Weekly Gratitude Journal...

Going to make this short and sweet since I've got a list of things to do today in order to be ready for next week's Vacation Bible School at our church. Here at home we're still in remodel mode on our master bathroom but it's coming along nicely and I'm loving it! Happily, this morning we have a brand new working toilet in our master bathroom and the new vanity is being installed as we speak! Tomorrow a plumber is coming to install the new faucet on our spa tub and after that the grout can be finished on the tile around it and the shiplap surround under it installed. Then we are just down to installing the new shower faucet and shower doors when they come in and it will all be done, except for the new blinds that are being ordered. Hip Hip Hurray! It seems like this summer is zooming by and has been full and busy. I'd love a slow and lazy August!

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Since 2009 I've been counting my blessings thanks to the prompting of Ann Voskamp.

 I continue to count my thanks, 

piling up gratitude day by day in my journal.

(and capturing some of my blessings via my camera or iPhone)

#12,261-#12,281

7-8-19-

-the beginning of our long awaited and saved for master bathroom remodel

-a nice long walk with two of my grandgirlies

-and a fun swim at the Y!

7-9-19-

-a friend's help with a simple repair

-God answers prayer!

-a quiet evening together

7-10-19-

-encouraging progress on the bathroom

-a visit with G.

-homemade meatloaf

7-11-19-

-God's provision

-a field of summer wildflowers

-communion-powerful worship-praying for one another

7-12-19-

-the adventure of taking our two year old grandson for a haircut

-a long walk with him

-trusting God when trials come

7-13-19-

-a friend helping my husband with selling my car and buying something different

-the gift of help when I had an awful migraine

-a good book to read

7-14-19-

-a needed shift in my attitude with God's gracious help and forgiveness

-my migraine gone!

-God who keeps working and never gives up on us!

still following,

The Transcendent One...

Quite some time ago, on a Sunday morning I heard God speak these words to my heart. "You must keep your eyes on the Transcendent One in order to transcend." I had a generic understanding of what He was saying, I needed to keep my eyes on Jesus instead of my circumstances.But when I got out my iPhone, right there in church, and looked up the dictionary definitions of the words transcend and transcendent, it gave me a lot more insight.

transcend-to rise above or go beyond the limits of

-to rise above or extend notably beyond ordinary limits

transcendent-exceeding usual limits

-beyond the limits of ordinary experience

-beyond the limits of all possible experience and knowledge

-beyond comprehension

-transcending the universe or material existence

(Join me for the rest of this post on Sunday, July 14th at Woman to Woman Ministries,where each Sunday I share a bit of Sunday Soul Food!)

still following,

Also happily linking up with:

Sunday Scripture Blessings

Susan B. Mead

Sue Moore Donaldson

Weekly Gratitude Journal...

Our master bathroom remodel started yesterday! It's the last room in our house to get a makeover - to shed it's 1992 tile and flooring with it's pink and blue accents and huge oak vanity and come into 2019! On top of that, I had two sweet grandgirlies all day yesterday and overnight, so I'm a day late posting my gratitude journal. Life is full and sometimes messier than I'd like. (Currently our bedroom is full of everything that used to belong in the bathroom.) Change is messy, isn't it? Even the changes that God makes in our lives don't come without a measure of mess and upheaval. But, oh, how lovely and worth it is it going to be when our bathroom remodel is done. Even more so, how lovely and worth is it when we grow and change and become a wee bit more like Jesus! I thank God for the temporary mess in my house because of the beauty that is coming. And, I'm thankful for any discomfort and mess that comes when I let Jesus do some rebuilding in me. Have Your way, Jesus!

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Since 2009 I've been counting my blessings thanks to the prompting of Ann Voskamp.

 I continue to count my thanks, 

piling up gratitude day by day in my journal.

(and capturing some of my blessings via my camera or iPhone)

#12,239-#12,260

Thank You, Father God, for ...

7-1-19-

-the first day of July!

-two tired grandsons napping at our house

-God's faithful provision

7-2-19-

-a day trip to the beach

-yummy clam chowder

-a walk by the sea

7-3-19-

-an encouraging conversation

-laughing with my daughter

-talking to my granddaughters on the phone

-a beautiful evening walk

7-4-19-

-our country's 243rd birthday

-a delicious BBQ at our nephew's

-fireworks and s'mores at our house with our family

7-5-19-

-a good book to read

-a slow lazy morning

-a fun evening with the two oldest grands

7-6-19-

-ALL of God's Word

-my "baby" brother's 60th birthday!

-homemade ice cream and good conversation with friends who stopped by

7-7-19-

-laughing at my own mistakes

-our church's annual BBQ and homemade ice cream contest

-someone asking to be water baptized

still following,

Live Free!-Part Two.

In last week's post I shared a wee bit about a season in my life which began my pursuit of living in greater spiritual freedom. I choose those words more carefully this week, as I hope I didn't give the impression when I wrote that I'm living free that I never struggle. What I want to make clear is that when I shifted my focus, (with God's help!), from being a victim and blaming other people and outward circumstances for my unhappiness and instead focused on the things in my life that I could change, much greater freedom resulted. I had a request, via Facebook, for some more details about my pursuit of freedom mentioned in last week's post. So this week, I decided to share a part two.

The summer I turned fifty I went to the beach by myself overnight.  I knew there were some things twisted up inside my heart that could only be straightened out with a good long talk with God while I walked by the sea.  My heart was full of unforgiveness and bitterness towards others and about circumstances in my life that I was unhappy about.  I can take you to the exact spot on the beach where God spoke to my heart these words, "Quit focusing on others and circumstances that you can't change but instead change the things you can. Build your life!" With those words came the realization there were plenty of things that I had the power to change.  (Join me for the rest of this post on Sunday, July 7th at Woman to Woman Ministries, where each Sunday I share a bit of Sunday Soul Food!)

still following,

Also happily linking up with:

Sunday Scripture Blessings

Susan B. Mead

Sue Moore Donaldson

Weekly Gratitude Journal...

Today I filled another gratitude journal. In the ten years since I started writing down my daily thanksgiving I think I've filled six or seven journals so far. I'm sure that if I'd written down everything there is to give thanks for I'd have filled many, many, many more. There is always more to be thankful for than I take note of. 

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Since 2009 I've been counting my blessings thanks to the prompting of Ann Voskamp.

 I continue to count my thanks, 

piling up gratitude day by day in my journal.

(and capturing some of my blessings via my camera or iPhone)

#12,212-#12,238

Thank You God for-

6-24-19-

-a yard to work in

-a quick visit with the four Portland grands

-oldest granddaughter's first drive to and from Portland in traffic went safely

-the miracle of our daughter finding her husband's co-workers wallet hours later after he lost in a parking lot

6-25-19-

-the chain of events that changed my day so I had a day to get things done at home

-melted berries in our garage fridge that meant I had to deep clean it so it's cleaner than it's ever been

-and it meant that I needed to make jam NOW so I made my first ever batch of sugar free jam for my husband and it turned out sooo good!

-and since I had to clean the garage fridge I also cleaned out the cabinet in the garage where we store extra canned goods

6-26-19-

-waking up to the sounds of a rooster somewhere in our neighborhood which reminds me of waking up in Ghana to that same sound

-G coming over for a walk and a visit

-a summer thunderstorm

-no one hurt when the neighbor's tree fell into our youngest daughter's yard

6-27-19-

-Your Word accomplishes what You intend for it- (Is. 55:11)

-a summer pedicure

-all of the help setting up for our granddaughter's sweet sixteen/belated quinceanera party

6-28-19-

-all of the plans and prep that came together smoothly for our granddaughter's party

-so many friends and family came

-a sweet note to her from her birth mama

-tender words to her from her mom and dad

-all of the grands and all of her friends having so much fun dancing

6-29-19-

-a sweet time of prayer

-God at work in hearts and lives

-a graduation party for a fine young man that we've known and loved since he was one

6-30-19-

-an AMAZING Sunday morning

-our nephew and his wife and son coming to church

-lunch at our daughter's 

-praying at our son-in-law and daughter's new church building

still following,

Live free!

Have you ever felt like you are trapped, in a stuck place, in a pit due to circumstances or due to other people and their choices, their decisions, things that affect you but are simply beyond your control? I’ve been there. But today, I'm living free!

Years ago, during a time of feeling trapped, helpless, and desperate, I got away by myself seeking to hear God. His words to me were, in essence, “Stop being a victim. Quit focusing on what you cannot change about other people or outward circumstances. Start doing something about the things you can change."  (Join me for the rest of this post on Sunday, June 30th at Woman to Woman Ministries, where each Sunday I share a bit of Sunday Soul Food!)

still following,

Also happily linking up with:

Sunday Scripture Blessings

Susan B. Mead

Sue Moore Donaldson

Weekly Gratitude Journal

Last week was so busy and full and productive but so filled with God's peace! That is a miracle-a direct answer to prayer! Too many things happening at once usually makes me feel anxious. Last week not only had a lot of things happening-but a bathroom and laundry room remodeling happening on top of everything else! Praise God for His faithfulness and mercy to me each day!

****************

Since 2009 I've been counting my blessings thanks to the prompting of Ann Voskamp.

 I continue to count my thanks, 

piling up gratitude day by day in my journal.

(and capturing some of my blessings via my camera or iPhone)

#12,190-#12,211

Thank You, Father God for-

6-17-19-

-the riches of the book of Hebrews

-sweet youngest granddaughter sucking her thumb just like her mama did

-the bathroom remodeling is started!

6-18-19-

-Your care for us and Your provision

-planting lavender and daisies with the "help" of my grandson

-a really nice and helpful employee at Lowe's helping me

6-19-19-

-the bathroom will be done in time for this weekend's baby shower

-youngest daughter helping her sister out by babysitting our middle granddaughters

-the sweet things my guy does that let me know he's thinking of me

6-20-19-

-a sweet time in God's presence after too many days of distractions

-the guest bathroom is done!

-a powerful night of worship and prayer

6-21-19-

-working in the yard and washing windows with the help of oldest granddaughter

-beginning the book of Deuteronomy as I read through the Bible

-the first day of summer

6-22-19-

-everything turning out so well for today's baby shower

-the outpouring of love on the soon to be mama

-a good talk with a sweet gal from church following the shower

-the laundry room makeover is done!

6-23-19-

-a very encouraging morning at church 

-Thai food!

-Sunday afternoon rest

still following,