Category Archives: Gratitude

What I’m Into June 2014

01 Tuesday Jul 2014

Posted by in Books and Thoughts on Books, Compassion International, Education, Gratitude, One Life, Parenting, teens, Uncategorized

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What I’m Into (June 2014 Edition)

Read and Reading: Interrupted by Jen Hatmaker, The Warden and the Wolf King by Andrew Peterson, The Good News About Marriage, and Walking Prey

TV: Just this month I turned on PBS for my granddaughter. We sort of watched Clifford the Big Red Dog. I wondered if she would choose the Clifford book at the library this week, but no, she wanted the book with the baby on the cover. I’m actually relieved about that, that she prefers a photograph of a face over a big red dog.

Music: DCTalk, Toby Mac, Newsboys and Hillsong United Zion. Chica and I bought a few cds on our mother daughter getaway in June, when we could not find an audiobook. Neither Barnes & Noble nor Family Christian bookstore had any variety of classics in audiobook format. Back to amazon or iTunes shopping.

New discoveries: Glenwood Springs Hot Springs and the Glenwood Canyon bike trail. Zip Lines are FUN!

What I Love:

Mae & Marme, America the Beautiful Bike Ride

Mae & Marme, America the Beautiful Bike Ride

with Petal Rose on the spinny ride at Elitch Gardens June 2014

with Petal Rose on the spinny ride at Elitch Gardens June 2014

with Chica on the trail to Hanging Lake

with Chica on the trail to Hanging Lake

I didn’t love this: mosquito bites. Living in Colorado Springs has many many benefits, one being very few bugs. On our trip to the western side of the state I was bitten dozens of times. Before we travel to Bible Camp and on our planned camping trip, each on the western side of our mountains, I am going to order Bug Block!

In the Blogosphere:  Organizing for a busy toddler

The Responsibility of Opportunity

On The Blog:  I am working on 2 parts of my story and hope to get one of them posted in July.  I’m also sharing more about our Compassion kids and my family’s partnership with Compassion International.

Sustained, Another Gift

27 Monday May 2013

Posted by in Books and Thoughts on Books, Gratitude

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Last month I read the book In the Presence of my Enemies by Gracia Burnham and Dean Merrill.  This book spoke so deeply to some of my unspoken fears, and answered an unspoken question about my childhood.

Gracia and Martin Burnham were hostages of the Abu Sayyaf.

I was held hostage to the effects of long term abuse (physical, emotional and sexual) throughout my childhood.

The following quote from In the Presence of My Enemies holds an answer to one of my questions;

He (GOD) had neither inspired the Abu Sayyaf to abduct us nor would he force them against their will to release us. Instead, he would sustain us day by day, night by night, mile by mile, for as long as it took

The further along the road of life that I get, the more that I can see this is true, God sustains day by day, night by night, for as long as it takes.  Looking back on those years of abuse I am amazed that God has not let me be consumed by the evil, but in the midst of the evil He sustained me until the day of my healing and release from the chains of that bondage.

The following verse from Deuteronomy doesn’t speak specifically to this subject matter, yet it does.  Despite the circumstances, as I look back, He has been with me.

7 “For the Lord your God has blessed you in all the work of your hand. He knows your trudging through this great wilderness. These forty years the Lord your God has been with you; you have lacked nothing.”’ Deuteronomy 2:7

and on my 2013 gratitude list this word

142.  Sustained

One Simple Life to Another

28 Thursday Jun 2012

Posted by in Compassion International, Gratitude, One Life, Parenting, teens, Uncategorized

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Two years ago, when we sponsored Lesbia and Bryan Marcello through Compassion International, we were just starting to really understand the opportunity to impact lives and sow hope where there might not be any hope.
Two months ago, when Builder and I made the decision to become Child Advocates and to strengthen our family’s ministry efforts, I had a tiny idea how it might impact our children.
But here were are in the hot middle of summer and my heart is bursting with joy as I see just glimmers of what God is doing in this family and through this family.
When my children asked me what I wanted for my birthday recently, I just couldn’t think of anything.  And then as I prayed I started seeing faces and upside down symbols and there was the answer.  Sponsor a child from the areas at risk for exploitation and abuse.  Let God rescue one of this young ones through our commitment, love and letters.
And here she is, the gift my Beloved Builder granted for my 44th birthday…
Neema, Tanzania
What a beauty she is and what a blessed woman I am.
And in the same week, surpise another child, unexpected, this one from Indonesia, joined our international family.
Niki Agusta, Indonesia

What joy swells in my heart as I look at this faces, sense the pain and maybe fear in those beautiful eyes, yet I also see the potential.  There is a song that is sometimes on the radio.  Just this week I bought it from iTunes because the lyrics are a prayer I occasionally pray for my daughters, and now plan to write to these children.

The Words I Would Say
by Sidewalk Prophets

From one simple life to another,
I will say,
Come find peace in the Father,

Be strong in the Lord and,

Never give up hope
,
You’re going to do great things,

I already know,

God’s got His hand on you so,

Don’t live life in fear,Forgive and forget,
But don’t forget why you’re here,
Take your time and pray,
Thank God for each day.
His love will find a way

And today while I am hoping what I share encourages someone else to begin singing hope over a child through sponsorship, I also want to leave you with these words, dear reader friend

Be strong in the Lord
Never give up hope
You’re gonna do great things,
I already know,
God’s got His hand on you so,
Don’t live life in fear

Don’t forget why you are here,
Take your time and pray,
Thank God for each day.

remembering…and imagining

16 Monday Jan 2012

Posted by in Gratitude

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This gratitude journey is growing, and showing up in places all around me.  It is contagious and I see it passing from one person to the next within the walls of my home, and at the dojo and across the miles.  It makes me more thankful, feeling that though I am small and frail and stumbling along, I can be a part of this magnificent happening.

Recently as we were winding down for the night I read this post by Katie Davis of Amazima. and my family gathers around, wanting to know what it is that has caught my breath. 

“Remember,” she mumbles sleepily, “I just want to remember. Some people don’t have a bed, mom. I didn’t have a bed, mom. God gave me a bed. And I wanted to remember what it was like to not have one.”

My heart wept, remembering, that I have always had a bed.  And I have complained about my bed. Have I ever even said thanks for a bed?  But I have offered up complaints that it is too soft, or too big.  And I only have slept on the floor or cold earth in fun.  Honestly I can’t even imagine not having a bed.

We had the sweetest of prayer times that night, as each one of us could only think of the things for which we are thankful, around and around the prayer circle.

May we continue have our eyes opened, our senses awakened to the bountiful graces that surround us on every side, in every place.

#673-690
   A warm cozy bed
   perfect pillows
   his warm feet snuggling my cold feet
   blankets
     Pink mountain in the morning
     Antibiotics
    Sweet words of affection in the morning