Pure Poetry . . . Miss Ann

Holy joy lies in the habit of murmuring thanks to God for the smallest of graces.

Sure, I mess it up and gripe a thousand times, but just like you keep doing the laundry, you just keep beginning fresh again — The habit of Thanksgiving is the one habit to wear for a lifetime. ~ Ann Voskamp

Oh my! Really, seems to be all I can say is, Oh My!



I recently found this author/blogger and Jesus Lover! So thankful for the ability to read her writings and let those words sink deep into my thoughts and reflect . . . and grow . . . and change . . . because of Jesus.

Her latest book is called "The Greatest Gift" (Unwrapping the Full Love Story of Christmas). Okay - so I am a SUCKER for Love Stories. Like some of my favorite are:

Pride & Prejudice
the Phantom of the Opera
the Princess Bride
Legends of the Fall
Gone with the Wind
the Thorn Birds (yes, I really do)
the Twilight Series (crazy, was enamored with book 1)

and, my all time favorite,

Jesus Loves Me!

I am only beginning to realize how it is really all about Him, about the Christ, about Jesus Messiah.

Here is what I am talking about - read it up, soak it in, let His love permeate your soul today. God Bless~

From her book, Your Invitation to Unwrap the Gift (the intro):

"The mystery so large becomes the Baby so small, and infinite God becomes infant.
The Giver becomes the Gift, this quiet offering. . .

It's the way the Gift unwraps; you have Christ's family tree...before you have a Christmas tree. IF you don't come to Christmas through Christ's family tree and you come into the Christmas story just at the Christmas tree--this is hard, to understand the meaning of His coming.

Because without the genealogy of Christ, the limbs of His past, the branches of His family, the love story of His heart that has been coming for you since before the beginning--how does Christmas and its tree stand? Its roots would be sheared. Its meaning would be stunted. The arresting pause of the miracle would be lost. . . and the family tree of Christ always gives you hope. . .
The Gift who hung on a Tree for us, cut off.
The Gift who was pierced for you, wounded--your wounded, willing God, who unfolds Himself on the Tree as your endless, greatest Gift."

Thank you Ann. Thank you Jesus Christ - we adore You!!!

http://www.aholyexperience.com/

Here is a Good Man

This is a shout out to my husband!

Ryan, I know I have told you how much I love you and what a wonderful husband & dad you are to our girls.

I need you to know it, deep down in the depths of your heart - how precious you are to us!

I thank God for His gracious gift of you to me . . . I thank Him for your parents who raised you and taught you about the greatest gift, Jesus. I am grateful for the gifts God has given you and how you use them to honor Him.

I pray for His blessing, His favor, His wisdom to you . . . so you can lead a life, lead our family, lead at your job an example of what following Jesus means.

I also know we have been through some amazing things together . . . disorders, marriage, sadness & death, happiness & life, business & craziness, leading our girls in the best thing yet - accepting Jesus into their hearts and so much more.

We KNOW, though maybe not always like and/or understand God's timetable. We don't need to. We do need to trust Him and follow Him. I am asking Him to give us direction, and give us ears to hear and a heart to understand. I love you dearly. I hope you have a good day and a great week!

Love,
M.

p.s. the girls were out on the swing this morning when I could not find them - thx for putting up for them; they love it!

Walters Pumpkin Patch

Hey there! With life this past year so turned up so down, out and around, I am so thankful to keep some traditions a little longer. One of those special ones, is a trip to the most awesome pumpkin patch - Walter's. We headed out yesterday with myself and 3 girlies and 3 friends and a large coffee (can I get an amen?).

God granted us perfect weather - cool but sunshiny! We had a great time and there is something so life.giving about nature and being outside in His world - just love it!!!

So, thanks for friends, thanks for the opportunity, thanks for the outside and the country and the Fall season . . .

Sidenote - my mom has been in the hospital 1 full week now - ugh. On the mend, praise be to God - she WAS a very sick person and she IS a very fortunate person; we are so blessed. God, please use what You allowed her go through to give honor & glory to the One who brought her through. Let our focus be not on what was, but what is and what is yet to come. Thank You so much--it is a gift and we love it:-)

Ryan was in Turkey, now in Italy; make him a man of integrity for You. Bless him, give him Your favor. Bring him home safely. And all God's people said - Amen!

Lord Jesus, create in me a new heart! I listen to people teach of Your works and Your ways throughout the week as I am driving or at work and I say (or shout depending on the mood) a loud Amen! Lord, crucify the legalistic, the fleshly ways in my life. Teach Your ways, show me Your paths, Lead me! Forgive me for my thoughts at times and help me to make them completely obedient to You.

Thank You for being who You are - a God too big for my small mind to comprehend. Thank You for letting me be a part of the process. I know Your will is going to be accomplished with or without me . . . so thank You for inviting me to join. I want to be a part; help me to humble myself so that You can use me.

I pray for YOur guidance; I ask for Your wisdom in finishing out this year . . . lead us to what You want us to do and how You want the birth of Your son to be displayed at Grace.

Thank You Jesus; be with us today. Let us give glory; for it is the day You have made! Praise & Honor & Blessing to You!

I love my children. I love my children. I love my children.

Every have those days, where you have to remind yourself, "Yes! I love my children." The past 24 hours have been like that at times. Kind of like, if I repeat it enough, my feeling heart will click back into beat and i will geniunely smile at them and clean up after them and want to love on them . . .

It has been a long 2 weeks - Ryan has been gone - but, thank You Jesus - He is back!!!
The volleyball team Ellen is on, won tonight - their 1st! Oh, how good that feels . . . and she had the opportunity to have the winning serves both games - Rock On Ellen!

Erin couldn't stand youth group last night (which I lead for her age) and is NOT going back next week. She called her sister a 'butt hole' and is having a very rotten attitude as of late. Rock Out Erin.

Emily has had vinegar in her system since 6:15 when she woke up because her friend, Avery, was coming home with us after school and then to Ellen's games together (in their cheer uniforms) and then to Cat Pack practice. Rock Chalk Emily!

Then, as I was driving to get Miss Em from practice, God showed me a most beautiful painted sunset! Truly, I just say in my car at the stop sign and thanked Him for the gift of life He has given me. Prayed for those I love and those I am going to love. Lifted up some personal needs of friends and the spiritual life of this community. Thank You Jesus for perspective.

So what if the game is lost, the attitude is ungrateful, the energy level is high . . . I am allowed these sweet things for such a short time. Help me to use the time wisely and focus on Jesus each day. In Your great name, LORD! In Your great Name!

Dear God, this is me, Emily

Dear God,
this is me, Emily.
thank You for a family that loves me, for dr marla who wants to help me, for max our puppy who licks me and for bubble gum medicine.
God, this is me, Emily.
thank You for grandma's who pray for me and for pizza hut's chicken alfredo pasta, for strawberries, for cheerleaders, for my friend Avery, for my cousin's Landon & Aubree.
God, this is me, Emily.
thank You for my scooter and for barbies, for Grant & Grayson and baby Charlotte.
thank You God for helping the medicine help me. thank You for september 11, 2011, my spiritual birthday.

thank You God for everything.


Mom note:
Little Miss Emily has been sick for over a week now - ugly cough, puny in spirit, tired, weird skin rashes, hives, lack of appetite and attending school as much as she has missed it (even missed the 1st day of school). We are so thankful to have prayer warriors lifting this sweet one up and for God to heal her sweet body. I pray she is on the mend and I also pray for all moms & dads who have sick little ones . . . lifting them up to the One who speaks life!

Mr. Max

Welcome to our family Mr. Max!
This past Sunday, we welcomed a new addition to our family . . . that is the fact, but not the whole story . . . okay Paul Harvey, tell us the rest . . .

Clark & Marilyn Wedel's dog, Sammi, had babies (5 to be exact) and Eric & Christy Clark's dog was the daddy. So, in theory, we should have named him Clark, but that would have been kind of weird – don't you think??? Anyway, yes of course we wanted one, but “you.know.who” absolutely, positively did not and said so. So, we declined when we were offered.

But, okay a big BUT!!! one of the persons who was going to take a puppy changed their minds. Whoo, Hoo, maybe it was meant to be. Long story, short: we prefaced Ryan with the possiblity (always complete denial); then Emily started not feeling so well and so on the "decision morning", the girls texted him with please, please, please and lots of praying hands . . . and, he gave permission under certain conditions.

So, here we are – seriously, what are we doing? Like any of us has time to deal with a puppy – he's cute, but he eats & drinks & poops & bites & is a big pain in the rear. But, he is cute and right now he is ours.

The girls have been really good with him. I have had to be the mommy and get up each night to take him out to poop and pee . . . its really quiet in the early morning hours, quite peaceful . . . except then there is yiper piper. I hope the girls enjoy him like I enjoyed the dogs I had while growing up. I hope they learn responsibility and realize that taking care of a baby is ALOT of work, even a baby puppy.

God, thanks for this opportunity. Help us to be selfless in this endeavor and we hope Ryan does not regret his decision.

"And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so.
25 And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good.

“trust in the Lord and do good” Psalm 37:4

Help us Lord, to do good, even in these seemingly trivial things like taking care of a puppy.

m.