Hiking Toward Home

Gratitude: Looking Back

This past Saturday I attended the Beth Moore Simulcast that my church sponsored.

As we stood and sang songs of worship, one of the songs was “Great is Thy Faithfulness”.

I was reminded of the post Laura wrote about the veteran missionaries silently rising to their feet as someone sang this song. They all stood in quiet acknowledgement of how God has been faithful to meet  their every need while they have labored in His field.

As I thought of this, tears welled up in my eyes and I was reminded by the Holy Spirit of so many times He has come through, given protection, met needs, prevented loss of life and many others. So many were brought to mind flooding my thoughts of His goodness I sat and wrote many of them down…

a Gratitude list…

…looking back and giving thanks for past gifts…

1196. God’s protection over my husband as he reached into a gutter… not seeing the baby cobra curled up so close  could have so easily struck his wrist…

1197. the kids had just been playing there… small ones oblivious to the danger lurking in the crack they sat upon

1198. my sister-in-law who would not let my mother go to the airport… but insisted she go to the ER… arriving within moments of what could have been irreversible … certain death…

1199. a Dr. who shows up in the ER, on a Saturday, at a moments notice to see a little girl

1200. He didn’t need stitches, God healed him after he whacked his little 18 month old head on a very sharp window ledge causing lots of bleeding and yet panic did not take over, instead God filled with trusting peace.

1201. He has always kept us from debt

1202. He always provided the money for containers shipped half-way around the globe. every. single. time.

1203. He answered prayer and sent a blind boy a complete Braille Bible, FOR FREE. (all 18 volumes, a value of $342.)

And a few from the past few days…

1204. Starbuck’s egg and sausage sandwich

1205. Starbuck’s pumpkin spice latte

1206. the scale moves in the desired direction

1207. scholarships

1208. Beth Moore simulcast

1209. my kids continue to be supplied with boxtops from thoughtful friends

1210. a thoughtful text message from a friend offering to listen if I needed to talk

Keeping it real…

As I finished up this post sitting in a Starbucks, I found myself reaching for a few napkins and blotting up the tears falling. I had to go on a search to find Laura’s post.

And well, I re-read it.

Just as I sobbed the first time I read it… the tears flowed hot once again. Go read it.

Linking up with Ann Voskamp today.

If you are reading by email or in a reader, come on over and leave a comment. Share with us how God has been faithful in your life.

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Posted in Faith, Gratitude List, Life Through My Lens

Gratitude: Having a Chat with the Lord

 

Yesterday was my team’s day for Praise and Worship at our church. There are two teams and we alternate weeks.

I have always enjoyed worshipping the Lord through song but I especially enjoy it in a group with tight harmonies.

There are often times while singing when everything blends so well that it gives you God-bumps.

Yesterday in the second service there were a lot of moments like that and the blend was just… wow.

I don’t say this from a perspective of “we got it all together, ain’t we great” but instead from a one of humbleness.

The tight harmonies were not brought by me but by the two ladies singing next to me. It is a privilege to sing with these ladies that walk close with the Lord. I enjoy good friendship with both of them.

Later in the afternoon, I was sitting alone with the Lord and thinking about the morning.

I was thanking the Lord for allowing me to be a part of this team and thanking Him for letting me serve Him through music and singing.

I thought of Eric Liddell. God made him fast and so he ran fast. He used the talent God gave him to bring glory to God and spread the Gospel. It was his platform on which he glorified God.

I think of singing this way sometimes. I can’t get up and preach but I can still get up and use my voice to praise Him and bring glory to Him and share the gospel through song.

My chat with the Lord went a bit like this:

“Lord, I know that you are the giver of talents and gifts. Thank you Lord for letting me serve you this way.”

“My voice is yours Lord. I want to continue serving you with it for a long long time.”

Sharon.

“Yes Lord?”

I brought you to this team to serve me and you are doing it.

“Yes Lord thank you for that.”

But Sharon, the same voice you praise me with…

“Yes, Lord?”

Remember that it is the same voice you use when you raise your voice at your kids.

When you speak words in ways that I would not.

When you speak words in unkindness or without gentleness or with cutting sarcasm.

Ugh.

It was quite a reminder. One I hope to not quickly forget.

I am thankful for a relationship with the Lord and that He is working on me to mold me into what HE wants me to be.

Has the Lord spoken to you about how you use your voice for Him?

Has the Lord ever spoken to you about a talent He gave you that… you might not use for Him?

What is the Lord teaching you today?

Share it with us in the comments below.

If you are reading this in a reader click on over and share in the comments.

::

Gratitude for today:

1183. Kiwi-Strawberry gelati from Rita’s

1184. an incredibly helpful school secretary

1185. readers who notice that I was ‘gone’ and welcomed me back

1186. surprising the kids at lunch by showing up with a pizza

1187. lego in the light fixture globe, glad they were having fun

1188. blue wild flowers

1189. time chatting with moms…

1190. …while the kids are in youth choirs

1191. fresh mint found in unexpected, surprising places (in the flower bed in front of a school)

1192. he gives me 1 Cor. 10:13… I tape it on the pantry door

1193. a girlfriend who stops by to say hello

1194. people who bless my kids with boxtops

1195. songs lifted in worship, singing them with special friends

Linking up with Ann today…

*****

Posted in Faith, Gratitude List, Life Through My Lens

About the Sitting

The view from the summit of Old Rag Mountain, VA.

Sometimes God tells us to “BE STILL and know that I am God.”

He did.

So I sat.

And waited.

For dust to settle.

For storms to pass.

To see what He was going to do next.

He did say it was to know that he is God, right?

He did show himself, in grand ways, making provision for things in ways that could only happen at the moving of HIS hand.

Some I saw.

Some of them I missed.

Some needed to be pointed out to me by others.

Some needed to be described to me in deeper detail by others…

…because even though I saw them, I did not fully see the magnitude of them.

However, though I obeyed in being still, I did not get up to move when told to… which just leads to being stagnant.

Stagnant is not good. Ever.

I am thankful for women God has placed in my life that speak truth into my life and don’t give up on me in frustration.

Women God has blessed me with who gently keep reminding me of His goodness and give a fresh perspective.

A perspective I so often need to get refocused.

Sitting still can be a good thing but at some point we need to get up and move forward again.

Has God told you to be still?

Has there ever been a time when you didn’t move when God told you to? What was the result?

Has God placed anyone in your life to give you a fresh perspective when you need it?

Share about it in the comments today.

*****

Posted in Faith

Gratitude: Hiking Forward

It’s been a long while since I posted. Too many reasons excuses to list here.

I’ve been wanting to post but not so sure about what I had to say. I needed to refocus and remember why I began here and move forward. I’ve been standing sitting still way too long.  Yes, I wasn’t even standing anymore, I’d gone to sitting.

I’ve been sitting a long while, not just concerning my blog.

Logan wrote about her struggle on the Allume website and so much of it resonated with me.

It was yet another reminder of what the Lord has been speaking into my life for a while.

I was listening… just not obeying.

You know, like when you tell the kids to do something and they definitely hear you, so much so that they respond with a ‘yes ma’am’ and yet no action follows. Well, that has been me. The Lord has been speaking, I’ve been saying, “I hear you Lord.” but I stayed sitting still in the middle of the trail.

Too much looking back at the bad and the good (but mostly the bad) and not looking at the positive and good right here, right now.

Yup, that would be me. Yes, the one who is constantly harping on the kids with Philippines 4:8!! (ahem… clears throat.)

Elisabeth George says, “Learn it, Log it, Leave it”.

Yes, I need to do that.

The bad AND the good.

I’ve been looking back at the bad so long that all it seemed I could see is the bad and none of the good, even in the present.

So today I am getting up off that rock I’ve been sitting on and tightening the laces of my hiking boots and picking my walking stick and putting one foot in front of the other starting with this post.

Getting back to a routine of gratitude listing on Mondays.

To begin with… I’m thankful that Jesus doesn’t ever give up on us and waits patiently while we just sit.

***

With the start of a new school year I decided to try to start a new family habit too. I found these fabulous small (perfectly kid-sized) hard-backed composition notebooks for a dollar at Walmart. I wanted to get the kids to focus on being more grateful and thankful too.

The kids have begun their own gratitude lists. I borrowed an idea from Ann Voskamp to have the younger one who can’t write yet draw pictures instead and we label them for her.

***


1129. great weather (this one is a bit old, the last week of August)

1130. cream filled donuts

1131. the way the youngest smiles at Daddy

1132. fun with the kids in Wildwood, NJ

1133. waves

1134. he sketches

1135. and he notices the swan

1136. Godly friends with Christ-centered wisdom

1137. a husband who prays and checks up on me to make sure all is well

1138. God answers prayer and often to teach us a lesson in the process

1139. Danielle

1140. … and her observations on certain topics

1141. “Paid in Full”, God’s continuing provision

1142. youth camp, going along with the two oldest as a counselor

1143. she prays with her closest friends

1144. Speechless, how being part of it makes her so very happy

1145. the Mask, and watching her doing what she loves, (even though it seems she gets ‘abused’ in the process, OUCH!!)

1146. Carla’s tortilla soup, YUM!!! (and it is so easy to make!!)

1147. more cream-filled donuts

1148. cousins having fun in the surf

1149. children writing out gratitude

1150. baby birds (cardinals) in a nest just outside the window

1151. a great marriage

1152. good relationships with our in-laws, both sets

1153. freshly cut grass

1154. they named the spider “Sarah”

1155. her reminding us to “do our thanks list”

1156. Christian Cowboy, playing it without fingers stumbling

1157. hamburger helper

1158. meat in the freezer and the mom who provided it

1159. He kept the flowers watered while I was at camp with the kids

1160. finding the right shoes for school

1161. school uniforms bought cheap

1162. time spent with a dear friend and helping her in the kitchen

1163. sweet notes from friends left on…

1164. … binders for the kids for school

1165. the kids given new backpacks

1166. Georgia Peach milkshakes from Chick-Fil-A

1167. the oldest son helping the youngest sister with her gratitude list

1168. she took my quilt and washed it, so fresh and clean, breathing deeply now as I snuggle down

1169. pretzel rolls

1170. night blooming waterlilies

1171. time with Mom and Dad and the kids, wandering through gardens blooming

1172. Mango insistently putting the ball into my lap over and over…

1173. so that she can chase it again and again

1174. she started K-5

1175. … she is so excited to learn

1176. His commenting that he is “so glad she is in the classroom right next door, it is so nice to have a family member close by”

1177. a lawn mower that works

1178. chunks of freshly cut grass

1179. Mango’s feet stained green from the freshly cut grass

1180. sweaty boy…

1181. …playing soccer with Dad

1182. kids, projects, and paint

Linking up with Ann today…

Posted in Gratitude List, Life Through My Lens

Hiking Toward Home