Crisp Fall Air

Many more gifts.

3 gifts you gave today:
~Frugality.
~Thankfulness.
~Friendliness.

3 gifts loved:
~Time spend (by my mother-in-law) teaching me how to make beet borscht.
~My husband working so hard though this busy season to provide for us.
~The youth that God has given me to work with and serve.

3 gifts read:
~"Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.'” Luke 10:20
~ "I tell you, though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his impudence he will rise and give him whatever he needs." Luke 11:8

~“Behold, God is my salvation;
    I will trust, and will not be afraid;
for the Lord God is my strength and my song,
    and he has become my salvation.” Isaiah 12:2 

3 gifts of persistence:
~God's unending grace.
~God's mercies, new every morning.
~God's love for me, always pursuing. 

3 gift's of enthusiam:
~Excitement as we look forward to attending the national Desiring God conference along with seeing Andrew Peterson in concert.
~Anticipation of my baby shower and getting to celebrate our little miracle with so many.
~Looking forward to actually meeting this little one and learning what she will be like.

A gift of challenge: 
God challenging me to change and to move out of my comfort zone.

A gift of conflict: 
God using one to show ME MY flaws and teaching me I don't have to give in to my feelings regardless of pregnancy hormones.

A gift of change:
Trusting Him and His Sanctifying work to make me more like Him.

3 gifts water:
~Watching fall rain drops gently land on the lake.
~Hot water for the many cups of tea I've had this week.
~Having plenty of water to wash laundry and bedding with.

A gift of Rhythm:
New Andrew Peterson Album.

A gift of Rhyme:
The new LeCrae album (just a little different from each other ;) )

A gift of Reason:
Such a rest and trust in the Lord when we cannot see our future because He is our loving Father who does all things for His glory and our good.

3 gifts in weakness:
 ~Truth from the Gospel to lead.
~Friends who lift up tired arms.
~Family who wrap around us.

3 gifts in jars:
~New fall candles.
~Cold medicine to help us both heal.
~Honey from a friend's wedding for my tea.

A gift of life:
The changing of the seasons.

A gift of growth:
God's growing my husband and I in trust of Him.

A gift of decline:
Nights of less sleep, getting me ready for our new wee one.


 

And still more

3 hard gifts:
~ My husband being unable to eat normally and knowing we can rest in Him anyway.
~Daily sinus headaches and learning to trust in Him for minute by minute strength.
~Sore legs from pregnancy/circulation problems and being on my feet all day, and strength to make it through each shift.

3 gifts woven together:
~ The woven portions of a pair of shorts a friend has turned into a work of art!
~ Joy woven with pain.
~ My simple, lovely living room curtains.

3 gifts inherited:
~ Creativity from both my parents.
~ A love of reading.
~ An inheritance of those who fear the Lord.

3 gifts square:
~ Napkins to wipe up fingers :).
~ Quilt that warms and comforts each night.
~ Heating pad to eases my neck and head when it aches.

A gift stacked: books.
 A gift stashed: tea in the cupboard.
A gift stilled: the calm in my heart from the Lord even when things are not how I would have planned them.

3 gifts found in Christ:
~ Growth.
~ Confidence in Him.
~ Trust in His plans for us, for His plans are always good.

3 gifts closed:
The ending of different seasons;
~ Getting to be home and get ready for our little girl.
~ Five of my girls graduating from  high school.
~ Seeing friends move on to a new season in their lives and across the country.

3 gifts reflecting:
~The calm lake water as we were at camp.
~My heart
~And mind reflecting the Truths of God and His Word.

3 gifts fragile:
~A new mug from a friend.
~Pictures on my walls.
~Flower vase passed from generation to generation.

A gift cloth: Shorts that are comfortable on my growing belly.
A gift steel: My oven, stove used to make delicious food for my family.
A gift wood: My kitchen table, a place to prepare food, play games and sip tea with friends.

3 gifts moving:
~ The child growing inside me (man can she move!)
~ Tree tops moving in the wind.
~ Changing seasons.

So much grace

3 gifts tasted:
~Coffee! I can only have a bit each day and it makes it all that more of a treat!
~Raspberry thumbprint scone.
~Chicken nuggets.

3 gifts found in difficult people:
~ Grace to realize it's not all about me.
~ Grace to realize my hormones were dictating a really bad attitude in myself.
~ Learning to turn an unhappy customer into a satisfied one by going outside of myself and above and beyond for them.

3 gifts round:
~My breakfast bowl of granola and fresh raspberries.

~Crackers in my soup at lunch.

~A plate full of dinner made by my mother-in-law after a very long day at work.

3 gifts white:
~The clouds chasing each other across the sky.
~ Hot creamy milk being poured from a pitcher into a mug.
~ Soup suds from my body wash in my hot shower at the end of my long day.

3 gifts surprisingly found:
~ To really enjoy my "boring soup" for lunch.

 ~ Getting to spend the evening with my in-laws.
~ Seeing a ground hog right up close to the front door.

3 lines overheard that were graces:
~ A cheer and "we were having a moment!" from the kitchen at our youth retreat at march (yes, it has taken me a while to remember to watch for this one).
~ "Rain, rain, go away, come again another day." Sung by a little customer in line today.
~ "I'm good" sung by my husband this evening (Trip Lee). It's a comfort to know he knows and believes this truth that we are good no matter what happens because we are in God's perfect will.

I was so comforted last night to be reminded of the Lord of a truth He has continually reminded me of in the past:
"Your eyes saw my unformed substance;
in your book were written, every one of them,
    the days that were formed for me,
    when as yet there was none of them." Psalm 139:16
What a comfort!

A New Beginning

I know, I know, I've said it before "I'm going to be better about blogging".
But, this time I feel it's all about discipline, bringing glory to God and encouraging the family of God.
I had been thinking along the lines of the later, but then my pastor encouraged it on Sunday, and then to top it off my husband gave me a shove in the right direction.
Ladies, marry a man who encourages the best in you, especially the things you may not think are your best.
When I was a kid I used to want to be an author. I thought I might have a bit of a knack for writing, but never pursued it.
My husband told me last night that I should do this. He then told me that my writing was one thing that attracted him to me. Go figure.
God has also been giving me grace in the area of disciplines of late.
He's been helping me to wake up earlier to spend time with Him before I begin my day at work.
He now giving me grace in working on my eating habits and exercise.
And now it's time to get back to blogging.

I used to be consist, back when it was the thing to use Xanga.
I know I can do it, despite business. It's all about priorities. Using my time wisely and in a way that will bring glory to Himself.

So here is the start of something new.
I hope to encourage with insights from the Lord through things He's showing me and teaching me.
I'm sure I'll mention my jewelery, coffee and other things that I obsess over :).
My prayer is that I may be a blessing, encouragement, and that God may get the glory through His workings in our lives.

"Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen." 1 Timothy 1:17