For the few of you who may not know about it, (it seems now that I've picked it up I hear of it more & more) I am reading a great book, One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp.  She is truly a gifted writer, which makes it so beautiful to read, but I think the "it" factor (for me any way) is the challenge to be content here & now.  There is nothing required of us to get this, just open our eyes and behold each detail that God has given us.  It sounds so simple...you just have to read it! 

So, I begin my list, a day late, naturally.

1. The sun shining off of Ganna's eye lashes.  A reminder of how he swept me off of my feet 11 years ago. 
2. Warm sunshine on my face.
3. 4a.m. wake up call to a child with the words "I need you mommy".
4. The deep-in-thought look on my son's face when he is "inventing".
5. My God not willing to leave me where I am.
6. Confirmation found in the word.
7. The stillness of the early morning.
8. Making new freinds.
9. The sound of 6300 women raising thier voices to the Lord, so powerful!
10. The smell of clean laundry heaped on couch.
11. A phone call from my Momma.
12. Friends willing to give up thier time so that I can visit my Mom!
13. Big smiles and hugs in the morning.
14. Energy restored.
15. The sound of my daughter's voice, "there is no one else for me, none but Jesuuuuuuuuus"!

Basking in His Love

I am so filled up by the Holy Spirit tonight, I just have to get it out.  I'm not sure that I even have much to say...I just want to rejoice with someone that God loves us so much.  Since my babies are drifting off to neverland, I can't belt it out at the moment.

I am so grateful for a God that accepts us in our broken condition.  No, not only accepts us, lavishes us in so much love that he will change us and put the shattered pieces of our lives back together.  He changes our hearts for good, if we'll let him.  I love that he leaves our memories, so that we will remember what he saved us from, so that we know the land that we never want to return to and most importantly so that we can relate with honesty and empathy to others who are walking through that land.  I can not imagine where I might have gotten myself if the Lord had not intervened when he did!  Thank you Jesus!  You are so good to me!

Goodnight my friends.  I hope that each of you takes the time now and again to remeber the places the Lord has intervened in your life.  I hope you can feel his arms around you and know that you are loved!