Category: faith

Counting to 1,000 (425-461)

Diana B.2 Comments

“So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.” Colossians 2:6-7 (NIV)

In an effort to overflow with thankfulness, I’m counting up one thousand gifts for which I am ever-so thankful to God. And this week I’m getting ever-so close to half way there! Thanks for joining me in this adventure in gratitude.

425. yellow warblers dashing through the tree tops

426. low, rumbling thunder in the early morning that sends the littlest, pajama-clad daughter dashing beneath the covers

427.  warm, cozy teddy bears to snuggle tight

428. a pair of robins, bobbin’ along together in the backyard

429. raindrops falling gently on young leaves

430. the color green blanketing the landscape

431. bright yellow polka-dotting the carpet of green

432. goldfinches at the feeder constantly — eating 10 meals a day

433. tulips blooming at last

434. fistfuls of dandelion bouquets

435. a hot, humid playdate at the park with sweet friends

436. 1 Peter 4:8 in her beautiful cursive penmanship — such godly wisdom presented to us on our anniversary

437. bicycles, cul-de-sacs and circles of friends

438. red roses — 15 of them — one for each year we’re celebrating

439. a short and quiet walk, hand-in-hand, after dinner

440. how she leaps and skips and grins ear-to-ear

44. four eggs perfectly cracked by young hands — and no trace of the eggshell

442. her homemade buttermilk biscuits with red raspberry jam

443. raindrops pearling on the hostas

444. a sunny yellow umbrella that lets them splash playfully among the puddles

445. a last-minute robin tea party with the neighbor kids

446. the cooing of the mourning doves

447. how his skillful hands work the long piece of douglas fir

448. smiles of old friends visiting church

449. how beautifully she sings “His Eye is on the Sparrow”

450. lessons learned in Joshua and promises faithfully kept by the One who is Faithful and True

451. encouraging reports from Nicaraguan missionaries

452. the bluebird that makes a rare visit

453. swings sailing high, powered by strong little legs

454. the ice cubes and sweet sisterly prayers that comfort her busted fat lip

455. the perky little ears and bouncy leaps of joy as distant ragtime music floats nearer on the breeze

456. happy hops when the ice cream truck finally comes into view

457. Tweety Bird ice cream on a stick, with bubble gum eyes, and a rainbow snow cone

458. her familiar, friendly words printed neatly on a postcard from Philly

459. the summery smell of fresh-cut grass

460. summer drawing ever-closer

461. coconut fudge

5 Star Links for Friday

Diana B.1 Comment

Woo-hoo! Today is a 5-star Friday! Time for me to share  links to great online reading, words that are edifying and share some true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent and praiseworthy ideas.

1. Adeye at No Greater Joy Mom offers these “Good Words.” She’s right; words are powerful, as I concur in my own post: “Words I Can’t Edit.”

2. Kevin Deyoung’s “Parenting 001” really cracked me up. It’s so true-to-life, and be sure to stick with it to the last paragraph, which explains his noble aim in parenting.

3. Over at Heart of the Matter, Cindy West’s “Why Study Nature?” provides biblical reasons for studying God’s creation. Her intended audience is homeschoolers, but I think it applies to any parent at home with kids this summer.

4. Speaking of summer, it’s crunch time for making summer plans! In the first part of two, “Summer Goals for Family Fun and Growth” over at Mentoring Moments for Christian Women is an excellent resource when evaluating what to do and what not to do. I am eager to read the second part whenever it goes live!

5.  Another very admirable article on summer — and heaven — and how Christians should view both is “Summer Mindset” by John Piper. I adore this lovely quote: “That’s what summer is: God’s messenger with a sun-soaked, tree-green, flower-blooming, lake-glistening letter of love to show us what he is planning for us in the age to come—’things which the eye has not seen and ear has not heard, and which have not entered into the heart of man, God has prepared for those who love him’ (1 Corinthians 2:9). Don’t fall in love with the video preview, and find yourself unable to love the coming reality.”

I pray that these words encourage and edify you as much as they did me. Enjoy the weekend and your summer, too!

Counting to 1,000 (388-424)

Diana B.3 Comments

 “…let there be thankfulness to God.”  Ephesians 5:4 (NLT)

 

 Thank you, dear readers, for joining me as I count up one thousand gifts for which I am most thankful to God. 

388. joyful skipping in the spring weather as the shadows lengthen

389. how my daddy teaches them to march onward

390. 15 years of having and holding the best man I know

391. the busy, familiar hum of my mama’s old teal-blue Singer and four other hands working the fabric

392. wavy golden locks soaking up the sunlight

393. her scrunched-up nose smile

394. rays of golden sunshine tickling the fresh green grass

395. a goose rippling through the still waters

396. muskrats circling near the pond’s surface

397. thoughtful grandparents who love and listen and encourage

398. trees to embrace

399. deer peeking out of the woods

400. heartfelt good-bye hugs

401. bittersweet good-byes and tear-stained cheeks because we love them and we will miss them

402. seven tiny tadpoles adopted and brought home in borrowed jars with lids

403. the verdant weeping willow

404. hunting for duckweed in the pond — to feed our new tadpole friends

405. rubber boots that encourage me to venture farther and deeper and closer

406. the refreshing scent of May’s come-and-go raindrops

407. the cheery whistle of the red-winged blackbird perched a-top a metal post

408. a beaver rippling through the stillness as I travel the lonely path winding by the pond, through the woods, into the meadow

409. the glee chorus of frogs singing loudly as ducks glide smoothly into a watery landing

410. her sweet, warm, so-fresh-from-God feel as my arms cradle Dorothy Joy, just 12 hours old 

411. how quietly she folds her laundry on my bed

412. the not-for-prom, Mother’s-Day corsage that their sweet little voices mistakenly call a “crochet”

413. a pile of Mother’s Day surprises, four chocolate-smudged cheeks, and two rosy little girls in white lace to hold tight and call my own

414. swans gathering again in the silvery waters of evening

415. a picturesque trail nearby, nestled between the trees and the lake

416. strong little legs to pedal far

417. the dandelion picker

418. buds transforming into leaves

419. the bunny’s big, bouncy feet

420. ripples in the lake water

421. the whiteness of birch bark

422. seeds hidden deep in muddy fields of black

423. the less-traveled, winding dirt roads

424. the sun setting and reflecting gloriously, in stunning hues of pink, purple and gold

Counting to 1,000 (362-387)

Diana B.2 Comments

“Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”  -1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

 

362. her whistling conversation with the song birds

363. how she sits in the swing, blowing bubbles and wearing her bike helmet

364. the season’s first picnic on the patio

365. raindrops on window panes

366. little feet tip-toeing in ballet slippers, hair up in bobby pins, learning to dance 

367. chalk tulips and daffodils on the driveway

368. Easter lilies blooming

369. teaching them the history of John Newton’s life and Amazing Grace

370. hearing the MN Teen Challenge Choir sing Amazing Grace and hearing their bold testimonies

371. how sweet she looks in her new costume for the caterpillar dance 

372. holding my daddy’s hand

373. black tie mousse cake from Olive Garden

374. a quiet dinner with my husband

375. Bethany Hamilton’s inspiring story (Soul Surfer)

376. the Flour Tower tour at Mill City Museum and how she already knows about spontanious combustion

377. how she delights in teaching them to sew and how they delight in the buttons they sew

378. all the giggles as they sing along to “Be Like a Duck” and “Silly Lullaby” and “Snuggle Puppy”

379. how she sleeps so soundly with her round little face tucked into the hood of her pink raincoat

380. his “Donald Duck” voice and her endless giggles

381. snow flurries on May Day

382. the sweet little neighbor who delivers a May Day surprise

383. heartfelt bedtime hugs 

384. mud pies with earth worms

385. a Royal Robin Tea Party with hot tea and cucumber sandwiches

386. shooting bubbles in the yard

387. two dates with my husband in one weekend

Counting to 1,000 (317-361)

Diana B.2 Comments

“Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” -1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

317. chickadees in the backyard

318. a cleaner bedroom closet

319. the scent of Easter lilies

320. new shoes and lively lilac polish on my toes

321. eye exams given by a sweet, long-time friend

322. celebrating her accomplishments in Scripture memory

323. their encouraging prayers for me to be bold

324. sunshine

325. apple pie

336. popcorn for lunch on Friday

337. marriage

338. his handwriting

339. giant cookies with lots of icing

340. all his 37 years

341. a juicy baby-pit ham for Easter

342. their delight in hearing hymn stories

343. their voices taking turns as they sing “Up from the Grave He Arose”

344. I Will Carry You by Angie Smith 

345. a quarter moon at daybreak on Easter

346. new clothes for church

347. how He carries me as I tell my testimony

348. the simple joy of blowing bubbles in the backyard

349. their excitement in decorating eggs — especially the watermelon one

350. a short Sunday walk, chasing pink scooters

351. strong daddy arms that carry her back to the van

352. big band-aids for her scrapped up elbow, knee and shin

353. a Sunday evening drive around the lake

354. flowering kalanchoe

355. Gramma’s funny stories about raising chickens

356. his delight in strawberry swirl cheesecake

357. coffee that even a non-coffee drinker gets excited about

358. how she begs to do the resurrection eggs

359. the peace that guards my heart and mind in Christ Jesus

360. his kind, encouraging words

361. her taking time to listen and letting me know she needed to hear my story

Show Me Something Glorious

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Today is Good Friday. The calendar also says it is Earth Day. 

So shall we cry “Save the Earth!” or will we proclaim “Jesus Saves!” — that’s really the question.

Whom will we worship today? Will we worship the Creator of the universe? Or will we worship the creation?

Don’t misunderstand me. I marvel at God’s creation and feel strongly about being a good steward of it. When I slow down to accept and enjoy what God has created, I learn so much about His character. 

“Show me something glorious and I’ll show you the Maker of it all.”

-“Something Glorious” by Revive

Romans 1 talks about how God’s creation makes plain to all men God’s eternal power and divine nature. Looking all around us, seeing what God has made, we are without excuse for believing in God! He is the One behind it all.

Yet mankind is foolish. We fail to see Him. We fail to glorify God, we fail to give Him thanks, and we exchange “the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.” (verse 23) We worship false gods.

Oh, Father, forgive us. Forgive me.

How many times have I exchanged the truth of God for a lie? How often have I worshipped and served created things rather than the Creator? (verse 25) 

In “A Christian Response to Earth Day,” Doug Phillips at VisionForum says:

…man’s problems will never be solved through the elevation of human reason, the power of science, or the interventions of the state. Nor will rescuing the biosphere of planet earth save man or ensure him a future on this planet. You cannot save the earth. But human beings can be saved. And the only hope of salvation is found in Jesus Christ — the Creator! It is this Creator through whom we live and breathe and who by the very power of His word holds the worlds together. He will someday establish a new heaven and a new earth and will bring all of His people into Glory.”

And in “Why God Created the Universe — for Good Friday, Pastor John Piper explains:

The universe was created for the glorification of God’s grace at Calvary.”

With the shedding of Jesus’ blood on Calvary, our sins have been forgiven. As David Crowder sings, there is grace enough for us and the whole human race! Oh, happiness! And oh happy day! He has washed our sins away!

So let’s thank God! Let’s rise up and dance our shoes off!

Counting to 1,000 (285-316)

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Psalm 105
Hallelujah! Thank God! Pray to Him by name! 
Tell everyone you meet what He has done! 
Sing Him songs, belt out hymns, translate His wonders into music!
Honor His holy name with Hallelujahs, you who seek God. Live a happy life!
Keep your eyes open for God, watch for His works; be alert for signs of His presence. 
Remember the world of wonders He has made, His miracles, and the verdicts He’s rendered—
O seed of Abraham, His servant, O child of Jacob, His chosen.

285. the once-lost-now-found ballet slippers

286. the kind husband who hears the frustration in my voice and comes home early

287. little hearts eager to forgive

288. how smart they feel in their AWANA vests

289. celebrating accomplishments in Scripture memory with a small Cubbie bear

290. the cuteness of hair done up in “piggy buns”

291. dear little friends — all smiley

292. the beauty of a friend 36-weeks pregnant

293. the little ones who came and sat in my lap

294. her joy in serving up her first batch of “smashed” potatoes

295. 3-D houses made in art class — with more and more features diligently added after class

296. the sound of spring peepers

297. the sunset – all purple and orange and pink

298. snow melting on tulips

299. buds on the lilac bush

300. dirt under my fingernails from digging in the flower beds

301. fidgety little ones lined up, waving palm branches

302. how their faces beam as they march down the aisle

303. science in the kitchen — with onions and tears

304. four glorious hours spent face-to-face with a sweet, encouraging friend

305. his promise to pray for me

306. my own turn pulling her in the big red wagon

307. the tulips’ last hoorah

308. sunshine

309. apple pie made with some of last fall’s harvest and shared with neighbors

310. strangers who provide us free tickets to ride the carousel

311. her giddy-up giggles as she rides around

312. how she looks back and exclaims, “Ponies!”

313. the carousel’s cheery melody

314. the friendly cashier who admires her manners and touches her heart

315. how they belt out the words to “Remarkable Cows”

316. excellent test results that encourage both of us

“Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” -1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Encouraging Words: Be Armed and Dangerous!

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Note: It’s the second Wednesday of the month — an Encouraging Words Wednesday! After you’re done here, be sure to check out Renee Swope’s Encouraging Words over at Proverbs 31 Ministries and enter to win a Confident Heart Friendship Gift Pak.

“The only real word of encouragement comes from the Word of God.”

So says Rachael Carman. She’s a homeschool mother and an author and speaker for Apologia Educational Ministries.

The Word of God is the sword of the Spirit, and that sword is heavy. We must build up our muscles in order to use it well, she says.

Wow! If we want our words to encourage others, we really need to be speaking God’s Words! And how can we speak them if they aren’t carved into memory? 

A few years ago, I went through a season during which God constantly reminded me to hide His living, active Word in my heart and to speak His Word in prayer. No matter where I went, that was the message I heard over and over.

The first reminder came as I was preparing to teach a Sunday School class of preschoolers and Kindergarteners. We were learning about Jesus in the desert being tempted by the devil, and there it was: Jesus victoriously using God’s Word, the sword of the Spirit, to fight the enemy and his lies. The devil had to flee, remember?

Oh, I wish you could have seen the surprised faces when I drew my plastic sword to hook the kids’ attention! As a mother of two girls, I never imagined those little boys would have so much to say about swords. They were ready to fight!

Hebrews 4:12 says, “For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”

The next reminder came during a women’s Bible study, Believing God, as author and speaker Beth Moore told us to be “armed and dangerous.”

That is, armed with God’s Word and dangerous to the devil.

Beth recounted a time when she was walking her dogs with her husband at his deer lease. A rattle snake reared its ugly head, ready to strike. In one very swift movement with his shotgun, Beth’s husband Keith immediately blew off the snake’s head. My apologies to any snake lovers that may be reading this, but what a vivid illustration of how God’s Word can crush the devil!

Finally, that fall at a church luncheon for women, another reminder came from keynote speaker Phyliss Masters, a retired missionary. Just 18 months before her husband was martyred, Phyliss had resolved to memorize God’s Word. She memorized one verse of Scripture a day, rehearsing and reviewing each verse for 49 days so that she would hide it in her heart for life. Phyliss had hundreds of Bible verses memorized at the time of her husband’s death, and she testifies that God’s Word proved itself quick and powerful over and over again.

My season of constantly being encouraged to memorize Scripture concluded just as Beth Moore kicked off her 2009 Siesta Scripture Memory Team. I participated, and I must say that it was just the accountability I needed! God’s Word changed my life that year, especially my prayer life. Praying God’s Word back to Him is powerful!

Beth didn’t coordinate a Scripture Memory Team for 2010, but God provided me accountability through a small group that my husband and I were in. Together, we have all committed nearly a dozen verses to memory — word-perfect and with the topics and references, too. It can be done! By the grace of God, it can be done!

This year I’ve been involved in Beth Moore’s Siesta Scripture Memory Team again, and this time around I pushed a few friends into joining along with me.

God not only licenses us to conceal and carry His Word as a weapon, but He also empowers us to use it, as 2 Timothy 3:16 says, for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.

May we always be quick on the draw!

If you are not already in the habit of memorizing Scripture, be encouraged. You can do it! And there are lots of ideas to motivate you and plenty of tools to help.

Here are a few of my favorite resources on Scripture memory: 

1. Memorizing Scripture: Why and How by John Piper

2. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Bible Memorization by Ann Voskamp

3. Help in memorizing God’s Word: Verse Card Maker

4. Word Up! It’s the Writing on the Wall (a post of mine)

5. Resolution: To Pray Better for My Kids (also a post of mine)

If you are already memorizing Scripture but would like to stretch those muscles a little more, consider the challenge of committing entire books to memory! An Approach to Extended Scripture Memorization by Dr. Andrew Davis has great guidelines for exactly how to do this. I think I’m going to try it!

Don’t forget to check out Renee Swope’s Encouraging Words over at Proverbs 31 Ministries. You’ll be blessed!

Counting to 1,000 (251-284)

Diana B.3 Comments

 “From the fullness of His grace, we all have received one blessing after another.” -John 1:16

 251. the melody of a 5-year-old eloquently reading the Lord’s prayer

252. the resolve of the 8-year-old memorizing Psalm 23

253. her gentle voice singing sweetly while her fingers dance across the piano keys

254. air fresh with the dampness of spring

255. a kitchen spilling over with popcorn, popcorn, and more popcorn

256. the excitement and giggles that gather as it pops

257. how she helps her tie her shoes

258. the excitement of bringing special friends to AWANA

259. the sweet way she takes her little friend’s hand and shows her what to do

260. four silly ones eating gummy bears in the backseats 

261. a nice long jaunt around the neighborhood — chasing a pink scooter and a pink bike

262. how they both wait so faithfully at the intersections

263. how — over and over — the little one hops off her bike and runs, grinning wild, back to walk with me, her little hand in mine

264. backyard tulips peaking through the soil

265. dinner cooking outside on the grill

266. spring storms that bring rain instead of snow

267. the pitter-patter of raindrops on the window, lulling me to sleep

268. 70 degrees in the forecast

269. grass that turns green almost overnight 

270. earthworms that creep out of muddy soil, trying not to drown in the rain

271. the bookworms that creep out of their bedrooms, eager to share stories

272. the little friend who alarms me that my little one is hurt

273. the patience of a sister who endlessly pulls the injured one here-and-there-and-everywhere in the big red wagon

 274. the tiny twisted ankle that heals quickly

275. a quiet afternoon for reading, all wrapped up in a cozy blanket

276. letting them lick off the chocolate icing on the beaters 

277. a half-chocolate cake to celebrate one’s half birthday and the other’s spiritual birthday

278. the box-elder bug that very nearly ruined the cake

279. another dinner cooking outside on the grill

280. big old’ sweet iced tea

281. the short path between friends’ houses

282. how her face beams as she gently pushes our little neighbor on the swing

283. 75 minutes fully devoted to prayer

284. a Sunday supper that requires a table for 17

Look at the Birds!

Diana B.2 Comments

“Look!” my big girl gasps, running toward the window. “Robins! In our yard!”

 

Quickly the little one and I join her at the window, and together we welcome the feathered strangers. The freshly falling snow of late March does not deter the playful robins as they flutter about happily in the backyard.  An especially plump robin perches high in the branches, a patch of snow still clinging to his red breast and his feet.

“Cheer up, cheer up,” the first robins sing.

Cheer up, indeed! Even as the snow blankets us again, their songs give us hope for spring as the end of a long, harsh winter draws nearer. Soon will come nests and eggs. Soon will come worms for the chirping baby birds. Soon will come little birds testing their wings, learning to fly.

“Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?” -Matthew 6:26

March melts into April, and the birds return to this Frozen Tundra in great numbers. Red-winged black birds, robins, sparrows, Canadian geese and — my favorite — swans.

As I’m out and about all week long, I see swans everywhere — dozens of them. On the way to church, on a walk in the neighborhood, on the way to and from dinner Thursday night, on the way to pick up a friend’s little boy, and on the way to and from a birthday party — swans, swans, swans! Soon to pair off and settle in ponds and lakes, the swans migrate together, and oh! What joy as they surround us — these amazing creatures, full of grace! 

I look at the birds, and God reminds me of His faithfulness.

Without my camera along on any of these trips, my inner shutterbug longs to capture the swans, to store up the grace moment and treasure it.

The week draws to its end; Saturday evening before sunset our family loads up in the minivan and heads back to the one spots where, earlier in the day, nearly a hundred swans gathered in a low, flooded area in a corn field. Leaving my family in the van, watching closely, I head eagerly into the muddy field. My newest tennis shoes greet the muddy field and I manuever carefully, happy to find a narrow path of dry weeds between two sections of the field. I nearly sink into the mud as I approach the water.

Swans! Hundreds of gloriously graceful swans — and several ducks, too. The honking and quacking mingles into noisy bird music. Most of the swans glide gently across the water, but some fish for food underwater.

Suddenly a few swans soar up into the sky. Their black bills confirm they are Trumpeters. Their necks stretch long and wings mount high toward the clouds —  right over my head! I pull the hood of my sweatshirt over my head, just in case.  

A glorious swan moment. Finally captured! I stand in the muddy field, thankful I migrated to the right place at exactly the right moment.

Looking down, white feathers float, scattered across the water.

“He will cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you will find refuge; His faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.” -Psalm 91:4

I look at the birds, and God reminds me of His faithfulness.

God keeps showing me how faithful He is. May I also suggest this post from last spring: Orchestrating the Swans?