For those who give their lives…

I have something on my mind and heart making it hard to know what to say today.

Here is the link to current news in case you haven’t heard.

http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Peace/2012/03/18/Yemeni-Qaeda-linked-group-claims-it-killed-American

Lest you think this is an isolated incident,

I’ve read that approximately 270 Christians are martyred for the cause of Christ every 24 hours.

I am both heart broken and humbled by this.

This week we were prompted to record three “hard eucharisteos”, things that are hard to give thanks for.

I wrote down my three in my little green journal,

but today I must add this…

Thank you God for those who give their lives for the gospel.

*******

I’ve taken the Joy Dare.

I’m counting one thousand thanks in one year.

I hunt for thanksgiving using the prompts Ann gives us each month.

If you are interested in joining in, click the link above or at the bottom of this post.

I continue to count my thanks

piling up gratitude day by day

in my little green journal…

#1742-#1763

a gift in wind-

-the way the two old growth cedars in our backyard wave their branches in praise to God

whenever the wind blows

a gift in water-

-the familiar sound of the shower running when my Hubs gets ready in the morning,

me still sitting in bed sipping my first cup of coffee

a gift in white-

-all my thrifted ironstone

3 gifts round-

-plump blueberries for my morning smoothie

-grapes to munch on during the day

-baby granddaughter’s sweet round face

3 gifts found in silence-

-the power of His Word to save my soul

-God ordering my day when I quiet myself and submit my to-do list to Him

-making bread-a satisfying task in the quiet of a house all to myself

3 gifts given away-

-my children and grandchildren, as I surrender them to His will again and again

-tortellini soup and homemade french bread for a friend recuperating from surgery

-sending off a package to a blog friend

3 hard euchaisteos-

-our girls, next week all three will be scattered around the world doing kingdom work

-the joy and pain in seeing my grandbabies growing up oh so fast

-a too full to-do list

a gift turned-

-a fried egg cooked in my cast iron skillet

a gift folded-

-laundry day-clothes to wash, dry, fold, and put away

a gift hung-

-cool cotton skirts and nighties hanging up and ready to pack for our trip to hot, muggy Ghana

3 gifts red-

-Jesus’ blood shed for me

-the cup and the bread, taking communion

-mixing cookie dough in my red mixer

Gratefully yours,

Elizabeth