a psalm of gratitude

healing, wisdom, friends,
courage, creativity, 
family, trust,
healthy self-love, 
boundaries--and more and more are 
all because of Him and all from Him 

forgiveness, cleansing, insight, intuition, knowing, 

all from Him

light, dark, 
each step I take, 
each muscle I move is because of Him

the shadows I make as I walk, 
from Him
the sunlight on my hair--from Him

ears to hear with
eyes to see with
a mouth to taste with
hands to touch with
a nose to smell with

all from Him

a mind to reason with
a heart to love with
arms to hug with
all from Him

legs to keep moving forward
and the will to keep going

all from Him

fresh drink of cool water
food to nourish my body and soul
the bread and the wine
all from Him

fish in the sea
bird in the tree
owl on the branch
snail on the path

all from Him

my head on the pillow
my time to dream
peaceful sleep is from Him

Nothing good in my life exists apart from Him.

"Whatever is good and perfect comes down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow." James 1:17

Blessings to you today, friend!

~Anne

Linking up today with Coffee for Your Heart.

Expectations for Christmas

For years of my life (maybe all of them) I've had pretty heavy expectations for Christmas. When I was growing up, I had a dad and step-mom and a mom and step-dad and to me that always meant more presents for Christmas. Is this what set me up as an adult? 

My expectations, especially at this present-y time of year that is also holy, have gotten me into so many pickles.

I want, I want, I want.

CHRISTMAS PAST

When my kids were small, I want them to look perfect in the Christmas card photo. I don't want my baby girl tipping over. I don't want my boys to be smirking funny, or their shirts to be wrinkled.

I want my family Christmas letter to be newsy, but funny and definitely clever. I want the people who receive my letter to remember it as being so clever that they want to pull it out in July just to review all the cleverness I said in December. (what??)

I want the tree to look perfect, so I don't really let the kids help me decorate it. I don't want all the ornaments bunched up in the same general area on the tree. I want them spaced just so. Magazine shoot worthy. Who am I kidding?

I don't really expect too much, do I?

CHRISTMAS FUTURE

I like new. I like change, if it's good change. So, I dream of new in the future. This can be good, but it can also be bad. It can be bad if my expectations are misplaced and if my current and future happiness depends on these supposed new things. I know this. At least I'm aware.

CHRISTMAS PRESENT

See, it can be really tricky. Read other blogs for creative inspiration, and end up swirling in a comparison sink hole of my own making. 

Compare my non-existent Christmas baking to others' bountiful culinary delights. 

What gifts are others giving and how much?

It is all too much to carry.

And the main ingredient for this is my misplaced expectation. 

The expectation that I should be a better decorator, my house should be cleaner and bigger. I should be more crafty and artistic. A perfect writer, a perfect creator. 

The expectation that my loved ones can meet every one of my needs perfectly.

And, it's not and I'm not. And, they can't.

So, what's a girl to do with all these expectations?

What will bring me true and lasting satisfaction and contentment?


Because, I believe my expectations are speaking to me of this.

What I believe is that I will only be satisfied with the goodness of God. 

A friend quoted this on Facebook:

"Christmas is not about fulfilling our holiday expectations. It's about celebrating Jesus' overwhelming accomplishment for us and following in His humble servant footsteps." ~~from Desiring God

This same person said,

"I have often said the key to happiness is to lower your expectations, but it is really about trusting and resting in His love, power, and goodness."

Amen.

Yes, trusting.

In His goodness.

And, that the all-gracious King that I sing about is standing beside me with open arms waiting to lavish His love, power and goodness on me. 

Again, where do I turn?

In what do I place my trust, my expectation?

"My people will be satisfied with My goodness, says the Lord."

~Jeremiah 31:14b

"For He satisfies the longing soul and fills the hungry soul with good."

~Ps. 107:9

Here is the truth that I long to live out.



Linking up today with Emily Freeman at Chatting at the Sky for Tuesdays Unwrapped. 

God's hand is on the combination

One thing I have often done in times that I'm waiting on God to do something (for a dream I have) is to pray "Lord, pour out your wisdom on me." He answers this prayer. Sometimes quietly, where I hardly notice anything right away. Sometimes it seems tangible. It seemed so yesterday.


What followed that prayer are words and a picture in my mind of God holding a padlock in His large hands. A combination lock with a numbered dial. His hand is on the dial and he is turning it to get to the exact combination for my dream. I loved the word picture and the paragraphs that came to me. I hope it encourages you whatever stage you are in waiting for your God sized dream to be realized. It sure encouraged me.

******************************************************************************************************

All things are fitting together for good because you love God and you are called according to his purposes. His purposes will stand. No human being or eternal being can thwart God's good plan for your life. Nothing can stand before God's plan. Nothing. When the timing is right, all will be revealed. All will fall into place. 

Like when you turn a combination lock to the right numbers. Once you have the combination, the lock falls simply in place, into the grooves made to fit that particular combination. It bothers you that you cannot see inside the padlock to see how it all fits together. That's because you are human. I(God) made the padlock, so I know its complete inner workings and I am also the owner of it. I have my hand on the dial. I am moving that dial between numbers. 

Don't despair. My hand is there.

My hand. My timing. 

You have already seen many things that have been fitted into their proper place on the timeline. Things that have needed to take place before I open the door. Before the combination lock fits into place. Trust me with this. I know all things. I prepare all things and all people for my work. I have been preparing you and all those who love you.

This will not be one minute late. This will all happen right on schedule--on my timetable. Trust my timing. It is perfect. Perfect for you, your family and all circumstances surrounding this dream of yours. I have all things in my hands and under my control.

Faith and trust are what is required of you. If you could see into the future, you wouldn't need faith. Faith pleases me. Keep believing in me.

All of your needs are met. All of them. I will continue to meet them all. I continue to fulfill all of your dreams, desires, wants, passions--according to my will and plan. I delight to provide all that you need.

***************
These words encouraged me so much! God has his hand on the dial! Blessings to you!
Anne

Linking up with other God sized dreamers at holleygerth.com 
and at afreshlybrewedlife.com

eyes wide open: everyday grace {day 9}

I shouldn't be floored when this happens. But I am.

I go to my scheduled appointment with my Ear, Nose and Throat doctor and he is kind. He smiles. He gives me the thumbs up that my sinus infection is no more. But, mostly he is kind.

I go to my scheduled chiropractic appointment. You know, for the low back that I strained doing yoga. And, my chiropractor is kind. He says to me "ahh, you brought the rain with you today, huh?" But, he's really joking, he says, because we need the rain. 

I go to an unplanned physical therapy appointment. You know, for the low back. She's right next to the ENT, so I stop in just in case there is an opening in her busy schedule. There is. She is kind. She checks my mobility. Gives me some muscle treatments. Gives me some exercises. She tells me her name is Jaime. She is kind. 

I do not take these kindnesses for granted. They aren't a given. I have had days where the folks I speak with in my daily affairs are not kind. That tends to stick with me in the wrong way. I have a hard time not letting the not nice people get under my skin. 

But, today, I relish in the kindnesses of the people that God has put in my life to help me. I think about that once in awhile. Everything I need, He provides. I need an ENT? I've got one. I need a chiropractor? I have a very kind one. I need a physical therapist? She happens to have a cancellation and I get right in.

These are not coincidences. These are graces from a very good God that promises to provide everything I will ever need. Thank you, God.

"And my God will liberally supply (fill to the full) your every need according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus."

Philippians 4:19

see day 1 for a listing of all 31 posts

eyes wide open to abundance {day 3}

Eyes wide open.

Ears that are eager.

 John 10:27 "My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me."

John 14:26 "But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative--that is, the Holy Spirit--he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you."

Bible open, pencil in hand, journal in lap, and the words start pouring out on the page. The still, small voice of Truth. I'm listening intently, even as I am writing feverishly. I want to have eyes and ears of faith. I want to have an open mind and heart to everything God has for me.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

Your life belongs to God. I, your Heavenly Father, am your Need Meeter. I provide everything you need. 

When you look to yourself or other people to meet your needs, you may see that they are met for awhile, but not really. In the end you will see that you will barely get by and your apparent abundance will just be an illusion. All that you thought was filling your hands will slip through like sifting sand.

The Enemy of your soul will always tempt you to trust in yourself or other people apart from Me. Don't take the bait. Trust only in Me. What I provide will always be satisfying and it will be lasting. I am the Beginning and I Am the End. I Am First and Last. Therefore, My provisions are trustworthy and lasting. They are satisfying. They are like a rock that cannot be moved.

Keep your eyes on Me, your Need Meeter. Expect Me to provide. Expect Me to act. I am always working behind the scenes to provide for your every need. 

Friendships? I've got that covered.

Food? I've got that too.

Peace? Yes, it's provided.

Joy? It's yours in abundance.

Love? Oh yes. My love is everlasting. My love is eternal. My love for you is provisional, unconditional, immovable.

My love for you is what motivates Me to provide for you. When you look to anything or anyone else that I created to provide all that you need, you miss out on My very best for you.

I love providing for you. I never tire of it. I am Love. Everything I do is out of Myself, Love.
I am trustworthy. Keep your eyes on Me and you will know. Keep your heart tuned in to Me and you will truly see. You will see the truth, and the truth will set you free and keep you free.

John 10:10, "The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows)."

please go to day 1 to see a list of all 31 posts.

Turning negative thoughts into gratitude

Seems like every year up until this year, I kind of grumbled because I had "extra" work to do to water all of the flower pots that I wanted to plant. And, I like to plant quite a few of them. I love flowers! I don't usually get real expensive ones. I always feel like my pots of flowers are not as good as the gal's down the street. But,

I like to pick them out. Even if they are just simple.I like to plant them, but I usually let them sit in their little plastic containers for far too long on the driveway, and some of them end up dying there. That is a sad admission, but true.When I finally get around to planting them, I really do enjoy the creative process of deciding which pot gets the Impatience, and which pot gets the Geraniums. What plants will look best in the hanging baskets, and how to arrange the Asparagus Fern in the big terra cotta pot on the deck.

This year, as I pondered buying and planting the flowers, I was dragging my feet. I really wasn't excited about planting flowers in the pots on the deck because it is peeling and looks bad. However, one night I decided that my negative feelings about my deck were preventing me from fully enjoying the flowers.


I decided to reframe how I was looking at the deck. I asked myself, "What is one positive thought that I can have about a peeling deck?" I decided that it really does match a lot of things in my house. (this is true) I like antiques, and I really do like peeling paint on furniture, so why couldn't I just transfer this attitude to my deck? I'm not saying that we'll never get to restaining the deck. We need to do that. But, we are too busy on other projects to get that done yet. Should I allow that to prevent me from tidying up the deck as best I can and planting the flower pots that I really like? Should my negative attitude about my deck prevent me from enjoying beauty, of experiencing joy? I told myself, "no, it should not." So, I went to the greenhouse and picked out my flowers. Impatience, Marigolds, Petunias, Vinca, plus Asparagus fern. By the time I talked myself into buying them, it was almost the end of June. I had gone way past the usual time for planting, Mother's Day. 


Since I decided to reframe my attitude about the deck. I have also reframed my attitude about watering the flowers every day. See, it's been almost one hundred degrees for several weeks. This is the hottest Iowa summer I can ever remember. My flowers are extra thirsty. They cannot survive one day in this summer heat without being watered thoroughly. In summers past, I would grumble to myself about having to water the flowers every day. At the end of the day, when I'm the most tired I would remember that I hadn't watered them yet, and I'd grumble. 


This year, I am viewing my flower watering ritual differently. I usually get up in the morning and either before or after I have tea, I give my flowers a drink, too. They are a thing of beauty in my life. I want them to stay alive in this heat. I want them to thrive. 
I give each of my four hanging baskets a huge glass of water. I fill up two quart size pitchers and water all of the pots on my front porch and my deck. Every morning. It has become a ritual that I enjoy. 


Today, as I was out in the ninety-five degree heat pouring the cool water into one of the hanging baskets, the thought came to me from Psalm 23:5, "my cup overflows". As the cool water sank into the hot dirt, and some of it overflowed the edge of the basket, I thanked God for how much He has made my own cup overflow with good things. Life, the love of my husband and young adult kids. My air conditioning in this awful heat. So many things to thank him for!

God, thank you for fresh water to drink and that I have enough to quench not only my thirst, but also the thirst of my lovely flowers. The flowers that you made. The beauty that you have surrounded my life with. 

I may need your gifts...and that's okay

First of all, I want to give a shout out to my daughter Kara, for making this awesome blog design for me!   She is studying Advertising at Iowa State University and has been creating icons and other design-y things on the internet since she was about twelve. (and is now almost a wonderful nineteen years...where did that time go?) I mentioned the other day that I just couldn't find a design template I liked. She said, "I can probably do that for you." (ahh, the sweetness!)


I am passionate about birds of all kinds .I am also passionate about "vintage" and antiques and junking. All I said is that I wanted a vintage-y looking bird design.

She sat down and created this wonderful design in about 45 minutes. I probably could have pulled it off....in about a week. Maybe. Driving her nuts with all my questions.

I am so grateful for her gifts and that she shared them with me. I am learning more and more how to appreciate my own gifts and talents, but also, that it is okay that I need help for some things. I can't do it all. And, someone else may be able to do a certain thing for me so much better than I could do it myself.  


I'm learning to recognize that God surrounds me with the people that can help me to fulfill the calling He has placed on me. 


--the friend on the other end of the phone when I need prayer
--the husband who goes to work daily to provide for our family
--the counselor who's given me so many words of healing and belief in myself
--the daughter who created this blog design


Even down to the high school guy who bags my groceries and says, "Have a nice day."


What are your gifts and talents? How can you use them to help someone today? 
Are you okay with needing someone else's gifts? They might need you to need them!


P.S. Later, after I get permission, I'll share the sites that Kara has designed for herself. She's so talented!