Be Strong and Courageous

I have been listing my gifts for a few months now and have passed the 500 mark. I have found that I seek to find the beauty in all things with greater ease as  I continue on this journey. There is just a broader presence of God in my days. Of course not every day is 'beautiful' in the moment but I have now learned that every day is a gift. It is in the breath that fills our lungs that even in the dark of night or turmoil we can see that God's hand is holding us together. One night after dropping Keith to work I was greeted with this sunset and had to stop. The Shekinah Glory that streamed down was amazing to behold. I googled Shekinah and came HERE  and loved what it to say about His Glory. The word shekinah does not appear in the Bible, but the concept clearly does. The Jewish rabbis coined this extra-biblical expression, a form of a Hebrew word that literally means "he caused to dwell," signifying that it was a divine visitation of the presence or dwellin...

Psalm 62:11 One thing God has spoken, two things I have heard: I have been really enjoying the Psalms over the past few weeks and this verse from PS 62 really resonated with me. I have also been working on memorizing the book of Colossians and it is going so well. My mind is not as dull as I sometimes think it is. 392.Daisies on the roadside cliffs - yellow polka dots! 393. "Momma are cows mammals too?" "Yes, they lay their babies live in the grass, not like chickens in an egg." "Those would be some really big eggs, Momma!" (said with hands stretched wide) 394. Morning coffee w/Katia and Tracey 395.Rain showers that lasted through the night, cleaned the air and soaked the ready soil. 396. BSF leader Helen Solem, military wife and blessing to be sure. 397.Mother's Birthday 67 years old 398.Seeing Emma run a race, and track season closing 399.Andrew's win of his last tennis match 400. Safety to 60+kids at spring JROTC camp 401. My amazing husb...

A few weeks ago I entered a give away at The Mom Creative  who was giving a way a canvas from Red Letter Words  and I chose this wonderful reminder of all things thankful. It is called Be Thankful and say so to Him . I have been reading A Holy Experience  for nearly a year now, most every day; along with having read Ann's book One Thousand Gifts  and trying to really give thanks and experience Joy more freely. So as this now adorns the kitchen wall where everyone can see, I am encouraged to keep the list going. this puts it so well Be Thankful and say so to Him;   Psalm 100:4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and praise his name.

The moon reflects the sun and so shall we reflect the Son and in so doing bring joy to the Father. I have stood gazing out my back window for nearly 20 minutes tonight taking in the Moon's amazing ability to reflect such great light, with out doing anything but standing in the path of it's light. We are to be like that, in standing in the path that God alone has carved out for us, laying down our life and standing up in the path of HIS light we are the Light. The moon appeared to be on fire tonight as the clouds try to block the suns rays from shining. It was as though it was not willing to go dim, but how often do we bow to our ways, our selfishness and let our light flicker and be dim. As I took this photo I realized my exposure setting was not letting the light into the camera. This is what we must look like to the world when we do not reflect the LOVE and LIGHT of the LORD that we say we WORSHIP.   In this last photo (actually number 30+) I real...

I have noticed my joy being smaller, all because I have stopped or slowed my notice of things that I am blessed by. So here I start anew this day the counting of 1000 gifts. I am passing 400 in awe of how Great our Lord is. In yesterdays sermon Pastor Dennis, asked the question - How do we see God? I see God as all knowing - for His ways are higher than mine (thank you Lord), I see Him as a grace giving, ever forgiving, ever loving Lord - and I am blessed to be a sinner saved by His Grace and total sacrifice! Our sermon was out of Matthew 26, about the time that Mary broke the Alabaster box and poured out the precious oil onto our Lord. Giving sacrificially and in full to Him, in preparation for His leaving to the cross. So here are my gifts that He laid our before me this last few weeks (only a few of them, as I was not taking them all in). 363. Eye sight - Andrew's is changing and glasses are in order. 364.Ponies in the field "they aer sooo fluffy" Addysen sai...

Started this morning with some time in prayer and reading some past notes from Sunday sermons. I am looking forward to rising early daily to take the time to be in God's Word with a purpose and taking the time to listen to Him and pray for my family and friends and those who God brings to my heart. There is a facebook check in and twitter (I do not not tweet, yet). It is a group of 800+ women who are meeting with God and then encouraging one another to do so daily.

At yesterdays baby dedication the pastor had the family choose a family verse, one that they were choosing to use to set as an example of what they wanted their family's walk in the Lord to look like. They had chosen Colossians 3:12-14 Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with COMPASSION, KINDNESS, HUMILITY, GENTLENESS, AND PATIENCE Bear with each other and FORGIVE what ever grievances you may have against one another. FORGIVE as the LORD forgave you. And over all these virtues put on LOVE, which binds them all together in perfect unity.  I have really enjoyed taking in all that this means to us as we walk the path of not just me as a Christian but together along with our children and with those that we fellowship with in the body, I see it as a list of how to get through every day and end it well. Pleasing  to the Lord, and a pleasure to be around.

The morning started with the alarm at 5:45 and a not so quick jump to my feet. I am blessed by the sun's light at this hour again after it being taken back by day light savings a while ago. Feet to the floor and out to the kitchen, a glass of water and my Bible to start the morning. I have been really enjoying the Psalms and the shorter epistles lately. Today as I read through the passages these stuck out to me. Psalm 48 : 1 Great is the LORD, and most worthy of praise, in the city of our God, his holy mountain. 2 Beautiful in its loftiness, the joy of the whole earth, I was struck with the glow of the hills out the window where vineyards grow and sage is green this time of year, at just how beautiful it is and how blessed I am to have it out my window. And as I continued to  read I was blessed to see this passage about growing in the Lord, trusting in Him, and the faithfulness of His Love. Psalm 52:8 But I am like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God; I trust in God’s...

So glad to hear these words today, as a mother -seeking to find the Joy and in our daily trials while keeping our sights on God!

The days of winter seem to be coming to an end, and I thank the Lord for His goodness to warm the air and grow the grass, and show the suns rays in my windows. I have been so blessed by this journey  to write these thanks out  and to be reading through the Psalms again. I read 50- 60 this week and was struck by the common thread that forgiveness and mercy are ours and "He is the Lord of salvation" Psalms 51:14, 52:8,53:6, 54:1, 55:16, 56:1, 57:1,59:10 -- they all speak to God's mercy and salvation for us! 300. Staying present in the moment with God - as my stable thought - a choice to just do it. 301. Jillane (28 months) signing uncle Keith and saying it ( my sister's little girl on a visit to our home) 302. Communion service at church being given with such purpose and clarity - such an important thing - to give Thanks!! 303. Fog strewn valley breaking clear at sunrise to show the power of  the Son's sun. 304. Lessons (hopefully) being learned in discipl...

Today I had time with a friend, and time to create and time to think and time to just be. The power went out mid coffee time with a friend and that was ok, but when it was still off an hour later I began to fret a bit (see my blog title I really do need daily reminders to not fret); then I settled into some creating and found that not having the distractions of electronics was restful to my mind and helping my creative side out. Now that 4 hours has passed with out power and having it pop back on,  I am thankful for the quick moment to check blogs and email and go pick the kiddos up; Emma from a social, Addy at school and take Andrew his tennis gear to the country club where they practice. I hope the winds slow down a bit  and I pray the power is still on when I return home since I do not have propane for the grill right now and pb&j does not sound so great to me for dinner tonight (panda's orange sauce with left over steak and stirfry veggies is what I have in mind). ...