Noticing God's gifts, big and small...

It's been a busy, rich, sweet and full week.  I've written twenty five things in my journal this week to give thanks for.  I imagine there's hundreds, if not more than that, things I've not noticed, not taken time to write down.  I'm not sure I've ever noticed or written down something microscopic, but I believe Ann's point is that we need to pay more attention to the little things.  To notice God's gifts, big and small, is my desire, to give Him the thanks and praise He deserves is my goal. 

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

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)

#8396-#8420

5-9-16-

-a copper pot

-a new plant set inside a peanut can

-8 rose blooms on the rose bush my friend gave me

-God's provision

-a Monday evening at home with my husband

5-10-16-

-devotions and a walk/run before my granddaughter came over for Tuesday "Nana school"

-talking about Jesus answering prayer after reading about George Mueller

-baking cinnamon rolls together

-laughter over the funny Greek names in her history book

-this beautiful day

5-11-16-

-our youngest grandson's second birthday!

-him running all over Dizzy Castle indoor playground

 like one of the big kids with his cousins instead of staying in the toddler area

-birthday dinner with the family

5-12-16-

-our oldest grandson's twelfth birthday

-a quiet afternoon after a lot of busyness

-God is working and answering prayers

5-13-16-

-grandparent's day at my two oldest grandkids' school

-driving to the beach for the afternoon once the festivities were over

-my hub's singing along to worship music as we drive

5-14-16-

-God's encouragement as I walk/run and pray

-an unexpected invitation from my friend

-a sweet end of the day with my husband

5-15-16- 

-an encouraging word 

-an wonderful "Vision Conversation" lunch

-a long phone conversation with my out of town friend

still following,

The Word and restoration into wholeness...

Sometimes a person can walk around feeling like an empty shell, about as ramshackle as this old barn.  This world, it can break a soul, leave a body hemorrhaging on the inside.  Us women, we're good at just keepin' on keepin' on.  We put a smile on our faces and dinner on the table, while inside we're broken and bruised.  We can even teach a class, welcome the visitors and help lead in worship on a Sunday morning, all the while feeling like a hypocrite because we aren't experiencing the victory in Jesus that we're singing about.

Positionally, if you've believed in and received Jesus Christ as the Savior Who redeemed you and washed you from your sins, as the Lord and Ruler of your life, then you're God's girl, no matter how empty or broken you may be feeling.  He doesn't cast you aside like some old used shoe, though you may have a friend or  a husband or some other family member that did that to you.  Your Father in Heaven will never, never, never, no never leave you or forsake you.  That's a promise you can count on.

And friend, He wants to make you whole.  He wants to heal the broken and bruised and wounded places in you.  One of the most powerful tools He uses to do this is His Word. (Join me for the rest of this post on Sunday, May 15th, 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

 Lisha Epperson 

Friday Faves...touches of home

It took me a long while to adjust to the idea of selling the home we had lived in for almost seventeen years.

It took me even longer to adjust to leaving the city I had grown up nearby,

moved back to as an adult, and had lived in for the past nineteen years.

Even if we were moving just over the Columbia River from Portland, Oregon to Vancouver, Washington, 

it was a huge transition in my mind.

Last week, I was running errands and fighting the traffic back in the city,

and for the first time since we moved my thought was "I'm glad we've moved out of this traffic"

instead of feeling like I was glad to be back home.

I guess I've finally adapted, not just to our new home, which I love,

but to our new hometown.

My other concern was how my family would adjust, particularly the grandkids.

Our former home was the only one they'd ever known as Papa and Nana's house.

Lately, even the grandkids have mentioned how much better they like this house.

The more open floor plan is much better for family events, 

and they like the quiet neighborhood and the little park nearby.

We've still got projects to do on our new to us home, 

even so, we're thankful and grateful and content.

Today, I'm showing you some touches around the house that I love.

 I love the little breakfast nook that we turned into a sitting area for my husband and I.

(It's a great read aloud spot with the grandkids!)

I love the little touches of whimsy, like a peanut can used to hold a plant

and an old Tonka truck that our youngest grandson plays with when he comes over.

My old blue dresser, the only piece of furniture I have from my childhood home,

sits in the reading nook.

Bonnie the cow, is another fun touch of whimsy.

I've kind of got a thing for demijohns lately,  and I recently added this one,

and one top of my dish cabinet.

Plants are another thing I've been adding here and there.

My husband mention the other day that the roses in the basket on the wall had died.

I told him that they've dried not died, but he just didn't seem to get the difference. (haha!)

I'm so glad we decided to make the family room that was open to the kitchen into a large dining space instead.

  It just works perfectly for us and for having family and friends over.

You know I love my breadboard collection!

Here's the other demijohn I referred to earlier holding a cotton stem I picked up at a local antique store.

I love the shiplap accent wall that we put in the dining room.

When this room was used as a family room by the previous owners, 

the fireplace was on the wall where the shiplap now is.

We turned it to face the large living area, which used to be a living room/formal dining room combination.

This old second hand copper pot is the finishing touch that I've been looking for on the shiplap wall.

Well, it's almost Friday, friends!

Have a HAPPY, HAPPY Friday

and

a safe and BLESSED weekend!

http://linda-coastalcharm.blogspot.com

             

Whatcha' got cookin'?

"Hey, good lookin', what ya got cookin'?

How's 'bout cookin' somethin' up with me?"

(lyrics by Hank Williams)

I remember that Mama, the queen of bread making in my opinion, used to sing this little ditty sometimes.

Tuesday, is Nana school day, the day I give my daughter a break and help with homeschooling my granddaughter.

She's a cutie, so she's definitely good lookin'!

I'm pretty sure the cookin' Hank Williams was singing about 

didn't involve flour, butter, brown sugar and cinnamon, though.

Besides her schoolwork, I try to do something fun with my granddaughter each Tuesday, 

so today we made cinnamon rolls together.

While the dough was rising, we did school work.

Once the dough is risen, punched down and rolled out, you smear the whole thing with a cube of softened butter topped with a generous layer of brown sugar and cinnamon.

(My hands were too messy to photograph that step!)

My granddaughter was fascinated when I told her we were going to cut the cinnamon rolls up using a string.  

She caught on how to do it right away.

Then we had to wait again for the rolls to rise before we baked them.

 We made cream cheese frosting, and once the cinnamon rolls cooled down we frosted them.

Then they were kid tested and approved!

 To make the cinnamon rolls follow this recipe for the dough but eliminate the cinnamon, 

(you will sprinkle a generous amount of cinnamon in the filling as noted above). 

Frost with a cream cheese frosting made with 1/2 cup softened butter, 

8 oz. of softened cream cheese, 1 teaspoon vanilla and 1 lb. powdered sugar.

still following,

 songography at "You'll Shoot Your Eye Out"

image-in-ing:Variations

life-n-reflection

buckaroomama