Choosing to Declare

"The heavens declare the glory of God;
The skies proclaim the work of His hands.
Day after day they pour forth speech;
night after night they display knowledge..."

Psalm 19:1,2

Even in this tougher season of my life (physically & spiritually) I can't help but be aware of the stunning beauty that surrounds me. I want to join the heavens in declaring the glory of God...it's not about how I feel or don't feel, it's just the choice of having eyes to see and choosing to worship. If the skies can pour forth speech, surely I can muster the energy to audibly tell God how amazing His creation is! And amazing it is - the colors, the smells, the sounds, the warmth, the LIFE which is virtually bursting from the earth everywhere I look. (Even the "looking" part has been more challenging for me this spring as my eyesight has gotten worse & my eyes are more uncomfortable with whatever this affliction is that I have been suffering from!)

I have a theory that in these harder seasons of our lives, our choice to worship God is very, very powerful. Our choice to speak out His glories - to bow down and kiss the Son, to trust, simply trust when things look dark, are acts of love to Jesus that ravish His heart. So I want to make choices to please Him and to notice His gifts to me - and to give thanks, even though I'm feeling sluggish and heavy hearted.

Tonight I watched a beautiful sunset. I was outside trying to get a picture of the blossoms against the pretty sky and the fragrances were amazing. Lilacs...mmmm, so heavenly! Jewel kept close to me, trying to coach as many neck scratches out of me as she possibly could and the cat was darting here and there in such a playful mood. These evenings are incredible gifts - I'm glad I'm forced outside to water my plants
and trees so I don't miss this lovely season. Sadly I'm usually so eager to go and lay down that I don't spend nearly as much time outside as I should.

Ok, I just lost a bumch of my post here, but I'm too tired to try to rewrite thoughts that have gone elsewhere... I was saying something about my Blessings Journal...where I've been writing a list of 1000 GIFTS...those things that I take for granted that I want to begin to give thanks for. Cultivating a grateful heart and teaching my Sunday School girls to do the same. We sometimes start our class with praise & worship...each of us taking a turn to say "Thank you Jesus for ________" . We try to mention something we've never heard or said in class and it's so fun watching the girls come alive as they think of new things to thank God for. They come up with the neatest things that challenge & delight me - I'm sure God loves it!!

So...I will now thank God for my cozy bed where I can lay my tired body and for my sweet daughter who is in my room watching "I Love Lucy". How inviting is that?!

Always...INVITATION!

Well, I have begun with baby steps...so small as to be almost imperceptible in this season of Lent. But He knows...and I know! But even in this tiny step, I felt Him asking - extending the invitation - to more. Again, if I am willing, it will be More of Him and less of me. He leaves it up to me entirely. How amazing and scary is that? Do I want more of Him? I have heard it said that we have as much of God as we want. That, of course, is my rather loose paraphrase. Because when I ponder the Song of Solomon, I am reminded of the portion where the Bridegroom runs ahead of the Bride, leaving her to roam the streets in search of her Beloved. He wants us to pursue Him, it's a beautiful picture. But it must be more than a picture in my life if I want to grow closer to Him, and ultimately more like Him...to be "conformed into the image of Christ". What a lofty challenge He leaves with us. But with every bit of enabling that is necessary - His grace is most sufficient. It costs our life though. Sigh.

OK- I do have a life other than trying to take baby steps in Lent. My friend helped me to post a picture of myself onto my blog. I had one there (how on earth I got it there is now beyond me) and then I deleted it. Now I am unable to put my picture back above my "intro" so this friend inserted it into a post for me. He also very kindly put a picture of my dog with her fancy surgical collar on one of my older posts. Unfortunately I was not here to witness the procedure so I am once again left to my own devices. It saddens me that I am so daft in some areas...and lazy when it comes to reading and deciphering cryptic sounding instructions that other people seem to be able to make sense of. Oh well - I will make it one of my goals to figure out my Mac which I have now owned for several years. I REALLY dislike reading instructions.

I am happy to report that I feel life returning to my bones and spirit - I feel motivated to be doing things which brings me immense pleasure. Baking, journaling, shopping, BLOGGING!! So I add to my list of 1000 GIFTS...

thanking you Jesus for days where I feel energy...
sunshine that warms my body and spirit
my sweet animals that bring me such amusement and joy
precious children to interact with and love
good food - a fridge & shelves speak of abundance
laughter - healing to the spirit
the ability to sleep better at night - a blessing not previously fully appreciated!
and on and on and on...

I will have eternity to thank my sweet Jesus, but it's good for me to do lots of it now!

Oh GLoRiouS SunSHiNe!

Gratefulness spills from my heart as I look out over the skeleton orchard outside my office window - naked trees & the ground still covered with snow but the sun gently coaxing the last remnants of winter to melt away. I heard joyous dripping sounds as I went outside to check on Jewel with her incision and her big collar. I saw her bounding through the orchard with another dog and was amazed, knowing she had her surgery just a few days ago. Has she forgotten? Does she not know she is supposed to be taking it easy and lounging in the sunshine? Has she no pain? I called her over to the house and she galloped through the still fairly deep snow with the greatest of glee, lept up onto the porch with ease and nudged up to me with her huge collar encased face. (She gets as close as she can with that huge cone). How does one reason with a dog? Oh she is a sweet thing - with a temperament I wish was mine. How is it that God made dogs with such Godly characteristics...most dogs that is.

Meanwhile, Mr. Tumnus our cat is slumbering on top of the hot tub...his lovely huge orange halo of hair keeping him warm. The animals are rejoicing at the warmer weather as well. Everyone is out having a party! What a winter it has been! Snow that usually disappears after a few days has lingered on since the end of November! I know I ought NOT to complain though seeing as I live in one of the most temperate spots in our fair country.

And complain I will not - I am blessed beyond measure and I am having such a lovely day. For some unexplicable reason I awoke with energy and I had a great time emptying garbages cans (oh how I LOVE garbage day....) baking pumpkin loaves, making bread with my skilled breadmaker (just popped it out and it's ever so lovely & brown) and making mud pie. The chicken is also sizzling in the oven for supper. Days like this are rare in my life so I must make an actual report when they happen.

I started something fun recently due to an idea I found on another blog. The concept is to journal "One Thousand Gifts" that God has graced your life with. The blog I got this idea off of is absolutely amazing. The author will take you to Jesus in so many ways, over and over again. She has very appropriately named her blog "The Holy Experience of Listening" and can be found at www.holyexperience.blogspot.com
I encourage you to visit her there.

Anyways, back to 1000 Gifts... when I read about this on the above blog, I decided to start this list of thanksgiving as well. I already have a "Journal of Blessings" where I write about the goodness of God to me and paste meaningful articles and notes people have given me, pictures, cards etc. Now I have begun my list of 1000 Gifts and it's great fun. Just making mention of the many many many blessings God pours into my life so constantly is such a good exercise. I've even got my Sunday School girls started!! They pasted the following verses into the little blessing books I gave them and this week they're starting their lists.

"Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus"
1 Thessalonians 5:17

"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father..." James 1:17

Jesus...my Jesus, you truly are the giver of every good & perfect gift in my life. Even the gifts I don't yet recognize, or the ones that come wrapped in packages that aren't immediately recognizable. I thank you and I want to exercise my spirit of thankfulness...in very tangible ways. Even as I derive great pleasure from the expressions of gratefulness my children show me for different things, I want to bring you great pleasure.

"May the Words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer" Psalm 19:14