I went out to capture
branches clothed in ice
Listening to the sound
like wind chimes
as the branches clinked against each other
Every so often one shattering and falling
like a dagger to the ground below
leaving the branch naked
There is a lonesome street sign out in the countryside where we live. Every time I have passed it I have wanted to stop and take a photo of it. As my husband and I were driving by it the other day, I just happened to have my camera along. So, I finally was able to take its portrait.
This is a place I do not want to live. I don’t want to live on Thankless Lane. I am thankful that God has been teaching me more and more about gratitude and giving thanks. The practice of listing has really helped to change my mindset, helping me to form new patterns for those neurons to fire in!
Thankful for:
367. our new “snowdog”
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| “Woof! Woof! Woof!” ~translation: “I SAID PLAY WITH MEEEE!!!!” |
368. our home school
369. fresh and clean quietly falling
370. winter wonderland
371. the Hard Eucharisteo of the loss of a dear friend’s parent
372. the gift of HOPE ~ of seeing him again one day
373. reunions, brought and blessed, by the Lord
374. an afternoon spent with old friends
375. a long chapter of Hard Eucharisteo coming to a close… finally
376. her “horseys” keeping her busy…
377. parents willing to look after grandkids for several days
378. an escape to a luxury hotel for a Ministers and Mates retreat
379. sunrise
380. we have this common interest
381. snow on the beach
382. sunrise reflected on waves washing over sand
383.victorian gingerbread work, dune grasses, and dune fences
384. rays of light
385. that I was able to capture these shots just before we both fell victim of the FLU
386. thankful for HOW I got the nasty bug… in all seriousness
387. the reconciliation was well worth the 24 hours of sickness
388. rays of Sonlight brightening my trail as I hike along
389. a pastor with a passion for God’s word
390. tender hearts that respond to Spirit-lead passionate preaching
391. a caring church family showing concern for me
392. being sent home from church with orders to stay in bed (nearly passed out from doing too much too soon)
393. a sweet daughter willing to serve where needed
394. a dear sister in the Lord encouraging my photography
395. my Physician who heals my body, my mind, and my relationships
396. a father so tender-hearted for God that tears come to his eyes while relaying the mornings events, a sermon that touched hearts and a heart reborn
Join me over in Ann’s Gratitude Community and begin your own list of gifts from His hand.
RETHINK- verb: think again about (something such as a policy or course of action),
esp. in order to make changes to it
As a young Christian I just went with the flow. I was lazy in my relationship with the Lord.
I did not discern the difference between the loud nagging of the enemy and the quiet promptings of the Holy Spirit.
Something I have been learning while hiking with Jesus is to listen to His still quiet voice and to recognize when it is NOT a still quiet voice. I have found that the Holy Spirit does not speak in a loud condemning tone.
I am posting over at (in)courage today! Hike on over there and read about my hike into God’s Grace. To get there just click on THIS.
If you have stopped over from (in)courage… WELCOME!!
Glad to have you hike over here for a bit. Before you go, please check out my sidebar and “Like” Hiking Toward Home on Facebook or hike along with me by Rss feed or have it quietly slipped into your inbox.
There is a branch on one of my favorite hikes that is very interesting. Over time, many people have taken hold in the same spot as they take a steep step up. It now appears shiny and it is smooth to the touch. The roughness has been worn down and the oil of hiker’s hands has made it shiny.
Before we come to Christ we are like the small off-shoot below, rough, frail, and a dull sheen. As we grow in the Lord, we become stronger. There are places in our lives that are rough and as we surrender them to the Lord, his touch smoothes out the rough and he applies oil that makes us shine.
There is a second lesson in this branch for me as well. It makes me think of the trials in our lives that refine us. As time goes on the Lord redeems them for His glory. He makes it a place in your life that you can offer to others who are going through similar trials and we can help them through. We are more able to enter into the sorrows and heartaches of others and be used by God to encourage them, uplift them, and edify them. Help them up the steep part of their trial trail.
The Lord brought this branch to mind recently, on more than one occasion.
A dear sweet friend asked me to pray for her about something she is in the midst of. The Lord using a spot of my life, now worn smooth, to help another sister in Christ by sharing what I learned through my trial.
Also, I have been reading through two very good books, Ann Voskamp’s One Thousand Gifts: A Dare To Live Fully Right Where You Are and Grace Is For Sinners by Serena Woods. Both of these books speak to the same deeper message; that God is sovereign and is always in control. He allows what comes into our lives, the “good” and the “bad”. He uses hard trials and failures to refine us so that we are more usable to His purposes for our lives. We are to be thankful for them. Then, He will use us to help others through where we have already been.
I have learned so much from both of these books. They bring conviction to the heart and much to ponder to the mind, so much to wrap my brain around. God has used them to show me some rough spots He needed to smooth out in me. They have both brought out facets of God’s Grace, that though I thought I had a handle on, upon further deeper consideration, I had just shoved aside in pride. They have brought to mind things I must confront within myself and generate lasting change.
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366. I am grateful for the places in my life He has worn smooth.
367. a husband who encourages a break at a local coffee shop to think, read, and blog
368. the gift of time
369. fresh blanket of snow
370. Reading Class done snuggled up on an overstuffed love seat
371. the gift of being able to pray for others…
372. it is a gift you can give them that they cannot reject, because they don’t need to know you are praying for them, a gift that can be given in secret, known only by you and the Lord
373. the ‘self-check’ as a result of challenging reading
374. the forgiveness of God, that it is instantaneous
375. wisdom given by God
376. being able to enter into the trails and trials of others as an encouragement, to uplift, to edify, to help along…
377. as a result of “hard eucharisteo” in my own life
378. warm socks on cold feet
379. comfy warm clothes
380. sweet encouraging comments
Start your own gratitude list and link up with us over at A Holy Experience in the gratitude community hosted by Ann Voskamp.
Hiking Toward Home