1000 Gifts (Part 7): School & Family

103.  I'm so thankful that the guests at our daughter's spa party had so much fun.

104.  I did not lose my temper when I saw the aftermath of the birthday party in our daughter's room.  All Glory to God!

I'm a neat freak, and this past week just happened to be the week each month when I am most easily overwhelmed and frustrated (ahem), yet because this 1000 gifts project has me now looking for God's face in everything, I managed to see her messy room as evidence that she had a great time at her party.  All the new presents strewn about the room also reminded me of what loving, generous, thoughtful friends and family members she has in her life.

105.  I survived living in this house with a room that messy for seven whole days, y'all!

We were all so busy this past week, there was never enough time to clean it properly, so I kept her door closed and went a whole week without losing my temper.  God's mercies are new every morning.

106.  I am so thankful that she finally cleaned up that mess.

 Today, her room looks like this:

107.  Praise God for modern medicine and for putting people at the right place at the right time.

After the party last weekend, I visited with my neighbor for a while.  She ended up talking to me for a very long time about her husband who had spent the past 14 days in the hospital having multiple blood transfusions due to bleeding from an unknown source.  Had his wife not brought him to the premier hospital where he had his lung transplant six years ago when his symptoms started, he would have gotten much, much worse without any clear diagnosis.  A young Australian doctor performed a rare procedure that only a few doctors in the world know how to do which saved his life.  What a blessing that this doctor just happened to be employed by that same hospital at that time.

108.  I'm thankful for embarrassing moments averted because my daughter wanted to hug me goodbye.

I was so busy talking to my neighbor that I did not have time to help my daughter get ready for the Young Artists piano competition that took place less than two hours after her party.  Right before my husband took her, she ran over to hug me goodbye, and I saw facial mask bits from the party remaining in her hair and on her face.  I'm so glad she ran over to see me so that I could wipe off that mess before she played for the judge!

109.  I'm thankful for the progress my daughter made in preparing for this piano event. 

Two weeks ago, she barely knew her pieces for this event because she would not practice without much wailing and gnashing of teeth and then storming off in a huff.  She got frustrated because the music was difficult, and she thinks everything should come easy for her.  My dear husband, who has more patience than I do, worked tirelessly with her when she would actually cooperate.  We wondered how she would do at the event following all the excitement of the party, but we were at least satisfied that she had finally gotten to where she could place the pieces, albeit not perfectly.

110.  I'm also thankful for my husband who patiently talks her down from her emotional cliff when she gets frustrated with herself for not mastering something perfectly the first time.

111.  I'm thankful when my daughter exercises self control.

While playing for the judge, she lost her memory in the middle of one piece which is very rare for this girl who had recently memorized 17 pieces for one recital.  Memorization is not an area in which she usually struggles, but since she was still distracted by the party, it was more likely to happen.  Yet, despite making that mistake, she kept her cool (no dramatic fits) and started again without letting it phase her. 

112.  Seeing my child overcome is a wonderful gift.

That one memory blip must have been her only mistake because except for an "Excellent Rating" on memory for that one piece, she got all "Superior" ratings in every other category for every piece and a "Superior" over all. 

113.   I'm thankful for family movie outings.

Mobile photo of us in a dark theater were we saw "The Lost Medallion"

We rarely ever go to to the movie theater, because frankly, there is hardly ever a movie showing that is worth our time or money.  Most modern movies are complete filth.  The Lost Medallion, though too violent for younger viewers (we covered our son's eyes in certain scenes), contained valuable messages everyone should hear.  While the Gospel message was presented more vaguely than I would have liked, it was in there along with lots of valuable moral lessons straight from Scripture.

114.  I'm thankful for my kids' funny quotes during and after the movie.

During the moment of greatest suspense in the movie, the 6-yr-old cried out, "That's not a good idea, peeps."

After the movie, the 9-year old said, "It was a good movie.  I'll give it 4 out of 5 stars.  I had to deduct a star because it didn't have any horses in it."

115.   "Couch time" with my husband is a precious gift. 

I love this chance to reconnect at the end of each day, and I love the way it helps our kids tangibly see and know that their parents love each other and are committed to their marriage.

When my son came downstairs this evening we were having our "couch time", and he said, "There they are again, all cuddly wuddly."

116.  I'm thankful that our kids' teachers make learning history so much fun.

 They've been studying the Roaring 20s, so on Thursday, the school hosted a 20s style shindig.  Our daughter's class dressed up in typical 20s style fashion.

 (Oops! We forgot her headband with feather in our rush to school.)

At the shindig, the students enjoyed some awesome silent, short films created by the dialectic and rhetoric students, some treats, and a Charleston dance off!

117.  What a gift this video, taken by our daughter's teacher, was to us parents who really wanted to see our kids dancing the Charleston.

The movie begins focused on our daughter dancing with the teacher's much taller daughter.

118.  I'm so thankful that I'm still my boy's favorite girl. 

When I picked up the kids from school this past Thursday, my boy was so excited to tell me about another new present he received from a girl in his class. He thought the mini baseball was so cool. Then I heard whispers followed by the boy wailing in tears. I asked what was wrong, and apparently his sister had been teasing him saying that "he loves" that girl. I reminded them that some people just like to give gifts to their friends without any other intentions. Then I said to my son, "Besides, who cares what your sister says because we both know that your heart belongs to God first and then me.  I am your #1 girl." That settled it, and all tears and arguing ceased. Too bad it won't always be that easy. :(

119.  I'm thankful that my children love to pray for others, even if they do so at record speeds. 

When you put a scrumptious 4 cheese stone baked pizza before my hungry 6-year-old who wants to say the blessing without forgetting anyone on his prayer list, you may wonder if he's praying or auctioneering.

120.  I'm thankful for the way God humbles me as I try to teach my daughter to me more like me.

I found out around 9:30pm on Wednesday night that her teacher assigned her a book to read, The Wind and the Willows, two weeks ago to be read by the following day, Thursday morning. She had read tons of other fun books instead, but had only read a few chapters of this book.  So, we sent her to her room immediately to finish the book.  She fell asleep reading around 10:45.  

I knew she would never finish, so I sent her teacher a note explaining that we were sorry that our daughter would not complete the assignment on time, but that she needed to learn to be more organized and responsible (virtues we left-brained types value highly since we can't function without them), so we would gladly welcome a failing grade on the assignment if it taught her to be more responsible. 

When I woke up that morning, I found her reading in her room.  She finished chapter 12 just before breakfast. There is no way I could read have finished that book in less than two hours, but for her, it was no problem, and she could ace most any test her teacher gives her about that book.  She proved me wrong, and I can just hear her thinking to herself now, "I told you so, Mom!"

121.  I'm thankful that God gave my daughter a gift I always wanted for myself, the ability to speed read.

Spa Party for her 9th Birthday

"The days are long, but the years are short."

It seems like just yesterday that our daughter looked like this:

Age 3

We just got back her school pictures, and is it really possible that now she look like this?

4th grade yearbook photo

I have tried to continue the tradition my mother started with me by throwing my daughter a big birthday party every year.  My heart's desire is that she and her friends will remember our home as being a fun, hospitable place where they will want to spend more time.  This year, she wanted a spa themed party.  While spas are typically not my thing, I was so excited for this party that I had turned the house into a full service spa a week before the party was to begin. The night before the party, I had nothing left to do, so I worked on our tax returns instead.  How crazy is that?

My husband's task for the party was to take pictures, so I knew I would end up with hundreds of pictures to edit and weed out.  However, I had a hard time deleting any of them, so the rest of this post will be filled with layouts I made for my daughter's scrapbook to display so many of those pictures.

1000 Gifts (Part 6): Marriage Enrichment

Every couple must figure what works best to nurture their unique marriage.  Some insist that weekly date nights are the best way to build a strong marriage while others read books and attend marriage conferences together.  Statistics indicate that couples who pray together have the best chance of staying together.  "Couch time" is a popular way for couples to reconnect on a daily basis.

We try to incorporate as many of these tips as possible, but one of the ways we have found that works best for us is to get away alone together.  I have to totally distance myself from the home and all my responsibilities there for more than a few hours to fully focus on glorifying God through nurturing a healthy marriage. While my husband and I do not share similar interests with regard to hobbies, we both love to travel.  So, we have found it better to focus less on weekly date nights, which require a sitter and logistical hassles, and save that money for getaways together.

I've already shared some of our photos from the Biltmore Gardens and Conservatory in part 4 of this series, but I would like to share a few other photos from our trip to highlight more gifts for my 1000 gifts project.

97.  That handsome man on the tractor who works so diligently to provide for our family.

98.  Seeing him on that tractor reminded me what a gift his executive job is because it keeps him dressed neatly in suits and sitting in a comfortable office where his knowledge and God given gifts are best utilized.  I'm thankful that he does not have to toil out in the fields since neither one of us has a green thumb or enjoys agrarian work very much.

99.  Cloud, the overly fluffly French angora bunny, who gave me an idea that has me elated and bubbling over in anticipation.

100.  The sight of free range chickens roaming about Antler Hill was a gift because whenever I see a chicken, I am reminded of my mother-in-law and some precious friends who keep chickens for the wonderfully healthy eggs they produce.  Chickens also remind me of the children we sponsor in Ethiopia and Haiti because the simple gift of a few chickens can enable the poorest of poor to meet their basic needs.

101. The winery tour was a gift because the desire to learn how everything is made, intensified by touring camera and auto manufacturing plants in Japan at age 17, is what led me to major in engineering.  The tour was very informative, and I would highly recommend it were it not for the "get them tipsy so they'll buy more" wine tasting festival at the end which we obviously skipped.

102.  Those beautiful horses at Antler Hill were a gift because the mere sight of my favorite animal brings peace and joy to my heart.  We should love God's creatures, great and small, but the horse is one of the most awesome I ever saw.

Upward Basketball 2013

Now that our family has gotten busier than I ever intended, we are setting limits on number of athletics activities each kid can participate in at one time.  Our daughter chose gymnastics over basketball this season but wished desperately that she could be on the court during every practice and every game her brother attended. She was a great cheerleader, however, and she took a special interest in encouraging one player on our son's team who refused to get off the bench and play in any games.  He was obviously just too young to play this year, but she encouraged him regularly and even gave him a Valentine on Valentine's Day week to boost his confidence.

While we love the UPWARD program and have not been able to say enough good things about the ministry or this awesome church that hosts it each year, this year did not meet the ultra high precedent set and upheld during our previous years with this program.  For reasons we do not understand but trust were valid, the coach did not follow the rotation schedule in the book, so our son played every period of every game except the game he missed due to family travels without sitting out once, even though I asked the coaches to pull him out to give another player who did not get to play as often more time on the court.  While I try not to be a helicopter parent with my own kids, when I perceive that another child is being treated unfairly, it's all I can do to keep myself from flying up (and possibly off the handle) like a helicopter parent to set things right for another parent's child.  But I was reminded that as a parent in the stands, I can't see what happens off the court and do not have the wisdom to judge rightly.  What an encouragement it is to know that mankind's ultimate Judge has all knowledge and all wisdom to judge with perfect righteousness combined with infinite love to extend grace to those who trust in His name.

Psalm 9:8

And He will judge the world in righteousness; He will execute judgment for the peoples with equity.

All that time on the court gave our boy more time to learn to play more aggressively. He handled the ball a lot more, took many shots from the 3-point range with confidence, and scored more points than last year.

One of the biggest blessings of this UPWARD season was seeing so many little boys my son's age from our neighborhood at the court each week.  I had not even realized how many boys are in our neighborhood his age. These games gave me a chance to meet more neighbors and find new friends for our boy.  During the first game, our son played against a team comprised of three boys from the neighborhood.  One was his closest neighborhood friend.  That first game was his team's best all season.

Our son has very interesting form when he shoots that we will have to correct later.  For now, he shoots with both hands thrusting the ball off his right shoulder.  When he jumps, he must jump super high since he's so much shorter than the other players.  His legs kick out when he leaps in a form that reminds me of something from those old kung-foo movies my brother watched during our childhood.


Nana and Pops drove into town to watch one of his games.   Seeing them there made my son feel extra special.  Many other neighborhood kids have grandparents living in the same town making it easier for them to attend their games, but when grandparents drive an extra long distance to see a game, it means a lot.

The awards supper and awards ceremony were awesome as always.  When we got into the car to go to the awards program, I noticed that our son was wearing his red plaid bath robe, and our girl had her Minnie Mouse ears on her head.  Thankfully, they removed both to look more respectable at the awards program. After each player received his or her award and gift (an UPWARD basketball), we all watched a fabulous presentation by an illusionists with a powerful Gospel presentation.

We'll be returning to UPWARD next year (even though detours due to scheduled road construction will double our commute to the church), and I suspect that my husband will be coaching.

One Thousand Gifts (Part 5): Family Edition

I would like to give God praise for some of His many gifts this past week.

72. AAA!

We haven't enrolled in AAA membership since my company paid for it during my working days before the kids were born.  Yet, this past year we felt an inner prompting to enroll, and what a blessing it has been.  My husband and our daughter got stranded at a campground during a Y Princess camping trip when his car would not start.  AAA towed them and the car to a repair shop just in time for me to get them home before our son's birthday party began.

Then this week, after I loaded the car with lunch bags, kids, and all my PE instructor equipment and the kids' school work to head out to co-op, my car would not start.  Neither my husband nor any neighbors were available to rescue me, but AAA is always there.

We've planned several trips this year, and AAA sent us guide books and maps for free the day I requested them.  While shopping for travel insurance, AAA led us to the lowest rate for the best coverage. We're so glad God prompted us to choose AAA the year we would need it most.

73.  Gorgeous spring like weather in early March

74.  A new access point to the Greenway right beside our neighborhood

I have thoroughly enjoyed biking along this lengthy, gorgeous wooded path, which runs parallel to the river, through several counties where other bikers, pedestrians spanning four generations, horses and their riders, stand-up trikers, dogs, turtles, birds, butterflies, and Pandora praise and worship music keep me company.  

75.  End times conversations with the kids

The conversation began with them asking questions about the current political situation, but that led to them asking questions about end times (funny how that happens).  I told the kids to think about what they hope they are doing when Jesus comes back. I asked, "Do you want Jesus to find you fighting with your sibling or loving your neighbor and sharing the gospel?"

The 6-year-old replied, "Mom, I sure hope you aren't still doing chores when He returns!" 

Did my son just deliver an emancipation proclamation for Christian mothers/housewives?

76.  Turbo Tax

While filing tax returns is something I dread each year, I remember when I had to complete all these forms manually.  Turbo Tax makes the painful process at least less time consuming than it once was, and for that, I am truly grateful.

77.  The different perspective my children offer to most any situation

When my husband wears his Mantoni wool and cashmere topcoat with a cashmere scarf over his business suits, I think he looks like a GQ model. The kids, however, recently said, "All he needs is a top hat, and he'll look just like Bob Cratchit" from Charles Dicken's A Christmas Carol.

78.  Learning the "Facts of Life" from my 8-year-old

You know your little girl is growing up when every question she asks concerns her feelings, and every answer to her "why" questions is simply, "Because you are a girl."  I have been encouraging her to write down her thoughts and feelings, and our little philosopher recently returned with this paper explaining the "facts of life". 

1. Life isn't fair!
2. Life can be fun.
3. Life is important.
4. Life is sorrowful.
5. Life is loving God!
6. Life is lively.
7. Life is deadly.
8. Life can be great!
9. Life is tricky.
10. And last but not least....Life is for GOD! :-)

She has heard me say many times, "Sorry, honey, but life just isn't fair," so I can see why she began with that one.  And number 7 is probably my fault, too, because I have exaggerated at times in my instructions saying things such as, "You must obey me right away the first time I give you instructions because if you tarry when I command for you to move out of the street, you may get run over and die."  At least she is beginning to understand that our ultimate purpose in life is not to gratify our own desires but to glorify God and enjoy Him forever!

79.  Our gospel-centered, missions-minded church family where truth is taught without compromise
 
Our church understands and teaches that God's vision for each of us, the church, and the world is to glorify Him, and one primary way we glorify Him is making His name known to all people.  I'm thankful that our church is more interested in reaching the lost and discipling believers than in fostering self-glorification as is so prominent in our lost culture.

80. Unintentionally prophetic stories composed and handwritten by our kids

On Valentine's Day, our 6-year-old wrote this little story about a winter wonderland just two days before we received our first real snowfall in over two years with some of the largest snowflakes I have ever seen.  His description of a winter wonderland was an accurate depiction of the weekend that followed....except for the penguins.

81.  A tissue paper snowman crafted by our 6-year-old

82.  Graphic representations to help my daughter and I understand each other better, and God's wisdom in placing her in our family to complement and breathe creative energy into our structured, boring left brained ways.

83.  The way children expand our interests and bring more variety and passion into our lives

As an overly pragmatic, frumpy woman, I've never taken much interest in spa treatments and the like as I would rather do something active and outdoors. However, when my dear daughter asked for a spa themed birthday party, I was suddenly ALL about it. I had already transformed our house into a full service spa six days before the party which evoked interesting expressions from the servicemen who visited our home that week.

84.  God's unique way of giving new desires that benefit us and others as well

My daughter's #1 love language is quality time, and her desire for this love language is off the charts.  Quality time ranked lowest for me when I took the love language evaluation, so giving her the time she craves is a challenge for me, especially considering that we have very different interests making it a struggle find things we both enjoy doing together.  I so want our time together to be fun, not just a duty to dread.

Surprisingly to me, God gave me so much enthusiasm for my daughter's spa themed party, something I would normally not care much about, that I could hardly wait for the day of the party to arrive.  I put more time and energy into this party than any other, and I enjoyed myself more at this party, feeling less stressed and more relaxed than ever before.  This desire is undoubtedly a gift from God.  

After spending over 8 hours that day hosting and cleaning up from the party, God gave me what I would typically desire, time outside doing something active in nature.  That evening after the party is when I discovered the glorious new trails behind our neighborhood where I can explore, run, walk, bike, or even ride a horse to my heart's content out in a beautiful nature setting with the sounds of birds' songs and rivers rushing to soothe my soul and remind me of God's nearness, sovereignty, and love.

85.  Surprising the children

Over the past week, I have thoroughly relished the process of planning a big surprise for the kids in two weeks.  It's made me happier than a punk in a pickle patch!  Every day, I look forward to this surprise we have in store for them.  I can hardly wait and hope I don't spill the beans before then.

86.  Discovering that there is not a mouse in the house

For the past few weeks, I've been so freaked out over the scratchings and rustlings I've been hearing in our pantry that I could barely enter the pantry for fear I would find a mouse in the trap and pass out cold. After further investigation, I am happy to report that we do not have mice, but we do have birds camped out in our dryer vents. They have chewed a nice opening through the vent door and seem to really enjoy using the sauna whenever I run the dryer.  It's a fire hazard, we realize, so we're hoping to soon find a ladder long enough to remedy this situation.

87.  Daddy - Daughter 5K Run

Ever since plebe summer of 1991, my husband has viewed running as a form of punishment.  My competitive daughter will run sprints against the boys at school, but she, too, has never wanted to run long distances, and I was afraid to push her since I wanted her to be free to find her own interests instead of having me impose my own passions onto her. 

Now that I have given up running, at least for a few years, I never thought the subject of running would come up again, but praise God for Y Princesses because they are awarding patches to daddy-daughter teams who complete a 5K in May.  So today, my handsome man laced up his running shoes and patiently coached and encouraged our daughter through their first training run even as she complained throughout all two miles of it.  He's a great coach! Seeing them run together made my heart nearly beat out of my chest.

88.  Our boy's love for the game of basketball

With all those stars they give out at UPWARD, he needs one for "cutest, sweetest basketball player that ever was". He should also get one for "most likely to wear black socks when his mama insists that only white socks should be worn when playing basketball"  

89.  The tendency of boys to outgrow their older sisters

While helping me with the laundry, the 8-year-old pulled out her brother's shirt and said, "This is itty-bitty. It must be E's."

The 6-year-old responded, "Hey now! I'm not itty-bitty."

I intervened, "Be nice to him because one day he'll be bigger and stronger than you are."

The 8-year-old replied, "Nope. When he's grown up he'll be a weak, wimpy businessman, but I'll be a super strong gymnast who works out all the time."

I intervened again, "How can you say that? Your dad is a businessman. Do you think he's wimpy?"

Quick witted 8-year-old, "No, Daddy isn't wimpy because he was in the Navy."

I didn't realize unfair stereotyping started so early. To all my businessmen friends, next time you see my sassy daughter, please flex your muscles and maybe toss her in the air or something to prove her wrong. 

90. Our daughter's love for school which translates into a willingness to help her little brother repeat the same projects she did at school.  

Her WW1 diorama with a plane from the Cold War era (oops)

His home version of a WW1 diorama with no help from anyone except his sister

91.  When kids apply what they learn at school in fun & amusing ways

Our daughter came downstairs one evening with a Nerf dart gun aimed at us.  My husband asked, "What's on the end of your gun?"

She answered, "A butter knife. It's a bayonet. We learned about them at school".

92.  Flowers in unexpected places

My Bible study time this year has encouraged me to seek beauty in every aspect of life so that even those things that once annoyed me bring joy. Flies buzzing around while dining on the back deck can be annoying, but maybe the new pink floral bling on my fly swatter will bring a smile back to my face.

93.  God's strength which equips us to endure the "natural" energy spikes of our offspring

After barely surviving a shopping trip with my exceedingly spastic children, I asked them, "Did you eat any food dyes, sugar, or caffeine at school to make you so hyper today?"

The girl said, "Nope. Air makes me hyper."

Then her sly brother said, "I think eating vegetables makes us hyper, Mom".

 And I thought, "Nice try, boy, but you get a double helping of veggies for dinner tonight."
 
94. My son's willingness to openly talk with me, especially regarding heart matters and girls

I think my son and my husband share similar good looks.  Just as my husband got lots of attention from the ladies during his youth, our son seems to garner much attention from girls of all ages.  Our boy, who I sometimes refer to as DC, Jr. in my mind, had not really noticed the attention since he just wants to hang with the guys without caring what girls think or say.  It's better for him not to think too highly or too lowly of himself because thinking too much of oneself period displaces God, and my desire is that His heart and thoughts would always be consumed with the Lord.

However, when an attractive 15-year-old at his school who helps with his art class told him not once, but twice during the same class period that she thought he was cute, he noticed. And he thought about it enough to tell me all about it.  Now it's time to pray that he will stay humble like his daddy.


95.  The Lost Medallion

I'm always grateful when a movie producer decides to create a film that delivers a Christian message about God's love with clean, family-friendly content that appeals to kids and adults of all ages.  The message in this film for orphans regarding their purpose in life is especially significant to me.

96.  Creative costumes even if they are the fruit of procrastination

My daughter retreated to her room one evening to work on a research paper. She came out later dressed like a French painter. While her garb may give the impression that she's inspired by her research, her topic was Queen Victoria, so my right-brained child was clearly procrastinating.  Gotta love the costume, though.  And perhaps Queen Victoria hired a French painter to paint a portrait of her. 

One Thousand Gifts (Part 4): Weekend Getaway

It seems every blog post is filled with entries for my 1000 gifts project because I am always looking for God's blessings in my ordinary, everyday life.

47.  I'm so thankful that God's love never fails. (1 Corinthians 13:8a)

There once was a kid who liked to tease my little boy with light name calling, head noogies, and the like. My flesh wanted to train my boy to get tough and fight back, but remembering 1 Thess. 5:15, I simply encouraged my son to repay the kid's meanness with kindness. My son recently announced that the kid is super nice to him now, and I even heard the kid tell my son, "See you later, friend. I love you." 

48.  My mother celebrated her 72nd birthday last week and remains in excellent health.

With so many friends losing their mothers entirely too soon, I am celebrating each of my parents' birthdays with more thanksgiving than ever before.  What a blessing to still have them both healthy and continuing to offer love, guidance, and help.

49.  My husband and I just returned from a weekend getaway together in Asheville, NC. 

My husband and I both share a love for travel, so whether the destination is near or far, it's an incredible joy to get away and explore God's earth together.

50.  I'm so thankful that my parents were willing and able to watch the kids for us while we were way.  They treated them far better than I ever do!

51. We are all so glad for the gift of time with cousins.  It's a gift that their cousins could carve out time from their busy schedules to hang out with our kids while they were in town for the weekend.

Cousins enjoying the beach together

52.  I'm thankful for free passes to Biltmore House!

Our initial view of the Biltmore House set against a cloud covered sky

53. Thank you, Lord, for the precious friends who gave the free passes to us!

The weather forecast for our trip called for rain on Friday and warm sunshine on Saturday.  Unfortunately, the sun did not come out until Sunday, so it was dreary and wet for our day at the Biltmore Estate.

54.  God thankfully held most of the rain in the clouds and kept it warm enough so that it did not snow.

Photo by Biltmore Estate staff

55. Flowerless rose bushes in the estate's garden in the winter reminded me that the thorns in our lives may be necessary prerequisites before exquisite beauty can fully bloom.

56. Thank you, Lord, for showing your artistic brilliance through the beautiful bursts of floral color safely sheltered in the Biltmore Conservatory.  

57.  Just as the conservatory shelters the flowers, God is our perfect shelter and refuge in times of trouble.

 

 Psalm 27:4-5 (NIV1984)

⁴ One thing I ask of the Lord,
    this is what I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord
    all the days of my life,
to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord
    and to seek him in his temple.
⁵ For in the day of trouble
    he will keep me safe in his dwelling;
he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle
    and set me high upon a rock.

58.  Getting to see 4-day-old turkeys was another gift this past weekend.

59.  Touring Biltmore Estate was a fabulous gift, but visiting a dear friend from college, B,(see gifts #10 & 11 from part 1) whom I had not seen in 16 years was an even better blessing.

60.  I'm so glad we finally got to meet his lovely wife and daughters.

 

61.  The after dinner conservation inspired me.

62.  My husband's willingness to carve out time from our romantic getaway to spend time with people he had never met before was a huge blessing.

63. So, I'm especially glad that B and his wife "just happened" to serve one of my husband's favorite entrees and his all-time favorite dessert, lemon pie, with whipped cream made from scratch. 

64.  Recently, my husband and I have developed a fettish for goat cheese, so we considered it a great gift when spinach salad with apple slices and goat cheese was also served with our meal.  It was delicious.

65.  Icing on the cake was when B accidentally shaved off twice as much goat cheese into our salad as intended. Yum!

66. The following evening we joined B and his wife and two other treasured couples for dinner at a fabulous rustic restaurant.  I haven't seen these couples since we were college students except for one brief social a few years ago.  It was if no time had passed, and the conversation just picked up from where we left off 18 years ago with the same fun mixture of hilarity and spiritual encouragement.

67.  I'm thankful that our hotel offered excellent service and kept baskets of my husband's all time favorite, hard-to-find in local grocery stores, tea packets in the lobby.  Bigelow Lemon Lift, you make my man happy.

68.  The hotel's indoor pool, hot tub, and fitness center were well equipped and make our trip even more enjoyable.

69.  I'm even thankful for the terribly unhealthy but tasty buffet breakfast served each morning.  My mouth is still watering for another bagel, cheese, egg, and bacon melt.  My husband was shocked to see me eat something I would never serve myself at home because of nutritional concerns and then actually admit to really enjoying it.

70.  The sun came out on Sunday morning, so we drove home Sunday afternoon in glorious weather while singing Christian praise music with hands lifted and smiles wide.

71.  When I returned home I found an email inviting me to write for a women's ministry. While I have been doing freelance writing on the side for practice, training, a few pennies, and primarily to present Biblical truth on a secular platform,  I have been praying for another outlet to write in which I would not have concerns over questionable advertising surrounding my writing.  This invitation was a clear answer to prayer.

One Thousand Gifts (Part 3): Suffering and Arguments

Something my kids said on Monday after the snow had melted reminded me how even times of lack, inconvenience, or hardship should be counted among my list of 1000 gifts.  They said, "I sure do wish it would snow again soon because I have really missed it these past two years."  They had forgotten how much fun it could be until they got a taste of it this past weekend.

37. I'm thankful that we went over two years without any snow or fun wintry weather because when it finally did snow this past weekend, my children enjoyed the snow with exceedingly more enthusiasm than they would have if it snowed here often.  When we go without something for a time, we learn not to take it for granted when we have it.

38.  Similarly, when we experience the consequences of the fall of man through suffering, we appreciate more fully Christ's atonement.  As we come face to face with the dark, horrid, ugly, oppressive reality of sin and suffering in this world,  Christ's radiant, beautiful splendor shines more brightly. So I'm thankful for the hard times which draw me closer to Him and increase my appreciation for all He has done.

39.  I'm thankful for the transformation of my son's gloves from brand new into a rag tag mess over the course of one weekend because it means he played his heart out in the snow.

40.  While I normally loathe shopping, this 1,000 gifts project has me praising God for my boy's pants and jeans which he's only worn a few times but are already too short because it means he is experiencing a much needed growth spurt.


God has been teaching me life lessons through my boy's stuffed sock monkey.

I was really hoping my son would transition from a very large, very feminine pink bunny to this kid size sock monkey as his favorite bedtime companion.  Seeing the poor monkey neglected in the corner, I pulled it out and treated it as another member of our family.  I put the monkey in the car between them as if he was going to school too.  Suddenly, the monkey had a name, Michael, and before long, the kids were dressing him with their clothes as well.  He quickly became the kids' favorite stuffed animal.

41.  I'm thankful that Michael, the monkey, reminded me that in life, if we see someone mistreated, our simple efforts to extend kindness or friendship to that person could very easily cause others to do the same.  

I laugh as a write these words because I can remember how the guys in high school and college would collectively choose which girl they would all liked.  Then it almost became a contest, like knights vying for the princess's hand, to see who could get that girl to go out with him.  Each of my friends can remember a time when it was "her turn" to be chased before they moved on to the next gal.  It's crazy how this principle works!

42.  I'm thankful my son was willing to share some of his favorite clothes (Tommy Hilfiger jacket, Nike high tops, and Disney socks) with his monkey friend.

 

It dawned on me after being in the car for a little while with my kids and Mike in the middle that the kids don't argue with each other when Mike is there.  How could they, really, with that kid-sized, funny looking monkey with big lips blocking their line of sight between each other?  All angry thoughts would instantly be morphed into giggles.

That's when I remembered that God told his people to set up memorial stones to remind them of His goodness to them and that they belong to Him. When the nation of Israel had safely crossed the Jordon, God commanded Joshua to call one man from each tribe to carry stones from the Jordan and set up a memorial as a reminder of what God had done for them. 

⁴ So Joshua called together the twelve men he had appointed from the Israelites, one from each tribe, ⁵ and said to them, “Go over before the ark of the Lord your God into the middle of the Jordan. Each of you is to take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the Israelites, ⁶ to serve as a sign among you. In the future, when your children ask you, ‘What do these stones mean?’ ⁷ tell them that the flow of the Jordan was cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord. When it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. These stones are to be a memorial to the people of Israel forever.” (Joshua 4:4-7)

God wants us remember Him all the time.  1 Thessalonians 5:17 teaches us to "pray without ceasing". Ecclesiastes 4:12 provides a great reminder that Christ must be the center of all our relationships.

  And if one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart. (Ecclesiastes 4:12)

Instead of seeing all the hurt, shortcomings, disappointments, and anger when we look at our spouse, children, family member, employer, neighbor, friend or foe, we need to see Christ, and his shed blood as the strand between us. Christ is the strong strand that holds us together.

Yet, when we are angry, our tendency is to focus on our own selfish desires without considering our Savior who bore the weight of our anger and sin on the cross.  We need to set up memorial stones in our homes, cars, and lives to keep us reminded of our Savior and to redirect all our thoughts to Him.  That memorial stone could be scripture verses on the wall, a cross necklace, a gospel bracelet, memory verse cards, or a large Bible lying prominently in the main living spaces. For my daughter, that reminder is an empty desk chair in her room which we designate as God's seat, so she'll know God is always with her.

Perhaps these memorials should be moved around or changed out every few weeks so that our perspective does not grow so accustomed to them that we don't notice them anymore.  Practicing the presence of Christ in our everyday lives with these constant reminders all around us should eventually become second nature until we really are praying without ceasing.

When we are reminded of Him and consider His beauty, His perfect holiness, His wonderful majesty, and his all-consuming, unconditional love, how dare we argue with one another when worship is required?  Yet, we can't offer worship that is acceptable to our Lord until we have reconciled with our brethren.

Matthew 5:23-25  (NASB)

²³ Therefore if you are presenting your offering at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, ²⁴ leave your offering there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering. ²⁵ Make friends quickly with your opponent at law while you are with him on the way, so that your opponent may not hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the officer, and you be thrown into prison.

43.  So, all that to say, I'm thankful that Mike, the monkey in the middle, reminded me to keep Christ at the center of all my relationships.

44.  And I'm thankful for all the memorial stones God has set up in my own life as examples of His loving faithfulness.

Going back to the theme of being thankful for the ugliness in this world because the darker the valley the brighter He shines, I'd like to share a story about a bagger who served me at Kroger a few weeks ago.  This employee had what the culture would call "special needs", but I know that he was wonderfully made in God's image for God's glory and gifted in ways beyond the special needs the world sees first.

Standing in the checkout line at Kroger, I heard the checkout clerk asking for a new bagger. Her supervisor told her that she already had a bagger, but she responded, "I mean a REAL bagger."

Now this "special needs" bagger may not have the same abilities that the checkout clerk has, but I'm fairly certain his ears worked fine, because he lowered his head to hide any emotion.

After I had finished checking out, I gave his hand a gentle squeeze and thanked him for providing me with such excellent service. He then gave me the most beautiful smile I think I have ever seen in my entire life. 

 45.  I'm so thankful for that bagger's smile which illuminated the darkness I felt at that moment.
 
Throughout each day we are faced with choices with our words. Will we use words that tear down or build up? Too often, I have been careless with my words, even with my own children, who I love more than life itself. I don't want to wound others with my words while personally missing out on such beautiful smiles or other blessings. Through Christ's enabling, let us love as Jesus loves. 

Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones. (Proverbs 16:24)

Now to totally change the tone of this post from serious/reflective to slapstick silliness, I'll share one more gift.

46.  I'm thankful for my daughter's wild imagination which is stretching the symmetrical corners of my logical, pragmatic mind in ways I never thought possible.  Her crazy ideas make me laugh.

She has found a kindred spirit, E, at school. E organized a wedding between an orange and a pomelo. E designated our daughter to be the orange's bridesmaid, so she searched her closet for something orange to wear to the wedding. E told our daughter that she was the orange's sister, twice removed. And our dear daughter lamented with all seriousness, "I don't know why I've been removed from the family twice when I haven't done anything at all to hurt anyone."
- Oops, I guess I better define that term for her.

One friend of mine noted that when you mix an orange and a pomelo, you might get a grapefruit, so she asked us to send her a birth announcement at that time.  Her teacher provided the following summary of the wedding as she got to witness it on the playground today:

It was a spectacular event. The whole playground was involved and a great roar of laughter erupted when the pomelo said, "I do!" 

I asked her if tacos were served at the reception as planned, and she replied:

Well, the ceremony took too long because the Officiant said that too many people were talking and being disruptive. I told him that he can now understand how the teacher feels. So no tacos were served.