It is starting to look and feel more like fall everyday and the graces are falling down on me like the rain and the leaves.
71 Fleecy Blankets
72 Opportunities to begin again and forgive....To be able to participate in the alumni band for the director's final Homecoming game performance. I cannot believe that I accepted this invitation off of Facebook from my cousin. You see, I was in marching band in high school (flag corps), it was not a great experience at all. Tho, I loved that I was doing it, it was the people that made it miserable. My self-esteem back then was not great and when the kids made fun of me, I did not understand and kept telling them to leave me alone. What really got me was, I was older than the kids that were teasing me! The real hitter was when I graduated and was in my 1st year of college, the alumni band did a trip and I decided to go. Big mistake. Those same younger than me kids were putting me down, and I was in college....UGH! Now, I am going back, even if I don't come back in contact with the ones that made my life crappy, but it is to be forgiving and go on where I left off in that point of my life. This is a HUGE step for me.
73 Funky food 'experiments' that actually work out.
74 Girl Scout cookies from the freezer.
75 Uncle's cows in the field grazing.
76 New necklace.
77. Mid-Afternoon snacks.
78 Barbershop harmony music.
79 Post-it notes.
80 Another family reunion attended (now, my husband's side).
81 Fun, kitschy documentaries (Rick Seback's Unusual Buildings & Roadside Attractions)...but also
82 Raw, complex, healing ones too (9-11 Robert DeNiro/Naudet Brothers)
83 First Responders.
84 Old family photos.
85 Impromptu wedding anniversary dinner.
86 A bouquet of roses.
87 A still butterfly, to be able to 'pet' at it's wing.
88 A dress that I never worn in awhile coaxes me to be worn for a night out.
89 The hope of 9-12. When the country came together after a national tragedy.
90 Journaling prompts.
Got some rest over the holiday weekend and attended a family reunion (my dad's side). This Sunday, we are off to a reunion for my husband's side of the family. Not much to post other than more of my blessings list...Very THANKFUL for 51 & 55!
51 Husband receives 1st substitute teaching assignment at local elementary school (it is still early in the school year too).
56 Cat is eating her food well.
57 Text messages to continue a started conversation
58 Leaves starting to change - I LOVE fall weather.
59 Thrift stores with 50% off sales.
60 Healing plants.
61 Family reunions.
62 Old barns.
63 Antique stores.
64 Clothes lines.
65 Hay bales in the field.
66 Cute little cottages with artsy screen doors.
67 The smell of wood fires.
68 Mom & Pop diners.
69 Old homesteads.
70 Memorials.
Thanks for visiting and remember to stop by some of the other blogs too :)
I have been really out many large sighs lately over many things that are so beyond my control.
I found this as I was searching the internet this morning - An excerpt from an online article from Grace Gems (Arthur Pink - 1947): "So by prayer sighs, we mean those agitations and breathings of soul which are virtually synonymous with groans. A "sigh" is an inarticulate declaration, an indistinct cry for deliverance. The saints are sometimes so opposed and troubled, that they cannot find language suited to their emotions: where words fail them, the thoughts and feelings of their hearts find expression in sighs and cries. The workings of a Christian's heart under the pressure of indwelling sin, the temptations of Satan, the opposition of the ungodly, the burden of uncongenial society, the wickedness of the world, the low state of the Cause of Christ on earth—are variously described in Scripture. Sometimes he is said to be "in heaviness" (1 Peter 1:6), to cry "out of the depths" (Psalm 130:1), to "roar" (Psalm 38:8), to be "overwhelmed" (Psalm 61:2), to be "distracted" (Psalm 88:15)."
Many times, for me it has been so hard to find the words to express what I have been feeling and then to say with prayers to God. Sometimes we are so worn with our worries and such, that all we can do is let out a big sigh and just try to make sense of everything. The good thing is, God does hear us, even wen we say nothing, our sighs are in a way a form of prayer.
Gratitude through my many sighs of anxiety and uncertainty:
41 Bonfire time with the family. 42 A Sunday nap in the sun with the a light breeze. 43 Online lettering course. 44 Homemade tuna casserole. 45 An encouraging mom.
46 Scotch tape. 47 Grocery lists. 48 Aromatherapy balms. 49 Country pastures with color. 50 Late transit vans.
Another Monday posting on a Tuesday. Yesterday my mind was on other things and was not focused on the one who would take care of all of those things - to keep releasing and to keep living the way He wants me to live and not to be in constant fear and worry. Anyway, today I had this song on my mind on my way into work this morning, it is by Amy Grant (one of my most favorite artists ever), called 'Better than a Hallelujah'. It is really the chorus that stirs me up the most....."We pour out our miseries, God just hears a melody. Beautiful the mess we are, the honest cries of breaking hearts are better than a Hallelujah."
My heart has been really aching lately - 1. Over the things here at my job. Especially the other lady who does my job on two days during a week. The extremes from the strongholds that she is experiencing day to day is severely 'handicapping' her on the inside AND on the outside; 2. Huge unemployment numbers all over the nation, and that our household is still greatly affected; 3. A lady that I sang with in chorus, lost her mother last month, and even tho I was not really close to her and her daughter (I sang with them in a barbershop harmony chorus), the pain of what happened still hurts like heck; 4. My cat going through her healing 'spurts' from what she is going through as she keeps getting older. I must remind myself that TRUE healing takes TIME and not to fear when things don't seem hopeful (must remind myself of the mint plant that I thought had no hope and it started growing new leaves - this was noted in my post from last week); 5. Not being able to get a really good nights sleep and to truly be functional during the day; 6. Another Sweet Adeline friend who is going though some similar issues that me and my husband are going through and seeing her groans out to God via her Face Book posts; 7. One of my sister's friends who was just diagnosed with breast cancer, and she went through me to get them re-connected....oh so much as been on my mind!
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good: His love endures forever ~ 1 Chronicles 16:34 (NLT)
Continuing daily gratitude within the brokenness:
31 Impromptu strawberry shortcakes and chit-chat with my mom.
32 Small areas of healing fur/skin on my cat.
33 My nephew's 8th birthday party. The weather was absolutely perfect for it too! Hard to believe that my sister's children are growing up so fast!
34 Dr. Burt's Res-Q Ointment....one of the best Burt's Bees products that I have used.
35 On the nationwide news last night with all of the not so happy stories, one interesting really stuck out at me. It was a surfing dog that helps people with disabilities to surf, have fun and be independent in some way.
36 Lady in California who makes herbal healing salves to help animals (mostly horses) with skin conditions......Zephyr's Garden. I found it kinda by accident as I was doing a Yahoo search.
37 Winery time with a friend that we have not seen in awhile.
38 Still getting to use a free bus pass even though I will need to give it up after Wednesday of this week. My friend who works for the area transit system, gave me her guest pass for me to use. That has been for about three years, almost four. Now, stuff in the corporate system has changed, and I won't be able to use the pass any longer. But it was nice while it lasted anyway.
39 Light fleecy jacket for cooler summer mornings and nights. I love these 'transitional months' before fall.
40 Former apartment neighbors that are still praying for you.
In one of Ann's (Voskamp) talks at a blogging conference (Relevant 2010), she mentions that "Our stories are lifelines (within the Upside Down Kingdom). We need to share more of our messes." Sometimes we are just not sure on how to share them AND a lot of times we are reluctant to let others see into our messed up, broken lives, worried what others will think of us. I am finally learning as an adult that it is our brokenness that makes us whole, in the image of Christ himself.
Really seeing these (and other) blessings, help fill in the 'empty spaces' and help us see things from God's perspective, no matter how overwhelmed we may be.
Remember to visit other blogs in the Upside Down Kingdom over at Ann's.
Today I was listening to 'One Thousand Gifts' that I have on audio book, and I have came across to chapter 8. My heart really needed to hear this chapter today. I felt lots of anxiety over the weekend: Another hope for a job opportunity for my husband came and went; My cat scratching like mad only leaving behind scabs that I cannot explain but yet acting pretty much like herself - looks like allergies; My heart feeling overwhelmed by the notion of our current situation that our country is in; My job in all of it's 'unpredictiveness'.
John 6:29 (NLT) ~ Jesus told them, “This is the only work God wants from you: Believe in the one he has sent.”
Ann in this chapter mentioned that stress and acting on anxiety is actually an act of 'disbelief' - not really trusting on what God has done for us already and what he will do for us in the future. She used the symbol of a bridge that she crossed on one winter day, to speak of trust. The bridge has planks of thanks and gratitude underneath it. Those planks of thanks reinforce our trust (a holy trust) to God that all of this is in HIS care and not mine. That I need to look to Him and really 'believe' Him - not my anxious situations and racing thoughts. Focusing on thanks renews our troubled and cluttered minds.
Township road bridge near my house
**Bridge planks of gratitude for my troubled mind:
Be thankful for the little surprises
21 A withered mint plant renewing it's leaves. 22 Wind chimes moving gently in the wind.
23 Recreated leftovers in the fridge.
24 Cooler summer days after a long-term heat wave.
25 Riding lawnmowers that can be borrowed.
26 Peaches from a local farm market.
27 Jar from a freebie basket.
28 Unexpected lavender colored lilies on my desk at work that some one brought in from their garden (having flowers on my desk mind you is an extreme rarity at my office, so these were a very nice surprise).
29 Abundance in a crock pot.
30 Little purple butterflies flying around as I pull out really stubborn weeds.
Let the thanks feed our trust ~ Ann Voskamp
Don't forget to hop on over to Ann's place to check out other gifts!
I was not sure what to write today to share. I then noticed a 'loaf of fresh bread' in my inbox today and it is says everything perfectly!
Encouragement for Today:
"The godly are showered with blessings." ~ Proverbs 10:6 (NLT)
What a wonderful picture: blessings showering down upon you like a steady, gentle spring rain! How aware are you of these blessings, though? Do you make a habit of noticing the "everyday" blessings that God showers upon everyone, such as sunshine and color and the variety of birds and blooms? What about the marvels of modern inventions that we take for granted? Then there are the personalized "showers of blessings" that are just for you: your health, your family, or something from the Word that speaks right into your situation. Today, grow like grass from the showers of God's blessings. —Diane Eble, author of Abundant Gifts: A Daybook of Grace-Filled Devotions
Blessings to help me grow like the tall grass:
21 Beth Moore's book, 'Breaking Free Through Spiritual Strongholds'. She gives many scripture-based prayers to help the believer overcome the negative stronghold in our hearts and minds. Having this on audio book is wonderful!
22 The breeze flowing through the trees.
23 For making anticipated bad days not so bad after all.
24 Stained glass windows in the churches and synagogues, and the stories they tell/represent.
25 Seeing all of my family on a Sunday afternoon for an unplanned gathering.
26 Really neat artistic weather vanes in the city.
27 The many colors all around us to enjoy.
28 Little children that show a stranger kindness.
29 Faith can over come fear and doubt (passed a sign that was on a local Catholic church on my way into work this morning); Need that reminder everyday!
30 An invitation from a woman whom I have never met until now. She invited into her home and offered it for me to use for an Open House to kick start a creative business that I have been thinking about doing for a long time, just not too sure how to really go about things. She got my name via a small community store that we both visit. What is really unique about this, she owns an old schoolhouse. Believe it or not, my husband and I live in an old school too. She also has some other similarities to me, so I thought wow, this is for sure a 'God-insidence'.
Thanks for stopping by! Don't forget to visit others and see more blessings over at Ann's :-)
It is hard many-a-days to stay motivated and to be patient for things to take a positive turn. Still dealing with the unpredictiveness of my husband's very long-term unemployment period. I pray that he will have something that he enjoys to do really soon (He LOVES the media...so anything that pertains to radio and TV production, etc). There is some hope on the horizon for it, but it is still very blurry. He had to settle for the "to-do" for now, by taking positions that just help with meeting paying the living expenses for many years....not really using his gifts to the full. Unfortunatley, so many people are in this predicament right now. I must be patient and wait for God's timing on it; It is SO hard tho - to wait. I am even on the edge of my career path as well and waiting to make that move on to new opportunities, what God has in store for me. I do feel that "internal shift" that something good is going to happen, just don't know when or how. Oh Lord, waiting is so hard!!!!!
But if we look forward to something we don't yet have, we must wait patiently and confidently. ~ Romans 8:25 (NLT)
Blessings within the waiting........
**11-20:
11 Day trips with the entire family (went to Dayton, OH with my sister, her kids and husband, my mom, dad and my husband) - especially when it is difficult to ALL get together.
12 Relief from the humidity.
13 The hope that my husband will receive a job soon.
14 For fun and fruity smoothies :-)
15 Quiet moments at my desk at work.
16 The hope for a change in my career path - so I can learn new things in a different environment.
17 Yummy cookies that a co-worker's wife made to share with people in the office.
18 That August is National Happiness Month (be nice if it was ALL year round).
19 For celebrating my grandpa's 80th birthday, despite the health issues that he is dealing with.
20 Thankful for the Grace that God gives daily and especially when we don't deserve it!
Don't forget to visit others linked on Ann's page! Thanks for stopping by :-)
