In the bluster of the busy days...

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts...

and be thankful.

Colossians 3:15

These winter days have been full to the brim and spilling over . . . lessons, meetings, deadlines, assignments, projects, and overnight trips . . . 

In the bluster of the busy days, two things have kept my heart quiet:  this resolve to remain and the practice of counting gifts, giving thanks.

So I'll slip in here at the end of February (ahh... posting the first of March) and share just some of the gifts.  Because even on the busy days, this practice of slowing to take note helps me see...

Continuing to count His endless gifts and grace . . . 

#1640  driving home, sun behind us warming the fields

#1645  rainboots and coats in the cold, pouring rain

#1651  husband's encouragement when I'm feeling overwhelmed

#1660  a quiet Saturday morning to study and read

#1669  handwritten notes of encouragement in the mail

#1673  setting sun turning everything golden

#1674  new wreath for my door that my grandmother and cousin made

#1679  firstborn helping me make cakeballs to take to the party

#1682  standing in my mom's kitchen, munching on yummy tea sandwiches

#1683  my dad answering my call even while he was in a meeting

#1687  making our traditional French toast breakfast for Valentine's Day

#1694  full moon rising over the lacrosse field

#1697  husband taking a day off to bake a "dad & lad" cake for the contest

#1699  red tulip on my kitchen counter

#1701  praying with my boy-child through the night watches

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything,

by prayer and petition with thanksgiving

let your requests be made known to God

and the peace of God, which passes all understanding

will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:6-7

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Giving Thanks . . . December Wrap

There's a quiet stillness that settles in at the end of December.  Bare branches stretch against a winter-white sky.  The pecan trees have long-since shed their leaves, released their fruit.

In the stillness, we look back on a year of counting on the Lord, of continuing to count the ways He has blessed.  And we look ahead with expectation.  Because the Lord is good.  And His unfailing love endures forever.

Continuing to count His gifts and grace . . .

#1603  a walk-through nativity bringing the story to life
#1604  first century costumes leading us to step back in time
#1605  "Roman soldiers" charging up on horses
#1606  donkeys, sheep, chickens, and goats in the "market"
#1607  remembering again that God so loved the world He gave
#1608  the ones who sacrificed their time to tell the story for all of us
#1609  lighting candles and remembering God's gift of light
#1610  a fire in the fireplace during the homeschool day
#1611  oatmeal with pumpkin seeds, cranberries & sunflower seeds
#1612  new friends in unexpected places
#1613  enjoying an evening I didn't expect to like at all
#1614  yummy pumpkin bread a friend baked
#1615  pulling up stools to her counter and sharing stories
#1616  laughing together at funny memories
#1617  lunch with sweet friends
#1618  simple gifts exchanged between the four of us
#1619  an afternoon at the home of a dear friend I've dearly missed
#1620  rolling out cookie dough and decorating cookies
#1621  playing UNO and Quixo with my boy-child
#1622  Grandad home safely from India...and bearing gifts!
#1623  celebrating Gram on her birthday
#1624  finding just the right gift
#1625  chicken kabobs, hummus & tabouli for dinner
#1626  red velvet cupcakes to share 
#1627  the Lord shielding us from the car that came careening toward us
#1628  just enough time to make the trek and purchase the gift
#1629  husband and boy-child cleaning out the garage...
#1630  ...and putting together the ping-pong table
#1631  unwrapping gifts on Christmas morning
#1632  a nap on the sofa, Christmas afternoon, holding a tiny newborn
#1633  the calm that follows the rush of Christmas  
#1631  watching the sun rise in the Eastern sky as we drove
#1632  arriving safely there
#1633  cousins playing hard all day long
#1634  kids building catapults and popsicle-stick bridges
#1635  fireworks before the rain
#1636  popcorn popping on the stovetop
#1637  cups of hot chocolate and warm apple cider
#1638  games of Jenga around the table
#1639  a new year...and all this hope and expectation...

Come and see what God has done,

how awesome His works in man's behalf.

Psalm 66:5, NIV 1984

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Lists and Links and a Free Christmas Bucket List Printable

Last year, inspired by some of the bucket lists I saw online, I made a bucket list for fall. My kids enjoyed that bucket list so much that they asked for a Christmas bucket list also.  

A simple list with some important reminders.  A festive list with a few fun ideas.  A place to write down the names, the dates, and the places.  A bit of inspiration to slow down in the rush of the season . . . to make sweet memories . . . to mark the moments.

I've updated the Christmas Bucket List for 2012.  If you'd like to download and print a copy, click here.

If you're not familiar with the Jesse Tree Readings for Advent, (mentioned in the bucket list, above) the stories from Scripture that trace the lineage of Jesus, the root of Jesse, you can find a beautiful rendering of these stories over at Ann Voskamp's place, A Holy Experience.  Ann has made the Jesse Tree Journey devotional available for free, with the full Bible text for each reading included and beautiful, full-color as well as black & white illustrations to cut out and use as you mark the days of Advent. This is my favorite way to count the days of Advent!  Click here to find Ann's Jesse Tree Journey devotional.

And as we mark the moments in preparation for Christmas, I'm continuing to count His endless gifts and grace . . .

#1579  kids and husband hanging lights on the house
#1580  Christmas music playing while we work
#1581  white lights and a red bow on the reindeer out front
#1582  a festive wreath on the door
#1583  nutcrackers on the mantle
#1584  red plaid bows on the candlesticks
#1585  coming home to the house all lit in Christmas lights
#1586  small town Saturday night
#1587  bar-b-que for dinner
#1588  live band playing country music
#1589  French toast for breakfast
#1590  Jupiter blazing next to the full moon in the night sky
#1591  cranberry orange tea with honey
#1592  homemade apple bread
#1593  10 little fingers & 10 little toes...new little one in the family
#1594  impromptu dinner with Gram, Grandad & Granny
#1595  troubleshooting...figuring it out
#1596  leafy greens with feta, dried cranberries, and sunflower seeds
#1597  listening to the Lifeway Women cd 
#1598  skimming through books at the Christian bookstore
#1599  morning fog hanging low in the field
#1600  getting the squirrel out the door
#1601  the laughter that followed the frantic frenzy of a squirrel in the house
#1602  boy-child jumping up and down, so excited to find ice cream in the freezer

And give thanks for everything

to God the Father, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Ephesians 5:20, NLT

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Thanksgiving

Give thanks to the LORD,

for He is good!

His faithful love endures forever!

Psalm 107:1, NLT

It's Thanksgiving, friends . . . a day to pause and give thanks . . . a day to remember that this is the command that God has given for all of our days . . . that we would "be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus." (1 Thess. 5:18, NLT)  

It's a day to remember what Jesus said . . . that "in this world you will have trouble.  But take heart!  I have overcome the world!"  (John 16:33)

I'm praying His sweetest blessings over each of you today, and . . . 

Continuing to count His endless gifts and grace . . . 

1569  warm muffins in the morning

1570  praying with my mom & dad

1571  witnessing the baptism of another long-prayed-for friend

1572  Granny in my mother's kitchen baking yummy cakes and pies

1573  licking the bowl

1574  boys playing ultimate frisbee and basketball for hours

1575  games of Blokus with my firstborn and brother-in-law

1576  leaves changing on the trees

1577  a brand new ball of yarn to knit

1578  family gathered to give thanks

I will thank the LORD with all my heart

as I meet with His godly people.

How amazing are the deeds of the LORD!

All who delight in Him should ponder them.

Everything He does reveals His glory and majesty.

His righteousness never fails.

Psalm 111:1-3, NLT

Linking with Ann Voskamp, A Holy Experience

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Weekend Visitor

Fall waltzes in, just a weekend visitor, and we pull sweaters and boots out of the closet, inviting her to stay.  We sip hot cider and bake pumpkin muffins.  The boys play football in the street.

We visit the pumpkin patch, pick out a fat pumpkin for the front walk and snap pictures of the kids among the scarecrows.

Come Tuesday, the weather will be warm again.  We'll hang our jackets on their pegs and trade our socks for sandals.  But today...we'll revel in the glory of October...the clear blue sky, the crisp fall air, the sound of children laughing in the street.

Continuing to count His gifts and grace . . .

1534  morning coffee and quiet time on the patio
1535  golden white rim of sunlight around the clouds
1536  wrapping up a birthday gift for a friend
1537  new dress shirts and slacks for his new job
1538  no cavities!
1539  yummy Bisquick chicken
1540  avocado and strawberries in salad
1541  hearing my boy-child tell what he's learning in science
1542  fluffy, clean, just-groomed dog
1543  tiny kittens piled up together in a heap
1544  toddler "tea party"
1545  my kids on the floor working a puzzle with their toddler cousin
1550  boy-child playing patiently with the little one next door
1551  clear sky, crisp air, and a hot cup of coffee
1552  rolling out the history timeline and attaching new artwork
1553  firstborn coming out of ballet class giggling with her friends
1554  lacrosse practice starting again
1555  special student home for a visit, bringing her beau for us to meet
1556  pancake dinner at Gram & Grandad's
1557  gathering with other women to hear our favorite Bible study teacher
1558  stunningly beautiful worship music
1559  yummy popcorn treats
1560  a field trip with my children to see a student in her school musical
1561  coffee and catching up with another student
1562  picking out a pumpkin for the front walk
1563  Friday night dinner out with Gram & Grandad  
1564  caramel apples
1565  boys playing football in the street
1566  tall boots and warm sweaters
1567  seeing a friend baptized...cold weather, broken water heater and all!
1568  this reminder, as the earth shakes in the West and storms rage in the East:

As long as the earth remains,

there will be 

planting and harvest,

cold and heat, 

summer and winter,

day and night.

Genesis 8:22, NLT

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Sukkot 2012

Then celebrate with joy before the LORD your God . . .

Leviticus 23:40, NLT

  

Continuing to count His gifts and grace . . . 

#1513 Gathering with old friends for a weekend of celebration

#1514 Gracious friends hosting us by the dozens

#1515 All those tents lined up in the field

#1516 Worship under the stars

#1517 Late-night s'mores

#1518 Watching the sun rise over the trees

#1519 Morning mist over the water

#1520 Snuggling under blankets

#1521 Warming up by the fire

#1522 Rocking chairs on the front porch

#1523 Kids on the zip-line over the lake

#1524 Him on the wave runner pulling kids on the raft...their smiles

#1525 Tiny hands holding fishing poles over the water

#1526 Kids splashing in the pool

#1527 Sand volleyball

#1528 ATV rides

#1529 Chef-prepared gourmet meals 

#1530 Little ones making graham cracker sukkahs

#1531 Him teaching so simply and beautifully the "why" of celebrating Sukkot

#1532 Her smile and her kindness as she worked long hours behind the scenes

#1533 Looking forward to next year's celebration

This will remind each new generation of Israelites

 that I made their ancestors live in shelters

when I rescued them from the land of Egypt.

Leviticus 23:43

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Whispers of Fall (with fall bucket list printable)

On the last day of September, I pull a sweater out of the closet and slip my arms into its sleeves.  The sun is sliding away behind the limbs of the oak trees, and I can't remember ever before wearing a sweater in September.  But there's a delicious tang in the air, and the whisper of fall is on the wind.

My boy-child has stockpiled a whole arsenal of acorns by the front door...ammunition, he says, for the acorn wars he and his buddies have been waging in the street and in the yard.

At the grocery store, pumpkins pile high in bins, there are bags of caramels stacked beside the apples, and I'm thinking we might light a stack of wood in the fireplace.

It's fall.  The calendar has said so for more than a week, but the red line on the thermometer says so now, and we are grateful.

The kids have asked for the bucket list*, so I've printed it out for the fridge.  And I'm sharing it with you, along with the recipe for our family's all-time favorite fall treat.

Happy Fall, sweet readers!  May the Lord bless you and keep you and make His face to shine upon you.  And may you know that He is good!

Continuing to count His gifts and grace . . .

#1500  sweaters in September
#1501  acorn wars in the front yard
#1502  toddler giggles
#1503  pumpkin muffins hot from the oven
#1504  mugs of apple cider
#1505  first pumpkin spice latte of fall
#1506  scent of fall in the air
#1507  that he got the job!
#1508  Hillsong/Brooke Fraser's song, "Like Incense"
#1509  Gram cooking my firstborn's birthday dinner
#1510  Grandad working with my boy-child's Webelo patrol to earn their badge
#1511  finishing the task even when things went wrong
#1512  phone call from my brother just to chat

This is the day the LORD has made!

We will rejoice and be glad in it!

Psalm 118:24, NLT

 

 

*Note:  I saw a similar "bucket list" online last year, and that inspired me to create my own.  If you'd like to download and print our bucket list, just click here.  If you'd like to check out some of the other fun bucket lists online that inspired me, you can click here or here.  Or, even better, use ours and the others as inspiration to create your own! You'll find lots of fun inspiration online!

And to download and print our family's favorite fall treat, with tips for modifying the recipe for loved ones with food allergies, click here.

 



 



 



 

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Taste and See

My firstborn...she wears it like a badge of honor, really.  The day we sat in that little restaurant by the sea and she couldn't eat a single thing on the menu...that was the day I knew she "got it."  As the one beside her mourned the fact that she couldn't taste the yummy goodness, my firstborn said it without a single pause or hesitation:  "My mommy and I don't wish I could taste it.  God has let us help so many people because of my food allergies!  And He has given us friends we never would have had if I didn't have these allergies."

Oh, child, to have your faith!  Your mommy is beyond grateful for the friends God has given us, for the way He's allowed us to minister to others with the same struggle.

But there are days . . .

Truth be told, as she stands at the brink of her teenage years, there are days she also wishes for a different reality . . . or that, somehow, her reality didn't make her "different."

When she went to camp this summer, and we packed all of her food for all 15 meals . . .

When she left the next week to fly overseas on mission, and we stuffed her suitcase full of food for 30 meals...and sighed with relief when her bag weighed in at only 44 pounds . . .

When she was diagnosed last week with pneumonia, and the medicine that was meant to make her well contained just a trace of that allergen, and things didn't go so well . . .

When she watches her friends eat the things she'd love to taste, and she chooses not to eat at all because she doesn't want to draw attention...to be different because the only safe thing is different . . .

But isn't that what God has called us to? And somehow, isn't she learning it in a tangible way every day?

Somehow, the very "separateness" to which He has called us, she is living out with every meal, aware with every bite that she has to choose life that she might live.  Every morsel becomes a physical representation of that spiritual truth, a reminder of the call God has placed on her life to be in this world but not of it.

It doesn't make it easy.  But where has God said this life would be easy?  His yoke?  Yes, easy.  Life in this world?  Not so much.

It isn't always fun.  But where has God promised it would be?  Abundant?  Yes, to the full.  Always fun?  Not this world.  It's not our home.

And when I see it that way, I'm grateful.

Because she doesn't let it stop her.  She doesn't let it hold her back.  She embraces the days and every opportunity with a tenacious will to take hold of abundant life!

Because she went to camp, and she made it safely through, and that in itself was a miracle!  And the bonus?  She loved every minute!

Because she went overseas on mission, and she made it safely home, and that still leaves me in awe.  And the best part?  Lord willing, she's going back next year...and she has plans in place to take her friends!

Because she isn't always able to taste the yummy treats on the tables around her . . .

but she has tasted of the LORD, and she will tell you...

He is good!

Continuing to count His gifts and grace . . .

#1484  her calm in the storm
#1485  that she takes these things in stride
#1486  her resilience
#1487  an on-the-ball pharmacist
#1488  a doctor who takes time
#1489  husband cooking dinner
#1490  and washing dishes
#1491  boy-child and his friend sitting on the driveway talking
#1492  dodge-ball with middle-schoolers - on trampolines!
#1493  adults who'll sleep on the concrete floor to invest in kids
#1494  student ministers who speak truth
#1495  my two kids on the floor playing games
#1496  listening to him practice guitar
#1497  hearing her practice the trumpet
#1498  finding a canvas in the cabinet for her to paint
#1499  rest

Taste and see that the LORD is good.

Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in Him!

Psalm 34:8, NLT

 

 



 

 

 

 



 

 

 

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Soon and Not Yet

On the eve of Rosh Hashanah, I drive home through the pouring down rain, windshield wipers swishing, headlights glinting off wet streets.  Paul Wilbur's Watchman cd is blaring from the speakers in my truck, and it seems fitting somehow that my firstborn has just had her first trumpet lesson. This is to be a day of blowing trumpets!

Music fills the car, and I sing along, "Blow a trumpet in Zion!" as I pray for the peace of Jerusalem,  city that God loves and on which He has set His heart and His Name.

 

Driving down that same road the next day in bright sunlight, my boy-child asks, "So what is Rosh Hashanah?" and I tell him it's the day his dad looks forward to every year, hoping this will be the year of His return.

"But why?"  my boy-child asks.

Oh, child.  I'm so glad you asked.

So we drive and we talk about the Feasts of the Lord, the festivals that God gave to Israel, each one a picture of Messiah.  We talk about Jesus - Yeshua - fulfilling each of the spring feasts exactly on each of the feast days.  And we talk about the fall feasts, their fulfillment yet to come.

"So Jesus will return on Rosh Hashanah?" he asks.

"Oh, we don't know that.  Jesus says that no man knows the day or the hour.  Only the Father knows.  But He also says that we can know the season, that the wise man pays attention to the signs of the times. And this - Rosh Hashanah, Feast of Trumpets, the Bible calls it - this is the Feast that looks forward to Jesus' return."

At home, we eat apples with honey that our friends brought home from Israel, and we talk about the Land and the people that God has called the apple of His eye.

And I tell the story again of the time I heard the shofar blow . . .

*******

My boy-child was still being knit together in my womb.  My firstborn was a toddler. We had come in from a walk in the park across the street, and after eating lunch, I had put her down for a nap while I jumped in a quick shower.  As my firstborn slept, I blew my hair dry.  And then over the noise of the blow dryer in my ear, I heard the distinct sound of a shofar.

I turned off the blow dryer and put my hands by my side, waiting with sure expectation.

Again, I heard the shofar blow - this time much more clearly.

"I'm ready!" I said quietly, smile wide, eyebrows lifted in expectation.

Nothing. 

Quiet.

Baby still there in the womb.

Toddler still sleeping in her crib.

But I know I heard a shofar blow!

Who in the world is blowing a shofar in the middle of the afternoon on a Friday in my distinctly Gentile neighborhood?  Who else in this neighborhood would even own a shofar?

Oooohhhhh! 

I wonder . . .

So I called my pastor, my mentor, who lived with his family in the house behind mine.

"Were you just in your backyard blowing a shofar?"

"Yes! Did you hear it?" he asked excitedly.

And for the life of me, I couldn't keep the disappointment from my voice. "Yes," I said.  "I heard it.  I thought it was Jesus coming back to get us and take us with Him!"

*******

As Rosh Hashanah passes once again, we remember and look forward to the day we'll hear the shofar blow from heaven.  And until then, we give thanks that His coming, though not yet, is soon . . .


Are you wondering what this all means?  What are the Feasts of the Lord?  And what does it mean that they are pictures of Jesus?  The Feasts of the Lord (Passover, Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, etc.) are given in Leviticus 23. In the New Testament, the book of John is a good place to begin reading and understanding the Feasts. And a wonderful resource for understanding how Jesus fulfills each feast is Kevin Howard and Marv Rosenthal's book, The Feasts of the Lord.  You can find it here or here.


Continuing to count His endless gifts and grace, because every gift points back to the One who gave. . .

1451  blue sky peeking through clouds
1452  rays of sunlight stretching across the western sky
1453  listening to sermon podcasts late at night when the house is quiet
1454  hearing students tell of family mission trips overseas
1455  other students saying they want to go, too!
1456  couscous with chick-peas, cilantro, and pine nuts...so yummy!
1457  freshly sharpened, brand-new pencils
1458  new spirals & folders
1459  brightly colored markers
1460  crayons with pointy tips
1461  back-to-school teacher gifts for my friends
1462  fun treats for my students and their delight over the simple gift
1463  cool breeze whispering of fall coming soon
1464  high school football games and hanging out with friends
1465  sweet toddler voice calling out, "Touchdown, boys!"
1466  a morning with friends at the outdoor theater
1467  lunch on the grass
1468  freshly trimmed hedges
1469  clouds rolling in
1470  fun, surprise packages in the mail
1471  being the safe place for kids to come after school
1472  boys in the living room playing with yo-yos
1473  watching American Bible Challenge together
1474  laughing over funny tweets so hard we cried
1475  the four of us watching a movie together
1476  linzer cookies, safe for my firstborn
1477  beautiful sterling bracelet, gift from a student
1478  first trumpet lesson
1479  new guitar strings
1480  meeting with friends to pray and plan the next trip to Israel
1481  my children asking questions about the feasts
1482  teaching them God's Word
1483  that His return, though not yet, is soon!

 

He who is the faithful witness to all these things says,

"Yes, I am coming soon!"

Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!

Revelation 22:20, NLT

 

 





 

 

 

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