Appreciation

I've mentioned before that I am reading Listen, Love, Repeat by Karen Ehman.  And the world seems to be joining in.  My Facebook wall has been like reading a wall of blessings.   I have one friend that kissed a lot of toads before she found her one true prince.  And she takes the time from her day quite frequently to thank him for all he does for her and their blended family.  And he does the same for her.

We have friends who live out of town who keep us up to date on their lives, always taking time to count their blessings, no matter how small they might have been that day.  They are always there if you take the time to look for them.

I know a lady whose husband was in a terrible work related accident this spring and they are still waiting by his hospital bed, waiting to see how much of him they get to have back.  They have had to uproot their lives to another town, change schools, and move to a new place without their support system.  And you know what she says almost every day?  That God alone has given her the strength to get up each morning and tackle the day.  That He is her saving grace.

I have a friend who I met through my wonderful mother in law before she passed.  She has stepped into our lives and always has something funny on her page to make people smile.  She takes the time each day to tag people in posts that she thinks they will like, just because.

There is a local business that is running a contest about celebrating a special woman.  Someone who has made a difference in your life, even though she may not know it.  I was blessed to be able to nominate a close friend.  She was literally an answer to a prayer.  I had been asking God to put a great Christian woman in my path.  Someone who could understand where I've been and challenge me to become much more.  She has only been a friend for the last couple years, but the difference she has made in my life is outstanding.  I don't know what I'd do without her.

This week, we have been challenged to #NoticeTheNecessary.  We have a photo challenge, and I just happened to get a great picture of my Dad this morning, with all three grandkids on his lap.  He is just taking it all in while they all want his attention at once.  He has always been there for me, no matter how badly I managed to mess things up.  He would let me know he was disappointed, and then he would go about quietly making it right.  He has worked all his life to provide for his family, and bless those around him with the little he has left over.  He has been an amazing example of #ListenLoveRepeat to both his kids, and all of those he comes across. 

It's amazing how concentrating on looking for the blessings can change things around.  My cup runneth over.

Heavenly Father, I thank you for all the blessings you have given me.  And I thank you for renewing my passion to look for them in the every day.  God, I am so sorry for all those days where my focus has been taken away from all the love you have provided.  Even on those hard, challenging days, You are there, if I only look.  I pray for wisdom to know when my attention is being diverted, and the strength to reject anything other than your love.  Amen.

If you are struggling, or just need to know that He is there, I would be honoured to lift you up in prayer.  Leave your request in the comments, and know that I will be praying for you.

Blessings.

Helping Hearts

I have been thinking a lot lately about getting back to something that has brought me such joy in the past.  For most of my adult life, I have loved surprising those around me with something special.  It isn't necessarily something amazing, just something that lets them know that someone is thinking of them.  That someone has noticed them and loves them.

I have done this in fits and spurts since having children, as it isn't something that often sits at the forefront of my mind.  But my friend, it is such an amazing thing to bless those around you.  And the feeling that you get after blessing someone?  Indescribable.

In the past, my husband and I have sponsored Christmas for families around us that wouldn't otherwise get Christmas.  I don't have a need for anything, and I would much rather know that I have given someone else the gift of unconditional love than have another thing collecting dust.  I find information about the family we have selected by whatever means I can without being too obvious.  And when it is all wrapped up and pretty, my husband often gets the job of invisible delivery boy.  Who knew that playing "Nicky Nicky nine doors" as an adult could have such wonderful results?

We have also just dropped off random packages we feel that still small voice telling us that someone needs something.  We have dropped of food to those who have lost a family member, or care packages to those who have recently had a life change.  We have gifted bags to others that we feel God speaking to us about.

There was one lady that we knew at church.  She seems to lead a somewhat lonely life.  She is a beautiful soul who believes that a hug will always make someone feel better.  I had felt God prompting me with her name, so I made a gift package up for her.  She came into the church one afternoon after she had been in a small car accident, only to find that my package was waiting for her.  She told our church secretary that it absolutely made her week to receive a gift at just that moment.  She was worrying how she was going to get from A to B as her car was getting fixed, as she didn't have the extra insurance that covered a rental car.  She was concerned about how much the cost was going to be to get her car fixed.  It was just a really stressful week for her.  And yet here she walks into church, and a gift is waiting just for her.  She knew right then and there that God had this.  She needed only to trust him.  And to this day, she still doesn't know it was me.  Because I am just the delivery person.  The credit goes to Him.

I'm not telling you this to brag, or make you think I have this amazing, simple life that allows me to just do perfect things.  I assure you, that is far from the case.  I am just trying to tell you that sometimes, in the middle of your crazy, you could be an answer to someone else's prayer.  Maybe they are waiting for you to say "Yes" to that still, small voice.

It can be as simple as asking the person next to you how they are.  And actually listening to their response.  I challenge everyone who reads this to see how many hearts they can touch this week.  Tell that cashier that they are really good at their job.  Smile and tell another Mom you know that she is an amazing mother.  Call your parents and thank them for letting you survive your teenage years!

If you have a prayer request, I would feel honoured if you would leave it in the comments below so that I can lift you up in prayer.

Blessings!

There Is Beauty in Your Story

I had the privilege of hearing the testimony of a friend recently.  She phoned me the night before she was coming to our ladies group, and told me she had never really told her story in front of a group before. She had actually only told parts of her story to people who needed to know that they were not alone.  Even her family doesn't know everything. I told her that we only needed to hear what she was comfortable with. And I explained that we have had other women share marriage advice, crafting passions, parenting tips, and baking recipes.

We are there to enjoy getting to know the, better in whatever way we can. And that we will love her no matter what she decides to share with us.

We should feel honoured when these women choose to trust us with the details of their life. These are the very things that have shaped them into who they are today. And not all of the shaping has been easy, or is something they really want to re-live.  There's bravery in their willingness to bare their souls to us. And we need to respect and realize that.

We are there to enjoy getting to know the, better in whatever way we can. And she needs to know that we will love her no matter what she decides to share with us.

Now, I won't go into details, as it is her story to tell, not mine.  But I will say that it was heartbreaking, beautiful, and inspiring all in less than 1 hour.  This woman told us how she has walked a long, difficult road, but she has felt His presence each and every step of the way.  And she knows that she has only made it through because of His strength, not hers.  She offered no explanation of why she had to walk this path, but was grateful that she always knew she was not alone, and that she was loved, no matter what.  There is no shame in her story, only faithfulness and perseverance.

Ladies, I want you to consider two things.

1) That you never know the story behind the woman in front of you in line at the grocery store, or the woman ringing in your groceries.  Her story is unique, and beautiful in its own way.  And no matter what it may seem like, she is doing her absolute best to get through each and every day.  She needs understanding and acceptance.

And 2) Your story matters. You are never alone in whatever you are going through. He is using you in ways you can't even imagine. And in sharing a part of your journey, you are an inspiring example of his love.

I see so much judgment every day.  And I'm just as guilty of doing it too.  But unless you've walked their path, right beside them each step of the way, then you can't offer ways to have done it better. Because it isn't your story. Just like they can't tell you what you should have done. But maybe we can help make the journey a little better by offering grace. Understanding.  Love.  And maybe one story at a time, we can make our world a little bit better. One step at a time.

If you have any prayer requests, I would be honoured to lift you up!

Blessing.

That's Not Who I Am

I don't often get to spend quality alone time with my husband.  We reserve Friday nights as our "Date Night", but about 50 weeks of the year, date night simply means we don't answer the phone or use the computer.  We order in dinner, put our kids to bed and my husband falls asleep on the couch beside me while we watch TV or a movie.

So when I had the chance to fly down to Vancouver, then Victoria, BC with him and drive a vehicle home, I jumped at it.

I am blessed that after 5 years of marriage (which I know is really not that long, but is still a big deal to us), we can still talk for hours. 

We enjoyed a beautiful flight down to Vancouver, filled with views of beautiful glaciers on mountain tops and the gorgeous blue-green lakes that they melt in to.  Then a couple hours in the airport, and we were off to Victoria.

When we finally made it back to the ferry with our new-to-us truck, it was time again to just relax and enjoy each other's company.  We talked about a lot of things during our 16 hours of travel.  We discussed the usual things: work, kids, finances, the house and yard work.

Once we left Vancouver, headed for home, we started to talk about how some people are just so unhappy in their lives because of what they base their personal importance on. 

If they have the ideal body shape and size, their life will be better. 

If their house is continually spotless, their life will be better.

If their hair and skin are perfect at all times, their life will be better.

If they...

You get the point.

This conversation has been on my mind all week.  I feel that God is asking me to put a message out there to people that these are not the attributes he is wanting us to cultivate.

Now, by no means am I perfect, but I personally do not understand these people.  Not one of these qualities have a single thing to do with who they are.  These things only deal with what they look like to the rest of the world.  And I discovered a long time ago that my appearance is what I look like, it is not who I am.

God has put a number on every single hair on our of our heads, and knows when a single one of his flock is hurting.  But you know what he has never counted?  What the scale says in the morning, or house many toys are on the living room floor when company shows up.  He never once mentions that our hair and skin must be flawless.

You know what he did say?  Your greatest commandment is to love God, and to love others. 

How can you do that when you don't love where God has put you right now?

That's Not Who I Am

I don't often get to spend quality alone time with my husband.  We reserve Friday nights as our "Date Night", but about 50 weeks of the year, date night simply means we don't answer the phone or use the computer.  We order in dinner, put our kids to bed and my husband falls asleep on the couch beside me while we watch TV or a movie.

So when I had the chance to fly down to Vancouver, then Victoria, BC with him and drive a vehicle home, I jumped at it.

I am blessed that after 5 years of marriage (which I know is really not that long, but is still a big deal to us), we can still talk for hours. 

We enjoyed a beautiful flight down to Vancouver, filled with views of beautiful glaciers on mountain tops and the gorgeous blue-green lakes that they melt in to.  Then a couple hours in the airport, and we were off to Victoria.

When we finally made it back to the ferry with our new-to-us truck, it was time again to just relax and enjoy each other's company.  We talked about a lot of things during our 16 hours of travel.  We discussed the usual things: work, kids, finances, the house and yard work.

Once we left Vancouver, headed for home, we started to talk about how some people are just so unhappy in their lives because of what they base their personal importance on. 

If they have the ideal body shape and size, their life will be better. 

If their house is continually spotless, their life will be better.

If their hair and skin are perfect at all times, their life will be better.

If they...

You get the point.

This conversation has been on my mind all week.  I feel that God is asking me to put a message out there to people that these are not the attributes he is wanting us to cultivate.

Now, by no means am I perfect, but I personally do not understand these people.  Not one of these qualities have a single thing to do with who they are.  These things only deal with what they look like to the rest of the world.  And I discovered a long time ago that my appearance is what I look like, it is not who I am.

God has put a number on every single hair on our of our heads, and knows when a single one of his flock is hurting.  But you know what he has never counted?  What the scale says in the morning, or house many toys are on the living room floor when company shows up.  He never once mentions that our hair and skin must be flawless.

You know what he did say?  Your greatest commandment is to love God, and to love others. 

How can you do that when you don't love where God has put you right now?