Been busy camping this past week (oh, how we suffer). Here's some grateful thoughts in picture form.
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Thursday Gratitudes
The photo edition.
Been busy camping this past week (oh, how we suffer). Here's some grateful thoughts in picture form.
Been busy camping this past week (oh, how we suffer). Here's some grateful thoughts in picture form.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
summer's best
What we're liking best about summer: the kiddie pool, riding bikes, painted toes, garden fresh produce, evenings on the patio, morning coffee outside, running through the sprinkler, watching the kids play outside, long days and cool nights.
Yep, we are loving everything about summer around here. Hope you're loving yours too.
Saturday, July 12, 2008
Thursday gratitudes, the Saturday edition
"Blessed be the Lord who daily loads us with benefits, the God of our salvation." Psalm 68:19
Been thinking lately about burdens and blessings (or benefits). In a different translation this Psalm reads, "Blessed be the Lord who daily bears our burdens." Now, I know that burdens aren't really anything to be thankful for. In fact most of us will grumble about our burdens, sometimes rightly so. But here the psalmist tells us that God will bear our burdens and even load us with benefits in the midst of them.
It's a guarantee that life will have it's share of burdens, but if we are walking in God's will we can know that the burdens we bear hold a specific purpose for our lives. God has allowed them for some reason. It's time to start viewing our burdens from a different perspective and start seeing them as opportunities for benefits.
In the season of unemployment we had our share of burdens. In a season of starting and growing our own business, we still have our share of burdens. But here's the cool part, for every burden we've experienced we've also seen some sort of benefit. I guess it's all about perspective here; asking God to help us view things from his perspective, not from our own narrow point of view.
When we had the burden of fear and anxiety, God gave us peace. When we've felt lost and overwhelmed, God gave us wisdom. When there wasn't enough to pay all of our bills, unexpected money came in. For every burden we've seen some sort of blessing or benefit.
You see, without walking through the burdens we would not be able to look at our troubles from the other side of them. We sometimes struggle to see what God is up to, but when we pass through them we can see with greater perspective and clarity. We can see our God as provider of all that we need, and I'm not just talking finances here.
So, today let's all look at our burdens as an opportunity for God to work. Sometimes he removes your burden, sometimes he gives you the grace to endure your burden. Either way, his perspective is always better. If we ask him, he'll help us to have the right perspective.
We just need to keep looking up.
Been thinking lately about burdens and blessings (or benefits). In a different translation this Psalm reads, "Blessed be the Lord who daily bears our burdens." Now, I know that burdens aren't really anything to be thankful for. In fact most of us will grumble about our burdens, sometimes rightly so. But here the psalmist tells us that God will bear our burdens and even load us with benefits in the midst of them.
It's a guarantee that life will have it's share of burdens, but if we are walking in God's will we can know that the burdens we bear hold a specific purpose for our lives. God has allowed them for some reason. It's time to start viewing our burdens from a different perspective and start seeing them as opportunities for benefits.
In the season of unemployment we had our share of burdens. In a season of starting and growing our own business, we still have our share of burdens. But here's the cool part, for every burden we've experienced we've also seen some sort of benefit. I guess it's all about perspective here; asking God to help us view things from his perspective, not from our own narrow point of view.
When we had the burden of fear and anxiety, God gave us peace. When we've felt lost and overwhelmed, God gave us wisdom. When there wasn't enough to pay all of our bills, unexpected money came in. For every burden we've seen some sort of blessing or benefit.
You see, without walking through the burdens we would not be able to look at our troubles from the other side of them. We sometimes struggle to see what God is up to, but when we pass through them we can see with greater perspective and clarity. We can see our God as provider of all that we need, and I'm not just talking finances here.
So, today let's all look at our burdens as an opportunity for God to work. Sometimes he removes your burden, sometimes he gives you the grace to endure your burden. Either way, his perspective is always better. If we ask him, he'll help us to have the right perspective.
We just need to keep looking up.
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
today...
Go, Levi, go!
What do you notice about this?
Yep, no training wheels and no dad running along with him. He got it today, just jumped on and took off. Started all by himself. He's been gingerly working up to this for awhile now, so glad he found success today. Proud of him for being persistent, working through his fear of falling and not giving up.
I gotta say, I had a few tears in my eyes as he sped down the street.
I'm sure you can guess what he's been doing ever since.
Then there's this picture.
Our sweet baby on the front page of the local newspaper. This was taken during the Fourth of July parade, she's sitting with a friend of ours on our church's float. We are loving the small town feeling of living here, one of those cool things is taking part in the parade. The kid's loved riding on the float, I did too.
Happy Wednesday.
What do you notice about this?
Yep, no training wheels and no dad running along with him. He got it today, just jumped on and took off. Started all by himself. He's been gingerly working up to this for awhile now, so glad he found success today. Proud of him for being persistent, working through his fear of falling and not giving up.
I gotta say, I had a few tears in my eyes as he sped down the street.
I'm sure you can guess what he's been doing ever since.
Then there's this picture.
Our sweet baby on the front page of the local newspaper. This was taken during the Fourth of July parade, she's sitting with a friend of ours on our church's float. We are loving the small town feeling of living here, one of those cool things is taking part in the parade. The kid's loved riding on the float, I did too.
Happy Wednesday.
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Thursday Gratitudes
Taking time to stop and think today; thinking about what I've got, how I've been blessed, what God is doing. Gratitude is a powerful thing and the simple act of remembering all of that I've been given is renewing, and so very valuable. Here goes:
The surprise gift of cash from an anonymous someone at church. It came at just the right time for us.
Growth in the garden (and a great new sprinkler to play in). Seeing new things coming along-tomatoes and zucchini, berries and green beans. Plus the gift of tons of lettuce and spinach for fresh salads daily. Love that. Love knowing that God "richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment." (1 Timothy 6:17)
Spending the day here with Zac on Saturday, a happy birthday hike. It was a beautiful six miles.
Celebrating 30 this past week. Feeling like God is doing some stuff in me and looking forward to what he'll do this year in my life. It isn't always easy when God is working in your life, it's sometimes painful and difficult, but I've learned that if you go along with it and enjoy the ride you find yourself surprised at all that he blesses you with along the way.
Remembering that God gives of burdens so that he can also give us benefits. "Blessed be the Lord, who daily loads us with benefits, the God of our salvation!" or "Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears our burdens." (Psalm 68:19)
Meeting and hanging out with our newest niece, sweet Krystina Ruth. Loving having a new baby around to love on.
Celebrating freedom, freedom in Christ and freedom in our country. So very grateful for those who have fought and still are fighting for our freedom.
Happy Fourth everyone.
The surprise gift of cash from an anonymous someone at church. It came at just the right time for us.
Growth in the garden (and a great new sprinkler to play in). Seeing new things coming along-tomatoes and zucchini, berries and green beans. Plus the gift of tons of lettuce and spinach for fresh salads daily. Love that. Love knowing that God "richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment." (1 Timothy 6:17)
Spending the day here with Zac on Saturday, a happy birthday hike. It was a beautiful six miles.
Celebrating 30 this past week. Feeling like God is doing some stuff in me and looking forward to what he'll do this year in my life. It isn't always easy when God is working in your life, it's sometimes painful and difficult, but I've learned that if you go along with it and enjoy the ride you find yourself surprised at all that he blesses you with along the way.
Remembering that God gives of burdens so that he can also give us benefits. "Blessed be the Lord, who daily loads us with benefits, the God of our salvation!" or "Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears our burdens." (Psalm 68:19)
Meeting and hanging out with our newest niece, sweet Krystina Ruth. Loving having a new baby around to love on.
Celebrating freedom, freedom in Christ and freedom in our country. So very grateful for those who have fought and still are fighting for our freedom.
Happy Fourth everyone.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
