Tuesdays Unwrapped

I'm linking with Emily at Chatting with the Sky for her Tuesdays Unwrapped series. It is about finding and opening a gift in the midst of an ordinary day.
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As I stood at the sink, hands immersed in hot soapy water, I absent-mindedly watched her rake the leaves. I was proud of her for noticing that it needed to be done and taking it upon herself to help out where she could. I was mentally preoccupied with my "to do" list when I noticed that she had disappeared into the shed.

I continued to wash and rinse, wash and rinse.

She reappeared with her bright red sled and a roll of masking tape.

My hands stopped.

Sensing something special, I quickly dried my hands and grabbed the camera. I quietly slipped out of the back patio door and began to observe.

She had been raking for some time, and had come up with a creative idea to make the work easier.

I watched as she tried over and over again to secure the rake to the sled with the masking tape. She would test out her new contraption, and when the rake would separate from the sled, she would try re-taping it again. She never appeared frustrated with the failure of each test run, only intent and content on seeing if her idea would work.

After many failed attempts, she gave up and began raking again.

A huge flock of geese flew overhead, honking loudly.

Her face turned toward the sky...

...the rake dropped, and she was off....
arms flapping...
face full of joy...
feeling the wind in her hair...
enjoying the chase...

It is all too easy for me to get bogged down with schedules, to-do lists, and responsibilities. What a refreshing gift it was to observe my sweet girl just being who God created her to be and living in the moment.

She did finish raking the leaves, and look at all of the fun, creativity, and joy that she experienced in the process!

One Thousand Gifts

46. Shafts of morning sunlight.

47. Piles of pumpkins.

48. The rat-a-tat of rain pelting the window.

49. Those quick "I love you, Mom's."

50. Sunset clouds rimmed in fiery salmon pink.

51. The flag rippling in the breeze.

52. Gold leaves against an October blue sky.

53. Friendly service with a smile.

54. Pumpkin spice lattes.

55. Our competent and compassionate dentist.

56. Tree-lined streets.

57. The scratchy sound of skittering leaves.

58. The stars at twilight.

59. Thick, misty fog.

60. Hundreds of geese flying overhead (I actually pulled the car over and watched them because it was such an incredible sight!)

Five Minute Friday: Grateful

Grateful.

I’m tempted to start writing a list of all the things I’m grateful for, but when I think about it, what I’m most grateful for is the breath that I breathe so that I can experience the abundance of blessings that He grants to me each and every day. I’m grateful for life, both in the now and the eternal that is yet to come. Each breath that I draw is a reminder of His love, His mercy, and his overflowing extravagant grace.

Grace and Mercy.

I have been working through a lot in my inner world lately, and right now I’ve been experiencing a new and fresh understanding of God’s amazing grace.

It’s overwhelming and the tears flow…

His grace flows…

And I’m grateful…

So very grateful.

Thankful

Happy Thanksgiving! These are some of the verses that I am dwelling on today.

Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the Truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me." (John 14:6)

Now may the God of Hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:13)

This was in accordance with the eternal purpose which he carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and confident Access through faith in Him. (Ephesians 3:11-12)

But as for me, the Nearness of God is my good; I have made the Lord God my refuge, that I may tell of all Thy works. (Psalm 73:28)

Who is the King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle. (Psalm 24:8)

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort. (2 Corinthians 1:3)

The Rock! His work is perfect, for all His ways are just; a God of faithfulness and without injustice, righteous and Upright is He. (Deuteronomy 32:4)

Again therefore Jesus spoke to them, saying, "I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me shall not walk in the darkness, but shall have th elight of life." (John 8:12)

May you and your family be blessed on this day of Thanksgiving.

Extravagance

Extravagant, adj. 1. spending much more than is necessary or wise. 2. exceeding the bounds of reason or moderation; excessive.

There is a song that I love by Casting Crowns called "Your Love is Extravagant." As I was running around town preparing for Thanksgiving, I was listening to the CD with this song on it, and it got me thinking. I don't know how it is at your house, but at mine, dinner is not an "event." If I haven't gotten to the pile of dishes in the sink, we use paper plates. I don't transfer the chicken nuggets from the cookie sheet to a platter...the cookie sheet goes on the table, nuggets and all. Milk is poured from the jug, not a special crystal pitcher. It is a red-letter day if the dinner menu has representations from the five food groups!

A Thanksgiving meal is different. By comparison, it is extravagant. We have a fall tablecloth spread over the table. Often, we will bring out the china and silver. We have a main course, several hot and cold side dishes, a relish tray, rolls, sparkling cider, and dessert. Candles are lit. It isn't just another meal, it is an extravagant feast!

This is the kind of love that Jesus has for us on a daily basis! Think about that! His love for us is abundant, special, over-the-top, lavish! We see an example of extravagant love in Mary, who poured an entire bottle of expensive perfume (worth a year's wages) on Jesus' feet and washed them with her hair. I would definitely define that as a demonstration of extravagant love! What kind of love do we have for Him? Is it a cookie sheet love or a Thanksgiving feast sort of love? That is a sobering thought for me, mainly because an honest answer means that I must admit that I'm lacking in this department.

This season, I am grateful for so many things. I am thankful for my loving husband, my beautiful, healthy children and a circle of family and friends that I can't imagine life without. Most importantly, I am thankful for the extravagant love of my Savior!

One Thousand Gifts

31. The cool mist of a waterfall.

32. A lone crane skimming the waters.

33. The simple, symmetrical lines of a praying mantis.

34. Clinking ice cubes in a tall glass of cold lemonade.

35. A lone pine tree standing tall in a meadow.

36. The rich sweet smell of soil and hay warmed by the summer sun.

37. Freckles bridging her nose.

38. Silly games of telephone.

39. Warm summer breezes.

40. Sun-sparkled lakes.

41. Her eyes, earnest and blue.

42. Burnt orange moon.

43. His reassuring hug.

44. Prayers over the phone.

45. Dramatic skies.

Five Minute Friday: Grow

I recently discovered a blog called The Gypsy Mama (http://thegypsymama.com/) where she encourages her readers to write for five minutes on a certain topic every Friday...no editing, no over thinking, no backtracking. I thought I'd give it a whirl this week. The subject is "Grow."

GO.

Grow.
Growth.
Stretching.
Sometimes painful.

He's growing up. It seems like just yesterday I held him in my arms and rocked him to sleep. I have been there through it all...long nights, hospital stays, first steps, boo boos and band-aids, celebrating accomplishments, encouraging him in the rough times, teaching him how to read, teaching him about Jesus.

This year is a transition year, for him and for me. In September he began to attend a private school. I prepared myself for that day, and did pretty well with watching him walk to his classroom with a brand new notebook, freshly sharpened pencils, and a really cool backpack. We were both excited about this new stage in his life.

What I wasn't prepared for was not knowing what he does all day. Having homeschooled him from the beginning, I was so used to knowing everything about his school work and activities each day that it was kind of strange to receive this information in one line snippets through a student planner that I had to sign off on each day. It was a strange feeling, the not knowing. It was a stark realization that I am now at the point in motherhood where I need to begin the process of letting go.

That's painful.
...but it brings joy.
I want him to grow.
He is becoming a wonderful young man who loves the Lord.
I am blessed to be a part of the process of watching him spread his wings and fly.


STOP

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