Gratitude Just Makes Sense

Gratitude just makes sense as there is so much just from this past weekend to be thankful for so .... I contine to count to 1000 gifts as I say thanks ...

256. for a husband who prepares the meal that I take on my scrap booking weekend
257. for a daughter willing to drive 'cause I just would rather ride
258. for a warm welcome from Cheryl, who has the gift of hospitality
259. for women who like to get away to get things done
260. for a completed scrapbook of my granddaughter Prudence
261. for an almost completed scrapbook of my granddaughter Annika (ran out of pages)
262. for an abundance of food during the weekend
263. for a drive back to "home sweet home"
264. for the laundry pile that is getting done
265. for an invite to family friends to watch the super bowl
266. for the friends to be totally OK with me coming for food and a short visit only to return home to finish the laundry
267. for good books to read in the bathtub
268. for EBT (early bed time)
269. for a great God who orders my steps, knows me by name and accepts me for who I am
270. for the opportunity to have conversations with that same great God before falling asleep

Just Some Thoughts I'm Thinking ....

When I am living as a person who is "in Christ" would it mean that I would ...

Be embracing life?
Enjoying the freedom He came to give?
Fulfilling every purpose for which He created me?
Using my life to help others in this generation-and the next?

May I experience the great freedom and joy of walking in the Truth!

And may others know me as "in Christ".

I was thinking that I do believe that Christ does love all people but I do not necessarily believe that all people are "in Christ".

Just thinking and putting the thoughts to type ....

counting one thousand gifts 251-255

251 the beauty of the snow falling outside my window

252 the fact that He has made me whiter than snow (forgiven)

253 the birds on the bird feeder being fed by the golfer's hand

254 the discomfort in the ankle which makes me dependent on Him

255 the unexplained sadness that comes over me at times

One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are

I am so excited to be reading Ann Voskamp's book on my Kindle these days. Ann wondered "do we find joy in the midst of deadlines, debt, drama and daily duties? What does the Christ-life really look like when your days are gritty, long--and sometimes even dark? How is God even here? In this book Ann invites you to embrace everyday blessings and embark on the transformative spiritual discipline of chronicling God's gifts.

For me, it is the act of expressing gratitude for the life I already have.

On that note I post for a second time this week continuing to count my 1000 gifts

232 a warm shower of a cold early morning
233 a text message from my daughter
234 the freedom to read the scriptures
235 words written on cards and then mailed to people in my life I call friends
236 e-mails I send and those sent to encourgae me
237 a teaching job that has become a ministry
238 a pay check that pays the bills and allows us to give
239 a sunny day on the playground
240 an opportunity to encourage a co-worker
241 a brisk walk around the school hallways with other co-workers
242 a drive home, in a running car, while the sun is still shining
243 an afternoon snack
244 an afternoon nap
245 dinner fixed by the hands of a loving husband
246 good books to read
247 warm flannel PJ's
248 catching up on reading blogs
249 bloom book study (click on link below)
250 bedtime prayers

211-231 still counting gratitude

As I read Ann's book One Thousand Gifts I countine to count my gifts for which I am grateful ....

first grade team of women I serve with at Edinbrook

salvation

first grade students I support

times of prayer

books, pencils, paper, crayons, school supplies

mom of students and EB staff I pray with monthly

a friends call regarding answers to prayer as a result of a prayer counseling time

a friend who knows God as her husband as she walks through a painful separation

times of prayer for our Pastor

J-Term with my husband learning together about Heaven and Hell

a warm bed on a cold night

grief and loss

times of prayer and fasting

the beginning of a girls group

reading some really good books

Aaron and Alisa as they leave to serve in Africa

encouragement from a parent who says, "I love to hear her pray for others, not just her wants and needs".

times of writing

times of resting

times to memorize scripture

The Study of Ruth

It has been fun to begin a study of the book of Ruth, at the request of my daughter Ashley. I remember when we would read the Bible together when I home-schooled her and the other kids. Reading the Bible and studying the Bible are two different things. As Ashely and I studied separately but answered the same questions it was fun to see that not all answers were the same. As women we come from very different walks of life yet many heart issues are the same. I believe both of us desire to be like Ruth in being women who are self-sacrificing. Father teach us to be women who have great concern for others. Thanks for studying with me Ashley!lywm

A Blogger's Prayer from Ann Voskamp

I found this at Ann's blog Holy Experience. It is one of the few blogs outside of family blogs that I spend time reading. I liked what the prayer said a lot so I post it here in the hopes that I will remember ... why I write would be to bring Glory of God!

Yahweh, You alone are my God, not Google

Jesus, You alone are my Savior, note site meters

Holy Spirit, You alone are my Comforter, not comments….

So be it, today, yesterday, and every post to come.

This is my prayer I have made on earth and over this keyboard…

Let it be ratified in heaven.

Amen.

Still counting 201-210

Today as I continue on the theme of gratitude I thought I would add to my list by counting my top ten people, things, etc I am grateful for ....

201. My Bible

202. My relationship with my Father

203. My Family, Terry, Lisa, Matt, Carrie, Jake, Annika, Eden, Adam Renee, Kelley, Josh, Sid, Pru, Len and lastly and mostly Ashley.

204. Praying friends, Andrea and Ginny ... I know there are other friends who pray with and for me but these 2 make the top.

205. My Home

206. My job (ministry) as a teacher at Edinbrook Elementary

207. My journals

208. My scrapbooks

209. My Kindle (love to read)

210. My Alphasmart (love to write)

I am currently giving thought to these worthy questions as I determine to write my intentions for 2011 ....

1. What's one thing you could do this year to increase your enjoyment of God?

Take more walks.

2. What's the most humanly impossible thing you will ask God to do this year?

I feel as though this will be the salvation of family and friend's who do not yet know Christ.

3. What's the single most important thing you could do to improve the quality of your family life this year?

Listen more.

4. In which spiritual discipline do you most want to make progress this year, and what will you do about it?

Solitude and Silence; I will intentionally get away to retreat areas for longer periods of time.

5. What is the single biggest time-waster in your life, and what will you do about it this year?

Watching TV; I will choose good books over TV.

6. What is the most helpful new way you could strengthen your church?

Make disciples.

7. For whose salvation will you pray most fervently this year?

My family of origin.

8. What's the most important way you will, by God's grace, try to make

Exercise More.

9. What one thing could you do to improve your prayer life this year?

Listen and pray the scriptures for myself and others.

10. What single thing that you plan to do this year will matter most in ten years? In eternity?

I plan to train up disciples to encounter and engage with Christ through the scriptures, prayer, and genuine fellowship.

Donald Whitney's 10 questions to ask at the start of the new year ...

I thought these were worthy questions to ask as I search to see what Christ would have me "intend" on being and doing in 2011.

Stay posted to this page for upcoming words regarding my 2011 intentions.

ps I had the amazing privilege of putting together my own personal vision board for 2011 at my daughter Lisa's workshop yesterday. (Lisa it is finished and I am pleased with the end result) I am certain some of the things from my vision board will be a part of my post on intentions so .... stay be sure to come back here for further thoughts ....

Ten Questions to Ask at the Start of a New Year

Once, when the people of God had become careless in their relationship with Him, the Lord rebuked them through the prophet Haggai. "Consider your ways!" (Haggai 1:5) he declared, urging them to reflect on some of the things happening to them, and to evaluate their slipshod spirituality in light of what God had told them.

Even those most faithful to God occasionally need to pause and think about the direction of their lives. It's so easy to bump along from one busy week to another without ever stopping to ponder where we're going and where we should be going.

The beginning of a new year is an ideal time to stop, look up, and get our bearings. To that end, here are some questions to ask prayerfully in the presence of God.

1. What's one thing you could do this year to increase your enjoyment of God?

2. What's the most humanly impossible thing you will ask God to do this year?

3. What's the single most important thing you could do to improve the quality of your family life this year?

4. In which spiritual discipline do you most want to make progress this year, and what will you do about it?

5. What is the single biggest time-waster in your life, and what will you do about it this year?

6. What is the most helpful new way you could strengthen your church?

7. For whose salvation will you pray most fervently this year?

8. What's the most important way you will, by God's grace, try to make this year different from last year?

9. What one thing could you do to improve your prayer life this year?

10. What single thing that you plan to do this year will matter most in ten years? In eternity?