Earth laughs in flowers...

Quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson.

(edited using Kim's cherish texture, 15% opacity)

Still following, 

Extra blessed...

The Hubs takes Friday off each week.

I just love our Fridays off together.

He works at his office at the church all the other weekdays and most every Saturday, 

except for the few Saturdays each fall when he goes to his beloved Washington Huskie's football games.

So, it's always a treat when he takes a Friday and Saturday off so we can have a little overnight getaway.
I'm so thankful that God provides, not just our basic needs, but so often He gives us our wants too!
I think this little getaway was a little of both, a need and a want.
God is so good to us, certainly above and beyond what we could ever earn or deserve.

Now we face a new week refreshed and grateful...
always grateful.

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

In 2012 I followed the prompts in Ann Voskamp's Joy Dare in counting my thanks.

In 2013 I'm going back to the way I did it in the beginning,
just noticing and recording the many extraordinary blessings in my ordinary life.

And so I continue to count my thanks

piling up gratitude day by day

in my little black journal.

(and capturing some of them via my camera or iPhone)

#2923-#2948

3-18-13-

-practicing with my camera, shooting and editing-learning new things

-running around the local fitness trail with the Hubs

-the cross-thank You, Jesus

3-19-13-

-the hope seen in spring blossoms

-running stronger

-listening to Misty Edward's new cd on spotify

3-20-13

-youngest daughter safely home from trip to Missouri

-putting up new shelves

-the Hubs liking them, his encouragement and tolerance of my impulsive ideas

-Philippians 2:3-11 Jesus humbled Himself and obeyed the Father unto death

-a rainy beginning for the first day of spring, giving way to blue skies for my run

3-21-13-

-getting my list of to-dos done

-a late lunch at Chipotle with the two oldest grands on early release day at school

-a great time of prayer and worship at church

3-22-13-

-an overnight getaway with the Hubs

-sunset on Lake Washington

-ending my day with she reads truth devotions

3-23-13-

-a slow morning on a Saturday, a rare treat since the Hubs usually works on Saturday

-a beautiful sunny day at the lake

-safe travels

3-24-13-

-a great Palm Sunday service and dinner at the church after

-the two youngest grands coming over for the evening

Gratefully yours,

John 12:46...

I'm so thankful that I can live in the light of hope in the face of the darkness of this sin twisted world.

The news of the latest violence, the state of the economy, none of it has to send me into a tail spin anymore.

I know the end of the story.

One day, Jesus is going to make all things new.

One day He will reign on planet earth and restore it to its garden of Eden beauty and purity.

The lion and the lamb will lie down together in peace.

Children will play with wild animals like domesticated pets.

It's true!

The Bible tells us about this wonderful time to come.

I am so thankful that Jesus came to bring us light and hope and that this life isn't all that there is.

Still following,

Friday's Favs...new shelves!

It was just Tuesday when I published a post, "Blossoms in the Rain", 

that included photos of this corner of my dining room.

As is typical of me, I got an idea for a change and had to do it RIGHT NOW.

Are any of you impulsive when it comes to creativity or home projects?

The idea was to take down the framed ironstone saucers that have hung there for quite some time, (which you can see in the previous post), and hang two 24 inch shelves.

The only trouble was, I didn't see anything pre-made like I had in mind available at 

Ikea, Home Depot or Lowes.

So I just decided to make them myself.

This is another side of my creative impulsiveness.

I decide to do things that I've never done before and have no idea if I can actually do them.

But, I did it!

I found the wood I wanted at Lowes and had them cut it for me.

(At no charge!  Yay, Lowes!)

They cut the 4 ft. board in two, then cut it lengthwise so it was 10" deep instead of 12".

I bought four brackets and a package of self anchoring drywall screws that will hold up to 65 lbs. to attach the shelves to the wall.

First, I stained the boards and then applied a good coat of paste wax.

When they were dry and buffed I carefully measured where I needed to attach the brackets to the shelves.

I chose to attach the brackets one inch in from the edge of the shelves.

And then I used a drill to screw the brackets in.

I - used - a - drill!!!

The trickest part was making sure the shelves were centered on the wall, level 

and spaced apart from each other the way I planned for them to be.

I decided that the bottom shelf should be 14 inches above the dish cabinet 

and the top shelf 12 inches above that.

Using a level and a yard stick, I did it!

  I'm lovin' it!

I know what I did isn't rocket science, but it feels good to have an idea, try it out and like the results.

(P.S. My husband was "surprised" at what I had done when he got home from the office,

but he liked it and said I did a good job.)

Well, it's almost Friday, friends!

Have a HAPPY, HAPPY Friday

and

a BLESSED weekend!

              

                                            

Also linking to Jennifer Rizzo's Fabulously Creative Friday

Blossoms in the rain...

Spring has been playing hide and seek.

First, it's almost summer-like, then, POOF, it's gone!

Then we're back to gray skies and rain and cuddling under warm quilts at night.

It's here! Now it's not.  It's here!  Now it's not.

Sun, rain, sun, rain, hail, sun, rain.

It was on one of those gray, rainy days last week that I looked and, to my surprise, 

the trees up and down our street had blossomed!

I nipped a few small branches and brought them inside to chase the gloomies away that had crept into,
not only the weather, but me.

And low and behold if those blossoms didn't preach me a sermon...

 When something new is on the horizon, a new season is about to come in your life, 

and life is so sunshine-y with hope and promise that you can almost grasp it, 

then, POOF, hurt and disappointment comes and suddenly life feels all gray and winter-y,

 you can begin to doubt that a new season is ever going to come.

Sometimes, it's on one of those grayest and rainiest and gloomiest sort of days,

that you look and realize,  in the midst of it all, you've blossomed!

Gloomy, gray skies and rain nonetheless, life is flowing inside that tree

 and eventually that life produces blossoms.

You may feel like your new season went flying out the window with your latest bout of adversity.

But, inside of you something life-giving has been set in motion by the One Who gave you life.

And the same Voice that said "Let there be light!" and there was, is saying,

"Grow!  Grow and Blossom and Thrive!"

And you will, when you least expect it, you will.

On those summer-like days, turn your face to the sun and soak it in.

And on those gray, rainy days, sink your roots down deep and slurp up that rain.

And, grow, grow and blossom and thrive.

Still following,