A Gift Sweet, Salty, Just Right

229. A Gift Sweet: Being a farm girl, I would be remiss if I said anything here except Southern Sweet tea! I was raised on it and I still love it.

230. A Gift Salty: We enjoy sharing popcorn when we go to the movie. Sharing time with Randy and we often take the grands to a movie when they are here.

231. A Gift Just Right: Well, I'm afraid I'm going to mention fried chicken again!! A  gift from God that is truly "just right."

3 Gifts That Made You Laugh

226.  My Grands make me laugh. I enjoy them and love to laugh with them. 

227.  I met Randy on Match.com.  When we were first getting acquainted via emails he sent me an email that said:

Brenda,

2nd grade joke...

Question: What happened to the frog who broke down on the highway?

Answer: He got Toad away.

I get all my best stuff from second graders. First graders are cute but they're just not funny.

Later,

Randy


What can I say? I fell in love when I read this email!!!! He made me laugh and we've been laughing ever since.

228.  I love to laugh and I look for joy in all things. God has greatly blessed me with much laughter.

3 Gifts Eaten

223. I love the fellowship time of our small group. I enjoy the food we share. - Of course I understand the snacks are just a prop for the true reason we gather. But it's during the eating of this "prop" that we laugh and share our lives. Priceless.

224. Fried Chicken. My favorite food. I was raised on it - on the farm and it's still my favorite today.

224.  Fresh tomatoes. Nothing better than fresh home grown tomatoes. A true gift from God.

3 Gifts Red

220. My very first thought is of my very handsome, redheaded, grandboy!! LOVE this young man. He is precious in my sight - He is precious in His sight!

221. Red is Randy's favorite color, so I have more red in my life than ever before! I'm so thankful for the colors in our world!

222.  I love flowers. God colors our world every spring and summer (here in the midwest) and I especially like the red ones... and the yellow... and the purple... and - well just ALL of them.

A Gift Turned, Folded, Hung

217. A Gift Turned: modern conveniences that make our lives easier. Preserving our food has been a great blessing and as we've learned to do that we have also had to have ways to aid in this process. I'm thankful for a can opener that will turn to open the food we so enjoy.

218.  A Gift Folded: Clean laundry.

219.  A Gift Hung:  Clothes in my closet. 

3 Hard Eucharisteos

214.  When I met and married Randy it made me a very happy woman. But in doing so, I had to leave my home. In leaving my home, I felt as if I was leaving my youngest, Jonathan. I still struggle with that. Jonathan moved further south for his first "real" job as an adult and I came north. Now, realistically, I know he had already left home, had already moved away, but I often still feel as if I were the one who left. But in all this, I give thanks. God has plans for me.   God has plans for Jonathan.

We both need haircuts! 

And Jay is sick in this pic!

215.  Do you love your church? I love the people in my small Oklahoma Church.  You just can't find better people! But in moving, I also gave up that fellowship of believers for a new group of brothers and sisters!  This has been hard for me. For the first time - I'm not the "minister's" wife. I'm also in a different "denomination." But I am adjusting. God is growing me in this hard eucharisteo. He is showing me - well just so many things I can't list them all! But He is with me, He is faithful.

My Oklahoma Church

My New Church

  

216. I have never been bothered by my age. As I've grown older - it wasn't something that concerned me. However, my knee hurts.  My elbow hurts.My arm often hurts.... It has been said to me before, "Once you turn 60, you start falling apart!"  I'm beginning to understand this. I ran in a 5K in 2009. In 2010, I hurt my knee. I haven't been able to run since. The doctor told me I may have tennis elbow. As the pain often runs down my arm, it could be carpel tunnel.. Who knows? I just know I have aches and pains I didn't have before and that has been hard for me to be thankful for. But I am trying to find the good in this, too. God has a plan. God is faithful.

3 Gifts Given Away

211.  We have our children, become families and realize in having these children our goal, our responsibility is to raise them to become independent adults. But the most important is raising them to be followers of Jesus Christ. Men and women who love God and live for Him.

I said all that to say this, My first child that I "gave away" was Tim. I blessed him into a marriage with his wife Shelley. 

212. Then I gave away Heather, to Gerry. And I blessed her into marriage with him.

213. Then I blessed Holly into her marriage with David.

We raise them to "give them away" - when we often just want to hold onto those young years of laughter and growing and loving.

3 Gifts Found in Silence

208.  I always have such a peace of mind while being silent. I very seldom travel with the radio on. I enjoy the silence.

209.  Psalm 46:10, 
   He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
    I will be exalted among the nations,
    I will be exalted in the earth.”

Hearing God in the silence.

210.  I enjoy the quiet while I am studying. I am able to comprehend and retain more in the silence.

3 Gifts Round

205. The circle we have in our living room every Tuesday evening when our small group meets to study, pray and share in fellowship. 

206. When my Grandma was alive, she gave me a "hen and chick" start. They always grow in a round circle! I never look at them without thinking of her and thanking God for the blessing she was to me.

207.  My wedding ring set that Randy picked out and gave to me as a gift. More beautiful than I could have ever imagined.

A Gift in Wind, Water, White

202. A Gift in Wind:  My windmill that came from my yard in Oklahoma. I love this windmill and my Dad has repaired it many times! I first got it during my gardening days and I learned that the vibration of the windmill keeps the moles away. - And it really works! So not only am I thankful for this windmill for sentimental reasons - but it's also practical!

203. A Gift in Water: That I live in a country that provides me with pure water to drink is a gift indeed.

204. A Gift White:  We've needed moisture for so long - the snow was a true blessing.

3 Gifts Read

I've listed my Bible so many times that I'm going to go a different direction today!

199. As a young adult, I spent most of my extra reading time reading about Missionaries. Nate Saint, Jim Elliot, John and Betty Stam, Gladys Alyward, Amy Carmichael - just to name a few. These books were true gifts in my life and they helped shaped my attitude towards spirituality, prayer, missions, simplicity and so much more.

200. From childhood, reading has been the most important past time in my life. I can't name a favorite book - too many to list! I have several favorite authors - but again, too many to list in this #joydare. So I'm going to put my own twist on this gift today and say that the gift of reading has molded my life and I can not imagine not having this ability. God has not only blessed me tremendously with being able to read, He has gifted so many many people to be able to write.

201. My oldest devotional book is "My Utmost For His Highest" by Oswald Chambers. I have read it over and over throughout the years. I write in my Bible and one of the things I have written is from May 6th of this devotional.

"A Spiritually minded man will never come to you with the demand - 'Believe this and that'; but with the demand that you square your life with the standards of Jesus. We are not asked to believe the Bible, but to believe the One whom the Bible reveals.... Always keep your life measured by the standards of Jesus... Jesus said, 'Go and make disciples,' not 'go and make converts to your opinions.'"

This is just one small example of the wisdom in "My Utmost For His Highest."

3 Gifts in Christ

As I'm thinking about 3 Gifts in Christ, I am left to pause. Where do I start? I picture in my mind Jesus (as I see Him) - I see Him feeding 5000, I see hear him teaching, I see Him playing with the children, I see Him praying, I see Him carrying that cross, I see Him on that cross and I see Him investing His time, love, His very life in M.E. 

When I think dwell on Jesus, I very seldom think of Him as a baby or child. I automatically go to His ministry years. Maybe that's because I spent so many years in ministry and I thoroughly believe everyone has a gift to be used in ministry and we are called to fulfill this ministry.

196. So my first gift in Christ that I'm choosing to list is the gift of Ministry. He gave us a perfect example of serving God. Of serving the people. Being a servant that loves God first, people second. Doing His ministry is so fulfilling we need no other fulfillment in life. But we fall so short and look for fulfillment from other "things", other "people", other "relationships" - just o.t.h.e.r. 

I'm so very blessed to be able to serve in the example of the Gift of Christ.

197. Christ gives us the gift of mediating for us with God. How much easier it is to go to God through Christ rather than through the Old Testament Laws. How very blessed I am for His gift of sacrifice. For mediation.

198. Throughout the New Testament, throughout the Bible as a whole, we have a perfect example of Christ. Of His attitude. His servant attitude. Philippians 2:5 is my favorite verse. 

"Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus." NIV

I am so thankful for His attitude and the perfect example He has left for me. I fall short every day but His attitude that I strive for is a perfect gift.

#Joydare #1000gifts - My Blessings Addendum

Addendum!

 I do my 3 gifts each day in my notebook. 

Then when I have time to blog, I copy them on here.

: ) 

3 Gifts Carved

193. God will never forget me. I am "carved" - engraved on the palms of His hands. Isaiah 49:16a says  "See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands." Everyone else I love or have loved may forget me - but God never will.

194. Family times around the carving of turkey, roast, ham - any thing that is large enough to feed a group! So many memories are made at a meal.

195. Carving out time in a busy schedule to spend time with God. Sometimes even if a schedule isn't busy I reach bedtime and wonder where my time went and why did I not carve more out of my day for my Creator. Ahh, but when I do carve that time, I am truly blessed.

One time, when I worked at Howard and Linda Faerber's Christian Book Store in Edmond, OK, a customer came in and shared with me that she often spends so much time each day "at Jesus' feet" that she didn't always seem to get much done. When was the last time I (you) spent so much time "at Jesus' feet" that nothing else was accomplished? 

3 Gifts Loud

190. The best sound in the world - Loud or not - is the sound of my Grands! Sometimes they can get LOUD - which seems to be safer than when I hear no sounds!!!

191. We visited a church one time that as we walked into the auditorium (sanctuary - whatever you call it) they handed us ear plugs... And sure enough the music was L.O.U.D. Having the ear plugs was a true gift!!  I didn't notice if they handed them to everyone - or just the "old" people!!

192. When my youngest son competed in the State Track Meet his senior year - and he ran across the finish line to win the Gold Medal in the 200 - the noise of the crowd was wonderful! - and it was a wonderful gift to watch him fulfill a dream.

Jonathan crossing finish line 

Winning gold medal in the 200

May 2005

3 Gifts Found in the Kitchen

187. The Husband! I cook, he cleans! Great system for us. I love love love to cook - most of the time! He doesn't mind clearing up! He also uses the long counter for folding clothes. (I still use the bed to fold clothes!)

See, he even cleans with a smile!

188. Appliances. I will be quick to say, I've never had to go without refrigeration or a stove - (except when we first moved to Jamaica and had to wait on our container of belongings.)  But I haven't always had a dishwasher or microwave. Very nice to have those. Not necessities but thankful to have them nonetheless.

189. So very thankful for a table that will seat many. We enjoy it at our small group meetings and at family gatherings. We've also fed many of Andru's friends at this table! I also like to study at this table because I can spread out all of my study material. 

3 Gifts Found

184. Finding the love of my life.

185. Finding things in the kitchen. When I moved here I had my stuff, Randy had his stuff. The kitchen was set up the way he was used to it. But I do most of the cooking (he does the cleaning up) and so I rearranged things. But - when he puts them up - he just puts then where ever he can... So sometimes I have to hunt before I can find things! Thankful we don't fight over these things!!

186. This week I'll be glad to find my voice!! I lost my voice - but now that I've "found" it I sound like a man! My voice is deeper than Randy's!

3 Gifts Hard to Give Thanks For

181. I've been sick this week. It's hard to be thankful for illness but it gives one time to slow down and in my case, sleep and read. Plus, my sweet husband fixed chicken soup for me and served me in bed!

182. Insurance costs. My health insurance is unbelievable. But I am thankful I have it because I know many that just can't afford it.

183. My phlegmatic personality. Sometimes I'm just too laid back. Sometimes I don't stand up for myself enough. Sometimes I know how I believe about something but have a hard time explaining to others.

3 Gifts Wore

178. The older I get - the more comfortable I want to be. So my first gift is comfortable shoes! If my feet hurt, I can't think! so I like to have comfortable shoes to wear.

179. Hmmm - to continue this thought - Comfortable clothes!! Maybe a little loose fitting!! and comfort has become my key word. I'm so thankful for comfy clothes.

180. I am not fond of coats. They bind - they pull across my back (see #179!) But at the beginning of winter, at an estate sale, I found a heavy sweater. It's loose fitting. It's warm. And I'm sorry to say - I wear it ALL of the time!!! I'm so afraid it's going to wear out! But it's the new me! Comfortable. You know the poem - when I'm an old woman I shall wear purple? Well, I'm 60 and I am going to feel good and I'm going to be comfortable!

So if you're tired of seeing me wear this - be glad it's not purple!!

3 Gifts Green

175. The Daffodils are peeking out of the ground!!! YEA spring!!

176. Money. We often try to ignore the subject of money. However, our society is set up in such a way that money is a necessity. Very few people barter anymore - some do but even then we need money. The love of money can be evil but being smart with our money, being responsible to God for His provision is imperative. Many years of my life I've made do - but I have never been hungry and I have always had a roof over my head. I am thankful for that.

177.  My dear friend Debra gave me a gift one time and I love it!

This cute green mouse holding a candle and reading! What's not to love about him? However, you and I both know, it's not about the gift, it's about the giver. I'm so thankful for Debra, my book buddy.

A Gift Dull, Shimmering, Cleaned

172. A Gift Dull: My glasses most of the time. I just do not know how they get so smudged so often. My husband cleans them for me numerous times a day! But to see - that is a true gift.

173. A Gift Shimmering: My husband picked out the perfect engagement and wedding ring for me. They shimmer, they shine, they profess commitment and they are beautiful.

174. A Gift Cleaned:  Every Tuesday night, Group Life members descend on our house! A true highlight of our week - each week. We always spend Tuesday's cleaning. Dusting, mopping, cleaning the bathroom - what a fun day it is because we are cleaning in expectation of a glorious evening!

3 Gifts From the Past That Help You Trust the Future

170. God's grace and mercy during hard times that prove to me He is available and with me during good times as well. His faithfulness to me in the past proves His faithfulness to me in my future.

171. He tells me He knows the plans He has for me - plans for a future and a hope - I just need to listen and follow.

172. Scripture has stood firm from the very beginning. I just need to read it and believe it. It gives me my future and my hope. God is firm and ever faithful and will always be. The world is shallow and frail and will fade away.

3 Ugly Beautiful Gifts

166. One of our storage rooms is ugly, it's not finished and is rough and cold. But it houses our inventory for Amazon and that makes it beautiful. - Sometimes the vessel is ugly but it's what is inside that makes it beautiful.

167. My reflection when using the plumb line of God's Word. How ugly it can be. But covered with the blood of Jesus Christ makes me beautiful.

168.  Some of my favorite books have been about the lives missionaries.  Much of what they lived with, were challenged with was very ugly. But their lives reflected God's grace and mercy to the extreme. The five Missionaries that were killed by the Auca Indian's in 1956 is an example of an ugly - beautiful gift. Yes these men were killed, but many were brought to Christ throughout these last 60 years because of the testimonies  of these men and their families. 

Nate and Marjorie Saint

Roger and Barbara Youderian

Pete and Olive Fleming

Ed and Marilou Mccully