Multitude Monday

66. A gracious heavenly Father

67. An understanding husband

68. Forgiving children

69. The Word that convicts, encourages, and heals

70. Preaching

71. The Holy Spirit (how undervalued He seems to be)

72. Christian friends who understand

73. The beautiful fall trees ablaze in all their glory

74. Music, oh, how it ministers to me

75. Singing with my family

76. Being able to bless others who have been a blessing to us

77. Men of God who are still preaching the Book

The past two weeks have been hard for me. There’s been a lot of tears, a lot of grieving, and a lot of prayers. The Lord is so good in the midst of this. I know I shouldn’t throw out a fleece, but I did this week. Amos gives me personal money every two weeks. Most of time (well, almost always) it’s spent on others and I’m fine with that, but this week I saw this necklace and decided I was going to buy it for myself. Sarah Mae said she would later be drawing two names to be reimbursed the money they paid for their necklaces. I just prayed to the Lord and explained I didn’t need the money but it would just make me feel special to win this necklace to know that He was still there in the midst of all this sorrow I’m feeling. That He was there amidst all these things I can’t control, there when we don’t know where to turn and just have to wait on Him. Saturday I was so low, crying and praying and not seeing an end in sight. I decided to check my e-mail that evening and I had an e-mail from Sarah Mae saying I’d won!!!! The Lord is so good and gracious to me. I don’t deserve anything. I know He cares about me and loves me and then I have the gall to ask Him to show me in a special way. Even though I didn’t deserve it He showed me in an extra special way. Some would say it was luck, I say, I’m blessed. Now to wait patiently to receive that pretty necklace.

78. A beautiful necklace to remind me of my awesome responsibility as a mother and as a picture of God’s care for me

Multitude Monday

54. A good chat with my mother-in-law

55. Hearing my children sing and quote verses at the nursing home

56. Gracie getting to play with a little friend who is usually in Mozambique

57. School going so well

58. That I can make John happy by printing him a timeline of Kings Island

57. Celebrating family’s birthdays this week (3 altogether)

58. Seeing Gracie hug the elderly

59. Time to go through clothes for the upcoming cool/cold weather

60. Hearing Gracie use words from the books we read aloud

61. When I’m overwhelmed I can run to Him

Psalm 61:2, “ From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I.”

62. A fun field trip at a real castle

63. Seeing my children enjoy God’s creation

64. A granny and grampy who took John and Gracie to a fall festival

65. Hugs and kisses

Multitude Monday

43. Heart of Dakota

44. Celebrating my dad's 50th birthday

45. Talking to my sister about breastfeeding and cloth diapers

46. Vitamins and herbs to doctor my sick children

47. Beautfiul mums

48. Planning a little trip as a family

49. Having family over for dinner

50. Getting to see missionary friends after many years

51. Cool breeze

52. A clean house

53. The hard things (they draw me closer to the Lord)

Multitude Monday

31. a new school year going so well

32. fall is in the air

33. a peace I haven’t had in a long time

34. seeing my children grow in their interests

35. a library where we can get so, so many books

36. a cool breeze

37. a good time at our church picnic

38. a nice photo album

39. visits with a friend who lives far away (We love you, Aunt Christy!)

40. sensitive children who want to save their money to send to the Guatemalan children Ann was just with

41. a broken heart for those same children and families

42. prayer

Psalm 43:5, “Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.”

My Blessings

21. Anticipating beautiful sunshine
22. Sermon on gentleness preached by my husband
23. Cuddling with my children (who fill my entire lap and arms)
24. Listening to John sing songs he has written
25. Seeing Gracie twirl in her new pretty skirts made for her by a friend
26. Receiving books in the mail from an online friend (Thank you, Debbie.)
27. being able to encourage someone else in homeschooling
28. a successful first playgroup/coop last Friday
29. being able to seek the Lord's guidance even in the small things
30. a new pretty pink hyacinth in my front yard

Psalm 34:1, " I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth."

Giving Thanks

I Thessalonians 5:18, "In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you."

1. My salvation through Christ (not of my own goodness)
2. My husband who loves me more than I deserve
3. John, my firstborn who is a sensitive soul
4. Gracie, my little girl who always has a song of praise on her little lips



5. Convicting sermon Sunday morning on needing revival
6. God's grace (God's Richest At Christ's Expense)
7. Singing with my children on the way to Church
8. Older women who've gone on before me
9. Our warm house when so many in this world don't even have a home
10. My dirty laundry, as it's a sign we've been blessed
11. My dirty dishes, again we're blessed
12. The Holy Spirit that speaks to me in a still small voice
13. Pure white snow, a picture of His forgiveness (Wash me and I shall be whiter than snow.)
14. Read-alouds with my children
15. An afghan that reminds me of my grandma
16. Talking with a friend
17. The date with my husband this past Friday (few and far between)
18. Being able to talk to Amos about future schooling plans
19. The Word of God
20. Freedom in our country

Visit Ann at Holy Experience to read what others are thankful for.

One Thousand Gifts cont.

26. Five in a Row
27. My best girl friend, Christy
28. Pumpkin pie
29. Cursive First
30. Seeing John write his first cursive word, "dad"
31. Hearing my children say they want to take pretty flowers to Grandma Joy's gravesite
32. Cool weather
33. Our new to us used furniture
34. Finding osage oranges
35. Squirrels playing
36. Trees praising the Lord
37. My children laughing
38. My husband working hard for us
39. Homeschooling blogs (for encouragment)
40. Memories of my grandma
41. Love of my husband
42. God's safety
43. Good health
44. Mums
45. Beautiful colored leaves on the trees.
46. Wind chimes
47. Bird feeders
48. Old hymns of the faith that encourage my soul
49. My children playing with Play Doh
50. Snuggling with my hubby


Psalm 100
1Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands.
2Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing.
3Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
4Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.
5For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.

One Thousand Gifts

I've seen this on a few blogs that I read. I've decided to join in. The Lord is so good and lately I find myself dwelling on the negative too much with losing my grandma and all the drama that surrounded that.

I want to dwell on the Lord's goodness after all the Bible does say in Psalm 100:5, "For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations." Now for my list, that I'll come back on add to on several occasions.

1. God's free salvation

2. My husband (who I don't deserve)

3. My son, John, who is a thinker and marches to his own drum

4. My daughter, Gracie, who loves to sing and has a hug for everyone

5. Our humble home with all it's mismatched furniture :)

6. God's Word that comforts me

7. God's grace that amazes me

8. God's goodness that leads me to repentance

9. My mom, my friend

10. Music to lift my soul in praise to God

11. Sunshine, that reminds me of the true Sonshine

12. Crisp fall mornings

13. Beautiful fall leaves

14. My children's sweet laughter

15. Homegrown tomatoes

16. My home church

17. The privilege to homeschool

18. A good children's book

19. Coupons

20. A new recipe

21. Making banana chocolate chips muffins with my kiddos

22. Watching my children play dress up

23. Writing titles for John's made up games

24. Reading aloud to my children

25. Making dinner for my hubby