Advent moments

What a wonderful surprise to be greeted with a wonderful Wing trio in the lobby of my building at lunch today. I was hungry but I ignored it, had my crochet with me a plopped right down and crocheted snowflakes for tree ornaments. What a lovely peaceful way to spend my lunch hour in an unusually busy workday.

Thankful for many things but have time time to list them now as I am meeting my hubby in 2 min, thankful for him too!

Another week closer...

Another weekend gone and back to work I go. But I did get to squeeze in some me time this weekend which is the first time in my short memory it seems! Time to enjoy Christmas and do some fun handiwork. The clouds are back after a week of brilliant sun and views! Almost unheard of, and I am so glad to see the clouds again. Most don't see it but I see and love their unique beauty just as much as the sun.




136. Clouds and rain again! 137. Great deal on a whole chicken and roast and yummy meals for my family ready to go for the week. 138. My husband working hard and still finding time to help me139. Family140. Fun day out with the parents141. Creativity142. Red hair

Important

Now I know how important this practice has become to me! I missed yesterday and my day did not go well and I feel quite certain they are related. I had so much to do yesterday I just did not have time to be thankful along the way. Very sad and bad of me and I paid for it! And now as much as I got done I did not get it all done and thats all I focused on, not all the great things I did get done which I would have had I been looking for things to be Thankful for.
Today I read my daily devotion and what would you know it was this...


Do Not Yield to Discouragement
"They looked...and behold, the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud" (Exod. 16:20).
Get into the habit of looking for the silver lining of the cloud and when you have found it, continue to look at it, rather than at the leaden gray in the middle.
Do not yield to discouragement no matter how sorely pressed or beset you may be. A discouraged soul is helpless. He can neither resist the wiles of the enemy himself, while in this state, nor can he prevail in prayer for others. From Streams in the Dessert, for the rest go here
And this great poem

"Keep looking up--
The waves that roar around thy feet,
Jehovah-Jireh will defeat
When looking up.
"Keep looking up--
Though darkness seems to wrap thy soul;
The Light of Light shall fill thy soul
When looking up.
"Keep looking up--
When worn, distracted with the fight;
Your Captain gives you conquering might
When you look up."


What a great reminder of the importance of this, and what great timing He always has, we should not forget.

130. For all the things accomplished regardless of how many are still yet to be done
131. For fellowship tonight while we celebrate the awaiting of Christ's birth
132. For a kind husband always willing to help, even if he does get distracted, let me never forget to be grateful for the willingness, so much more than many get
133. A beautiful Sunrise on the drive to work

134. Mountains to the West and East of me both! How amazing this place is!
135. For Goodwill, mason jars for soup in a jar gifts for .20 cents each!
136.

120. Beautiful cold clear winter days
121. Getting Christmas cards
122. Sitting by the tree stuffing cards with hubby
123. a broken laptop
124. Christmas shopping and great deals
125. Lunch with Mum
126. Date night!
127. Gift certificate to nice restaurant for date night!
128. Christmas lights shining out all over a dark city. 

129. A hot shower on sore muscles 

106. wonderful full weekends
107. A freezer stocked with good food for the week

108. Christmas trees 
109. Clear skies and crisp air
110. Cold refreshing mornings
111. Encouraging others
112. Sunday Worship
113. Family, wonderful parents
114. Husband who cares, even about the littlest things
115. Advent, His coming ever nearer
116. New recipes, $.75 a serving!
117. Having a job to go to still 
118. Wonderful banana Muffins! Thanks Rachel @ Beans& Rice
119. Full fast day

Shrouded in Fog?

I was fortunate enough to have light traffic this morning and got to work early so I sat in the conference room to do my morning prayers as I watched the sun come up behind the mountains and it was majestic! I do enjoy the view from the 10th floor here. ( Poor sample of what I see as my camera' s broken) 

So I had a great few moments to start my day, imagine the above with purple outlining them as the sun rises. Then within 30 min the fog rolled in and I can't even see the building next to us, less than a block away! We are shrouded in white. How quickly things can change,and they always do change that fast when my focus is not on my Lord, if I forget to consult and think and thank Him so quickly my view can become so limited and I am confused and can't see. I often wonder why though at this moment it should always feel clear, I need to adjust my focus and look to him not into the fog and He will clear things right up. 


In my morning prayers I read this and loved it, how true it is!

You fearful Saints, fresh courage take,

The clouds you so much dread

Are big with mercy, and shall break

In blessings on your head.

100. My husband volunteering to make the steaks that have been in the freezer for months, so we can have a nice dinner together. 

101. A swift drive with a beautiful view of the sun rising purple over the rugged peaks. I do love the NW.

102. A great weekend to look forward to, hunting a tree, seeing parents both sides, Christmas decorating

103. Getting a start on the decorating and making my mantle beautiful, I realized while I was enjoying myself that we have never had a mantle since we have been married. What a joy, and what a great central thing it makes in a home.

104. Sweet Christians at work blessing me
105. Wonderful bloggers giving me cooking ideas for my weekend cook-a-thon
106. 

He can do more

"Look from the place where thou art, northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward: for all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it" (Gen. 13:14-15).

No instinct can be put in you by the Holy Ghost but He purposes to fulfill. Let your faith then rise and soar away and claim all the land you can discover.  --S. A. Keen

All you can apprehend in the vision of faith is your own. Look as far as you can, for it is all yours. All that you long to be as a Christian, all that you long to do for God, are within the possibilities of faith. Then come, still closer, and with your Bible before you, and your soul open to all the influences of the Spirit, let your whole being receive the baptism of His presence; and as He opens your understanding to see all His fulness, believe He has it all for you. Accept for yourself all the promises of His word, all the desires He awakens within you, all the possibilities of what you may be as a follower of Jesus. All the land you see is given to you. Quoted 

He can do more than we can ever hope or imagine.  I have found this true so many times, we have big dreams or ideas about things and even with it seemly goes in a bad direction with time I can always see why He had a better, bigger plan that I could have imagined for myself.  It is hard to remember this when you are in the middle of it though, why do we seem to have such sort memories.

Thats why I enjoyed the quoted above from todays Streams in the dessert  reminding me that he gives us the desirers and dreams we have for a reason and He loves to delight His children and give us the desires of our heart even if in a way we don't want or expect, I truly believe the end result is fulfilling our desires. But there are so many more ways of filling those desires than the limited ideas we have. And thank God.

This also bring me to my weekly Bible study and our discussion of being a wife and the important role we have in the home. And giving weight to how important that role is, and not to put it down like we tend to do. I have a strong desire to be home and make it "homey" but I often put myself down for this desire as there are seemly so many more important things for me to do. But I am reminded though the study and through this great blog how very important it is to make time for the home. And to strive to make your home a place of peace for others to come and enjoy. And to not spend all your energy on other outside things and put it last. 

Come with me as I discover how this works when you are out of the home for a necessary job 12 hours a day. I know God has me where I am for a reason so I know it must be possible, but I would love to see more tangible instructions some times. 

90. Family fun and smiling babies

91. Fun Family Christmas portraits 

92. Crisp cold air in the morning

93. Hot steaming coffee to go with it

94. Daily prayers with a view of sun rise over the mountains 

95. A night all at home tonight

96. Christmas decorating

97. My beautiful mantle

98. Cozy by the fire

99. Candle light

81. Fruit in winter
82. Purple mountains majesty, literally!

83. Dinner being made ( heated up) by my dear husband as we speak
84. An almost night at home for the first time in 10 days!
85. Kind people who give me dinner out certificates to share with my honey!
86. Getting to work on time even when I slept in a little to much! Light traffic thank God!
87. Getting family pictures and making Mum's day!
88. A job today
89. Beautiful manmade things (my wedding ring, painting etc)

Belated Thanks

70. My husband for offering to help in any way, bless him!
71. A wonderful group of woman to talk about being a Godly wife with!
72. A great conversation with a new friend about getting married and all that it means
73. A small group tonight to talk over a great sermon
74. New relationships as they get closer
75. New babies
76. Wonderful family, particularly the Godly living with the not so much, bless them in all they do to live out Gods love each day in their own home to their families
77. Laughter with family, crazy chaos, great fun all for no money
78. A great day out on the snowshoes, enjoying Gods creation

79. Seeing the mountains today on a clear day with the full moon coming out over the top of them, amazing site, God has such a creative nature!
80. God is faithful and uses me to bless others lives, what a difference it makes, made my week to clearly see how I blessed another