Rise n Shine!

Blessings this morning dear readers! This mornings gratitude is simple- it is for having the financial resources that God provides. I cannot imagine going back to how we lived just a year ago. This life we have with our family today meets all our basic needs and we are blessed to be able to afford some of our wants as well.

I sincerely appreciate all that the LORD has done to increase our families resources so that we are doing more than surviving and that we are able to over come living in lack of even some basics and be in this place today where we are enjoying life and able to live life fully. I just am feeling exceptionally blessed today to be able to do more than we have been able to do since the 90's.... LIFE IS GOOD! and GOD IS BEST!

Morning Gratitude

Last night before bed the babies and I went out and laid underneath the stars it was a wonderful experience! One they want to do over and over (every night forever I was told).

This morning I sat at my desk and watched as the sun peeked slowly up over the mountain top to shine it's light on another beautiful day. 

It seems in life we get so caught up in stuff we forget to go lay under the stars or sit and watch the sunrise. I never want to be so busy that I forget just how wonderful these things are! When my boys want to show me the melody they made on an app they found that lets them play a xylophone, I don't want to be so busy that I don't stop and watch and listen! 

It is a slower paced life that I desire and I am BLESSED by GOD and count it as GRATITUDE that I am able to live a slower life and enjoy these little things!

100 Things!

Blessings Dear Readers! What an amazing day the Lord has made with every heavenly blessing available to us today!
Today's Gratitude List is going to be a "One Hundred Things" list. One hundred things that bring me a smile!
Making a one hundred things list is so exciting to me! It really gets me focused on all the totally amazing things in the world around me and how exciting it is to live in the abundance of things that bring me joy! Beyond the obvious family and basic living provisions!


So Here we go!!!!

1. Cup of coffee to start my day
2. Cup of hot tea to end the day
3. Glass of sweet on a hot summer day
4. Cup of hot cocoa after playing in the snow
5. BBQ with friends and family
6. Fried Chicken with potato salad and watermelon
7. A big pot of stew (with all the garden veggies tossed in!)
8. A warm bagel loaded with cream cheese and lox
9. Apple Pie
10. Strawberries picked fresh from the garden 
11. Snap Peas right off the vine
12. A field of wild flowers
13. Toes dunked in a mountain stream
14. Listening to a real babbling brook
15. A walk on a path through the trees
16. Roses in bloom
17. LILACS!
18. Hollyhocks
19. Daisies Dancing in the breeze
20. Cool Grass under bare feet
21. Blackberries picked from next to a river
22. Sitting on the bank of a river fishing
23. Watching ducks swim in a pond
24. Watching Geese fly overhead
25. Listening to Robin's sing a tune
26. Hearing the doves coo
27. Watching Sparrows flutter around the yard
28. Butterflies dancing through the garden
29. Bumble Bees gathering pollen
30. Making a wish on a fluffy dandelion
31. Drifting down a lazy river on a tube
32. Watching a turtle sun itself on a rock
33. Leaning against a tree reading a book
34. A summer breeze caressing sun kissed skin
35. Watching waves lap at the shore
36. Building sandcastles on the beach
37. The cool forest canopy over head while walking on a trail
38. LadyBugs!
39. White Picket Fences
40. Old Victorian Houses
41. Front Porches
42. Clean Kitchens
43. Pitter Patter of little feet on the stairs
44. Playing tag with my kids
45. Adventures with my husband and babies
46. Cows in a pasture
47. Kittens 
48. Puppies
49. A dog curled up at my feet
50. Meteor Showers
51. Lightening Storms
52. Rain to interrupt a hot summer day
53. Watching a tractor cut hay
54. Lace Curtains
55. Lazy afternoons snuggled with a small child
56. A Babies Giggle
57. A warm fire in the woodstove on a cool autumn evening
58. Singing to God
59. Rainbows
60. Quiet Conversations with God
61. Loud conversations with my kids
62. Gentle conversations with friends
63. Listening to my babies tell nursery rhymes
64. Hugs
65. Holding hands with my Husband
66. Picnic in the front yard
67. Sunrises that paint the sky in amazing hues of different blues 
68. Sunsets in shades of pinks and yellow
69. Silver Moons
70. A pair of jeans that fit just right
71. Morning dew sparkling like diamonds on the grass
72. Brushing out a horse
73. A waterfall
74. Seeing my adult children happy
75. Books
76. Internet 
77. Cell Phone
78. Stain Glass windows
79. Old wooden churches
80. Listening to old church hymns
81. Watching a Bald Eagle soar
82. Watching an Osprey fish
83. Watching an Otter float down stream
84. Watching a squirrel gather food
85. Seeing Elk on the hill
86. A moose walking down the street
87. A deer laying in the shade of an apple tree
88. Morning Glories opening with the morning sun
89. Watching a bird build a nest
90. Flying a kite
91. Coloring in a color book
92. Dancing in the rain
93. Playing Pooh Sticks at the bridge
94. Day Dreaming
95. Spending an afternoon writing 
96. Family Dinners
97. My own front porch
98. My husband
99. My Children
100. GOD

And there you have it! 100 Things that make me smile, bring me joy, that I coult as a blessing that I get to enjoy!

Morning Gratitude

  

Good Morning Readers! It's going to be a GREAT day here in my little corner of the world! The sun is shining, humidity is low and it isn't too warm. Doesn't get much better than that for July! So top of today's gratitude list is PERFECT for me WEATHER 

 Next on my list is my home! We may not own it (or even buying it) but it is a good place for our family at this time in our lives (and a WHOLE LOT better than homeless!) Along with the home goes all the stuff involved like electricity, running (clean) water, waste water system, cable, internet, and telephones that let us stay in touch with people we love.

  I am grateful for all the food we have to eat! It is amazing and I am grateful to live in a time and place where starving is the very least of worries. I heard someone once say that for a person to starve to death in the U.S. (assuming they were not being held captive or had a physical ailment) they would have to really work at it. The sheer amount of food thrown away each day by food facilities (grocery stores & restaurants and the like) could sustain most any person who was without food. Of course also, I am grateful that is food I enjoy! I came to the realization a long time ago, I would have been one of the whining Israelite's when it came to the manna day after day after day meal after meal after meal. So yes indeed on my gratitude list is the variety of foods God provides for me!
                                                       
 WOW! That is the most amazing blessing from God! I have my biological family, my heart family, and my church family! Because all the other "stuff" really doesn't matter if we don't have others to share it all with. Of course the family I most grateful for is being a child of GOD. Because like all the stuff isn't important with people you love on the journey, even with the people you love tagging along, if you aren't aware of the amazing part of being called a child of God, life is missing something.

Yes I am grateful for many things! Trying to never take for granted any of it. Not even the air I breath (having had people I love suffer with lung disease breathing is like a pretty important thing if you are living on planet earth) For today this is my list BLESSED to the overflow with so much! God is GOOD!

Blessings!

Dear Readers,
Most mornings I am blessed with being able to have a cup of coffee with God on my front porch. I feel so very blessed to sit on my porch with God and my coffee and watch the sun rise in the morning sky. I love how God paints these amazing pictures for me to enjoy as we talk. This morning as we talked, the little sparrows sang their morning tune in the trees, dew sparkled like diamonds on the lawn, the silky spider web caught the sun and I marveled at the design one little spider was able to make.
Cars drove by with people on their way to do whatever it is that they have to do at sunrise on a Friday morning and my heart was lead to pray for them. I prayed for each of them to have peace in their heart today.

This morning my gratitude list is that I am blessed with these slow mornings where I am able to have coffee with God, see all that He has set before me on my front porch, the ability to pray for others, my husband has work, my children, my LIFE! This amazing and beautiful life and all that comes with it!

Gratitude for what's to come

Today I am posting my hearts desire for a home to raise my children- I have tried to be specific in describing what I want in a home as far as looks go. Really felt like as our family is making some changes that this would be the perfect time to post it.

Leaving the store lined busy main street, it is just a short jaunt down the road protected by large trees standing guard to the house. You are given the choice to pull up at the curb in front of a white picket fence that is decorated in a variety of different flowers and plants. An arbor graces the front gate and invites you into the neatly manicured yard via the path that leads from the curb to the broad front steps. Or if you would rather, turn into the gravel driveway from which you will see the amazing views of old growth trees and a creek peeking from behind the garage. You might even be able to see our kids playing back there.

The trees in the front yard offer shade from the noon day sun with swaths of sunbeams  kissing your skin in other areas of the yard. A bird bath and feeder invites robins and other song birds to soak in the beauty of the yard. At the flowers hummingbirds can be seen dancing in the air. Standing in the yard the one looks to the front door and is greeted by the front porch. The expanse of the porch spreads across the front of the house, wrapping around and hugging the house.Climbing the steps the fragrance of mint and lavender growing wafts through the air.  The table and chairs inviting you to sit and relax reflect bygone days of summer afternoon teas.

The country charm is lost on no one as the potted peonies and violas bob their heads at our guests. The double doors open wide, "Thank-You for stopping by! Come on in!" Who knew such a delightful entryhall hid behind that door! Pink? Yes PINK! Pastel pink walls provide the backdrop for a white settee flanked by two large potted evergreens. On the wall over the settee is a wonderful painting of a garden scene. To each

side are doorways into other parts of the house. Closer to you are two closed doors. The one to the left is the coat closet~ of course not needed on such a beautiful day as this. On the right is the powder room. Go ahead, go freshen up and then we will take you on a tour.

We are going to the right, through the arched doorway. Stepping into our sitting room. There are several sitting areas arranged for comfortable chatting with family and friends. The victorian style furniture entices you to sit and stay a while. Yes this is something of a ladies room in it's pallet of spring colors and chiffon's and lace. Come, lets go on into the diningroom. Oh look at that table! It's beautiful! The legs carved with intricate designs. Each chair shares the same design of flowers growing up a trellis. The table is set with charger, plate, silver and cup. Just waiting for us to sit down to supper. The urn in the center of the table flows over with lilacs and ferns. Over head the old chandelier gives off it's wonderful light. A china hutch in the room gives a home to the extra dishes not in use.

Next is our bright and cheerful country kitchen! Oh what charm with the white washed cabinets adorned with rosebuds and vines. The oven and stove a vintage replica of of one from the 1890's with all the amazing 21st century bells and whistles. Let me show you my fridge! Yes! Isn't that awesome that we were able to create a facade for the fridge that blends with all the cabinets! I love it! I also really enjoy the country sink. Finding such a beauty, the cast iron that fit in our space. Did you see the dishwasher? It is hidden also. Right there next to the sink. Yes it is wonderful. Lets go on out the door here. We are going to the summer kitchen!Isn't this great! The screened in porch is the perfect summer kitchen. I enjoy being able to cook out here, can out here, and just hang out reading a book or enjoying the birds singing. This is a wonderful added space.

Back in we go, follow me into the family room. There are the stairs to go upstairs. This room is Bright.           Comfy. Family Friendly is the word. You sure can tell kids live in here. Where all the other rooms were

graceful and peaceful, this room is whimsical and full of energy. Art eisles, books and toys. Cheerful colors and an energy just fills this space. Are you ready to follow me upstairs? Four bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, and TONS of closet space up there! It is really awesome. Each room, as soon as you look in the door reflects the personality of it's inhabitant. All different and all totally awesome. So there is more, the laundry room and pantry and down in the basement the totally wonderful storage areas. This really is such a wonderful house. I am so glad you came to see it with me.

Don't forget that the backyard is a playground for my babies. The swing set, the pool, the puppy running around back there. Our garden and of course all the old trees and the little stream. God is good to me. He has given me the desire of my heart in this beautiful place for me to raise my family....

Praise in the Morning!

Good Morning Dear Readers! This morning I found that my mind just wasn't cooperating with slowing down and focusing on the good in life. I sat with a long list of things that I didn't have instead of the things I do have...

It started as I was washing the dishes. I stood at the sink hand washing and wondering why I don't have a dishwasher like most people. I was feeling really like it wasn't fair. Here I am washing dishes by hand and I had just read someone whining about having to unload their dishwasher. Then once dishes were done, I put a pan on the stove, I turned away, turned back a WOOSH! The pan was on fire. Lid grabbed, fire out, a little smoke and black junk to clean but a crisis averted. Yet, my mind instead of gratitude was frustrated that I had to deal with this and still feeling rather sorry for my lot in life. A friend was lamenting how her smart phone was acting up and again, I found myself thinking "well darn it I don't even have a smart phone". Kids asked me to turn on tv and I found myself going "Why can't we get XYZ channel instead of being stuck with this channel"

Oh I know all about how people all over the world may not even have food to create dirty dishes, or indoor plumbing to wash them. I know that there are 100's of people waking up this morning homeless, without anything possessions left from fire. Yes I know there are many many who have it worse than me. The logical mind knows it, yet I was having a very hard time in that moment appreciating what I have.

In the middle of this feeling ever so very sorry for myself I went out on my front porch for a conversation with God. If asked, even in the middle of feeling sorry for myself I could have made a list of "blessings" and not felt blessed. I knew it and couldn't fix it on my own. 

That conversation with God- in the Bible we can read a letter Paul wrote to the Philippians. Philippians 4 Paul says I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me
It was as if I really heard this passage for the first time. Even though I have read it, quoted it, & maybe even applied it a few times this morning it IMPACTED me. WHEN I take my eyes off of God, off of what Christ has done for the world, it doesn't matter what I have in this life. Family, friends, home, luxuries all become insufficient because they do not fill my heart.

Today I am grateful that when I turn to God, He guides me and answers me and through Him I have a HOPE and a FUTURE even if I don't have a dishwasher.... 

   

 

Blessed by...

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       (_¸.·  ♥ Blessings ♥

This morning as I sat counting my blessings, my heart was just filled to overflow with happiness at the things the Lord has given me 
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 Blessed at morning light coming through the trees

  Blessed to take a walk down a path 

 Blessed to see the water flow  

Blessed to be on this path the Lord has set my foot!!!!

Dreams

Today I am grateful for dreams-
I have spent most of my life dreaming of owning an old victorian mansion. While I haven't had the chance yet in this life to own one yet, as I look at all the pictures of them and imagine what it would be like to fix it and furnish it and make it a home for my family I find a happiness that is in the hope for the future, a dream.