Blessings #94-117

Feb 1, 2014 3 gifts red
#94 freshly painted toenails
#95 a custom dress for a friend
#96 a banner of Valentine hearts

Feb 2, 2014 3 gifts on paper
#97 my completed tax forms
#98 an invitation to a wedding
#99 lesson plans ready to go

Feb 3, 2014 3 gifts found in writing
#100! a note in the card my husband gave me the day before got married
#101 my son's handwritten note on my grocery list
#102 a thank you card from a friend

Feb 4, 2014 3 gifts found when bent down
#103 lost pens under the couch
#104 a box of summer clothes under my bed
#105 a cake pan in the back of my cupboard

Feb 5, 2014 a gift stitched, hammered, woven
#106 hand sewing sequins to a dress
#107 the sign my son made me from recycled materials
#108 the last scarf I was able to knit before my hands hurt to much to do more

Feb 6, 2014 3 gifts found outside
#109 trees
#110 mountains
#111 dragonflies

Feb 7, 2014 a gift at 11:30 am, 2:30 pm, 6:30 pm
#112 coffee date
#113 stealing a few minutes to read "just because"
#114 dinner with the while family home

Feb 8, 2014 a gift broken, fixed, thrifted
#115 a necklace from my mom
#116 baggy, unflattering jeans that I was able to alter and can wear again
#117 a purse that was "just right"

Keep on counting those beautiful blessings!
♥ tika nicole

Blessings #76-93

Jan 26, 2014 a gift at dawn, at noon, after dark
#76 daylight revealing freshly fallen snow
#77 leftovers for lunch
#78 a cup of tea

Jan 27, 2014 3 gifts in the kitchen
#79 my gigantic, much-used stock pot (despite the fact one handle broke off)
#80 the wood handled pastry cutter that belonged to my mom
#81 my new blender, given to me by a friend :)

Jan 28, 2014 3 graces found in friends
#82 a phone call from a friend that picks up right where we left off 9 months ago like it was yesterday
#83 total "as is" acceptance
#84 laughter

Jan 29, 2014 a song heard, a soft word, light seen
#85 my wedding song heard in an unexpected place, like the grocery store
#86 "Mama?" at 3 am (he still needs me)
#87 spotting a light left on for me when i turn into my driveway when I arrive home after my family's gone to sleep

Jan 30, 2014 3 old things seen new
#88 a tablecloth from my husband's grandmother gracing our table for a party
#89 sharing songs from my childhood with my own children
#90 watching an old war movie and understanding it better 20 years later because of what I've learned from homeschooling my kids :)

Jan 31, 2014 a gift on paper, in a person, in a picture
#91 when my mom writes me notes, she still dots my "i" with a little heart
#92 real hugs from real friends, the kind that squeeze tighter and hold on a little longer
#93 the picture of my boys holding a picture of my husband holding a picture of his late father

Photo: gift #93 thanks to Pinterest for this great Father's Day gift idea

Blessings #43-75

Jan 15, 2014 a gift worn,  given away, shared
#43 socks from my Mommy :)
#44 making a quilt for my cousin
#45 a cookie with my son

Jan 16, 2014 3 witnessed blessings
#46 a wedding
#47 a baptism
#48 a helping hand

Jan 17, 2014 a gift bringing laughter, prayer, quiet
#49 my son's interpretation of a British accent ;)
#50 a text from my sister
#51 my boys sleeping in

Jan 18, 2014 3 gifts from God's Word
#52 James 1:2-4, 12 "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing....Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him."
#53 Isaiah 41:10 "...fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."
#54 Jeremiah 29:11-14 "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord , plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the Lord , and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, declares the Lord , and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile."

Jan 19, 2014 3 gifts that might never have been
#55 my children
#56 my marriage
#57 my thirties

Jan 20, 2014 3 gifts only seen close up
#58 my feet in the sand ;)
#59 the real color of my husband's eyes
#60 the wrinkles on my hands

Jan 21, 2014 a gift in the sky, water, memory
#61 the moon on a clear night, knowing my mom sees the same one many miles away
#62 stones from the river bed made smooth over time
#63 walking in a frozen lake for the first time

Jan 22, 2014 a gift wrinkled, smoothed, unfolded
#64 baby clothes packed for years in my hope chest
#65 new fabric
#66 a handwritten letter

Jan 23, 2014 3 gifts found in Christ
#67 my salvation
#68 unconditional love
#69 peace

Jan 24, 2014 3 things blue
#70 my birthstone
#71 the ocean
#72 my son's new shirt

Jan 25, 2014 a grace borrowed, found, inherited
#73 a book
#74 a ring
#75 a handmade quilt on our bed from my husband's grandmother

Blessings #34-42

Still counting my blessings!

Jan 12, 2014
Something Above, Below, Beside
#34 the roof above my head
#35 the pillow beneath my head
#36 my wonderful, beloved husband :)

Jan 13, 2014
3 Things About Myself That I Am Grateful For
#37 my willingness to keep learning new things
#38 my hair (yeah, I'm weird like that. I hated it as a kid!)
#39 my resourcefulness

Jan 14, 2014
3 Startling Graces of God
#40 a potential car repair that turned out to just be user error ;)
#41 a "quick chat" with my sister that turned into a 2 hour phone call that never got interrupted on either end! A Mommy Miracle ;)
#42 a broken cell phone meant less distraction while doing errands today with my son- for both of us

Photo: My husband, who has oddly developed a slight fear of horses (???), has the amazing ability to draw them to him like a magnet. I love him :)

Blessings #26-33

The blessings keep on coming!
Thank you, Lord, for the God gifts you give :)

Jan 9, 2014 - A gift held, passed by, sat with
#26 a bowling ball at my son's birthday party
#26 the horses in the field as I go down my driveway
#27 my family together at church

Jan  10, 2014 - A gift sour, sweet, just right
#28 kombucha ;)
#29 this morning's coffee
#30 an "Arnold Palmer" while out with friends

Jan 11, 2014 - 3 yellow gifts of fresh mercy
#31 lemons
#32 daffodils
#33 the blooming color of the rising sun

Keep counting, my sweet friends!

I'll pray

"I'll be praying for you."

I used to wonder if the well-meaning people that said this to me really meant it. Did they really take the time? Did they remember? Were they just saying that to be nice or because they thought that's what I wanted them to say? Do they really care?

I can't answer that. In fact, I can't speak for anyone but myself. I suppose it doesn't really matter if they do. God knows my heart and He hears my prayers, even if I pray alone. And thankfully, I don't worry about that about more.

But I want to be a woman of my word. I strive to keep my word when those words cross my lips. What would be the point of telling someone I'll pray for them if their need is not my concern. If THEY are not my concern. And then I think... If God has placed this person in my life, at this time, and brought their need to my attention...how can I not?

So, I do. And I will. I will pray for you. Any time, any place. I will gladly pray for you. Because I love you. So does Jesus. And I believe that's exactly what He wants me to do.

So, when I drop by your house and you tell me you're nervous about a recent doctor visit, and I tell you I'll pray, I'll pray. When I run into you at the library and you tell me you're trying to sell your house against the odds, and I tell you I'll pray, I'll pray. When you're pregnant or sick, and I tell you I'll pray, I'll pray. When you're worried about your child, and I tell you I'll pray, I'll pray. When your mom's in the hospital, and I tell you I'll pray, I'll pray. When you're facing a big move and new people and nothing familiar, and I tell you I'll pray, I'll pray. When your job is not all you'd hoped it'd be and you don't know what to do, and I tell you I'll pray, I'll pray.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 says-

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

By allowing me to pray for you, I also get to rejoice with you when those prayers are answered, to give thanks, to lend a hand when you need it, or a shoulder to cry on.

Thank you for the privilege!

Photo: a peek at my Prayer Board. My way of keeping track of who I'm praying for and how, as well as prayers that have been answered. How can I pray for you?

And my 3 gifts of the day:
Dusky light
#22 afternoons in my house, a reminder that the day is drawing to a close
Surprising reflection
#23 my husband's face reflecting off a picture as he plays his bass guitar
Lovely shadow
#24 the ceiling fan shadows spinning as it pushes the warm air through my house, keeping us warm and cozy

12 Years Old

Today, we celebrated my "baby" boy's 12th birthday. 12 years of his slow but sweet smile. 12 years of his silly little belly laugh. 12 years of being his Mama. 12 years...

What a handsome, intelligent young man he's becoming! I love his fun personality and seeing him grow in the Lord.

Happy birthday, Nathan! I love you so very much :)

3 Graces from People I Love
#19 a friend's thank you so precious
#20 my son's delight at his birthday gifts and foods just what he asked for
#21 my husband's praise of my pie crust "prize worthy" :)

Planning

I have learned in life that that the powers that be tend to laugh at the "plans" I make, so we are doing what we can and hoping for the best.

My long-time dear friend, Christa, said this recently. She and her family have struggled this past year and are trying to get back on their feet. (She was kind enough to give me permission to quote her.☺)  I can totally relate to her feeling, mostly because I've been there too. You know, that dark and dismal place where dreams burst like bubbles? Yeah, that one. The Land of Despair. I took up residency there for years. Unfortunately, I sometimes find myself lost, without direction, and heading right back there for another visit.

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. ~Jeremiah 29:11

Wait a minute! This doesn't sound like someone who would laugh at me. This sounds like someone who is looking out for me, protecting me, taking care of me. Like a parent. Like a Father.

I've learned to turn my plans over to God, my Master Planner. I told my friend, Christa, that these days I prefer what God has to say about my planning.

The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps. ~Proverbs 16:9

Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand. ~Proverbs 19:21

May he grant you your heart's desire and fulfill all your plans! ~Proverbs 20:4

It is my understanding that God does still want us to make plans. How else would we take steps forward or prepare for the future? But He wants our hearts aligned with His. We need to be willing to trust Him at the helm, to let Him lead us, knowing that He sees the full picture, knows the full plan, knows the best route for us to take to get there.

Letting God lead us means LETTING GO of the control we only think we have. Just look at the mess we make of things anyway!

So, this is my prayer when I find myself heading back to the Land of Despair, and my prayer for Christa, and for anyone else who is struggling with this:

Father God, 
Thank you for the days you've given me...even the ones I just couldn't walk through...that you were right there beside me. Thank you for letting me fail...again...so that the victory will be that much sweeter. Thank you for the promise that you give to protect me...even if that means protecting me from my own plans. Help me to remember that You know what You're doing, even if I don't. Help me to find You, even in the dark Land of Despair. Thank you that I don't have to live there, but can choose instead a place that's hope-filled and happy, innocent and imaginative, of Your Creation, not mine. Help me to live life to the fullest!
Amen.

Lastly, here's my blessings from the last 3 days:

A Gift Old, New, Blue
#10 old, old books -the look, the feel, the smell
#11 my fairy godmother from my fairy godmother -such a special gift from a special lady!
#12 my heart-shaped bowl that I made with a friend 20 years ago

Something I'm reading, making, seeing
#13 To Kill A Mockingbird -I love Scout's spunk!
#14 my son's birthday cake -I can't believe my "baby" will be 12 tomorrow!
#15 the view from my sewing table come late afternoon

One thing in my bag, my fridge, my heart
#16 fingerless gloves I made from an old sweater
#17 frozen summer peaches...in January!
#18 hope for a family getaway...soon?

Blessings #10, 11, and 12

Purposeful

One thing I have learned this past year, a year I am so thankful has come to a close, is that I fail repeatedly to truly appreciate all that God has given me, done for me, and saved me from if I don't view it against the contrast of pain, loss, and failure.This is what it means to me that Jesus is the Light of the world. This world is DARK. I need Him to light my path EVERY day, in EVERY way.

Last week, I started thinking that I needed to fine-tune a few things. I mentioned here a few goals, or resolutions if you will, that I have set for myself, but I needed to make it even simpler than that. And then I read this from The Better Mom, I decided I needed just one word.

PURPOSEFUL

That's my word for the year. And here's what it means for A Blessed Season:

To seek God with PURPOSE.
To take care of my family with PURPOSE.
To take care of myself with PURPOSE.
To count my blessings with PURPOSE.
To write and share with PURPOSE.

Starting next week, I hope to bring you a little something special each day. From an encouraging word to some of my homeschool endeavors. Since I aim to spend more time this year creating beautiful things to share with others, I'll share my latest projects with you and I may just throw a tutorial or two in there! And since I spend so much time in the kitchen, I better share some recipes with you foodies out there and other household tips I've found useful in my own home.

That's just a little glimpse of what I'm hoping to do this year. I look forward to hearing how you are making changes for this new year!

Oh, and before I forget, here's my 3 gifts for today:

3 Graces Overheard
#7 my husband's encouragement as I learn to play guitar
#8 my sister's reassurance and constant
#9 a song on the radio

Strength

I pray that today you are finding YOUR strength in Him!

**There are changes going on over here at A Blessed Season! Stay tuned for an official announcement :) In the meantime, enjoy the "view"!

A Gift Outside, Inside, and on a Plate
#4 a beautiful sunset
#5 a fire in the wood stove
#6 a healthy, home-cooked meal

Renewal

renewal -the act of being renewed, to be restored to a former state; become like new again

2014- Happy New Year!
Today marks the beginning of a new year, FULL of possibilities. It is an opportunity to let go of the old ways and embrace the new. To be renewed.

Romans 12:1-2 says-
I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

I know it seems cliche, but I, like people everywhere, am making a few resolutions today. You are welcome to hold me to them...I need the accountability. And your prayers!

My New Year's Resolutions 2014:
• to treat my body as a sacrifice, a temple of the Holy Spirit, allowing renewal and restoration of health
• to seek God's face daily, with all my heart and an open mind, allowing transformation and renewal
• to increasingly trust God in every area of my life, a renewed commitment, seeking His Wisdom and peace for my restless soul
• to faithfully use my God-given gifts and resources to bless others as He has blessed me
• And lastly, to start counting my blessings again via Ann Voscamp's Joy Dare of 1000 Gifts (Join me!)
Blessings to you and yours in this new year! My hope and prayer for you is that each season you are in is a blessed season.

How can I pray for you as we jump into this new year?

Gifts Heard
#1 my children laughing
#2 my husband's voice
#3 the washing machine running ;)