365 Days of Blessings, Days 238 and 239

Sunday Blessings:

1. Farworld: Water Keep by J. Scott Savage swept me into an adventure for three days, even when I shouldn't have been reading it. Yesterday, on a wonderful, relaxing afternoon (after a whirlwind sleepover birthday party from my oldest) I finished it. I am recommending it to friends, and family as a great fantasy adventure read. True, it's meant for middle grade readers, and I am a "grown up" but I love younger books. I think if a book is as well-written as this one, it is for everyone.

2. Thanks to Shannon at Book Dreaming for reviewing and recommending Farworld on her blog!

3. The website for Farworld is fun!

4. More time to read blogs. I had twenty extra minutes this morning, and used it for catching up on some reading. I have been missing the wonderful, inspiring, and sometimes quirky stuff I get to read in everyone's posts. I am so thankful for blogs, and bloggers.

5. A wonderful worship that felt like a retreat into peace and hope.

6. Fun on a rope sing!

7. The way the Lord's Spirit moves us, even when we least expect it.

8. Making a commitment to a task that only God's strength will allow me to do. I feel suspended in a moment of free fall, like the moment when I grabbed the rope swing rope, looked out to the horizon and jumped.

9. Awesome people.

10. When I uttered doubt about taking on this task, my youngest daughter said, "Mom, you know the Holy Spirit called you, because there is no way you would have taken that otherwise." And then my oldest daughter and my husband chimed in with encouragement, support, and a faith in the one who guides in all things.

Monday Blessings:

1. Still taking this moment to the Lord in prayer, and getting support from friends and family.

2. Mystery skit writing with my writer's workshop adventure class. We had fun today.

3. A few funny videos to close our our Macbeth unit in Shakespeare Class. Most notably BBC's Bitesized Macbeth which made me laugh.

4. Flocabulary's Macbeth Rap actually summarizes the play in a semi-serious way.

5. Starting in on The Taming of the Shrew - one of Shakespeare's most controversial plays. Is it serious, light-hearted, a sad look at abusive spousal behavior? Did Shakespeare really mean for Kate to be taken seriously in her last speech? We'll be debating that.

6. Writing is awesome.

7. Co-op friends are fun!

8. Chemistry class starts in 20 minutes . . . I get to facilitate, set up science experiments, have fun, and be impressed by mom who teaches the class. I should be taking notes on teaching in that class. She speaks quietly to get their attention, and they are riveted in their seats for an hour.

9. Dance class tonight - preparing for the show on Friday!

10. God is in charge!!!! Yay! Not me!

Scripture Blessings:

"After Jesus had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. As he approached Bethphage and Bethany at the hill called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples, saying to them, 'Go to the village ahead of you, and as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it.’'
Those who were sent ahead went and found it just as he had told them. As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, 'Why are you untying the colt?'

They replied, 'The Lord needs it.'

They brought it to Jesus, threw their cloaks on the colt and put Jesus on it. As he went along, people spread their cloaks on the road.

When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen:

'Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!'

'Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!'

Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, 'Teacher, rebuke your disciples!'

'I tell you,' he replied, 'if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.'"
Luke 19:28-40