Thanksgiving precedes the miracle...

Let's admit it. The things that aren't going the way we want them to in our life are often front and center in our thoughts. Then, along comes satan and he likes to give us a big old push down the slippery slope of doubt, fear, and unbelief. Soon, we catch ourselves murmuring and complaining and speaking words of hopelessness and despair. It takes DISCIPLINE and DIVINE HELP to DEVELOP a mindset of gratitude and thanksgiving - to be a person who speaks PRAISE instead of constantly reciting our PROBLEMS. Truth be told, even though my personality bend is more toward being an optimist, there are some days when it would be easier to list ten complaints in an ingratitude journal then three things I'm thankful for in my gratitude journal. There's always something to complain about, isn't there? It's finding the blessings in the midst of the mess of ordinary life that takes effort. Finding something to grumble about is the easy way out. Giving thanks is a bit like panning for gold...the dirt and debris of life is easy to spot, but it sometimes takes some sifting to find the treasure in our life. 

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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)

#11,282-#11,329

(Posting two weeks of my gratitude journal. 

We were out of town last week for an event at our friend's church in So.Cal.

It was a joy to be able to stay at my brother's home and to get to visit with him!)

10-1-18-

-it's October!

-a blog problem resolved

-family dinner at my daughter's house

10-2-18-

-Psalm 37

-getting a long procrastinated chore done-it feels so good!

-homemade soup

-laughing together with our small group

10-3-18-

-God's grace and mercy when my mind and thoughts need realigned with God's

-the way my grandson's eyes light up and he yells,

 "Nana!", and runs and hugs me when I pick him up from preschool

-thinking I was getting sick but feeling better after going to bed early

10-4-18-

-church volunteers that we couldn't do without

-God's provision

-praying together

10-5-18-

-a safe flight to So Cal

-lunch at Dana Point harbor

-beautiful sunny weather and palm trees

-a walk to an overlook of the beach and city with my brother

-a wonderful dinner made for us by my brother and his girlfriend

10-6-18-

-a hike along Laguna Beach

-fish tacos!

-a beautiful So Cal sunset

10-7-18-

-a wonderful visit with our friends

-joy filled worship

-texted from oldest granddaughter that she made district in swim team

10-8-18-

-another wonderful long walk with my brother

-a picnic on the grounds of the Montage

-dinner with my brother and his girlfriend at the Fistherman's Wharf in San Clemente

10-9-18-

-making Dutch babies for breakfast

-a walk to San Clemente beach

-pumpkin pie!

-a safe trip home

10-10-18-

-a foggy, chilly autumn morning

-God at work within my heart

-an afternoon with my sweet grandson

-a safe drive for our daughter on a business trip

10-11-18-

-a really good night's sleep

-an answer to prayer for my niece in law

-such a good, good prayer and worship night

10-12-18-

-texts from our oldest granddaughter

-this beautiful autumn day

-super cute photos of oldest daughter and her family at the pumpkin patch

10-13-18-

-long phone conversation with my sister

-a phone call with my "unofficially adopted granddaughter" who's away at college

-trees aflame with autumn colors

10-14-18-

-an encouraging visit over lunch

-another addition to our small group

-my youngest daughter feeling better after thinking she was getting the flu

still following,

Resist!

I was listening to the news the other day when I heard yet another prediction of impending gloom, doom and despair. I thought about how surrounded we are by words and thoughts that fuel our fear, worry and anxiety. God's Word says in 2 Timothy 1:7,"For God did not give us a spirit of timidity (of cowardice, of craven and cringing and fawning fear), but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of calm and well-balanced mind and discipline and self-control." The enemy wants to intimidate, manipulate and control us through fear.  In contrast, God enables us to be courageous, powerful, loving, calm, well balanced, disciplined and self controlled even in the midst of our chaotic world.  (Join me for the rest of this post on Sunday, October 14th, 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

Spiritual Realignment...

Have you ever awakened with a crick in your back or neck? You feel stiff, sore and out of sorts. Perhaps you go to the chiropractor and he/she manipulates your spine. You can actually hear and feel it pop back into alignment.

The other day, I woke up out of spiritual alignment. I felt mumbly and grumbly. My spirit was irritated and agitated. As is my routine, I made my coffee, lit my favorite candle, and settled into my cozy chair in our kitchen nook with my Bible. I began to pray and pour out my complaints before God. (Join me for the rest of this post on Sunday, October 7th, 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

Strait of Juan de Fuca from Victoria B.C....

On our recent vacation, from our hotel in Victoria B.C. we were a short walk northeast to the inner harbor, (seen here), and a wee bit longer walk southwest to the Strait of Juan de Fuca between Vancouver Island and Washington State, U.S.A. 

While there are plenty of things to do and see in Victoria's beautiful downtown, I also love to get away from the city and to walk along the stunning shoreline of the Strait of Juan de Fuca. (In the first photo you can see the Olympic mountains in Washington State seen across the Strait.)

 This piece of driftwood came home with me and is now part of my autumn mantel decor! 

The shoreline along the strait is rough and rocky. For a stroll there are walking paths on the rise above the shore. A walk on the shore itself includes scrambling over large boulders and driftwood logs. In spite of that, I still couldn't resist exploring along the water's edge. There are stairs from the walking path down to the shoreline.

Victoria is a beautiful city located in a beautiful location. No wonder I love it so much!

still following, 

image-in-ing:Variations

http://www.lifenreflection.com

buckaroo mama

peabea

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY at CREATE WITH JOY

Tom the Backroads Traveller

http://sharonrwagner.blogspot.com

Thankful for a God Who hears and cares...

It was an insignificant problem in the grand scheme of things, but an irritating one. For two weeks I've been unable to reply to comments on my own blog or to comment on others' blogs. I've tried most of the solutions suggested in online help forums to no avail. This morning after praying about it, I tried one more thing and it seems to have worked. Praise God! I'm so grateful that there is nothing too big or too small to ask God about. He's such a good Father and I am so grateful!

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

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)

#11,260-#11,281

9-24-18-

-God's faithful care and provision for us

-walking with my grand girlies and their friend to the park and then to McDonald's for sundaes

-a quiet evening at home with my poor sick husband who has a cold/flu

9-25-18-

-a sweet, encouraging text

-talking to and praying with my "unofficially adopted granddaughter", 

(who is away at college now), on the phone

-a beautiful autumn day for a long overdue visit with a friend

-flowers from my guy

9-26-18-

-another beautiful autumn day

-hot Pho soup for my husband who's still battling a cold

-watching the Great British Baking Show together, (yep, he likes it too!)

9-27-18-

-a clean, sanitized house-be gone germs!

-watching, crying, praying as I watched the Senate hearing and knowing that God hears and cares

-the blessing of our worship and prayer night at church

9-28-18-

-a beautiful sunrise out of my kitchen window

-lunch by the river at a favorite restaurant

-our oldest granddaughter getting first place in her swim meet

9-29-18-

-a sweet phone call

-youngest grandson's puzzlement when it began to sprinkle on our walk 

and he couldn't figure out where the water was coming from!

-snuggles, songs, books and prayer before tucking him in

9-30-18-

-God continuing His good work in us

-lunch with my sister and her husband before they move on after being in the area this past month

-God's Word to rest and trust from Isaiah 30:15

still following,

It's time to pray...

In light of current events I shared some of the following thoughts on Facebook and Instagram. Many people have been sharing those posts, so I thought it might be helpful to share my thoughts here with some links you can click on that will lead you to some scriptures that some of my statements are related to.

It was the summer of 1982 when she was fifteen years old and he was seventeen. Thirty six years later, she's a highly educated, successful college professor, wife and mother. He's a highly educated, successful judge with an unblemished record of public service, a husband and a father. Last Thursday in a highly charged emotional Senate hearing we saw both of them give sworn testimony about an alleged assault in that summer of 1982. I cried as I watched. I prayed. I'm still praying.

God alone knows the real truth of what did or didn't happen. But, what we can be sure of is that the spiritual forces of wickedness will destroy them both in order to further divide and destroy our nation. Look beyond the headlines-there's a spiritual battle going on in our nation, for our nation.  (Join me for the rest of this post on Sunday, September 30th, 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

Friday Faves...My new favorite painting

A couple of weeks ago I showed you my autumn mantel which included an attempted abstract beach painting done by myself. You can see that here. This past weekend my six year old and nine year old granddaughters spent the night at our house. I had a leftover canvas and decided to let them paint, using some navy blue paint, some white paint and some sponges.  I LOVE their painting so much better than my own and I wanted to share it with you.

What I love about it is that it gives the effect of being in the middle of a wave when you are looking at it. 

I am loving my subtle, simple autumn mantel this year. It's the peaceful and uncluttered look I am loving these days.

It's almost FRIDAY, friends!

Have a HAPPY, HAPPY Friday

and

a BLESSED weekend!