Kennebunkport, Maine...

My dream was to return to Maine someday with my family. Mama was born on P.E.I. and was raised in Maine. I'd been there twice in my younger years, then twice again with my husband. Our children and grandchildren had never been. However, there are now fourteen of us altogether, including our three daughters and their husbands, and our grandchildren, making my dream a tad unrealistic.  So, for my sixtieth birthday this month we planned a celebratory trip to Maine for me and my daughters, (and our two month old grandson tagging along with his mama), which was a more practical option.  The night of my birthday, we flew in to Boston, then drove up to Portland, Maine, where we spent our first night. We stopped in Kennebunkport on the way to Portland, where we waded in the Atlantic and looked around this quaint vacation wonderland.

I'm not really attired for wading, but it felt very refreshing after spending the night flying cross country!

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songography at "You'll Shoot Your Eye Out"

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buckaroo mama

peabea

Grateful and Joyful...

I've got two weeks of entries from my gratitude journal today since I was on vacation and didn't post last week. For my sixtieth birthday my husband and daughters helped to make a dream come true for me.  I've always wanted to take my girls to Maine to see the beautiful place where my Mama grew up and to meet some of my relatives that are still living there.  While my husband and I have been able to take a couple of trips there, my girls have never been.  So, on the night of my birthday my daughters and I, (and our two month old breastfeeding grandson), hopped a night flight to Boston, rented a car when we arrived there the following morning, and drove to Maine!  We spent a week sightseeing, visiting my 89 year old aunt and some of my cousins, eating lots of lobster, and soaking in the beauty of one of my most favorite places!  I am bubbling over with deep gratitude to God and my family for making this deep desire of my heart come to pass!

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

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)

#10,086-#10,143

7-31-17-

-my second-born's weight loss and good health journey-(she's lost 100+ lbs!)

-God's constant care and blessing in my life

-a beautiful new potted plant for my patio from a sweet friend

8-1-17-

-August!

-my hubs was able to get the airline to change our seats so we are seated together

-God's provision for this trip

8-2-17-

-God's faithfulness and goodness to me for sixty years!

-getting a new flight after our flight was cancelled due to stormy weather in Boston

-a nice birthday dinner out with my husband before going to the airport

8-3-17-

-a safe flight-(and the baby slept most of the way!)

-a safe drive to Maine from Boston-(YaY! We're in Maine!)

-wading in the Atlantic on our stop in Kennebunkport

-a beautiful room with a view in Portland

8-4-17-

-blueberry pancakes at Becky's Diner

-a beautiful drive to Fort Popham

-Mama's hometown-beautiful Bath, Maine

-lobster dinner at JR Maxwell's in Bath,

 (our oldest daughter's first lobster-

she had promised my mama she wouldn't eat lobster til she had it in Maine)

-our fun and quirky AirBnB in Bowdoinham, Maine- (it's a two story apartment built inside a barn)

8-5-17-

-we all slept over nine hours!

-coffee and quiet time on the deck overlooking the Maine woods

-going to the little farmers market in Bowdoinham and buying a fresh chicken and some veggies

-meeting up with my cousin and his wife in Freeport and going to a free concert sponsored by 

LLBean-(it rained, but it was so fun!)

-our baby grandson discovered his hands today

8-6-17-

-from Psalm 119-"Your statutes have been my songs in the house of my sojourning"-so true!

-introducing my grandson to our French AirBnB owner-"Bonjour, Monsieur!" she said to him

-seeing more of Mama's hometown with my cousins

-a lobster and clam feed at my Aunt's house, (Mama's last living sibling of nine)

-text from my husband that we had more new people at church today

8-7-17-

-God is good and does good-Ps. 119:68

-seeing my Aunt one more time to say goodbye again

-my oldest daughter making the most delicious meal out of the chicken and veggies we bought at the farmer's market-(roast chicken with roasted potatoes and radishes, a beautiful salad, and sautéed swiss chard-

 set up beautifully on the deck of our AirBnB on our last evening there)

8-8-17-

-a safe drive along the Maine coast to Bar Harbor

-a fun meal at an Irish pub and a good time spending some time in the little shops 

-an AMAZING sunset nature cruise along the shoreline of Acadia National Park

8-9-17-

-a beautiful morning in Bar Harbor

-a safe drive to Boston, (with stops in Hallowell, Maine and Portsmouth, NH)

-our baby grandson's first swim

-belly laughs with my girls

-a free hotel room upgrade to a large suite!

-ordering dinner into our room-(two of us had Italian and two of us had sushi)

8-10-17-

-our youngest daughter driving like a pro through the narrow and crowded Boston streets

-walking the Freedom Trail, seeing where our nation's beginnings happened

-lunch at Cheers

-a safe evening flight home sweet home

-the baby literally slept the whole way!

8-11-17-

-waking up at home in my own bed next to my guy

-writing down memories from our trip so I won't forget

-my helpful nephew who put the bottom trim around our cabinets for me

-sunny yellow mums with green centers in the milk bottle I brought home from Maine

-enjoying my husband's day off with him

8-12-17-

-waking up in the wee hours since I'm still on east coast time,

 giving me extra quiet time with Jesus and time to write a blog post

-help from our friends to get our cabinets ready for painting

-watching our three year old grandson for a couple of hours and him falling asleep holding my hand

8-13-17-

-my big sister's 70th birthday

-a refreshing rainy morning after two very dry months

-a fabulous message at church, and more new faces!

still following,

Hope...

I've been reading through Psalm 119 this last week and this morning as I read verse 116, I was burdened for those who are struggling with hopelessness. "Uphold me according to your promise, that I may live, and let me not be put to shame in my hope", the verse reads.  I began to remember the many times and situations that I, myself, struggled with hopelessness - when I was sure God was going to come through with a financial miracle and instead we went through a season of great loss - when someone hurt and betrayed me and the relationship never recovered - in dealing with a chronic pain issue - in a long, long season of not seeing an answer to a deep heart prayer - in a two year struggle with depression - in watching my daughter struggle through over a decade of infertility and miscarriage.  I'm sure it wouldn't be hard for me to recollect other times when it felt like I was barely holding on by a thread to the rope of hope.
 (Join me for the rest of this post on Sunday, August 13th, 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

This is the day that the Lord has made...

We are only beginning the month of August and yet the stores have already stocked their shelves with fall decorations.  The older I get the more I resist the constant push to wish away our today in our anticipation of tomorrow.  This week I celebrated my sixtieth birthday.  I know the reality of how swiftly life passes by.  I regret the times that I didn't savor my now because I was wishing for tomorrow.  I remember how isolating and lonely the days at home with an infant were, yet now I wish I could go back and savor those fleeting moments just a wee bit more.  Yet, as wrong as it is to waste my today wishing for tomorrow, isn't it equally wrong to waste my today longing for yesterday, longing to relive the good moments or to repair the bad ones?  (Join me for the rest of this post on Sunday, August 6th, 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

You are my God, I will give thanks...

I'm a day late with my weekly gratitude post.  This summer has been busy, but instead of stressing and getting frustrated that I've not had much time to write or post regularly here I'm trying to relax and go with the flow. On that note,  I'll not be around much for the next week as I'll be away celebrating my 6oth birthday!  I'm actually looking forward to my birthday instead of dreading it!  Sixty is the new fifty, right? 

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

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)

#10,065-#10,085

7-24-17-

-another beautiful summer day

-planning out the details of our trip to Maine

-healthy eating and consistent exercise making a difference slowly but surely

7-25-17-

-our youngest grandson two months old today!

-hiking around Battleground Lake with a friend

-God's provision

7-26-17-

-praying with a friend

-making plans because of church growth

-laughing with my husband

7-27-17-

-our new countertops are installed!

-God's provision each step of the way on our kitchen project

-worship that breaks open the hard places in my heart

7-28-17-

-Friday Date Day with my hubs

-a nice evening walk

-my husband

7-29-17-

-a writing project coming together

-my favorite summer salad

-a summer evening walk with my granddaughter and friend

7-30-17-

-God is building His church

-a yummy and fun lunch after church

-Sunday rest day!

still following,

A steadfast heart...

I've read through the Psalms many times in my almost six decades of living, but as I'm currently reading through it again it's as if I'm noticing for the first time how frequently the steadfast love of the Lord is mentioned.  In last week's Sunday Soul Food post I mentioned some of those verses.

In Psalm 57:7 and Psalm 108:1 the Psalmist says that his heart is steadfast.  In Psalm 112:7 it says that the Psalmist is not afraid of bad news because his heart is firm, trusting in the Lord. In the original language the word firm could also be translated steadfast.  As I am rereading the Psalms, I am convinced that the key to our own heart being steadfast-unafraid, at peace, trusting-is being fully persuaded about God's steadfast love for us. When we are confident in God's love, when we know in the depths of our being that nothing can separate us from His steadfast love for us, then we can face what comes our way in this life trusting in Him and His steadfast love. We can trust that He will lovingly care for us, come what may. (Join me for the rest of this post on Sunday, July 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

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