. Phil 1:9-11

i praise Him for the fragrant offering of her sacrifice
He asked her to lay her feelings, time, energy, resources... her heart on His altar; He asked her to love not because one is deserving but because He loves. she answered, she let His love flow through her to one who does not love. her sacrifice is beautiful

Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. Eph 5:1-2

i am thankful for the knock at the door, and the smiling neighbor who delivered a fragrant rose for our pleasure

i'm thankful for my I do, who laughed at my spontaneous crazy (good-bye shower curtain :)

i am thankful for His richly blessing their va-ca

i am thankful for His Sacred echo, again and again - - yes, i have said it before: all of life is a Sacred echo

and Isaac echoed Beth: forgive, pray, bless. sometimes we are restored, sometimes we aren't, and sometimes there's no wisdom in restoration.
and then he echoed Mary Beth: we don't muster up the courage/strength, we trust Him ((for perspective))

i am thankful for perspective

i am thankful for how He connects the dots. and for my realizing that every experience, word, and moment is in fact one of the dots
while i cannot see the big picture, i know He is connecting the dots - trust.
trust.

i am thankful for our beautiful loves, girl love and boy love

i am thankful.

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5

Multitude Monday

2011-05-02T15:18:00.000-04:00

# 1008-1017
ever grateful, forever counting His gifts...

girl love singing 'Rock-a-bye-baby' to her bunny love

being remembered that "God calls us to practice it, not perfect it"
and hearing her say that "practice takes the pressure off - we practice and He transforms us"

going back to read her year of practice
"I can learn to be faithful in the small and ordinary.
Productivity will be birthed through practice."

and reading my year of faithfully relevant, again
"may i live in the knowing every moment.
He is Faithful and Relevant is in Him alone.
by His grace may i be faithful and relevant to His glory and to the blessing of others,
The Year of Faithful and Relevant.
so be it, truly (amen)."

how He's blesses me to share life with these beautiful women who are trusting in Him alone (yes, He is ever trustworthy)

this from Ann's:
“How do you spell receive? Is it the ‘i’ first or the ‘e’?”
“E,” I murmur, trying to tear off a bit of tape.
It’s not the rule about the “C” that makes me remember, but this: You can’t ever get receive right if the ‘I’ goes first. We always must let go of the ‘I’ if we are to receive anything at all....

and this too:
“It’s okay. Even when a heart’s broken”... she gently touches it’s raw edge, “His love’s still around me everywhere. And maybe the love get’s in easier here where it’s tore?”
All day she sings it and I listen to her wandering, “I can sing of your love forever,” her song a broken-hearted hallelujah rising on healing wings.

and i am thankful for stumbling upon these pictures and the warmth in the fondness of these memories

May we continue to take note of His blessings as we rejoice in tHis day

Monday smiles

2011-04-25T06:42:00.001-04:00

#980-1007
i am forever grateful, forever counting His gifts...

the way boy love crinkles and smooshes his face when he is just about to exaggerate his laughter

our afternoon walks and the discoveries of my adventure seekers

that girl love cared for a disabled monarch
how they took turns allowing it to climb on a finger and then slowly walk so that "Buddy the butterfly" could enjoy the feeling of flying
the sorrow at its passing, wishing she could've done more... and her thankfulness for the week shared

play dates at the park with their bff's

knowing our Savior is alive, He is risen!
Lent, Holy Week, Easter
being encouraged by the joys and challenges of His children fasting, in Him alone
the privilege of 'watching' my niece follow Him so bravely, courageous in her Lord!

girl love grocery shopping
girl love cooking
the library where she checked out the cookbook
the delicious meal!

waking to my I do kissing me, wishing me a happy birthday
birthday banners he hung in my honor
boy love waking, rolling over singing, "Happy Birthday to you"

cards from those who by His grace love me as i love them :}

a message filled with warmth and hope and encouragement... and my ensuing prayer to be the woman she sees me as, reflecting Him

38 dimes! one for every year :)

The Party of Five (4 of 'em) at my door bearing birthday love and gifts

ice cream sandwich birthday cake

three ice cream cones (3 tens) + 8= 38
gotta love it :]

the bouquet of wildflowers the girls picked for me

her gift of the cutest -t- birthday cake ever :}

beginning Loving Well on the first day of this new year He's gifted me
and as if all that wasn't too much already - presents delivered in the mail

and the joy and fun in mentioning bunny love's early morning discovery- breakfast as served in the wild?

Thank you for stopping here this day; Let us come before Him with thanksgiving! Psalm 95:2

Multitude Monday

2011-04-11T13:20:00.004-04:00

# 958-979 i am forever grateful, forever counting His gifts...

witnessing Him at work in the lives of those who choose to meet and share around our kitchen table
completing Simplicity
and an 'all in' for Loving Well

eyes up, eyes forward

that my I do chose to leave work at work for a week of vaca with us

safe and fun filled travels of the Fantastic Four
a full day's play of zip lining, mega jumping, adventure courses, white water rafting (with the infamous Captain Dan), and rock climbing at USNWWC
go kart racing with Aunt Cindy
miniature golf with Mimi and Poppy
laser tag with all
an afternoon walk through the park with the pups
a morning at the Carolina Raptor Center

hearing someone say "Sarah Grace" and all four heads turn to look; then we look at one another, each smiling that love smile
Magic Kingdom at night
fireworks and riding Big Thunder Railroad in the dark
hearing a wee one, somewhere in line, excitedly cry out "Abba, Abba!"

reading Choosing to SEE aloud/together with my I do
that girl love asked to read it, and she is

getting back into the 'swing' of school, work, and all of life lived in the daily of here
eight-year-old boy love narration

the anticipation of phone calls soon to be made, sharing our lives across miles

Quotable quotes

2011-03-30T10:32:00.000-04:00

"This means that we trust all that the love of God does; all He gives, and all He does not give; all He says, and all He does not say. To it all we say, by His loving enabling, I trust. Let us be content with our Lord's will, and tell Him so, and not disappoint Him by wishing for anything He does not give. The more we understand His love, the more we trust."

~ Amy Carmichael, Edges of His Ways

Yay! it's Monday (:

2011-03-28T07:09:00.006-04:00

one day i will move past the phrase and the daily repeating, and it will just be - because i know that it is. however, today i say once again: oh, His Sacred echo!

a few weeks ago i read the final chapter of Ann's One Thousand Gifts, and this past week Bible study focused on choosing the best; we completed a chart and looked up verses on the topic of sacrifices pleasing to God. the beautiful echo:

Psalm 116:17
I will sacrifice a thank offering to you and call on the name of the LORD.

Hebrews 13:15-16
Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess his name. And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.

I am thankful for what He is doing in and through Ann. I am thankful for her invitation to each of us to make it personal (through both her book and the gratitude community).
In reading Hebrews 13:16, much comes to mind... but today I am drawn to Multitude Monday and the Gratitude community where we record the good and we share it with others, where He is praised again and again - as it should be.

i am forever grateful & forever counting... Enter His gates with thanksgiving, And His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him; bless His name. Psalm 100:4

the gifts, 930-

the opportunity to try it again, differently
knowing one day we'll get it!
until... we need to try it again, differently :)

safety goggles, as
you never know when that elusive acorn is gonna fall :)

the moon in the afternoon

puppies patiently waiting for piano practice to be completed

bunny love in her new harness - girl love's hopes of going on walks

she's ten & he's eight!

the way lingering raindrops look like jewels in the morning sunlight

the gift of invitation, the gifiting of her many resources, the fun shared, and the Allelujah banner made together

Lenten fasting

prayer requests for the trusting,
knowing it is Him alone who's big enough

being remembered that five years ago girl love looked like this

the daily reminder

that math is also art for boy love

that my I do had a happy birthday too

discovering our 100-year-old penny

boy love's excitement in finding the food chain in action

girl love accessorizing bunny love

our neighbors kindness in the sharing of telescope

pajama viewing of the 'super moon'

Bible study basics that are making it real

time shared with ladies living it real

this quote: Your challenge will not be in separating out the good from the bad, but in grabbing the best out of all the possible good" -Gordon MacDonald's Father

Praise Him!
Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth.

Worship the LORD with gladness;
come before him with joyful songs.
Know that the LORD is God.
It is he who made us, and we are his;
we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving
and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name.
For the LORD is good and his love endures forever;
his faithfulness continues through all generations.
Psalm 100

quotable quotes :)

2011-03-23T13:15:00.000-04:00

"We enter into solitude first of all to meet our Lord and to be with Him and Him alone. Our primary task in solitude... is to keep the eyes of our mind and heart on him who is our divine savior. Only in the context of grace can we face our sin; only in the place of healing do we dare to show our wounds; only with a single-minded attention to Christ can we give up our clinging fears and face our own true nature.... Solitude is a place where Christ remodels us in his own image and frees us from the victimizing compulsions of the world but by our new mind, the mind of Christ. Silence prevents us from being suffocated by our worldly world and teaches us to speak the Word of God."

— Henri J.M. Nouwen (The Way of the Heart)

Multitude Monday

2011-03-21T21:32:00.000-04:00

forever grateful, forever counting His gifts #881-893

rain
the pitter-pat, the downpour
boom of thunder, roll of thunder
drops dripping off the roof into the rain gutter

and sunshine and
the swimming pool just out the back door

folding laundry in the washroom and listening
hearing boy love sing as he washes hands
and in another room girl love sings while sweeping
knowing i am hearing His shouts and His whispers of love all around

that she calls to share all of life with me, living eternity now
that she calls inviting me to celebrate, live wholly, holy living

thinking on this:
mosaics of Grace

((i found this tucked away in the drafts :))

Multitude of thanksgiving

2011-03-21T10:26:00.001-04:00

i am ever thankful, always counting His gifts
i share my gratitude with you
proclaiming thanks here, as i am thankful for

the ponderings of my heart as i too ask the question

eight-year-old boy love saying:
"Mommy!! Listen toooo t-h-i-s!
'Sticks and stones may break your bones, but words will never hurt you,'
Isn't that crazy?!! Words can hurt you, that's just crazy."

children multiplying, playing together in the side yard
their laughter, their noise

a Kenyan accent for Sunday morning sermons

His living Word...
Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, ²⁰ by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, ²¹ and since we have a great priest over the house of God, ²² let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. ²³ Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. ²⁴ And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, ²⁵ not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. Hebrews 10

Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. 14 But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. 15 Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. 16 For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. 17 But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. 18 Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness. James 3

Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, 2 and he began to teach them.

He said:

3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
5 Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.
6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.
7 Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
8 Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God.
10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. Matthew 5

may we continue the counting as His gifts are endless :)

Monday of Multitudes

2011-03-14T13:32:00.003-04:00

oh, the joy in listing even a few of the many:

i am thankful
that
i have learned...
all of life is a Sacred echo, if only i am listening

i am thankful that it is a broken toe, nothing more
i am thankful that his is a stomach virus, nothing more

i am thankful for my I do who loves through the hurt

i am thankful to pray for many (babes in hospitals, all of Japan, boy love...)

i am thankful for my mom who risks for the adventure of time with us

i am thankful for His miracle of a Jonathan-David friend... Kara

i am thankful for His blessing of an eternal sister who loves in the not-so-good as passionately and victoriously as she loves in the good, gooder, and goodest... Kim

i am thankful He's blessed me with a woman after His own heart who lives just down the way and chooses to share in the daily of this journey... Kelly

i am thankful for friends of old who are never more than a phone call away... Jennifer, Karla, Tracy, and the many more

i am thankful for neighbors turned friends... Teresa, Randee, Debi, Rebekah

i am thankful for friends via blog... Emily and Ann (well, sorta :)

i am forever grateful & forever counting... Enter His gates with thanksgiving, And His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him; bless His name. Psalm 100:4

Multitude Monday

2011-03-07T05:19:00.007-05:00

i am thankful that i have found myself short on time here because time with my family has been long

i am thankful for Love and the love that flows because of Him

i am thankful for family and for friends and friends who are family and for my family of adoption, as we cry out, "Abba, Father"

i am thankful that this week has been full of wonderful moments and not so wonderful moments, which i am still learning i can give thanks through them all

i am thankful that here, in this counting i am drawn closer to the Giver of all gifts

i am forever greatful and forever counting - - and as i have heard the Sacred echo here, there, and everywhere: gratitude leads us to Grace

when, why, how, where

2011-03-03T14:08:00.009-05:00

my husband used to call me tigger. he said i bounced. among my temporal, earthly treasures i still have the small statue of tigger he gifted me those many years ago.

i appreciate it more in this moment than i ever have... tigger's hand is open, as is mine - in praise of my Father and open to receive and pass on each of His gifts.

my in-laws used to call me hyperactive, said i was full of energy - all of the time. and
i used to laugh more (without having to remember that i want to laugh more).

when did i change? why? how did it happen? where did she go? i miss that bouncy, energetic, hyperactive, laughing me.

i am me. i am who i am, by His grace. praise Him.

i'm not self loathing, nor am i discontent - maybe just a little disappointed because i really do miss that bouncy, energetic, hyperactive, laughing me...

linking with Emily

Multitude Monday

2011-02-21T05:57:00.003-05:00

God always gives you all the grace you need. So you will only have to suffer for a little while. Then God himself will build you up again. He will make you strong and steady. And he has chosen you to share in his eternal glory because you belong to Christ. Give him the power for ever and ever. Amen. 1 Peter 5:10-11

forever grateful, forever counting His gifts #841-880

how He loves me, His Grace
and how even still, somehow, there always seems to be more

i did not know that i had missed it, but there's just something about having two people in love with Jesus, completely focused on Him - (who you love and know and they also love and know you) - standing by your side singing to Him; Sunday worship with my I do on one side and K love on the other
being remembered in an unexpected way of Truth learned long ago: we need authentic community - where we first and foremost love Him and we also love one another

how He has blessed me richly with those who love me, truly

the way Valentine's day gives permission to express love in a fun and carefree way

belated birthday celebration at Sweet!
arriving to a line out the door (it was Valentine's!) and
all smiles all around embracing the fun and happy
that not one of the seven needed to choose joy as we were each joy-full

this adorable valentine for us, her hand-made bird

girl love's valentine gift from her bff

making valentine's

how my cheeks blush humble red in the reading of her exhortation
and that when the deceiver comes i choose to take every thought to Jesus...

and how we often talk together of Sacred echoes and then there is yet another
“And a state of mind is — taking captive every wandering thought. Why not make all these worries obedient to Christ, the very Person of Peace?”

eight-year-old boy love asking me to assist in his latest aeronautical creation

going with friends to watch their youngest daughter play competitive college golf

boy love singing whole heartedly at his third piano lesson
hearing instructor say, "that was fantastic! but will you play it again, this time naming the notes?"

that He is changing me, the continual transformation...
presently, He's changing me through the reading and the choosing and the living of
the dare of one thousand gifts

that He is changing those i love, the continual transformation...
He's changing them through the... dare of one thousand gifts

that He is changing those i do not know, the continual transformation...
He's changing them through... the dare of one thousand gifts

that He invites you (Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name, Psalm 100:4)
that she's invited you
that they've invited you

that i wonder, is it possible to seek Him in the reading of
the dare of one thousand gifts and not choose to live the Eucharisteo?
is it possible to not be a life changed in this Grace, this Thanksgiving, this Joy?
and that i do not believe it is

that running is a positive outlet for the physical 'stuff'wanting to explode
that girl love asks to run with us, as she desires to be a part of the healing process
witnessing the changing
cool, calm readiness to try again

the fantastic four together on a weekday at a sporting event
feeling the roar of the engines in your bones
ear plugs
(i know it's bad for the environment) seeing a lone white balloon against the blue, blue sky float up, up, and away
cheering loudly
fresh air

BIG shadows of small lizards

my camera, with its missing pieces
missing my camera b/c i left it behind
knowing i will get it back - later
greater appreciation for my camera with its missing pieces

nine-year-old girl love saying:
8:18; 8 x 1 = 8

that nine-year-old girl love will be ten-year-old girl love by the next Multitude Monday

~ The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen. (Philippians 4)

the basics

2011-02-18T07:59:00.000-05:00

We've been working through Becoming a Woman of Simplicity. It's a great study and we are enjoying meeting together to review each lesson. There's just this one thing, we've made it to chapter six now and each week someone has said, "This is good - - but it is still the basics; it's stuff I already know." And so each week we've discussed how it is good for us to renew ourselves in the basics, re-fortifying the stones resting on the Chief Cornerstone... nonetheless, women are wondering if there is more...
Before we began two of us prayed, and this study was suggested by a mentor of hers. We were excited, eager, filled with anticipation for the discoveries, the learning. So, why is it it all seems so basic? a review of the known? even digging deep it seems we're missing depth.

Last week I began my routine: opened the study, my Bible, began praying for my personal time of study, for each of the women in their study, for our meeting together, and then I asked Him to help me see something new and wonderful in what we feel to be the basics. I began working through the chapter. Good stuff, good foundational stuff. I set it aside.
I continued in the daily. Life lived. Laundry. Reading. Cleaning sinks. Cleaning toilets. Prayer. Schooling. Bible reading. Dishes. Conversations with eternal sisters. Reading Ann, listening to her discuss her book. Giving thanks. And you'll never guess... it happened. The Light began to shine and I could see what I had been missing; what I think we've each been missing as we review these basics.

Here's the thing. When I look at what a life lived by the basics should look like, and then I look at what my life actually looks like - ugh.
I need the basics even more than I could've imagined. I need to return to the basics, to the One Thing, and let all else spring from there, from Him. As it should be. John 15:5 is softly running through my mind.
I need to be mindful of what life with Him as the center, the One Thing, the everything can look like. Beautiful. Fruitful. Rested. Faithful. Relevant. imagine that :)

Multitude Monday(s)

2011-02-14T05:57:00.002-05:00

forever grateful, forever counting His gifts #774-840

if i were to list each one here we'd still be reading them tomorrow and miss the opportunity to enjoy today :}

becoming aunt tobi to the rhythmic flow of Cadence (1/28/11)

that i hung it crooked and
it's ok... it is what it is

piano playing of girl love and boy love
the way he sings and enjoys himself as he plays
the passion she displays when playing a more difficult song she's almost mastered

this quote from Ann's
That is always the thing: to make a point of moving slow enough through life to really see.

meals shared together
the reading of His Word during and after meals

reading a blog post full of joy
reading a blog post full of intrigue, drawing me closer to Him alone

His Love and
that even though He already knows, He hears my prayers

a spring cleaned pool in February winter

late night talks with my I do

that girl love and boy love know clementines are happy too

the gift of homeschooling

girl love hanging on her daddy's neck

the fantastic four being together on a weekday

errands, piano lessons, and basketball... together

seven-year-old boy love just showered, hair kinda all over the place, smiling bigger than big as he says:
"my hair looks like Pete's, doesn't it?"

that everyone who passes says, "i'd take it down"
and so, not for me - i take the crooked down

better :)

the Dare to live fully right where i am
enjoying the first two chapters and videos with my K love

that they gave us a week!!
enjoying every second of The Great Eight together
laughter echoing through the house
talking face-to-face
nephew love playing the piano beautifully, masterfully
an afternoon walk, late night movies (The Book of Eli :)
Epcot with their grands and a birthday lunch in France
a bff date with K love
picture hanging x 2

waking to the sounds of giggling sweetness as our girls begin a new day, bliss
the gifts of 1,000,000 hugs

The Adventure Kids and their turtle, their minnows, and their microscopic slides of boo-boo blood

uncle G-money returning with a santa-like-giddiness, sack full of gifts

final hours of this time of togetherness
the teary-eyed longing as they drive away - - (i didn't know i could be moreso, but it makes me all the more thankful for the gifting of K love, and her I do, and my neice and nephew loves)

our boy love turning eight

the memories of the early morning he came from womb
that his birthday is also gift to me from Him

realizing- AGAIN- that The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
and then, though that is more than enough, there's more...
He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters.
He restores my soul;He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life And I will dwell in the house of the LORD Forever. Psalm 23

towels of bygone years to soak up washing machine water
the scratch & dent store, and the blessing of
the new washer & dryer

the father daughter dance
her smile and
his too :}

and that boy love opted out of going out because he wanted time with his mommy all to himself :]

the bewilderment as the veterenarian assistant said:
Patch if is fine; however, we cannot neuter him as...
Patch is a girl :)
the fun in this astonishing information
girl love saying: no wonder he wasn't offended when i put those pink ribbons on his ears :}
and the smiles as we're making the switch from 'him' to 'her'

i am thankful for the gifts that abound in each moment
i am thankful for the gift of each moment
i am thankful that Ann began counting, and then invited us to count too
i am thankful

Praise the LORD. Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever. Psalm 106

Happy Valentine's Day :)

arrogance

2011-02-02T14:59:00.054-05:00

i can't believe how arrogant i can be

i've experienced God's character through Christ's Love and i have made some assumptions
i've assumed that i can kinda, somewhat, sorta know what His best for us probably looks like. generally speaking, of course

i read of Jesus when He was here, the Word Incarnate. i read how He shared Life with everyone He was with
Healing, Protecting, Restoring, Feeding, Ransoming, Loving

and then i paint a picture of what can and what cannot be 'God's best' or His 'perfect will' for us, for me

O - U - C - H O - U - C - H O - U - C - H
my arrogance hurts

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." Isaiah 55:8-9

what was i thinking? did i forget Job? or could i forget that verse in Romans 8 that has been quoted to me again and again for such a time as this:
Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. ²⁷And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. ²⁸And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose...

and, yes.
as oftentimes, there is an echo... i hear Gene Edwards:

You are going to know your Lord by faith or you will not know Him at all. Faith in Him, trust that is in Him... not in His ways... The question is not, "Why is God doing this? Why does He not answer me? I need Him desperately, why does He not come rescue me? Why did God allow this tragedy to happen to me, to my children, to my wife, to my husband, to my family?" Nor is it, "Why does God allow injustice?"

The question before the house is this: "Will you follow a God you do not understand? Will you follow a God who does not live up to your expectations?"

Your Lord has put something in your life which you cannot bear. The burden is simply to great. He was never supposed to do this! But the question remains, "Will you continue to follow this God who did not live up to your expectations?"

                       And blessed are you if you are not
                       offended with me. Jesus, Luke 7:23

and so i think again on the kinda, sorta, somewhat... and i think again
the stomach virus. the woman raped. the man beaten for walking down the street. the child molested. the father killed when a bomb blew up the building he was working in. the mother with cancer...

PLEASE, don't hear what i am not saying. PLEASE, PLEASE, hear what i am saying

God is God. He is Good. He is Love.   and we live in a fallen world.
i have not forgotten what began with adam and eve and what continues with each of us

This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, ²³ for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, ²⁴ and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. Romans 3

i'm saying
how did i get to the place where any one thing could not be God's perfect will for the innocent child, or for a stranger i've never met, or for my friend, for my children, for me? who did i think i was to decide?

At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship and said:

“Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised.”

His Grace. Oh, to behold His Grace. Grace.

i worship.
though i oftentimes do not understand, i know. i KNOW I AM.

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. —Romans 5:1-2

may the name of the LORD be praised

linking with Emily

Multitude Monday

2011-01-31T07:47:00.003-05:00

forever grateful, forever counting the multitude of gifts 751-773

that girl love sweetly,
innocently,
seriously asked her daddy,
"what should Patch call you - Grandpa?"

hearing her say,
"Patch say 'hi' to your Bubbie" (me :)

that boy love is thrilled to be Uncle
and all of the fun and silliness of a pet owner

i am thankful for sunglasses and lotion
and our refrigerator
and fresh fruit
and sunshine

and this
flipping through a journal of days gone by and
reading this prayer penned by my hand (copied from Sally Clarkson)
No matter what my life holds, I will choose, with the eyes of my heart, to see Your goodness, to trust You in all seasons of life, to seek to dance with You in the joy you have provided. I will choose to bring Your light into the dark places of my life. I will, as Christ, for the joy before me in eternity, see things from an eternal perspective and recognize Your hand of love in each moment of my life. I will sow seeds of faith, hope, and joy in the garden of my heart, so that I will reap a harvest of joy. As an act of my will, I will follow Your lead from this day forward.

knowing the year of Faithfully Relevant has been lived before, only it didn't yet have a name
understanding the year of Faithfully Relevant will be lived again (Lord willing), only it will have a different name

that she called from the east
and she'll be here Wednesday :)

the kids playing out in the side yard with friends
my health, i can run the bases too :]

that i am doubly loved
Mom and Kara ordered me a copy of Ann's book
that Mom was able to bless another with One Thousand Gifts

again and again and again

2011-01-24T23:47:00.001-05:00

two weeks ago i was thinking on this:
Everything we possess that is not necessary for life or happiness becomes a burden, and scarcely a day passes that we do not add to it. ~Robert Brault

Sunday my eyes were welled up with gratitude as i sang Chris Tomlin's Enough

All of You is more than enough for all of me

For every thirst and every need

You satisfy me with Your love

And all I have in You is more than enough

today reading to my children... just listen in:
One night George came home weary from traveling. Mary met him at the door with a smile. "Come and see how good it all looks," she said...
As George looked around the room, his heart sank. His house was beginning to look like so many other houses he had visited- cluttered with things... things that would mock his attempt to live only for God.
He sank wearily into his chair. "They have to go," he said in a low voice. "What has to go?" Mary frowned. "Everything... everything that's not necessary has to go."
"But why?" stammered Mary, turning pale and sinking into her chair.
"Because," replied George, "I travel from one end of Devon to the other preaching that the Bible is to be taken literally... Jesus said, 'Sell all you have and give it to the poor,' didn't He?"
"Yes, but..." said Mary. "But what?..." said George.
Mary opened her mouth and then closed it without saying a single word.
The next evening when George came home... sitting on the china cabinet was a stack of pound notes.
~excerpt from Christian Heroes: Then and Now, George Muller

and hours ago i typed this to think on:
Our Lord did not teach detachment from other things: He taught attachment to Himself. ~ Oswald Chambers

just now i read this:
Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful. ~William Morris

followed by this:

Why is everyone hungry for more? "More, more," they say.

"More, more."

I have God's more-than-enough,

More joy in one ordinary day

Than they get in all their shopping sprees.

At day's end I'm ready for sound sleep,

For you, God, have put my life back together.

Psalm 4:6-8 The Message

now i call that,
a Sacred echo

Multitude Monday

2011-01-24T06:37:00.005-05:00

the gifts 721-750

thinking on this:
God cares more about who we're becoming than where were going... don't ever abandon your God given values over your God given dreams.... God is willing to strip you of anything that keeps you from Him... we gotta get to the place where we say, "I trust You... God, it is all Yours."
Pete speaking of us and Abraham in Genesis 12

different women
leading different lives
at different stages
all from differing religious backgrounds
adding depth and interest as
we meet and work together through the study of Simplicity
seeking the One True God,
the only common ground we need, as He is all that matters

a Thursday playdate that ran into
an impromptu dinner that ran into
the parent meeting
that ran into opportunities to choose thankfulness and
the choices made and
the fun time shared with friends

the Sacred echo to 'faithfully relevant' in this quote:
"God is so great that all things give Him glory – if you mean that they should.”
~Ignatius Loyola

Alexander Graham Bell's invention that led to
phone calls from the East to the West
and
that next week we won't need a phone!!!!

looking over the basketball schedules and
choosing joy again (practice times/days)
choosing gratitude again (travelling for wonderful reasons)
knowing it will be fabulous!

how He has matured me in this-
i used to think that the music part of Sunday mornings was for me
that it was for me to sing along & worship Him
now i know that the music part of Sunday morning is the same as every second of every day
to worship Him
and
it has nothing to do with what style of music i prefer on any given day :)
and
how He has blessed me to go beyond the simple maturation to
gratitude and enjoyment as
He has placed us in a 'church' where the style of music is
"like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're gonna get"
i am ever so thankful!!
and
how every once in a great while He blesses me with a
Sunday full of songs i would've chosen to sing in worship to Him :}
and, speaking of
these lyrics, sung together, to a different
tune and a ukulele as the primary instrument (wonderful!):
There in the ground His body lay
Light of the world by darkness slain:
Then bursting forth in glorious Day
Up from the grave he rose again!
And as He stands in victory
Sin's curse has lost its grip on me,
For I am His and He is mine -
Bought with the precious blood of Christ.

No guilt in life, no fear in death,
This is the power of Christ in me;
From life's first cry to final breath.
Jesus commands my destiny.
No power of hell, no scheme of man,
Can ever pluck me from His hand;
Till He returns or calls me home,
Here in the power of Christ I'll stand.

and then there is this (with the pictures i spoke of last Monday :)

girl love's decision - a bunny it is

his condo

picking up Patch from the breeder

the black on only his left eye (Patch :)

forever counting, forever grateful
joining with Ann and the many other Greatful Friends of Multitude Monday

quotable quotes

2011-01-20T08:52:00.001-05:00

"Very few of us are meant for a life of notoriety, yet all of us are meant for a life of significance. We should never confuse fame with greatness. The former is about what you do for yourself; the latter is about what you do for others. It is in this way that all of us have heroic lives to live." ~Erwin McManus

and so i a reminded, boy love really can be a super-hero (in the name of His King :)
and it is true for girl love :) and true for you :) and true for me, too :)

Multitude Monday

2011-01-17T06:47:00.001-05:00

forever counting, forever gratitude #696-720

perspective

safe travels

Ann and her words

friends
kindred spirits
those of the house of Joseph
sisters and brothers
who, like me, have been adopted and in Him we are for all eternity siblings

speaking of...
that my boy love is both son and brother
that my girl love is both daughter and sister

the excitement in her voice as she shared how He met her right where and when she was though she had read there before... He makes all things new, His Word is living!!

thinking over this quote:
Everything we possess that is not necessary for life or happiness becomes a burden, and scarcely a day passes that we do not add to it. ~Robert Brault read here

girl love welcoming her bunny
the smile on her face
her calling loved ones to announce the news
the bunny condo her Daddy & i constructed
the pictures that i will take and post next Monday :}

unity
us making decisions together
hope, faith, and
love
holding his hand in the car

perspective

2011-01-12T21:13:00.000-05:00

when i first read/heard this yesterday i knew i wanted to share it with you:

"How can you find joy in difficult times?
Try seeing things from God’s perspective...

We read of Paul (Philippians 1) and in our comfortable culture often have a hard time relating. It’s been too long since many of us have had our faith truly tested. Hold on, because as children of God, I can promise you that you will.

...The truth is this – when you live for Christ, make the right decisions, are bold about your faith – life may not always be comfortable and easy and there will always be those who criticize. Some of you know what that feels like don’t you?

...You know that just by saying “it’s all good” doesn’t mean it’s all good. We live in a world where the Enemy reigns. There are temptations in front of us daily. The Christian walk is not an easy one, especially when we think we have it all figured out.

Still, difficulties will come.

There will be job layoffs.

There will be failures.

There will be breakups and divorces.

There will be rejections.

There will be foreclosures.

There will be sickness and death.

There will be many unforeseen emergencies and problems.

There will be news stories of tragedies in our communities and throughout the world.

So where is God in all this?
He is where He always has been and always will be. The perspective that Paul understood is one we need to grasp.
God is moving us to a better understanding, a better perspective.
This may not jive with some of you, but the reality of Scripture is that regardless of life’s circumstances, God is still in control...

Where is God in all of this? Our Sovereign God is not abandoning us... we need perspective like Paul... God is here and He is in control." - David Tarkington speaking on choosing joy/Philippians 1. You can hear the sermon & read the notes here (Choose Joy 2 - "No accidents')

and then
as i lay under the covers, having one last bit before i turned the lamp off, there it was:

"Christ has not come to get me out of tough situations, but to live in me through them. Do you see the difference?" -Sheila Walsh
"From our perspective suffering is an evil to be avoided at all costs. But from the perspective of the New Testament, it is the character building cost of following Christ." -Chuck Swindoll
"It is the presence of God, not the absence of trouble, that brings peace." -Sheila Walsh

and today
my Dear Kara says, "Have you seen Louie Giglio's How Great is our God?"
i had not.
i watched it, just now...
"so you're at the toughest place in your life. how can you know that God is going to hold you together and bring you through? you know b/c there is a cross standing over history... it is the place where the Star Breather became the Sin Bearer where the Universe Maker became mankind's Savior & it is proof that God doesn't always change the circumstances. He did not change them for Jesus on that hillside outside Jerusalem, but the cross is also proof that God always has a purpose in the circumstances & that His purpose & His plan will prevail & will triumph through any circumstances in this world...... 'Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint' (Isaiah 40)" -Louie Giglio

the Sacred echo
perspective... perspective... perspective - may i have His perspective

Truth

2011-01-11T15:07:00.000-05:00

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." Jesus speaking in John 15:5

i am abiding in Him.

one
breath
at
a
time...

struggling today with the challenges of (joyful) parenting...

i know He knows. i am His daughter. if only i too would Trust in all things. yield in all things. love in all things... oh, sadly, they are much too much like their mommy - human. fallible.

praise Him for Grace. for Peace. for unconditional Love.

Multitude Monday

2011-01-10T00:14:00.001-05:00

forever counting, forever gratitude #680-695

the laminator they gave us all those years ago,
purchased from that office supply store on the corner of Blanding and Kingsley
just laminated bookmarks, wordstrengtheners, and geography games (Northern Europe this week :)

that girl love is taller daily (or so it seems to this 5'3" momma)

enjoying every moment of January
and
that February is coming & bringing many wonderful celebrations with it (If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” James 4 :)

girl love excitement for a long awaited pet
lying next to her in the stillness as she thinks of names
laughing with her over silly possibilities

the gifting of this book
the reading together
laughing and eyes brimming with tears (gratitude, silliness, brokenness, Hope)
a new fun favorite for us too

the joy of meeting together with neighbors & friends as we ponder our learnings,
seeking to hear all He has for us
And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching. Hebrews 10: 24-25

a 'just because' gift
bestowed by a cheerful giver

a pastor who loves the Lord and likes people :)
who preaches Truth

being told that it is OK to feel inadequate, because
we are inadequate. and, thankfully, it isn't about us -
it's about Him, Him alone
and again i am remembered of these things and in Ann's whisper: i can hear the Barn Babe, “Apart from me, you can do nothing…”
“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." John 15:5

echo

2011-01-06T11:21:00.001-05:00

i believe in the Sacred echo
i hear it again and again,
and it always leads to Him.

yesterday i typed words read the day before that:
"This day is what matters. Today is the only day we have to give to Jesus." Isaac Hunter

and today i read these:
"I have always been struck by Moses' statement, "Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom." (Psalm 90:12)
There is certain type of focus, intentionality and perspective that we gain when we understand the capacity or quantity of our life." Gary Barkalow

"we are not as earnest as dying men ought to be... how much the shortness of our time ought to stir our hearts…to ardency of love and fervency of zeal…in our days of sojourning here!” Charles Spurgeon

can you hear it? or is it just me?
the Sacred echo

i am thankful for the echoing
the echoing of His love
as He pursues His beloved

humbled
and thankful

the only day

2011-01-05T07:57:00.001-05:00

on December 29th i read these words:

"Be all here: and be holy.
Be all here: and be happy.

Because the Presence of I AM always fills the present moment.

Be all here and be at peace… content… awake —- Alive. When I am mindful of this moment, the mind fills with God and the heart fills with peace and joy - thanks fills the prayers and isn’t the only way God can come to us is through the door of this moment? Here." ~ Ann Voskamp

yesterday i read these:

"“would have and should have” never push forward—they only pull back. And, you can’t go back.

The only place Jesus can meet you is where you are. The only place you can meet Him is in reality. It’s now. Not because that’s the only place He is, it’s just the only place you are... You are here. So is Jesus...

This day is what matters. Today is the only day we have to give to Jesus." ~ Isaac Hunter

there is opportunity for me to become overwhelmed with my heart's desire for this year (may i live in the knowing every moment. He is Faithful and Relevant is in Him alone. by His grace may i be faithful and relevant to His glory and to the blessing of others). in the midst of the anticipation, the excitement, the fun - anxiety and angst would like a space to call their own
but (praise Him)
He calms me as these words i've read are a soothing balm to my soul and i am remembered - today is the only day and i hear James: “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.”

this year, 2011, with the name Faithfully Relevant is lived one day at a time. and as Isaac said, "This day is what matters. Today is the only day we have to give to Jesus."

Jesus, Thank You for today. It is Yours :)

Multitude Monday

2011-01-03T05:52:00.003-05:00

forever counting, forever gratitude #(sometimes there just aren't enough numbers for the counting :)

celebrating His coming and
celebrating the anticipation of His coming again

family and friends and
friends that are family

family who are willing to travel to share time with us

laughter

birthday singing from the east to the west (celebrating our Dear Kara)

family pictures taken in front of the tree

late night card games

the naming of this new year
her Year of Practice
her Year of Here
her Year of Living Victoriously
my Year

2011

2010-12-31T05:27:00.001-05:00

Happy New Year :)

Ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God’s people, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers! I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. (That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come). ~ Ephesians 1 prayed for you in Jesus' name.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

over the past few months i have been praying about a name for this new year (one more blessing from Ann).

i stopped by Ann's & she's named this year, her 2011, The Year of Here.
it's so good that i want to name my year that very same thing.
i stopped by Kara's; she's named this year, The Year of Practice.
and it too is spot on... seems like a perfect name for my year...
but she is daughter of the Most High King, Ann. and she is daughter of the Most High King, Kara. and i am daughter of the Most High King, Tobitha :) and in my seeking i keep coming back to faithful and relevant. and so i name this year, for me, Faithfully Relevant.

He is Faithful. and i long to be like my Father God. Abba. Faithful.

I will proclaim the name of the LORD. Oh, praise the greatness of our God! He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he. Deut 32:3,4
Your love, LORD, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies. Psalm 36:5
God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. I Corinthians 1:9
May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it. 1 Thessalonians 5: 23,24
Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. Hebrews 10:23
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9
I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. Revelation 19:11

and yes, it is Him alone who is Relevant.

God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” Exodus 3:14
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6
I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. Revelation 22:13

For the word of the LORD is right and true; he is faithful in all he does. The LORD loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of his unfailing love. By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, their starry host by the breath of his mouth. He gathers the waters of the sea into jars; he puts the deep into storehouses. Let all the earth fear the LORD; let all the people of the world revere him. For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm. Psalm 33: 4-9

my desire is to be like Him, my Lord of lords

and The Word speaks to me:
His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ... So I will always remind you of these things, even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth you now have. I think it is right to refresh your memory... 2 Peter 1

i am remembered of these things and in Ann's whisper: i can hear the Barn Babe, “Apart from me, you can do nothing…”

may i live in the knowing every moment.
He is Faithful and Relevant is in Him alone.
by His grace may i be faithful and relevant to His glory and to the blessing of others,
The Year of Faithful and Relevant.
so be it, truly (amen).

p.s. how are you and God enjoying one another this New Year Eve's day?

2010-12-28T08:18:00.000-05:00

this morning i read this and couldn't shake it, and i didn't want to:

"Fear is nothing to be afraid of—it’s just the door we push through to get to the other side.

And we never have to be ready — only willing.

And on the other side of that door?

One waits who knows what it’s like to face a cross. He took the worst of it for us. And only He can speak to our hearts the only words we really need to hear about our words." ~Holley Gerth

read it in its entirety here

if you can take a minute

2010-12-27T17:15:00.000-05:00

i saw this video about Depraved Indifference over at her place.
i invite you to visit her & SEE :)

i've a question for you

2010-12-27T05:17:00.038-05:00

i'm still learning to turn away from legalism.
i know we need Bible study, 'quiet time' (prayer, praise, meditating on Him and His Word), we need to to serve, we need to not forsake the assembling of ourselves together (how's church stuff?), and the list goes on. i know.

but

i also know that it is all Him. because of Him. to Him. for Him. from Him.
Him alone.
and the result of that... there will be Bible study, prayer, praise, meditation, service, etc- - because He is Love - - and as He transforms us we can't help it, by His grace we love too.

so, instead of asking:
how's your quiet time?
how's your Bible study?
how's your service?
how's your fellowship with others in the body of Christ?
and the list goes on and on

i'm asking:
how are you and God experiencing and enjoying one another today?

p.s. forever grateful, forever counting

Merry Christmas

2010-12-24T06:54:00.001-05:00

In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”

Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”

“How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”

The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. For no word from God will ever fail.”

“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.

This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.

But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”
All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”).

In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while[a] Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to their own town to register.

So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

“Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”
So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. (Luke 1,2 and Matthew 1)

i stand in awe. i am overwhelmed by His grace...
He came. He came! He came! He came for you and for me! and He is coming again.
i celebrate.

Merry Christmas, Friends :)

Wednesday gratitude

2010-12-22T12:37:00.002-05:00

forever counting, forever gratitude 654-681

her multitude monday which led to this December 20 sermon, that brought us again to this verse:

Matthew 24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

which offers answer to nine-year-old girl love questions as we celebrate and anticipate His birth and His coming again

Ann's gift for Advent and
our moments of together reading her words and
The Word ever present

this cookie scoop :)

the soften button/function on our microwave

the bakers

the handmade navities crafted with love this season

these words, read at Ann's today:
“He breathed the word, and all the stars were born” (Ps.33:6 NLT).
Our God breathes stars.
Is that the wisp of His breath rising in the Eagle Nebula?
... He who breathes stars, breathed Bethlehem Star, then took on lungs, breathed in heavy stable air.

these verses read again and again

this verse, whispered from my lips, from my heart... over and over again:

“Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.”

multitude monday on wednesday :)

impact

2010-12-09T17:39:00.001-05:00

i just heard this again.
i heard it the first time, i can't remember when...
but when i heard it just now, i knew i needed to hear it again and again and again and again

"as a culture we're addicted to knowledge & information but we really don't allow it to impact our lives... we want to study more & read more & learn something new... but the reality is real spiritual growth is going to come when we apply the knowledge... are we applying what we already know? or just trying to learn more & neglecting the application, not allowing it to change us, to impact us.... to impact others..."

sermon here:
http://www.crosspoint.tv/media/light/

everywhere

2010-12-09T12:11:00.002-05:00

everywhere i turn
He is.
and everywhere i turn
He is
      calling
              to
               me...

oh this Love,
this Love!

it is here that i linger long,
this filling that brings The Overflow

because
the stretching is upon me,
uncomfortable calls

everywhere i turn
He is.
and everywhere i turn
He is
      calling
              to
                me...

oh this Love,
this Love!

sometimes it's quiet

2010-12-08T19:57:00.000-05:00

sometimes it is
quiet

and that's ok

He loves
(i thank
i praise)

He speaks
(i seek
i ask)

He is
(i wait
i trust
i dwell)

~ ~

oftentimes the sharing is necessary,
needed.
and then there's a season like this
when this Truth is mine to learn. and
it is quiet
(i am quiet)

He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;"
~ Psalm 46:10

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens... ~Ecclesiastes 3:1

linking with Emily

quoting & pondering

2010-12-07T05:27:00.013-05:00

yesterday i was at Ann's for Multitude Monday/Gratitude Community... i usually head to a few lists to enjoy the counting & i couldn't resist the thumbnail picture of her tree (oh my affinity for trees :) and it was there that i read these words - a pondering place for me. and of course i wanted to invite you to ponder them with me :}

"As I sit here I am surrounded by a mess. Not a dirty mess, just an out of place mess...if you're a mom, you know what I mean. Winkle's guitar is on the couch with a random water bottle laying on it's side. Chocolate Teddy Grahams and a sippy cup are on one end table. My coffee cup & family bible study is sitting next to the lit lamp on the other end table. I'm sitting in my pajamas. Bread is awaiting my attention...it's time to knead. There are clothes that need folding and putting away from our weekend trip (they did at least make it to the washer/dryer yesterday).

I would probably run and pretend I wasn't home if someone came to the door. OK. That's totally not true, because I know Winkle would so take that opportunity to squeal his loudest and run to the door. I would wish I could run and pretend I wasn't home. I'm not presentable. My house isn't either. Things are out of place and it isn't what I want others to see.

I do this, though. Don't we all? Smile and say, "I'm good.", invest in the best concealer, & buy the jeans that hide those areas. I'm learning, though, to appreciate the reality rather than the perception.

Because, honestly, this mess may be me at my best. Real. Life lived out. Certainly incapable of perfection, but who knows the One who is still able to accomplish through me. Evidence of a sinner who was saved by grace living inside these walls. Inside these pajamas. Maybe the perception hides too much. It hides the Light shown among the flaws. While I may be trying to hide me, maybe in that, I'm hiding Him."

this is a quote from Erin's post found @ http://tinklenwinkle.blogspot.com/2010/12/in-this-mess.html

Multitude Monday

2010-12-06T16:50:00.000-05:00

Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth. Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations ~ Psalm 100

forever counting, 638-653

when our young loves spontaneously share details of their latest read
(not realizing that they are, in fact, narrating)

walking this homeschool road with other homeschoolers who also follow The Way

you, who listen and talk with me through the questions
you, who asks so that i too may listen and talk with you

girl love's artwork

Acceptance with Joy

Bearing with Love

and this, making them truly her own

our happy boy love as childhood toys pass from Daddy's hands ((from love in Daddy's heart))

an opportunity for a family day given,
the gifting received with gratitude,
togetherness enjoyed
and
songs of my Savior sung over and over again
the joining in, singing Christmas carols together
this season when Christ is proclaimed unabashedly (a whisper of Eden)

Multitude Monday

2010-11-29T05:57:00.036-05:00

“Praise be to you, LORD, the God of our father Israel, from everlasting to everlasting... for everything in heaven and earth is yours... you are exalted as head over all... you are the ruler of all things... Now, our God, we give you thanks, and praise your glorious name. ~ I Chronicles 29: 10-14

the counting of the gifts #560-637

that math is also art (girl love)

that all the house is his studio

this bookmark from my great grandma

lego originals from the fingertips of boy love

girl love working to perfect the doggie

the opportunity to participate in building an 8ft dragon :)

that his GG (great grandmother) and his sister joined in

a tea party enjoyed

the potential of sidewalk chalk realized

that boy love was invited for his first trail ride

that he flashed a sheepish grin and got back on after

forgetting to guide, instead leaning to avoid tree branch

this cocoon and the waiting and wondering that follows

that they invited others to join in the giving

that others said, "yes"

that they were able to serve hands on (again :)

that these two took time from those jam packed schedules to

invest in the lives of our boy love & girl love

that my children have opportunity to see (real life) what it looks like to love Jesus, to honor your father and mother, all while being a youth in 2010

the smiles of many taking time to drop by, say hello, and hug happy
memories from years shared
memories made this year during these days
and big news of wee ones

whispered prayers

an eternal friend that shares life with me as though we just talked yesterday,
even though it's been months

a pastor and friend who will give a minute to talk through Truth

that my parents live near,
welcoming us with open arms
the anticipation of finding the pillow gift Grandma left for them
the wood burning stove and its warmth
bonfires, my children mesmerized with the flames and grateful for the s'mores

telephones and
hubby's voice while we are away

ceilings from days gone by

baby showers and
glowing mommies to be

Thanksgiving
their excitement in menu planning

that girl love prays these words:
thank You, God - that we now turn to giving, to what we can give and do for others.
(yes, her wish list is made...)

that as Ann's wisdom permeates we find freedom and joy and
it is ok to take baby steps, as she often says:
all's Grace

the flicker of the candle burning low,
the flicker of the candle burning bright
verses of peace whispered low

the Macy's Day Parade on the tele while a meal is in the making

that our young loves realize we are to be thankful always
Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. I Thes 5
Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. Psalm 100

my boys (hubby and seven-year-old boy love) talking football

Christmas tree scented candles (balsam & cedar is my favorite!)

a surprise visit with friends
hugs all around
meeting the precious baby girl that has forever changed their lives
holding her in my arms (whispered prayers)
five children playing, their noises & laughter :)

Advent generosity

and last but not least...

these growing feet

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours

2010-11-25T11:54:00.002-05:00

“Praise be to you, LORD,
the God of our father Israel,
from everlasting to everlasting.

Yours, LORD, is the greatness and the power
and the glory and the majesty and the splendor,
for everything in heaven and earth is yours.
Yours, LORD, is the kingdom;
you are exalted as head over all.

Wealth and honor come from you;
you are the ruler of all things.
In your hands are strength and power
to exalt and give strength to all.

Now, our God, we give you thanks,
and praise your glorious name.

“But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand ~ I Chronicles 29: 10-14

((amen))

Multitude Monday

2010-11-22T05:29:00.002-05:00

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created (James 1:17-18)

the gifts 539-

i am thankfful for the way He loves

that i am His daughter (for adoption)
“I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.” 2 Corinthians 6:18
In bringing many sons and daughters to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through what he suffered. Hebrews 2:10

that i am His friend
Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. John 15:13-15

that i am His bride
Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. Revelation 19:7
The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete. John 3:29
I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. I promised you to one husband, to Christ, so that I might present you as a pure virgin to him. 2 Corinthians 11:2

and thinking of the fine linen the bride is wearing

i am thankful for whispered prayers

that He lives in us and through us and because of that
someone treasures me the way i treasure them

for prayers uniting in spirit
that where or two or more are gathered there is He in our midst
that geography does not limit the togetherness of spirits

for this quote:
I want the moments enough to let go of the mirages. I want the now, the space that doesn’t hurry, and joy’s the only next thing. I want here with it’s doing because that means living; I don’t need to get there, with it’s getting it all done — because that’s only when it’s all over and you die.

and this, which it echoes:
now

i am thankful for the counting
Ann's (who gave this a name)
Kara's (who invited me to join)
my own (praise Him)
and
yours (as i share in your blessings)

angst

2010-11-10T20:12:00.000-05:00

i am blessed to share this life with Believers
believing in the Only One there is to believe in.

she is embracing joy,
deep joy.
she's embracing love,
real love.
yet, she's crowded by the unknown.
beyond all of her desires, her efforts...
this is out of her control.

she is trusting Him for the next breath,
(you know - sometimes it almost hurts to breathe).
without Him,
without Him she cannot go on to the next second.
she has no strength, but His
no peace, but His
she has no hope, but Him alone

as. it. should. be.

she embraces, He holds
and this is beautiful.

but
why
and
how is it
that there is a measure of nagging angst? (thank you)
a question of what and why and how and when and if...
when we lean into Him so closely that the lines we've drawn begin to disappear, "i need Your peace; Father, i need You..." when we are living as we should:
depending on Him for this second, and if there is one after that...
why then are we anxious? when in that moment we should feel the greatest peace -we should be at peace
[why do we think that we were ever in control
why do we have peace (yes, counterfeit) when we think, "i've got this"]
what happened,
when did we buy into this lie?

and
we remember (praise Him)
control is an illusion. and
we may be crowded by the unknown. and
beyond all of our desires, our efforts...
this is out of our control.

peace is found in the knowing.
Truth always sets us free.
He is in control (and yes, He is omniscient).
He is good. and
we can trust Him.

"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." ~ Jesus, John 14

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7

For thy mercy is great above the heavens: and thy truth reacheth unto the clouds. Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens: and thy glory above all the earth; That thy beloved may be delivered: save with thy right hand, and answer me. Psalm 108:4-6

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11

being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. Philippians 1:6

(hallelujah, she knows)

linking with Emily

Multitude Monday

2010-11-08T06:17:00.167-05:00

Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD;

let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation.

Let us come before him with thanksgiving

and extol him with music and song (Psalm 95)

i am ever thankful for the gifts 516-538

their great excitement in discovering Smarties are made in Canada where Ann and Emily live

that they know of Ann and Emily as
alongside their mommy they have
read their stories, bits of their lives

that others so very dear to me participate in the gratitude community
the thanks they give
a glimpse into their lives,
which i celebrate

learning more from her about the 12 ways of communicating and
"eagerly wanting to develop the other end of that list, because.....
the Holy Spirit does his work" (quote from her :)

the first rainfall in almost six weeks

cards from canines (and their humans :)

girl love and boy love reading books side-by-side
books of bygone days held in their hands
the turning of their pages

one from her Mimi
read when she was about her age

one Daddy saved from childhood
wild at heart little boy now wild at heart man passing love of adventure (yes, also in typeset words) to his wild at heart son

these words passing through boy love lips:
thank you, God for Daddy
thank you, God for Mommy
thank you, God for A
thank you, God for me...

realizing that i don't often thank God for "me"
recognizing that i should, in honor of my Maker
in Whose image i am made, fearfully and wonderfully made

my hunger, my thirst
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled (Matthew 5)
the filling

pastor's words that bring a new perspective:
that temptation can be viewed as a gift, an opportunity to choose Him
No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it (I Corinthians 10)
and this reminder:
The LORD is with you when you are with him. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will forsake you (II Chronicles 15:2).
knowing that seeking Him is the focus, not the "but"

music
that energizes
and i dance
that soothes
and i sway
that sings of peace
and i flow
music made by His hands,
as the wind blows and the river flows
and i kneel

the way that i am loved (again and again and again)

yesterday and today

2010-11-03T18:37:00.000-04:00

we talk of the significance of first impressions
they can be far-reaching, no doubt
but what about daily impressions

people that have known me since yesterday know the yuck of my yesterdays sin. people who've known me forever (or seemingly so) know the yuck of my every yesterdays sin

i wish my wrongs had been rights
but they weren't
and
it left an impression

i am humbled by those who love Him so that they forgive
i am thankful. thankful for their love for Him, their love for me
i purpose to be like them - for they are like Him

    For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
     so great is his love for those who fear him;
    as far as the east is from the west,
     so far has he removed our transgressions from us.
    As a father has compassion on his children,
     so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him;
    for he knows how we are formed,
     he remembers that we are dust ~ Psalm 103:11-14

I remember my affliction and my wandering, the bitterness and the gall. I well remember them, and my soul is downcast within me. Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, “The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.” The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD ~ Lamentations 3:19-26

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness ~ 1 John 1:9

isn't it wonderful how His grace is most significant, infinitely more so than my rights and my wrongs

people who've known me forever (or seemingly so) may have forgiven the yuck of my every yesterdays sin
He has

yesterday is yesterday.

but today,
     today i am a little more like Him
(because of Him, thanks to Him
all glory and honor and praise to Him)

Hallelujah-
Love always makes the most significant impression

linking with Emily

Multitude Monday

2010-11-01T05:57:00.004-04:00

Sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth. Sing to the LORD, praise his name; proclaim his salvation day after day. Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples.

For great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; he is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the nations are idols, but the LORD made the heavens. Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and glory are in his sanctuary. Ascribe to the LORD, O families of nations, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength. Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; bring an offering and come into his courts. Worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness; tremble before him, all the earth. Psalm 96:1-9

481-515

phone dates from the East to the West
authentic community
divine appointments in Florida

freedom and its joy
the way He loves me in the details
dancing with delight
the memorial stone that serves first to honor my King and
second as a reminder of the path He lifted me from, so i shall not trepass there again

the way that i am loved (again and again)

the artwork of our children

that i enjoy and value it every bit as much as that gracing the walls of every wonderful place you can think of

the way He humbles me

as just five minutes ago i was thinking 'poor dear' and

whispering a prayer for His peace and strength for her
and now five minutes later

i cry out to my Father, on my own behalf as i am the 'poor dear'

birthday celebrations of ten-year-old girls

homemade birthday banners

her carnival/pig theme that our girl-love was invited to assist

the birthday of an eternal sister celebrated across the miles

knowing that we have eternity to celebrate :]

an aunt who takes time to fly to FL for a visit with her favorite niece and nephew

her gift of Bananagrams and Go Nutz

the opportunity to celebrate the way He loves my friends in the details (and then some)

the glasses from Summit that make him Mr. Intiative so he can clearly see what needs to be done & do it :)

our children sharing with us what they learned

(Nehemiah was a man who saw what needed to be done and did it)

asking them: how is this lesson (His Word) changing your life? how are you going to live this out?

the seeds they planted that represent the fact that when it comes to initiative "God allows us to be a part of His process"

that pastor's delivery of His Word stirred my heart as it stirred the heart of my love
that we two are one
trust in our Father and hope in our God

celebrating friends loving a baby girl 'now'
with no worries for tomorrow
all because they too
trust in our Father and hope in our God

thankful for the opportunity to join with Ann in the counting

anyway...

2010-10-30T16:52:00.000-04:00

i am thankful He placed me on the wall anyway...

Multitude Monday

2010-10-25T08:45:00.001-04:00

Give thanks to the LORD, call on his name;
   make known among the nations what he has done.
Sing to him, sing praise to him;
   tell of all his wonderful acts.   1 Chronicles 16:7-8

465-480

the 'sweetening' He's gifted
longing, delight, and joy

hearing girl-love-niece singing in the back ground
boy-love-nephew to his mama: they're not blood related, why are they our cousins again?
girl-love-niece: they are family.
and the rest of that conversation :}

hearing nine-year-old-girl-love say to seven-year-old-boy-love, "back in my day..."

boy love singing:
Do-Re-Mi
Doe- a deer, a female deer
Ray- a drop of golden sun
Me- a name i call myself...

sunset and
a cool breeze

the way that i am loved

Jesus reminding me of first things in Matthew 6:33
   But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness...

Sacred echoes
heard in pastor's words:
- if a leader refuses to sacrifice that leader begins to sacrifice the right to lead
- a leader anticipates the future but not at the expense of today; the precedent is always: how do i best love now?
read in The Ministry of Motherhood:
As I seek to teach my children all the Biblical truths they will need to be equipped for life and also try to model for them a life of faith, eternal truth must always be the foundation of their understanding. If they can keep eternity before their eyes, they will be able to live in hope no matter what happens in this life. And rest assured, something always happens! Happiness, after all, is elusive in this life. It's a sure thing that people our children love will die. All the material things they own will disintegrate. All the status they achieve will pass away. But Christ and His kingdom will never pass away... Sally Clarkson

remembering simplicity
the candle still flickering beside verses of peace

i pray

2010-10-20T21:35:00.000-04:00

Father God,
i thank you for You. for Your Holy Spirit. for Your Sacred echo (echoing all around)

Monday it was in these words:
a God that loves her so well she cannot mistake it
today it has been heard here

and so i write:

we were going to run an errand together.
she said she needed to do a couple of things before we left
and then
              she said
       that i
                 needed to do a couple of things before we left - -

go and style my hair nicely and put on some make up.

(hmmm)
what do i do with that?

there was only one thing to do.
all praise to Him
He was and He is my strength
and (praise Him)
i gave it to Him
     laid it at His feet.
       then i smiled gently at her.

ten minutes later, just me and Him in the bathroom
i looked in the mirror
well?
my flesh wants to leave me as is
(how quickly i go from Him to me - ugh)
i reach for the make-up...
is this people pleasing?
Father, what does this look like where You are glorified?
(thank you for the question)

       Why do you think she said that to you?

i think...
she said it because she can be embarrased by my appearance.
                because she values a particular appearance.
                because she feels better being with me when i look a certain way.
i think...
she said it because of her - not because of me.

i know who You are and
i know i am Yours.
thank you, Father.
Your grace, Your mercy
thank you.

i fix my hair,
put on more make up.

i whisper: thank you, Father.
i pray for her to know His unconditional love
i pray for her to find His Truth
                     to have identity in Him alone
i pray for her to see that it is Him alone who can make us beautiful,
                     to see that we are valueable because of Him,
                     to see that our worth is found in Him alone.
i pray that i keep my eyes on Him alone.

i pray.

~ ~ ~

i praise Him.
this morning i was learning from this teaching (week 5)
nine-year-old girl-love came downstairs, wrapped in her blankie
she snuggled on the sofa beside me, we watched together
read over the notes together
watched Dove's evolution together.

she thinks it is kind of silly that people fall into an appearance trap
she doesn't get it.
all praise to our Father.
girl-love knows the truth because she knows Truth.
i pray she always remember the difference between self-esteem and self-worth.
i pray she always remains here with Him.

i pray.

linking with Emily

Multitude Monday

2010-10-18T00:07:00.000-04:00

(464)

giving thanks to The Giver that

    it
        is
             true

God, is it true that you're thinkin' of me at this moment?
    God, is it true that you hear every prayer that I pray?
         God, is it true every time my heart beats, you know it?
Well, if it's all true, then that must be you I hear saying, "Trust Me."
God, is it true out of all things you're doing on this planet,
    Could it really be true that you've counted the hairs on my head?
        God, is it true, every day of my life, you have planned it?
Well, if it's all true, then that must be you I hear saying, "Trust Me."

Trust Me, Trust Me

I'll never leave you

I'll never forsake you

Just trust me

God, is it true that your love for us is never ending?
    Could it really be true that you'd die before letting us go?
        God, is it true that not even death can separate us?
Well, if it's all true, then what can I do but put all my hope and all my trust in you?
    Well, I know it's true and I know it's You I hear saying, "Trust Me."

I hear you saying, "Trust Me."

the echo

2010-10-16T07:34:00.000-04:00

have been without internet @ home the past 9 days.
there has been good & not so good -
for me the internet is a help and
it can be a distraction
a good nine day reminder

stopped by a few of my favorite sites this morning
i enjoyed time at each

as i pull away for the rest of Saturday morning
followed by Saturday afternoon and Saturday evening and Saturday night
this is where i meander:

North America feels pretty comfortable in the middle. Balance, everyone says. I don’t know what Jesus is going to say to you.. How He might direct your life now… just don’t assume He wants you to live in the middle. Be open to the possibility …. Of something radically different.”

“God gives the world enough of what it needs. He just doesn’t distribute it.”

and here:

keeping to boundaries, and
the amazing satisfaction I am experiencing in caring for my family, because
the priorities are getting rightly ordered

Holy Spirit teaching us all things

and here:

202. for an authentic community

as you seek Him may your weekend be filled with realizations of His blessings

"Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:12-13

a gentle answer...

2010-10-07T00:39:00.000-04:00

we're on a playdate at the park; us three, four friends, and one furry companion. on the walk back we stop off at their place. my girl-love asks for a privilege and a responsibility. i grant her request...

an hour later it is discovered that it was too much, things did not go as they should have. i take a deep breath (thank you, Holy Spirit), then another. i respond, gently (His grace). it is received well.

another hour passes and the boy-love is looking for his sister. he seeks, he finds.
there are tears from my girl-love. we talk. we talk of her Father's unconditional love. of His forgiveness. of mommy's love and forgiveness too. there is peace.

i am thankful. there was a time ((perhaps yesterday)) when i may have responded less lovingly, less gentle. but this day, because of Him, in Him, i responded with a gentle answer. praise Him, a gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger (Proverbs 15:1).

Father God. Abba. thank you for a gentle answer.

linking with

2010-10-06T07:21:00.015-04:00

You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in You.
Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD, the LORD, is the Rock eternal (Isaiah 26:3-4)

as we walk with Him may we see and know Peace, because as she said 'Peace is a person'

i've joined the make your home a haven challenge.

i'm so thankful she invited us.

perhaps you'll accept the invitation too :)

Multitude Monday

2010-10-04T09:19:00.000-04:00

“He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not,
but rejoices for those which he has.” — Epictetus

gratitude with a cheerful heart, 431-447

the surprise smiley they discovered on the underside of the jelly lid

the note he left on her whiteboard

water to drink
water to bathe
water to wash

that Nicholas was able to sleep in his own bed last night

blooms on the pumpkin plants

rain

God's abc's for me

Cameron Townsend read aloud together
impact and excitement
our visit to Wycliffe

phone dates :)

the menu she made

learning about honor from Say Goodbye to Whining

seven-year-old boy love words:
"thank You God that mommy is my mommy"

receiving 'love' dimes
first from hubby
and now from our boy love

putt-putt on a cool Florida evening

abc's

2010-09-27T22:37:00.007-04:00

we hoped the fruit of the womb would bring many blessings; dh said three was good, i said four was better :]
we trusted Him.
Praise Him, He gifted two

our two, good and perfect gifts from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights
their names start with A and B
friends joked, we joked, we were working our way through the alphabet...

He is God.

tonight my hands in dishwater
talking with Him about trusting Him in all things
about His sovereignty, His love, His plan

i was thinking perhaps more children will come as Ann's most recent daughter came...
when like a ton of bricks it hit me

last year we 'adopted' a wee one from Sri Lanka (through sponsorship).
A and B chose him as our very own...
his birthday is in the same month as theirs (and he's a cutie) - they knew he belonged with us.

He knew he belonged with us.

i can't believe it took me this long to see it
guess what letter his name starts with?
yes, of course, He has given us our C!

oh how He loves me.

He has given us three :)

the joy, the hope...
the smile of contentment

but.
it is ok to wonder, to dream, to hope, to trust

will He give more?
if so, where will D come from...
i wonder will we make it through the alphabet?

i wonder what He has for us...
i trust Him.
He is God of the universe and God of my alphabet.

Linking abc's with E's imperfect prose