Rekindled...

There's a Bible verse in Matthew chapter twelve verse twenty that says "a battered reed He will not break, and a smoldering wick He will not extinguish". When you're bruised and battered by life and feel like the light within you is barely burning, God sees, knows, cares, and brings help. That help can come from a scripture that God gives you to cling to, His presence that sustains and comforts you as you pray, the encouragement found in gathering together in a body of believers, and life giving relationships. 

This week I am especially thankful for the latter-for the way my flame is rekindled 

• by the love, laughter and joy found in time with my grandchildren
• by texts and talks with my daughters
•  when a friend calls with a Bible verse that I feast on all week long
• when our small group gathers in our home
•  when I tell a friend, "I'm feeling lonely. Want to come over?" and she comes
• by good heart talks with my husband 
• by gathering with our church leaders and feasting on food and fellowship, and laughing and crying and praying together

Thank you, God!

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

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)

#11,330-#11,350

10-15-18-

-God's provision

-an answer to prayer with an unexpected blessing

-a sweet visit with the grands and my oldest daughter

10-16-18-

-a good report on our youngest daughter's prenatal visit

-a walk with youngest grandson

-a sweet time of worship and prayer with our small group

10-17-18-

-another answer to prayer!

-Psalm 84

-dinner with our two oldest grands and middle grandson

10-18-18-

-praise God for an all clear on my medical test

-a friend sharing a scripture passage with me and praying with me

-homemade chicken noodle soup for my sick husband

10-19-18-

-the richness of digging into word meanings in scripture

-cozy new pjs for winter

-a beautiful sunset

10-20-18-

-God's presence, love, mercy, grace

-friendship

-remembering God's faithfulness

10-21-18-

-honest communication

-God's care for us in the details

-an amazing time of prayer with our leadership team

still following,

Remember...

Does it seem to you that the human mind is like a sieve when it comes to remembering our blessings, but like a steel trap when it comes to remembering our hurts, offenses against us, or our problems and cares?  Likewise, why are we so quick to forget God's faithful care for us when we face a time of need, test or trial? I don't know why that is, but it seems to be a common human condition.

To me, Psalm chapter 78, is the quintessential chapter that addresses this issue. God, through the psalmist Asaph begins the chapter by reminding the children of Israel that they are to remember God's deeds and wonderful works and to be sure to pass them on to the succeeding generations so "that they might set their hope in God and not forget the works of God but might keep His commandments".   (Join me for the rest of this post on Sunday, October 21st, 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

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. 

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

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!

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image-in-ing:Variations

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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,