six on sunday...

 

Here's a peek into my week.

1. Temperatures were in the 70's over the weekend.

Crazy, huh?

The snow melted :)

and

the sunshine called me outside

to work in my flowerbeds.

I found a few of these

(my favorite spring flower)

Now faith

is being sure of what we hope (expect) for

and

certain of what we do not see.

Heb. 11:1

~~~~~~~~~~~~

2. My entry is progressing.

Step 1: complete

yep, that is My Mr.  hanging wallpaper 

on.the.ceiling.

yep, we are crazy.

yep, it  is  was really hard to do.

and 

yep, I love it.

(soon, I will be back to show you more, I'm still trying to put it all back together)

~~~~~~~~~~~~

3.  I've been helping Mrs G with her nursery.

I can't show you, yet.

It's gonna  be cute!

here's some of  what we are working with

It is fun to watch my girls find their own style 

and create their own homes.

Not their mama's. 

I 'm the painter

...and am trying to keep my mouth shut...

I wonder how I 'm doing at that:)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

4.  We been watching a bit a lot of college basketball.

We are a March Madness family.

March Madness means 

family get-togethers and good food.

 What's not to love?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

5. TAXES...again.  didn't I just finish 2010?  

Remember what I said about this last year?

Start earlier and get help...

That did not happen.  

The clock is ticking.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

6.  Today's teaching was on mercy.

 Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.

Matthew 5:7

mercy- NOT getting what we DO deserve.

 For that I am thankful.

light of the world...

Light of the world
You stepped down into darkness.

Opened my eyes, let me see.
Beauty that made this heart adore You
Hope of a life spent with You

King of all days
oh, so highly exalted
Glorious in heaven above
Humbly You came 
To the earth You created
All for love's sake became poor

Here I am to worship,
Here I am to bow down,
Here I am to say that You're my God
You're altogether lovely
All together worthy,
All together wonderful to me

appropriate lyrics from one of my favorite worship songs

gifts...

My Mr. brought these home for me Thursday night

just because

"there are days worth remembering"...

ahh...they melted my heart right away...

And this picture.

I love this picture.

It is full of gifts.

my oldest girl

(happy birthday, dear one)

with her oh, so awaited- so wanted-so prayed for-little one.

my gift-her gift

I am so enjoying the gifts

Every good and perfect gift 
is from above, 
coming down from the Father
James 1:17

a great love...

I will praise you, Oh Lord my God,
with all of my heart;
For great is your love toward me;
you have delivered me from the depth of the grave.
Ps. 86:12

HERE is a post I wrote 1 year ago. 

 Today, as I  reflect again, 

I can honestly say that I am thankful 

for 

those difficult years.  

The Lord used them in a mighty way 

to teach me so much  

 about His love, grace, and faithfulness. 

And isn't that what this season is all about?

thanks on wednesday, too

In the silent times : seek God

In the painful times : praise God

In the harried times : hallow God

In the terrible times : trust God.

And at all times 

at all times

Thank God.

Ann Voskamp~One Thousand Gifts

read more from Ann here...

because thanksgiving is more than a day

There are pies waiting to be baked,

have a wonderful day of giving thanks...




don't forget to enter here

giving thanks on tuesday...

To give thanks

 is an action 

and 

rejoice is a verb 

and these 

are not mere pulsing emotions. 

While I may not always feel joy, 

God asks me to give

thanks in all things,

 because He knows 

that the feeling of

 JOY 

begins in the action of THANKSGIVING.

Ann Voskamp ~One Thousand Gifts

~~~~~~~~~~~

visit  Hope-filled living  to see 

my guest post

on one of my favorite holiday traditions

It's a rare Christmas post before Thanksgiving...

Remember to sign up HERE 

to win this book if you haven't already.

on giving thanks...sunday edition

 ‎As long as thanks is possible... 

then joy is always possible.

Ann Voskamp ~ One Thousand Gifts

I've been wanting to do a post on this for quite awhile now. 

 My words are inadequate so I'll let this review do the talking.

This book cut straight to the heart of loss 

and asks the questions you are afraid to ask.

 It goes straight to the issues.  

Just like you, 

Ann Voskamp hungers to live her one life well. 

Forget the bucket lists 

that have us escaping our everyday lives 

for exotic experiences.

'How,' Ann wondered, 'do we find joy in the midst of 

deadlines, debt, drama, and daily duties? 

What does the Christ-life really look like 

when your days are gritty, long--and sometimes even dark?

 How is God even here?'

In One Thousand Gifts, 

Ann invites you to embrace everyday blessings

 and embark on the transformative spiritual discipline 

of chronicling God's gifts. 

It's only in this expressing of gratitude 

for the life we already have, 

we discover the life we've always wanted...

a life we can take, 

give thanks for,

 and break for others. 

We come to feel and know the impossible 

right down in our bones: 

we are wildly loved--by God.

Let Ann's beautiful, heart-aching stories 

of the everyday 

give you a way of seeing 

that opens your eyes to ordinary amazing grace, 

a way of being

present to God that makes you deeply happy, 

and a way of living that is finally fully alive. 

Come live the best dare of all!

I love this book.  


After my Bible, it is probably the 2nd most 


influential book I have read in my adult whole life.






Truly, it is life-changing.




I have an extra copy that I bought just for you. 



It will change  your life, too.




Or maybe, you already have it 


and would like a copy to give away.




Either way, leave me a comment on this post to win.


Put it on  your blog for a second chance.


You know how it goes.

Giveaway will end next Sunday, Nov. 27

Join me in giving thanks...


this week I will be sharing a few of my favorite quotes...