She Sparkles, Self Discipline, and the Blessings of Ergonomics

She Sparkles is hosting an awesome, ongoing scripture memory challenge and I've been falling behind . . .a lot. However, I'm trying to catch up today.

D - "Devote yourself to prayer, being watchful and thankful." Colossians 4:2

E - "Every good and perfect gift is from above." James 1:17

F - "For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, love, and of self-discipline." 2 Timothy 1:7

 The  F verse really hit home for me. I've been way too timid lately with my writing, and well, with a lot of different things in life. I need to remember God is with me, his love can shine through me, and he can give me the ability to have self-discipline in all things.

I gave up caffeine a while back, but gluttony has been too close of a companion for far too long. If I kicked the caffeine habit and suffered through all the pain of that, I can kick the gluttonous lazy girl syndrome. I'm not talking about 2 pounds here, I'm talking about 30 . . .and a left foot that won't heal up until I lose that weight. It's time to be serious and self-disciplined.


And now onto The Blessings of Ergonomics. I've been having pain in my right wrist and arm lately after I've been typing. My super sweet, wonderful husband bought me this perfect, unexpected present on Saturday:

And it's awesome! I can type without pain now!!! Hooray!

Now, the only pain I need to feel each day is from those leg lifts I really need to do.
I will defeat the pear shape!


Do you have any issues with timidity or self-discipline? If so, how do you deal with it?


Oh, and Guess What?! Karen Lange is celebrating her blogaversary with chocolate! Go to her blog, Write Now for details! Happy Blogaverary Karen!!!!

Blessings Blogfest

To celebrate the end of my 365 Days of Blessings Challenge, I would like to invite you all to participate in a:

Blessings Blogfest!

Here's out it works:
Sign up for the Blogfest. Put a cool picture link on your blog, and on May 31st, write up 10 blessings for the day! Then visit other bloggers, and see their lists of blessings! Let's share our blessings, and spread the joy!

G is for Goodness, and 365 Days of Blessings, Day 313

G is for Goodness!
Goodness
–noun
1. the state or quality of being good.
2. moral excellence; virtue.
3. kindly feeling; kindness; generosity.
4. excellence of quality: goodness of workmanship.
5. the best part of anything; essence; strength.
6. a euphemism for god: Thank goodness!

When I started this post a few days ago, I thought . . . oh, goodness, that will be easy. Not true. I started thinking of all the different connatations there are about goodness like "goodie two shoes", and "looking good," that don't really fit what I mean about goodness. I even thought about the section of scripture where Jesus states that only God is good, and then back in Genesis when God creates the world, and each day, He says, "it is good."

So, what happened to goodness? The fall into sin in the Garden plunged our world into something less than good/sinful, and Christ bought us back with his body and blood. When we allow the Holy Spirit to work in our lives, goodness is a fruit of God's work in us. So what does that fruit look like? A nice outfit? A great body? The kind of goodness that causes bullies to call us "goodie two shoes"? I don't think so.

And since I'm having trouble wrapping my mind around goodness this morning, what does that mean for my "good" characters in my writing? What qualities do they need to have, or actions do they need to do, that will make them good?

If I go back to the definition, I see the words "moral excellence" - ok, that's a tough phrase again for me. Does that mean never making mistakes, or does it mean admitting them, and then turning in the right direction?

Other words I see that are a bit easier for me are: kindness, generosity, essence and strength. Those are easier for me to grasp. I've seen them at work.

And there's the rub. I think I associate goodness with certain actions. Goodness means the act of giving to me. God is good. Because He is. And because He gave His son for us. Because He gave us life, breath, a world to live in, and relationships to build. He gives us good works to do.

So here are 14 organizations that represent Goodness and that I count as Blessings today (in no particular order):

1. World Vision

2. Samaritan's Purse

3. Compassion International

4. Lutheran World Relief

5. Water.org

6. YWAM Youth With a Mission

7. YMCA

8. Open Doors

9. World Mission Prayer League

10. Gideons International I have only one reservation about Gideons International, and that it is an organization that seems to be soley for men. However, I appreciate their heart for getting Bibles out to people all over the world.

11. Dolphin Research Center one of the organizations that actually does take care of the animals they work with on a daily basis.

12. Harbor Hope Cat Rescue - I wish I had a web page for this one, but they do have a facebook page now. Harbor Hope Cat Rescue on Facebook

13. Habitat For Humanity

14. Go Missions

Scripture Blessings:
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law." Galatians 5:22-23

F is for Faithfulness, and 365 Days of Blessings, Day 312

F is for Faithfulness!

–adjective
1. strict or thorough in the performance of duty: a faithful worker.
2. true to one's word, promises, vows, etc.
3. steady in allegiance or affection; loyal; constant: faithful friends.
4. reliable, trusted, or believed.
5. adhering or true to fact, a standard, or an original; accurate: a faithful account; a faithful copy.
6. full of faith; believing.

Faithfulness is every day, constant, trustworthy, and constant.

In my current WIP, I have been attempting to highlight faithfulness, and a lack of faithfulness through the story, but I know I haven't quite shown what I want to say. My MC has spouted out a bunch of stuff about faith and doubt in her dialogue, but that is so not what I want the story to be like. So, I have to sit down and revise . . . faithfully. Of course, revising faithfully every day is a struggle for me. So, it goes around. Doubt, faith, trust, daily constance, step after step for the right direction.

Faithfulness often requires a steadiness of thought, and an active decision to stick with a project, or a person. There are times when faithfulness seems to be an uncommon blessing in our world, something rare and precious. And yet, I see it in my life daily. I just need to remember to look for it.

Blessings in Faithfulness:

1. The Lord is faithful to me. He is faithful to each of us. As a shepherd, he seeks us out even when we are lost, or in danger of jumping off a cliff of our own making.

2. The Lord works in and through His Creation to show us faithfulness. In the seasons, the orbit of the earth around the sun, the growth from seed to flower to fruit, the Lord works in and around us deeply entrenched in the daily life of His creation. There are problems of course since the fall in the garden, the world and all that live in it wait for the final redemption and return of the Lord. But in the parts of creation that continue to thrive, we see God's handiwork.

3. When we turn to the Lord and turn our lives over to Jesus, He works in us and through us, growing His fruit in our lives. One of these fruits is faithfulness.

4. My husband's faithfulness to his faith in Christ. When I see him reading his Bible, I remember to pick mine up. When I see him at work in our church, I get to work. When I see him helping someone in need without being asked and often without recognition, I remember that I don't need a plan to serve, I just need to do it. When I see him in prayer, I pray with him.

5. My husband's faithfulness to our marriage, and to me. Many, many years ago - back in the dating days - we both struggled with faithfulness in our relationship. We placed our relationship in God's hands before we married. The Lord healed us both individually and as a couple, and has blessed us with honesty, faithfulness, and trust ever since. Of course, waking up every day and giving thanks for each other and our marriage helps too. (That's that daily decision to walk in faithfulness part)

6. My husband's faithful parenting. His relationship with our daughters is sweet, precious and includes those every day moments that mean much over a lifetime. Plus, he's really fun to be with . . . if anyone is going to start a snowball fight while skiing and snowboarding, it will be him. If anyone is going to find a fun spot to ski through some trees that ends in a jump, it will be him. He's a fun Dad, and a faithful one.

7. My parents faithfulness in their marriage. Their example has guided me.

8. My in-laws faithfulness in their marriage. Their example has guided me too.

9. We have some friends whose faithful marriage shines bright with love and joy. It's awesome to see. And thankfully, I'm not just talking about one couple here, but several.

10. The faithful work and service of those who come to our church every week, especially those who serve in worship.

11. Daily writing. I am thankful that I have been able to write every day in some form or fashion, whether it's here on my blog, with my WIP, poetry, or in small journal. Writing is like food for my mind and soul.

12. The faithfulness of my dogs and my cat - ok, that seems to easy, right? But the reality is, if you've ever owned a pet and treated that pet well, they reward you with amazing amounts of faithful dedication. Our dogs and our cat follow us around the house. They meet us at the door, and sit by us when we sit. They wake us up in the morning better than any alarm, and they keep us in good exercise routines . . . or can, if we walk them every day at the same time, they'll make sure we walk.

Scripture Blessings:

"Your love, LORD, reaches to the heavens,
your faithfulness to the skies.
Your righteousness is like the highest mountains,
your justice like the great deep.
You, LORD, preserve both people and animals."
Psalm 36:5-6

“'See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven.
What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should perish.'" Matthew 18:10-14


"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law." Galatians 5:22-23

E is for Exercise and 365 Days of Blessings, Day 311

E is for Exercise!

Exercise is a blessing, whether we are stretching our writing muscles, our heart muscle, our bodies, our minds, or our souls. Exercise keeps us fully alive.


Blessings in Exercise:

1.Writing Exercises keep my writing in shape, or at least stretch my abilities.

2.Writing exercise books.

3.Walking

4.Skiing

5.Dancing

6.Kayaking/Canoeing

7.Giving time and talent in service in our community – stretches our heart muscles.

8.Bible reading, prayer, worship, and serving in our church community are all soul exercise.

9.The puzzle section in the newspaper, reading new books, and homeschooling my kids all keep my mind exercised and ready for the next adventure.

10.Singing – it’s good for the heart, mind, soul and body.

Scripture Blessings:

"For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing."
2 Timothy 4:6-8

This isn't the one I was thinking of as I wrote this post, but it was the one I found this morning . . . sometimes God provides what we need to hear, and not what we think we need/want.

Sunday Blessings, 365 Days of Blessings Day 308

On Sundays, we take a break from the A to Z Challenge, so I'll be celebrating some random blessings today with no theme, no limit! :-)

1. Quiet mornings.

2. Two dogs and one cat excitedly purring and rubbing up against me for morning love, and taking turns . . . mostly.

3. The game Sorry!

4. Re-organizing some old videos so that I have a bookshelf dedicated to Worship and Music, and Homeschool Co-Op teaching - my working shelf, so to speak. This now separates our fun reads, and our general homeshool books and materials from materials I use for the volunteering and teaching I get to do. Hopefully this will help streamline my time, and allow for more sanity in keeping track of my papers.

5. A recognition of a need for a writing shelf. If the "working" shelf were bigger, I could put my writing books and notebooks on there too, but it's a half-shelf, a leftover from my college days when I couldn't carry a truckload of books with me everywhere. So now, I have plans for an Ikea trip. :D

6. Night reading. I love reading to my kids and our family at night. I have read many books that state that reading out loud is a healthy and mind-stretching activity at any age, and have experienced that to be true. We read serious, homeschool books both aloud and silently during the days, but at night we read for imaginative fun, and enjoyment. Plus, we read our Bibles out loud too. It means that I read out loud sometimes for an hour, but I wouldn't trade that time for anything else.

7. Waking up when the sky is dark and the house is quiet, except for the ticking of a clock, the beating of our dogs' tails against hard floors and the soft purrs of our cat.

8. We were given a wooden dollhouse nearly six years ago, and now my daughters are ready to give it away to another little girl, someone they thought of right away when they decided to pass it on.

9. We organized our garage sale piles yesterday. We have a big box of Barbies, and Barbie accessories including a car, a few dress up items, baby dolls and stuffed animals, a crate full of fun books, and a crate full of educational books. We're ready to give this all to the lady in charge of our dance academy garage sale, which will benefit our dance academy. My daughters are actually happy about giving this stuff away, and picked it all out and organized the toys themselves. I was amazed, especially when my youngest said, "I like my shelves and my room better now. I can see everything, and it looks pretty." They've inspired me to work on my own organizational projects. (On a side note, this does not mean I expect my kids to give away all their toys, or their meaningful ones any time soon. I still have some old stuffed animals and a doll from my childhood sitting on a shelf, and see nothing wrong with keeping those memorable lovies. I even have a few old toy cars, some wind up toys, and some dog-eared Star Wars cards.)

10. Today is the Lord's day, and I am thankful for being alive!

Scripture Blessings:

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Philippians 4:13

B is for Blessings, and 365 Days of Blessings, Day 307

My poem, "april second", is out today at Every Day Poets. Just click here: april second at Every Day Poets to check it out. I'm pretty excited about this one, even if my faith seems a little clouded with bitterness at the beginning, I think it begins to come clear near the latter half.

On a side note - I apologize for the length of yesterday's post. I understand, especially now after reading so many, that during A to Z, I might need to keep my posts a wee bit shorter. And now, on to B.

B is for Blessings! Blessings are amazing in number, variety, size, and strength. Once you get started looking for them, they are everywhere.

I challenged myself nearly a year ago to start a 365 Day Blessing Count Challenge, and it has been an interesting adventure. I can't say I've been succesful in finding brand new, completely original blessings each day, but I keep trying. And in trying, I've found blessings from the blessings.

Have you ever tried to count your blessings or develop an attitude of gratitude? How did it go?

Do you see any blessings around you right now?

These are just ten of the many blessings I've received from counting blessings:

1. The Blessing of a better attitude.

2. The Blessing of deeper faith.

3. The Blessing of sweeter relationships with my husband, my kids, and my whole family.

4. The Blessing of encouragement from friends and family.

5. The Blessing of brighter hope.

6. The Blessing of rainbow moments - finding the good in the midst of the rain.

7. The Blessing of living a "surround sound-HD" real life that has become more clear with every count.

8. The Blessing of joy.

9. The Blessing of growth.

10. The Blessing of thanksgiving that is like a gifts that keeps returning and spreading.

Blessed Scripture Blessings (there are really too many to add here):

"Rejoice in the Lord always. Again, I say: Rejoice!" Philippians 4:4

A is for Adventure! and Day 306 of 365 Blessings

A is for Adventure!

Adventures are awesome.

Whether I'm adventuring in my own yard, at Whistler, in Hawaii, or right here on my blog intertwining the A to Z challenge and my own 365 Blessing Challenge, April is going to be a month of Adventure for me. And I love adventures. Most of my favorite books have an element of adventure in them, and I love to write stories of adventure.

We all know what adventure means to us, but let's look at the official version for a moment: According to Dictionary.com, Adventure means:

1. an exciting or very unusual experience

2. participation in exciting undertakings, or enterprises

3. a bold, usually risky undertaking; hazardous action of uncertain outcome

Life is an adventure. Every day, we have uplanned, or sometimes unusual experiences that are out of the ordinary. We participate in risky undertakings when we try new things, meet new people, or even just experiment with a new recipe.

For me, adventure means to step out of the humdrum and into life lived fully.

What does adventure mean to you?

Here are some adventures that I'm giving thanks for in my intertwined 365 Days of Blessings count, and A to Z Challenge:

1. Adventures in cooking: my experimental banana cocunut muffins turned out really yummy! As a mom with food intolerances (means I don't digest many foods without pain or major discomfort) with kids and a hubby with food intolerances, I've learned that taking risks in the kitchen can lead to some sweet rewards. (and some flaming disasters)

2. Adventures in education: our family has used three very different methods of home education in the last 7-8 years. We started with fun and games with a little curriculum (preschool and kindgergarten for my oldest), then took part in a state run home study program for four years, and then switched to homeschooling with two home school co-operatives, and a mix of different curriculums. Every day is an adventure for us, and we are learning all the time, and loving it.

3. Adventures in dance: my daughters are dancers. They've been dancing since their preschool years, and in the last 2 and a 1/2 years, they've been part of a tap company at Action Dance Academy. They perform at least six times a year at competitions, company productions, and community events. They have ups and downs, and they tap everywhere they go. They've always been movers (our whole family has a need to fidget), and now they are tappers. They tap their feet in classes at our co-ops, in line at the grocery store, in the library, the bookstore, the car, at amusement parks, at their friends houses . . . everywhere.

4. Adventures in writing: I talked my daughters into participating in the NaNoWriMo young writer's program in November, and now my oldest has persuaded me to participate in the April Script Frenzy. I don't know what I'm doing, and I don't know that I'll finish, but I'm trying something new and exciting.

5. Adventures in faith: Nearly three months ago, we experienced a painful church split. During this split, my family and I prayed through all the struggles, and felt called to be part of a new church, a church plant that is just now gaining steam and direction. I've been called to a new ministry in this new church as a worship and music facilitator. We don't have a Pastor yet, but we have been getting guidance from visiting Pastors and Missionaries along the way. These adventures in faith are stretching my abilities in all kinds of ways, and I feel blessed to be a part of a growing, loving, welcoming church group committed to working together and blessing our community with the message of Christ's love and salvation.

6. Adventures in friendship: Recently, I have been blessed abundantly by friendship. A wonderful friend of mine has called me nearly every day to check in with me, and share her ideas, her troubles, her fun stuff, and to listen to my ideas, my troubles, and my fun stuff. I really appreciate her friendship, and how it has grown over time. It makes me appreciate all of my friends more, and want to check in with all my friends more often than I usually do.

7. Adventures in marriage: To many, marriage doesn't sound adventurous, but it is. Faithfully sticking by your spouse's side through joys and sorrows, agreements, and disagreements is an adventure. Laughing together, crying together, praying together, playing together, and occasionally stomping around the house together is all an adventure. Marriage is a time when two become one, and in that process, the two rub against each other like sandpaper some days, while other days are just one giant hug.

8. Adventures on family vacations x2: My parents took me on many adventurous vacations while I was growing up, and I feel that adventure is a necessary ingredient to any good vacation. This month, courtesy of my in-laws generosity, we will ski and snowboard at Whistler in Canada with the whole family - from my nine year old daugther to my 72 year old father-in-law, from our physically fit nephew who plays water polo to my sister-in-law's husband with MS - we will all ski and snowboard. Believe it or not, you can ski at Whistler even when you can't move from the neck down. They have ski tours where an individual can strap into a chair on skis and be skied from place to place by a tour guide. It's an awesome experience for the whole family.

Then, in a wild, adventurous turn of events, we will travel to Hawaii for most of the last two weeks of April, where . . . get this . . . we will Swim with Sharks. This is a big dream for my oldest daughter, who has loved sharks since age two when we first took a trip to Pt. Defiance Zoo and Aquarium and watched the sharks swim by us on the other side of two inches of plexiglass. I'm probably going to be terrified, but the Shark tour company we've decided to make reservations with has a 100% safety rating, and I liked the pictures of the very safe looking cage that we get to swim inside (with the sharks outside).

9. Adventures in blogging: You may be wondering how on earth I'm going to keep up with the A to Z challenge this month with all these amazing adventures taking place at the same time. Well, I admit, I'm going to write some in advance, and I'll have time to write on our car trip to Canada, and our plane ride to Hawaii. It will be a challenge, and an adventure to blog all month, but I intend to succeed. In addition to both the A to Z Challenge, and my Blessings Challenge, I'll be at my 2nd Blogaversary this month. . . . I'm thinking of a contest giveaway of some kind, but I'll have more details on that later.

10. Adventures in community giving: A few years ago, I realized that my daughters didn't have a way to serve in our community. I asked at the food bank, and they said they had enough kid help and needed more adults. I was interested in Habitat for Humanity, but they can't take children because of safety issues. I asked and asked, and I looked around the community, thought about my daughters' interests, and finally came across a newspaper article about Harbor Hope Cat Rescue. We've been volunteering there for nearly two years, sometimes weekly, sometimes just once a month, and we love our time there.

Adventures in Scripture Blessings:

"What anyone else dares to boast about - I am speaking like a fool - I also dare to boast about. Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they Abraham's descendents? So am I. Are they servants of Christ? (I am out of my mind to talk like this.) I am more. I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. Five times I received forty lashes minus one.
Three times I was beaten with rods, onces I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day on the open sea. I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers.
I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. Besides everything else, I face the daily pressure of my concern for all churches. Who is weak, and I do not feel weak? Who is led into sin, and I do not inwardly burn?
If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness."
2 Corinthians 11:21-29
Paul's adventures in faith, his boasting of his own weakness and the Lord's strength, in response to accusations that he is not enough of a "super-apostle."
For me, this is a recounting of both spiritual and physical adventures . . . of hardship and risk for faith.

365 Days of Blessings, Day 279, Loneliness as a Blessing?

Saturday 279

This post is a different kind of blessings post. It’s a post about loneliness, the kind of loneliness only found in a crowd of people you love, or arm in arm with your spouse. It’s not a loneliness that makes sense as true loneliness, but a loneliness born out of feeling different, socially clueless, and separate. It’s that kind of loneliness that can only be cured by confiding in a friend, having a good cry, and renewing a relationship with God through Bible study and prayer. And then stepping forward, and getting on with life.

An acquaintance of mine, on the verge of friendship, offered me her heart of loneliness, and I listened, but didn’t call her, didn’t follow up, and then, in the heart of my own lonely moment, I realized just exactly what she meant.

Loneliness isn’t about not being blessed. Sometimes it’s about being blessed abundantly, and not feeling worthy. Sometimes it’s about feeling just different, as if the uniqueness God has given us is a separating force keeping us from true communion with Him and others. It’s when, despite busy schedules and a tight knit family, we feel adrift, or lost in the babble. We hope there is someone out there like us.

So, where in the world are the blessings in this?
1. Loneliness gives us compassion, the kind that compels us to do something when someone confides his/her loneliness to us.
2. Loneliness draws us into a closer relationship with the Lord. He understands us completely. He knit us together in our mothers’ wombs, and knows the number of hairs on our heads, and the uniqueness of each of our souls.
3. Loneliness teaches us a little of the agony Christ must have felt on the cross when he cried out, “Oh God, oh God, why have you forsaken me?”
4. Loneliness gives us reason to be thankful for the Lord’s amazing grace and mind-blowing love which we receive only through the gift of his Son’s life, death and resurrection. The Lord loves us so much, He wanted to be reconciled with us, and did it in the only way that would truly open our hearts – through the gift of His one and only Son.
5. Loneliness makes us appreciate our loved ones with greater grace.
6. Loneliness gives us a reason to reach out to others.
7. Loneliness is the consequence and antidote for selfishness, and self-centered thinking.
8. Loneliness has been experienced by others, time and again. It’s ok to feel lonely now and then, and even have a good cry. A good cry meaning one that pours out and spills over into the arms of God, and then lets it all go.
9. Loneliness usually lasts only for a short time, and then we find ourselves hugged, loved, and understood by the Lord, by our family, and by our friends.
10. God doesn’t want us to feel lonely for long.

Scripture Blessings:

"There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven -
A time to give birth, and a time to die;
A time to plant, and a time to uproot what is planted;
A time to kill, and a time to heal;
A time to tear down, and a time to build up.
A time to weep, and a time to laugh;
A time to mourn, and a time to dance;
A time to throw stones, and a time to gather stones;
A time to embrace, and a time to shun embracing.
A time to search, and atime to give up as lost;
A time to keep, and a time to throw away.
A time to tear apart, and a time to sew together;
A time to be silent, and a time to speak.
A time to love, and a time to hate;
A time for war, and a time for peace."
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

"And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, 'Eli, Eli, Lama Sabachthani,' that is 'My God, My God, Why hast thou forsaken me?'" Matthew 27:46

"Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard, and a certain servant-girl came to him and said, 'You too were with the Galilean.'
But he denied it before them all, saying, 'I do not know what you are talking about.'
And when he had gone out to the gateway, another servant-girl saw him and said to those who were there,'This man was with Jesus of Nazareth.'
And again he denied it with an oath, 'I do not know the man.'
And a little later the bystanders came up and said to Peter, 'Surely you too are one of them; for the way you talk gives you away.'
Then he began to curse and swear, 'I do not know the man!' And immediately a cock crowed.
And Peter remembered the word which Jesus had said, 'Before the cock crows, you will deny Me three times.' And he went out and wept bitterly."
Matthew 26:69-75

"So when they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, 'Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these?' He said to Him, 'Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.' He said to him, 'Tend My lambs.'
He said to him again a second time, 'Simon, son of John, do you love Me?' He said to him, 'Yes Lord; You know that I love you.' He said to him, 'Shepherd My Sheep.'
He said to him a third time, 'Simon, son of John, do you love Me?' Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, 'Do you love me?' And he said to HIm, 'Lord, you know all things; You know that I love you.' Jesus said to him, 'Tend my sheep.'"
John 21:15-17

365 Days of Blessings, Days 273 thru 278, and some books again

Sunday 273
1. My daughters had a fun time at a friends house.
2. Set up for worship has been taken off my shoulders by another group.
3. My husband is training two young men to take on some of the media and sound needs for worship.
4. We sang old songs and new ones for worship today.
5. I had time to plan for my classes, and catch up with the work I procrastinated during our mid-winter break.
6. Oldest Dolphin at the Dolphin Research Center a little old, but still good about Teresa, the oldest dolphin at the Dolphin Research Center – she's somewhere in her 50's.
Books:
7. Five Love Languages
8. Five Love Languages for Parents
9. My Utmost for His Highest
10. Luther’s Small Catechism

Monday 274
1. An awesome day at homeschool cooperative.
2. Haiku poetry.
3. Tanka poetry.
4. Onomatopoeia
5. Taming of the Shrew, Act 4.
6. Getting grades done.
7. Chatting with someone about Shakespeare, C.S. Lewis, and the revolutionary war, and just enjoying being a parent-teacher.
8. My oldest daughter danced for the first time in four weeks.
9. Excitement for our daughters' first dance competition of the year, coming up this weekend.
10. Hearing that a young man we’ve been praying for has “clear” blood test results.

Tuesday 275

1. We started our day late, but we were able to get some homeschool lessons done.
2. An hour long conversation with a friend that was much needed.
3. We have a friend who’s going to help us with our downstairs bathroom ceiling and wall water damaged areas soon.
4. So many welcoming, kind faces at our dance studio.
5. Realizing I’ve been a crabby patty, and then doing something about it.
6. Having an awesome hubby who gave me some time alone by being with the girls at dance class.
7. Taking some time to just relax.
8. Our dog broke her “cone of shame/healing” but the vet said she is healing despite that.
9. Heart to Heart An amazing post about God's amazing grace.
10. Drunk With the Holy Spirit See this post about Living With JOY!

Wednesday 276
1. Time - God's gift of Time.
2. Time to pray.
3. Time to heal.
4. Time to talk.
5. Time to enjoy silence.
6. Time to sing.
7. Time to dance.
8. Time to write.
9. Time to cuddle.
10. Time to hug.

Thursday 277
1. There is a mirror in our upstairs bathroom now, above the sink. Maybe I’ll have better hair days now. ;-)
2. Only one more thing to do and then our upstairs bathroom will be complete.
3. Edward, a fluffy friend from Harbor Hope Cat Rescue, was adopted into a forever home.
4. Homemade smoothies.
5. Smoothies from recipes.
6. Smoothies from our own imaginations.
7. Smoothies from the grocery store.
8. Smoothies from Marlene’s Health Food Market.
9. Getting a few things done for Ash Wednesday planning.
10. Imagination Will Be the Death of Me Check out Melissa's funny, but true post about how our imaginations can sometimes get the best of us.

Friday 278
1. Dr. Seuss, the Master a post honoring Dr. Seuss.

Books:
2.My Favorite Dr. Seuss book: The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins

3. Red Fish, Blue Fish
4. The Cat in the Hat
5. The Cat in the Hat Comes Back
6. How the Grinch Stole Christmas
7. Horton Hears a Who

Regular Blessings:
8. My daughter's exclamation, "Now I know what it means to go swimming in soft powder." - Skiing was fun, but challenging today.
9. Going over jumps in the small terrain park.
10. Bowling with a fun group from our church.

Scripture Blessings:
"There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven." Ecclesiastes 3:1

365 Days of Blessings, Day 264, Books

Today I'm giving thanks and praise for a few more books that have been blessings in my life:

1. David Copperfield by Charles Dickens. I read it at age 10, and wasn't sure I liked it, but I felt the truth of Dicken's work in the story, the authenticity of the world he both experienced and created with his characters.

2. Henry the IV, Part 1 by William Shakespeare was the first Shakespeare play I saw, in Ashland, OR when I was ten. I read it shortly afterwards, and decided I liked it better as a play than a book. However, the timeless characteristics of Falstaff and young Hal, have influenced my reading ever since. They are in many ways, much like Long John Silver and Jim Hawkins of Treasure Island, at least in the way that I see them.

3. Mrs. Mike by Benedict and Nancy Freedman is a family favorite. My grandmother, mother and Aunts all have loved this book, and I have as well. Gritty, painful adventure, and love, all intertwined in a story of a lifetime.

4. Green Dolphin Street by Elizabeth Goudge was another book I found on my Grandmother's book shelf, and which has been beloved by many in our family. It is old fashioned, but yet portrays characters that are timeless. The sisters love for the same man create a bitter triangle that eventually ends in love, and peace. Marguerite's faith in the Lord is one of the biggest blessings in this book, and shows how each of us can deal with unexpected disappointment with grace.

5. The Trixie Belden mystery series. Forget Nancy Drew, I found Trixie on my Grandmother's shelves, and decided she was the sleuth for me, wearing jeans and going on adventures. I think I read most of this series between 4th and 6th grade, and enjoyed it all. I have to admit that I'm not sure I still like these books, but they fit in my life at that time.

6. At this same time, when I was reading the books off my Grandmother's shelves, I started reading Westerns. I found they were much like fantasy books, but set in a different time and real places, with characters that were larger than life. Zane Grey's Spirit of the Border was a favorite of mine. I'm not sure it would be today, but I remember the flow of words of that book, the descriptions of places I know are real.

7. In that same vein, I also started reading Louis L'Amour books at age 10. Why? Because my Dad worked for an airline, and the only readable books in the airport bookstores were Louis L'Amour's westerns . . . unless I wanted to read romance, which I didn't at age 10, 11, 12, or even older. If you haven't read a Western before, I highly suggest Louis L'Amour or Zane Grey. They are fairly fun books, with a strong sense of place.

8. Big Red by Jim Kjelgaard was a book I remember checking out repeatedly from the school library. The adventures of a boy and his Irish Red Setter were wonderful to me, since I had a few adventures with my german shepherd.

9. The Call of the Wild by Jack London is a must read kind of book. It shows a time, a series of places, and the strenght of a growing bond of trust between man and wolf. It's one of those books that make me cry, but I like it anyway.

10. The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkein is another must read kind of book. This is one of my all time favorite fantasy books, and all time favorite books of my life. My first copy came from a cousin. It didn't have a cover, and already showed wear and tear. I read it over and over again until it fell apart. Then I kept the pieces together and read it again. Finally, I purchased a "pretty" copy of it, and I've read it a number of times as well. Bilbo is my favorite reluctant hero, and I like reluctant heroes.

11. The NIV Study Bible, old NIV translation. I know I've mentioned the Bible before, but every translation that I've read is a blessing to me. My old NIV was given to me by my parents at my high school graduation, and I have read it many, many times.

Scripture Blessings:
"For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." Hebrews 4:12

365 Days of Blessings, Day 218

On the 10th day of Christmas, Giving Thanks and Praise for:

1. J.R.R. Tolkien's birthday! His life was a gift that keeps giving to all lovers of fantasy fiction, especially fantasy fiction written by Christian authors.

2. “All that is gold does not glitter; not all those that wander are lost.” - Tolkien, Lord of the Rings

3. “It does not do to leave a live dragon out of your calculations, if you live near him.” - Tolkien

4. “Courage is found in unlikely places.” - Tolkien

5. ““Remember what Bilbo used to say: It's a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don't keep your feet, there's no knowing where you might be swept off to.”” - Tolkien

6. “The Road goes ever on and on down from the door where it began. Now far ahead the Road has gone, and I must follow, if I can, pursuing it with eager feet, until it joins some larger way where many paths and errands meet. And whither then? I cannot say.” - Tolkien

7. ““But that’s not the way of it with the tales that really mattered, or the ones that stay in the mind. Folk seem to have just landed in them, usually - their paths were laid that way, as you put it. But I expect they had lots of chances, like us, of turning back, only they didn’t. And if they had, we shouldn’t know, because they’d have been forgotten. We hear about those as just went on - and not all to a good end, mind you; at least not to what folk inside a story and not outside it call a good end”” - Tolkien

8. “Still round the corner there may wait, A new road or a secret gate.” - Tolkien

9. “Many that live deserve death. And some that die deserve life. Can you give it to them? Then do not be too eager to deal out death in judgement. For even the very wise cannot see all ends.” - Tolkien

10. Jesus inspires us to live our lives in a worthwhile way.

Scripture Blessings:


"But the LORD said to Samuel, 'Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.'" 1 Samuel 16:7

365 Days of Blessings, Day 138

Thursday - Thor's Day? No, still God's day.
In recognition that today has been a bit stormy for some friends of mine and I, but yet, knowing that the day is still God's day, not ours, and not the storm's day. Today I'm giving thanks for:

1. Trees in all their variety.

2. Amazing sunsets . . . probably used this one before, but right now I can see this amazing gold-red ball of light shining through the leaves of our trees, with blue sky streaked with pale peach, pink and purple clouds, and it is breathtakingly beautiful.

3. Breathing in the breath of God with prayer, hope, and trust that each day is his and his alone.

4. In the Narnia books, Aslan's breath always gives the adventurer's strength, courage, confidence and peace.

5. Second day Chili over baked potatoes. MMM, good.

6. Eye doctors.

7. Glasses and contacts.

8. My oldest daughter's attitude about getting reading glasses . . . she posed in front of the mirror with several styles before choosing the ones she liked best.

9. Patience.

10. A friend who is willing to admit that there are some days, like today, when homeschooling is tough for her too. Sometimes, we all have to take a breather for a few hours and then hit the restart button. Thanks for reminding me, dear friend!

11. Joyful Giving.

12. Writing a letter to a sponsored child.

Scripture Blessings:
"When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, 'Wh do people say the Son of Man is?'
They replied, 'Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.'
'But what about you?' he asked. 'Who do you say that I am?'
Simon Peter answered, 'You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.'
Jesus replied, 'Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, fo rthis was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.'"
Matthew 16:13-18

Blessed Blog Award and Double Blessings

It's Blessed Blog Award Time! I wish I could keep to my once a week schedule with these, but they've been a bit more sporadic because it is so hard to choose . . .there are so many awesome blogs that I am thankful for each week.

This time, the Blessed Blog Award goes to Melissa at Through the Looking Glass for inspiring me to write really good characters, and sharing her insightfulness with humor and well-crafted posts! Thanks for being a blessing, Melissa!


Double Blessings, for Days 132 and 133
I'm focusing on three categories of blessings today that I'm thankful for: people, animals(zoo) and random. Is random a category? Well, it suits me.

People
1. My husband is an everyday hero with a cakeface beard, so heroes can have beards.

2. My daughter Anna's quirky humor and big smile.

3. My daughter Trisha's everyday singing. We actually burst into song in our household randomly, and I love to hear her sing. Yesterday, her song was "I have a bed, I love my bed . . . and I don't remember all the words, but it was a fun, silly, night-time song.

4. My mom's ability to draw people into conversation.

5. My dad's smile at the zoo yesterday . . . he's still a kid at heart.

6. The zookeeper yesterday who gave the Asia talk about the tigers. Very knowledgeable, funny, and passionate about his work.

7. The Grandad, with his two grandkids at the zoo, who stopped to tell us about his experience seeing a Kiwi in the wild, when he was younger.

8. The zoo volunteer yesterday who has dedicated his retirement to volunteering with the Red Wolves. He has supported the Red Wolf program since it started in the 70's.

Animals
9. Tiger cubs cuddling with momma tigress.

10. Papa tiger's bond with the zoo keeper. He watched his every move with devotion, and it wasn't a hungry devotion, but a devotion that I've only seen in dogs or cats for their human friends. (Backstory: Zookeeper has worked with the tiger for a while, and the tiger has cancer.)

11. Clouded leopard cubs sleeping on the thin limbs of their tree house.

12. Seeing the "poster child" for red wolves - a male wolf that has been photographed many, many times for the benefit of his species. Red Wolves were declared extinct in the wild in the 70's, and Pt. Defiance Zoo started a breeding and release program. Today, around 200 red wolves live in captivity, and around 100 have been successfully released into the wild.

13. Frogs.

14. Pygmy owls.

15. Turtles.

16. The thrumming purr of my cat, as she sits just out of reach from where I sit.

17. Chipmunks, scurrying about their fall business.

Random
18. Baked potatoes.

19. The highway exit sign for Ikea, labeling it as a tourist destination. It makes me laugh every time.

20. God's infinite creativity.

Scripture Blessings:
"And God said, 'Let the water teem with living creatures and let bird fly above the earth across the expanse of the sky.' So God created the great creaturss of the sea and every living and moving thing with which the water teems, according to their kidns and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good." Genesis 1:20-21

365 Days of Blessings - Day 82

Shared Blessings:
I haven't heard from anyone specifically for this in a few days now . . . both here and on facebook. I could share anonymous blessings that I've overheard. I could ask my family for some ideas. However, if you've read this, I hope you will think of one blessing, one good thing, and share it with me. I'll post it tomorrow in this top spot on my blog.

Blessings are meant to be shared!
And if you can't think of something big, just think of something small, like a mustard seed.

365 Days of Blessings, Day 82

1. God's amazing gifts! (Everything!)

2. My husband turned off the alarm before it woke me up this morning . . . so I slept in for a half hour.

3. My middle aged beagle loves our older rhodesian ridgeback so much that when she didn't want to move this morning, he barked and barked at me until I came to pet both of them together downstairs.

4. Our older dog is stiff and doesn't like stairs, but she perks up for a good petting.

5. The Book of Joel in the Bible - three chapters of mourning, judgement, repentance, renewal, judgement, and salvation. Some of it is tough to read, but the thread of God's love is woven through it.

6. My Aunt Beverly's Birthday! Happy Birthday Aunt B!!! I Love You!

7. Accomplishing a task, and knowing that it's done.

8. Writing, writing, writing.

9. Butterfly wings.

10. Zebra stripes.

Scripture for the Day:
"And afterward,
I will pour out my Spirit on all
people.
Your sons and daughters will
prophesy,
your old men will dream dreams,
your young men will see visions.
Even on my servants, both men and
women,
I will pour out my Spirit in those
days."
Joel 2:28-29