He always hears and listens...

As I look back on my six decades of life I can see so many answers to prayer. Sometimes the answer to a prayer came quickly. Sometimes I prayed for years and years and years and then, finally, the answer came. There are some prayers I'm still praying but I've yet to see an answer. When I pray the same deep heart cry prayer for years, and even decades, without a visible answer, I'm ashamed to say that I sometimes lose focus on all of the answered prayers and begin to wonder if God is still listening to me.

This morning, during my devotions I read the portion of scripture in John chapter eleven when Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead. Before He spoke the life-giving words, "Lazarus, come forth!" Jesus prayed to His Father. He thanked the Father for always hearing and listening to Him. He didn't say, "Father, please listen to me. I'm begging you to hear my prayers. This is a desperate situation. Lazarus has died. Please, please, please listen to me, hear my prayers, and help me to raise Lazarus from the dead." I'm pretty sure that's what my prayer would have sounded like under the circumstances.    (Join me for the rest of this post on Sunday, November 18th, at Woman to Woman Ministries where each Sunday I share a bit of Sunday Soul Food!)

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Also happily linking up with the lovely

Susan B. Mead
and

Sunday Scripture Blessings

An Autumn Drive in the Columbia River Gorge...

(Cape Horn, Columbia River Gorge)

Last Friday we took our annual drive up the Columbia River Gorge from our home in Vancouver, Washington to The Dalles, Oregon to pick up our order of fruit from Muirhead Canning. Sometimes we drive east on Hwy. 84 on the Oregon side of the gorge, but this year we drove up Hwy. 14 on the Washington side of the gorge. It was a gorgeous day for a drive. 

We crossed the bridge over to the Oregon side of the gorge in Hood River. From our longtime home in Portland, Oregon, and now in Vancouver, Washington, the west side of Mt. Hood is a familiar sight. As we drew near to the cannery, Mt. Hood's north side could be clearly seen. We lived in the Hood River valley in the late eighties and early nineties, and this view greeted us each morning from our front room window! What a blessing it is to live in the beautiful Pacific Northwest!

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WORDLESS WEDNESDAY at CREATE WITH JOY

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More November gratitude...

I'm a day late with my gratitude post because of Veteran's Day. We took the day off and enjoyed spending the day with our two youngest granddaughters while their mama and daddy worked. Our youngest daughter and grandson came by as well. The weather was cold, but sunny, so the grandkids and I bundled up and took a nice long walk. When we got home, Papa had built a backyard fire in the fire pit and we roasted hotdogs for lunch. I can't believe I didn't take any photos, but I guess I was too busy just enjoying the day, which is a good thing! 

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

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)

#11,398-#11,421

11-5-18-

-an encouraging word right when I needed it

-running into someone at the grocery store who needed an encouraging word and some prayer

(thank you God that I received some encouragement and was able to share some encouragement because of YOU!)

-phone calls with both of my sisters

-a fun family dinner at our oldest daughter's

11-6-18-

-the right to vote

-honest communication

-our small group

11-7-18-

-tea and a sweet visit and time in the Word and prayer with a friend

-God blessing my husband through some online resources

-a treat for myself- Joanna Gaine's new HomeBody book

-an unexpected mid-week "date" with my guy

11-8-18-

-a big, beautiful hawk perched on a lamp post

-walking, talking and praying with a friend

-sweet night of worship and prayer

11-9-18-

-a beautiful drive up the Columbia River Gorge

-a bald eagle soaring by when we stopped at Cape Horn

-friends that came to the rescue when our car battery died

11-10-18-

-"FamBam" texts with our daughters

-preholiday deep cleaning done-Whew!

-a dense foggy morning that gave way to a gorgeous blue sky afternoon

11-11-18-

-a cold, foggy, frosty morning

-Jesus' blood shed for me and His body broken for me

-a wonderful spirit in our worship

-my favorite tomato basil soup and lunch with friends

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House and Heart Cleaning...

It's the most wonderful time of the year!  The holidays are right around the corner. There are at least six different gatherings at our home before Christmas, so today I wanted to get an early start on my pre-holiday deep cleaning. I always start with the hidden areas, the cupboards and drawers and pantry in the kitchen, and the bathrooms and laundry room. Today, I emptied all the shelves and drawers, threw out old or unnecessary items, wiped everything down then put things neatly back. I highly doubt that any of the guests that gather in our home will notice the tidy state of my cupboards or drawers, much less care about them. But, I notice and I care. When things are in order in my home I can handle the extra busyness that comes during this time of year with more grace and peace.

My word for 2018 has been yield. For these eleven months since last New Year's Day, this year of focusing on yielding and surrendering to God has been one loooonnnnng season of deep cleaning.  I'm not sure anyone else can see what God has been doing within, but the deeper I let Him go into the hidden places within my heart and soul the more I'm able to face life with grace and peace.

Cleaning the house and cleaning my heart have some things in common.   (Join me for the rest of this post on Sunday, November 11th, at Woman to Woman Ministries where each Sunday I share a bit of Sunday Soul Food!)

still following,

Also happily linking up with the lovely

Susan B. Mead
and

Sunday Scripture Blessings

I will give thanks to You, forever...

Thanksgiving is more than just a day we celebrate later this month. It should be the lifestyle of us as Jesus followers. satan loves to get our focus on to all of the things that we don't like about our life-the prayers we've yet to have answered, the circumstances we don't like, the hurts that have come our way. he hates it when we praise God and give Him the thanks we deserves. Our choice to be a person of praise and gratitude is one of the most powerful spiritual weapons against the forces of darkness that we have in our arsenal. I choose to give thanks to God, forever!

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

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)

#11,374-#11,397

10-29-18-

-God speaking to my heart about the Repairer of the Breach

-lunch and a walk and good talk with G.

-an evening of rest in our hotel

10-30-18-

-God's faithful provision

-lunch with G. and I. before heading home from Kansas City

-a safe flight home

-our middle daughter and two oldest grands picking us up from the airport

10-31-18-

-taking our middle grandson to preschool decked out in his spiderman costume

-the coziness of our home on a rainy day

-cute photos via texts of the youngest grands in their costumes

11-1-18-

-It's November!-Thanksgiving month!

-my guy

-praying with a friend

-new winter boots

-a really good prayer time

11-2-18-

-a sun break for a good walk with youngest grandson

-going to oldest granddaughter's swim meet-

(She made varsity swim team as a freshman and made it to district!)

-watching a Hallmark Christmas movie with youngest daughter

11-3-18

-youngest daughter and grandson staying overnight while some electrical updates are being done on their home

-the hubs saying that a healthy chicken, veggie, quinoa stir fry is a new favorite!

- snuggles with youngest grandson

11-4-18-

-God's grace

-Sunday afternoon rest

-munching on popcorn and watching a Christmas movie with the two oldest grands

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A Thanksgiving Lifestyle...

October is over. November has begun, which means that Thanksgiving Day is quickly approaching! I believe that thanksgiving should be more than something we focus on for one day a year. For that reason, I am repeating this post on a simple way to make thanksgiving more than just a holiday. I believe it should be the lifestyle of the believer.

 It was really eye opening to me the day I stumbled upon Deuteronomy 28:47,(Amplified Bible, Classic Edition), in my Bible reading. In this verse we find out that one of the reasons that God's people were living a less than life was "Because you did not serve the Lord your God with joyfulness of mind and heart in gratitude for the abundance of all with which He had blessed you." Gratitude is important to God and it's life changing for us.  Ann Voskamp, author of the book One Thousand Gifts, writes, "Give thanks if you are joyful" is, in reality: "to be joyful, give thanks." Did you notice in that verse in Deuteronomy how, to God, both our joyfulness and our gratitude are not only important, but connected? 

 (Join me for the rest of this post on Sunday, November 4th, at Woman to Woman Ministries where each Sunday I share a bit of Sunday Soul Food!)

still following,

Also happily linking up with the lovely

Susan B. Mead
and

Sunday Scripture Blessings

Take things with gratitude...

We head home tomorrow after a week in Kansas City attending our goddaughter's wedding, visiting two dear ones from our church who attend the International House of Prayer University here, and enjoying some time at the International House of Prayer. It's been good and I'm grateful for this time away but also grateful to be heading home tomorrow. This homebody misses her own little nest.

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

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)

#11351-#11,373

10-22-18-

-bundling up for my walk for the first time this season

-a fun family dinner at oldest daughter's house-I love having all our grands together!

-"Nana, you make the best guacamole but Auntie makes the best pies!" (HaHa! It's true!)

10-23-18-

-a safe trip to Kansas City

-a huge beautiful harvest moon

-dinner and laughter with G.

10-24-18-

-a sweet time in the prayer room

-an encouraging report from my friend's doctor

-a fun evening with our dear friends and goddaughter

10-25-18-

-hot tomato soup and crunchy crusted bread

-feeling better after some tummy troubles

-Psalm 139 prayed and sung in the prayer room - so powerful

10-26-18-

-"Jesus, You're Beautiful"

-friendship and laughter

-a small town football game, cold, crisp weather, a huge orange moon

10-27-18-

-love

-fiery orange, red trees

-a beautiful day to spend some time at the Plaza

-a little afternoon nap

-a fun, delicious rehearsal dinner

10-28-18-

-God ministering to me deeply at church this morning

-getting to be a part of our goddaughter's wedding!

-a dance with my guy at the reception

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