Feeling rather Grateful-February 2011

It snowed today....so soft and feathery, big fluffs of heaven raining down. It caught me racing around, thoughts racing, my agenda spinning, but then...

I was memorized.

And watch.

It was so ethereal.

I could feel my eyelids relax into their blink. I wrapped my arms around my excited ten year old.

The beauty of the day stopped him for a moment too(which doesn't happen too often), when he said, "Look Mom, Mr. Downing's trees are dreadlocked with snow!" Oh sweet boy! What a perfect description.

The rumble of the city seems to stop too, just to listen for the quiet of the snowfall for just a little while.

I really don't do this enough both the stopping and the listening. There is such great value in both of those things. Speaking of valueable things, here is a snippet of my grateful list for February.

I'm Grateful for:

• Wee little babies
• Chocolate brownies
• Capable Children
• Chirping birds in the sun
• Walks to the park
• Time to myself
• Reconciliation
• White feathery snow that makes us stop and listen
• The boyish-man hands of my oldest son rubbing my tired shoulders
• Spring bulbs
• An evening off from activities

I also using a set of scripture prayers complied by Bob Hostetler called 31 Ways to Pray for Your Children. (new thing #3)

Todays's prayer:

Faith " I pray that faith will find root and grow in my children's hearts, that by faith they may gain what has been promised to them" (Luke 17:5-6, Hebrews 11:1-40) Lord may they actively seek to worship and grow their faith daily in you. I pray that when they have turned from it, they will feel as if their bones are moaning,

(Psalms 32:3)

that this would serve to remind them of the path of righteousness and return to it. ~Amen.

Girl Time Tidbit #5 Making A Doll's House

This summer I have had the great pleasure of watching myself create as a little girl. What do I mean by that? Keep reading and it will become clear. My daughter was inspired by a book I had purchased for summer reading. A Doll's House by Rumber Godden, this book was the inspiration for a great adventure: she began the wonderful project of building her own doll house.

At first, I began to hear hammering and pounding and all sorts of sound coming from the back porch. I realized that it was my daughter and when asked what she needed a saw for she sweetly replied," Well, to cut the eves for the roof to my doll house." To which I casually answered," Oh but of course, wait...WHAT?"

So, using the time tested tactic of diverting to a higher authority, I sent her on to her Dad, obviously. Tools of that nature are his and permission must come from the top. Being a clever man and knowing his daughter very well, he had the good sense to urge her to unite her efforts and use a much better material for doll houses...cardboard boxes, what a brilliant man!

It was a hard sell, but she complied after working pretty hard and conning her littlest brother into helping, like any good Fore-woman will do, to hold the board she was trying to saw. Finally, she decided that maybe cardboard would be a better option and really, it had already been two days and not much progress had been made on this wonderful design.

That's when it happened for me. Sometimes we forget the simple joys of our childhood. Our memories are clouded with the worry and obligations of adulthood. Then when you least expect it, a memory is triggered and you transport to the recesses of your mind to a place of joy and creativity.

There I was on my four poster bed with scissors, tape, crayons, material scraps, and found treasures, creating and sewing. The autumn sun streaming in the upstairs window of my pink carpeted room. There in that place, wonderful things were imagined and all things were possible. And yes... I was making a doll house!

Mine was smaller in scale and used only one shoebox. I created mine with the opening up so that you looked down into the rooms from the ceiling. I made little towels for the bathroom and use tinfoil for the mirror. There were curtains on every window and a golden bead for the front door handle. I used matchboxes for drawers and spools with a cardboard cut circle glued on top for the kitchen table. It even had a table cloth on it where acorn cap bowls were the table setting. In the living room there were rugs on the floor and chairs made from bottle caps and twisted wire. There was even a fireplace in the corner, which looked more like a bonfire pit than a fireplace, how sweet.

What wonderful things to remember.

I love to see the Lord bring me full circle in that way. Often it happens when I am too serious about things. If you know me well, you know I love a good surprise and this is one that caught me off guard. It warms my insides and makes me smile really big, to know that my daughter is experiencing that wonderful time of life, just like I did, called girlhood.

Father in Heaven, thank you that I have eyes to see your lessons for me. I am so grateful for the pleasures you brought to me as a child. Thank you for reminding me of my girlhood and all its sweetness.

You are a wonder to me Lord, Amen

Grateful Sunday

Boy this weekend has been so filled with good things I scarcely know where to begin.

• I am grateful for our church camp
• I am grateful for the body of Christ working together towards a common goal.
• I am grateful for a life full of activity and work
• I am grateful for amazing kids, who work hard and don't complain yes its true!
• Thank you Lord for community and family!

Grateful Sunday

I have quite a few things to be grateful for here are just a few...

• Visiting the ocean and the smell of the salty-sea air
• Watching my children run in wild abandonment at the vast space begging for blissful play
• Quite peaceful mornings in meditation and prayer
• Learning something new-I took a gardening class :o)
• Working in my garden, watching the wonder of growing things, how does God make things grow out of this soil and earth?
• The contented joy of a days work done well and the tired body to go with it :o)
• Working towards a common goal
• Looking forward to good things to come

Thank you Lord for this day and all that has been in it!