Your Glorious Hero...

This morning I woke up with a nagging worry/fear on my mind. A simple comment about something someone read that makes some people more prone to a certain horrific disease started it. I don't consider myself a person who struggles a lot with worry and fear, but, of course, the enemy knows what to do to trigger the areas where fear and worry hide within.   (Join me for the rest of this post on Sunday, March 10th, at Woman to Woman Ministries where each Sunday I share a bit of Sunday Soul Food!)

still following,

Also happily linking up with:

Susan B. Mead

Monday Gratitude...

(sitting in the car with our middle grandson waiting to pick up his cousins, 

our two middle granddaughters, from school)

We are in the mid-west until Wednesday, so I'm just hopping on-line quickly to publish my weekly gratitude post. Happy Monday everyone and remember to count your blessings!

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

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)

#11,792-#11,818

2-25-19-

-the way my grandson runs out of his class and gives me huge hugs and says, 
"Nana!" when I pick him up from pre-school

-what a funny boy!-"Nana, I'm going to get you a butter knife for your birthday!"

-dixie cups of my favorite candy for an after school snack with the grands

-holding our sweet baby B.

-youngest grandson and ten year old granddaughter both sitting on my lap looking at photos on my phone

-our whole family together for an early birthday dinner for my husband

-God's provision for some car repairs

2-26-19-

-frosty cold mornings and our warm, cozy house

-tea, conversation and prayer with a friend

-hearing my favorite birdsong for the first time since winter began

2-27-19-

-my husband's birthday

-huge, fluffy snowflakes 

-a birthday dinner with friends

2-28-19-

-my nephew who gives us rides to the airport

-Mt. Hood, Mt. Adams, Mt. St. Helens and Mt. Rainier all visible from the plane

-safe travels

-a four wheel drive Jeep with heated seats for our travels in the cold, snowy midwest

-staying overnight and visiting with our long time friends

3-1-19-

-huge, red-tailed hawks and black hawks all along the way on our car trip to Bentonville

-our sweet relationship with our goddaughter and godson

-a cozy afternoon nap in the hotel before the rehearsal dinner

3-2-19-

-my more than enough God

-a beautful wedding

-so much laughter with friends

3-3-19-

-breakfast with our friends before driving back to Kansas City

-safe travels and clear roads inspite of overnight snow

-texted photo of our youngest granddaughter's first smiles

still following,

Blot out my transgressions, Wash me from my iniquity...

Sometimes I get so frustrated with myself and the "sins that so easily ensnares me" as the King James version Bible puts it.  I'm walking through life and doing pretty well, and then that familiar sin struggle with criticalness and faultfinding trips me up. I hate it. I want freedom from it. Praise God, that He has made a way for me to be free.

Surely He has borne our griefs

And carried our sorrows;

Yet we esteemed Him stricken,

Smitten by God, and afflicted.

5 

But He was wounded for our transgressions,

He was bruised for our iniquities;

The chastisement for our peace was upon Him,

And by His stripes we are healed.

6 

All we like sheep have gone astray;

We have turned, every one, to his own way;

And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.

Isaiah 53:5-6 NKJV

 (Join me for the rest of this post on Sunday, March 3rd, 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

Belated Gratitude Post-

I try to publish my weekly gratitude post every Monday, but sometimes it just doesn't work out that way. Tomorrow is my husband's birthday and Monday was the only evening that worked for us to have his family birthday dinner. It's always a blessing to us when we get to have our whole family together, (though one son-in-law had to be out of town this time), and we don't take this blessing of having our children and grandchildren living in our area for granted. I cannot look at the fifteen of us together, hear the noise of the grandkids playing together, and not feel so very thankful for God's blessings.  With that said, here's last week's gratitude list - better late than never!

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

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)

#11,768-#11,791

2-18-19-

-a day to have some peace and quiet

-a walk and prayer time with my friend

-our daughters' wisdom

2-19-19-

-all of the helpful Bible study tools right at hand on my phone

-trusting God on the messy journey that walking in unity requires

-our small group

-a phone call with my big sister

2-20-19-

-waking up to birdsong-spring is nearer!

-a visit to see our sweet youngest grands

-taking youngest grandson on his favorite-a nice long walk!

2-21-19-

-God's help and wisdom when we ask Him

-tiny gray and black chickadee 

-this sunny, blue sky day

-"knowing you, Jesus, knowing you, there is no greater thing"

-good news about a friend's ultrasound

2-22-19-

-good news on a friend's medical test

-Friday date day with my guy

-two youngest grandson's playing at the park together

2-23-19-

-painting

-Tiffani Kilgore's book, Misfit Table

-reading bits aloud to my husband and both of getting tears

2-14-19-

-God is at work!

-miraculous provision for a young couple in our church

-family group texts with grandkid photos

still following,

The Lord is good and does what is right...

If only we were immovably, unshakably convinced of God's goodness. If only we really, truly believed that there is no shadowy, scary darkness, nothing shifty, lurking in His character. If only we knew without a doubt that everything He does is right, He really does work everything together for our good, and He only does what is beneficial for us. If only we really knew beyond a shadow of doubt the limitlessness of His love for us and that nothing can separate us from His love.  (Join me for the rest of this post on Sunday, February 24th, 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

Friday Faves...Blooming Branches Indoors

Last week on a gray, rainy day I clipped some budding branches found in a vacant lot,

desperate to bring some early signs of spring into my house.

A warm house, a vase and some water is all it takes and a week later, the buds are turning in to blooms!

Pussy willows are another sign of spring. I didn't forage these branches, I bought them at Trader Joe's. I don't want the pussy willows to continue to change so I did not give them any water. I've had them for a couple of weeks now and they look as good as the day I bought them.

Today, the sky is blue and the sun is out, but tomorrow the rain is supposed to return. These blooming branches are a good reminder that spring is only a month away!

Have a HAPPY, HAPPY Friday

and

a BLESSED weekend!

        

             

Monday Gratitude...

Happy Monday, everyone! The day has slipped away from me and it's time to make dinner so I'm just going to get straight to posting last week's gratitude list! 

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)

#11,742-#11,767

2-11-19-

-a sweet quiet time in God's presence

-making soup and baking cookies with our two middle grandgirlies

-oldest daughter and her husband and the girls staying for dinner

-an encouraging text from our son-in-law

2-12-19-

-Colossians 3:3-7 

-an early Valentine's date with my husband since we are watching the grandkids this weekend

-my daughter getting a great Craig's list find for our granddaughter's new bedroom

2-13-19-

-the reality that I am adopted by my Father God. I am as much His child as Jesus is.

-my photographer friend taking our new grandbaby's photos

-signs of spring coming in spite of this week's snow and rain

2-14-19-

-Valentine's Day-thank you, God, for Your love, for my husband, for our family, for our church

-foraging flowering quince branches to bloom indoors

-our grandkids here for the weekend

-"Nana, do you know that I love Jesus?" - our four year old grandson

2-15-19-

-our granddaughter's 10th birthday

-"Nana, you're my favorite Nana because you're so kind and nice" - another grandson quote 

(and I'm his only living nana so of course I'm his favorite one! Ha! Ha!)

-all of the grandkids together for the first time since the youngest was born

2-16-19-

-a wonderful prayer time

-baking with my oldest granddaughter

-a great evening with our church leadership
-singing worship songs with the grandkids on the car ride home

2-17-19-
-powerful worship
-God at work in our church
-new families

-God answers prayer

still following,