My Birthday Blessings

This is what God gave to me today as a reminder of his love...
Two times today he brought this verse to me, once by email and once in a card -
Jeremiah 29:11-13
"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your hear."
It reminds me so much of another time he brought this verse and a rainbow at the same time - with a note from a friend to start looking for my rainbow...
It was just before I met Darren, and would you believe it? His first letter to me came on RAINBOW paper! :)
Here's few more quotes sent my way today - "May today bring a new awareness of God's love and ... may you have special expectations of the good things he has planned for you."
"All things work together for the good of them that love God."
"It's been a blessing to see how God has been at work in your life, showing you his goodness, and revealing the plans he has for you. Your birthday is a special time ... to anticipate the many good things he promises yet to do."
And twice - "God rejoices in you"
"The Lord you God is with you, He will take great delight in you. He will quiet you with his love, He will rejoice over you with singing."
Thank you to all of those who played a part in helping to remind me on this special day that I am loved not only by you but by my Father.

Why Stress? And Delightful Surprises

 Such busy days! And so many lessons that I want to learn from these days! My little ones take so much of my time. But they are worth it. Right now they are both sick... :(  One of the treasures of these days is the deep peace God has been giving as I learn to trust him and let the details of my life in his safe hands. Stress is because I am trying to control the situation. So I can choose not to stress, simply by giving the controls over to the One to whom they really belong. It's so much happier. I am so much happier when I do. Thank you, Lord for beginning to teach me this lesson.

Thank you, Lord, for a child's delight in the answer to his heart's desire! Thank you for the pleasure too deep for words that spilled over into moist eyes as he realized that it really was a gun! A real honest to goodness rubber band gun!

 Thank you for fathers who take the time to teach their children, including first lessons in shooting and gun safety! Rule number one - never point even an unloaded toy gun at people. 

Thank you for the joy of being remembered by loved ones for my birthday this weekend, and the extra specialness of an unexpected package in the mail - for ME! I  could hardly believe my eyes when I saw it was addressed specially to me! Such a sweet thoughtful sis! And the very book I've been thinking of purchasing for myself! It is well worth the read! I borrowed it from a friend and read it, and started over reading to Darren. Now I can return her book to her. :)

And an added touch of remembrance for the little ones too! So sweet!

And Time Keeps Rushing On

It was only yesterday, wasn't it, that I cradled him in my arms the first time, as he gasped and then began to squall. Wasn't it only yesterday that I couldn't decide whether to laugh or cry at the wonder and beauty of my baby boy, as we dedicated his little life to the Lord? And he is four years old tomorrow? Surely it can't be! Yet it is true. The years keep rushing by, and if I am to get the full benifit from them I must savor the moments and turn them slowly in His light and see them for the gifts that they are.
So here are just a few photos of his birthday party a day early with little friends.

I'm so excited Mommy!

little friends

A new flashlight! Wow! I hoped it might be a gun but this is really nice! (Yup, boy, the rubber band gun is coming tonight! One from us, and I happen to know that Uncle Jamie has another this weekend for you, and a camera! This will be a birthday to remember all right! Your top three wishes are all on their way, but I won't spoil the surprise for you yet.)

Made to order cake - Carrot Chocolate Peanutbutter with a mountain, a bear and a waterfall with rocks. (And mom knows it's fairly healthy as well, with wholegrain and honey, that didn't spoil the flavor. By the way to those who are saying gross at the carrot part, that was only a little to satisfy him)

Extinguishing the flames and about to enjoy the eating

We Have These Moments to Hold in Our Hands

I saw some stunning photography of grains of sand the other day.

The work of Gary Greenburg

And I thought how my days are made of moments - moments gleaming of his grace, yet I will never see their beauty if I let them slip through my fingers unheeded. It is only when I take the time to look at them up close, to examine them and turn them in His light that I see their true colors. Then the ordinary is transformed into a marvel of beauty. That mere sand becomes a treasure and I worship Him who knows the number of all the grains of sand on all the sandy beaches, and has a name for every star which he has strung out in the vast expanses of the universe.

So let me learn to treasure these moments of these busy days as they slip so quickly true my fingers. Let me finger each pearl as it slips from my strand of moments and turn it til I see it shine with his love and grace.  

The beauty of my little ones playing together(this one taken in Thailand)

Of sand from which I learn more of this lesson 

Of wintry skies and drifting snow

Sunlight on poles

Enjoyment of all these good things 

Of time for a love feast with my little ones and then of a candlelit  one with my sweetie while a friend babysits.

These busy days..., so much to do so little time for things like this. But I can catch a few moments while they all sleep and record a few glimpses of his mercies, and do my own heart good. For in naming of them I own them more fully. Their joys become more mine as I acknowledge them and Him, the giver of all good gifts. "Every good gift and every perfect is from above and comes down from the Father of lights in whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning." He does not change and all things come from him, every one of them a perfect gift.  "He fills my mouth with good things ad my lips with praise." He brings back the sparkle that I have left slip somewhere along life's busy way, and I praise him.

Sunlight on Red Berries

"Tiny voice that I hear is my little girl calling for her mommy to hear just what she has to say.

And my little son, running here by the wayside, will never be quite like today.

We have this moment to hold in our hands and to touch as it slips through our fingers like sand.

Yesterday's gone and tomorrow may never come, but we have this moment today." AU

Joy Dare - 1000 gifts in 2012

I've been pondering joy and thanksgiving long before I found this gem, but it's been inspiring me in a deeper way. I am reading Ann Voskcamp's book one thousand gifts, and have started the joy dare - counting to 1000 gifts in 2012. I had a sticker on my fridge that read - Thanksliving, the attitude do gratitude. It has been my purpose to remember to give thanks in everything, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for us. And I am seeking his will... Sometimes it has seemed that I have sought and sought and still lived empty, so this year I decided to start listing things every day for which I am thankful, little glimpses of his grace that strike me. That's why I posted the last post. It's helped so much when the days get long and wearisome and lonesome, to seek and find his graces. Then Saturday a friend loaned me the book, one thousand gifts, and I'm so blessed with it already.