Pictureless Thankful Thursday

• getting a letter from molly
• free waffle – shared over a good conversation
• the petty cash balanced!
• rice
• “make yourself at home in My love” – Jesus in John 15:9
• Cheerios + cinnamon sugar = something similar to cinnamon toast crunch
• “God is doing what is best for us, training us to live God’s holy best” Hebrews 12:10
• Tuesday mornings (the actual morning – not the store!)
• “choose to see” – I’m not entirely sure of the significance of this phrase…but I know it’s something and I’m looking forward to finding out.
• chips & salsa
• Yaya & Grandaddy’s call – and their willingness to set their alarm & get up in the middle of the night to call the kiddos before school
• Lauren & Benji Marquez.  I’m thankful for them on a lot of levels…but I’m especially thankful for “their story” – their story of God’s faithfulness…good things GREAT AMAZING WONDERFUL BEAUTIFUL things come to those who wait on the Lord.  Happy 3^rd Anniversary, you 2!
• UGA beat Florida.  What a silly thing to be thankful for…but I’m thankful nonetheless (though I wouldn’t have been “unthankful” had the dawgs lost…)
• i finally finished that book.  (it wasn’t very good…but I just can’t start a book and NOT finish it)
• Caroline’s bible study (that is lead by 2 girls on our hall – one is 8, the other is 10.  It’s actually pretty legit.)
• the container made it through customs!
• our deck crew’s efficiency in getting it onto the ship and unloaded.
• Sarah Phillip’s kindness and timing to carry our 2 boxes upstairs
• 2 boxes full of wonderful thoughtfulness and goodies!
• a growing understanding, love and appreciation for soccer.
• getting to respond to amy’s question/assignment of “what’s it like to be on the other side of me?”
• The coolness (in so many ways) of Grant and Jessica Flynn
• The kids got to go to “Candyland” at the US Embassy yesterday.  That’s just fun in so many ways.
• meaningful responses to emails
• It’s 8:15 and Emma is still asleep.
• "The sun comes up, it's a new day dawning..."

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.