today...

oh how he loves us...

I am so moved by HIS greatness today.

Verse of the day

1 Chronicles 29:11-13

¹¹ Yours, Lord, is the greatness and the power
and the glory and the majesty and the splendor,
for everything in heaven and earth is yours.
Yours, Lord, is the kingdom;
you are exalted as head over all.
¹² Wealth and honor come from you;
you are the ruler of all things.
In your hands are strength and power
to exalt and give strength to all.
¹³ Now, our God, we give you thanks,
and praise your glorious name.

 

 

December 1000 Gift Challenge

This is a CHALLENGE that I am doing.  I have been reading a blog that a friend introduced me to by Ann Voscamp.  It blesses my soul to it's core everyday and takes me back to the cross. I would love for anyone who is reading this to post your gifts as well in the comment section.

I was a little late starting this so here is what I have so far below...

 

 

 

Day 3: Three gifts shining

1. My Husband who walks out the door to go to work so that I may take care of our home and children

2. My Daughter's smile when she woke up this morning

3. A friend who is fighting cancer and in her walk with the Lord is willing to get me out of my junk today I love her so much, she is a shining light for me today and everyday.

 

Day 4: Three gifts circling, crowning or crafted

1. A green wooden Christmas tree crafted of stars,

2. The desk that I sit at that was made by hand by my Husbands grandfather who now sings with Jesus.

3. The precious button Christmas trees that I watched my Mother make with my two daughters this weekend, I don't know which is better the craft or listening to the laughter and watching the joy while the were creating them."

 

Day 5: Three gifts silver

 1. the 8" long silver Christmas spike hanging in the center of our tree to remind me that the Christmas tree only foreshadows the Christ Tree which only HE could decorate.
2. The tinsel on my tree...a tradition started when I was small, only my dad and I would get to this it was our special moment. Now when I hang the tinsel, I am reminded of him.
3. The glittery snowflakes that hang all over my home."

 

Day 6: Three sweet gifts

 

1. A book from a friend entitled Humility

2. My Husbands sweet voice in the middle of the day

3.  A verse that has gotten me through the day... For even the SON of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give HIS life as a RANSOM for many.  Mark 10:45

 

Day 7-Three gifts from my Savior

1.  The grace that he gives me everyday

2.  His Truth

3.  Allowing some to experience Heaven and bring it back here to share...makes it even more real

 

 

Day 8-A gift hung held or heard

 

My husbands hands that are held when he knows  I am discouraged but doesn't say anything. 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Day 9: Three gift ugly beautiful:

1. my anxiety-it causes me to depend on my Shepherd each second
2.  My 7 year old daughters mouth that is missing 5 teeth but is still so beautiful to me.
3.  The head of a glass ballerina doll that hangs on my tree, it is odd, ugly but it used to hang on the front of my tree when I was little and spin.  It was my special ornament and still is.  That makes it beautiful.







 

Day 18

3 Gifts Miraculous
1.  He loves me.
2.  He knows me.
3.  He gave himself for me.

Day 20
3 gifts angelic song
1. Wonderful Deberah Liter when she sings "Hosanna" It takes me right to the THRONE
2.My sweet Trinity singing worship songs on her own 
3. My precious Naomi's ability to turn any sentence into a song makes me feel as if I am in a Disney Movie!







CHRISTMAS LOVE

- paraphrase of 1 Corinthians 13

If I decorate my house perfectly with plaid bows, strands of twinkling lights and shiny balls, but do not show love to my family, I'm just another decorator.


If I slave away in the kitchen, baking dozens of Christmas cookies, preparing gourmet meals and arranging a beautifully adorned table at
mealtime, but do not show love to my family, I'm just another cook.


If I work at the soup kitchen, carol in the nursing home and give all that I have to charity, but do not show love to my family, it profits me nothing.


If I trim the spruce with shimmering angels and crocheted snowflakes, attend a myriad of holiday parties and sing in the choir's cantata but do not focus on Christ, I have missed the point.


Love stops the cooking to hug the child.


Love sets aside the decorating to kiss the spouse.


Love is kind, though harried and tired.


Love doesn't envy another's home that has coordinated Christmas china and table linens.
Love doesn't yell at the kids to get out of the way.


Love doesn't give only to those who are able to give in return but rejoices in giving to those who can't.


Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.


Love never fails. Video games will break, pearl necklaces will be lost, golf clubs will rust, but giving the gift of LOVE will endure.


-Author Unknown

A Holy Experience

http://www.aholyexperience.com/

Speaking Through Whispers...

As I got up this morning to seek my Sweet Shepherd...for I knew he was waiting.  I sat in my little study area of our living room, tree lit, nativity glowing and I read out of His word.  I found that I just couldn't comprehend it today, so I proceeded to go to 2 other books that I have been studying.  One by the great A.W. Tozer and the other by the great C.S. Lewis.  I still found myself wanting something more, more of HIM.  Music has always been my thing.  I thought maybe if I turn on some worship music while I read.  Oh how the Holy Spirit knows how I communicate with my Father.  I started listening to instrumental hymns ( my favorite by the way).  One by one the songs spoke miles to me as if he was articulating the words straight into my own ear with HIS precious whisper.



Come they Fount of every Blessing was the first...look how the words are asking the Holy Spirit to prepare my heart to worship HIM

Come, thou Fount of every blessing,
tune my heart to sing thy grace;
streams of mercy, never ceasing,
call for songs of loudest praise.
Teach me some melodious sonnet,
sung by flaming tongues above.
Praise the mount! I'm fixed upon it,
mount of thy redeeming love.

The next was Great is thy faithfullness...He is worthy to be trusted because is can't be anything but faithful.  That is who he is.  The fact that he provides HIS very own presence to bring me cheer and  to guide me is strength for today and HOPE for tomorrow.

"Great is Thy faithfulness," O God my Father,
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassion's, they fail not
As Thou hast been Thou forever wilt be.

"Great is Thy faithfulness!" "Great is Thy faithfulness!"

Morning by morning new mercies I see;

All I have needed Thy hand hath provided—

"Great is Thy faithfulness," Lord, unto me!

Summer and winter, and springtime and harvest,
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above,
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth,
Thy own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!

The last is one of my favorites. I am partial to it because my sweet Mom loves it dearly and my Dad has sung it so many times at our Church back home.

His Eye Is on the Sparrow

1. Why should I feel discouraged, why should the shadows come,
   Why should my heart be lonely, and long for heav’n and home,
   When Jesus is my portion? My constant Friend is He:
   His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
   His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.
   
   • 
     I sing because I’m happy, I sing because I’m free,
     For His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.
2. “Let not your heart be troubled,” His tender word I hear,
   And resting on His goodness, I lose my doubts and fears;
   Though by the path He leadeth, but one step I may see;
   His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
   His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.
3. Whenever I am tempted, whenever clouds arise,
   When songs give place to sighing, when hope within me dies,
   I draw the closer to Him, from care He sets me free;
   His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
   His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.

I found that when I had listened to those...I had been emptied and filled again with HIS presence in my heart.  Even though circumstances in my life are completely topsy-turvy right now. There is no known, no certainty, no absolutes.BUT I am sure that God will fill me when when I empty myself of my garbage and call on HIM. Let HIM whisper in your ear today. 

Comatose

WEBSTERS defines being in a coma as follows: 
A coma is a deep state of unconsciousness, during which an individual is not able to react to his or her environment. Someone in a coma cannot consciously respond to stimulation.  A comatose person is still very much alive, but he or she is not simply asleep. The brain wave activity in a comatose person is very different from that of a sleeping person; you can wake up a sleeping person, you can't wake a person in a coma.

I feel as if my family and I have been in a coma for a very long time.  About 2 weeks ago God with His gentle hand woke our family up.  Just like coming out of a coma we were groggy and scared and almost wondering where in the world had we been or what had happened.  Soon realizing that the events that were unfolding were such a blessing and that he awoke us at just the right time.  HIS time!  I am so overjoyed at the everyday events that manifest because it is just an opportunity for me to empty myself of yuckiness and to shape my children's character. 

This is a great website for teaching your children and celebrating giving Thanks to our Father.
http://sd2cx1.webring.org/l/rd?ring=tomturkeysthanks;id=27;url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Ejust4kidsmagazine%2Ecom%2Fnov%2Ehtml


This is one of the best things ever written:
http://showcase.netins.net/web/creative/lincoln/speeches/thanks.htm

I would challenge you to do something different this Thanksgiving.  Serve, thank and when the time is right wake up.

Have a blessed Thanksgiving from our family to yours.