I put the youngest to bed.  My beloved and the other three are at the lake for his youngest brother’s baptism.  I grab the iPad and a beverage and sink into a chair to read.  Thirty minutes pass.  My mind grows tired.  I consider turning on the television to pass the time until they return.  Then I pause and I hear it.  Silence.  I hear nothing but the locusts outside and the fan blowing across the room.  How rare, how beautiful, to be in my own home in the quiet.  I give thanks for it.

0722.  to be rescued from the drowning

0723.  taking a rain check on a running date

0724.  bringing the schedule back under control

0725.  my very first ten year old

0726.  generous sisters

0727.  obeying the Spirit and going down the slide with my daughters

0728.  the five meter board

0729.  three hours of quiet reading for children

0730.  getting the energy reigned in

0731.  reluctant reader who finally catches that “bug”

0732.  silence

May you find a quiet place today and enjoy the silence.

~ Sara

I stare at the screen.  The words won’t come.  Thoughts fill my head, but nothing comes out right.

I chop fruit and set out bowls for hungry children on a warm Sunday night.

I pray and ask for words.  I wonder why I write.

I write because it is therapy.  I write to resurrect a long dormant love for words.  I write to sort out the thoughts in my head.  I write to remember…

To remember the struggles and the tears that bring me to my knees and closer to those I love.  To remember the victories and triumphs that deserve to be celebrated.  To remember the burdens and the blessings that lead me to His throne.

And to count the gifts….

0713.  birthday parties

0714.  feverish girl

0715.  first day of school

0716.  new books, paper, pencils

0717.  twenty-four adults-only hours

0718.  time with friends

0719.  Trash Mountain Project

0720.  Sunday

0721.  words that finally come out right

May your week be filled with gifts remembered.

~Sara

Thank you all for your grace last week.  I had a yard sale last week and you know how that goes….between the prep for that and daily life, there wasn’t room for everything.  And when the choice is between neglecting the blog or neglecting the kids…well, sorry blogosphere.  😉

Today I write, not with any great eloquence or depth, but in an effort to resume the habit.  Because I’ve learned that, at least for me, writing brings more writing.  So, even though I don’t necessarily feel like writing tonight, I will.  And I will count the blessings of the past couple of weeks.

And this is a no-photo post, as the camera hasn’t left the shelf in over a week.  😛  But I suppose it’s not about the pictures….it’s about remembering the blessings that have come from His hand…..

0674.  Monday at home

0675.  all day pajamas

0676.  re-arranging furniture

0677.  friends who are good at that

0678.  brother-in-law’s strong back

0679.  dinner with a really great couple

0680.  being flat out exhausted

0681.  vegging on the couch

0682.  new-to-us furniture

0683.  Grammy

0684.  bedtime prayers with children

0685.  Daddy’s silly songs

0686.  twelve years since our first date

0687.  friends at the swim beach

0688.  a real conversation

0689.  dinner with another great couple

0690.  unexpected friendship

0691.  eight hours of swimming

0692.  girls that sleep hard

0693.  pedicures

0694.  Barnes & Noble sales associate

0695.  eleven years of marriage

0696.  speaking each other’s love languages

0697.  Sabbath rest at home

0698.  running on a Monday

0699.  Camp Enosh

0700.  guitar lessons

0701.  internet repairs and faster connections!

0702.  new book case

0703.  husband’s help assembling it

0704.  school books stacked and shelved neatly

0705.  the promise of a new school year

0706.  profitable yard sale

0707.  the freedom of less stuff

0708.  mother-in-law taking the youngest two

0709.  mother cleaning my house for guests

0710.  gathering with friends

0711.  pool to ourselves

0712.  long Sunday afternoon nap

In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. ~ I Thessalonians 5:18

What are you thankful for today?

From Streams in the Desert, July 8:

There is a fable about the way birds first got their wings.  The story goes that initially they were made without them.  Then God made the wings, set them down before the wingless birds, and said to them, “Take up these burdens and carry them.”

The birds had sweet voices for singing, and lovely feathers that glistened in the sunshine, but they could not soar in the air.  When asked ot pick up the burdens that lay at their feet, they hesitated at first.  Yet soon they obeyed, picked up the wings with their beaks, and set them on their shoulders to carry them.

For a short time the load seemed heavy and difficult to bear, but soon, as they continued to carry the burden and to fold the wings over their hearts, the wings grew attached to their little bodies.  They quickly discovered how to use them and were lifted by the wings high into the air.  The weights had become wings.

The past two weeks have been mixed with blessings and burdens, victories and disappointments.  But I am reminded that our weights can become our wings if we choose to see them as such.

0622.  the first day of swim lessons

0623.  knowing that the second day will be better

0624.  rising early to serve Jesus breakfast

0625.  looking forward to doing it again

0626.  the second day of swim lessons

0627.  friend good news and praises

0628.  reversed charges

0629.  feeling unproductive

0630.  being broken

0631.  words of grace

0632.  enchiladas left in the oven over night

0633.  chicken casserole, without the chicken

0634.  God’s grace to handle a bad day well

0635.  clean fridge and freezer

0636.  peanut butter play doh

0637.  baby goats

0638.  a pond

0639.  Mahner-time

0640.  seven year old waking tired sisters up

0641.  swimming and monokini’s 😦

0642.   clean house and kitchen and floors

0643.  late dinner

0644.  project disasters

0645.  date night and good conversation

0646.  God’s hand

0647.  dog’s birthday

0648.  running with my love

0649.  impromptu naps

0650.  blonde “baby” so tan

0651. doggy gift of a dead mouse

0652.  early service

0653.  4th of July parade

0654.  changes in plans and coming over for lunch anyway

0655.  home made ice cream and apple pie

0656.  rainy fourth

0657.  letting tired ones go to bed on time

0658.  New York City fire works on television

0659.  dry swim session

0660.  day trip to KC with Matt on a Monday

0661.  flashing lights and slips of paper that remind us to slow down

0662.  talking late about the school year, budgets, and how to make it all work

0663.  how early 5:15 feels

0664.  swimming progress

0665.  fears overcome

0666.  next year’s Shark and Minnow

0667.  Cows Eat Free Day

0668.  celebratory cones at Dairy Queen

0669.  Ruthie

0670.  make your own pizza night

0671.  friend words that sting

0672.  practicing what I preach

0673.  Sunday afternoon snuggles with the youngest

I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction.  ~ Isaiah 48:10

They will soar on wings like eagles.  ~ Isaiah 40:31

Your burdens are your blessing.  May they carry you to the throne of the Most High this week.

My head swirls this morning.  By 9:30 I have already threatened to send three of four children back to bed.  For the day.  The coffee works to drive out the double dose of Benadryl taken last night in an effort to assuage the poison ivy itching.  Blog posts written by others place burdens on my heart.  I pray about how God will use them.  It’s Monday here.  A busy week ahead.  It’s time to stop and give thanks for the many blessings and set a tone of gratitude for the day, the week, the life of a family.

0580.  Monday morning phone call from a precious friend

0581.  days and evenings that stretch long

0582.  another road trip

0583.  a day with a friend who blesses, encourages, and inspires me

0584.  long distance friends

0585. my own poison ivy 😦

0586.  talking late into the night with my very favorite

0587.  first time obedience and not being there yet

0588.  pop up thunder storms

0589.  prednisone

0590.  patio furniture

0591.  oldest child’s hard work

0592.  nine year old’s first paycheck

0593.  dinner guests

0594.  eleven children playing quietly

0595.  being too busy for the computer

0596.  parents’ 45th wedding anniversary

0597.  a legacy of faithfulness

0598.  my father

(Sorry…this is truly an awful picture of my dad….but, sadly, it’s the best one I could find on my computer!  Note to self – take more pictures of your own parents.)

0599.  his father

0600.  their father

Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of first fruits of all he created. ~ James 1:16-18

What are you thankful for today, dear friends?  Give thanks for every gift.

~Sara

It’s Monday again.  The children still sleep.  The dog shifts her weight on the wood floor of the kitchen.  God’s word fills my head and coffee is flowing through the bloodstream.  It’s time to count the countless blessings of the past week.

0556. my husband,  my love

0557.  the first fireflies

0558.  little girls’ homemade plays and parades

0559.  six year old’s poison ivy

0560.  clutter

0561.  the ability to run and care for my body

0562.  Summer Fun Lists

0563.  a clean house

00564.  swimming beaches

0565.  leeches?!

0566.  monte cristo hot dogs

0567.  unexpected opportunities to discuss the facts of life

0568.  a God with big ears

0569.  “Children obey your parents in the north”

0570.  symphony in the flint hills

0571.  a beloved annual event

0572.  laughter with friends

0573.  father-in-law birthday

0574.  the tenth girl grandbaby

0575.  God’s glory in a midnight storm

0576.  small group fellowship

0577.  sweet friends

0578.  kid fun runs

0579.  safety while sleeping through tornado sirens

What about you?  What are you thankful for today?

Challenged and encouraged by her words, I have been counting the multitude of blessings for several months now.  The first five hundred (plus) can be found over here.  On Mondays, I count.  A wonderful way to begin the week; giving thanks for the blessings obvious and some that don’t feel blessed at the time.  But He is always faithful and every good and perfect gift is from His hand.  In all things, we give thanks.

0542.  12.64 mile bike rides

0543.  the convenience of Walgreen’s on nearly every corner

0544.  sprinklers to cool off in

0545.  knitting and swimming

0546.  dog in heat

0547.  pre-pointe II

0548.  busted toe nails

0549.  sun-kissed noses and shoulders

0550.  little girl summer hair cuts

0551. nine year old hugs in the WalMart check out line

0552.  swimming pools and cherry limeades on 100 degree days

0553. porch dates

0554.  church picnic

0555.  new week promise