jumping right in

I've always been a perfectionist.  Not a perfect one, mind you.  Just a failing perfectionist that has never allowed herself enough grace.
I'm jumping right into this Joy Dare.  I mentioned in yesterday's blog that I have been listing things I'm grateful for since reading One Thousand Gifts back in September.  On her blog, Ann Voskamp issued the Joy Dare.  List 3 things every day that you are thankful for.  Yesterday was the S I X T H day of January.  Not day one.  However....I'm jumping in....right now.  Not going back to day one and starting from number one. Nope!  I'm just going to start here.  I will list the 3 things from yesterday as well as from today.
Even if that's not the "perfect" way to do it. :)

"one thing in your bag, your fridge, your heart"

this wonderful devotional book that my friend Lori gave me,

yummy cuties,

these amazing kids!

And today, Day 7...3 graces from people you love:

• playing Guesstures with my husband and daughters
• forgivness, when I said something dumb
• listening to Jacklyn, age 4, singing her own worship song to Jesus.

Joy Dare

"Choosing Joy is a radical decision to honor God by experiencing the depths of God's promises to us. It's desiring Him above all else, rejoicing in His character, and living joyfully, according to His Word."

-Choosing Joy, Angela Thomas

I am excited this morning at the prospect of 2012.  I woke up today at 5:30 am (thank you, Gracie dog!) and walked that silly pooch.  It was cold and foggy so I kept it short.  I came home and poured some coffee.  I sat down at the computer, having some guilt that I didn't first sit down with my flashlight and Bible.  However, God met me!  I clicked on my favorite blog and was so inspired!

Ann Voskamp, author of One Thousand Gifts, is doing a Joy Dare.  Each day, list 3 things you are thankful for.  It will change your life.  I have actually been working on my list....one a day, 10 a day, 5 a day...whatever....since finishing her book in September.  I cannot express enough how much I love that book!

There have been days where listing my gifts from God are so easy.  The pen keeps flowing, my heart is overwhelmed. There are other days where it just feels like a ritual. 

Today, I read (on the same blog) a quote by Aristotle.

We are what we continually do.

That's a pretty powerful statement! So, I guess as long as I'm listing my gifts....I am becoming more and more grateful. That is what I want. Becoming more and more thankful every day will drive out fear, worry, "control", stress and discontentment....along with a host of other unlovely characteristics I see in myself often.

I am expectant.

Please, feel free to join me in this Joy Dare!  Ann offers a really cool free printable on her blog that gives you ideas of 3 things each day to list.  Today is January 6.  She says to list: one thing in your bag, your fridge, your heart.

You can post your list on her website, on her fb page or even on twitter.

Or, you can keep a simple hand-written list in your journal.  Whatever you decide, I hope you will join with me.

He deserves all my thanks and it’s impossible to give thanks and simultaneously feel fear.

Ann Voskamp

the thrill of hope

Isaiah 11:1-2

New Living Translation (NLT)

A Branch from David’s Line

 Out of the stump of David’s family[a] will grow a shoot—

yes, a new Branch bearing fruit from the old root.

 And the Spirit of the Lord will rest on him—

the Spirit of wisdom and understanding,

the Spirit of counsel and might,

the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.



Did you realize that this passage of scripture in Isaiah is a prophecy concerning the birth of baby Jesus?  Perhaps you did.  But, what struck me in this particular translation was the word "stump".  A shoot will spring up....something fresh and new and full of promise....out of something old. 

Can you even imagine life before Christmas?  Before the birth of Jesus? Before knowing Jesus?!  Wow.  So hard for me to wrap my brain around.  The prophet didn't even know JESUS.  When life is hard, when circumstances are unbearable and I don't know what to do....at least I know I have Jesus.  He is hope.

My favorite Christmas carol is "Oh Holy Night" and this year the line, "the thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices" jumped out at me like never before.  Oh, the thrill of hope, the thrill of Jesus! 

Many of you are facing hard things right now.  You may be struggling to find joy or peace in your current circumstances.  You need to know that you are not alone and that there is hope. 

Romans 15:13 says, "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."

Just as God used an illustration of an old stump in the book of Isaiah, out of it, He brought forth new life.  And that new life that He was referring to was JESUS!  I believe that He is at work now.  He can use whatever we are facing right now...He can use the old to bring forth something new.  He can bring forth hope and we will see Jesus.

the clouds

Some days are just hard days.  This past Wednesday was a hard one for me.  Life just looked overwhelming to me and I couldn't seem to shake it. Nothing huge.  Nothing significant.  Just a hard day.
That evening, we were driving to church and there was a beautiful, breath-taking sunset.  The clouds were all kinds of brilliant colors and the pinkish-orange sky made such a dramatic backdrop.
I was reminded of something I either heard or read once before.  I had to share it with my daughters. 
I pointed out the amazing sunset and told them to picture it without the clouds.

It would be a very pretty sky but not nearly as awesome without the contrast of colors the clouds provided.
Sometimes we want our life to be cloud-free.
We think a perfect day would be described as, "Not a cloud in the sky."
When in reality, it is the clouds that reflect the brilliance of the sunset.
Rough times in our life reflect God's glory in beautiful ways if we allow Him to shape us into who he wants us to become.
Even when the days are hard, I'm so thankful for the clouds. 

What God Said

The other day, Jacklyn told me that she heard God talking.  She told me that when she was sitting next to her Daddy, she heard God in his heart say, "You are doing a good job taking care of your girls."
Ah!  I'm sure He is saying that.  We are blessed.

sweet peace

There is something so peaceful about this picture of my girl.  I look at it often and smile.  Not a worry in the world, not a concern, not a fear....just sweet peace. 

I'm asking Him to carry me just like that today.  He is so trustworthy, so good and so very loving.  I want to rest in my Daddy God's arms and trust in total peace. 

(Worry and stress don't seem to help anything anyway.) 

He is a Loving Heavenly Father, taking very good care of His children.  I am grateful for peace. I am thankful for family, for friends, for adventure and provision.

He is all we need.

Gracious Uncertainty

I've battled some anxiety lately about our future. Come the end of June, where will we live? Where will Jeff work? If he stays at his current job, and I at mine, how will we make ends meet? What is our "purpose" in life? Should we just leave all of this and go to the mission field? Why, then, did Jeff (and all of us) put in the last (almost) 10 years at CSUMB working on his Masters in Special Education....if that wouldn't even be needed on the mission field?   When I say "mission field", where am I even talking about?  Just leave?  Just escape and serve somewhere?  Anywhere?  (That idea thrills me to no end....perhaps it's just my little escape plan in my head to get out of the American mindset.)

Anyway, Jeff and I had a great conversation yesterday that put things in proper perspective for me.  No, we still don't have a plan for our future.  Not an exact plan, anyway.  We still aren't sure what is next.  However, we do know that God has each and every step all mapped out.  We can rest in that.  In addition, I am more inspired than ever to walk in all that God has blessed us with.  This life we live RIGHT NOW is our mission field.  So easy to forget that.  So quick to think it is less than significant.  In reality, we have 3 beautiful little girls that we are responsible for and there is no more personal mission field than that.

In light of all that has been on my mind lately, it's no wonder Oswald Chambers spoke so clearly to me today.  I hope it blesses you, too!  Here it is:

Gracious Uncertainty

. . . it has not yet been revealed what we shall be . . . —1 John 3:2


Our natural inclination is to be so precise—trying always to forecast accurately what will happen next—that we look upon uncertainty as a bad thing. We think that we must reach some predetermined goal, but that is not the nature of the spiritual life. The nature of the spiritual life is that we are certain in our uncertainty. Consequently, we do not put down roots. Our common sense says, “Well, what if I were in that circumstance?” We cannot presume to see ourselves in any circumstance in which we have never been.


Certainty is the mark of the commonsense life—gracious uncertainty is the mark of the spiritual life. To be certain of God means that we are uncertain in all our ways, not knowing what tomorrow may bring. This is generally expressed with a sigh of sadness, but it should be an expression of breathless expectation. We are uncertain of the next step, but we are certain of God. As soon as we abandon ourselves to God and do the task He has placed closest to us, He begins to fill our lives with surprises. When we become simply a promoter or a defender of a particular belief, something within us dies. That is not believing God—it is only believing our belief about Him. Jesus said, “. . . unless you . . . become as little children . . .” (Matthew 18:3). The spiritual life is the life of a child. We are not uncertain of God, just uncertain of what He is going to do next. If our certainty is only in our beliefs, we develop a sense of self-righteousness, become overly critical, and are limited by the view that our beliefs are complete and settled. But when we have the right relationship with God, life is full of spontaneous, joyful uncertainty and expectancy. Jesus said, “. . . believe also in Me” (John 14:1), not, “Believe certain things about Me”. Leave everything to Him and it will be gloriously and graciously uncertain how He will come in—but you can be certain that He will come. Remain faithful to Him.