Sunday, May 20, 2012

Pensive…

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The Hubs keeps asking if I’m okay.

He says I’m quiet.

I’m okay.

It’s just that  I’ve had a pensive kind of week.

It’s been the kind of week where I felt God rearranging the furniture and doing some much needed spring cleaning and purging in the inner me…

the kind of week where God lavished me with blessings I don’t deserve…

the kind of week where we enjoyed an evening with our little granddaughters and watched the three year old run wild in her backyard with her three chickens named Bridget, Ingrid and Myrna…

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then five month old baby granddaughter looked on with longing as we ate meringues filled with chocolate and strawberries, and big sister gave us a chocolate covered smile…

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the kind of week where God-given creative ideas and bargains came together in a supernatural way to make my home office/sanctuary just that, a sanctuary…

the kind of week where we adorned our patio with pots of bargain priced phlox and geraniums

and then I planted that yellow rose I told you about because it was on sale too…

the kind of week where the Hubs mentored the church youth staff at our house and we all ate pizza outside on the patio, then had the first ever fire in our backyard fire pit and made s’mores…

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the kind of week that ended with a day trip to the beach with those same twenty somethings,

and the weather was perfect,

and on the car ride we played the alphabet game and we sang with worship music

and then the Hubs played old rock and roll from the seventies and asked them to name that tune,

while on that same day, in Ghana, my daughter had her birthday without me.

Today a new week has begun,

and today in church, God did some more of His rearranging and cleaning,

and in the middle of worship I suddenly missed the dancing ladies in Ghana,

and I couldn’t stop thinking about our dear Ghanaian friend whose house was damaged in a rain storm this week, and I want to know how we can help.

I’m okay.

It’s just that with all of the cleansing, the rearranging, the blessing, the beauty, the missing, and the hurting, and the wondering,

it has me feeling pensive.

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I’ve taken the Joy Dare.

I’m counting one thousand thanks in one year.

I hunt for thanksgiving using the prompts Ann gives us each month.

If you are interested in joining in, click the link above or at the bottom of this post.

I continue to count my thanks

piling up gratitude day by day

in my little black journal…

#1930-#1950

a gift picked up-

-a branch made into my P-R-A-Y mobile for my office

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a gift put away-

-Mother’s Day roses from a friend put in a vase, next to the Mother’s Day cards on the mantel

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a gift put back-

-my office getting put back in order

3 gifts about me-

-I love deeply

-I’m loyal

-I have a good sense of humor

3 gifts found in His Word-

-Rev. 1:4 The One Who Is, Who Was, and Who Is To Come

-Rev. 1:5 The Faithful Witness, The First to Rise From the Dead, The Commander of all the rulers of the world, Him Who Loves Us, Who has freed us from our sins by shedding His blood for us

-Rev. 1:6- He rules forever and ever!

a gift in a box-

-IKEA bookshelves for my office were on sale when we went to pick them up,

(they come unassembled in a box)

a gift in a bag-

-beautiful monogrammed French towel from oldest daughter for Mother’s Day,

shipped in a bag with wonderful French stamp on it Smile

a gift in a book-

-reading to my granddaughter

3 gifts unexpected-

-a big sale on planters and plants for our patio

-our first fire in our backyard fire pit

-a trip to the beach

3 gifts from childhood-

-seeing the exact same Tiny Tears doll I had as a little girl in an antique store,

(I didn’t buy her, bit it was fun to see her again)

-my love of singing

-my love of reading, of books, of the library

a gift sweet-

-a giant cinnamon roll (oh my!)

a gift sour-

-lemon in my iced tea

a gift salty-

-chips and salsa

 

Gratefully yours,

Elizabeth

11 comments:

  1. It's hard sometimes when God begins the deeper work. But I am always thankful when it's completely and I can "see clearly". Thankful for the tugging he's doing on your heart strings. Oh, I LOVE your "pray" mobile.

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  2. Thank you for your words this morning...pensive here on the East Coast as well. God is working a work and connecting us for encouragement. I love that you received the same card from your husband I received! So sweet! I will be having 15 ladies in my home on Monday evenings to share Ann's book, "1000 Gifts". So thankful that God can use the words of others to encourage our walk with Him.

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  3. Pensive times are good ~ I love being quiet and listening to the Lord ~

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  4. I don't know if your tiny tears doll was the same "vintage" as mine but I still have mine. She has the hard plastic face, a pipe to blow bubbles,eyes that cried, and she wet. I remember squeezing her stomach to make her blow bubbles. She had very curly close to the head curls. I really loved that gift I guess that is why I still have it today. Since I am 57 and I got it before I was even in school I guess it is old enough to be in an antique store. Thanks for reminding me of a fun memory.

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  5. I love those times when things just seem to come together and you know that it could only happen by the Grace of God. Blessings to you!
    Christa

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  6. Sweet babies. Love the chicken coop!

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  7. oh those edible cheeks:)...It must be spring cleaning in the Kingdom...I feel Him moving and sweeping as well...I can’t wait to see the new space He is creating...blessings and enjoy your new space...both in the physical and the spiritual~

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  8. I so get this, all of the blessings intermingled with some disappointment and worry. It's me . . . daily. Thanks for describing it and helping me to see more own pensiveness.

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  9. Feeling the stirrings of the almighty in your soul is a wonderful thing. Grandchildren, sanctuary and seashore are good places to quiet your mind enough to hear the still small voice moving you closer to him. :)

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  10. Tender prayers for you today, friend.

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  11. Oh, I counted books from my childhood too - and chips and salsa! We have a new granddaughter who was born last week too :) Being far away is hard on grandparents, isn't it? Luckily we only had to drive 3 hours to see her. May you find all His grace in the rearranging of heart and home!

    I've enjoyed visiting via Ann's blog. We share much - including God's love!

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