Documenting the Divine

It sounded odd to me as I wrote that title, but I mean it in a very serious way. When I post photos and type words about our lives, I truly feel like I'm documenting the Divine. Every day has God-breathed gifts that are waiting to be unwrapped. Oh, we receive them and enjoy them, like anyone, but the real unwrapping is when we notice Who is the giver and take a moment to pause and quietly (or audibly!) utter thanks to Him. Sometimes, the gratitude comes long after the gift has been experienced and I confess to the Lord that I missed Him somehow in that moment. The photos, they help me look back (if I missed it) and remind me of His goodness to me.

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.
James 1:16-18

God's desire for His created people is that we first receive His Son, Jesus, the greatest Gift. All the little and big blessings we encounter daily are also His grace to us. Having His Spirit live in us causes us to give Him praise for each of those as we unwrap them in gratitude. Documenting the Divine moments awakens that thankfulness in others, especially, our children. Take some time to write your gratitude list today.

Blessings Upon You

Much love and prayers to all the women who have joined "Circle Of Moms, Faith Blogs". As I scroll through them, I see such hunger for spiritual things. God's spirit can fill those empty places--the places without peace. May the Lord bless each and every one as you search this life as moms, for love, joy and peace that passes all understanding. Jesus will blanket you with His love if you simply ask.

"Father God, thank You for all the precious women You have created. I pray that you would touch the life of anyone who reads these words. Infiltrate her heart with Your love and draw her by Your Holy Spirit. Show her how You fill the void. You are always faithful and You alone hold all the answers to life's questions. Amen."

When Life Gives You Snow...

This truly could become a sport--making snow angels :)

Gratitude:

616. Saying goodbye to a precious pastor and his family as they're called away to another ministry

617. for the way we took a whole evening to honour them--they've been so special to all of us

618. for how my husband cried when we said goodbye and how our pastor has been in tears all day--feel the love :)

619. a little boy who knows his French songs when it seems he's not listening

620. the way she told me she was going to work hard to make me proud (I did tell her I'm always proud)

621. crocheting for the first time! --made little hearts--now I feel like a real woman :)

622. for a polite little guest in our home--a delight to have Meg's friend over!

623. when tough love is taken well--a very difficult thing

624. for all the knitting my mom does for other people in her "sphere of influence"

625. the way she says, "God bless you" to staff at the stores we go to together

626. how all my kids got Second Cup money cards for Christmas--our special "date" place

627. the way he makes hard-boiled eggs every day for our children

628. how Oliver's spots came and went without an ill symptom

629. lemon flavoured fish oil for all of us

630. fresh snow with no footprints--perfect for snow angels

"...And try Me now in this," says the Lord of hosts, "If I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it..."

Malachi 3:10b

She's A Thinker

I turned my van round and round escarpment curves and sighed relief that we were finally headed home. Suddenly, a distressed, backseat Emily cried out, "My brain is so full of thinking that my head hurts! For another thought, my mind doesn't have room! Oh, I don't know what to do. There's just too much thoughts in my head!"

Folks, that one's a thinker :) What a five year-old could possibly have all squished in that little brain of hers, she couldn't explain. But it was definitely too full in there.

These are the moments that keep me sane in the daily grind. When I feel like complaining, God always reminds me in small and profound ways that I am so very, very blessed. I live alongside five of the most amazing people on the planet and I must count--I mean it--count those precious humans as gifts. Not to mention all else I've been given.

Adding just a few more to my 1000 Blessings Count (even though it's not Monday :)...

541. for seriously funny sayings spoken by little ones

542. for Christmas program practices

543. for the hockey season (yes, speaking words of life here :)

544. for making it to the final Ladies' Bible Study at church before the new year

545. for the homeschool table set up at the back for those kids whose moms needed Bible Study this week!

546. for a gracious bride-client

547. for an encouraging word that was planted by the Holy Spirit

548. for the Light which is now revealed to dear friends who've been in dark tunnels

549. for a sister who is patient, easy-going and calm during her bone scan testing in recent days

550. for healthy meals when others have so very little

551. for every tiny little precious interaction between me and each one of you... I cherish you all and am so grateful you're in my life!

Support For The Body

Yesterday, my new friend who works at a lovely little spa in town, stayed late for me so I could have a pedicure and brow wax. I'm not really the spa-going kind of girl but I do love the pampering from time to time. I had prayed that I would be able to bless my friend, who is going through a difficult time; I thought a listening ear would be just what she needed. At the end of the treatment, she told me that it was no charge. Of course, I objected and was quite prepared to pay her, but she would have none of it! I was overwhelmed by her generosity. That saved me over $55. She squeezed me and told me she wanted to bless me!

When I returned home, I began to think of how I could bless her and it occurred to me that this is exactly what the Lord desires from us. He asks His children to do unto others as we would have them to unto us. It's a reciprocal blessing, one that keeps giving. Paying it forward and back again, if you will. However, the Christian's action is to shine the love of Jesus. We need to shine His light to an unsaved world but we also need to support and take care of our brothers and sisters in Christ.

In the nursery business, there is much competition but we have friends who will shop nowhere else because they desire to honour the stand we take on being closed on Sundays. Likewise, my husband and I try to use Christian tradespeople for jobs that we need done around the house. Who do you support in your community? Are you reserving your support for your fellow believers? We need to strengthen the circle of Christian businesses and help each other to do well. Why would we put our hard-earned money toward secular commerce first? If you know someone who is doing their best to serve the Lord and is taking a Christian stand in this tough and competitive environment, prayerfully consider offering your patronage to them before looking elsewhere.

Speaking of business, there's so much that women can do to help provide for their families in more ways than laundry and cooking or even working outside the home. Read Proverbs 31 today (starting at verse 10, even if you know it well) and discover how God wants us to bless our families and those in need around us. Ask Him to show you if you're missing where your support should be.

How To Keep Cool When You Don't Have A "Real" Pool

Counting blessings one by one...

371. our little pool that suffices

372. our music department

373. battery chargers

374. Ride For Cancer Research

375. picnics with family

376. beautiful piano recital

377. fruit platters on Sunday evenings

378. early morning calls from God

379. answering the call in the early morning--I listened!

380. long-time mentors and new ones too

381. filling Christmas shoe boxes--thanks for the encouragement, Oxana!

Blessing Day

The staff smile as soon as they see my children coming. They know that they usually have a special blessing to brighten their day. My husband looks down through his office window and catches a glimpse of his kids and is proud that they're caring for the people who work so diligently for him. He jumps up from his desk and finds us meandering through the aisles of perennials or shrubs, seeking hungry workers.

Every week (or a couple of times a week, depending on the heat), we take special treats down to the staff at our nursery. On very hot and busy days like today, we fill little paper cups with lemonade to give them some relief. We bake cookies, bring licorice or timbits. We've done this for a few years now and we tell the staff that it's Blessing Day--a day to bless them and to let them know we appreciate them.

So, as we bless others, I am thankful for my blessings from the One who inspires it all... (360)

361. for the ability to bless others with joy in their day
362. for my new licorice tea I found (yummy)
363. for the energy to plant almost all my annuals today!
364. for the ability walk down to the nursery and bring home whatever plants I need
365. for sweat and hard work
366. for Grandma sleep-overs
367. for yard-sale-ing sisters and mom (and bro-in-law)
368. for an emailing aunt and uncle who keep me in the loop with so many things
369. for a tree-planting, pencil-pushing, people-interactive husband
370. for precious bloggers who inspire my life, encourage my writing and bring tears to my eyes over and over with their beautiful stories

"I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy." Philippians 1:3

1000 Gifts and Beyond

I may not always get around to writing down my "Multitude Monday" blessings but I am ever aware of these daily gifts from God that make this journey of life a little easier. My previous post about my daughter's art is the number one thing that gave me joy today. Just walking by that precious little sausage-type person makes me smile. Here are some others...

*thankful for others who are thankful! What a wonderful name for a store!

* for play-dough love

*for new skills

*for autumn harvest

*for dinner-time fun

*for "The Rock"-a wonderful musical in Shipshewana, Indiana


*for my "peeps"-awesome in-laws who make me laugh till my sides hurt

*for special treasures that once were hidden

*for recess time

And beyond...

*candles that smell like baking

*the smell of actual baking

*giving gifts

*little girls playing "store" or "house" or "zookeepers"

*a little boy whose cars each have their own personalities in his play

*a husband who is willing to homeschool while I'm away

*cold autumn turned warm :)

*oldest daughter's girls' group-much laughter and learning

*friends who are good accountability

Praise God from Whom all blessings flow...