Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.  Matthew 5:3

Counting still...

• Revisiting the beatitudes (Angela Thomas calls them the "when you are's")
• Thanking Him that VJ has a signed contract and awaiting final approval!
• Hugs and snuggles from my guys
• The football player recovered a fumble! 
• The wee one's pep talks to the football player:  "stay focused!" or "are you going to be the hammer or the nail?"
• The wee one hitting some milestones - recognizing his name and wanting to go potty once and a while!
• Husband love's thoughtfulness
• A sweet sister who always gives
• Opportunities to love
• Opportunities to grow
• Opportunities to hope and be a part of what He is doing!

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Learning and Training

Learning from my kids...

• when you get knocked down, get right back up and go where the action is!
• crying can turn into laughter
• playing games is fun
• sometimes all you need is a good snuggle
• it's amazing what a quick prayer for a boo-boo will do!
• playing with neighborhood friends is important business!

Training to know Him more...

• committed to sharing my failures, so I accept the lack of perfection!
• sharing victories with and from fellow Christ followers
• savoring His gift of the Sabbath 
• Remembering He is in control
• His word meeting me right where I'm at
• Songs that appear to have been written just for me and God!
• messages that stir my heart

Enjoying

• my husband
• my boys
• my sister, who often comes to my rescue!
• vacation days

Delighting in...

Romans 15:3-4:  For even Christ did not please himself but, as it is written: “The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.”^{[a] 4} For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.

Him and Him alone...

• His Word always challenging me
• Devotions that speak to my thoughts that I've not spoken out loud, but He knows them
• Hope that can only be found in Him
• Strength that can only be found in Him
• Joy that can only be given by Him and I get to choose to receive it
• Love that surpasses my comprehension
• His sovereignty amidst the chaos and senselessness of this world
• The priviledge of praising Him.  One of my new faves:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VzGAYNKDyIU
• Worship on the way home - When a teaching that I listened to, a devotion that I read and "I am redeemed" led me humbly to His throne
• Miracles - baby Hayden is making progress more than any of the doctors thought he would.

How He has blessed me...

• Washing my wedding ring and seeing how it sparkles when the light hits it.  Makes me think of marriage - when we let Him clean us (individually and as a couple) and let Him shine through, oh how it sparkles.
• with ears to hear the giggles of boys being silly just because along with the patience to just smile when those giggles have no end in sight!
• with eyes to see the joy on their faces when...
• the wee one runs through the sprinkler
• the elder gets his pads and helmet and wants to sleep in them and wear them all day long
• the wee one has his first necessary "peeing outside" experience (boys!!)
• the elder catches a great pass while playing a game of catch with his dad
• a husband who really wants to do the right and best thing
• with amazing friends who hold me accountable, don't judge me and challenge me to be more for Him. 
• a Pastor willing to speak truth and be more like the first church rather than the church building
• a sister that serves Him wholeheartedly.  Can't wait to see what His plans are for you!
• with a job and many learning opportunities

So many things to count, I am blessed.  Thank you, Jesus!

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Malachi 3:16-18 - Then those who feared the Lord talked with each other, and the Lord listened and heard. A scroll of remembrance was written in his presence concerning those who feared the Lord and honored his name.  ¹⁷ “On the day when I act,” says the Lord Almighty, “they will be my treasured possession. I will spare them, just as a father has compassion and spares his son who serves him. ¹⁸ And you will again see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not.

Thankfully counting...

• health of me and my family
• God's provision and protection
• sister's safe travels and Alaska mission trip adventure
• how my sister lives out loud for Jesus
• we all survived and thrived during VBS
• God uses our life walk to minister to others
• God uses others' experience to draw me nearer to Him and challenge me to be more viligant 
• That some 5th and 6th grade girls now know what they have to do to know Jesus

Trusting Him and Pursuing His Plans for...

• The Wood family and their battle against leukemia.  I so love how He has already answered specific requests and how he's transforming lives in the process.
• Upcoming challenges He has given me.  Praying for obedience and patient endurance.
• Walking through life with some very strong and brave women.  They so inspire me! (you know who you are!)
• What He has in store for me at work.

Totally enjoying...

• Ryan's conversation with me before bed one night, "Mom, do you know about the bad guys who put Jesus on the cross.  But Jesus is alive and He can live in our hearts so we can live in Heaven someday.  Do you think Spiderman has Jesus in his heart?  He has a spider over his heart, but maybe Jesus still can live there.  I really want Spiderman to have Jesus in his heart."
• Ian asking some really good quesitons:  "Mom, why don't we just give the missionaries money so they have what they need instead of it being a contest between the girls and the boys?"
• when Ian and Ryan get a case of the giggles
• putting puzzles together
• playing games together
• playground fun
• watching movies together for the trillionth time 

Jesus, thank you!  Please help me to learn and re-learn how to be content. 

Practicing...

• Laughing more.  This is quite simple when my boys have a serious case of the giggles and keep saying "Whataburger" on our way to Chick-fil-A! 
• Enjoying priceless moments - Ian says, "Man, it's hot out here!"  Ryan responds, "You got that right, brother!"  (you may have had to be there!)
• Prayer
• saying "no"
• saying "yes" to what matters
• enjoying what really matters
• digging into God's word more

Passionately Pursuing...

• Him
• His plan
• His Word
• His voice
• less legalism
• less of me and what I want
• sitting still and knowing that He is God
• His forgiveness, grace and redemption
• His answers to my questions
• Less about accomplishment and more about how I accomplish it

Pondering and Counting

Counting...

Pondering prayer

•  Clear-mindedness and self-control make all the difference (1 Timothy 4:7)
• Am I praying the request or the answer?
• Asking the hard question - what is my motive for praying this?

Pondering self-control

•   It's really be spirit-control
•   It is a result (2 Peter 1:5) - Faith to goodness; goodness to knowledge; knowledge to self-control; self-control to perseverance; perseverance to godliness; godliness to brotherly kindness; brotherly kindness to love. 
•  Ultimate result:  "you will never fall and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord & Savior Jesus Christ."  WOW!

Savoring the moments...

• just because phone call from my beloved hubby
• hearing encouraging words from the wee one to his older bro
• sweet bedtimes full of back pats/rubs, kisses and "got your nose"
• stories from their perspective
• the sound of rain and watching the ground soak it up instantly
• family checking in

Simply thankful for...

• a great pediatrician
• antibiotics and the flavoring that goes in it!
• people willing to pull together as a team
• toe-stepping messages
• seeing familiar stories in a new light; getting "the rest" of the story
• Grace
• Fernando Ortega and how his music calms me because of where it takes me... to the throne of Jesus

  

 

Thankfully counting

1427.  Goodness!  Hearing my wee one tell me he was too big for me to call him "sweetpea".
1428.  That I was challenged to be a world changer.
1429.  Hmmm - being a disciple is like being God's shadow.  Brings new perspective.
1430.  learning so much about prayer.
1431.  snuggles and hugs with my eldest
1432.  movie date night in with my honey!
1433.  the assurance that God gets me through no matter what!
1434.  the reminder of the importance of a thankful heart and how He uses it to transform me.