Live free!

Have you ever felt like you are trapped, in a stuck place, in a pit due to circumstances or due to other people and their choices, their decisions, things that affect you but are simply beyond your control? I’ve been there. But today, I'm living free!

Years ago, during a time of feeling trapped, helpless, and desperate, I got away by myself seeking to hear God. His words to me were, in essence, “Stop being a victim. Quit focusing on what you cannot change about other people or outward circumstances. Start doing something about the things you can change."  (Join me for the rest of this post on Sunday, June 30th at Woman to Woman Ministries, where each Sunday I share a bit of Sunday Soul Food!)

still following,

Also happily linking up with:

Sunday Scripture Blessings

Susan B. Mead

Sue Moore Donaldson

Weekly Gratitude Journal

Last week was so busy and full and productive but so filled with God's peace! That is a miracle-a direct answer to prayer! Too many things happening at once usually makes me feel anxious. Last week not only had a lot of things happening-but a bathroom and laundry room remodeling happening on top of everything else! Praise God for His faithfulness and mercy to me each day!

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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)

#12,190-#12,211

Thank You, Father God for-

6-17-19-

-the riches of the book of Hebrews

-sweet youngest granddaughter sucking her thumb just like her mama did

-the bathroom remodeling is started!

6-18-19-

-Your care for us and Your provision

-planting lavender and daisies with the "help" of my grandson

-a really nice and helpful employee at Lowe's helping me

6-19-19-

-the bathroom will be done in time for this weekend's baby shower

-youngest daughter helping her sister out by babysitting our middle granddaughters

-the sweet things my guy does that let me know he's thinking of me

6-20-19-

-a sweet time in God's presence after too many days of distractions

-the guest bathroom is done!

-a powerful night of worship and prayer

6-21-19-

-working in the yard and washing windows with the help of oldest granddaughter

-beginning the book of Deuteronomy as I read through the Bible

-the first day of summer

6-22-19-

-everything turning out so well for today's baby shower

-the outpouring of love on the soon to be mama

-a good talk with a sweet gal from church following the shower

-the laundry room makeover is done!

6-23-19-

-a very encouraging morning at church 

-Thai food!

-Sunday afternoon rest

still following,

Look up!

I read a disturbing news story the other day. Evidently there is a rise in young people growing bone spurs at the base of the skull above the neck. The suspicion is that it is caused by them looking down at their cell phones too much. While the article specifically mentioned young people, I don't think constantly looking down at our cell phones is limited to one age group. I'm guilty of doing so at times. This article made me wonder how much of life and beauty and wonder we are missing while our heads are down, absorbed with the little screen in our hand. 

"Take a good look at God's wonders-they'll take your breath away." says Psalm 66:5 in The Message Bible. I thought of the above mentioned news article after reading this verse. God created this beautiful world for our enjoyment. How grievous it must be to His heart when we are so absorbed with anything-from our cell phones, to our "just keeping my nose to the grindstone" jobs, to life's problems that have our heads hanging down with heaviness-to notice all of the wonder He made for us.  (Join me for the rest of this post on Sunday, June 23rd, at Woman to Woman Ministries, where each Sunday I share a bit of Sunday Soul Food!)

still following,

Also happily linking up with:

Sunday Scripture Blessings

Susan B. Mead

Sue Moore Donaldson

Weekly Gratitude Journal...

I slept fitfully the night before a friend from church was coming over for tea and a visit. Thoughts of too many things to-do and too many activities scheduled in the coming weeks had me feeling anxious and stressed. Before my friend left our time together I asked her to pray for me about the anxiety I was feeling. Nothing changed about my circumstances, in fact, it was possible for our bathroom and laundry room remodel to be started this week so that's happening right now as well. Yet, I am full of peace! I'm so glad I asked my friend to pray for me and I'm so thankful that God hears and answers!

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

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)

#12,166-#12,189-

Thank You, Papa God for-

6-10-19-

-a walk around my hometown with my youngest grandson

-sweet youngest grandbaby's smiles, giggles and baby noises 

-laughs with our two middle granddaughters and fun wading in the Clackamas River

-chamomile flowers from Trader Joe's

-seeing God at work when we pray and trust

6-11-19-

-clear blue skies with Mt. St. Helens and Mt. Hood showing off in the distance

-a large sack full of delicious salmon and halibut filets from our dear friends

-having central air conditioning on these unusually hot ninety plus degree days

6-12-19-

-our oldest granddaughter's sixteenth birthday!

-my sister's birthday, too!

-our granddaughter got her driver's license!

- a fun birthday dinner at our daughter's house

6-13-19-

-God's peace and order in place of my anxiety over too much busyness going on at once

-God's provision of things big and small

-our middle grandson's preschool graduation

6-14-19-

-God's help and guidance

-a really great price on new flooring for our bathrooms and laundry room

-a sweet time of Bible reading and singing worship with the three middle grands who are spending the night

6-15-19-

-the way our grandkids love each other

-a family bbq at our house to celebrate Father's Day a day early

-our loud, wild, crazy family

6-16-19-

-God working in people's lives

-our tender hearted five year old grandson looking like a cute little Mr. Tough Guy

 with his spiked up mohawk and Superman muscle shirt

-lunch after church with our son-in-law, granddaughter and grandson, 

(middle daughter and oldest grandson are out of town)

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Abba Father...

This Sunday we celebrate Father's Day.  No earthly father is perfect, but some people are blessed to have a father who lovingly tried his best to be a good dad. There are many others who had a father who failed them, who left them, who hurt them, and for them Father's Day may be difficult.  If you grew up with a loving father, thank God and remember to tell your dad how much you appreciate him. If your father failed you in some way, I pray that you will allow God to take you through the process of forgiveness and healing. (If you're interested, here's the story of my journey of forgiveness  towards my dad. Click here for part one  part two  part three)

(Join me for the rest of this post on Sunday, June 16th, at Woman to Woman Ministries, where each Sunday I share a bit of Sunday Soul Food!)

still following,

Also happily linking up with:

Sunday Scripture Blessings

Susan B. Mead

Sue Moore Donaldson

Weekly Gratitude Journal...

I'm hopping on here before I get too involved in the busyness of the day to quickly post my weekly gratitude journal. I'm not sure anyone really cares about these weekly posts that list the previous week's daily blessings, but it's important to me that some of these words that I fling out here publicly include an acknowledgement that everything I have is an undeserved, unearned gift from God and that I'm so very thankful for each one!

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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)

#12,145-12,165

6-3-19-

-thank you, God, for a helpful specialist on a business call

-youngest grandson's first Frosty and fries at Wendy's

-looking through our oldest daughter's baby pictures with her and the grandgirlies

6-4-19-

-Gods Word that keeps me, encourages me, strengthens me, sustains me

-youngest granddaughter making sounds back at me when I talk to her

-our small group's love for one another

6-5-19-

-drizzly beach like weather

-a good cup of hot tea

-God's provision 

6-6-19-

-tea and a long overdue visit with a sweet friend from church

-a walk before the rain came

-my husband's voice when he sings

6-7-19-

-spring weather

-a really fun date day

-a fabulous meal paid for with a gift card from a sweet couple in our church

6-8-19-

-the promises in Zechariah 10

-texts with my oldest daughter

-a friend who came and helped me with yard work

6-9-19-

-this beautiful, hot, sunny day

-God's work in us and our church

-a fresh coat of paint giving my old potting bench new life

still following,

Thriving in the messy stage of God's rebuilding work...

The book of Zechariah is all about the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem after decades of being ruled by their enemies. In The Message Study Bible, Eugene Petersen begins each book with some commentary about the history. In his commentary on Zechariah about this time in Israel's history he writes, "Their self identity as the people of God was in ruins...they had been knocked around by world powers, kicked and mocked, used and abused...they were in danger of...losing their magnificent identity as God's people."

If you've ever lived in a house during remodeling, you know that it's a challenging situation to deal with. It always gets worse before it gets better. While Demo Day might be a day of celebration on the popular TV show, Fixer Upper, in real life there's nothing glamorous about living in the demolition stage of a home remodel. 

This year, as I'm reading through the Bible, I'm noticing how consistent God is in His patterns. I am also noticing that what He does in the physical realm is a pattern for how He works in the spiritual realm and in our inner being. Let me give you some examples...

The Bible begins with the story of creation. It opens with these words.

 "Earth was a soup of nothingness, a bottom-less emptiness, an inky blackness. 

God's Spirit brooded like a bird over the watery abyss" Gen. 1:2 MSG 

To brood means to sit on or incubate, to produce, to cover with the wings. The Holy Spirit was at work in the middle of the chaos and darkness to create. I believe with all of my heart that God's Holy Spirit is brooding over our chaos, our emptiness, our darkness and will create something beautiful out of it all.  (Join me for the rest of this post on Sunday, June 9th, at Woman to Woman Ministries, where each Sunday I share a bit of Sunday Soul Food!)

still following,

Also happily linking up with:

Sunday Scripture Blessings

Susan B. Mead

Sue Moore Donaldson

Weekly gratitude journal...

Monday and Tuesday were full of unexpected interruptions-some frustrating ones and some lovely ones-so that's why I haven't written this post until now. Today, the opposite of unexpected interruptions happened, some previous plans were canceled. Now I have a day to catch up on things like this and other things that can be done from my home computer. I'm whispering a surprised thanks, for the days full of interruptions, for this quiet day, for all of God's gifts to me.

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

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)

#12,121-#12,139

5-27-19-

-Memorial Day! Thank God for those who laid down their lives for our country

-youngest granddaughter is four months old today

-dinner and a good visit at our daughter's 

5-28-19-

-praying together

-a day spent getting a long procrastinated job of organizing in the garage done

-reading old letters from my mama and realizing 
she was much better at expressing her love in writing than I remembered

5-29-19-

-a visit with a sweet friend

-thank You God for your help and work in our lives

-thank You for answered prayers in so many ways

5-30-19-

-good coffee made by my guy

-peonies blooming

-hope 

5-31-19-

-healthy grandkids

-an unexpected sale on some new summer sneakers I was buying

-a lazy date day evening at home

6-1-19-

-It's June first!

-planning a trip to Maine in October!

-a fun with our middle grandson afternoon at Fort Vancouver

6-2-19-

-a text of encouragement and prayer for us

-God speaking to our church

-our oldest granddaughter hanging out with us

-looking through our daughter's baby pictures with our granddaughter and grandson

still following,