Proclaiming God's goodness...

This world has gone sin-twisted mad.  The media reports are filled with news of more evidence of corruption, of more natural disasters, of more death and destruction.  Yet, God still reigns on the throne and the evidence of His beauty, love and goodness can be clearly seen if only we open our eyes to see it.  Look around today.  Open your eyes.  Open your heart.  God's blessings are all around you even in the middle of all this mess.  Can you see Him at work?  Take notice.  Write down what you see.  Count your blessings.  Notice the evidence of His loving presence in your life.  It will change your perspective and fill you with hope and confidence.  Give it a try.

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

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)

#9084-#9109

10-24-16-

-beginning the book of Ephesians with Word Writers

-a work interview for our youngest daughter went well

-God ordering my day

-a delicious homemade fried chicken dinner and a great visit with friends from church

10-25-16-

-a sweet prayer time

-seeing our sixth grand baby via ultrasound

-a celebratory lunch with our youngest daughter and son-in-law and his parents

-our home group

10-26-16-

-sweet rest

-a huge maple tree covered in golden leaves

-a good meeting with all of our church leaders at our house

10-27-16-

-hugs and kisses from my youngest grandson

-good news about progress on our oldest daughter and son-in-law's farmhouse driveway

-an invigorating walk after feeling a bit "blah-ish" this morning

-praying and fellowshipping  together

10-28-16-

-a beautiful day off for a drive to the beach!

-finding a huge bargain on the Christmas gift our oldest granddaughter really wants

-lunch at our favorite spot

-a long walk on the beach

10-29-16-

-a day at home to clean and putter around the house

-a beautiful afternoon for a walk

-God working things our when I pray and trust

10-30-16-

-6 water baptisms!

-forgiveness asked for and given

-the surprise of a new puppy for our two youngest granddaughters 

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Return and rest...

I wrote a post using this same verse last spring, but yesterday morning I had an unusual experience and woke up with the words of this verse being the first thing on my mind.  It was a beautiful autumn day here in the Pacific Northwest and, since it was my husband's day off, we decided to drive to the beach.  Walking beside the sea is my favorite place to talk to God. While I was walking He downloaded some thoughts into my heart about this verse that I hadn't written about in my previous post, so I thought I'd share them here.

In order to return to God and experience the peace and rest that He wants to give us, we have to relinquish ourselves to Him. To relinquish means to voluntarily cease to keep or claim; to give up.  Since you are reading this post on a Christian website, then the odds are that you have at one time asked Jesus Christ to be your Savior and Lord.  You relinquished yourself to Him.  But you and I both know how easy it is to, thought by thought, word by word, action by action, start running your own show again.  Sometimes we have to return to that place of relinquishment.    (Join me for the rest of this post on Sunday, October 30th, at Woman to Woman Ministries where each Sunday I share a bit of Sunday Soul Food!)

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Also happily linking up with the lovely

 Lisha Epperson 

and 

Susan B. Mead
and

Sunday Scripture Blessings

Autumn on Lake Washington...

The University of Washington's Huskies Stadium is located on the west side of Lake Washington in Seattle.  My husband is a season ticket holder and on occasion, especially if the weather is lovely, I'll ride along with him and spend some time on the beautiful east side of Lake Washington.

This past Saturday was one of those lovely autumn days.  I was too lazy to pack along my Nikon, but am pleased with these photos, all taken with my iPhone 7.  

I have no idea what this tropical looking tree is.  I tried looking up "tree with yellow, orange and red round balls" to no avail.  If you know, please comment!

This last blue hour photo shows the light beams from the streetlight shining through the leaves of the tree.

The Pacific Northwest is well known for it's rainy weather, but many people don't realize how often beautifully sunny and mild days will be tucked into the middle of a rainy spell.  Native Pacific Northwesterners don't let the rainy days stop us, but we thoroughly enjoy the sun breaks when they come.

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songography at "You'll Shoot Your Eye Out"

image-in-ing:Variations

life-n-reflection

buckaroomama

Makes thanks your habit...

The stores are already filled with aisles of Christmas decorations!  I love Christmas, but it makes me sad that Americans spend 6 billion dollars on ghoulish Halloween decor,  and before it's even Halloween, out comes the push to start buying for Christmas.  I'm saddened by the way we overlook Thanksgiving.  Thanksgiving should be more than a day, it should be the lifestyle of the believer, but the least we can do as a nation is to take one day to give thanks for all of the blessings God has given us.  I say we take back Thanksgiving and honor it for what it is, more than a day for feasting, but a day to give thanks.  And then, let's develop a thanksgiving lifestyle.  Why not start today?  A simple list of three things you give thanks for today is a good place to start.  If you keep it up, it may become a habit, and you may find yourself experiencing a joy-filled life.

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

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)

#9059-#9083

10-17-16-

-seeing God's blessings-even on the "gloomy" days

-a dry spell for my walk

-lots of loves from my grandson

10-18-16-

-God's wholehearted love for us

-homemade Zuppa Toscana, bread and salad for small group

-the connections and prayer happening in our group

10-19-16-

-foggy mornings-my favorite

-supporting a friend in prayer

-our neighbor asking questions about God

10-20-16-

-facetiming with our two youngest granddaughters

-beautiful autumn colors on this rainy day

-encouragement right when we needed it

-having dinner with our two oldest grands

10-21-16-

-a relaxing day off

-phone calls from our youngest daughter

-falling asleep to the sound of the rain

10-22-16-

-a good report on some lab tests our daughter had

-this beautiful autumn day

-safe travels and a fun day going to Seattle and back with our youngest and her husband

10-23-16-

-seeing a family who hasn't been at church in a while

-a baby dedication

-praying with others

-my great niece was born today!

-a fun evening watching the game with friends

still following,

God is good and does good...

On a beautiful autumn afternoon, my husband left the office earlier than usual, picked up our youngest grandson from our daughter's house, then came by our house and picked me up.  He thought that this sunny day, tucked in the middle of a rain filled week, was too good to waste being indoors.  He took us to a nearby park where my grandson enjoyed playing on the playground and throwing rocks into the river.  It was lovely.

If you looked at that one little snippet in my husband's life, you might label him good and kind.  But when our two year old grandson proceeded to walk into the river, shoes and all, and my husband scolded him, perhaps if you had caught him only in that moment you might label him harsh or stern.

God is always good and always kind and does good.  Unlike us fallible humans, there is not one iota of darkness or sin in God's character.  In all that He does God's motives are pure and good.  Yet, when God sets up boundaries or tells us "don't go there",  like Adam and Eve, we too often assume that God is withholding something good from us.  (Join me for the rest of this post on Sunday, October 23rd, 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

 Lisha Epperson 

and 

Susan B. Mead
and

Sunday Scripture Blessings

Friday Faves...Three Pumpkin Recipes!

Pumpkin Cake with maple cream cheese frosting 

It's pumpkin season!  The other day I was craving pumpkin pie, and in my opinion the original recipe on the can of Libby's pumpkin is the way to go.  If it was good enough for Mama, it's good enough for me!  If you're feeling too lazy to make a crust, or if the filling is your favorite part of the pie, you can cook the pumpkin filling in ramekins as you would a custard.  YUMMM! 

I also use the Libby's recipe for my pumpkin nut bread.  It's  the best in my opinion! 

But if you want to go to the next level and wow your guests with a pumpkin-y dessert this pumpkin cake with maple cream cheese frosting and topped with toffee bits won't disappoint!  So, so good!

Pumpkin Cookies with maple glaze

Want a grab and go pumpkin treat?  These cookies were a big hit with my pumpkin loving grandkids!

Pumpkin Muffins with maple glaze

These pumpkin muffins made with whole grain flour are a delicious treat for breakfast or snacking!

Well, it's almost Friday, friends!

Have a HAPPY, HAPPY Friday

and

a safe and BLESSED weekend!

             

Freely enter God's circle of love...

Before all that we see was created, God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit, eternally existed in the incomprehensible Godhead, the Three in One, the Trinity.  He Who was, Who is, Who is to come shared wholehearted love, perfect fellowship, unhindered unity in Himself.  He had no need that drove Him to create mankind.  His pure hearted motivation was to share the love that already existed between Father, Son and Spirit. Before the foundations of the earth were laid, He had a grand and glorious plan to form a family of adopted sons and daughters, of voluntary lovers, no matter what the cost would be to Himself.  How great that cost was!  Sons and daughters that He chose beforehand in love were bought with the precious blood of the Son.  The God Who is Love, can only love wholeheartedly, perfectly, fully, and so He wholeheartedly sacrificed Himself for us.  What love is this?  What other god of all of the gods man has ever created, thought up, manufactured, loves wholeheartedly, sacrificially?

This love, unearned, undeserved, surely deserves my wholehearted devotion in response.  I experience glimpses of it, then distractions capture my attention and affection and I'm off chasing things more than I'm chasing Him. Yet, He doesn't despise my weak love, but accepts my meager offerings, while knowing full well that nothing else and no-one else that I pursue will satisfy my longing to be fully known, fully understood and wholly loved like He will.  God, help me to love You wholeheartedly like you love me, to love You with all of my heart and soul and mind and strength.

I have been drawn in to share the familial eternally existent love of the Godhead.  I am in the inner circle of all possible inner circles.  How ludicrous that I should seek to be filled up with the approval of man or the trappings of this world.  What more could I possibly need than this?  I belong.  Eternally adopted as His own precious daughter. This should be enough for me.  This is enough for me.  He is enough for me.  I am His and He is mine.  Forever His.  Forever part of His circle of love.

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