Keep counting!

18. A gift held: my hand held as a dear gentleman at church listened to me share what the Lord is doing in my life. 
19. A gift passed by: a baby nestled in her sister's arms
20. A gift sat with: dinner with my dear Mrs.V. What a joy she is to me!

21. A gift sour: tart wildberry tea to help me through my day.
22. A gift sweet: dark chocolate kisses 
23. A gift just right: Hot cocoa with ginger snaps!

But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me

Enjoying this song tonight!

Enjoying this challenge from Ann: http://www.aholyexperience.com/2013/01/the-1-habit-god-really-wants-for-your-new-year/

Rejoicing in Jesus! Choosing His joy! Resting in His grace!

Counting more

14. a beautiful sunrise this morning that reminded me of this: 

Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O LORD, and you are exalted as head above all.

1 Chronicles 29:11

15. These amazing gluten-free recipes! Finding new things that Heather can eat is so fun! 

*disclaimer: results not typical

(actually my pancakes were much smaller--I just thought this picture was funny)

http://lauren-likes.tumblr.com/post/2144736061/gluten-free-buckwheat-yogurt-pancakes

Wild blueberries 

(actually--those are tapioca balls from bubble tea, and I don't recommend that!)

http://www.bestofthislife.com/2012/04/gluten-free-blueberry-buckwheat-muffins.html

This 2nd recipe I modified quite a bit: here's my version

3/4 cup of dark buckwheat flour (I omitted the flaxseed)
1 teaspoon of baking powder
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
1 egg
1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
2 apples, peeled and grated (I used some left over fruit salad--pears, apples and bananas ~ 1 1/2 cups and chopped it in the food processor)
3 Tablespoons of coconut oil, melted (I used regular vegetable oil)

Additions:

1/2 cup of blueberries, (I used shredded coconut)
1/4 cup of chocolate chips
I  really liked the way they turned out--but you should know that they hardly rise at all--so however thick they are before you bake them is how thick they will be after you bake them. Also I think in the future I will add a little sweetener (honey, maple syrup, brown sugar, etc) and some salt. 

16. getting my car back from the shop! Thankful for the blessing and burden of car ownership--blessed to have my own care when so many in this world don't even have their own bed. And the burden of car ownership--reminding me of His grace because I hardly ever know what is going on with car stuff and must depend on others. May I learn to daily remember that I don't really know what is going on with life stuff and must depend on Him!!

17. Thankful for the kindness of strangers--that the man @ the auto parts store used the extra time he had on hand to put my headlight in for me :) 

Counting graces

Counting more graces today and today is harder than some. My heart is heavy with grief for many of my friends who are suffering. My eyes are swollen and dry from crying. But as I gripped the steering wheel on the way home I sang through the sobs "The sun comes up, it's a new day dawning It's time to sing Your song again Whatever may pass and whatever lies before me Let me be singing when the evening comes."
He is Lord and He is on the throne and counting graces is what tunes my heart to praise and so I will keep counting. 

Today I am thankful for:
1. a fridge full of food that I didn't even have to shop for.
2. a book to challenge my thinking: God's Design for Women, by Sharon James. 
3. A story about what it means to be brave.
A little girl sat in the exam room at the doctor's office her feet dangling of the edge of the table. There was one thought on her mind: Shots! Just the word made her start to quiver. She didn't want to know if she needed any, and yet she did want to know. Her knees felt weak and she began to shake as she asked the nurse in a voice that would waver despite her efforts otherwise, "Do I need a shot?" The nurse hesistated, and asked her, "Do you really want to know now?" The little girl's heart began to beat faster as the tears began to flow. "Yes, I do," she sobbed. The fear and panic began to build and the little girl felt ill from the anxiety. When the end of the visit came and the shot was over and she was calm once again, the nurse looked at the little girl as she brushed her bangs back from her face and she said, "Do you know how brave you are?" The little girl looked up at her confused. She knew that all the tears were not the sign of bravery. The nurse continued to smooth back her hair as she explained "Being brave does not mean that you are not scared or that you don't cry. Being brave means recognizing that you are afraid and being strong enough to act anyways. Bravery is not the absence of fear but the act of facing fear." The little girl sniffed and wiped away a tear from her cheek as she smiled tentatively at the nurse and tucked those truths in her little girl heart where they can grow.

4. Chinese take-out to easy a hurting heart--because in my family that is what we do--we share a meal, a treat, a snack together as we live, and pray and weep and work together. 

5. A friend who offers a listening ear and whose ready laughter helps me to not take myself too seriously. 

6. a cup of tea with momma

7. A hug from my daddy. 

8. a car loaned to me by my brother. 

9. hugs from co-workers

10. "Good-night, Megaroo!" From a friend

11. my roommate making my favorite dish

12. a hug from my sister

13. the prayers of my friends. 

Something you are reading making seeing

Something you are reading making seeing

Counting to 1,000 in 2013

 I am reading www.aholyexperience.com. and Loved today's challenge to be in the word and memorizing God's word "Your word have I hidden in my heart that I might not sin against You." Psalm 119:11.

I made this recipe this morning: Bread Pudding Muffins. And who says that you can't eat dessert for breakfast? It has eggs and toast and milk and fruit!

I am seeing--starting to see with new eyes the God who is the All-sufficient One! As I count the gifts, as I think about Him, as I pray to Him with every breath, realizing more and more my dependency on Him, I catch more glimpses of His glory. 

Five-minute Fridays: Opportunity

If I am following five-minute Fridays according to the rules I have already failed. I wrote a sentence or two and erased them and started again. I have realized recently (again) how fearful I am and this is just a momentary example of that fear. I worry about acceptance and presume rejection. I worry about the judgement of others and I assume that they do judge. So today's five minute Friday is my opportunity to discipline myself to let go of fear. Because as Mike from 10th Ave North says: "fear is just a lie."
And so I am choosing now the opportunity to let go of fear and to believe the truth of Christ. I am loved because He is love. May I learn to live loved!

Also..counting graces..
thankful today for
3 gifts overheard...
listening to this about prayer
Listening to true "how are you's?"
listening to my mom pray for me.

3 gifts...old, new, blue
my old car :) A great gift from God
a new bag that I got to give to someone else to bless them
blue skies...even when the clouds are gray.

A gift outside, inside and on a plate

# 1. Snow!!
Although I am not sure that I love to drive in it--I am thankful for its beauty & purity. "Though you sins be as scarlet they shall be as white as snow." (Isaiah 1:18)

#2. Singing hymns of worship to the Lord in my stocking feet in the chapel tonight--reminded me of Moses taking off his sandals and I am so glad that Jesus tore the veil so that I have free access into the most Holy place! 

#3. Yummy dinner that I didn't cook myself--thankful for the money to buy food, for the endless choices that are available to me and the kind people who are gracious to this young woman/shy girl who is petrified of placing her order at the grocery store counter. Thankful for the kind smile and the "have a lovely evening" that make it a grace-filled moment. 

Hello 2013!

I posted the other day about the best of 2012--it was good to look back and see the many good things that God had done. This year, as I "fall forward" into 2013 I want to daily see. To have the kind of sight that stops me in my tracks at the wonder of God. I want to be conscious of His constant presence with me. I want to live in the reality that I am indeed kept by grace. 

I am going to try again to count with Ann to one thousand. To count daily the ways that He loves me. I am going to count to learn thankful trust, to see Him, and savor Him always. 

Today's gifts are 3 gifts heard:

A reminder in this song that where the Lord, my Love is, there is my home. 

This song says it all. I need Him so desperately, every moment of every day. I wrestle with anxiety because I try and do it all on my own instead of realizing His supreme control!

This is a gem--I was listening to them earlier and stumbled on this just now! Wow! And what a challenge to my heart--may it be said that everywhere I go, someone is talking about Jesus and may that someone be me.

I also enjoyed hearing beautiful worship music from Chris Rice, Fernando Oretega, and Rich Mullins on the radio today.

I am thankful that I could hear His voice as I spent time in the word today.

I am thankful for the beautiful music that I listened to as I watched Pride and Prejudice.