So many blessings, so little time to give thanks and write them out:
1. The Karate Kid, the old movie.
2. The Karate Kid, the new movie.
3. Jackie Chan - his moves, his humor, his movies.
4. My kids don't know who Bruce Lee is . . . something I have to remedy someday, but I think is a funny kind of blessing for now.
5. There's going to be a second Kung Fu Panda! Prepare for Awesomeness.
6. The Incredibles.
7. A conversation with my daughters about the believability of super powers . . . "Elastigirl with head flattening stretchability - not realistic, Mr. Incredible with super strength - realistic."
8. An awesome day skiing in super cold weather with bright sun, fun friends, and great family.
9. Taking an intermediate skier down a black diamond run successfully, and having her turn and say, "Wow! I did that!" Yes, she did.
10. Being able to ski hard enough to exhaust four kids, and one teenager - even though I'm way overweight and way older than them.
11. My husband makes snowboarding look easy.
12. Forty minutes on an exercise bike the day after skiing helped keep my muscles from tightening up.
13. Snow, and more snow, even at our house only a quarter mile from the Puget Sound.
14. Having my parents home for a week to visit, and play and have fun together, before they went off to go play in their RV again.
15. My oldest daughter graduated from her safe sitter class, and is very proud of her certified card. She can give CPR to infants and children, knows the heimlech maneuver, and learned a great deal of other safety procedures to use while babysitting.
16. Writing super sentences and turning them into short stories with a group of kids.
17. My husband plans to purchase a new video camera, so he's helping me clean the house. :-)
18. My youngest daughter is a sweetheart.
19. My youngest daughter and I have had more time to just be together this week while her sister was in her safe sitter class. I found out that she likes to take walks too, but prefers to take them downtown where there are sidewalks instead of on our street where there are ditches.
20. I'm so unexpectedly strong I broke the in house vacuum cleaner while trying to clean it out - not sure that is a blessing, but it was definitely a surprise. Thankfully the part we need is only $10, and is already on its way.
21. Midwinter break was wonderful, a change of pace, and a perfect rest.
22. Youtube videos of Christian music songs.
23. Your Love by Brandon Heath
24. Pepper - my husband's favorite spice.
25. Tag in the house, with plenty of laughter, and only one sliding fall. (my hiking shoes just went slipping on the clean floors)
26. Playing together as a family.
27. My older dog has finally resigned herself to the "cone of shame" and is healing up, finally.
28. My cat encourages me to stretch when she stretches.
29. My Beagle's persistence keeps me from sitting still too long . . . he has to have plenty of attention or he finds trouble.
30. Jesus purifies us.
Scripture Blessings:
"But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin." 1 John 1:7
Showing posts with label dogs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dogs. Show all posts
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Thursday, December 30, 2010
365 Days of Blessings, Days 213 and 214
5th and 6th Days of Christmas
Giving Thanks for:
1. The friskiness of our Beagle as he comes in from the snow.
2. Our older Rhodesian Ridgeback's return to puppyhood to snuffle her nose in the snow, and jump into frost covered bracken, nosing around for scents.
3. Brisks walks with Biblical conversations.
4. Grocery stores . . . really, how awesome is it that we can find so much healthful variety so quickly?! In the midst of running every day/weekly errands I forget to be thankful for the abundant blessings that surround us.
5. Library visits with a trip down vacation aisle . . . err, non-fiction books on travel.
6. Books about Hawaii.
7. Planning for a trip to Hawaii! Wow!
8. My oldest daughter wants to go on a shark swim . . . I'm actually not sure I'm thankful for that, but I am glad that she is passionate about her first favorite fish. She's been into sharks since her first visit to Pt. Defiance Zoo and Aquarium's shark exhibit . . . when she was two. She's read library books, listened to shark talks, and memorized shark facts without realizing it.
9. Wonderful place names like . . . Waikiki, Malaekahana, Hanauma Bay, Maui, Big Island, Hilo, Kealakekua . . . and more . . .it all sounds so wonderful.
10. The only things I remember about my first Hawaii trip, when I was five are: the little girl who lived down the hall from my Grandpa in his condo, it rained in Hawaii and I thought it wasn't supposed to rain there, the parade in Chinatown. My parents have pictures of none of these things . . . but they are still what I remember.
11. My husband's experiences traveling to Oa'hu, and Maui with a Navy E.O.D. unit. He definitely had a different view of the islands than most travelers get.
12. Four months to anticipate, get fit (lose weight), and get even more excited.
13. One more day to prep for the New Year.
14. Looking forward to skiing on New Year's Day.
15. Having a conversation with my dad about miniature car race tracks, and radio controlled cars, planes and helicopters . . . fun stuff.
16. Reading Princess of Glass by Jessica Day George, an interesting re-telling of Cinderella.
17. Reading five books in five days . . . aah, the wonderful downtime in the week after Christmas.
18. Soft, fuzzy slippers.
19. Vanilla Chai decaf tea.
20. The Lord gives us rest and renewal.
Scripture Blessings:
"Come to me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28
Giving Thanks for:
1. The friskiness of our Beagle as he comes in from the snow.
2. Our older Rhodesian Ridgeback's return to puppyhood to snuffle her nose in the snow, and jump into frost covered bracken, nosing around for scents.
3. Brisks walks with Biblical conversations.
4. Grocery stores . . . really, how awesome is it that we can find so much healthful variety so quickly?! In the midst of running every day/weekly errands I forget to be thankful for the abundant blessings that surround us.
5. Library visits with a trip down vacation aisle . . . err, non-fiction books on travel.
6. Books about Hawaii.
7. Planning for a trip to Hawaii! Wow!
8. My oldest daughter wants to go on a shark swim . . . I'm actually not sure I'm thankful for that, but I am glad that she is passionate about her first favorite fish. She's been into sharks since her first visit to Pt. Defiance Zoo and Aquarium's shark exhibit . . . when she was two. She's read library books, listened to shark talks, and memorized shark facts without realizing it.
9. Wonderful place names like . . . Waikiki, Malaekahana, Hanauma Bay, Maui, Big Island, Hilo, Kealakekua . . . and more . . .it all sounds so wonderful.
10. The only things I remember about my first Hawaii trip, when I was five are: the little girl who lived down the hall from my Grandpa in his condo, it rained in Hawaii and I thought it wasn't supposed to rain there, the parade in Chinatown. My parents have pictures of none of these things . . . but they are still what I remember.
11. My husband's experiences traveling to Oa'hu, and Maui with a Navy E.O.D. unit. He definitely had a different view of the islands than most travelers get.
12. Four months to anticipate, get fit (lose weight), and get even more excited.
13. One more day to prep for the New Year.
14. Looking forward to skiing on New Year's Day.
15. Having a conversation with my dad about miniature car race tracks, and radio controlled cars, planes and helicopters . . . fun stuff.
16. Reading Princess of Glass by Jessica Day George, an interesting re-telling of Cinderella.
17. Reading five books in five days . . . aah, the wonderful downtime in the week after Christmas.
18. Soft, fuzzy slippers.
19. Vanilla Chai decaf tea.
20. The Lord gives us rest and renewal.
Scripture Blessings:
"Come to me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
365 Days of Blessings, Day 192
Giving Thanks and Praise for these blessings today:
1. Waking up slowly.
2. Reading the Word of God with my family.
3. Reading about the life of Amy Charmichael, a missionary.
4. Reading a fantastical, and inspirational short story at Mindflights this morning.
If you like fantasy with inspirational meaning packed into it, check out Tower of Heaven, Sword of Night
5. A colorful rainbow with glitter glue dots.
6. My oldest daughter's depiction of the Trojan horse.
7. The Gospel of Mark.
8. A well-made sword. (I have a picture of one for my novel collage that just popped up on my screen as I mulled over my blessings list)
9. Our beagles likes to sit under the Christmas tree . . . I guess he thinks he is the only present we need.
10. Jesus heals us.
Scripture Blessings:
"They came to Bethsaida, and some people brought a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him. He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. When he had spit on the man's eyes and put his hands on him, Jesus asked, 'Do you see anything?'
He looked up and said, 'I see people; they look like trees walking around.'
Once more Jesus put his hands on the man's eyes. Then his eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly."
Mark 8:22-25
From Amy Charmichael: A Life Abandoned to God
"Children were being rescued at the rate of one a month. The family totaled more than fifty now. Sometimes Amy laughed as she remembered her naive expectations. Never had she envisioned that instead of evangelizing, her mission would be to trim thousands of tiny toenails and fingernails."
Sometimes, we are called to the every day tasks.
1. Waking up slowly.
2. Reading the Word of God with my family.
3. Reading about the life of Amy Charmichael, a missionary.
4. Reading a fantastical, and inspirational short story at Mindflights this morning.
If you like fantasy with inspirational meaning packed into it, check out Tower of Heaven, Sword of Night
5. A colorful rainbow with glitter glue dots.
6. My oldest daughter's depiction of the Trojan horse.
7. The Gospel of Mark.
8. A well-made sword. (I have a picture of one for my novel collage that just popped up on my screen as I mulled over my blessings list)
9. Our beagles likes to sit under the Christmas tree . . . I guess he thinks he is the only present we need.
10. Jesus heals us.
Scripture Blessings:
"They came to Bethsaida, and some people brought a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him. He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. When he had spit on the man's eyes and put his hands on him, Jesus asked, 'Do you see anything?'
He looked up and said, 'I see people; they look like trees walking around.'
Once more Jesus put his hands on the man's eyes. Then his eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly."
Mark 8:22-25
From Amy Charmichael: A Life Abandoned to God
"Children were being rescued at the rate of one a month. The family totaled more than fifty now. Sometimes Amy laughed as she remembered her naive expectations. Never had she envisioned that instead of evangelizing, her mission would be to trim thousands of tiny toenails and fingernails."
Sometimes, we are called to the every day tasks.
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
365 Days of Blessings, Day 185
Wow, Day 185. That means I'm almost halfway to my goal. This project started with a feeling of a call. The kind of call that reaches out through two Pastors and a youth director's words and sits in a person's heart and mind, gets stirred a bit with life experiences, and then coalesces with the word of God hitting that person in the right spot at the right time. Maybe that's not the best way of describing it, but that seems to fit with how the call reached me in the seat of a church pew just 180 days ago.
These phrases from three different Christian leaders stirred me:
A gift, unopened. . .
Developing an attitude of gratitude. . .
More blessings than we could count, even if we sat and counted for all eternity . . .
Then my own experiences with thought and language resonated with their words. When I have chosen to speak and think positively and thankfully about the life I have, my life has been brighter, more joyful, and more rich with meaning and good relationships.
So, I felt compelled to take my blog in this direction for a year, for a project that focuses on counting my blessings, developing and attitude of gratitude, opening and giving thanks for the gift of life that the Lord has given me.
I've tried to count unique blessings each day, and I know I haven't held to that. God's love, water, laughter, family, and tea have been mentioned many times over, and I will probably mention them again. However, I will continue to try to find new blessings to give thanks and praise for, as much as I can each day.
I hope that this project has had a positive affect on my friends and family, and I hope that your lives are blessed richly!
Day 185's blessings so far:
1. Dog treats. They make our beagle's eyes light up with instant excitement, and obedience.
2. Dog leashes that are sturdy and wide, easy to grip.
3. Walks in the woods behind my parent's house.
4. My oldest daughter is well, even though the rest of us are sick.
5. My mom and my oldest daughter working on their guitar strumming skills together, and while discussing them, our beagle is jumping up and down in time with their hands. His name is Jumper for a reason.
6. My youngest daughter is sleeping in, and this is good, since she woke in the night with a fever. I am hoping that she can sleep off most of the sickness.
7. The wonderful anticipation of advent candles. This week we light just one candle, then next week we light two, and so on until Christmas when we light our Christmas candle.
8. Advent devotions by candlelight each night as a family.
9. Advent chocolate.
10. This awesome blog post I just read at A Grace Story
11. The Lord is our Hope!
Scripture Blessings:
We wait in hope for the LORD;
he is our help and our shield.
In him our hearts rejoice,
for we trust in his holy name.
Psalm 33:20-21
These phrases from three different Christian leaders stirred me:
A gift, unopened. . .
Developing an attitude of gratitude. . .
More blessings than we could count, even if we sat and counted for all eternity . . .
Then my own experiences with thought and language resonated with their words. When I have chosen to speak and think positively and thankfully about the life I have, my life has been brighter, more joyful, and more rich with meaning and good relationships.
So, I felt compelled to take my blog in this direction for a year, for a project that focuses on counting my blessings, developing and attitude of gratitude, opening and giving thanks for the gift of life that the Lord has given me.
I've tried to count unique blessings each day, and I know I haven't held to that. God's love, water, laughter, family, and tea have been mentioned many times over, and I will probably mention them again. However, I will continue to try to find new blessings to give thanks and praise for, as much as I can each day.
I hope that this project has had a positive affect on my friends and family, and I hope that your lives are blessed richly!
Day 185's blessings so far:
1. Dog treats. They make our beagle's eyes light up with instant excitement, and obedience.
2. Dog leashes that are sturdy and wide, easy to grip.
3. Walks in the woods behind my parent's house.
4. My oldest daughter is well, even though the rest of us are sick.
5. My mom and my oldest daughter working on their guitar strumming skills together, and while discussing them, our beagle is jumping up and down in time with their hands. His name is Jumper for a reason.
6. My youngest daughter is sleeping in, and this is good, since she woke in the night with a fever. I am hoping that she can sleep off most of the sickness.
7. The wonderful anticipation of advent candles. This week we light just one candle, then next week we light two, and so on until Christmas when we light our Christmas candle.
8. Advent devotions by candlelight each night as a family.
9. Advent chocolate.
10. This awesome blog post I just read at A Grace Story
11. The Lord is our Hope!
Scripture Blessings:
We wait in hope for the LORD;
he is our help and our shield.
In him our hearts rejoice,
for we trust in his holy name.
Psalm 33:20-21
Friday, November 26, 2010
365 Days of Blessings, Day 180
When I woke this morning, the bright white snow had melted into dark puddles, the world seemed gray and wet, and the only view bringing me joy was the sight of the tree branches swinging wildly in the wind. I wished for somewhere brighter, either with white snow or blue sunshine skies. And then, I looked around me and started counting my blessings:
1. Running my hands though my dog Lady's fur, and seeing her smile with happiness from the part of her mouth, through the expression on her face, through the wiggles of her whole body tail-wagging and the way she leans into me for a hug.
2. My Beagle's big brown eyes, and the tip of his white tail like a banner of happiness. The way he unashamedly expects a big back scratch in the mornings.
3. My husband's amazing love and support in everything I do. (And the fact that he unashamedly wants big back scratches and hugs too).
4. My family. I don't think I can mention them enough. My husband, who I can talk with, laugh with, dream with, cry with, cuddle with, argue with, and who holds my hands sometimes when we fall asleep. My daughter Anna, both fun-loving and thoughtful, who gives giant hugs. My daughter Trisha who is passionate and caring, and yet takes the time to cuddle and make silly faces for fun. My mom and dad, who love life and show it in all that they do.
5. I may have forgotten to type up some of my family names on my A to Z thankfulness post yesterday, but they are written on the original worksheet I filled out in church, and as always in my heart: Kathleen, Ron, John, Anna, Trisha, Amanda, Katie, Stephanie, Jessica, Jacob, Gary, Terry, Mary, John Sr, Teresa, Ken, Holly, Kelly, Logan, Darren, Julie, Pete, Brandon, Dane, Pete, Laura, Jeff, Linda, Aunt Beverly, Aunt Gail, Uncle Tom, Cindy, Mark, Madison, Shane, Jenny, Lawrence, Kayla, Vicki, Duane, Terri, Myron, Despina, cousin Lisa, Darcy, Tim, Carder and his new brother, Big Aunt Lynn, Big Aunt Stephanie and Uncle Bob, Steve, Selena, Evan, the twins, Big Aunt Naomi, Melissa, Jamie, Jenna, and everyone who I have yet to name. I love you all, and am thankful for you.
6. I am thankful for my friends, both here and now, past and present, on-line and in person. You bless my days with joy.
7. The smell of Moroccan Mint green tea.
8. The taste of that bit of raw honey that happened to drip from the honey jar, instead of into my tea.
9. The wind I will feel on my face when I step outside for my walk.
10. I am thankful for the Creator of the Universe, who gives us each life, paints beautiful landscapes for us to walk into, and who breathes joy and hope into us when we follow him. Thank you Lord Jesus!
11. Keeping to a daily Bible reading plan, but then sometimes, just flipping open my favorite, every day book and finding passages that speak to me in the moment.
Scripture Blessings:
"I lift my eyes to the hills-
where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth."
Psalm 121:1-2
1. Running my hands though my dog Lady's fur, and seeing her smile with happiness from the part of her mouth, through the expression on her face, through the wiggles of her whole body tail-wagging and the way she leans into me for a hug.
2. My Beagle's big brown eyes, and the tip of his white tail like a banner of happiness. The way he unashamedly expects a big back scratch in the mornings.
3. My husband's amazing love and support in everything I do. (And the fact that he unashamedly wants big back scratches and hugs too).
4. My family. I don't think I can mention them enough. My husband, who I can talk with, laugh with, dream with, cry with, cuddle with, argue with, and who holds my hands sometimes when we fall asleep. My daughter Anna, both fun-loving and thoughtful, who gives giant hugs. My daughter Trisha who is passionate and caring, and yet takes the time to cuddle and make silly faces for fun. My mom and dad, who love life and show it in all that they do.
5. I may have forgotten to type up some of my family names on my A to Z thankfulness post yesterday, but they are written on the original worksheet I filled out in church, and as always in my heart: Kathleen, Ron, John, Anna, Trisha, Amanda, Katie, Stephanie, Jessica, Jacob, Gary, Terry, Mary, John Sr, Teresa, Ken, Holly, Kelly, Logan, Darren, Julie, Pete, Brandon, Dane, Pete, Laura, Jeff, Linda, Aunt Beverly, Aunt Gail, Uncle Tom, Cindy, Mark, Madison, Shane, Jenny, Lawrence, Kayla, Vicki, Duane, Terri, Myron, Despina, cousin Lisa, Darcy, Tim, Carder and his new brother, Big Aunt Lynn, Big Aunt Stephanie and Uncle Bob, Steve, Selena, Evan, the twins, Big Aunt Naomi, Melissa, Jamie, Jenna, and everyone who I have yet to name. I love you all, and am thankful for you.
6. I am thankful for my friends, both here and now, past and present, on-line and in person. You bless my days with joy.
7. The smell of Moroccan Mint green tea.
8. The taste of that bit of raw honey that happened to drip from the honey jar, instead of into my tea.
9. The wind I will feel on my face when I step outside for my walk.
10. I am thankful for the Creator of the Universe, who gives us each life, paints beautiful landscapes for us to walk into, and who breathes joy and hope into us when we follow him. Thank you Lord Jesus!
11. Keeping to a daily Bible reading plan, but then sometimes, just flipping open my favorite, every day book and finding passages that speak to me in the moment.
Scripture Blessings:
"I lift my eyes to the hills-
where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth."
Psalm 121:1-2
Thursday, November 11, 2010
365 Days of Blessings, Days 165 and 166
Counting my Blessings and Giving Thanks and Praise for:
1. Story writing with kids. Ideas bound across the page with live action and hints of mystery.
2. Putting a roasted dinner in the oven, and knowing I don't have to do anything more for dinner for at least an hour.
3. Friendship.
4. Dogs who jump.
5. Cats who sleep on rainy days.
6. Pecans.
7. The smell of pumpkin soup.
8. Plans for a harvest stew.
9. Band Angels . . . Band Aids with words of comfort from God's Word.
10. Celebrating my youngest daughter's baptismal birthday with a candlelit breakfast, and a song.
11. Praying with my kids for the swift recovery and complete healing for a young girl we know and love.
12. Learning a little Latin.
13. Playing with the snippets of language I know with my girls. We can say hello in at least six languages. I'm not sure we would survive if more words were required of us, but saying hello is fun when you are saying it in German, Japanese, Latin, French, Spanish, and Hawaiin. Oh, and sign language too.
14. Remembering more French that I think I should after many, many years away from practicing it.
15. My youngest knows how to say John 3:16 in sign language.
16. Practicing the sign for "Hallelujah" in the car sitting at a stoplight, and then realizing how it might look to other drivers :-O :-)
17. An amazing woman I know who keeps it all together, homeschools her kids, takes care of kids whose parents need a break, prepares for in-laws, has friends over, and keeps her household running smoothly - all at the same time. BTW, this is not me.
18. I finished the base word count for NaNoWriMo today. However, after being behind for at least 3 days, or is it 4, I need to write just a bit more each day.
19. Silly bands found at a Christian bookstore.
20. The light of Christ.
Scripture Blessings:
"For God, who said, 'Let light shine out of darkness,' has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ." 2 Corinthians 4:6
1. Story writing with kids. Ideas bound across the page with live action and hints of mystery.
2. Putting a roasted dinner in the oven, and knowing I don't have to do anything more for dinner for at least an hour.
3. Friendship.
4. Dogs who jump.
5. Cats who sleep on rainy days.
6. Pecans.
7. The smell of pumpkin soup.
8. Plans for a harvest stew.
9. Band Angels . . . Band Aids with words of comfort from God's Word.
10. Celebrating my youngest daughter's baptismal birthday with a candlelit breakfast, and a song.
11. Praying with my kids for the swift recovery and complete healing for a young girl we know and love.
12. Learning a little Latin.
13. Playing with the snippets of language I know with my girls. We can say hello in at least six languages. I'm not sure we would survive if more words were required of us, but saying hello is fun when you are saying it in German, Japanese, Latin, French, Spanish, and Hawaiin. Oh, and sign language too.
14. Remembering more French that I think I should after many, many years away from practicing it.
15. My youngest knows how to say John 3:16 in sign language.
16. Practicing the sign for "Hallelujah" in the car sitting at a stoplight, and then realizing how it might look to other drivers :-O :-)
17. An amazing woman I know who keeps it all together, homeschools her kids, takes care of kids whose parents need a break, prepares for in-laws, has friends over, and keeps her household running smoothly - all at the same time. BTW, this is not me.
18. I finished the base word count for NaNoWriMo today. However, after being behind for at least 3 days, or is it 4, I need to write just a bit more each day.
19. Silly bands found at a Christian bookstore.
20. The light of Christ.
Scripture Blessings:
"For God, who said, 'Let light shine out of darkness,' has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ." 2 Corinthians 4:6
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
365 Days of Blessings, Day 158 and Thanksgiving!
Blessings and Thanksgiving! It's all good:
1. Walking in the bright sunshine of a warm November morning. It feels like we are having an extremely late summer.
2. Watching my daughters circle on their bicycles in the driveway.
3. The Trojan War by Olivia Coolidge - a shortened, slightly cleaned up version of The Iliad that we are reading for homeschooling.
4. Hearing the praises and prayers of our Joyful Giving class tonight.
5. Excitement for the next movie night . . . coming this Friday.
6. Peppermint sticks made with sugar and not corn syrup. Yay! Sweet tooth indulgence!
7. My Rhodesian Ridgeback gives hugs, and my Beagle leans in affection.
8. Over 5,000 words written for NaNoWriMO.
9. Characters living in my head for short periods of time . . . I love my plot outline, but they are having some arguments. A snotty character showed up on the page today when I was writing quickly and started an argument with my MC. Whoa, where did that come from?
10. My poem, "Black Diamonds" was accepted by Every Day Poets!!! Woohoo! And two other poems came back with requests for changes - they could still make the grade, with a bit of tweaking.
11. God is large and in charge.
Scripture Blessings:"I rejoice in the Lord greatly that now at last you have revived your concern for me; indeed, you were concerned for me, but had no opportunity to show it. Not that I am referring to being in need; for I have learned to be content with whatever I have. I know what it is to have little, and I know what it is to have plenty. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being well-fed and hungry, of having plenty and of being in need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me." Philippians 4:10-13 NRSV
1. Walking in the bright sunshine of a warm November morning. It feels like we are having an extremely late summer.
2. Watching my daughters circle on their bicycles in the driveway.
3. The Trojan War by Olivia Coolidge - a shortened, slightly cleaned up version of The Iliad that we are reading for homeschooling.
4. Hearing the praises and prayers of our Joyful Giving class tonight.
5. Excitement for the next movie night . . . coming this Friday.
6. Peppermint sticks made with sugar and not corn syrup. Yay! Sweet tooth indulgence!
7. My Rhodesian Ridgeback gives hugs, and my Beagle leans in affection.
8. Over 5,000 words written for NaNoWriMO.
9. Characters living in my head for short periods of time . . . I love my plot outline, but they are having some arguments. A snotty character showed up on the page today when I was writing quickly and started an argument with my MC. Whoa, where did that come from?
10. My poem, "Black Diamonds" was accepted by Every Day Poets!!! Woohoo! And two other poems came back with requests for changes - they could still make the grade, with a bit of tweaking.
11. God is large and in charge.
Scripture Blessings:"I rejoice in the Lord greatly that now at last you have revived your concern for me; indeed, you were concerned for me, but had no opportunity to show it. Not that I am referring to being in need; for I have learned to be content with whatever I have. I know what it is to have little, and I know what it is to have plenty. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being well-fed and hungry, of having plenty and of being in need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me." Philippians 4:10-13 NRSV
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
365 Days of Blessings, Day 157 and Thanksgiving
Many more blessings, and almost too many to count:
1. The Giving Thanks Project, and the very act of Thanks Giving!!! It's more than just a holiday, it's an action, an attitude, and a lifestyle. Let's give thanks!
2. Walking out of my driveway at 6:30 a.m., lit up like a Christmas tree with flashing lights and a safety vest, and looking up through the trees that line our driveway to see the clearest Big Dipper I've seen in years.
3. Dawn's early light. That time of morning, when the sun is just a line of brightness on the horizon, and every star seems to stand out in stark contrast to the blue-black sky.
4. Joy in the morning. Literally. I felt like God just handed me the best present in the world. The stars, the moon, the dawn . . . wow!
5. Orion, and his bow, standing out clearly on the night sky directly in front of us for nearly half of our walk.
6. My mom is good company in the morning when we walk. We talk about our faith, our politics, and our family . . . and how it all rests in God's hands.
7. The freedom and responsibility of voting.
8. My husband's way of tackling problems straight on without holding back, and with open arms to those who have wronged him. He forgives, holds people up to his expectations, and makes peace all at the same time. (Unless he's playing softball . .. that's a whole different ball game)
9. My Dad's willingness to just be present, and to help whenever he's needed. Some mornings we have a chance to talk, and other mornings like this one, he comes to our house, and sits while the girls sleep and my mom and I walk. Then we are all off and running in different directions, and I hope I'll have a better chance to chat with him tomorrow.
10. My father-in-law's birthday was a few days ago, and I am thankful for his life, for his faith, for his love that he gives so generously to his family, his friends, his church, and his community. He is a wonderful man, a really fun Grandpa to tickle, and really good ski instructor.
11. God gives us joy when we seek him, when we give him praise, and take time to open our eyes to the blessings he's given us.
Scripture Blessings:
"Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: 'Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?'
Jesus replied: 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.'"
Matthew 22:34-40
1. The Giving Thanks Project, and the very act of Thanks Giving!!! It's more than just a holiday, it's an action, an attitude, and a lifestyle. Let's give thanks!
2. Walking out of my driveway at 6:30 a.m., lit up like a Christmas tree with flashing lights and a safety vest, and looking up through the trees that line our driveway to see the clearest Big Dipper I've seen in years.
3. Dawn's early light. That time of morning, when the sun is just a line of brightness on the horizon, and every star seems to stand out in stark contrast to the blue-black sky.
4. Joy in the morning. Literally. I felt like God just handed me the best present in the world. The stars, the moon, the dawn . . . wow!
5. Orion, and his bow, standing out clearly on the night sky directly in front of us for nearly half of our walk.
6. My mom is good company in the morning when we walk. We talk about our faith, our politics, and our family . . . and how it all rests in God's hands.
7. The freedom and responsibility of voting.
8. My husband's way of tackling problems straight on without holding back, and with open arms to those who have wronged him. He forgives, holds people up to his expectations, and makes peace all at the same time. (Unless he's playing softball . .. that's a whole different ball game)
9. My Dad's willingness to just be present, and to help whenever he's needed. Some mornings we have a chance to talk, and other mornings like this one, he comes to our house, and sits while the girls sleep and my mom and I walk. Then we are all off and running in different directions, and I hope I'll have a better chance to chat with him tomorrow.
10. My father-in-law's birthday was a few days ago, and I am thankful for his life, for his faith, for his love that he gives so generously to his family, his friends, his church, and his community. He is a wonderful man, a really fun Grandpa to tickle, and really good ski instructor.
11. God gives us joy when we seek him, when we give him praise, and take time to open our eyes to the blessings he's given us.
Scripture Blessings:
"Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: 'Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?'
Jesus replied: 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.'"
Matthew 22:34-40
Saturday, October 23, 2010
365 Days of Blessings, Day 147
Posted yesterday's today and here's today's blessings:
1. Waking up to the Newsboys singing praises to God on my alarm clock.
2. Rain giving way to blue sky.
3. Saturday morning. I get to walk. I get to write. And then, I get to prepare for Sunday morning and the week ahead.
4. Walking in puddles.
5. Candlelight.
6. Wonderful friends, and big hugs.
7. My husband is a gentle man with a wonderful heart for people.
8. A friend thanked me for having such "kind, sweet girls." Wow. I'm thankful for that too.
9. My old dog, no matter how long it takes her to stand up and sit down, still wants to go for a walk once she is warmed up.
10. The Lord blesses us with life.
Scripture Blessings:
"Show me your ways, O Lord,
teach me your paths;
guide me in your truth and teach me,
for you are God my Savior,
and my hope is in you all day long."
Psalm 25:4-5
1. Waking up to the Newsboys singing praises to God on my alarm clock.
2. Rain giving way to blue sky.
3. Saturday morning. I get to walk. I get to write. And then, I get to prepare for Sunday morning and the week ahead.
4. Walking in puddles.
5. Candlelight.
6. Wonderful friends, and big hugs.
7. My husband is a gentle man with a wonderful heart for people.
8. A friend thanked me for having such "kind, sweet girls." Wow. I'm thankful for that too.
9. My old dog, no matter how long it takes her to stand up and sit down, still wants to go for a walk once she is warmed up.
10. The Lord blesses us with life.
Scripture Blessings:
"Show me your ways, O Lord,
teach me your paths;
guide me in your truth and teach me,
for you are God my Savior,
and my hope is in you all day long."
Psalm 25:4-5
Sunday, September 5, 2010
365 Days of Blessings - Day 99
365 Days of Blessings, Day 99
1. The Lord gives us joy!
2. Sleeping inside an RV during a windstorm.
3. Helping our tenting neighbors anchor their tents down so they don't fly away.
4. Plumbing.
5. Toothbrushes and toothpaste . . . something to be really thankful for on camping trips.
6. A family style breakfast - fried leftover potatoes, bacon (not for me, but it smells good), pancakes, and fresh fruit.
7. Blue water and blue sky.
8. Admiring nice dogs with a friend.
9. Watching a water dog at play.
10. Dogs and cats . . . topics of many fun conversations.
11. Spook, the Cat Ninja, the legendary cat of our nephew.
Scripture Verse Blessings:
"But as for me, I watch in hope for
the Lord,
I wait for God my Savior;
my God will hear me."
Micah 7:7
1. The Lord gives us joy!
2. Sleeping inside an RV during a windstorm.
3. Helping our tenting neighbors anchor their tents down so they don't fly away.
4. Plumbing.
5. Toothbrushes and toothpaste . . . something to be really thankful for on camping trips.
6. A family style breakfast - fried leftover potatoes, bacon (not for me, but it smells good), pancakes, and fresh fruit.
7. Blue water and blue sky.
8. Admiring nice dogs with a friend.
9. Watching a water dog at play.
10. Dogs and cats . . . topics of many fun conversations.
11. Spook, the Cat Ninja, the legendary cat of our nephew.
Scripture Verse Blessings:
"But as for me, I watch in hope for
the Lord,
I wait for God my Savior;
my God will hear me."
Micah 7:7
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