Multitude Monday One Thousand Gifts, 41-50

World Series excitement! I have never lived in the city where the home team went to the World Series! It is fun to be had! No matter what! I am grateful for baseball this week - even the games that the Texas Rangers lost...it is still fun!

Chocolate. Milk Chocolate. Dark Chocolate. Caramel chocolate. You get the picture.

Girlfriends who share your birthday month! I am so lucky to have two of my best friends also celebrating their birthday's in November. We start celebrating WEEKS in advance!

My wonderful church - The Village Church. After some struggles in finding the right place to be, and being in a few places where I wish I had never been, I can finally say with joy that I love my church, I RESPECT my pastor, and trust the leadership; therefore agreeing to submit to their authority. What a blessing!

Eyeglasses. I cannot imagine my life without them.

Shoes. Different styles and colors of shoes! What a fun way to change an outfit and express how you feel. I recently purchased 3 different pair and they are all very different! I can't wait to put them on my feet.

Children. They just make me smile.

Spiritual Growth. Looking back and being able to see where God has worked in my life, actually changed me and grew me up in certain areas.

Vegetables. They are fantastic! A person can eat almost as much of these fine foods as one wants and not add "empty" calories to one's body! (this is good when you have been enjoying a lot of chocolate!)

Sweaters. And having weather cool enough to wear them!

Crazy Love

I just finished reading the book, Crazy Love, by Francis Chan. The book was recommended to me by a friend. I had seen it before and heard it was good, so after the recommendation, picked it up and started to read. My hope in reading it was that I would fall more crazy in love with God and it did help, but I am still not there. When I see people who so quickly and readily give up everything and will spend inordinate amounts of money and time on God, I wonder what it is that gives them that crazy “in love” attitude toward God. Francis Chan likens the behavior to that of a couple, in love, and especially in that stage where you would do anything to spend time together; drive for miles for a short visit, spend amazing amounts of money to make the other one happy…that kind of love. I have a feeling that if I developed that kind of love toward God, my love for my family, friends, and fellow human beings might be deeper and more satisfying. I can see where that would happen, but I think I need to read the book again!

Go here to find out more about the book Crazy Love.

Wordless Wednesday

Walked outside one afternoon after work and saw this...
Awesome!

Spooked!

Multitude Monday, One Thousand Gifts, 31-40

Spontaneous conversations - the one's that you wait for but don't know when they will happen. But when they do, it is exactly the right time.

Golf. And that I can beat my husband (sometimes) if I really try. (at least a hole or two)

Tornado sirens. They warn for protection and my kids actually obey them, even when we are not home.

Autumn. The changing color of the leaves that can provide such peaceful entertainment.

Fireplaces. A fire, safely contained, also providing peaceful entertainment and even more; comfort, warmth, and just plain ole feeling cozy.

Chocolate malts. They make any day a good day.

Photographs. What a gift - to be able to record memories by snapping a picture and looking at it later!

Mobile phones. I am so grateful that these have been invented because my kids can reach me when tornado sirens sound, even if I am miles and miles away.

Music. If you love music like I do, an explanation is not necessary.

Comfort food. The way soup makes me feel warm on a cool evening, mashed potatoes and gravy make me feel loved, and pork chops and apples feel like a celebration.

God whispers He loves me in all these things.


Feeling very loved~

Marriage can be restful

Why am I sitting here at this silly computer instead of going to bed? haha! I had to upload and look at photographs that my husband and I took while we were on our weekend get-away on Talimena Drive in Oklahoma and Arkansas. I won't post them now, but I am sure some of them will show up eventually. We did have a fantastic time, which is good. Actually, it is amazing since we were not having a great week before we left. After 30 years of being together, you learn to just move on some times. This was one of those times. We said what needed to be said, and then got on with the business of being married. No coincidence, I am sure that God had already worked it out that we would have this weekend set aside to spend time together. I guess He, being All-knowing, knew a head of time that this would be a much needed break. Hubby surprised me with a golf game on Friday - something that we have tried to get away and do for a very, very long time. Then we went to a place we used to go years and years ago, in the early days of our relationship, to look at the leaves changing color. We stayed at a lodge in a state park, which was lovely, and we rested.
It was exactly what we needed.
Marriage is sometimes a lot of work and after you work real hard, you just have to rest. I think it's best when you can rest together.


(okay...just one photo!)

Wordless Wednesday (through the eyes of a band mom)

I know Wednesday is supposed to be "wordless" per my title...
apologies for the many photos.
This is the behind the scenes view of a band competition, through the eyes of a (chaperone) band mom. My daughter (and myself) spend a lot of time at this time of year doing exactly what is pictured below.
Enjoy.

A Proud Mom~

Multitude Monday, One Thousand Gifts, 21-30

21. Time with my precious 5 year old niece!

22. My children's grandparents (my great dad) - who will travel miles to see a football game and a band competition.

23. Marching Band performances that are so outstanding that they make me cry - even the one's that my daughter is not marching in.

24. Dance - the beauty of bodies moving in motion to music and my ability to appreciate watching.

25. Women friends! The group of women who come to my home every other week with the desire to deepen their relationship(s) with God and deepen our relationships with one another.

26. Alanon. This 12 step program has changed almost every way that I live my life (second to my relationship with God)

27. The pictures that hang on my refridgerator, colored with markers with remarkable beauty by my sweet, talented niece.

28. A sister, who I love enough to be honest with and know that love will get us through anything.

29. Tears. What a wonderful way of expressing and releasing emotion that has nowhere to go otherwise.

30. Prayer. And a God who hears and answers!

Wordless Wednesday

Multitude Monday, One Thousand Gifts, 11-20

I know that it is Tuesday. But yesterday, which was Monday, I was enjoying a day at the Texas State Fair with my beautiful daughter. During the day, God gifted me many times, which will be a few of my one thousand gifts.

11. My 16 and a half year old daughter will spend the day with her momma at the State Fair – no friends, just mother and daughter.

12. That my aging body is still able to ride rides that spin, twirl and go real fast.

13. The wind in my hair as I hang upside down briefly, while looking at a crowd of observers on the ground below.

14. Hearing my daughter laugh beside me as we fly through the air, in circles.

15. Fletchers Corn Dogs

16. Frozen Lemonade

17. Clip on sunglasses

18. Cell phones, so we didn’t loose each other while I was in line for tickets and she was in ride for a line.

19. Having the opportunity to be way up high, not feel sick, and see things from a different point of view. (wow…how it must look from God’s perspective!)

20. Bubble baths – which my daughter and I both took when we returned home.

Enjoy!