amazing

the past several weeks have been amazing.. my god has held me in his tender hand and brought me to my knees with His amazing miracles.  my words are meager to express the goodness of God.

i would not trade a minute of my last week. God's faithfulness to prepare me for every step is awesome. i struggle to put into words how amazing He is. years ago He gave me a desire for His mission. i am blessed to be in my mission field as my career. i have not always been thankful though. i have had days, weeks, and months where i have wondered why the hardship.

months ago He gave me an increased desire for His missions. when the opportunity presented itself for me to take a short term mission trip to mexico, i jumped. i did not ask why or how, i just knew it was to be. i am thankful for my family and friends whose help has provided me the opportunity to follow this desire.

five days ago at work while i was pursuing a student who i thought was fleeing out of the building, and i heard a pop and i fell face first onto the floor. an ambulance took me from school to the emergency room. i am thankful for this mishap and the opportunities to connect to others and taste the goodness of my Lord.

 i am thankful for--
--my God who is not surprised by circumstances,
--my school nurse who tended to me and kept me from passing out and then came to the emergency room and prayed for me
--the dear ambulance workers/EMTs
--my custodian who was at the emergency room when i arrived and stayed with me and prayed for me
--the teacher who stayed with me in the ER, prayed for me, drove me home, got my prescriptions filled, brought my car to my house,
--the friend who i knew i could call to pick up my children and care for them like her own,
--my coworkers who stepped in without hesitation to help
---my parent volunteers who were my shining stars
--my coworkers who are bold in stopping to hold my hand and pray
--God's faithfulness and provision
--for God's reminder to abandon my cynicism and recognize my enemy is Satan not those Satan uses and those Satan prompts me to hate
--opportunities to stop and see the hand of God
--my best friend who encourages me and shares my love for our Saviour,
--my life group
--my friends and family whose prayers covered me before anyone knew of my accident,


God deserves all the glory. we walk daily in the VICTORY He prepared, planned and gave us. this week i was reminded that ALL people are made in His image. satan is the enemy not people.

dinner:
pizza

currently reading:
let hope in by pete wilson

fervent by priscilla shirer

gideon by priscilla shirer

being the body by chuch colson

the mysterious benedict society by trenton lee stewart

today grateful for:

God's faithfulness

my boys

laughter and silliness

healing

the WORD

my coworkers

my friends

my church

clean water and electricity

freedom to worship

bold Christians

prayer

no time like snow time

today marked the seventh snow day this month.   we went back to school yesterday but another storm came through overnight.   the boys have loved having time to play video games more than usual.  i have enjoyed the time as well, but the time has been a strange "playmate."  

in the summer or when we are on a scheduled break, i have plans for what we will do most days.   however, on these snow days, especially on days when we get the call in the dawn hours, there are no plans.  

today after the snow stopped at mid-morning, i shoveled our normal snow path up our driveway and dug out the car.   since we have gravel, i do not shovel the entire drive.  i have found doing so results in all sorts of stray gravel in the summer lawn.   i am thankful for the active exercise of shoveling.   


over the last few days, i have not done as much housework as i should.  instead i have found other diversions-- reading and cooking (and jamming out---today to ben harper.)   i go back and forth in my love-hate relationship with cooking.   in the years, especially that first year, after andy died i avoided cooking.   i was not inspired and often i was tired physically and emotionally.   i missed cooking for another adult.   in the past few years, i have found my inspiration from the french culture and my own experiences with food.

several years ago, after watching the movie "julie and julia" i began to venture into recipes from julia child's book, "mastering the art of french cooking."   i fell in love with boeuf bourguignon.   then this past summer i devoured several books---"my sweet life in paris" and "my paris kitchen" both by david lebovitz, as well as "one soufflé at a time: a memoir of food and france" by anne willan and "my life in france" by julia child.

in the summer, i am inspired by the organic vendors and what they have available at the farmers' market.  i have experimented with vegetables i had never heard of or had never eaten prior to last year---celeriac, kale, beets, and fennel to name a few. 

i think i love making bread more than anything else.   my oldest son devours it, so i get the opportunity to make bread sometimes three times a week.  it is gratifying when someone enjoys the food you have created for him.

cooking and reading take me to new places.   one day i hope to visit europe---france, italy, the united kingdom and israel with my boys.








dinner:

spinach, gouda and ricotta quiche

homemade rolls

currently reading:
2 blogs with lenten devotionals:         www.shereadstruth.com and www.aholyexperience.com

jeremiah

my single mom life

today grateful for:
my boys

snow days

His provision  

good health and the ability to complete household tasks

electricity

music

books

thankful, day 21

I am thankful God led me to this city. The Christian, family centered resources are phenomenal. I am thankful for the resources of TRBC (inc LCA & LU.) While my guys are at wrestling practice, I get to hang out in this terrific space-"Main Street."  Reading, studying, working, accessing wifi and sipping my decaf.





 dinner:
mac n cheese

listening to:
snoring dog


currently reading:
overcoming dyslexia
praying the scriptures for your teenager

today grateful for:
my boys 
our wrestling coaches
my son's middle school-principal, teachers, staff
my son's friends
trbc
God's provision

thankful, day 16

I am thankful for this handsome, kindhearted, thoughtful, adventurous, smart, funny, honest, creative, fun-loving guy. I fell for him from day one----twelve years ago, today. 

 

dinner:
calzone

currently reading:
run your butt off
1 corinthians 13   
kizzy ann stamps  
praying the scriptures for your teenager

today grateful for:
my boys
memories
the indoor forest farmers market

thinking twice

so many times, i really should think twice before i open my big mouth. why do i complain about october? it is a very hectic month for us. i pray that in the future, my first thoughts would be ones of thankfulness instead of complaining....

instead of.....	i SHOULD think...
i have too many errands...	i am blessed to have a car
	i am blessed to have funds to buy gas
	i am blessed to live in a place with available resources
	i am blessed i can get out of bed
there are so many non-teaching things i have to get done at work...	i am blessed to work in my calling
	i am blessed to have a job
	i am blessed to have a safe workplace
i have to get up so early...	i am blessed to have a bedroom of my own
	i am blessed i can go to sleep at night without fear
	i am blessed to have a roof over my head
there are so many chores to do everyday around the house	i am blessed to have a house
	i am blessed to a washing machine
	i am blessed to have inside plumbing & clean water
	i am blessed to i can get around to do these things
sickness in the house is the pits	i am blessed to have healing
	i am blessed to have funds & access to good medical facilities
this single parenting thing stinks...	i am blessed to be a mom
	i am blessed to have been married to Andy
	i am blessed to have 2 wonderful, healthy boys
	i am blessed to be alive
	i am blessed to have God

currently listening to:
rain

dinner: (last night)
fast food

currently reading:
the voyage of the dawn treader
the undistracted widow
moneyball
the apostolic ministry
luke

today grateful for:
my boys
provision
modern medicine
a working automobile
a job
a house
God

Pesach

Andy and I had many discussions about the Feasts celebrated by Jews. We often watched Zola Levitt, a messianic Jew, as he taught the history of these feasts and their relevance for Christians. Our favorite was his teachings about Passover (Pesach). We always planned to but never seemed to get around to carrying out a Seder meal. Yesterday I had a light bulb moment about how our family and hopefully friends can celebrate the Passover this year.

In my time this week, I was reading from Hebrews and it reminded me of the "devotional" that Andy led at one of the men's fellowship times at our church. Hebrews recounts the faith of the patriarchs. Andy read from Hebrews, if I remember correctly (he practiced his devotional presentation on me---I was not actually at that men's fellowship-obviously) he talked about how important it was to recount what the Lord has done for us in our lives.

Every night as part of our bedtime prayer ritual, the boys and I each state something we are thankful for that day. We started this practice after Andy died because it seemed as though we were getting much more negative with our attitudes and I wanted us to have a daily focus on the positive. I actually was first inspired years ago by an idea on an Oprah show for keeping a gratitude notebook.

So---ding, ding, ding--this week the little bell went off in my head. Since Passover commemorates how God delivered the Jews from captivity, it is a celebration of what God has done for us. So this year, I hope to have a Seder where we recount not only the history of Passover, but also each of our testimonies of deliverance and salvation as well as recounting the things of this past year for which we give thanks to God. I am going to get a chart, board, notebook or some such that each of us can write in/on and record these things from now until our Seder. At our celebration we will read from our record of God's blessings for us for which we are grateful.


Currently listening to:
the "breathing" sound of the computer & AC along with whirring of the dishwasher and washing machine

Dinner:
Mahi, rice, broccoli

Currently reading:
The Power of a Praying Life
Hebrews
Psalms

Today grateful for:
my boys
God's presence
the Bible
time at home
reading with T
that tomorrow is Friday
comfy pants with an elastic waistband