1000 Gifts - God's Hand of Protection

Storms are amazing.  By their nature they reveal glimpses of the strength and power of the Creator, however, they are by no means, stronger than He who created them.  For in the Gospels it is recorded on more than one account that Jesus stilled the winds and the waves, and that the disciples marveled at this.

Folks our little section of the country were caught for three days in the midst of a nor'easter.  Wind gusts up to 75 miles an hour and sustained winds of 55 miles an hour snapped trees, electric poles, and blew water past its normal mark to heights of 7.6 feet above the tide's stopping point.  There was flooding, damage, destruction.  But God's hand was here.  He gave me this picture in my mind as I prayed for our protection from the storm - His hand cupped over our house - His hand of protection.   No destruction came to us.  Not even a large branch from the trees that line the property. No flooding.

 For His Hand of protection - I give thanks.

0072.  the rains that watered the land for days commanding us to stay inside together, even daddy, for fun family time

0073.  the  howling of winds and bending of trees and the firm knowledge that with His word it would stop immediately if He chose it

0074.  kids in pajamas all day long

0075.  special breakfasts made by daddy because work has been canceled for the day

0076.  no loss of power except for a brief few hours during sleep time

0077.  wrestling, game playing, movie watching, book reading, treat baking - an unplanned staycation - reconnecting with the people with whom you live

0078.  the symbolism of three days of dark skies and pouring non stop rain entombed indoors only to be broken apart by the bright glorious sun of the Lord's day

0079. sweet fellowship at our place of worship and hearing words of Life - praises to the LORD - a needed change from being confined to the house

0080.  a beautifully sunny day - perfect for outdoor clean up

0081.  a new verse to hide in my heart - reminding me that the Lord has brought me up out of Egypt  and that He will bless my obedience

Psalm 81:10

I am the LORD your God, 

Who brought you up out of Egypt.

Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it. 

1000 Gifts

0062.  making plans for our Thanksgiving week with family

0063.  the eager anticipation of a long trip - kids already asking "when are we going?"

0064.  a friend who calls and takes my kids so that I can clean my nest


0065.  learning a new skill/hobby and using it to supply Christmas gifts to loved ones

0066.  the smells of autumn

0067.  sweet children exhausted from a day of being outside working in the yard at Gramma & Grampa's

0068.  hard work out in our yard - mowing one last time... gathering leaves & pine straw in heaping bags... and the exhaustion of hard physical labor

0069.  a few more warm days to enjoy outside before the cold winds of winter arrive and stay

0070.  a celebration of our new Bible Study class turning one year old - as a result - new friends, a fresh perspective and a closer walk with Jesus.

0071.  a few hours of silence while my boys sleep and husband is away to study God's Word and spend some time with Him.

1000 Gifts: The Oasis of Friendship

 This weekend we were invited to my best friend's parent's house in the mountains.  A double treat!  I absolutely ADORE my best friend!  Since she and her family moved north we have not had the visiting, chatting, sharing, advice giving and receiving time that we used to.  Being able to spend time with her and her family is like visiting an oasis after a long walk in the desert -  just refreshing.  


I also love her parent's place.  It's one of THOSE places- I hope you are blessed enough to have one - where you walk in and you leave the pressure of all of your responsibilities at the door -  Ahhhhhhhhhh!  - like cuddling in a warm blanket.    

So on the list continues -  


0052.  the gift of a getaway weekend to our favorite mountain resort

0053.  seeing friends who are like family after a long separation and falling right back into where we left off

0054.  a day to pick God's bounty, together, enjoying the fruits of our labor

0055.  the opportunity for "treasure hunting" - fresh air, adventure, and using muscles that have been asleep for longer than we can remember





0056.  Children - a heritage from the Lord.

0057.  a quick minute of rest on a LONG walk in the woods.

 0058.   a 3 year old who takes his time to enjoy what gifts he finds that God has left for him in the forest.

0059.  young friends hanging out in jammies to watch a favorite show after an adventurous day

0060.  plans for our next visit - just a few months away.


0061.  the innumerable blessings that a sweet friend adds to your life - thanks Heather - I love you!

Wordless Wednesday

The priceless gift of friendship

1000 Gifts: Life and Blessings

There are so many things this week... I don't know where to start.   Unfortunately, there are no beautiful pictures this week... just words of remembrance.



0040.  a time to get away with women to share and heal


0041.  "wonderful, the matchless grace of Jesus"


0042.  the knowledge that Jesus was with me from the very beginning and didn't ever leave me for one second.


0043.  leaving my garbage at the foot of the cross - never to be picked up and carried by me again!


0044.  the offer from my Father for life and blessings and being able to pass it on to my children and grandchildren


0045.  the beauty and wisdom of a 78 year old friend who loves the Lord and has walked in His path


0046.  FREEDOM!!!!!!!


0047.  the confidence that the Father loves me and doesn't leave me the way I am



0048.  being encircled by caring women praying over me, my family, my life, my future


0049.  holy forgetfulness


0050.  the sweet voice of the Lord


0051.  and a verse impressed upon my heart....

"I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you.  I set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life that you and your descendants may live; that you may love the Lord your God,  that you may obey His voice, that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days, and that you may dwell in the land which the Lord swore to your fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them."

Deuteronomy 30:19-20

Healing the Hurts

This weekend I started a journey.  I attended a retreat for women entitled Healing the Hurts.  It entailed confronting hurts from your past and wrong thoughts and judgements about self, others, and God.

What a weekend!  I felt as if drinking from a fire hose.  There was so much information and all of it was good and beneficial.  When one has an infected wound and it has not been taken care of it festers and affects other areas of the body.  To get rid of the wound one must clean it out before the true healing can begin.  This weekend was the beginning of the cleaning out process.  I have a lot of junk and there's a lot of cleaning that's needing to be done.  But, oh my!  The LORD was so sweet to me.  He showed me how He was with me from my beginning.  He healed me and gave me a choice of life or death, blessing or cursing.  I choose LIFE! I choose BLESSING... for me and my children and my children's children. 

I need to confess - this journey is NOT easy. But necessary.  It is VITAL to my freedom in Jesus.  Not that my sins hadn't all been taken care of on the cross of Jesus almost 2000 years ago, but I need to confess my sins before holy God acknowledging that HE. IS. HOLY!  That I had sinned against HIM by having incorrect thoughts and judgements of myself, others, and Him.

I praise Him for what He has started and am confident that HE will see through to completion the good work that HE has started in me,  confident that these blessings will flow down to my children and their children.  Not because I say it, but because HE PROMISES IT! To God be the GLORY GREAT THINGS HE HAS DONE!

Deuteronomy 30:19-20

I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life that both you and your descendants may live; that you may love the LORD your God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for HE is your life and the length of your days; and that you may dwell in the land which the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them.

Bring it LORD JESUS!

Wordless, I mean Toothless, Wednesday

Alas - it was bound to happen...little signs of my boys getting bigger everyday.  For a few weeks Monkey has had a loose tooth.  He had a difficult time eating apples - they had to be cut up - or anything else that you take a bite out of.  Well today, during naptime, he came out of the room and had a very worried look on his face and a small white shiny tooth in his hand.  He looked  at me and asked, "Is it bleeding?"  With this first experience he was a bit worried that something was terribly wrong.  I sent him to the bathroom to spit out what small amount of blood there was and had him swish out his mouth. Then, of course, pictures.  I HAD to document my not so baby boy losing his first tooth.  Next, I suppose, he'll ask for the keys to the car.   I guess this is just God's way of reminding parents that time with our little ones is so brief.

And now, my toothless wonder!