a thankful heart

When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”
“Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”
Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.”
The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Feed my sheep.....
Then he said to him, “Follow me!”  John 21:15-17,19b

last fall He set me to reading Radical. at the end of the first chapter my toes were sore (of course i actually enjoy having my toes stepped on when it's Love doing the stepping). however, by mid-book it almost hurt to take a deep breath. it was a lot to process; how had i missed the depth in these scriptures i'd read so many times before?
after Radical I read Weird, Because Normal Isn't Working, which was very much in line with Radical - only somehow, thankfully, it was lighter on the toes.
the beginning of this year He led me to read Crazy Love. i was excited, i knew the book had something to do with love(obviously) which excited me. otherwise i had no idea what it was about. it's taken a few weeks, i've finished reading it. even after His call last fall to read Radical and Weird, Crazy Love was still a challenging read. it was, yet again, a call for me to look at His Word and see deeper truth. a reminder of what He's calling me to. Crazy, Radical, or Weird, for me it's all one in the same: an invitation to walk with Him, to experience Him, to be loved, and to love  -  really.
and so, in His mercy and grace He had me read the same thing three times. three.    and now, that same Mercy and Grace is telling me it's time to move ahead. one minute at a time, one step at a time, one day at a time. His wonderful, crazy love in me, causing my life to be radical, and downright weird as i follow Him.

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i am forever thankful, forever counting His gifts and giving Him praise (from my 1400's)

living this life one day at a time
that His love is ever reaching
and when He knows it necessary, He will graciously lead me three times to the very same thing

one quiet moment beautifully interrupted by
leaves falling from trees
the perfect "who-hoo-hooo-who" of an owl in the distance
the caw of a crow and
a gander of geese calling over from a neighbor's yard

that we are fearfully and wonderfully made, truly
that i am called to be me and nobody else, simply me; that i am God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for me to do Eph 2:10

that in the midst of being tempted to ask, "why?" He continues to teach me to take every thought captive and the words from my mouth are, "Father God, Sovereign God, God of Goodness and Truth, i trust You; for You alone are God, and i thank You."

the way the sky can be so many different shades of blue

that Saturday we volunteered with SoSA and had our first experience with gleaning
first stop, this sweet woman grew a tree from seed and now donates the fruit

boy love reaching high

my I do

girl love in action

 her one tree yeilded 29 bags of fruit

'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'

after dropping off harvest one, we headed to site number two, where we were joined by two others also gleaning for the first time
another family donated two of their grapefuit trees for a partial harvest

'We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.'

together, the six of us gleaned 89 bags of grapefruit
what a joy to serve in gleaning, we are excited for the next time (:

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Dear, dear Corinthians, I can't tell you how much I long for you to enter this wide-open, spacious life. We didn't fence you in. The smallness you feel comes from within you. Your lives aren't small, but you're living them in a small way. I'm speaking as plainly as I can and with great affection. Open up your lives. Live openly and expansively! 2 Corinthians 6:11-13 The Message

Dear, dear Grateful Friends, I pray that we will open up our lives and live openly and expansively this week!
The LORD bless you and keep you;
The LORD make His face shine upon you,
And be gracious to you;
The LORD lift up His countenance upon you,
And give you peace. Num 6:24-26

joining Ann and the community of thankful counters

Quoting

I don't know Ms. Dillard, but I like this quote.

“Because how we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives.”   ~ Annie Dillard

true.
so very true
(sometimes i need a reminder).

Monday Gratitude

i am forever grateful, forever counting His gifts (from my 1400's)....

our Advent wreath and baby Jesus

the fun gift of a nature backpack

fresh Florida strawberries, and

when they become dessert

girl love's bunny, grooming under the china cabinet

boy love sportin' his daddy's sports coat

my I do hanging white lights, for me (:

boy love's exciting 2011 bday gift from Grandma & Granddaddy - a gift that keeps on giving {:

Roly - no legs yet

Tom has hind legs

a fantastic four original - an end table

boy love & daddy made it

girl love & mommy stained it

after the table, the daddy went to work on boy love's project

now he's ready to hunt his favorite venison dinner

girl love catching me catching her with the dictionary - just for fun!

and did i mention that New Year's brought my first pair of converse tennis shoes?

((did you just roll your eyes? i promise to wear them K love acceptably :))

and i'm all smiles as February once again brings our west loves east!

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i am incredibly thankful for the giving of thanks

gratitude leading to praise - He inhabits the praises of His people

But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel. Psalm 22:3

friends, it is my hope that we find ourselves singing His praises all the day long [:

-t-

joining Ann and the community of thankful counters

too good not to share

i can't help myself; it's so good, i wanna share it with you (a portion of The Deeps, from The Valley of Vision).  maybe consider making it yours too?

Plough deep in me, great Lord,
heavenly Husbandman,
that my being may be a tilled field,
the roots of grace spreading far and wide,
until Thou alone art seen in me,
thy beauty golden like summer harvest,
thy fruitfulness as autumn plenty.

I have no master but Thee,
no law but Thy will,
no delight but Thyself,
no wealth but that Thou givest,
no good but that Thou blessest,
no peace but that Thou bestowest.
I am nothing but that Thou makest me.
I have nothing but that I receive from Thee.
I can be nothing but that grace adorns me.
Quarry me deep, dear Lord,
and then fill me to overflowing
with living water.

amen, Lord Jesus. amen.

2012

i have said it countless times and i will say it infinitely many more, our God is amazing.
a - maz - ing.
and   oh  how  He  loves  me.

in late October i began praying for the naming of 2012
i've jotted notes in my journal. a word here. a few more there. a phrase. a question.
all in seeking His theme for my 2012
i was pretty sure i had it
and then He confirmed it
(oh how He loves me. His grace, His amazing grace)

i was reading Weird Because Normal Isn't Working, and i turned to chapter 15, "Just One Thing"
the chapter began with Craig's telling of New Year's resolutions and how by Valentine's 75% of people who made them have broken them. no more broken resolutions for him. he now asks God, "What is the one thing you want to be different in my life next year?"
he offers four questions to ask God in prayer time to help provide clarity - and each question has the number one in it

the last word i'd written in my journal for the naming of 2012 was "one"
at the time i was unsure. "what? one? what does that look like? what exactly would that be about? how would i walk out a year named one?"
surprisingly, wonderfully the answers came quickly

focusing on the One (laying down the idols of self and of people pleasing)
For thou art great, and doest wondrous things: thou art God alone Psalm 86:10
For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus I Timothy 2:5
One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all Ephesians 4:6

a year of choosing one thing at a time. a year of purposefully taking life one day at a time, one intentional minute after another
Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own Matthew 6:34

cherishing that my I do & i are one flesh
That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh. Genesis 2:24

living before an audience of One, to the glory of One
She gave this name to the LORD who spoke to her: “You are the God who sees me,” for she said, “I have now seen the One who sees me.” Genesis 16:13
For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s. 1 Corinthians 6:20
...that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen. 1 Peter 4:11b
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:16

knowing that He has already met my one need
For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation. Romans 5:6-11
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ... that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation...  For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 2 Corinthians 5

trusting that He'll meet me in the one place i need Him to (the place that He alONE knows i truly need to be met at), and that it will be in His timing - not one minute before, not one minute after
...but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint. Isaiah 40:31
Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. Galatians 6:9-10

my 2012, The Year of One.

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Happy New Year Friends! i pray for His blessings upon you & yours in this, your 2012 - one more of His many gifts to each of us

The LORD bless you and keep you;
The LORD make His face shine upon you,
And be gracious to you;
The LORD lift up His countenance upon you,
And give you peace. Numbers 6