Blink

February 7, 2011 / Sara Vincent / Leave a comment

This song, on the radio over the weekend, speaks to my soul and triggers my heart….

by Revive

Teach me to number my days
And count every moment before it slips away
Taking all the colors before they fade to gray
I don’t want to miss even just a second more of this

It happens in a blink
It happens in a flash
It happens in the time it takes to look back
I try to hold on tight, but there’s no stopping time
What is it I’ve done with my life
It happens in a blink (x2)

When it’s all said and done
No one remembers how far we have run
The only thing that matters is how we have loved
I don’t want to miss even just a second more of this

Slow down, slow down
Before today becomes our yesterday
Slow down, slow down
Before you turn around and it’s too late

It happens in a blink
it happens in a flash
it happens in the time it takes to look back
I try to hold on tight but there’s no stopping time
What is it I’ve done with my life
It happens in a blink

It reminds me of the value of counting, numbering the gifts. Every second, every moment, a gift. I don’t want to miss a single one.

*Counting the gifts and sharing some recently edited photos of a pre-Christmas trip to Crown Center in Kansas City

1085. cuddling with my oldest

1086. watching the oldest mature and grow as a sister and a leader

1087. learning to wait

1088. anticipation

1089. husband who takes girls sledding

1090. quiet afternoon at home

1091. home school basketball games

1092. husband who knows to bring nachos from the concession stand without even asking

1093. early Valentine’s with my beloved

1094. shared joy

1095. old friends and the Super Bowl

1096. thoughts of friends far away as they celebrate the Green Bay win

1097. spontaneous Sunday afternoon run

1098. a new week that will hopefully bring some answers

Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.

~ Psalm 90:12

A Simple List

January 31, 2011 / Sara Vincent / 1 Comment

Haiti-changed Husband home now three days….my head still swims a bit at what God is showing us. A simple list today, while I continue to sort things out.

1071. five blessed hours of silence

1072. three more sleeps

1073. dinner date with one of my favorite friends

1074. photos and texts from Haiti

1075. a productive, energized day

1076. ready for his return

1077. one last girls night

1078. a head rub from my mama

1079. running! outside! in the sun!!!

1080. quietness and sunrise as I drive

1081. he is home!!!

1082. wonder

1083. hope

1084. amazement at how He moves

Multitude Monday….

January 24, 2011January 24, 2011 / Sara Vincent / 2 Comments

After a sleepless Sunday night and a Monday morning of four very distracted students, I reflect on quotes that have carried me through the past few days…..

Sorrows come to stretch out spaces in the heart for joy. ~ Streams in the Desert, January 18

The moment we receive anything from the Lord worth fighting for, the Devil comes seeking to destroy us. ~ Streams in the Desert, January 21

We often wish that God would do some great thing in the world, and we look far and wide for just the right places and people. We must not forget to ask the Lord to make use of us, and to believe that our home might become the central point from which streams of blessing would flow forth. ~ C.H. Spurgeon

I reflect, and I give thanks. The reflection centers me, draws me back to truth. The thanks-giving takes my tired eyes off me and allows me to look up to the One who gives all gifts. He is good.

1046. three days to go nowhere

1047. fine arts competition

1048. first place

1049. second place

1050. best of show!

1051. Sunday school after-Christmas party

1052. lost camera

1053. found camera!

1054. sacrificially generous five year old

1055. real pointe shoes

1056. more snow

1057. the quiet stillness the follows the snowfall

1058. borrowed four wheel drive

1059. him all packed and ready

1060. safe travels

1061. texts and photos from Haiti

1062. days and evenings that do not go as planned

1063. being flexible

1064. child’s very first game basket

1065. “best offense” award

1066. her confidence building

1067. family night courtesy of Daddy

1068. knowing that we worship together before the throne, even though we are separated by 2000 plus miles

1069. hearing his voice

1070. knowing God holds it all in His hands

May every moment be filled with thanks….for His glory ~

~ Sara

* there are still so many photos that sit, waiting to be edited and shared….perhaps this week that will happen….for now, photos from my husband’s phone as he serves in Haiti.

Monday Evening

January 10, 2011 / Sara Vincent / 4 Comments

Every day is a gift, but some days just have a distinctive feel. Today was that way.

Snow fell soft through the night and we woke to several inches of white wonder. Activities were canceled all across town, promising a day at home. With a short to do list and no where to go, it was a day to slow a bit and feel the beauty of winter.

And tonight we sit, all together, in the living room, a rare treat of relaxing together on a weeknight. My heart is warmed by the blessing of this day.

1018. January sunshine

1019. 30 Day Shred

1020. Do Hard Things

1021. first day back at school

1022. a wonderful first week back at school

1023. a changed second born

1024. remote computer access

1025. sunset at ballet

1026. grocery shopping on Thursday night

1027. smoothies every day

1028. Google Reader on my phone

1029. new tires for the Sequoia

1030. a delightful week of school

1031. the return of Friday classes

1032. skating

1033. first Upward basketball game

1034. marking items off the to-do list, even if it is ever-so-slowly

1035. dinner with friends

1036. church and Sunday school

1037. small group gatherings

1038. prayers whispered at my child’s door

1039. SNOW!!!

1040. an easy finish after a rough start

1041. “snow cones”

1042. children playing outside

1043. hot soup in the crock pot

1044. canceled activities

1045. a quiet night at home

Praying your Monday was filled with the beauty of winter and that your week is filled with joy!

~ Sara

Starting Again

January 3, 2011 / Sara Vincent / 1 Comment

Early January. It’s a time of reflecting and resolutions, new lists and new goals. A first Monday in a new week, new month, new year. And as I sit in my husband’s office, preparing to move out last year’s files and bring in new, crisp, empty folders, I pray over this business, his work, our livelihood. I pray for our school year as we prepare to start our second semester tomorrow. I pray that our family will be as aware of God’s hand in our lives in 2011 as we were in 2010. And I give thanks for Ann and her gratitude community and whoever first helped me stumble upon her blog and the Holy Spirit who stirred me there and led me to start counting my own gifts. And as I cross the threshold of one thousand gifts today, I begin again. Good habits must be continued, renewed, while new habits are formed in this season of starting fresh. Can I encourage you to start today? Start counting His uncountable gifts. What better way to start the new year than by giving thanks?

0999. lazy days

1000. sleeping in

1001. children playing outside at night without coats on December 29

1002. house “un-Christmased”

1003. continuing to count the gifts

1004. sixty degrees at 8 am on December 30

1005. windows open as we approach the new year

1006. thunderstorms on New Year’s Eve

1007. waking up to ice/snow after 70 degrees yesterday

1008. reflecting and giving thanks with friends

1009. celebrating with our children

1010. rejoicing over a friend’s new house

1011. Voyage of the Dawn Treader

1012. mexican food with my favorite

1013. Sunday morning worship

1014. Sunday afternoon naps

1015. shoulder pain

1016. prepping for second semester

1017. a day to organize his office

May your day be filled with thanksgiving!

~ Sara

Reflecting

December 27, 2010December 27, 2010 / Sara Vincent / 3 Comments

It’s Monday morning. Life is moving at a slower pace today. It is 8:45 a.m. and (thankfully) the house is still so quiet.

As I sit here this morning I cannot help reflecting and praying.

I think of a friend who’s son is in routine surgery right now and even though it is perhaps mundane for the doctors, a mother’s heart breaks to see her child in pain.

I think of another friend, a couple from our Sunday school, who will today – and perhaps already have – deliver(ed) their child, their third. A child who has been washed in prayer by countless saints for healing, for miracles. But most of all, for God’s will. I pray for them as they begin an uncertain journey. I know they would appreciate your prayers as well.

I think this morning of my husband who today celebrates nearly three and a half decades on this earth. I think of how thankful I am for him, how he is my steady rock and my soft place to fall. I think of how I don’t ever want to do this life without him and how my life is changed because he was born 34 years ago today.

And I think today of my Savior, whose birth we celebrated with much fanfare and joy and anticipation just two days ago. I think of what it might have been like for Mary two thousand years ago. A two day old son. Was she just starting to come out of the exhausted fog of birth? Or was she just entering it? As she “treasured up all these things and pondered them”, surely she had no idea what lay ahead. I think of my Lord as a tiny infant. God, who took on skin and sin, so I might be clothed in righteousness. Him, who bound up all glory in an earthly tent, to show His faithfulness unto death.

Christmas is past. As we walk toward the new year, may we keep the heart of Christmas – the wonder, the delight, the thankfulness – at all that He has done, all that He has given.

0977. fifty degrees on the last day of autumn

0978. desperate, overwhelming exhaustion

0979. losing “the list”

0980. running buddy back on her feet

0981. Mahner-time for the girls

0982. client gifts delivered

0983. shopping DONE!

0984. geese in flight

0985. surprise email encouragement

0986. oreo cookie gifts

0987. an unexpected gift from a friend

0988. new blender

0989. gps that makes 34 deliveries so much easier

0990. days that will now get longer

0991. the freedom to sleep in

0992. Beloved home on Christmas Eve

0993. family celebrations

0994. anticipation

0995. singing Happy Birthday to Jesus

0996. slow Christmas morning

0997. leisurely days

0998. birthday of my best friend

Give praise to the LORD, proclaim his name;
make known among the nations what he has done.
Sing to him, sing praise to him;
tell of all his wonderful acts.
Glory in his holy name;
let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice.
Look to the LORD and his strength;
seek his face always. Remember the wonders he has done,
his miracles, and the judgments he pronounced,
you his servants, the descendants of Abraham,
his chosen ones, the children of Jacob.

~ Psalm 105:1-6

~ Sara

The Season of Gifts

December 20, 2010 / Sara Vincent / 4 Comments

It’s Monday….I get the daily reminder…FIVE days until Christmas. My heart is happy. Their joy and excitement bring light to the season and I am thankful that it is untainted by grief or stress or worry. They know only wonder.

As we head into a week that has the potential to be busy, distracting, and even chaotic, may we build in boundaries and margin and remember to slow down and remember the why and the wonder. May we slow down from all the busy rushing and stop to marvel at the lights and the music and the magic. May we see through the eyes of a child this week and stop in wonder over the gift that is Christmas.

And may we never stop counting the gifts and may we spend extra time at the manger this week, lost in wonder over this, the greatest gift, the Gift that gave us everything.

0962. serving alongside my girls

0963. Christmas presents wrapped

0964. bedroom reclaimed

0965. shopping done – more or less

0966. water in the desk drawers

0967. broken mama

0968. hugging them

0969. a day full of girlfriends

0970. ice skating at Crown Center

0971. Sol Cantina

0972. Plaza lights

0973. two more days of school

0974. K-Love on their radio

0975. five year old’s unrestrained worship

0976. eavesdropping on Ellie as she tells the Christmas story to her toys

May your week be filled with memories and moments of worship.

By His Grace ~

~ Sara

A Simple List

December 13, 2010 / Sara Vincent / Leave a comment

Because sometimes the gifts are too precious for endless, rambling words and thank you is all that needs to be said…

0931. the chance to help a friend

0932. when supper provides lunch

0933. husband’s patience, encouragement

934. qdoba delivery

0935. a new day tomorrow

0936. little projects completed

0937. house clean and ready for Christmas

0938. holiday open house

0939. laughing with neighbors and friends

0940. clean, clutter-free house on Monday morning

0941. husband’s help getting it all ready

0942. long talks in the car

0943. book lights

0944. relaxing

0945. delightful birthday girl

0946. better school days

0947. the dreadmill on 15 degree mornings

0948. no Friday classes

0949. finishing CS Lewis

0950. a puppy “paw”ty

0951. my kids’ friends

0952. two pages of party ideas and a very creative friend

0953. oldest child whose brain works more like her dad’s than like mine

0954. Christmas light show at church

0955. finally! the day of the company Christmas party

0956. seeing signs of maturity in the second born

0957. an afternoon with my beloved

0958. celebrating God’s abundant blessing

0959. snow

0960. finding the lost Mexico pictures

0961. six more days of school

I will give you thanks in the great assembly; among the throngs I will praise you!

~ Psalm 35:18

Thankful

November 29, 2010 / Sara Vincent / Leave a comment

It’s Monday morning. I sit here with heat on my lower back and strive to be thankful for the ache that kept me awake most of the night, giving me extra time to think, pray. Gratitude is a habit that must be practiced, cultivated, worked at. To find the blessing in something hard. To remember to stop and say thank you when things go wonderfully right.

Over the weekend, I was reading the newsletter from a medical sharing ministry we participate in. Ray King, who always writes the closing article says it well –

We have a lot to be thankful for. Our God richly provides us with everything to enjoy.

The passage above (I Timothy 6:17b) was directed to the rich in this present age, but the basic principle applies to everyone. We can be so focused on material things, that we turn our attention away from God. We can end up wanting more and become ungrateful, even though He generously gives each of us everything we need.

Thankfulness is a characteristic of obedient followers of Jesus Christ. Ingratitude for God’s provision is an early sign of unbelief (Romans 1:21).

We need to gratefully focus on how good God is, not only on Thanksgiving Day, but every day.”

0911. running with my beloved

0912. no school

0913. girls who sleep in

0914. girls who don’t

0915. the last (?) five year old

0916. Pandora on the iPad

0917. bills paid

0918. the chance to slow down

0919. sisters who give generously to each other

0920. screen door open on the 24th of November

0921. children who grow like weeds

0922. making Thanksgiving Day brunch with my favorite

0923. an over-sized sink

0924. my dishwasher

0925. more time with family

0926. the second born choosing to persevere through something hard

0927. Rescue Run

0928. Christmas tree decorated

0929. achy back

0930. the Christmas season

May you cultivate Christ this week as you give intentional thanks for His abundant blessings.

~ Sara

Surprising

November 22, 2010November 22, 2010 / Sara Vincent / 1 Comment

After nearly a year of pain, a year without running, he goes to a doctor. An MRI is order for the knee, a meniscus tear is assumed. We are told to expect surgery. We look at the seasons of his work and what this winter holds and wonder, Lord, how will we fit it all in?

He leaves on Thursday to drive two hours to the doctor and the MRI. We pray that the tear is minor.

I receive a call in the dollar section of Target. An injection. No tear! No surgery! And I am floored, amazed by how God gives, even when we don’t ask for it. I am humbled by how, even with all He has been up to in our lives, we completely underestimated Him and His grace.

He gives because it pleases Him to do so. He answers prayers we don’t even pray because it brings glory to His name.

I count the blessings to remind myself of His goodness, His unrelenting grace, His love.

0902. not needing the furnace until November 13 and 17th – a new record in seven years!

0903. no tearing!

0904. cortisone injections

0905. a God who answers prayers we’re not even bold enough to pray

0906. stomach bugs

0907. 2 am

0908. pizza with friends

0909. Thanksgiving groceries stacked neatly in refrigerator, on shelves

0910. a Christmas plan in place

May you find moments in each day this week to count the grace, to record the gifts, to glorify the Giver. Give Him praise!