Weekly Gratitude Journal

I'm well aware that my weekly gratitude posts have been posted every other week all too frequently lately! Life has been so full and busy and there have been so many changes in our lives since mid-January that it's been hard to maintain any sense of rhythm or routine-and I love my routines! In leading our church, God is doing a beautiful, deep work of growth and maturity and we have been busy restructuring everything from children's ministry to growth groups. In our family, our oldest daughter and her husband transitioned to lead another church in the network they are involved in which meant that they also relocated-thankfully only a half hour drive from us. Our second born daughter and her family also made a big move-they have moved across the country to my son-in-law's home state of South Carolina. Last week we had the grandkids here with us while my daughter and son-in-law moved their belongings and then Saturday, we said teary goodbyes to them as well. (Truth be told, I've shed tears just about every day since they told us of their move! I've LOVED having all of my children and grandchildren living close by and having my daughter and four of our grandkids move so far away is heartbreaking.) 

Yesterday, I spent hours surrounded by my Bibles and journals and study materials prepping for a meeting I have tonight with the women from our church. There was something grounding, healing and refreshing in spending the whole day feasting on the riches of God's Word. For months now, God has been speaking to me about the difference between knowing His ways and knowing His acts. Moses knew God's ways-He knew God as a friend. He knew God's heart and God's character. The children of Israel knew God's acts. They served God for what He could do for them and got angry when He didn't do what they wanted. (In all honesty, I have questioned why God would allow my grandchildren, who bring so much joy into our lives, to move so far away. Obviously, it's not God's fault. My kids have a free will to make choices. But, I can't say I didn't wish God would tell them "don't go!"😔) I can honestly say that keeping this gratitude journal has helped me to see that God is constantly acting and working for my good. This has helped my relationship with Him to become more focused on Who He is. He is faithful. He is steadfast. He is merciful. He is trustworthy. I am less focused on asking for Him to act the way I wish He would. Yes, my heart feels torn apart at the loss of close contact with my daughter and grandchildren. But I have a friend Who has promised to never, never, never leave me or forsake me. For that, I am forever thankful.

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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)

#14,328-#14,373

3-29-2021-

-the morning sun through my kitchen window

-the amazingly detailed way that God provides for our needs and so many of our wants

-seeing my oldest granddaughter at her job

-running errands with my guy

-an evening walk

3-30-2021-

-making candles

-filling plastic eggs with candy with my grandson

-the best kind of fun with him-making a castle and knights and a king and queen out of cardstock and watching his imaginative play

3-31-2021-

-golden yellow forsythia, salmon pink flowering quince

-getting to see  our oldest daughter's new home

-heart talks with my girl while helping her pack and clean

4-1-2021-

-a beautiful day to weed the flowerbeds with my grandson

-a bit of time to write before a busy weekend

-seeing God at work 

4-2-2021-

-a huge bald eagle perched on a tree top

-a walk by the sea

-spending the day with my guy

4-3-2021-

-prepping for Easter dinner

-listening to encouraging teaching while I cook and clean

-God giving me this day to get ready before the grandkids spend the week with us

4-4-2021-

-Christ is risen!

-my oldest son-in-law on his birthday today

-our annual Easter breakfast and celebration at church

-family and friends around the table for Easter dinner

4-5-2021-

-Philippians 4:6-7

-a walk to the park with my grandsons

-dinner in the crockpot

4-6-2021-

-planting some flowers with my grandson

-walking around the park with my youngest grandson in his stroller while my husband watched my other grandson play on the playground 

-a hot dog roast and s'mores with the grandkids around our backyard firepit

4-7-2021-

-lots of volunteer help for next week's meeting

-encouraging communication amongst our growth groups

-taking my grandkids to see their cousins and Auntie's new house

4-8-2021-

-coffee and a wee bit of quiet time in the word while Papa and big sister watch the younger grands

-a sweet meeting with a friend

-a refreshing evening walk with my grandsons 

4-9-2021-

-a beautiful day to go to Lake Sacajawea with the grandkids

-time to work on Sunday's blog post

-watching a good movie with my husband after the grandkids went to bed

4-10-2021-

-these beautiful words from an old song coming to my mind- "He hideth my life in the depths of His love and covers me there with His hand"

-a chance to have a heart talk with my oldest granddaughter before they left

-my daughter's loving words when saying goodbye

4-11-2021-

-my youngest daughter on her birthday

-my daughter and grandkids arrived safely in S.C.

-God's deep work in His people

-a bald eagle flying overhead on our way to Sunday lunch

still following,