dankbaar donderdag (in honor of the dutchies!)

• crystal light lemonade
• Philippians 4:8-9...praying those words in regards to my words & actions toward my children
• a whole bag of stroopwafels!!!

• timely reading of  that one post on Ann Voskamp's blog
• fun phrases to cut out of a magazine.  fun plans for those phrases.
• hearing about courtney's wedding plans.  it's going to be LOVELY.
• leanne's willingness to watch emma while caroline & i went to the airport (eli was at karate and then at alex's)
• this moment (terrible picture, lovely moment):

• Nick is HOME
• "I love that "home" is a tiny metal room in a floating hospital in the middle of the ocean..." - trey lyon (singular)
• emma popping out from under the couch to greet him (crazy hair and all!)
• all the fun treats and surprises that nick brought back with him
• grandaddy's beef jerky
• finding Caroline like this (i love her creativity with the suitcase and accessories):

 

• burt's bees super glossy lipgloss (current flavor: juicy peach)
• the super quick response to the "our sink isn't draining properly" plumbing request
• that God would use my children to bless others in real and tangible ways. amazing.
• throwing magnetic animals onto the ceiling. who knew it could be so much fun

• key chain christmas ornaments
• really cool electric toothbrush that the kids love to use! (thanks, dr. awesome)(tyler myers)
• that our house was sold before we got here (thanks, kaci & jae!)
• honey nut cheerios and milk (the cash's have easily consumed at least 15 bowls in the past 36 hours...not sure why we're on such a kick - but we are...and i'm thankful for the cereal and milk! )



 



so many things to be thankful for (more than i realized)

• friday morning's "conditiong" in the exercise class - it was challenging AND do-able at the same time
• leanne's helpfulness (her servant's heart is lovely!)
• green olives
• celebratory coke! (and what was i celebrating?  the fact that all 3 kids were asleep)
• paying in change (for some silly reason it doesn't feel like i'm really spending money if i pay in change)
• being obedient to the promptings of God (thankful for the chance to be obedient in such a tangible way...thankful for the result) (it was rather simple... if i hadn't listened to God when He prompted me to write a note, i wouldn't have left the cabin/wouldn't have run into the person where and when i did/wouldn't have had the conversation we had)
• bethel live "closer" song (see previous post if you haven't heard it)
• lane's phone call
• totally unexpected generous financial gift
• emma asking "can we go worship with the patients?"
• emma is ok (after falling out of the top bunk during her nap i wasn't so sure..i believe some angels may have been involved)
• nick's access to itunes these past 2 weeks
• i got my camara back! (it was "on loan" for a few days)
• cash crew email update #1 is done (with mistakes...but done)
• there are always things to be thankful (even if "at first glance" there doesn't seem to be)
• it's 8:20pm (tuesday night) and Caroline is asleep (that rarely happens!!)
• a dr. pepper to share with my favorite 2nd grade teacher on the ship
• my girls' sweet smiles

 

• successful visit with the kids to the Hope Center
• joanne's fantastic driving skillz
• things that stretch me - and my children
• God's faithfulness through the laundry
• rice krispy treats
• purposeful and meaningful conversations
• mutual encouragement
• dr. gary's peaceful and gentle way
• emails from molly
• cherry cokes that are drank in my honor
• amy's ability to communicate & express what she needs. beautiful.
• emma doing the "rockin'" dvd with me.  hilarious.
• peaceful & enjoyable parent teacher conferences (and report cards!)
• nick will be home on SUNDAY!!!!!  3 (ish) days.
• the wreaths the kids made at craft night (very easy, very inexpensive, very keep-able) -- emma's is fall colors!!!

Bethel Live- Closer - Another great song

So thankful Jessica Hall shared this song on Facebook...it's been stuck in my head ever since! 

I'm hoping this song will bless you and lead you into the presence of God...May He pull you a little closer...and take you a little deeper...How great is His love for us!!!

making praise my habit...or at least trying to!

• caramel syrup on icecream (sometimes it's the littlest of things that can draw our attention to the Giver of all good gifts!)
• mail for the kids! (thanks yaya, ariel & ethan!!!)
• "make praise your habit." Psalm 64:10
• stephanie buchanan's willingness to be here in the cabin at 6:10am so that i can go to the exercise class on monday, wednesday & fridays while nick is away.
• "movie night" (it's an internal net flicks...kind of)
• nick made it to columbus safe & sound
• he thought of me while he was in paris

 

• Nick's incredible-ness.  i'm so thankful right now for how thoughtful and encouraging he is....there have been multiple times this week when i've thought "he's too good to be true" -- but he is TRUE!!!  he's real!!  and i'm married to him!!! 
• "rather than fearing your inadequacy, rejoice in My abundant supply" - jesus calling
• working the puzzle with the boy at Ignace Deen
• funny and/or encouraging facebook interactions (especially with nick)
• Stellar mail day!!  Best mail day yet!!
• mail from molly!!! (or mailly from moll like i first typed it)
• mail from amy!!!
• postcards from fran fluker!
• working on trading cards with the kids
 

• nick's guy friends in c-town
• pomp & circumstance (a ship from the French Navy sailed in and is our neighbor right now...their arrival was marked with quite the production.  it's fun to watch "ceremony" sometimes)(and the song "pomp & circumstance" isn't too bad either)
 



The Ship's arrival.  The group in white is a
Guinean marching band.



You can't tell...but there are some pretty important people
in this picture.  French Navy folks...Guinea Army folks...certain political leaders that shall remain nameless . 

 

• today is 10.11.12 (though we're learning to put the day first and then the month...so i guess next  month, on november 10, we can celebrate 10.11.12 again!)
• Aida Edfeldt.  she's getting closer to coming home every moment.
• when things are done with excellence & integrity (especially when those things fall in the realm of "difficult")

 

 



 

He knows my name... I love this song.

i LOVE this song.  i cannot be reminded enough that God knows my name - He knows my every thought.  He sees each tear that falls (the happy ones and the sad ones!) and He hears me when I call.  What incredible truth!!! He is my maker - He formed my heart...before time began, He saw me and my life has always been in His hands.  And then to be reminded that I have a Father - a Father in heaven, an almighty, incredible, amazing, King-of-the-Universe Father who calls me His own...ME...He calls ME HIS OWN...and He'll never leave me - no matter where I go. 

I first heard this song through the Pandamania VBS CD....I thought it was "just a kids' song" - just an incredible kids' song!!  Come to find out it's not "just a kids' song" - it's an everybody song!  And it is a song that is sung on a regular basis here on the Africa Mercy.  It got stuck in my head yesterday after we sang it at the Monday morning Communications Meeting....there aren't many songs that I would rather have stuck in my head. 

God really used this song when we went through that crazy thing with the little boy that we thought we were adopting.  I can remember sitting upstairs on our futon  on 19th Ave heartbroken because we weren't brining our "Sam" home (yet another attempt to bring a Sam into our family!) I was trying to talk through it with Eli and Caroline and this song was playing in the background and eli said "He does, mama."  "He does what, baby?"  I asked.  "He sees your tears, Mama." 

Yes, He does. 

Tears over babies that we never got to know and watch grow.
Tears over missing friends.
Tears the come from knowing you've heard from the Lord.
Tears  that flow as a result of being in God's presence
Tears over the nations that seem so lost and broken.
Tears from skinned knees and bruised shins.
Tears that come because you've laughed so hard.
Tears cried with someone else who is hurting
Tears that fall for no apparent reason at all.

EVERY tear. He sees each tear that falls - and He hears us when we call.

Thank you, God.   Thank you.


He Knows My Name - Lyrics 
I have a Maker
He Formed My Heart
before even time began
my life was in His  hands

chorus
He knows my name
He knows my every thought
He sees each tear that falls
and hears me when I call

I have a  Father
He calls me his own
He'll never leave me
no matter where I go

Interesting. Thought provoking.

thank You thank You thank You

• "look to Me and My sufficiency" (so thankful we have a God that allows us to look to Him...and so thankful that He is indeed sufficient)
• cinnamon rolls at breakfast on Friday
• having one of those cinnamon rolls Friday afternoon with God and coffee
• talking to our kids about the "new" dinner time plan went well
• the girls got their flip flops!!!
• the "rockin' dvd" that lauren marquez sent (such an unexpected source for that dvd!)
• october (though most of my favorite things about october aren't here in guinea...)(that's ok...i'm still thankful for october!)
• laughter at lunch
• i got to meet sam - the worship leader from ward church (i was asking God to cross our paths...and He did!)
• "bless the Lord, oh my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name."
• worship & communion on Sunday night (and all 3 kids cooperated - and even participated at times)
• communion here on the ship is the same "style" as Christ Community...a sweet taste of home
• that i don't have to put shoes on to go to the bathroom
• clean, cold water to drink (especially after a hot, sticky run)
• nicole markert's story about the snake & her high heels.  hilarious!!
• God saying "I understand you perfectly" (through Jesus Calling)
• "everyone who calls out 'Help God!' gets help!" Romans 10:13 (msg)
• chocolate chip cookies during the break of the training session
• emma's quietness & peacefulness during the training session
• laughing with Gateway friends
• that amy answered her phone
• teeth cleanings for eli and caroline are done (even though i forgot about them until 10 minutes after we were supposed to be there...thankful for the reminder girl from lisa, the hygienist)
• nick only broke one bone (and apparently it didn't hurt too terribly)
• we won't be getting any bills related to that broken bone
• sticker snickering (and the creativity of little girls)
• ship holiday tomorrow!  no school! no work! 

and all that is within me...

The Scripure:
Psalm 103:1 Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.

The Song:
Bless the Lord, Oh my soul:
And all that is within me,
bless His holy name.

For He has done great things!
Hallelujah!
He has done great things!
Hallelujah!
He has done great things!
Bless His holy name.

For as long as I can remember singing that song, I've always sang the "and all that is within me" part with the thought of blessing God with ALL that I've got, blessing Him with my very best, blessing Him to the best of my ability, blessing Him from the depth of my being with every ounce of energy and love and loyalty I can come up with...

And I still think those things are true expressions of my worship through that song (and not a 'wrong' way to sing the song)... But those words "and all that is within me" became fresh for me this weekend during Ward Church -- God gave me a new spin on it...a new way to worship Him through a song that I've heard and sang for years and years!  

We were singing "bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me." And I was painfully aware - more aware than I would like to be- of the things in me that do not bless God - my selfishness, my lack of patience, the unbridled words in my head and heart and mouth...just to name a few. So the song lyric (which also happens to be scripture!) became my prayer -- may ALL that is within me be something that blesses the Lord...and may He get rid of all the things in me that do not bless Him. 

Sometimes God allows us to forget about ourselves as we worship Him...and sometimes He allows us to come face to face with the reality of ourselves as we worship Him - and then we're able to worship Him even more wholeheartedly as we realize our wretchedness and how much He loves us in the midst of our pitiful state. 

I don't know if this is really making sense through a blog post...but it made all kinds of sense to my heart on Sunday.  

And then we moved on to "and He has done great things..." -- Yes, He has!!! So many great things.  Some of the great things I'm thanking Him for right now:  forgiveness, mercies that are new every morning, abundant patience, gracious understanding, wholehearted love.

If you have a few minutes and want to worship through this song, here's a youtube link to it (just click the arrow):