Surprised by Life - Finding the Beauty

My beautiful and amazing friend Brooke McGlothlin just started a brand new blog today called "Surprised by Life".  You must head over to get to know her, for she is an amazing woman with a beautiful heart.  I just love her.  She is one of my "IRL once a year" friends that I get to see and hug at the Allume conference every year in October.

Today as she opens her blog, she has challenged us to see the beauty in our lives.  So I thought I would share a few photos of the beauty that surrounds my life.

An unexpected opportunity to share in new, fuzzy, cuddly life.

So proud of my daughter for braving a cold, rainy day of flag football to raise money for an injured student.

After16 years with this man, I still marvel at the way he loves me, cares for me, and tolerates me!

My mom heart is never full until ALL of my girls are at home. There is nothing like the whole family under one roof. I'm worried about how I'll feel when they are all on their own!

These three gifts from above fill my heart with joy!!!!

A quick glance in a flower shop window, and my heart stopped when I saw this rose.  It  provides hours of photography fun at home.

The garden beginning to burst open with color, texture, smells, and beauty.  I feel fully alive when I am tending to the garden.

Reminders of God's awesome provision, not just for me and my family, but for the earth and His creation as well.

Beauty surrounds us every day, and I am so happy to have had this opportunity today to stop and count the gifts around me.

Linking up with Brooke today.

Party Anyone?

The house was completely decked out in party attire.  Balloons, streamers, hats for the guests, cake and music.

But I was the only one who attended.

Why?

It was a Pity Party.

Who wants to attend one of those, right?  No wonder I was the only one who knocked on the door.  I was the guest of honor, slumped in my chair with my hat all crooked.

Have you been there friend?  Party of one?

Sadly, it's not the only party I have thrown for myself.  I've been here before.  It happens every time I listen to the world's standards.  When I am looking for attention, jumping up and down, hoping someone notices me, standing over here in this corner of the blogosphere.

And after I've had my tantrum, God sends a comment, a tweet, or a sweet Skype conversation to remind me that this is my Father's business I am doing here on this blog, not my own. 

So I sit up straight, wipe the frosting off my chin, take my hat off, and clean up those party favors.  I sit myself back down at my computer and begin typing out my thoughts and feelings again, praying that God will use them to help someone else.  After all, that is why I started this blogging journey....I knew there were others like me who might be encouraged knowing they weren't alone in this difficult, messy life.

So come on, will you join me?  Let's get back to the real party.  The one where God rejoices over us with singing!!  Now that is my kind of party!!

Make Today Different

What if we make today different?  It's Leap Day, an extra day, like a gift.

What if instead of putting out our usual chatter on Twitter, we took it by storm and sent messages all around the world about Jesus?


What if we join the hashtag #JesusRocks and share about Him all day long?

What if today could be different FOR HIM, instead of just an extra day.

Will you join me?

Good Friday

Today He died for YOU.

Unconditionally.

Once and for ALL.

God is Bigger than our Wildest Dreams

Do you ever gaze at the sky looking for God? 

Do you ever wonder just how big He is? 

The Whirlpool Galaxy, 31 million light years away from earth, contains 300 billion stars. 

"When I consider your heavens, 

the work of your fingers, 

the moon and the stars, 

which you have set in place,  

what is man that you are mindful of him,

the son of man that you care for him?" 

Psalm 8:3,4

God is bigger than we could ever possibly imagine.  His creation AND creativity is more than we can fathom.  And yet He hears my every thought, my every prayer, my every word....and He cares for me, for you.

The Hubble telescope captured the black hole in the center of the Whirlpool Galaxy.    What do you see?

I think it looks something like this..................

Chance?

Hardly.

"He who appoints the sun to shine by day, 

who decrees the moon and stars to shine by night, 

who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar-- 

the LORD Almighty is his name."

Jeremiah 31:35

"For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rules or authorities; all things were created by him and for him.  He is before all things, and in him all things hold together."
Colossians 1:16-17

His creation is not haphazard nor accidental.  Scripture shows His power through just His breath and thought.

"By the word of the LORD were the heavens made, 

their starry host by the breath of his mouth."

Psalm 33:6

Does this power not just blow your mind?  He spoke EVERYTHING into existence, created from NOTHING...except one thing...you and I.  Genesis 2:7 states "God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being."   and verse 21, "he took one of the man's ribs and close up the place with flesh.  Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man."

Beloved, you were created by the very hand of God, touched by His hand.  The same God who made the universe as pictured above made you.  He is HUGE, yet he knows everything about you.  He is BEYOND our imagination, yet He longs to have a relationship with each of us!

The next time you admire the moon, the stars or a constellation, join them in praising your God in heaven.

"Praise him, 

sun and moon, 

praise him, 

all you shining stars". 

Psalm 148:3

1000 Gifts

...lots of snow missing us, only rain here...

...fun, laughter, and joy with my girls...

...a husband that knows me better than I know myself...

...the welcome morning song of birds, signaling spring lies ahead...

...my awesome church...

...four days of fasting and prayer in the nation of Haiti-God is moving...

1000 Gifts

6. my 8 year old little angel who still loves to snuggle every morning
7. a family who doesn't care about a messy house
8. grace when I am sick
9. kleenex....boxes and boxes of kleenex
10. a church I love that teaches the scriptures
11. an amazing preacher....inspiring, real, fun
12. beautiful piano music from Holy Experiences blog
13. beginning piano sounds from my 8 and 9 year old girls
14. electric blankets
15. the treasure of my Dad's bible
16. my Dad sits in Jesus presence in Heaven(oh how I miss him)

Gratitude

I recently discovered Ann's wonderful blog, A Holy Experience.  Visiting there brings such a sense of quiet and calm.  I love visiting every day.  A Gratitude Community has sprung up at her blog, and I couldn't help but participate.  I have so much to be thankful for, and this seemed a great way to make it an intentional part of life, by recording those things as reminders of God's faithfulness to me and my family.

So today I begin my list of 1000 Gifts:

1.  Jesus Christ
2.  His gift of salvation
3.  His forgiveness of my retched sin
4.  My unbelievable, amazing HUSBAND
5.  Danielle Elizabeth
6.  Katherine Grace
7.  Anna Rose

Thank you for these amazing gifts, Lord Jesus!