Gratitude Week 3

It's that time again!

This week I am thankful to God...

-for belly laughs--the kind that make you cry and have to wipe your tears with your tshirt [:)]

-for having friends who I can be the geekiest, giggliest, most wide-open version of myself around without fearing judgement

-for the fact that music exists, and that as Chris Crow so aptly wrote: God's Love is my Song

-for my friend Kari who is fabulous and 40, and SO worth celebrating!!!!

-for baby Nathan

and finally...

-for the humility I see in others that gives me a peek of Jesus Himself

So now it's your turn. Don't be shy. What are YOU thankful for???

song crush #18

I was introduced to this one by some friends (so thank you). It is AMAZING, but what song by Bebo Norman isn't, right?

Click here: The Only Hope

this will take you to Google, click on the first entry to listen (play song from lala.com)

Check out these lyrics...

I want a crumb, but you are a feast
I want a song, but you are a symphony
I want a star, but you're a galaxy

And I have resolved that I'm much better off
In what you have for me

the Small Stuff

I take a tiny white and blue pill that regulates my blood pressure. Perhaps I take it forgranted that this little capsule just magically does what its supposed to do? I mean how cool is it that something so small can have this huge effect on my whole body...my overall health?

What other tiny things have a huge effect?

a new baby will rock a family's world (in the best possible way)

a tiny spark can turn into a raging forest fire

a hairline fracture can put someone in a cast and crutches for weeks

one root of bitterness can take over a person's entire attitude

the faith of a mustard seed can move a mountain (Mt 17:20)

one idea can change the world...just ask the inventor of the World Wide Web (and no it wasn't Al Gore)

one cancer cell mutates exponentially and wreaks havoc

one word of kindness can change the trajectory of someone's day

Do we pay attention to the small stuff? Do we even consider that the small stuff can have huge implications...good and bad? I wonder if we did, would our actions and words look different? I wonder if we did, would our world look any different?

Gratitude Week 2

I had 8 people "participate" in my gratitude experiment last week. It was fun to have some interaction. Even better to know what my friends were thankful for in their lives.

Let's try this again. Let me know what you are thanking God for this week!

As for me...

I am thankful:

~for the rain, and that it finally stopped

~that its so fun to have a college football team in town

~for the access I have to my Savior every minute

~for Luke and Blake's belly laughs

~for baby Cate coming safely into the world and that Nathan is on his way!

~for Laura's bday...the world is a better place with her in it

Now it's your turn...

Retro song crush #2

Who didn't love this song, right?

But let's be honest, as AWESOME as it is, does anyone really know what all the words mean???

500 Miles

Parenting is Like a Communicable Disease

Yesterday my 6 year old asked me what our soul is. The question surprised me and I said a quick prayer as I attempted to explain the concept to him. After my explanation was given, he said, "Ok," and strolled into the other room, while singing, "I got soul but I'm not a soldier...."

Oh.

So his question had more to do with a song by The Killers (track 6 on my "feel good" iPod playlist) than it did with a more spiritual implication.

So that was pretty funny (and yes, I know The Killers isn't the best musical choice for the 6 and under crowd...Raffi they aren't), but it got me thinking about something that I know to be true.

How much of parenting is caught, not taught? How much do our kiddos learn from us not by what we say and teach, but by what they see, hear, or observe???

Just as Blake's little ears picked up a catchy refrain from a song he'd heard me play on the iPod. What else are my kids picking up on by watching my attitude, seeing what choices I make, noticing what I do with my time, seeing how I react to what life throws my way?

The big question is what will my kids catch from me?

(And the bigger takeaway?

...I really need Jesus!)

Gratitude Week 1

I am trying a little experiment here. Work with me if you will.

I believe the big picture of each day is composed of tiny pixels, that if we look closely enough are actually God's presence and fingerprints. He is all over everything, but I am personally too busy a lot of times to notice. I also believe the key to seeing Him there is the act of gratitude. The act of expressing thanks for things big and small. As we become grateful, we can zero in on those pixels and see our God everywhere!

So here's the experiment: I am going to do a weekly gratitude post. Your part? Tell me what you are thankful for in the comments section below.

I know many of you read this...I can tell because my counter number goes up when I post. But not so many of you comment, which is fine (blog stalkers!!!). What would be so cool about you posting on this one? We could be thankful for what he's done in each other's lives together!

What you are thankful for can be big or small, "spiritual" or mundane. It doesn't matter what it is, what matters is Who are thankful to...

I'll go first...

Gratitude Week 1:

I am thankful to my Maker...

1. that Mark found the rotted dead rat in the shed and not me.

2. that my hubs sent me flowers and made me feel so loved

3. that my work friends called to see how Blake's labs turned out

4. that Blake's labs were normal and he has a gigantor tonsil for apparently no reason

5. for my iPod and the music on my "so worshipful" playlist

6. that Luke came up with his own idea for a Sunday service :), and it was creative and awesome

7. that Jesus meets me exactly where I'm at

8. for two babies on the way in the next 9 days!

9. that my part is to respond to Christ's love

10. a lazy Saturday with no big agenda

11. for family date night last night...awesome movie and Pei Wei!!!!

Okay friends. What are you thankful for today, this week, lately...

Love Letter

I am one of these lucky girls who has a hubs that likes to send me "for-no-special-reason" flowers. They are always beautiful, usually a spring mix with my favorite gerber daisies. But if I'm being honest, my favorite part about the flowers is the little card that comes with it. Mark always goes to the flower shop and hand writes me a note. It is with pure excitement that I open the little envelope, just dying to see what he's written this time. I treasure these notes, I memorize Mark's words, and they leave me flying high all day long.

Last night, a dear friend reminded me that God's Word is His love letter to the World, to His Church, to me.

This got me thinking about how I approach my time in God's Word...

Do I dive into His Word with anticipation? Do I treasure His love note to me? Do I ponder it and store it my heart all day long? Does the message of Love between the front and back covers give me wings?

Hero

None of my musings are needed for this one.

Just listen...

Hero by Abandon

"There He goes - a hero. A savior to the world.
Here He stands with scars in His hands.
With love, He gave His life so we could be free.
The Savior of the world.

He choose to take the cross. Shed tears for the lost, the broken, and the needy.
Forgiving those who were and will be.
The angel made it clear. He told them have no fear.
He’s not here. He’s not here!"

So thankful to the Savior of the World, the Savior of my heart.

Easter 2010

How Could You Say No?

This is sort of a song crush, but more.

When I was 16 years old, I heard a certain song at a Young Life retreat. It was a guy and his guitar and I'll never forget it. The reason why? The song sort of crystalized things for me...I can see in retrospect that God had been pursuing me--a weary little girl utterly heartbroken after losing her mother--for 3 years. Hearing this song brought God's pursuit of me to a point of clarity. It was my ah-ha moment, if you will.

It was the moment I just got it: Who Jesus is--What He had to do--Why He did it--Who He did it for...

Isaiah 53:5 from The Message

But it was our sins that did that to him,

that ripped and tore and crushed him—our sins!

He took the punishment, and that made us whole.

Through his bruises we get healed.

Listen here:

How Could You Say No

(This is a youtube video link...not so big on the video, but the version of the song is beautiful)

May this Easter be a weekend of contemplation for you. May it not pass by in a blur of colored eggs, chocolates and busy-ness. May it be a time to really think about what was done on our behalf so many years ago, and what that means for our reality today...