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

snowy morning

no matter how dark the shadows or how deep the void looks in the night, the morning always comes.   

there is persistently hope.   

dawn seems most vivid in the winter.    

perhaps, when we ache for the warmth, the morning sun is brightest.

a new day brings new assurance and expectation.    

i was not lost in the abyss of the night.    

though i could not see in the dark, he never left me.   

even though i felt abandoned, He waited beside me.  

He lingered and guarded, waiting for my next move.   

waiting for me to speak His name or reach out my thoughts toward Him.   

the sunrise is the brilliant, circadian reminder that…

Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed,                                Because His compassions fail not.                                                              They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.                      “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,  “Therefore I hope in Him!”                 The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, To the soul who seeks Him.          It is good that one should hope and wait quietly                                          For the salvation of the Lord.
              lamentations 3:22-26

breakfast:
oatmeal

coffee

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

jeremiah 

lamentations 3

today grateful for:
a snowy morning

warmth

coffee

clean water

safety

His provision  

good health

the WORD

fire

the sun

but He is strong

It has been a couple of very rough weeks at work. There have been huge personnel and relationship issues. My prayers initially were for everything to be resolved quickly. That has not happened. In fact, God has reminded me in the midst of these frustrations and stresses- I am weak but He is strong.

That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12:10

In the fall I blogged about asking, "What does this experience make possible?"--in the midst of negative situations. So lately I have asked, what has this strife at work made possible?

• an opportunity for me to rely on God as a sole source of reassurance
• an opportunity to acknowledge that God is in control
• an opportunity and reminder I need to spend more time and thought engaged purposefully with God
• an opportunity to avoid being lukewarm
• an opportunity to bless others and hopefully glorify God

Times such as these are like hot, dry days when one longs for a huge, glass of water. The circumstances are the "hot, dry days" and God's presence and truth are the refreshment.




dinner:
chick-fil-a

currently listening to:
fire in the fireplace

currently reading:
my one word
a wind in the door
2 corinthians

today grateful for: 
the opportunities strife offers
sitting on the couch with my feet propped up
God' presence and provision
His word
my boys
hearing my oldest play "brahm's lullaby" on the piano
a job
snuggling with my youngest while we say our nightly "thankfuls"
good health

Day 2

It seems to me that sometimes when I try to aim in the right direction and do the right thing that is when a struggle often begins. Today was just such a day. I got up early for my quiet time. That went smoothly and I thought it was productive.

Then my eldest got up and began to grumble, pout and complain. He had unfinished homework from the night before. Tuesdays are our hectic evenings--scramble to leave work, grab a fast food dinner to go, pick up the kids, go to counseling (1 child at a time), eat and work on homework in the waiting room, then off to sports or scouts, then rush home and get boys in bed 30-45 minutes later than their regular bedtime. So as the morning routine was beginning, I felt like I was in a mini battle then the battle intensified as my 4 year old got up and only wanted to lay on the couch. Between their grumbling and complaining we managed to have a few minutes of upbeat family snuggle time. The morning was certainly not as joyful and pleasant as yesterday morning. I struggled on my drive to work to get back to that place of peace I had found during my alone time only a few hours earlier. I searched the local Christian radio stations for an uplifting song that would get my mind out of its self-absorbed place. Have you ever noticed how many of contemporary, rock and alternative Christian songs are focused around "whoa is me," "I messed up," "I am a mess" themes. Those are not uplifting for me. I just wanted a good ole hymn of praise. Note to self: remember to put one or two CDs with some of those hymns in the antiquated 6 CD player located in the luggage storage in the back of the car.

So I worked my way through the day with my busiest schedule, the day I see all 200+ students at my school. I did not have my love eyes open so I probably missed opportunities.

This evening we had our regular family night and the boys were fine. Actually they were better than I was. I could feel a hormonal wave rising up towards tsunami size. Really God, what is the purpose of these hormones that cause our emotions to rage against us?

So needless to say, I did no acts of love today. At this point, I am calling it a day..going to bed earlier and I'm ready to try again tomorrow.


celebration - 0
discards-2
nonessential purchases - 0


Currently listening to:
JJ Heller

Dinner:
roast pork tenderloin
rice
broccoli with cheese
milkshakes

Currently reading:
365 Thank Yous
Matthew
Studies in the Sermon on the Mount

Today grateful for:
my eldest who is a wonderful big brother
the word
God
second chances