1000 Gifts and Counting.....

Isaiah 44:5

Some will proudly claim, "I belong to the Lord"

Others will say, "I am a descendant of Jacob"

Some will write the Lord's name on their hands

and will take the name of Israel as their own.

1026.  facebook....I know, I know...I've struggled to find anything good about facebook and have been a lurker just to see what friends are doing because I'm too busy to see them, but as of today that attitude has changed.....my beautiful friend, Amy Cooper, who lived next to us on Ash Street "friended" me.....it was wonderful to see what their family is up to, to see current pictures and to be able to "talk" to her
1027.  time Jake & I get to "teach" our neighbors, Steve and Jake, guitar.  It is so much fun and brings back so many memories for me.  It is so fun too to see how they've improved from week one - I wish I could video each week they play so they could see their progress!  Thank you Lord for giving me the opportunity to do this with Meier...
1028.  Isaiah coming down in the morning, carrying his ball glove.....Isaiah bringing his ball glove in the car to go to co-op....he's gearing up for his favorite season
1029.  Saturday cleaning (even when done on a Friday)....I just love the tradition....I have fond memories of it when I was a kid and now I'm so proud of my kids as I watch them tackle their "job" and I wonder if they get satisfaction from it besides just the reward of a movie or Wii
1030.  Valentine cupcake drop-off from the Weldons....cupcakes that looked like they came from a bakery and the blessing given to my children who were wanting something "special" to happen like it does for public school kids

1031.  red-tailed hawk on the side of the road that we spied on our way to the first soccer....being able to sit and soak in every detail despite the time crunch we were under and to enjoy His gift of nature
1032.  hand that reaches across seats to lay hold of me
1033.  excitement...fear...tangible...in early rising before the sun to prepare for a day of family skiing adventure...safety - I didn't get any broken bones, just sprained thumbs and torn ligaments in knee

1034.  those that plow roads
1035.  moment he knows he's annoyed me so he asks 1 more request of me and then laughs as I glare
1036.  safe travel on a snowing morning
1037.  heated seats
1038.  beautiful little girl in skinny jeans, face mask - throwing and catching like she's been practicing all winter

1039.  the Camera Shop and Chadd who was helpful when my new D7000 stopped focusing and who was patient as I stood in the store over 2 hours, testing one lens and then another
1040.  Johnny coming back to church....praying that he'll find his way back to the Father
1041.  Jake & Isaiah wanting to play for the worship at church
1042.  Bakers inviting us to a Spartan basketball game and the fun we had....I love watching Sparty do his thing!
1043.  visits with Charis....playing games with my kids

1044.  new camera D7000 with Sigma 18-250mm lens
1045.  January turkey day with family over to enjoy it with us
1046.  kids wrestling with Dad

1047.  bologna and Ben (don't ask!)

1048.  loving Addie as part of our day

1049.  God's Word and how it changes all our lives....Isaiah 44:5 and how the Holy Spirit used it in Jake's life

1050.  having to fight over my guitar with my eldest

1051.  fun with Addison's t-shirt - modifying it to read "My Great-Auntie is #1"

1052.  big brother who plays with little brother and gives him a chance once in a while at shooting a basket

1053.  donut making....making donuts like my grandma did and enjoying them all day

1054.  pizza making as a family...sharing stories with kids about our years growing up and always making homemade pizza on Saturday nights and episodes of Hee Haw

1055.  69 years with my Mom...a beautifully strong lady who loves the Lord and has encouraged all of us children to love the Lord too!  What a legacy her life is for us!!

1056.  can I say thanks for Blue Moon icecream?  Only if it's for the fact that now we all can warn others to never buy it!  It may look fun but it is not!!

1057.  playing Wii with Grandma and Grandpa and laughing!  Watch out Nate or Grandma will hit you again with her "racket"!

1058.  snuggling together

1059.  jeans that still fit, even if they are not my ideal size, life is too short to obsess about it
1060.  10 chapters a day - Horners Bible Reading System
1061.  alarm clock going off at 6a.m. - unable to ignore it when I know it signals time with HIM
1062.  Ted committing time in morning to read 10 chapters of God's Word
1063.  kitty cats who peer into windows begging for spoiling

1064.  kids who endure "Singin' in the Rain" for mom
1065.  opportunity at Tuesdays soccer to give friendship a chance with a fellow BSFer
1066.  little girl making my little girl welcome and befriending her
1067.  sermon on generosity and tithing - thankful that my pastor is willing to say hard things once in a while
1068.  yawning distance that seems to separate me from others at church...it is so uncomfortable and the enemy would love for me to self-focus, instead Sunday I stood in the uncomfortableness of it and didn't begrudge anyone their connections
1069.  how Holy Spirit works to lead me in choosing songs and how unknowingly they tie right into pastor's message
1070.  being willing to say "I miss you"....to admit I need him and need his time and attention
1071.  stepping out of my comfort zone to get to know Mitch....young adult who attends our church sometimes
1072.  BSF...how it builds routine into our lives of being in God's Word, how the questions bless my children and grow them, how the leaders there spur my kids on to go "FURTHER UP, FURTHER IN!"
1073.  so many lessons gleaned from the Word thru study in BSF this past month....I wish I had done a better job of journaling them here....but may there never be any doubt GOD is AT WORK!
1074.  Eurcharisteo....reading One Thousand Gifts by Ann VosKamp...meditating on giving thanks in ALL circumstances
1075.  being left behind on Sunday evening as kids all chose to go with Dad to play basketball...fighting off the feeling that I'm last on everyone's chosen list....sitting in the quiet house realizing I now have time to do my Gratitude list without feeling guilty.  Thank you Lord for letting me be last.

This Little Light of Mine

I've fallen in love with this song by Addison Road.

 

This Little Light Of Mine

There’s a little flame inside us all

Some shine bright, some shine small
The rains will come and the waters rise
But don’t you ever lose your light
In this life you will know
Love and pain, joy and sorrow
So when it hurts, when times get hard
Don’t forget whose child you are
Chorus
This little light of mine
I’m gonna let it shine
This little light of mine
I’m gonna let it shine, gonna let it shine

May you live each day with no regret

Make the most of every chance you get
Let your eyes get wide when you look at the stars
With the same sense of wonder as a child’s heart
With the ones you love treasure the time
And for those who are gone keep their memories alive
Hold on to your dreams don’t ever let go
There’s a fire inside you burning with hope

Repeat Chorus

One day there will be no more pain
And we will finally see Jesus’ face
So until then I’m gonna to try
To brave the dark and let my little light shine
Repeat Chorus

It's a God Thing!

It all started with Ted and the search for the perfect used 4-wheeler....

For the past 2 months (at least), my husband has been searching the internet for a used 4-wheeler that we could afford, you know, so then he could do all the jobs around our house that require a 4-wheeler (or so the argument went).  I went along because he was pretty convincing, but then as the days and weeks and then months went by that he would come home and immediately jump on the internet to spend hours looking at ATV's, my attitude began to change.  I began to think, 'What about me?  I've had a new guitar on my dream list for 2 years and and I know I'd use it every week for church, but that dream keeps getting replaced by other "necessities".'

So one night, when my pity party had gotten into full swing, I approached Ted and explained how I was feeling.  (Here's the first God-thing....)  I shared in a way that wasn't attacking him and he listened to me and immediately went to the computer and started searching used guitars on Craigslist (his home away from home).  My spirits began to rise and within the next few days, we started narrowing down possible Taylors that we could go drive and play - all at least 2 hours away.  Before we scheduled one of those trips, Ted suggested we stop by Elderly and try to play some Taylors that were the same model and had the same wood types, to be able to see if we really liked the sound of them in comparison to others there.  (Did I mention how smart of a husband I have?) 

So Jake and I made a visit to Elderly and did just that.  But one guitar captured our attention way above the others and it wasn't like any that I had seen on Craigslist.  It was a Taylor 714ce LTD with a Cedar top and Koa back/sides.  Ted could tell I loved it and he tried to see if Elderly would negotiate on price because we were working with limited funds from our tax returns, but Elderly didn't bite.  So sadly, we went home and I mulled over and over how perfect that guitar was for me.  A day went by and I just knew that was the guitar for me, so I encouraged Ted to go into Elderly with cash and make them an offer, and I was just sure they would accept. 

Later that morning, I pulled up Elderly's posting online of the guitar just to dream about it, but the posting now had in red letters - SOLD.  I had a momentary meltdown, until I realized Ted probably got it for me!  So I called him and said, "Hon, my guitar sold - it says so online!" and he was all like, "Hmm... really?  That was my next stop - I'll go there and see."  and I thought, 'Sure you will!  You're going to suprise me with it tonight!'  But an hour later he called and informed me that yes, indeed, it had sold.  That someone had come in the night before and boughten it.  And in his voice, I knew he wasn't teasing me.

I was devastated!  Here I thought I had done it right, by walking away from it that day at Elderly and letting a day or two go by to really ponder the purchase and make a wise decision, but God had a different plan.  I moped around the house during lunch saying, "I just can't believe it sold!  That was it - The One!"  Jake and Isaiah tried to encourage me and told me to try to find one on Craigslist, but I just knew I wouldn't be able to find one.  It was a limited edition and it wasn't like there are a million of them out there. 

But encouraged by the boys, I got online, googled it and up popped a posting on a Craiglist in Texas.  At first my heart soared, then I thought what are the chances the owner would be willing to ship it?  The ad was too good to be true - basically brand new - purchased in February and only played a couple of times.  I called the phone number and left a message, thinking it was all a long shot.  But a few minutes later the owner called me back, said he'd sell it to me for less than he paid for it, he'd hold it until the evening so I could talk to Ted and he'd ship it for free!! And to top it all off - he said he was a police officer!

I can't tell you how excited I was when I called Ted and I know I was thinking, "Calm down Charli.  You need to be thinking clearly!"  It was almost too good to be true and I think that is what scared Ted and I at first - especially when he told me he was a police officer.  What should have immediately put us to rest, actually made us more paranoid that it was a false sense of security.  When Ted got home, I showed him the ad and we decided to go ahead.  From there, I felt more and more peace because every time I talked to the owner, I just knew he was an honest man and being used by God to bless us!  He kept me up-to-date with where we were in the process of transferring the money and when he would ship it, and I just knew it was all going to work out.

But I have to admit, somewhere in my subconsious I must've been worried because one night I dreamnt that the guitar arrived and it was in an old, antique wooden guitar case and when I pulled out the guitar it was old with wood peeling and to top it all off it was a LEFTIE and I just sat there in my dream saying, "I can't even play it!"

Thursday morning dawned bright and cheery and I can't tell you how many times my eyes scanned our drive and Crocus Trail to see a UPS van coming.  Sometime in the late afternoon, Nate spied it and yelled, "Mom, I see the delivery truck!"  Isaiah and Jake were outside and came running to the house to tell me.  The UPS man came trudging up our drive with my new guitar slung on his shoulder, while we all grinned and stood on the porch like dorks.  If he didn't think that was wierd, he probably did when he realized I was taking a picture of him coming up the drive - now who takes a picture of the UPS man delivering his packages??????

We rushed into the living room with it and the kids sat quietly around me while I cut the package open.  I think they knew better than to try to help me or touch anything until I saw it first.  It was beautiful!!

I was the first to play it.....

Then of course, Jake was the next....

Meanwhile.... the younger ones lost interest when they realized that in the packaging was more bubble wrapping than any kid could dream of....and the guitar was soon drowned out by the sound of plastic wrapping being popped by hands and feet.

Since that day, if I'm not playing it, Jake's usually snagged it and taken it up to his room to "record".  It has a beautiful sound!  When I think back on the whole story, I'm amazed by how God changes our plans, to give us something better than we can hope for!  And I'm so thankful to my husband for sacrificing his dream of a quad, for mine and for the honest man in Texas who went above and beyond what most do for an online sale.  To me, it's like God was working through him!

And it all began with Ted and the search for the perfect used 4-wheeler.   Once again I'm reminded that God's ways are not our ways! 

Love this!

Love is Here

This past weekend, my brother, Carl, and Jake played at the Good Friday Service in Dansville. They played Love is Here by Tenth Avenue North and it was so awesome! Below is the video of them practicing before the service.

What surprised me was how nervous Carl was when the time came! He is such an awesome guitarist and has such a beautiful voice, I never imagined he would be nervous. He was amazed at how "Joe Cool" Jake was about the whole thing!

It has been such a blessing these past few months to spend time with my brother and for my children to hang out with their uncle. I sometimes find myself understanding the happiness the father felt when his prodigal son returned because for so many years it has felt like Carl's been lost to our family. Prayers do get answered though and these past 6 months are a good example of how God can take a difficult time in his life and bring good out of it. Carl has renewed his walk with God and as a family, we rejoice in the time spent with him.

Anyways, I played along with them whenever they practiced, so on Easter Sunday I got the opportunity to play it with Jake for our church service! I absolutely loved it! Jake seemed more nervous there and sang very softly, so I was trying to sing softer so I wouldn't dominate, so I'm not sure if anyone heard the words - but I'll never forget it. It may not be as cool for him to play with me, but it is definately cool for me to play with him and worship God together! Love is Here - not only God's love, but family relationships!