Running the Race: March 2012

Monday, March 26, 2012

One Thousand Gifts (Continued)

"Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed"

(Proverbs 16:3)

Such encouraging words -especially as big plans are in the making!

5 more days until Selah!!

Continuing to give thanks...

#2480-#2502

-encouraging Bible passages

-our pastor's humour and his passion to preach the gospel

-friends to talk to on the phone

-a brother in law who drops by to pick up the kids

-hugs that aren't asked for

-Deborah singing songs from the Message

-the "Bright Morning Star"- our Saviour

-the beautiful stars in the sky

-a successful school dinner fundraiser

-cozy ambiance

-friendly service

-being served by my brothers

-delicious food

-great company and great friends

-a relaxing, formal night out

-sharing the passion for Christian Education from generation to generation

-pictures taken from the perspective of a seven year old

-a proud grower and a hard worker

-a new floral background for family pictures

-everybody's love for the tow motor

-indescribable beauty

-a great crop, especially for the first time

-beautiful flowers that I am able to take home as I please

Monday, March 19, 2012

One Thousand Gifts (con't)

"I will praise you, O Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify your name forever. For great is your love toward me; you have delivered me from the depths of the grave"
(Psalm 86:12-13).

He sways to the music. He smiles from ear to ear. He closes his eyes as he sings with all of his heart. I sit in church behind this man with a difficult past, and tears well up in my eyes. He has such a passion for the LORD and he exuberantly expresses his faith. Why can't I share that exuberance and passion? Why do I just coast along in my faith, marriage, life, etc?

He sways to the music as we sing...

Not what my hands have done can save my guilty soul;
not what my tiling flesh has borne can make my spirit whole.
Not what I feel or do can give me peace with God;
not all my prayers and sighs and tears can bear my awful load.

Your voice alone, O Lord, can speak to me of grace;
your power alone, O Son of God, can all my sin erase.
No other work but yours, no other blood will do;
no strength by that which is divine can bear me safely through.

I praise the Christ of God; I rest on love divine;
and with unfaltering lip and heart I call this Saviour mine.
My Lord has saved my life and freely pardon gives;
I love because he first loved me, I live because he lives.
(text written by Horatius Bonar)

Continuing to give thanks...
#2453-#2479

-a day of rest
-another reminder of what the LORD has done for me
-Jesus- our substitute
-a nice visit this morning with a friend (fellow adoptive mommy) and her two little ones
-excitement while waiting for Deborah's friend to come over
-cleaning out closets
-visits to the park
-a nice day at St. Jacob's
-a husband who loves his job
-my job- which I love too!

-enjoying the outdoors at anytime of the day

-beautiful sunset outside of my kitchen window

-roasting marshmallows outside in March
-our first campfire of the year

-seeing grass as the ice rink gets taken down

-enjoying the warmth of the sunshine

-getting the pool out for the first time this year

-enjoying every minute of March Break

-a love for water

-warm temperatures

-spending lots of time together as siblings over the March Break

-another visit to the park

-cousins sharing the same passion

-reading books while swinging

-a crinkled nose while smiling

-lots of attention from her older siblings

-outdoors, outdoors, outdoors!

Monday, March 12, 2012

One Thousand Gifts (Continued)

"My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; He is my fortress, I will never be shaken"

(Psalm 62:1-2).

I'm not sure how much rest I'll get this week, but we sure are taking full advantage of our March Break!

Continuing to give thanks...

#2429-#2452

-a change in routines

-that "my soul finds rest in God alone"

-having last Friday off -a jump start to March Break

-copying her big sister reading the Bible at dinner

-how she whistles as she plays or does her chores around the house

-laughing to tears as we clean his closet and clothes

-how he finds positive words to describe his siblings and himself

-privilege of prayer

-power of prayer

-GEMS counselors

-baking with my daughter

-Nicole and Curtis making clay creations together

-making his big brother's bed
-family swim night
-saying "Thank-you" before swimming and dinner, in case they'd forget
-playing at the park and flying a kite
-Deborah being fascinated with her first kite flying experience
-my house cleaning helpers

-taking origami to the next level!

-a love for animals

-a love to play and have fun

-sharing a blanket together

-having fun together

-how they can't get enough of each other!

Monday, March 5, 2012

One Thousand Gifts (Continued)

"...He who appoints the sun to shine by day, who decrees the moon and stars to shine by night...the LORD almighty is His name" (Jeremiah 31:35).

We're never too old to learn something new. Whether it's a new revelation from Scriptures, something about life in general, a helpful marriage tip, or something scientific. Last night, we were intrigued by the ring around the moon and we wanted to learn more about it. Curtis soaked up all the new information that he learned about a "lunar halo" and wrote it down to share with his teacher. This is what we learned about the "lunar halo":

"...halos are a sign of high thin cirrus clouds drifting 20,000 feet or more above our heads. These clouds contain millions of tiny ice crystals. The halos you see are glints of light from these ice crystals..." (www.earthsky.org)
Another example of God's amazing handiwork!

Continuing to give thanks...
#2401-#2428

-lunar halo