14 Thanks and Counting...

So I am having one of those days...

When you initially hear that you probably think, "Oh boy, what's wrong?".  Right?  We tend to think there is something bad or awful going on more often than we tend to look on the bright side and count our blessings.

Well, today I am having one of those days...that I am feeling thankful for so much.  What is dominating my thoughts is how fortunate and blessed my family is. 

I love my husband so much (still) after 9 years.  (He is a great blessing for sure!)That in itself is quite the feat these days. I looked up the average length of a marriage in the US...it is 7 years.  So, nine years is a type of marriage longevity.  Wow. How sad.

So, Dan and I have been happily married 9 years AND we have two very healthy and active boys.  Another blessing (or 2!).  So I am up to 3 very substantial blessings in my life.

Dan and I have been happily married 9 years, we have 2 healthy active boys, AND Dan and I both have parents that are still married happily after more than 30 years.  Chalk up 2 more blessings making the count at 5.

Dan and I have been happily married 9 years, have two healthy and active boys, parents that are still happily married, AND our families all get along beautifully together without tension or awkwardness.  There is none of the bad in-law talk from either of us and in fact, we both love our parents and in laws greatly.  Peacefulness=blessing 6.

To top it off, each person referred to has put their trust and faith in Jesus Christ and actively live to seek His will for their life.  Amazing. Blessings 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, and 14...and that does not even include our siblings and their spouses, and many of our close friends.

So, how is it I can let little petty things bother me when I have so much to be thankful for?  It is when I take my eyes off of my Savior.  When I doubt.  When I loose track of what is truly valuable.

I have so many blessings and have so much to be thankful for with so many people that are close to me. 

So, I am continuing on with my "one of those days" day that encompasses thankfulness to its fullest.  Thank you, Lord Jesus for the blessings that run deep in my family roots and for such goodness in my family.  I don't want to ever take that for granted.   

Preparing

It feels like I am often preparing for something.  I prepare for traveling and trips, I prepare lunch for the boys for school, I prepare for the holidays buy purchasing gifts, and most recently, I have been preparing our house to sell. 

I looked up the word prepare and according to wikipedia it means "to make (something) ready for use or consideration." 

OK, so where am I going with this?  The first thing that comes to mind is how I am being prepared.  I was created for a purpose and God knows me more intricately than I even know myself.  Therefore, He knows what it takes to prepare me for my goal.  And, God is making me ready for use in future situations by allowing me to experience current situations (both what I consider good and bad).

There are times where I wonder why I have to go through such a difficult trial, and there are times that I do not realize God has been working on me because He's so gentle, but in either case, He's using me and molding me into a better vessel for Him.  For that, I am thankful.

I want to be flexible to his preparations and not get so stuck in my desires and ways that I miss part of the bigger picture.  I want to be open to where and what I feel He is calling me to do.

So, my goal: open ears, a heart for serving and loving and an ever increasing desire to prepare for His coming. 

Lord, use me and prepare me how You see fit.



An Arizona cross, in my eyes.



A Walk is for the Dog(s)

Carlee has been good for me.  I mean that in a couple ways. 

1) I have again realized my love for animals.  I grew up with a dog, cats, fish, the occasional gerbils and even the desire and fulfillment of a cricket farm.  I worked at a horse ranch, and we had a pet field mouse.  I often wanted a pet lobster but my mom threatened to eat it if we had one so I decided it was safest to skip that one.  Going to college I was away from my pets and did not get another one until I was married.  We splurged and adopted some goldfish.  Now, as of August 2 we have goldfish and a dog.  I enjoy watching the fish swim around, but not so much enjoyment is found in cleaning out their tank.  (But I do it every now and then).  I really enjoy the companionship of Carlee, our family dog.  She has been a welcome addition and renewed love of animals for me.  I had not realized how much I enjoyed my furry friends.  I can not imagine our house without one now. 

2) Carlee has been good for me in another way too.  I use her as my excuse to get exercise.  She must go on a longer daily walk right?  So, Carlee and I have been exploring local parks with walking paths.  I blame it on her for needing exercise, but in reality, I think that is an excuse for my desire to hike some local trails. She acts as my shadow and will follow me everywhere I go.  She'd gladly accompany me on trails, as long as I am within her sight. I love the sound of the fall leaves crunching under our feet and the smell of the autumn air.  I love the company of Carlee so I am not out walking by myself.  Even though she's not all that fearsome, it is still nice to not be alone.  When I talk, I have someone I am talking to so I don't sound like I am just talking to myself.  But, I am not sure she really cares about the color of the leaves that I point out to her or the fallen tree that makes an ideal photo.  She probably does appreciate the sound of my friendly voice to her so what I say is irrelevant as long as I am talking to her.

I'm thankful for her patience with our kids too.  We have one child who likes to be sneaky and tease Carlee.  She has been nothing but kind and well mannered with the kids.  I have deemed her "Saint Dog" for her ability to endure our children.  They do not always understand that she needs a break and likes to sit in peace.  She has not once been aggressive toward them. 

I'm thankful for our newest companion. She's been the perfect dog for our family.  Now, I am trying to convince Dan that 2 dogs would be a good option. He's far from convinced.  I'll keep trying.   But for now, I'll keep using Carlee as my excuse to spend time outside and keep appreciating her gentile manner and companionship.

Woe is Monday vs Blessed is Monday

As an avid Facebooker I often see the "Woe is Monday" comments.  Sometimes I struggle to understand what all the complaining is about.  I understand that the weekends are enjoyable, but is Monday really that bad?  We should be used to it.  It comes every week,  We know full well to expect it. 

My Monday's are my productive catch up days.  I often have a laundry list of things to accomplish come Monday.  Today was no different.  The day went so fast, and dare I say-it was enjoyable!

 I have designated Monday as laundry day.  This week was no different.  I have done 7 loads of laundry.  There are 2 more to finish, but the bulk of it is done.  It was not so bad either.  Just think what it would be like without a washer...like back in the scrub board days. I have no reason to complain about the ease of a modern day washing procedure.  Here is the kids portion of laundry day, after I had put away Dan's and mine.

In between loads of laundry I took a trip to Target.  I did a bit of grocery shopping and I bought the rest of the stuff for the shoe boxes we are filling for Operation Christmas Child.  This program provides a shoe box of goodies including school supplies, essential clothing, toys, and hygiene supplies for kids who otherwise would not receive a Christmas gift.  A booklet is also put in the shoe boxes to give the receiving child and their family info about Jesus.  It is a way of showing God's love in a practical way.  I decided to fill 6 boxes this year.  There is one for each age group, both girl (front row of boxes) and boy (back row of boxes).  I just love making these and pray that the recipients will be blessed by the box, and most importantly that they will know and accept the love of Jesus as their own.

In the middle of laundry, before and after Target, and before and after filling the shoe boxes, I attempted making homemade bread.  I have never made a loaf of bread like this.  I have made the frozen kinds where you pull out a frozen pre-made dough, let it rise and bake it.  I have made buiscits.  I have also made many sweet breads like pumpkin, applesauce, cranberry etc. but I have never made a type of sandwich or artisan bread from scratch...until today.  I mixed dough, kneaded it by hand, let it rise 2 times and baked it.  And, I sampled it, and it turned out just as I was hoping!  Yummy!  I made wheat buttermilk honey bread.
Here is the recipe I used:
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/buttermilk-honey-bread/Detail.aspx

And, here is the photo of one of my loaves (it makes 2):

When the kids came home from school we met a friend and some neighbors at the park.  It was nice to enjoy some conversation and friendship.  (No pictures today of that though).

After the park, we came home.  I was in the process of making supper and the kids were having a hard time controlling themselves.  I know that late afternoons can be a time of meltdowns and today that happened.  The kids were sent to their rooms so they would be separated and could calm themselves down.  I went up to talk to them about their behavior and Zack handed me a paper.  (I had seen it on his desk for a couple weeks so I guess he was prepared for his next room confinement.)  Here is his paper...

My assumption is that he meant one of the "d's" to be an "o".  In either case, he is not God, but he can often be good. This paper had no merit for me as it was done well in advance.  But, I did enjoy both the mis-spelling and the thought behind it.  After time alone, both kids were civil and enjoyable.

So although many people dread Monday each week, if we just have the outlook that it is going to come, we can make the most of it.  I hope that we can all have the mentality that each day is a blessing and as the verse and song go "Today is the day that the Lord has made."  Rejoice, and be glad.  We are blessed beyond comprehension.

Ode To Grandma

There are some people who shape who you are.  Some people make you a better person.  Some people have a sweet demeanor and love unconditionally.  Some people sacrifice time and money for you, willingly.  Some people have bold audacity to tell you what they think, with your best interest in mind.  Some people love God openly and confidently. Some people will forever be etched in your mind.

My Grandma is one of those people.  She fits every one of the above characteristics, and then some. 

Today is Grandma's 94th birthday.  Her life, all 94 years, has been a blessing to more people than I can count.  I am just one of the many hundreds (literally) she has touched with a lasting love.  Her devotion to God and family always came first, but if you were not family, you were treated as if you were! 

Giving-she is always willing to share what she has with others.  Her hospitality is something I strive for.  She   has a way with making everyone feel welcome.  She has on a couple occasions even been known to invite the Mormons and Jehovah Witnesses into her kitchen and chat over some coffee and donuts.
Respected-all those who know her are struck with her honesty and integrity
Adored-she is one of those people who it is impossible to NOT love.
Nurturing-she was always available and overly willing to take care of me, and others.
Donut maker-She always had treats in the cookie jar for unannounced guests including donuts.
Minimalist-she never needed "stuff" to make her happy.  It is all about the relationships with people.
Adventurous-she loves to travel and has visit all 50 states and many foreign countries.

I have countless stories from growing up so close to Grandma (and Grandad) and can talk endlessly about these loving people.  I am so thankful Grandma is MY Grandma! 

Below are some scanned photos that I have.  They bring back such beautiful memories.

 This is Grandma and Grandad.  It was the rare occasion to see them apart, so this is quite a typical moment.

 This is showing what Grandma enjoys most-people!  She is holding my son Zackariah in 2004.

 This is one of my favorites!  They dressed in their wedding attire for their 50th wedding anniversary.        June 1995.

 Grandad, their daughter Ingrid, Grandad's mother Besty, Their son (my dad) Gregor, and Grandma. 

This is Grandma (right) and Grandad's mother Besty on Mother's Day in 1966.  

Grandma, you are one fine and special lady. 

Thank you for everything. 

 All my love,

 Kirsten.

Casting an Experiment

This morning I am casting an experiment. 

I am going to share the very last photo I have taken. 

I am not sure what it is.

This could be a daring experiment. 

My camera is currently downloading the most recent photos. 

I suddenly become a bit nervous and self conscious about what it is.

For real, thoughts of inadequacy are emerging. 

I continue on.  

I suppress the negative thoughts.

Be brave, Kirsten.

I'm feeling a bit more confidence. 

My curiosity is peaked. 

I hope it is a good one!

Here it is.  Trees.

Although it may just be a bunch of trees, each photo has a story behind it.  This one is of no exception. 

The story:
I enjoy the outdoors.  I find that I do not enjoy the outdoors. 
Contradiction?  Nope.
As much as I like being outdoors, I find that I do not make the time to enjoy moments like these.  I sit, using  my computer and waste moments by perusing online sites and before long way more time has passed than I anticipated.  So, the day of this photo, I decided I was going to treat our dog Carlee to a walk in the woods. (This really was my mindset..  Treating my dog.  But, it was more for me, I can be selfish, and try to trick even myself!)  We drove to Blue Mound State Park.  I had seen a sign for hiking trails there last weekend.  I found them.  We walked a couple miles in the woods.  The exact woods of this photo.  The sound of the crunching fallen leaves with each step was blissful.  The various outdoor scents were intriguing to Carlee.  I snapped some pictures of the beautiful creation around me in hopes to capture overdue moments of time spent outdoors.  It was a precious, yet ordinary hike.  Just like the photo.  

So there it is.  Proof that I really have been out, living. 

So Long...

As I just wrote the title "So Long..." I realized it could be taken two ways.  It could mean, farewell, for I have forsaken this blog far too long and have quit...or it could simply mean, it has been an extended amount of time since I have posted an entry.  In this case, I am referring to the later.  Although I have forsaken this blog for far too long, I think of it often.  I want to be diligent and post meaningful entries more often.  But, I have been caught up living life.  Both are good.  Now I choose to make my way back to being a regular blogger, while living life.

I am a visual person, therefore this would not be true to me if it did not reveal some snippet of my life through a photo.  I am going to randomly select a candid photo from the past week...

Here is a typical moment in our home.  The boys love to read. 

A bit of background to the photo... I select many books throughout the year from books sales, Scholastic book orders, discount book warehouses etc. and I save them for trips or presents or just for fun as a random gift to the kids.  Dan had shuffled through our book stash and picked out 2 books to give to the kids for a lazy Saturday morning.  He had asked Zack if he wanted to read and he did.  So, in this moment, Zack was reading his new book.  Owen had to patiently wait for his turn to read his new book.  As Zack was reading I pulled out the camera to capture a candid moment.  (You know, the type where people are not strategically placed by lining up in front of some neat object or scenery).  When Owen saw the camera, he started making unique, yet partially subtle, silly faces waiting for me to notice and tell him to stop.  I did not tell him to stop.  I just snapped the photo.  Voila.  A candid moment.  Sometimes you just have to let personalities shine to capture the true person. 

Soon to come in a future blog...more moments from the Fawcett home.

It's good to be back.

Bridges

I intentionally took pictures of covered bridges while in New Hampshire.  It was just one of those things I sought out.  I captured 3.  I saw 6.  Covered bridges have an old New England feel to them, and up until this past trip to NH I did not have strong feelings toward New Hampshire, outside of the fact that I was born there and grew up there.  But, as in my last blog, it is easy to overlook those things that are so close to you.  I grew up so close to the Smith Bridge that I could see it out my bedroom window, and we in fact lived on Smith Bridge Road.  But it was not very lovely to me then.  I wish it was.  But it was not.

Another quaint bridge is the Campton Covered Bridge.  (If I have the name wrong on this one, please feel free to correct me),  This one was about a 10 minute drive from my NH home growing up.  I think I saw it 3 times in 15 years.  And, it was insignificant.  What was I thinking, and how could I be so blind to all of these interesting and historic sights?

The 3rd bridge that I captured is in Littleton, NH.  It is a foot bridge, so no cars allowed!  It has such picturesque scenery so one can not help but pull out the camera on the trek across and capture a babbling brook (there are only brooks in NH, no creek's for all you Midwesterner's reading).  This one is outside of my grandmother's assisted living facility so she has a lovely view every day!  The brook there I am sure is intertwined (due to her lack of memory) with the one next to her home in Rumney, NH...how great to live by such beautiful God-made beauty! In the words of Leeann Womack, "I hope I never loose the sense of wonder".


My beautiful Grandma who is not a bridge, but helped to etch the (eventual) appreciation of NH in me.



I am sure there are some great and wise words to combine bridges with life, but for now, I am going to leave it at this.  I have a new found appreciation for quaint New Hampshire covered bridges and hope my eyes are continually opened to every day ordinary wonder.

Missing the Close Stuff

I can not believe that I passed by Quincy Bog at least 4 out of 7 days a week for more than 10 years and never visited!  I was excited to meet a dear friend and her family during my NH visit and we explored the Bog.  Later, I found out that my grandparents helped to get the bog started and invested money in this natural area.  What a fun time, even in the misty rain!  I like that there is such a beautiful place, so close to where we are!  So, I guess the moral of this "story" is don't look far away to see God's beautiful creation.  It is often in those common areas that are overlooked.  We tend to think that you have to go somewhere far away to experience the neat and exciting places.  If we stop and examine our own "backyard" I think it will be amazing what we find.

Thanks dear friend for suggesting this lovely spot to meet up and for being a dear friend!  It was treasured time for sure!

Turtles, worms and volcanos, Oh my!

We have continued with our daily themes this week.  The boys have really enjoyed this part of the day and look forward to the surprise of the "research topic".
Monday we learned about turtles.  Did you know that a group of turtles is called a bale?  And, the largest turtle is a Leatherback sea turtle that can weigh up to 2000 pounds!  Did you know a turtle does not stick its tongue out to get food, but only uses it to swallow?  For "Turtle Day" we did a word search, read a Franklin book, wrote stories about turtles, did a maze, played a turtle memory game online and made our very own turtles!  Here are the crafts they made.

Tuesday was Earth Worm day.  This was inspired solely by a book on cd I found at the library called "The Diary of a Worm".  It was such a cute book and the research was fun too!  When I told the kids about "Worm day" they did not seem too excited...at first.  But after digging for worms in our yard and racing them I think it was quite the hit!  The race was Zack's favorite part of the whole day!  For other activities we did another maze with worms in an apple, and the kids came up with words that related to worms for almost every letter of the alphabet (by themself!) and we learned some facts.  Did you know that the longest worm recorded is over 22 feet long?!  And, on one acre of land there can be over 1,000,000 worms!  Did you know they can have up to 5 hearts?  So many interesting facts that I never would have known if it were not for a bit of worm research. :) 
Here are some pictures from "Worm Day".

The worms had some assistance getting to the finish line, but we did watch them squirm for about 15 minutes!

Today was dubbed "Volcano Day"  It was initiated by a scientific volcano movie Zack found at the library.  Zack and Owen both did a word search with many words related to volcanoes (it was really a bit too hard for them, but a challenge is a good thing!), then they solved a volcano riddle.  They had to match the corresponding numbers with the appropriate letter to determine what the largest volcano is.  Do you know?  It is called the Olympus Mons and is on Mars.  We watched the volcano "movie" and also made our own volcano eruption! We made a volcano out of playdoh and used some food coloring, baking soda and vinegar to make it erupt.  It was really a fun activity!  The kids wanted to do it so many times that we ran out of vinegar!  Oh well.  All for a good science lesson!

I missed the big "explosion" since I was on pouring duty and camera duty, but none the less, you get the idea.  The kids expressions show how excited they were about this project too!

And, to top off the day, as I was writing this I peaked out the window while I was waiting for pictures to upload and saw a beautiful orange sunset.  I must add that to the days happenings because it was so strikingly fantastic!

I have really enjoyed these "research days" and love the engaged time with my boys.  The added structure sure helps with establishing the routine of summer vacation too. 

Tomorrow...it will be Zebra day and Owen's gonna love it! :)

Elephant Day

Today was the first day of summer vacation.  I knew last night that I was going to need to have some structure planned so I decided I was going to start planning purposeful educational days.  I asked the kids what there top 5 favorite animals were and am using that list in addition to some of my own ideas.

So, today was a day filled with elephant facts and happenings.  We started off the morning learning several facts about the large beasts.  For example, they can swim very well under water and use their trunks like snorkels, and a baby elephant weighs about 250 pounds and they eat 16-20 hours every day! 

After the brief learning session we played an elephant game...Horton Hears a Who.  Here are a couple pics of the kids enjoying the game:

A little later we also looked on the map to see where the elephants live.  We learned they live in Africa and Asia.  The African elephants are larger than the Asian elephants and have bigger ears too! 

Then, they each colored a picture and wrote a brief story about an elephant.  It was fun to hear their creativity of the stories.  I wrote for them this time as they told their story to me, but for future, Zack will write his.

After our stories we did some elephant races.  Did you know that elephants can not run?  They walk really fast (up to 25 mph) but it all a swift walk.  So the kids "walked" as fast as they could on all fours and raced around the living room.  It was quite entertaining to watch!   Then, to finish off our special day, we read the book "Horton Hears a Who".  It was a cute book with the main point of no matter how big or small, everyone is equally valuable and makes a difference. 

Who knew elephants could be so fun?! :)  Next week will bring some more fun!  There is quite the long list of things the kids want to learn about after today's activities.  Now to decide which thing or animal next...!!



Race Day

Dan and I checked 2 mile race off my "Bucket List" this morning.  (Just for clarification, Dan has done some 5K races growing up, but I have never run a race before).  So this hot Saturday morning of June 4th, 2011 we dropped the kids off at a friend's house and we drove over to the race site.  We barely snuck in in time to get our race shirts.   In all honesty, I really only wanted the shirt!  It would be proof that I ran...or at least was in the race even if I did not run the whole time! :)   When we got our shirts...I was utterly disappointed.  I almost quit before I started.  They are the ugliest shirt I have ever seen!  Seriously, who wants a dirty off white colored shirt?!

OK, so shirt experience aside, here's the race low down.  Dan ran the WHOLE thing!  And, if you have never been to Mt Horeb it is not called "Mount" Horeb for nothing!  There were some good hills along the way!  Oh, and good, meaning torturous!  As  for me, I ran the first mile without stopping (aside from 2 brief shoelace hindrances), and about 1/2 of the second half.  I was good with this.  I have never before run a whole mile consecutively...not even in the elementary gym class forced mile run. 

Going into the morning, Dan had the realistic goal of finishing under 20 minutes. (Internal, unrealistic goal of under 18)  His time was 19:10.  Great job for no prep work!  I did not have a time goal (I just wanted the shirt!) but I finished somewhere between 25:00 and 26:02...I forgot to look.

All in all it was a fun morning.  I'm glad I "ran" the Norsk Run.  Would I do it again??? ...We'll see.  Would Dan do it again?  Yeah.

Growing

There are so many stages of growing, both as a child and as an adult.  Last weekend was the beginning of a new stage.  Perhaps it does not seem big to you, but it is huge to me!  My kids have taken to calling me Mom.  Not Mommy.  Not Mama. Not Muma.  Mom.  I have been dreading the day for years.  I have, in the past, corrected them when they had a "slip" and said Mom instead of Mommy or Mama.  I still cringe when I hear my new title. 

They can not be old enough to call me that, can they? 

I suppose it was inevitable.  I am trying to accept this new title graciously.  I still have a long way to go to be successful in that goal.  But I'm trying!

It is interesting how we as adults grow in our knowledge of Christ that we can revert back to childhood and desire the father/daughter (son) relationship of protection.  We learn more about Him and we are reacquainted with how little we know about Him.  The more we learn, the more we know we need to learn.  Also, as I grow, I want more and more be be held "in the shadow of His wing".  I want the ultimate protection that only He can provide.  I want to be the one with the childlike faith and want to be more and more in awe of our Creator.  I am taken care of by my Abba, my Daddy.  I am safe and secure in Him.  As I grow older and as I grow closer to God, the knowledge that I have grows I become more and more of a reliant child. 

As my children are feeling older and perhaps more independent calling me Mom, I want just the opposite (for myself and for them!) in our Christian walk.  Abba father is the title I strive for.  God is the title for the Creator and God of the Universe.  Abba is the title of my protector, guide, hope, and many other intimate relational helps.

I want to feel like I have an Abba/Kirsten relationship with God the Father.  And, I want to be the best "Mom" I can to my growing children.

Call To Worship

I sat down to eat my humble sandwich dinner of cheese and butter on 9 grain bread and thought, I want to write a blog tonight.  So, my next task-figure out what I want to write about. 

I walked over to the cupboard to round out my "dinner" with some Wheat Thins.  I put my small used plate (from my sandwich) on the counter and thought...hmmm, I can use this plate and put some crackers on there.  So I pulled the cracker box off the shelf and walked to the counter to fill my plate and saw a paper that said "Call to Worship" on it.  Perfect.  That inspiring line will be my focal point.

In all things we are called to worship.  When things are not going as we desire, we are called to worship.  When moments are overflowing with evident blessings, we are called to worship.  When times are frustrating, yet again, we are called to worship. 

It is so easy to worship out of thanksgiving when we receive something that we have been waiting for or when we are pleased with how life is going.  But, what about those times where everything is not just as you would like.  What about those times when your defiant child is being, well, defiant?  What about those times where your plans are changed and you did not want them to be changed.  What about those times where a loved one is hurt emotionally or physically?  What about when honesty does not prevail a hierarchy of politics in the business environment?  What if all my "what if" examples occurred today and I was feeling overwhelmed with sadness in many areas?  Yes, it is then that I need to remember we are called to worship in the good times and bad.  

One of my remembered quotes from my father-in-law is "Nothing is a surprise to God."  God knows what is occurring in everyone's life as well as in everyone's heart.  He knows where we need to rely more on him and He knows where we feel solid in Him.  God is available as a friend, mentor, encourager, and supporter.  My job is to give Him the worship He deserves (in all circumstances!) and to turn my burdens over to Him. 

For my child who is having moments of deviancy, I pray God will soften his sweet heart to be more loving, gentle and rational with ears and a tongue of respect.  For my plans that were changed this morning, I thank you God that I had prayer time at home instead of at church because apparently my prayers were needed to be focused on where I was this morning, at home.  To my friend who is emotionally hurting after job complications, I pray God uses this time as a refreshment and that there is something great waiting for your sweet compassionate ways.  To my friend who is struggling with business hierarchy, I pray that you will be a bright light to those around you and not feel guilty for doing your job well.  For the sadness that I experience, God I pray that it is a compassion that never ceases for people. 

I worship You God for who you are (GOD!) and for how You comfort and care for each of us. You deserve to be worshipped and I want to be one falling at Your feet giving you all the praise I can muster, in good times and in bad.  



From each cloud and below to each blade of grass and above, in all things, I worship You.



For the Love of Flowers

I have been in awe of flowers this spring.  The intensity of my admiration for the beauties grows each year.  I have a hunch that it is due to the significance of warmth that is approaching and snowy days are of the past but none the less, I am appreciating flowers greatly.  I also am enjoying experimenting with my camera.  I know I am by no means a great photographer, but hey...I enjoy the hobby none the less.
God has given me some beautiful subjects this spring to capture with a lens as well as a bit of added creativity by me.  My favorite photo of the evening is this one...


The white in the middle is the moon.

And just to entertain myself, here are a few of the runner ups from this evening's photo shoot outside.



Apparently I was taking a while with my picture-taking. I had been playing with the lighting and the flash and the angles etc.   So, when I was just taking some of our front porch (with the thought of my last blog-sitting on the porch enjoying company) Dan peeked out to see if I was out there.    So here he is too. :)

How great it is that God creates such beautiful scenery for us to enjoy.  I hope I can continue to recognize and capture the little miracles; like flowers.