Rejoicing, Thanking

Colossians 2:7

Rooted and built up in him, and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.

My Gratitude List

~ Lying down to nurse the two year old at noon everyday

~ Usborne Art books 

~ Paul's insatiable desire to create art

~ Reading about how the Groves family is enjoying the littlest Groves

~ My husband has that new job, after one more formality (hiring committee getting final approval from board)

~ Hard hallelujah for how poverty messes with your mind (one step forward, two steps sideways, one step back, never really getting anywhere)  Please pray for an issue with the van?  Thank you.

~ Understanding firsthand the hopelessness of poverty, and the message it conveys

~ Knowing my hope is in Christ, in heaven, and not here....that I'm a pilgrim here

~ Kids playing ice hockey on the table with their newest ice ball

~ Husband running out of gas on the freeway and Mary having a good attitude about us leaving our just-served dinner to take him a can of gasoline (twenty-five minutes away).  I was irritated (knowing this was an ADHD thing, like the keys), but Mary was excited about "rescuing" him. "We're heroes...coming to the rescue!" By the time we got there, we were all happy to be his heroes.  He got tears in his eyes at the wild grace of a four year old. And I got tears because of his tears, and because of Mary's contagious sunshine. (She still whines plenty, but that contrasts with her other, joyful self.)

~ Having disabilities in the house calls for wild grace.  We are all learning, slowly.....but it is good.

~ A tie with Paul in checkers....three kings to three kings.  His strategy?  Keep moving around, going nowhere but staying safe, until the opponent gets so board (pardon the pun) with the game that she lets him jump all her kings......just to get it over with.  Phew!  That boy is very competitive!  I am not, and I hate board games really.  I have to force myself not to let him win early (he's pretty skilled).  He would figure me out and be disappointed.  Nothing makes Paul feel more loved than having a board-game companion.  It's true, isn't it, that most kids feel more loved by our companionship, than by our housekeeping?  That's hard when chores are piled up, but we have to keep reminding ourselves of it.

~ The new job means no more night work....leaving house at 7:15 AM, returning 6:40 PM, Mon.- Fri., along with five hours on Saturday morning.  A day and a half off!  An answer to prayer!

~ Next week is VBS and I work the nursery.....holding a six-month-old baby for five evenings!  Yeah!

~ Prior to today, Mary (age 4.5) made people with large heads--arms and legs coming out of the head.  Her brothers chuckled at these creatures, calling them "head bags".  A few days ago I gave Mary a triangle block to trace under her circle heads, so her people could have bodies (I called them dresses).  With that, she learned to put the appendages in the right places.  Today she made her first person, correctly, without any shapes to trace.  Her brothers were very happy for her, congratulating her and telling her, "Hey, that's a real person!  Not a headbag!" She was so proud!

~ Another mother of four young'uns decided to make Tuesday her library day.  I "chase" my two year old around the children's section (her youngest is in a stroller), so we couldn't visit much.....but I look forward to getting to know her better.

~ Three years ago I probably would have told you I wanted to get out of poverty so we could do more, have more--provide more opportunities for our kids.  Now, I can say without hesitation:  I want to get out of poverty so we can give more!  That's what the Holy Spirit does to the human heart! Don't lament too much when trials come......for they produce fruit.

Trust. Wait on Him.  Keep your eyes heavenward, while giving thanks for the blessings before you.

Romans 8:28
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.