Hiking Toward Home

Gratitude: Daily Benefits

“Blessed be the Lord,
who daily loadeth us with benefits
even the God of our salvation.
Selah.”
~Psalm 68:19



51. Spending time this week with area Pastor’s wives
52. Preacher’s who seek what God wants them to preach
53. the indwelling Holy Spirit
54. that the Holy Spirit gently leads us
55. that He gently teaches with quiet patience
56. for the time of fellowship with another Pastor and his dear wife
57. God’s patience and looooooooooooong suffering with me
58. His faithful love for me, even when I don’t ‘feel’ lovable
59. time alone with my older girl
60. the privilege of time with our Senior Saints
61. preachers with a heart-burden for our church willing to come minister to us
62. KNOWING the Holy Spirit is leading the revival
63. the Word preached to our church body this week, individually and collectively
64. for those who communicate their love
65. knowing people DO want us here
66. For God turning hearts toward Him and him
67. For dinner out alone with my parents
68. for the provision of a home to live in
70. for a wide open spacious backyard (“…wide open spaces are calling my name..”. Saddle Ridge
                Ranch VBS anyone?)
71. for those acknowledging, seeing the turning of the tide
72. being assured that certain ones are on board
73. the dispelling of doubt, the relief, the peace, that comes with that knowledge
74. “i’m gunna dwal som’in boo-full for you mom that you’ll like”
75. someone encouraging me to pursue a dream
76. the instilling of a tiny wee bit of confidence, that it might be possible
77. the comfort in knowing God knows my desires
78. God has the ability to bring it to pass in His own timing if it is His will
79. reconnecting with sweet Jing Jing through facebook
80. God’s healing
81. lasting victory over bitterness
82. Refuge 
83. God lifting spirits through music sung by hearts on fire for HIM
84. knowing business cards are more easy to attain than first thought
85. rejoicing over the victories God has wrought with 2bcrystalclear on skype…



Click on over to read what other’s heart’s dwelling on in gratitude. Thank you Ann Voskamp for hosting Multitude Monday.
Posted in Faith, Gratitude List, Life Through My Lens

Scripture and a Snapshot; Quench Not

Linking up today at:
Our church is finishing up our week of revival today.
Please be in prayer for us at this time.
This has been our theme verse for the week.
I came across Katie Lloyd Photography in the past few weeks or so. Click on over and check out her site. She has some amazing talent. She also has a link up for almost every day, so you may be seeing me posting a bit more photography in the future.
Posted in Faith

Gratitude: Continuing to Count…

I am continuing on and linking up to Ann Voskamp’s Multitude Monday…

holy experience
31. a husband’s thoughtful consideration
32. a new idea for dealing with the correction of heart attitudes of children
33. a husband’s willingness for me to go to the Relevant Conference
34. getting one of the last tickets, (so glad I registered when I did,
             after I did, the page on facebook announced only 3 tickets left.)
35. getting a room at a good rate
36. finally replacing a crockpot
37. someone else taking on doing the dishes
38. cooking with my daughter
39. purging my wardrobe
40. listening to my 5 year old (almost 6!) read to me
41. putting away the flipflops for the sturdy winter shoes
42. a vehicle to drive
43. the kids being able to have fun participating in Upwards soccer this year
44. a rainy day that keeps me home
45. a call from an distant friend that I really miss spending time with
46. another friend calling to check up on me
47. good news of good changes in places we have been
48. a husband willing to go to the grocery store in the rain
49. a father willing to watch the grandkids
50. willing to make a 3 hour round trip to do so
“In every thing give thanks:
for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus
concerning you.”
~1 Thessalonians 5:18

Click on over to Holy Experience to join in and give thanks…
Posted in Faith, Gratitude List

Decorating a Fall Mantel

 

So what would you do with this one?

 

I was just reading Melissa over at the Inspired Room and she had beautiful photos of mantels decorated for fall.

I am so glad we have a fireplace and we enjoyed it tremendously last year and we are all looking forward to the time when we can fire it up again. But to have a pretty decorated mantel you need to start with a pretty mantel, right?

I enjoy the home we live in and am thankful for it but… it has this ‘not-so-pretty’ mantel that kinda dominates the room. One problem with it is that the top ledge is not smooth so to place anything on it… well, the framed photos on it currently all sit cock-eyed and slanted, which drives me nuts. I am a ‘line it all up, balanced, keep it straight and neat’ kinda girl.

When I look at it, all I see is a steer looking back at me, head on. Try it, look straight at that center block just over the fireplace opening. Doesn’t it look like a bull’s head with its horns sticking out? Or look at it from a broader perspective, my kids see a face; that middle stone is the nose, the opening is the toothy grin, and the vents are the eyes… YIKES!

Painting over it but it may freak too many people out, after all it is “famous” Port Deposit granite. (yeah, but its still ugly!) My only solution to fix it would be to make and place a wood facade over it and paint it white, then I could put color on the walls.

Maybe.

I can’t rip it out because it is not ours to demolish. So what would you do to ‘hide’ it a bit?

Posted in Life Through My Lens

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