Multitude Monday: 1000 gifts

#126-153

practicing hard eucharisteo

a birthday party had early before the storm

a warm house, fireplace, warm drinks

practicing hard eucharisteo

Fernando Ortega station on Pandora

"It is well" playing to remind me of what is most important

husband readying our house for possible power outage

thankful for his hard work to keep us warm and not in the dark

church cancelled because of an October Nor'easter

being able to really rest on the Sabbath

spending time together in one room all day

finding creative ways to cook meals

thankful for the gas stove

thankful for running, clean water

fire going all day

the comforts of home

conversations with my children

being able to sit and just "be"

but also clean out some cabinets (a chore that was irritating me)

local pizza place open

Legos from 6-year-old's BD party to keep the children busy all day

2 year old in footy jammies all day

sun shining bright

knowing this snow will melt

practicing hard eucharisteo

6 year old Halloween baby

sweet words from a friend: "bless your little southern heart."

practicing hard eucharisteo

Sally Clarkson and Sarah Mae: New Book!

I cannot wait for this book to come out. Sally Clarkson has such a heart for moms and I love what she is doing to minister to moms. Check out this video and look for the book!

This and that--Five Things.

1. I did a Mud Run. I ran a 5K through the Bronx (Orchard Beach to be precise), through obstacles and through mud. I did it with 4 of my girlfriends. It was one of the most fun things I have ever done. I'm definitely doing it next year. That was 3 1/2 weeks ago. I haven't run at all since then. I hurt my knee and the pain spread to other areas of my body. So I'm hoping it will heal up soon so I can start running again...

2. The Great Closet Clean Out of 2011.

I've been obsessed with editing my wardrobe lately. It started with me cleaning out my closet on Labor Day. I watched Napoleon Dynamite on my laptop while I took everything (everything!) out of my closet and did not bring anything else into my closet unless I could actually fit into it or loved it or had worn it recently. I gave away so many things! It was hard to let go of some stuff, but now I don't even remember what half the stuff was so it doesn't matter. My goal is to have a closet where I can shop in. Items that I love and that say--"me".

Pinterest is helping me actually consider what I would wear and what is my "style". (that sounds so cheesy.) But it is a good exercise in really only having items that you will wear for a lifetime.

3. We've been studying John in a Tuesday morning Bible study I go to. I love how I'm learning that Jesus moves towards the broken. That is His way. Just thought I'd share that.

4. At night, I'm on Facebook or Pinterest, or reading through Ann Voskamp's

1000 gifts book again. I used to blog at night. Not so much anymore.
5. I'm on a salad kick. My favorite is making a salad with all different kinds of raw vegetables and slicing a hard boiled egg on top with some shredded cheese. It's my favorite lunch.
Got any "this and that's" you want to share?

Hi friends...

Every once in awhile I will turn off my comments on a post. Sometimes it's because I just want the post to "be" there and I don't think there is a need for comments, and other times it's because I need to remind myself that I choose to be an Upside Down Blogger.

The truth is, I love your comments. Namely because I love the connections, and also because if you read, then I like to know you are reading.

All this to say, if there is a post where I have taken the comments down, then please email me. You'll find my email address at the top of my blog if you click on "contact". I really would love to hear from you.

Thanks for reading, everyone. :)

Looking for Him

Re-reading, Re-loving, Re-learning...

The hard eucharisteos...

119. 6 am. is better than 4:30 am.

120. Preschool shows on TV at 6 am.

121. Hot coffee to wake me up.

122. 2 year old stubborness.

123. 2 year old adorableness.

124. The way his wispy hair sticks up.

125. Being able to have these precious moments in the early morning with "just him".

Light.

"I am the Light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." ~John 8:12

On Friendship.

Please take a moment and read these life-giving words on friendship. It seems so many of you were so touched by my last post of "Loving Well." The people who I call "friend" are treasured people. They are not just a passing person in my life. I try to love them well, and I suppose that I expect them to love me well in turn. Then I know I've got something to treasure and love. Above all, let's not forget that Jesus will always be that One, True, Friend.

These simple words "It's never the wrong time to call on Toad. Early of late he's always the same fellow. Always good-tempered, always glad to see you, always sorry when you go!"~~-Kenneth Graham. I've spent some treasured and memorable time the past couple of weekends, each with a different family of very dear friends, and have spent many of the moments in-between-times pondering the idea and out-workings of friendship (that leaves you with the no-other-quite-like-it feeling of having been friended), what it is and how and why. What makes a friendship special and why it would be so.

Seems, a friend likes you just as you are, and enjoys you, because of (without a doubt who they are as well as) who you are. A friend, is sincerely glad to see you or hear you, and lights up at the sight of you or the sound of your voice making your/or it's way, his or her way. A friend knows you--beyond superficial (by degrees and ever longs to know you more), because they listen to you and hear you, and thoughtfully respond to you by turns, in return.

A friend graciously and non judgementally knows what you meant to say even though you may not have said it well, though only the best that you could. A friend, takes what you offer--the good and the not so good--and sifts it all through their greater and sensitive understanding of you overall, and their heart of love, covering you, believing in you, desiring God's very best for you and for yours in every single way. A friend, makes sacrifices of their time and giftings, as best and as often as able--who they are and what they have, and finds joy in return simply in the doing so. The tip of the iceberg of my ponderings. How very grateful I am for the love and shared lives of my friends (among whom are many of you, and for this I thank you, far more than just thank-you).
~Jewels On this day

Loving well

"Sometimes," said Pooh, "the smallest things take up the most room in your heart."

I received the most wonderful surprise in the mail last week. My dear friend

Aimee sent me the most thoughtful gifts in the mail. It included a bird's nest necklace, a recipe for pumpkin bread, handmade leaf coasters, and a flower pin made of old t-shirt material. I couldn't believe what beautiful gifts I had gotten. And it was a total surprise. I thought of Aimee, homeschooling her five children, her sixth child due in less than a month. I couldn't believe she took the time out to make these things especially for me and to send them in the mail to me. It made me feel so loved and thought of. Aimee knows how to love well.

Loving well is something that must be practiced. Sometimes, as in Aimee's case, it comes very natural. Other times it may not be so natural. But loving well is showing others that they are special, that they are worth something, that they are thought of, amidst the busyness of our everyday lives.