thanks for all

I woke this morning singing 

words arising from my spirit

without forethought

words of adoration, words of praise

words of gratitude

I thanked Him

for love, for light, for life

I thanked Him

for His plans, His purposes

and continuing on

I even sang thanksgiving for pain

knowing I may be crushed

but never, no never destroyed

I woke this morning singing

words of adoration, words of praise

words of gratitude

We've been surrounded and battered by troubles, but we’re not demoralized; we’re not sure what to do, but we know that God knows what to do; we've been spiritually terrorized, but God hasn't left our side; we've been thrown down, but we haven’t broken. 2 Corinthians 4:8-9 The Message

We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. 2 Corinthians 4:8-9 NIV

walking with Emily in imperfection

 

Thanksgiving Monday

Be happy [in your faith] and rejoice and be glad-hearted continually (always); 

Be unceasing in prayer [praying perseveringly];

Thank [God] in everything [no matter what the circumstances may be, 

be thankful and give thanks], 

for this is the will of God for you [who are] in Christ Jesus 

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Amplified

As we gather in twos and threes and more

to celebrate the holiday of thanks giving

teach me Lord

what it means to be thankful always

to lay down my right to grumble 

when things are not as I planned

when I don't get my way

help me again to release control

into your care

with my hands and heart open

lifted to You in gratitude and praise

Day 14 of 31 Days of Surrender

 

Enter His gate

Enter his gates with thanks; 

enter his courtyards with praise!

Thank him! Bless his name! 

Because the Lord is good, 

his loyal love lasts forever; 

his faithfulness lasts generation after generation. 

Psalm 100:4-5 Common English Bible

 

Singing His praises with Deidra and the Sunday choir

 

Consuming fire...

Do you see what we’ve got? 

An unshakable kingdom! 

And do you see how thankful we must be? 

Not only thankful, but brimming with worship, 

deeply reverent before God. 

For God is not an indifferent bystander. 

He’s actively cleaning house, 

torching all that needs to burn, 

and he won’t quit until it’s all cleansed. 

God himself is Fire!  

Hebrews 12:28-29 The Message

 

 Joining Deidra and the Sunday singers

 

Blooming in the shade

The days have grown long now
the vegetable garden begins to explode
with the promise of fruits to come.
Yes, these are the practical plants
seeds that are transformed into body nourishment
for ourselves and others.

Like any other farmer, Rick, the gardener,

does his daily, or twice daily, or thrice daily walkabout

checking progress, whispering prayers

exhaling words of thanksgiving.

These last few days

there has been time for the frills
the colour and chaos of flowers.
We planted in baskets, containers and beds
and I do my daily, or twice daily, or thrice daily walkabout
taken with beauty, whispering prayers
exhaling words of praise.

I hear His voice in these gardens

see the creative work of His hands.

Each flower unique in its thriving

those needing heat do not scorch in the sun

while others demand shade's cooling touch.

He Is, always

both my light and my shelter

I bloom beneath the shadow of His love.

The Lord himself watches over you!

The Lord stands beside you as your protective shade.

 Psalm 121:5 NLT

 

Joining Jennifer in celebrating His God-incidences

also walking in community with Emily and the redeemed

 

Blanket of white

This morning I woke to a brittle blanket of white covering the world beyond my window.
Sun kissed crystals shimmered, danced
Isn't that is the call upon our lives, to reflect His light,
to shine even when our very bones may feel frozen, dark and fragile?

I wanted to capture the scene in digital pixels, yet could not.

Journal open, He spoke to me about love.

Continue to learn what love is.
Continue to ask Me.
Wait.  Watch.  Listen.
When you feel My gentle push, move.
You can act in love even when you don't think you feel love.
Love is more than a feeling, more than emotion that cannot be trusted.
Love is what you choose to do, until it becomes who you are.
This is how you will become more like Me.
Love is Who I Am.

Just as you are learning to say the hard "thank you", you will learn to love the unloveable, to love hard enough to see that are no unlovables at all!

 

A year of encouragement

This is the time of year when people look back and post retrospectives on their blog.  Many choose their favourite posts or those that drew the most traffic.  Because God has created me to be different from the crowd I have decided instead to share some of my favourite comments from 2011, one for each month of the year.

January 8th Bonnie Gray who blogs at The FaithBarista left these words on my post Persevere and Expectation:

I love coming by here for my cup of brew. I'm getting used to coming through the door, that you leave ajar for me. :) I feel today you're standing up and letting out a battle cry, as I read the last part of your post. Wonderful words matching persevere & expectation! loved your link.

February 15th Brian Miller of Waystation One commented on Heartstrings:

having heard a string or two break in my day...it is a powerful image...and the restringing bringing the instrument back to life as well... 

March 2nd Jerry of Under the Door Frame noted on Icy Heart:

A heart of ice melted into living water... A heart of stone transformed into a heart of flesh. Thank God for his pursuit...and our often hesitant response. Good. good.

April 27th Nance Marie of various blogs added to Finding light:

grace of the Lord
to cover the sea of bitterness within
the light of the Lord
to shine into my dark soul

May 11th master encourager Glynn of Faith, Fiction, Friends said this on Shouts and whispers:

Beautiful, Karin. Prayer is like an ongoing conversation, "heartbeat to heartbeat," punctuated by those whispers and shouts

June 21st the poet Dustus left this comment on In the blood:

"how the eyes see a laugh so familiar it turns the heads of those who hear" This passage made my head spin. So good and expressed through multiple sense modalities. Great composition.

July 14th Debbie of Heart Choices commented on For each other, by each other:

Very interesting post on faith. If only more believers would be transparent and share their struggles with one another. We can then encourage one another and turn our eyes on Jesus. It helps to know we're not alone

August 8th Linda added these thoughts to Be still:

Oh, my.... That's gripping stuff. I've experienced times like that, too, so my heart goes out to both you and the new pastor. God bless you both as you remain still and rest in the Lord; and wait for Him and patiently lean yourself upon Him. He is good and He is at work, even if you can't see just what He is doing right now

September 30th Beth Werner Lee (link not active) commented about Finding my voice in His:

Thank you, so right you are to ponder on Jesus saying he spoke only what he heard, and was sent to say. Oh, that I could be like him! Only through his Spirit who does the same. Today we were just studying James 1:19,20: quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger...I need to apply this now, daily! Thank you, writing from the fire.

October 4th Sandra Heska King left words on Season of seasons:

I love the contrasts.
Moving too fast while stuck in place.
Softened and hardened.
Decay and hope.
And the spices and scent and aroma and fragrance.
Oh, and that photo. Clever girl.

November 7th Nancy of Out of My Alleged Mind shared her thoughts on Believe?:

I'm really good at trusting God theoretically. Not so much when I can't connect the dots to see how the plan is taking shape. I keep trying to remind myself to look back toward his faithfulness in the past and asking him to increase my faith, even only enough to take the next step.

December 24th Doug Spurling commented on Christmas Tears:

Amen. You are opening the greatest of Christmas presents with your tears, your heart meshing with His to seek and save that which is lost ~ His Presence.

Though I write in obedience to my Lord, not for hits or applause, words of true encouragement help greatly along the way. Please take a moment when you can to visit the blogs of those who so richly blessed me.

I also thank each and every one of you who has wandered about inside these words, even those who never leave a trace of themselves before they leave.  You are truly a gift to me.  May the coming year bring with it the richness of His love.


 

Praising down

It is a cloudy mid December day
I'm thankful that temperatures have behaved in an unusual fashion
rising instead of falling down.

It would not be at all strange
to have many feet of snow drifted at my door
yet there are only flurries
scattering down slowly.

I continue to unwrap Advent
counting blessings with a heart overflowing
nights I am sheltered from cold
by a heated mattress pad
a down duvet
and the arms of a devoted husband.

I am living a life I would never have known
if everything I thought I believed
had not been turned upside down
by a God Who's love was so profound
He sacrificed heaven's throne
coming down to walk among us
teaching love with every step.

My heart bows down before Him
in worship, adoration, honour
due to Him alone

So come, let us worship: bow before him,

on your knees before God,

who made us!

Psalm 95:6 The Message

Joining Peter Pollock today where today's word is down

also unwrapping the gifts of the day with Emily

 

Unwrapped peace

Silence, stillness,
the fluttering wings of birds at feeders
seeking their winter provision.
Peace that comes
with the knowledge that I am back
exactly where God has rooted me
in this season of waiting
for what we know we have already received
for He Is here
Immanuel
God with us.

What gifts have you unwrapped today?  Come share at Emily's.

 

Thankful for choice

Sharing a bit of a snip from my work-in-progress:

“That was a big dinner” she thought “and I’m so full. But I still want to try to eat more of God.” She sank into the sofa and opened her bible, continuing on where she left off.

You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act. Can you pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? ¹⁷ A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit.  Matthew 7:16-17 NLT

“You know what kind of tree you are” the voices sneered.

“Are you going to listen to them?” asked the calm One.

“No, I am not” thought Jessie. “Help me to not hear them.”

“Choose to not listen. Choose.”

“Okay” Jessie whispered aloud. “I only want to listen to you.” She closed her eyes and breathing deeply, drifted into a dream.

She was in surrounded by trees. Everywhere she looked she saw lush green leaves and more types of fruit than she had ever seen before in one place. There were apples of every colour, peaches, pears and every sort of citrus fruit. She wandered from tree to tree and noticed that there was not a single blemish or spot on any of the fruits. Each one looked perfect. She couldn’t resist tasting them, and found each one rich and sweet, totally ripe and ready to eat. The juices dribbled down her chin.

The sound of a car starting in the street below woke her. She laughed when she realized she had been drooling. Not juice, just a dream, a very nice, bright dream.

“Thank you God” she said as she rose to prepare for bed. “Thank you for showing me the good trees and not the rotten trees.”

“You can choose what you want to see” she thought she heard Him answer.

“Choices?” she smiled. “I never thought I had any choices. Might take some getting used to.”



Jamming with Bonnie about gratitude

Sharing with Emily and the others imperfect but loved.

 

Thanksgiving words

This is a busy time - so I am offering here a reworking of a Thanksgiving post from 2009.

This weekend in Canada we are celebrating Thanksgiving. People will gather to eat, and laugh and play games.  In the midst of all the feasting and festivities I'm afraid that too few of us stop to consider what the very name of the holiday means - thanks giving - the giving of thanks.

The Word tells us:

Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. For the LORD is good; His mercy is everlasting, and His truth endures to all generations. Psalm 100:4-5 NKJV

I know that I am abundantly blessed and have much to be thankful for. Please join me by adding your lists of thanks in the comments or linking to a post on your blogs.

Thank You, Lord Jesus, today and all days.
Thank You for choosing to die for my sins.
Thank You that each day brings more new beginnings.
Thank You for blessings that I never earned.
I offer my thanks, my worship and praise.
Thank You, Lord Jesus, now and always.

Word Filled Wednesday - Open doors

Enter into His gates

 with thanksgiving and a thank offering

and into His courts with praise!

Be thankful and say so to Him,

bless and affectionately praise His name! 

Psalm 100:4 Amplified

The thing I miss most while I'm away from home is the time early in the morning when I sit down, (in what is now called my "Jesus chair") open my journal, and wait on the Lord to speak His truth into my heart.

This is what He shared as the sky grew light this morning:

I will teach you peace and contentment, like the great apostle Paul, in both need and abundance.

You will know in a deeper way that all you see, all you dream of, from the smallest provision like manna on the ground belongs to Me.  Humility will open your eyes to see the truth - you deserve nothing - yet I sustain you.

A heart of gratitude will take you places most never go, down a road walked by My side.

Thankfulness will open doors where beauty and glory shall multiply.

Praise prepares the way as it prepares your heart.

Come visit Internet Cafe Devotions for more wonderful combos of pictures and the Word.

Five Minute Fridays - Backwards

This week Lisa-Jo gave the word prompt backwards:

There are days, oh yes, there are days, when things are turned upside down, flipped inside out, and nothing seems to be in the right place. I get short tempered (imagine that, me?) impatient (imagine, again, if you will) and just all out snarky. (Now, I know you can hardly imagine that)

I run about in circles trying to sort through the list in my head of things I want to do, and after accomplishing little, find myself at the close of the day, pulling the sheets up to snuggle my shoulder, talking to God, and after all, thanking Him, for the indeed the day was His and of His making.

Yes, there is indeed something backwards in that approach. The gratitude, the chorus of thanks is best sung before the day begins. When I wiggle my toes, stretch out my legs, greet my Lord as I greet the morning sun, commit the day to His care and thank Him for all He will do, then I can begin… and move forward…

Come on over to The Gypsy Mama's to read the words of others and add your own

Praising His goodness!

To many of you living in warmer climates this may seem a bit delayed, but today, here in Manitoba,  I rejoice to see the fulfillment of God’s promise of Spring....

I'm rejoicing and thanking Him for Who He Is over at The Everyday Testimony Project today.

Come join us HERE to read more and let your praises resound.

Knowing the outcome...

Up in our neck of the woods we see the competition episodes of American Idol on Wednesday evening, but we have to wait until Saturday afternoon to see the result show, instead of Thursday evening like most people.

This morning, while scanning Facebook, I couldn’t avoid comments made by friends that shared the results. I was upset that the mystery had been ruined for me before I had the opportunity to watch the episode myself.

All at once, I could sense God wanted to take the opportunity to speak through my disappointment:

Come on over to The Everyday Testimony Project where I talk about what God shared!

Choosing gratitude

 

The morning chill invades my bones
but I thank the Lord for the shelter of home
choosing gratitude today.

My heart flutters, aches, grieves
but I thank the Lord for the gift of emotions
choosing gratitude today.

My mind races with wild imaginings
but I thank the Lord for the ability to think
choosing gratitude today.

I can focus on all I do not possess
but I thank the Lord for all He has provided
choosing gratitude today.


I will give thanks to the LORD because of his righteousness; I will sing the praises of the name of the LORD Most High. Psalm 7:17 NIV

Reasons to praise Him

There's a brand new space out in the blog-o-sphere!

My friend Jason Stasyszen has breathed new life into an old vision of a place to share our testimonies of the day to day blessings of God in our lives.  I am both humbled and blessed to be a regular contributor to this project which launches today.

Please stop by for regular visits at Everyday Testimony Project and share what God is doing in, through and around you.

Winter glory

The hoarfrost of morning is only a digitally trapped memory and the afternoon sky screams blue in the shine of the sun.

Woodpeckers find the food we provide during these harsh months.

A blue jay finds bare braches a place for rest, his belly full of dog food stolen from Faith's dish, his feathers fluffed, trapping warmth.

My heart rejoices at the visible display of the glory of the One Who created all things for His pleasure while we are blessed to benefit from the beauty.

And God saw everything that He had made, and behold, it was very good (suitable, pleasant) and He approved it completely.  Genesis 1:31a Amplified