How Happy I am!

As I reached up to take the plates out of the cupboard yesterday afternoon, a sudden thought just skipped across my mind like a stone skips across water; one, two, three...plunk and then it sunk and rested at the bottom of my heart. I am so happy! I wonder if my classmates--especially those who achieve so much and talk so big-- are as happy as I am right now as I am?

Nothing amazingly wonderful (by most peoples' standards at least) had happed that day. I had woken up at 5:40 AM, started classes at 8:00am and finished at 4:00PM. Nothing amazing...but still so happy, and joyful and blessed!

There has been a little bubble of ever-present joy bubbling up in me of late. It began to bubble up soon after I began reading Nancy Leigh DeMoss's book Choosing Gratitude. I hadn't really planned on seriously reading the book. I had just picked it up on a whim and looked through the forward...then the intro...then the first chapter...!

I was riveted. I was astonished. Astonished to discover that I was not a grateful person! Granted my moments of thankfulness may have been more than some....but nothing like what it truly should be!!

As I have continued my journey through the book (now with purpose), I have been both convicted and encouraged, indicted and inspired. I would like to share some direct quotes from the book as well as some of my own insights within the next few weeks on this blog. You may find yourself wanting to know more, and I would encourage you to get this book (and no, Nancy is not paying me to advertise)! It is never too late nor too soon to begin the journey of gratitude. This isn't Pollyanna's "glad game" or a flighty pep talk. It's more than coping methods. It's a way to thrive in any and all seasons of life. Sounds too good to be true? Well, my friend you just wait and see. Meanwhile, think on this....

“Every virtue divorced from thankfulness is maimed and limps along the spiritual road”

~*~ John Henry Jowett .pg 23 of Choosing Gratitude

For the Love of Details...

I was out hiking on one of the little trails we have on my college campus and found this little thing standing straight and tall just waiting to be noticed by... somebody. Nothing like a Green Rusty Pole to make you appreciate the little details of life eh?
~*~ This picture is copyright of The Beauty of the Lord Blog~*~

A Cutesy Pootesy lil Tootsie

Yup, that is what my Married Sis and Bro-in-Love are having in August! Of course, most of you knew that already...but I just couldn't help saying it over again. That lil Sweet Pea-of-a-thing is a a Girl!!

While my mind is mending from finals...

...my pinky fingers are sore from pulling weeds! I worked at my friend's house for two hours this morning pulling up those buggers. After the rains that we have been having, those tenacious, unwanted greens were roosting in the old chicken coop, suffocating the artichokes, and spreading out over the back hill. Weed-pulling soreness is a happy soreness that speaks of physical work...something I rather like. Yes, finals are over and I have created a little list of Spring Break to dos which include:

~*~Create blog posts
~*~ Finish hanging picture frames (at least I got them painted over Christmas break)
~*~ Find a backpack that doesn't kill my back
~*~ Make freezer meals
~*~ Writing~*~ bike rides

Sigh...what a delicious feeling it is to have an entire seven days...for who knows what. Just yesterday I took a nap on the lawn and looked at the ants crawling through the forest of St. Augustine grass. Two thirds of the time I spent pondering the lives of ants, the other one third I spend recollecting how long it had been since I had done so!

Who might be watching…

“I thought you were a Believer!”
I swiveled from my forward position at my desk to look at the speaker.
The words were repeated, and this time I saw that it was my classmate “David” who had uttered them.
Astonished I clarified, “you mean a Christian?” (You can never be too careful with terminology.)
“Yes.”
My eyes sought for the clue that had lead to his epiphany/discovery on my hands, inside the pages of my notebook and on top of my desk. How did know I was a Christian when all we had talked about were chemistry equations? Flipping my chemistry binder closed I found the answer. “Oh, was it this?” I held up the notebook that had a printed portion of Isaiah 53 carefully tucked into the front, translucent cover/sheath.
“Yes.”
The next several minutes were spent in asking “where do you go to church” and “how long have you been a Christian?” What a happy surprise to find a fellow Christian in my class!

The second surprise came when Kendal, the girl whose desk was directly next to me, looked on in amazement at this instant connection and conversation between David and me.
“Wow, that is so funny. I know a lot of Christians! Seriously, Christians are the happiest people I know. They are always SO peaceful...all the time too!”
Now both David’s and my attention was turned towards her.

“My co-worker just gave me a Bible. I haven’t read it yet because of midterms, but I want to soon.”
“Did your friend give you any suggestions on where to start?” I queried in wonder.
“She said I should start in John, but my Dad suggested Genesis because it has the cool part of creation in it!” I continued to step forward consciously with questions and suggestions while Kendal openly received them until our professor’s presence indicated the beginning of class.

I still am not sure what exactly made David "think" I was a Christian. Whatever it was it was a good reminded to...

Live well…you never know who might be watching!

A rainy day is a day of…

…flower umbrellas

…lakes made of puddles

… leaf sailboats

…raindrop gems

A little rain can make a watery fairland

Some Thoughts

I have had many things on my mind this last week. Yesterday, in Sunday school as my thoughts bounced hither and thither, struggling to focus on the lesson, the truth and peace of the Gospel came back to me:

If Jesus left the courts of Heaven to clothe Himself with a limiting, mortal body, and to endure those limitations and difficulties, and to take upon Himself the wrath of God for the filthy-heartedness which He never committed; if He expressed His love for you like that, then will He not express His love and understanding to you in those weighty decisions which your heart feels burdened with and for which you lips cry out "Lord, give me wisdom?"

For those who know Christ, know that God has already lavished on you the greatest act of love possible. That gives courage to face the day with peace.