#333

Gift of Challenge . . .

Be still. Be patient. Wait for the Lord to act . . .  
Psalm 37:7  NIRV


#334
Gift of Conflict . . .

The Lord hears his people when they call to him for help.
He rescues them from all their troubles.
The Lord is close to the brokenhearted;
he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.

The righteous person faces many troubles,
but the Lord comes to the rescue each time.
Psalm 34:17-19  NLT


#335
Gift of Change . . .

Forget about what's happened;
don't keep going over old history.
Be alert, be present. I'm about to do something brand-new.
It's bursting out! Don't you see it?
There it is! I'm making a road through the desert,
rivers in the badlands.
Isaiah 43:18-19  Message Bible

3 gifts eaten . . .

#314
a cube of rich brownie dip in a chocolate fountain

#315
fresh strawberries

#316
blue cheese

#305
A gift beautiful . . . my friend, Robyn

#306
A gift loved . . . my husband, Ken

#307
A gift bent . . . my mother-in-law

#260
ears to hear . . .
#261
eyes to see . . .
#262
a voice to praise Him

#170

The rising sun on the ocean.

For the Lord God is our sun and our shield.
He gives us grace and glory.
The Lord will withhold no good thing
from those who do what is right.

Psalm 84:11NLT

#156
Butterflies . . . LOTS of butterflies . . . on my stone crop sedum!!!
(30+ at a time)

#157
3 Doe running across the field as I mowed

#158
Hen wild turkey

#159
Pair of Geese & their 6 babies

#160
Bluejay returned to nest in crab apple tree outside my kitchen window

#161
Robin nesting again under our deck

#150
"My life is a fragrance presented by Christ to God."
2 Corinthians 2:15

#152
I am a mirror reflecting the glory of the Lord
"And all of us have had that veil removed so that we can be mirrors that brightly reflect the glory of the Lord. And as the Spirit of the Lord works within us, we become more and more like him and reflect his glory even more."
2 Cor. 3:18

#153
In my weakness, God is strong!
2 Cor. 12:9-10

#136
The cross . . .
Jesus' obedience to the Father and
love for me
paying the price
for me

Enjoyed the wide open horizon while out driving on a country road tonight. And once again, in awe of God's creation!

#120
Beautiful, huge storm clouds in the east tinted pink by
#121
Red ball sunset in the west!


Where was my camera when I needed it? At home on the counter!

#72-75 Calm Stillness

#72 - calm of a rocking chair to an anxious soul

#73 - silence of sunrise . . .

"Be still and know that I am God."
Psalm 46:10a NLT

#74 - stillness of the night sky . . .

"When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers
the moon and the stars you set in place
what are mere mortals that you should think about them,
human beings that you should care for them?"
Psalm 8:2-4 NLT

#75 - knowing God is here, His Spirit dwells within me

#71 -- God's Wisdom

“Yes, give me wisdom and knowledge as I come and go among this people—for who on his own is capable of leading these, your glorious people?"
2 Chronicles 1:10 Message Bible

My heart’s desire . . .
your wisdom, Lord, “as I come and go among this people”
your wisdom, Lord, as I am in and out among people
during my daily activities
your wisdom, Lord, in responding
not reacting
to people, situations, circumstances
for Lord
you created each of these people
let me see them with your heart
let me be your instrument
of love
of joy
of peace
of your gospel of salvation


When asked by God what he wanted, Solomon replied . . .

“Give me wisdom and knowledge. Then I'll be able to lead these people. Without your help, who would be able to rule this great nation of yours?"

God’s reply . . .

God said to Solomon, "I am glad that those are the things you really want. You have not asked for wealth, riches or honor. You have not even asked to have your enemies killed. You have not asked to live for a long time. Instead, you have asked for wisdom and knowledge. You want to be able to rule my people wisely. I have made you king over them. So wisdom and knowledge will be given to you. I will also give you wealth, riches and honor. You will have more than any king before you ever had. And no king after you will have as much."
2 Chronicles 1:10-12 NIRV

#58 . . . 106 years

My dear friend, Kathryn, who is 106 years old!
She is a living example of this verse being fulfilled!

"Good friend,
don't forget all I've taught you;
take to heart my commands.
They'll help you live
a long, long time,
a long life lived full and well."
Proverbs 3:1-3 Message Bible

1,000 in 2012 . . . What is this?

September 16, 2011, I began reading,
"One Thousand Gifts:
A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are"
by Ann Voskamp

". . . how to intentionally embrace a lifestyle of radical gratitude . . .to slow down and catch God in the moment"


From the inside flap of the book . . .

"Like most readers, Ann Voskamp hungers to live her one life well. Forget the bucket lists about once-in-a-lifetime experiences.

How, Voskamp wondered, do we find joy in the midst of deadlines, debt, drama, and daily duties?

What does a life of gratitude look like when your days are gritty, long, and sometimes even dark?

What is God providing here and now?

. . . a beautiful, practical guide to living a life of joy . . . invites you to wake up to God's everyday blessings.

Along the way, you will discover a way of seeing that opens your eyes to gratitude . . . a way of becoming present to God's presence that brings deep and lasting happiness."

(Emphasis added)


I am challenged!

Check out Ann's web page at
http://www.aholyexperience.com

Spring Flowers & Songs . . . Rejoice!

"Look around you: Winter is over;
the winter rains (snow) are over, gone!
Spring flowers are in blossom all over.
The whole world's a choir — and singing!
Spring warblers are filling the forest
with sweet arpeggios.
Lilacs are exuberantly purple and perfumed,
and cherry trees fragrant with blossoms."
(snow added)Song of Solomon 2:12-14 Message Bible

17. Spring flowers
18. Songs of birds in the spring


"This is the day the LORD has made.
We will rejoice and be glad in it."
Psalm 118:24 NLT

19. Rejoicing in this day!

7-16

7. Ken, my godly husband, love of my life, my best friend
8. Daughter, Heather, and son-in-law, Dustin
9. Son, Andrew, and daughter-in-law, Christina
10. Tessa ... my first grandchild
11. A new day to live for the Lord
12. Food
13. Clothes
14. Shelter
15. Health!!!
16. Life-giving Word of God

3, 4, 5 & 6 . . . Love, Mercy, Grace, Jesus

"But God loves us deeply. He is full of mercy. So he gave us new life because of what Christ has done. He gave us life even when we were dead in sin. God's grace has saved you."
Ephesians 2:3-5 NIRV

3. God's love
4. God's mercy
5. God's grace
6. Jesus Christ . . . He paid the price, in full, for me . . . and for you!

2. Grandson, Daniel

I'm thankful for my grandson
who today turns 3
need I say, full of energy is he?!!
Right from the start
He won my heart!
Happy Birthday to Daniel Lee!

Love Meme & Papa


"Grandchildren are like a crown to older people."
Proverbs 17:6a NIRV

Chillin' with Papa ... watching TV and playing games on Papa's cell phone!

1. My Friend, Robyn

"As iron sharpens iron,
so a friend sharpens a friend."
Proverbs 27:17 NLT

April 1968, God brought us together.
He has and continues to knit our hearts together.
I thank God always for you.
Happy Birthday, Robyn!

"I am sure that your goodness and love
will follow me all the days of my life.
And I will live in the house of the Lord forever."
Psalm 23:6 NIRV

"The faithful love of the LORD never ends!
His mercies never cease."
Lamentations 3:22

"Hate stirs up fights.
But love erases all sins by forgiving them."
Proverbs 10:12 NIRV

"So here I am in the place of worship,
eyes open, drinking in your strength and glory.
In your generous love I am really living at last!
My lips brim praises like fountains.
I bless you every time I take a breath;
My arms wave like banners of praise to you."
Psalm 63:3-4 Message Bible

"When my soul is in the dumps,
I rehearse everything I know of you,
From Jordan depths to Hermon heights,
including Mount Mizar.
Chaos calls to chaos,
to the tune of whitewater rapids.
Your breaking surf, your thundering breakers
crash and crush me.
Then God promises to love me all day,
sing songs all through the night!
My life is God's prayer."
Psalm 42:6-8 Message Bible

"For God is not unjust. He will not forget how hard you have worked for him and how you have shown your love to him by caring for other believers, as you still do."
Hebrews 6:10

"But those who obey God’s word truly show how completely they love him. That is how we know we are living in him."
1 John 2:5

"See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is what we are!"
1 John 3:1a

"Oh, how generous and gracious our Lord was! He filled me with the faith and love that come from Christ Jesus."
1 Tim 1:14

"Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love. God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. This is real love — not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins."
1 John 4:7-10

"Love means doing what God has commanded us, and he has commanded us to love one another, just as you heard from the beginning."
2 John 1:6

"Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions."
1 John 3:18

"Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works."
Hebrews 10:24

"And do everything with love."
1 Cor 16:14

"But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives:
love
joy
peace
patience
kindness
goodness
faithfulness
gentleness
and self-control.
There is no law against these things!"
Galatians 5:21-23

Happy Valentine's Day!

"Love is patient.
Love is kind.
It does not want what belongs to others.
It does not brag.
It is not proud.
It is not rude.
It does not look out for its own interests.
It does not easily become angry.
It does not keep track of other people's wrongs.
Love is not happy with evil.
But it is full of joy when the truth is spoken.
It always protects.
It always trusts.
It always hopes.
It never gives up.
Love never fails.

Three things will last forever —
faith, hope, and love —
and the greatest of these is love."

1 Cor 13:4-8, 13

"Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God." Ephesians 5:2

"For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline."
2 Tim 1:7

"We love each other because he loved us first."
1 John 4:19

"Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other."
Romans 12:10

"There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends." John 15:13

"Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony."
Colossians 3:14

"Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins."
1 Peter 4:8

"Finally, all of you should be of one mind. Sympathize with each other. Love each other as brothers and sisters. Be tenderhearted, and keep a humble attitude."
1 Peter 3:8

"So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other.

Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”
John 13:34-35

"And you must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength."
Mark 12:30 NLT

"The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these.”
Mark 12:31 NLT

"Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death?"
Romans 8:35

"Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God."
Ephesians 3:17-19

"But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners."
Romans 5:8

“For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life."
John 3:16

Let Us Never Stop

"So let us never stop offering to God our praise through Jesus. Let us offer it as the fruit of lips that say they believe in him."
Hebrews 13:15 NIRV

How Good It Is To Sing Praises to Our God!

"Praise the LORD!
How good it is to sing praises to our God!
How delightful and how right!
He heals the brokenhearted,
binding up their wounds.
He counts the stars
and calls them all by name.
How great is our Lord! His power is absolute!
His understanding is beyond comprehension!"
Psalm 147:1, 3-5 NLT

The Lord Is . . .

"The LORD is kind and merciful,
slow to get angry, full of unfailing love.
The Lord is good to everyone.
He showers compassion on all his creation."
Psalm 145:8-9 NLT

Blessed Indeed!

"Children are a gift from the LORD;
they are a reward from him."
Psalm 127:3

"Grandchildren are like a crown to older people."
Proverbs 17:6a


I have children
I have grandchildren
And they all serve the Lord!
I am truly blessed!

Psalm 121

"I look up to the mountains—
does my help come from there?
My help comes from the LORD,
who made heaven and earth!

He will not let you stumble;
the one who watches over you will not slumber.
Indeed, he who watches over Israel
never slumbers or sleeps.

The LORD himself watches over you!
The LORD stands beside you as your protective shade.
The sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon at night.

The LORD keeps you from all harm
and watches over your life.
The LORD keeps watch over you as you come and go,
both now and forever."
Psalm 121 NLT

Need Hope?

"You are my refuge and shield;
your word is my only source of hope."
Psalm 119:114

A Lamp & A Light

"Your word is a lamp for my feet
and a light for my path."
Psalm 119:105

Sweeter Than Honey!

"How sweet are your words to my taste;
they are sweeter than honey."
Psalm 119:103

Psalm 117

"Praise the LORD, all you nations.
Praise him, all you people of the earth.
For he loves us with unfailing love;
the faithfulness of the LORD endures forever."

Loved, Chosen, Adopted

“Long ago, even before He made the world,
God loved us and chose us in Christ to be
holy and without fault in his eyes.
His unchanging plan has always been
to adopt us into His own family
by bringing us to Himself
through Jesus Christ.
And this gave him great pleasure.”
Ephesians 1:4-5 NLT (emphasis added)

Think about
what God has chosen to do
for all mankind . . .

BEFORE the world was even created, God
Loved
Chose
Adopted
AND this gave him GREAT pleasure!

Rejoice in what God has done!
Share the good news!

“Sing to the LORD;
praise his name.
Each day proclaim
the good news that he saves.”
Psalm 96:2 NLT

Give Thanks!

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good!
His faithful love endures forever.
Psalm 107:1

Praise Him . . .

Praise the Lord.
Praise God in his holy temple.
Praise him in his mighty heavens.
Praise him for his powerful acts.
Praise him because he is greater than anything else.
Praise him by blowing trumpets.
Praise him with harps and lyres.
Praise him with tambourines and dancing.
Praise him with stringed instruments and flutes.
Praise him with clashing cymbals.
Praise him with clanging cymbals.
Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.
Praise the Lord.

Psalm 150 NIRV

So Thankful . . . He is . . .

My Shepherd
The LORD is my shepherd;

My Provider
I have all that I need.

My Peace & Wholeness
He lets me rest in green meadows;
he leads me beside peaceful streams.

My Guide & My Righteousness
He renews my strength.
He guides me along right paths,
bringing honor to his name.

Always There for Me
Even when I walk
through the darkest valley,
I will not be afraid,
for you are close beside me.
Your rod and your staff
protect and comfort me.

My Banner of Victory
You prepare a feast for me
in the presence of my enemies.
You honor me by anointing my head with oil.
My cup overflows with blessings.

Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me
all the days of my life,
and I will live in the house of the LORD
forever.


Psalm 23 NLT

Surely . . . Not Maybe or Perhaps!

"Surely your goodness and unfailing love
will pursue me all the days of my life,
and I will live in the house of the Lord
forever."
Psalm 23:6 NLT

The God of goodness and mercy
WILL PURSUE . . .
chase, hunt, follow . . .
me through
good days
bad days
the rich days
poor days
sick days
well days . . .
ALL the days of my life!

SURELY: a certainty in the reliability of God!

Jehovah Nissi

"You prepare a feast for me
in the presence of my enemies.
You welcome me as a guest,
anointing my head with oil.
My cup overflows with blessings.
Psalm 23:5 NLT

Jehovah Nissi . . . the Lord my Banner!

My victory banner!

Jehovah Shammah

"Even when I walk
through the darkest valley,
I will not be afraid,
for you are close beside me.
Your rod and your staff
protect and comfort me."
Psalm 23:4 NLT

Jehovah Shammah . . . the Lord is there.

Thank you for always being close beside me as I walk this journey of life on earth.

Jehovah Rophe & Jehovah Tsidkenu

"He gives me new strength.
He guides me in the right paths
for the honor of his name."
Psalm 23:3 NIRV

Jehovah Rophe . . . the Lord Leads
Jehovah Tsidkenu . . . the Lord My Righteousness

Thank you, Lord, for leading me, even when I dawdle (plod, linger, delay, waste time, loiter)!

Jehovah Shalom

"He lets me lie down in fields of green grass.
He leads me beside quiet waters."
Psalm 23:2
New International Readers Version

Jehovah Shalom . . .
The Lord my Peace / Wholeness

“Don’t worry about anything;
instead, pray about everything.
Tell God what you need,
and thank him for all he has done.
Then you will experience God’s peace,
which exceeds anything we can understand.
His peace will guard
your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 4:6-7 NLT

Jehovah Jireh

"The Lord is my shepherd.
He gives me everything I need."
Psalm 23:1
New International Readers Version

Thankful that God is
Jehovah Jireh,
my provider,
the God who has seen ahead to this very moment and already made provision!

Reconciled

"Yet now he has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ in his physical body. As a result, he has brought you into his own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault." Colossians 1:22 NLT

Unchanging

Thankful for the only constant in an inconsistent world . . .

"Jesus Christ is
the same
yesterday,
today,
and forever."
Hebrews 13:8

Peaceful Sleep

Grateful for peaceful sleep . . .

"I will lie down in peace and sleep, for you alone, O LORD, will keep me safe." Psalm 4:8 NLT

"You can lie down without fear and enjoy pleasant dreams." Proverbs 3:24

A God of His Word!

God says what He means and means what He says! His word will . . . produce fruit, accomplish all He wants it to do, and will prosper everywhere He sends it! Do I know God well enough to believe this is true?

God is not a man, so he does not lie.
He is not human, so he does not change his mind.
Has he ever spoken and failed to act?
Has he ever promised and not carried it through?
Numbers 23:19 NLT

“My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the LORD.
“And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.
For just as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so my ways are higher than your ways
and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.
The rain and snow come down from the heavens
and stay on the ground to water the earth.
They cause the grain to grow, producing seed for the farmer
and bread for the hungry.
It is the same with my word.
I send it out, and it always produces fruit.
It will accomplish all I want it to,
and it will prosper everywhere I send it.”
Isaiah 55:8-11 NLT

Always on His Mind

Thank you, Father, for always thinking about me and staying with me! Help me to keep you first place in my thoughts!

“How precious are your thoughts about me, O God!
They are innumerable!
I can’t even count them;
they outnumber the grains of sand!
And when I wake up in the morning,
you are still with me!”

The Gift of Love

Grateful for God’s great gift of love . . . Jesus . . .

“For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16 NLT

“This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. God didn't go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again.” John 3:16-18 Message Bible

His Love and Mercy

“It wasn't so long ago that you were mired
in that old stagnant life of sin.
You let the world,
which doesn't know the first thing about living,
tell you how to live.
You filled your lungs with polluted unbelief,
and then exhaled disobedience.
We all did it,
all of us doing what we felt like doing,
when we felt like doing it . . .
It's a wonder God didn't lose his temper
and do away with the whole lot of us.
Instead, immense in mercy
and with an incredible love,
He embraced us.
He took our sin-dead lives
and made us alive in Christ.
He did all this on his own,
with no help from us!
Then he picked us up
and set us down in highest heaven
in company with Jesus, our Messiah.”
Ephesians 2:1-6 Message Bible


Praise God for his love and mercy toward me!