Gratituesday

They say time flies when you're having fun! I'm not sure that I've always felt that way about marriage, but here we are fifteen years later!

I CAN tell you that I am so very, very thankful for my marriage... for all the things that it has taught me... for the many ways I have learned to truly love someone. I would not go back and do any of it again, except to change the parts that I messed up in. Now I know so much better HOW to do them!

Just a little secret.... I am STILL learning!

I am so very thankful for my husband. God knew exactly who I needed to help mold me and shape me into being a godly, Christian wife and mother. My man is such a wonderful father who truly wants what is best for his children. He wants what is best for our whole family and is willing to be ridiculed, if necessary, to follow the Lord in the way that HE is leading.

Here is to the next fifteen years and many, many more!

Please visit Heavenly Homemakers for more Gratituesday posts.

Gratituesday

As this is our last Tuesday in Italy, I thought it fitting for me to say how grateful I am for the opportunity the Lord has given us in being here.

We travelled through Rome today. People were everywhere, from all locations and from all walks of life. My family was together. I thought back to the last 10+ weeks. I really had a lot to thank the Lord for.

What I am most grateful for, is how the Lord is changing me and teaching me. Only HE could do something like that. Little lessons are all around me. He has used the time here to show me some important things about Himself and about myself.

My goal now, is to not go back and waste what I have learned. Routine sets in. Comfort. I hope you'll keep me accountable!

Gratituesday - Learning to be Content

As our time here in Italy is drawing to a close, I have been constantly thinking, wondering, worrying even, about what we will do and where we will be when we return. This seems to be a constant struggle for me over the past couple years. Some days I gain the victory and other days my flesh shows its ugly head. Remember, the name of this blog has a purpose? Hebrews 11:13,15,16 scroll down to the bottom of the screen.

Over the last few days though, I have been seriously praying over my attitude and really trying to give it to the Lord. I am so thankful that He has been giving me a verse here or a song there to remind me of Him and His plan. I do not need to worry about this. God has a very special place for us. He has a perfect plan for my husband and how he will provide for us. Do I need to try to figure this all out on my own? NO WAY! I ask myself, "Why would I want to interfere with the God of the universe?"

So that you can rejoice and be encouraged, I thought I would share a couple of the things God has used this week in my life. I just kind of happened upon them and I am so glad I did! I hope you will enjoy them too...

This is an older hymn I found ...

How happy's every child of grace; That feels his sins forgiven!

"This earth," he cries, "is not my place, I seek a place in heaven;"

A country far from mortal site, Yet, Oh! by faith I see,

The land of rest, the saint's delight, A heaven prepared for me.

A song that I came upon. .. I don't know anything about the singer, good or bad, but I appreciate the words of the music. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1llIIhBMCjU especially the words "You have taught me heaven's my true home".

Now Faith is the substance of things hoped for...
The evidence of things not seen.

Hebrews 11:1

Thank you to Laura over at Heavenly Homemakers for hosting this each Tuesday.

Gratituesday - Sonshine in My Soul

We have been in Italy for about six weeks now. I can't believe it! To be honest, some days it seems like forever ago and other days not so much.

During that time, I would say that 5 out of the 7 days of the week have been rainy or very cloudy. No complaining, because I have lived in the Pacific Northwest, but it does start to work on my mood.

This week I am rejoicing because it has been sunny now for 4 days straight and I am loving it! It just really adds a new "spring" to my step! I think it must be that way for a lot of people, even in Italy. The whole town seems to come alive. The birds are chirping, the flowers are popping out and things are starting to look so much greener. The sky is blue and the water glistens.

I started thinking about all of this, and I love the analogy it gives me when we start to let the SON shine in our soul. Doesn't it give you a fresh "spring" in your step! Doesn't it make you just want to shout and sing His praises! When your soul has been washed and cleansed with the Word of God, when you've been forgiven and when your attitude is right... your whole person just comes alive.

I hope you are experiencing some Sonshine in your soul today!

Heavenly Sonshine, Heavenly Sonshine

Flooding my soul with glory divine

Hallelujah, I am rejoicing singing His praises

Jesus is mine!

Join us for Gratituesday at Heavenly Homemakers!

Gratituesday - May I be Honest?

We've now been in Italy three weeks. The "vacation" phase has worn off and reality has more or less set in. May I be honest and tell you, from one human to another human, that it's right about now that I start feeling a little depressed, discouraged, and a little lonely. We are so far from home, without a soul to talk to. I am in a country where I may or may not see the benefits of our labour. It is raining and raining and raining ... shall I go on?

As easy as it may be for me to meditate on those feelings, I am learning... slowly... that I need to turn that around. The best way to do that, for me, is to look at all the things that I have to be thankful for. My focus needs to be on Gratitude, to keep the right Attitude!

So, here goes... What do I have to be thankful for right now?


- a very nice landlady, who, as soon as her company leaves, I am going to invite over for tea.

- a wonderful husband, who, inspite of the rain, is delivering tracts all over this countryside!

- a wonderful God, who works through me, inspite of myself! Sometimes, when I don't even know it.

- the weather prediction of a sunny day on Thursday!

- a very nice lady in Texas who wrote us a letter!


I could go on and on .... Honestly!

Gratituesday

Today marks one week of being in Italy. As we look back on the week, there are many things to be thankful for! Some highlights include:

• Sermonaudio.com - This is such a blessing to us right now. With it, we can listen to the pastor in Oregon while we sit on our couch in Italy. Without a church to go to here, we are still able to listen to Biblical Preaching and be fed!

• Legs/Busses/Trains - Thank God for legs to carry us while we go out and deliver tracts. We were able to do several "blocks" in the last couple days. We will also love the busses and trains even more as we venture out farther in the next several weeks!

• The Blessing of Children - We have the best children! Of course, yes, we are biased, but they truly are wonderful. They did so great on the airplanes flying over and they have been real troopers as we walk around town. They did pretty good with jet lag too. Now, we get to celebrate our youngest's 4th birthday today. Each one of them is growing up so quickly.

• Compassionate Italians - We are so grateful for the Italians who will take a moment to be patient with us as we learn more of their language. As we go around town, we are meeting more and more people... at the store, the bakery, the produce market. This, we pray, will grow in to deeper relationships and we will be able to share Christ with them on a deeper level.

What are you grateful for today? Please share some of your thoughts and comments. If you'd like to read more blogs of others who are grateful, go to Heavenly Homemaker.

Gratituesday - So Much to Praise God About

We have so much to Praise God about. Even the unsaved person truly has something to praise God about, if they'd only see what it is and accept it. I'm so thankful that I can praise Him!

As we prepare for Italy, we have many things to praise God for. This week I thought I'd share what some of those things are. To God be the Glory!

As of today, we have had 14, 000 tracts donated to us! Now, to just get them in our suitcases! BUT, what a great problem to have.

We have not asked PEOPLE, but God has provided more financial funds for our trip through various PEOPLE. That is such a blessing. I love it when we ask God only and then He alone works. It is one more example of the fact that God is real and He is alive and well!

So many people have committed to pray. We need that! We are so grateful for the prayers of God's people.

Many of our children's friends have said they would be penpals with us while we are in Italy. I can't wait! That will be such a blessing to our children and they are really looking forward to it. It can be quite lonely without other English speaking people to talk to. This will help in such a great way! If you would like our address there, please leave me a comment with your e-mail address and I will send it to you.

God inhabits the praises of His people. I need to praise Him more. We all really have something amazing to be thankful for, we just need to focus on that a little more in our daily lives! I praise Him for you!

Gratituesday - The Little Sparrows

I am so enjoying our new surroundings and seeing all the different kinds of creatures that are in these parts. We were able to go camping Friday night and it was so fun to be with the children and just admire God's creation! One little creature I happened to notice a little more, was the sparrow.

Don't know why, but I haven't really dwelt too long on the subject of the sparrow. Yeah, Yeah, I've read the Bible verses, heard the song, and my head is filled with all kinds of info about how God takes care of us... just like he takes care of the birds of the air etc. Oh, but then God gets a hold of your heart... you know the times...

As I was hiking out in the middle of no where though, and I heard those little birds... and then I saw those cute little things... I couldn't help but be so grateful for such an awesome God who would take care of me, just like He does them. They sure looked nice and healthy and plump! I guess I can trust God to keep me plump too! LOL!

For His eye is on the sparrow... and I know He watches me...

Gratituesday -

Ok, I'll be honest... last week was not a good week for me. I was depressed and lonely most of the week. My circumstances were getting the best of me and I was allowing them to determine my attitude. Bottom line ... I wasn't trusting the Lord to take care of things!

Oh, but then came the man of God, speaking of the word of God. How humbled I was! Through the Holy Spirit speaking through him, I realized that I was not surrounding my heart and my will to what God wanted. I wasn't trusting Him to take care of my circumstances. I was worrying and fretting over things and wanting someone to play the world's tiniest violin on my behalf!

What am I grateful for today? I'm grateful for the man of God that is willing to preach whatever God lays on his heart, I'm grateful for God sending the Holy Spirit as a Comforter and a Convicter, and I'm grateful that my loving, Heavenly Father gives new mercy every morning to a sinner such as I.

Have you claimed His mercy in your life? What are you grateful for today?

Gratituesday - The Music Please

I love music.... Not just any music though.

I really like music that is encouraging, uplifting, and true.

I don't like the sad and mopey stuff... you know the kind where the dog dies and the wife's gone and life just isn't perfect. I don't like the fast and hard stuff where you can't even enjoy the words.

What I really like is a song that you can sing and brighten your day, or maybe somebody elses.

I have listened to a lot of music over the years, and some may say that I'm just getting old, so my tastes have changed, BUT... I like to say that I'm just getting wiser!

God has really shown me more and more the kind of music He enjoys. I love going to church and being refreshed by the music, just as much as the preaching. Have you ever really listened and understood, maybe even meditated, on the words of the songs we sing in our hymnals?

Today I am just grateful for good, Godly music. I'm thankful for the music that God uses to teach me and to encourage me. What is your favorite song to sing?

Gratituesday - 100 years of Family

We just had the wonderful opportunity of attending my husband's grandmother's 100th birthday party. Just about all the family was there... 5 of her children... umpteen (is that a word) grandchildren, and even more great grandchildren. Her surviving brother and sister were there as well as other distant family and some friends. We all had a great time visiting with each other and celebrating her life. She really enjoyed it too.

After all the festivities, I got to thinking about this lady and the life that she has lived the last 100 years. It's just amazing when you think about all that she has lived through and the changes that have taken place during her life span. What I truly was grateful for was the testimony of her family, especially the morals and upbringing that she gave her daughter (my mother-n-law). Her daughter has passed these on to her children (my husband) and I'm blessed to be a part of it. This grandmother has passed down a legacy of hard work, doing right, and a love for life... just to name a few. I hope I can pass this same legacy down to my own children. Thank you for the example, Grandma!

Gratituesday - A Friend

I have had the privilege of meeting lots of people as we travel around and move from place to place. I have to be honest and tell you that sometimes I am guarded against building too deep of a friendship though because, chances are, I won't be around for too long. I never intentionally leave, but the Lord has had us move more times than not! It has strengthened my faith and as I meet people, sometimes you just can't help but reach out to someone you "click" with. Each friendship has added something new to my life and encouraged me in ways that sometimes I didn't even know I needed encouragement in.

I've just had to leave that sort of friend. It breaks my heart, because it was breaking hers. I really hate that. She was kind enough to tell me how I had encouraged her in several areas and strengthened her life in ways I never knew I was doing. At the same time, this was encouraging ME to continue to walk with the Lord and live my life with Him as my guide, never knowing what kind of ways I was impacting someone else. I'm glad that the Lord can use me. If that means making friendships that I may not have forever here on earth, than I guess I'll have to take that chance. I rather be an encouragement and have others be an encouragement to me, than to live my life in a shell.

Thank you, Heather, for your friendship. I pray you'll be blessed as you serve Him.

Gratituesday

New this week for me is a weekly post entitled "Gratituesday". I just love the idea of it! So often, we take for granted the things that we should have gratitude for, myself included! I am excited about sharing with you some things that really make me praise the Lord for his work in my life and in the life of my family. I hope you will join me by leaving a comment and sharing what YOU are thankful for....

To start this weekly post, I'd like to share with you a website that I came across just a few months ago. I am sooo thankful for it. This dear lady has done a great job of putting together recipes, ideas, and humor to encourage those out in the blogosphere to eat healthy, love life and praise the Lord in the process. It was she who started this "Gratituesday" post, so not only can you read my post every week, but you can also go to her blog and enjoy a list of others who are doing the same thing. If I had the time and energy AND creativity, I would want my blog to be just like hers. Since I can't have it that way, I am so thankful that I have her website to turn to and that I can refer you to her as well.