little things

It was a long, silent January, wasn't it? We experienced some of the coldest, snowiest days I've ever seen, and spent many cozy times cuddled up over "Brown Bear, Brown Bear" and piles of colorful blocks, not to mention stepping over piles of kitchen "toys" - pots, pans, recycling, spoons, canned goods...

So to begin February on a thankful note, here we go!

1. Warm, cozy days with my sweet little boy, who is growing and changing and learning so much each day
2. Cuddling on the couch with Brad after the sweet little boy is asleep in bed
3. Enough food, enough blankets, enough. We have everything we need, and so much more.
4. Putting away the last of the Christmas decorations, and looking forward to next year's decorating. Now that I know all the best places to put things out of Joshie's reach, I can better prepare for next time!
5. Visits with family and dear friends
6. The privilege of attending a truth-speaking church
7. Beautiful, bountiful, blessed snow. Sparkly, shimmery, swiftly blowing snow. Wind-blown dunes of crisp, crunchy, sand-like snow. Icy puddles that preserve fallen leaves, sticks, berries, pine cones.
8. The sound of birdsong today! Don't they know it's still winter here for another four months or so? God meets all their needs too, of course.
9. The blessing of many toys for my son, who insists he must climb on top of them all.
10. Safety for our family and friends, and the blessing of a Savior who knows us better than we know ourselves.

Goodness and grace

More times than I can count, Brad and I have come to the end of our ability and the bottom of our savings and have found blessings instead.

Each other.

A home.

Food on the table.

Our loving family and friends.

Our church.

The clothing on our backs.

And so much more.


This time, we also found freedom from our medical debts and a large financial gift from our church family, who knew how hard it had become for us to make ends meet.

I hesitated to write about this, because I felt a little guilty enjoying these undeserved, unearned blessings! This post reminded me that God delights in giving good gifts to His children, and that it's alright, it's encouraged, that we enjoy them!

So with a thankful, beyond grateful, joyful heart, I ask you to celebrate with me, friends!

One of our small group leaders approached us a couple weeks ago with a financial gift from our church. A large gift. Because they knew how hard it was for us to make ends meet lately. The size that will allow us to replace the broken windshield on our car, put food on our table, buy a few gifts for our family, fill an Operation Christmas Child box, and put something in our savings account. We are so grateful and floored with the generosity of our church family to us.

I recently humbled myself and applied for charity care for our medical bills. Paying pennies on thousands owed each month was squeezing our already tight budget, and I found myself deciding between a $2 box of cereal and a box of Kleenex. Deciding whether or not to buy cheese, or a bag of apples. Telling myself that I could make sandwich bread instead of buying a $1.50 loaf. Feeding our child from our plates instead of buying pureed and pouch-packaged baby food. Cutting every corner I thriftily could.

And then, all four of our medical bills were either reduced or forgiven, and we were able to pay the remaining balance this month.

Hallelujah!

So, we bought some meat for our freezer. Fresh veggies and fruits for the fridge. Sandwich bread and Kleenex. (Because the baby has a cold, and the hubby needs sandwiches when he packs his lunch for work). We feel abundantly blessed, and look forward to this new freedom to bless others. And to save! And to share our joy with you.

reasons to be thankful

For the little things, of course. Those things we overlook. Expect a "little things" post sometime soon.

Why do we, as a nation, take a holiday to be thankful? The Pilgrims celebrated their survival through hardship, friendships old and new, and religious freedom. Certainly, we take a holiday to remember the start of our nation and the beginning of these freedoms we take for granted, the beginning of a country whose national ideals were based on biblically sound principals: valuing all people and their God-given rights to life. We take a holiday to slow down and breathe before a truly busy season that does not often include rest. There's a religious practice called anamnesis - a literal re-remembering of who and what we are, where we came from, how we've been blessed, and to Whom we give thanks. We take time to reenact and remember the past because of how those memories of God's faithfulness can bless us in the situation we're in now.

But other reasons?

Thankfulness helps us to see what really matters in life, and what makes living worthwhile.
Thankfulness, when it's the first thought in my mind, helps me to forgive both myself and others.
Thankfulness leads to contentment.
Thankfulness keeps me from sinking into depression.
Thankfulness causes me to be mindful of all that I have already, and helps me to notice what others might need.
Thankfulness reminds me to pray, and to praise God for what He has allowed and orchestrated in my life.
Thankfulness fosters joy in my heart as I remember how truly blessed I am.

What things come to mind as you take the time to be thankful?

real-life miracle.

"Everyone needs compassion,
A love that's never failing;
Let mercy fall on me.
Everyone needs forgiveness,
The kindness of a Savior,
The Hope of Nations."
"Mighty to Save" by Ben Fielding and Reuben Morgan

Sometimes - no, all the time - I don't like to admit that I'm the one who needs compassion, mercy, a hand up, someone's help, relief, a miracle. I like to think that I'm okay, that I am the one who can bless others, that somehow God will let me rely on my own skills instead of on Him and on the friends He's given me.

When people think of miracles, they think of healing, or water to wine, or other impossible things like that. They think of premature babies thriving, babies being born at all, and older people living longer. "Miracle" is applied to advancements in science, to pleasant coincidences, to happy thrift-store finds and open parking spaces.

But a miracle is a supernatural act of God. Sometimes God works through people, like the incredibly generous, tender-hearted person (or people) who allowed God to use them to bless us today.

We've been struggling to make ends meet financially, and we're planning to take a student loan to be able to pay for my schooling (read: more school loan debt, when we're already paying back $XX,XXX). It has been very hard for me to admit that I can't pay for things like the books I need for class or the professional conference that I really should attend. It has be so hard to not buy more than the absolutely essential groceries and to not make more trips than necessary. We've turned down the heat, used as few cell minutes as possible, and paid only the bills that loomed directly ahead. It has been hard to admit that I need help - that when I got to the counter at the store last week, the clerk paid for part of my bill with the "take a penny, leave a penny" dish. I almost cried then.

God had a blessing in mind, though!

The envelope had no return address on it, and it's postmarked at a city near us. To the friend (or friends?) who sent it: We've been truly blessed through you. Thank you. Your generosity is amazing - I'm in tears as I write this. I'm so thankful to God for a friend like you. Thank you for being the way that God meets our needs. We're amazed at His provision for us, and so very grateful.

"My heart is filled with thankfulness
To Him who walks beside,
Who floods my weaknesses with strength,
And causes fears to fly.

Whose every promise is enough
For every step I take,
Sustaining me with arms of love
And crowning me with grace."
"My Heart is Filled" by Keith Getty and Stuart Townend

here i am

at work. still. and wondering what my day really amounted to - did i do anything eternally worthwhile? really, was putting in one new house listing, printing and emailing statistics, and putting together the daily report really that interesting? or helpful?

i should have taken the day off.

on the other hand, it's a lovely day. i had a nice walk/jog at lunchtime, and it was beautiful! it's "warm" again - in the 20's (Farenheit). The sunshine was a nice change of pace.

tonight my husband and i may go out to celebrate an early Valentine's Day...next weekend will be inconvenient for us. and who's to say that Valentine's Day can't be early? i like it. Even if we just stay in and dedicate the time to each other, that will be enough.

still so in love.

and i know i will be for the rest of my life.