Give Thanks!

I woke up with a song on my heart today "Give thanks to the Lord our God and King for he is good his love endures forever", scripture set to music. Everyday is a day to give thanks but I think it's right and good to set time aside to corporately and intentionally acknowledge God's goodness reigning over our lives.

And while I'll eat too much stuffing and my favorite tradition is watching the parade, I pray that in the hard moments of the coming year I'll hearken back to the bounty of today and my soul will feast.

Let the trees of the forest sing,

let them sing for joy before the Lord,

for he comes to judge the earth.

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;

his love endures forever.

Cry out, “Save us, God our Savior;

gather us and deliver us from the nations,

that we may give thanks to your holy name,

and glory in your praise.”

1 Chronicles 16:33-35

I trust today that your cup will overflow as you look back over the year and marvel at God's faithfulness and look ahead in trust to the coming year! What are you thankful for?

A Spontaneous Hallelujah!

I feel the need today to shout out a Hallelujah to the God who makes zinnias grow in November, who doesn't laugh at a girl who wants to go to Serbia, who gives out gifts like every day is Christmas, who makes flesh and blood strangers sisters of the heart, who causes four year old laughter to sound like sunshine, who lets us rest our faith on his ability to be faithful. To that God, the living one, I have to give a shout out!

I'm thankful for a husband who has gotten used to my idiosyncrasies and doesn't make me feel bad for them but doesn't feel the need to follow suit either, he just lets me be me.

I'm thankful for color. That instead of black and white, or shades of blue, God splashed the world with a pallet that defies description. For orange butterflies sipping nectar daintily in the November sun.

I'm thankful for a little boy filled with curiosity, wearing a coon skin cap. For a little boy who's sensitive and sorry when he does what's wrong. Who loves his little sister and thinks she's cute, and mostly not annoying.

I'm thankful that when I need mercy and call out for it that it's never lacking. That knowledge gives me courage to go big and not be afraid to fail because mercy is what I'll get every time!

It's good to say thank you, to shout out praise, and name some gifts! How about you what's got your heart jumping and your face smiling lately?

More Than Enough

I feel like whispering instead of shouting which is a little odd given the news I have to share. I can only imagine it's because I am truly humbled by God's generosity and yours.

God has supplied $2,600 for the trip to Serbia, and there is more on the way! At least $400 more has been promised. Not only has God provided enough, he's given even more!

The extra from travel expenses will be used on the trip to buy supplies for the residents of Dom Veternik.

Perhaps I feel quiet and introspective because now the enormous task of following Jesus into uncharted territory looms ahead. Or because I truly feel solemn to be included in the plans God has for loving others. How do you prepare your heart to meet and bond with people who live on the other side of the world?

Maybe it's because I know my own frail humanity, my weaknesses and fears, maybe I know this is the most intense thing I've ever attempted and I know it will take complete surrender and trust to follow in Jesus' footsteps.

Whatever the reason, as much as I am excited I'm intensely humbled. Thank you friends for loving with me. For taking the time to hear Jesus in my sometimes garbled words, for dreaming and imagining with me, for showing me what generosity looks like!

I shouldn't be surprised. Jesus is always more than enough!

(To learn more about our trip to Serbia read go to my Journey to Serbia page.)

A journey of thanks and faith

I'm taking long sips of summer sun from Alabama days. The air is heavy and perfumed with gardenia and honeysuckle. Delicious breezes whisper to us from over the water, carrying the hint of salt water and the dream of dolphins playing in the bay. Unfortunately allergies are in full bloom along with the mimosa and magnolia trees. We're eating dark purple cherry tomatoes, squash, green beans, jalapeno peppers, and all kinds of herbs from the garden. To top it all off the sparkle of a now four year old gives the southern sun a run for it's money!

Sun peaking through the fingers of a pecan grove.

Chris, Max and Maggie enjoying an evening stroll down an Alabama back road.

Garden spider zipping up his web in hopes of dinner.

The fruits of labor.

Zenias from a friend showing off their color.

I love the color of these sweet tomatoes.

Sunshine girl!

My heart is pregnant with hope this week. I see God drawing people to himself with mercy, people who have not understood his truth before. And my foot is poised at a doorway of faith for Serbia. It is time to ask the government permission to visit the institutions there. I'm praying for doors to swing wide and to be given favor. Join me in prayerful trust won't you?

The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy. Psalm 126:3

I would love to hear from you. What blessings from our Father's hand are you soaking up this week? What are you trusting him for?

Sister to Sister: Thanksgiving

Welcome to Sister to Sister! The opportunity for you to write words of truth and honesty that bring encouragement to other sisters. Feel free to link up a story, a lesson, a quote, a song or a scripture that's meaningful to you. Be creative, be expressive, be real.

"He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love." Ephesians 4:16

Here's how it works:

* Every week I'll share a word I'm focusing on. If you'd like to join me in posting on that topic, wonderful. If not, link up with an encouraging post you'd like to share.

* Link up bellow and spread the love! Visit other sister's posts and let them know what their words mean to you!

*Grab the code for the Sister to Sister link up button from the sidebar to the right, or copy and past the graphic to the left linking this post to it, and invite others to join.

Are you ready? Join me this week in inspiring other women with your thoughts on:

Thanksgiving...

I have nothing original to say, but I join my voice with the chorus of praise rising heavenward! What an opportunity to join in the choreographed song of thanksgiving to our great God. What does the united shout of gratitude and worship, lifting from the mouths of God's people, look like from his vantage point? That's a sight I'd love to see! So won't you join with me in lifting up your praise to our gracious Father.

My family has so much to be thankful for this year. Here, in pictures, are just a few of the many gifts that have graced our lives.

 

Enjoying the gift of beauty, everywhere when we stoop to see.

 

Safety traveling long distances, with all our belongings, twice in one year.

 A new church fellowship, for better or worse, richer or poor, in sickness and in health. Beginning the adventure of linking our lives together.

 A princess who delights, and sometimes exhausts, her mommy and daddy.

 Enjoying another angle of God's expansive creativity, from Wyoming to Alabama God's glory is displayed.

 A home.

 Sweet sunshiney days spent together.

 A brother and a sister growing up together, learning love.

 Friendship blooming, God's gift to us in all it's forms.

Watching my little people grow up sheltered in the love of their father.

May the joy of a grateful heart bless you today and throughout the coming year! “Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good. His unfailing love continues forever, and his faithfulness continues to each generation.” Psalm 100:4-5

A Basket Full of Thanks {Mondays}

This has been a hard week. My husband, Chris, got word that a job he was hopeful to be interviewed for passed on him. So we're back to square one and on month four without income. It seems that the stakes for praising God in the hard times gets harder every week. Yet the harder it gets the more necessary praise becomes. A thankful heart pleases God and changes my perspective. So here I am, once again, saying thank you.

121.Flip flops and red painted toe nails.

122. Dark chocolate M&Ms and taste buds to enjoy them with!

123. A fuzzy friend to observe and chuckle over. (He's now cocooned in a bug house as we await his immersion as a moth.)

 124. A beautiful drive through the countryside of the north-east.

125. Arriving at the end of that long drive at grandparent's house for a visit.

126. Jeweled webs, drops of light sparkling in the sunshine.

 127. Grace spread thick over my life, whether I deserve it or not, which I don't but I'm thankful for.

128. A word of truth at just the right moment to keep me going.

129. Sweet treats made by sweet hands, lamb cupcakes just for fun.

130. The laughter of cousins becoming friends.

I'm linking up with Ann as I name gifts.

A Basket Full of Thanks {Mondays}

Worship, the antidote to fear and loss, self-pity and pride. Worship, a necessary privilege. Counting gifts when it's hard to count is worship, eyes that chose to see. Pleasing to God, healing my heart. So, I keep worshiping. His glory my prize, my satisfaction.

"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows." James 1:17

101. Gathering of hearts needing, obeying, worshiping together; combined faith is powerful.

102. Stories of heroes, long ago walks echoing obedience down through the years, giving hope to my heart.

103. Skies so golden they ring

 104. Sparkle of 7 year old humor and joy.

105. Gracious gift of a partner for the joys and pain of life, always by my side.

106. Creamy blossoms rising from the water, rich and full.

 107. Friends that care, love, uplift. 

108. A practical joke of ducks filling a pool, delighting small hearts.

109. Grills cooking delicious summer food.

110. Decades of love from a Mama. Happy Birthday.

I'm linking up with other thankful hearts today.