Happiest New Year! In taking stock of the things that worked and didn't work last year, I came up with a few things I'm going to take with me into the new year and I thought I'd share them with you! Facebook Share Group Last January when I finished the book One Thousand Gifts, I was busting to … [Read more...]
Looking Back…
(Taken January 2011) I get sentimental as one year fades gloriously into the next, maybe it because of my issues with moving on and letting go. Whatever the reason, in the spirit of closure, every December I like to set aside time to think about what God's been up to over the past 12 months. For … [Read more...]
Snow Day Christmas Party
It's the week before Christmas and all through the house... What's happening at your house this week? Are you doing last minute planning for a Christmas get-together? We had our family party on Saturday and in the interest of simplifying, I did an easy take home party favor... I try to pick a … [Read more...]
If I miss the small…
I'm habitually preoccupied. It's not because I'm so important with urgent pressing matters on my mind. It's my eyes...my focus. Every day I have to remind myself not to miss the small moments...because to be careless with fleeting moments is to be careless with life. Love to you my friends... … [Read more...]
When joy surprises…
It's August. And as usual, it's steaming-burning-take-your-breath-away hot here in the deep south of the US. As I see it, there are a couple of ways to cope with the heat... To moan and complain is the way I normally pass the time in this muggy month. But this year I'm going to take a cue from … [Read more...]
2011~The half-way mark & my One-Little-Word…
It's half-way through 2011. How time flies. Sacred-holy ... time. Blink. And you miss something. ***** I got an email from Alece who writes Grit and Glory She was reminding me to take a look back at how my "one-word" has impacted the first half of 2011. What have I learned so far? Is the … [Read more...]
Acceptance with Joy
"Behold me! I am Thy little handmaiden Acceptance-with-Joy." ~Hannah Hurnard ~ Hind's Feet on High PlacesSeasons change. No matter how much I love the fresh breeze of spring eventually summer settles hot and muggy on the deep south. I've a habit of complaining when sweltering temperatures cut … [Read more...]
To Lament
"Lament is a cry of belief in a good God-Complaint is the bitter howl of unbelief..." Ann Voskamp My online share-group just finished chapter 9 of Ann Voskamp's One Thousand Gifts and once again she gives me scripture and story that put words around something I believe God's teaching me. I can't … [Read more...]
Sometimes all you need… really is love.
(Emma with her tiny love Lucy Jean) Hours before sunrise on Monday morning, I woke to a racing heart, thoughts not allowed in my conciseness the day before assaulted me in my dreams. So many things just not right. So many things that could go wrong in the lives of my adult children, a friend, in … [Read more...]
All is Grace because All Can Transfigure
“All is grace because all can transfigure” "The demanding of my own will is the singular force that smothers out joy-" (Ann Voskamp~One Thousand Gifts)I’ve been counting gifts since I first read Ann Voskamp’s book in January. I’m finding there’s more to counting gifts than meets the eye. … [Read more...]
In my darkest hour…He was there after-all…
I'm still practicing the lessons in gratitude I'm learning from Ann Voskamp's book: One Thousand Gifts by studying it chapter by chapter with some of my family. This week we're focusing on chapter 5. It's a sobering chapter, but it's one of the reasons I love the book. Ann moves fearlessly into the … [Read more...]
Taste and See…
"Taste and see that the Lord is good." (Psalm 34:8)Taste and see... To taste: "to become acquainted with by experience". To see: "To receive, grasp...come to know". To grasp the goodness of God we have to experience the goodness of God. That's what writing my 1000 gifts is doing for … [Read more...]
Creating Atmosphere
"Spend the whole of your one beautiful life investing in many lives..." Ann Voskamp~One Thousand Gifts Hospitality: Welcome, kindness, warmth, generosity... This weekend I'm having a baby shower for Bethany, my oldest daughter whose first baby, a girl, is due in mid-May. On Monday I found myself … [Read more...]
Wherever you are…be all there.
A few weeks ago The Husband (PopPop) and I picked up our precious granddaughter, Elliot, and took her to her favorite place for breakfast (Cracker Barrel ) and then to the park to play. When we got to the park it wasn't even 10:00, but there were already 8 other little-ones running and playing. … [Read more...]
Filtered through God’s loving fingers…
My one little word for 2011 is: Believe. On December 30, 2010, I first wrote about my choice of words for 2011, I wrote this about what I wanted from my 'one-little-word': Believe : "I’m not talking about believing in a particular thing. I’m talking about a shift in perspective. I believe the … [Read more...]
The remedy is in the retina…
Hang on till the end of this post for info about a One Thousand Gifts 3 book giveaway... photo: Emma G Photography "The remedy is in the retina." Ann Voskamp-One Thousand Gifts. That is my favorite take-away from the book...it's the sentence that has played over and over, no kidding, a hundred … [Read more...]