Rejoice {Gifts Mar4-Mar10}

I am still counting the gifts that God gives each day as part of a dare to count to 1000 gifts.  It is also part of Rejoice as my theme word for 2013.  It started by reading Ann Voskamp's book A Thousand Gifts and the prickling in my heart to be more aware and grateful for all the blessings God provides each day in big and small ways.  Here are my gifts for this week:

March

4th 3 Gifts hard to give thanks for
198  financial challenges
199  too cold to plant garden
200  Sophie's brain cancer

5th 3 Gifts found
201  refund check
202  clay pot
203  photo of hubby at 4 years old

6th A Gift bent, broken, beautiful
204 iPhone
206 snowy trees
207 SnowDay off from school and work from home

7th 3 Gifts in the kitchen
207 homemade nachos
208 working microwave
209 a box of cookie cutters

8th  3 Gifts loud
210 toy train
211 kids playing
212 helicopter
213 car started

9th 3 Gifts carved
214  wooden trains from grandpa
215  Precious Moments sold on Ebay
216  Stein from Germany

10th 3 Gifts in Christ
217 Sabbath and family day (park and monopoly)
218 John Chapter 1
219 sunlight and SonLight

Rejoice in God's gifts {Feb 25-Mar 3}

Here are this weeks gifts for the 1000 gifts Joy Dare and I am linking up with Multitudes on Mondays so you can check out other people's gifts too.

February
25th A Gift worn out, new, made do
172 Sofa
173 Bed frame
174 Pots
175 Full Moon, Clear Night
176 Baby giggles and baby smell

26th 3 Gifts reflected
177 Tea light candle in "church
178 Moonlight
179  Son's light in Christians
180 Safe travel

27th 3 Ugly beautiful gifts
181 Kitchen counter
182 My pride, God's grace
183 My toes
184 Dressed when the cable guy arrived early
185 Tax refund

Feb 28th 3 Gifts from the past that help you hope for the future
186  Move to Amarillo
187  How I met hubby
188  Credentialing at Seattle Children's Hospital

March
1st 3 Gifts at 3pm
189  DD10yo friends
190  Netflix
191  Terrible awful no good very bad day

2nd 3 Gifts green
192  Seedlings
193  Leeks reborn
194  Egg frog

3rd 3 Gifts wore
195  Wedding ring
196  Black and white sweater
197 Black T-shirt

Let us rejoice at my terrible awful no good very bad day

Yesterday I had it.  The terrible awful no good very bad day.  And yet, we are told to rejoice in all things.  And when I tell the story, I admit it can be kind of funny.  So I am writing it in hopes that instead of a terrible day it can become a hilarious blog post.

It all started well enough.  Except that while my cell appeared to be plugged in, it hadn't been and so it was dead.  Now my routine is to wake up at 6am and read my Bible plan along with Rachel Wojnarowski  for 20 minutes while nursing the baby.  Baby was asleep and cell phone was dead, so downstairs I went to read my Bible plan on YouVersion from the computer instead.

Baby woke up and hubby brought him downstairs to me.  But while he was handing baby to me, baby decided to grab my coffee cup and poured hot coffee all over me and the computer.  Poor hubby.  It was 6:30am.  I was out of bed.  I hadn't had my coffee yet.  I did not respond well. 

Then, it was time to drive Miss Froggie to school.  But there were no keys.  We looked everywhere and could not find them.  She ended up having to walk to school in the freezing rain.

Then I am sitting on the couch with my phone and the baby about to enter some prayers into Prayer Notebook.  I put the phone down to latch baby and Jujube picks it up and promptly drops in on the floor.  This has happened before, but today.  Well, today it shatters the back of my iPhone.  But it still works.  And I have a SquareTrade warranty on it. So other than the annoyance of sending it in, we will be ok.

Next the flap for the doggy door broke...and a bird flew in.  Initially I am calm.  I text my husband to call me.  We are going to need the doggie door fixed fast, no wild birds flying around in my house.  He calls me back.  I answered.  So, then my dogs notice there is a bird in our house.  Keep in mind they can run at least 30 miles and hour and jump 6 feet in the air.  The bird flew into the window.  I screamed.  The dogs tried to catch the thing that made me scream.  The bird flew into another window.  Jujube and I screamed.  The dogs raced around. My husband is listening to this over the phone from work.  The bird flies to a basket on the bookshelf by the front door and lands.  I say goodbye to my husband.  I open the door and hold the dogs back.  The bird looks dazed, and starts going upside down but its feet are still hanging onto the basket.  I wonder if it is dying.  I start screaming for my daughter (DD10yo) to come downstairs and get the baby who is also screaming.  He has crawled into the bottom of the exersaucer and can't get out.  DD10yo can't get him out either.  I get brave and pick up the basket and walk with it slowly out the front door.  The bird comes halfway upright.  I leave the basket on the chair on the front porch.  When the mailman comes it flies away.  

And of course, today is the first of March.  Some of you may remember that in January I was going to exercise 30 minutes three times a week.  Well, that hasn't been going so well.  And I started taking the Dave Ramsey class where he talks about running half marathons and discipline.  And...well, I became convinced that as hard as it is to train for a 5k, physical discipline is easier than financial and spiritual discipline.  And I want...no need both.  So hubby and I decided to do the Couch to 5k program which takes 9 weeks.  Well in 9 weeks there is the Flying Pig Marathon in Cincinnati and we signed up.  I had to start today...and as soon as I got the boys in the stroller and started running...it started to snow.  I should have worn gloves.


I should have quit and not touched anything else the rest of the day.  But, I have been deep cleaning my kitchen.  And it was time to clean the microwave. Really time.  Hubby moved into the house in March and I think this is the first time I've cleaned it.  It was gross. I put a jar of water and vinegar in the microwave for 6 minutes to steam it up and loosen stuff up while I clean the fridge.  I have always done 10 minutes with past microwaves.  But before the 6 minutes is up the door bursts open and steam comes flying out.  Weird.  Then I go to scrubbing the junk out of the bottom of the microwave.  With just a washcloth.  And white paint starts flaking off the bottom of the microwave.  And silver stuff is showing.  That can't be good.  I guess I didn't need a microwave anyway.  I quit cleaning it.  And the fridge.  Cause I can't break the fridge too.  Good thing dinner was in the crock pot.

Rejoice Feb 16th- Feb 24th

Feb 16th 3 Gifts in shadows
140  Back pain
141  Interrupted sleep
142  Relationship challenges

Feb 17th 3 Gifts found giving/serving
143  Endless housework; prayer time for me and mine
144  "Mom, where can I serve?"
145  "Yum, this is good!"

Feb 18th 3 Gifts on paper
146  Car title
147  Gratitude List
148  Diploma

Feb 19th 3 Gifts that were plan B's
149  Hot running water and a bath
150  Home in Ohio
151  Change in thesis topic
152  Motorcycle/Bus

Feb 20th A Gift at breakfast, lunch, and dinner
153   Oh, honey!
154  Homemade tortillas with butter and lentil dahl.
155  "Wait, you forgot! What was your best part of day, Mommy?"

Feb 21st 3 Gifts white
156  Resume Paper
157  Fluffy clouds
158  Flour
159 Jujube's half birthday!

Feb 22nd 3 Gifts that changed today
160  Job referral
161  9mo Well Baby visit
162  Date night
163 Delayed start on school day off
164 Sleepover with friend
165 Brother's birthday

Feb 23rd A gift of tin, glass, wood
166  St. Patrick's Day door plaque
167  Antique beveled glass powder box from great grandma

168 Grandmother clock from hubby's grandpa

Feb 24th 3 Gifts before 11am
169  Coupons in the paper
170  Coffee with cream and sugar
171  Good Sermon on respectable sins: Apathy

Rejoice February 10th- 15th

February 10th-15th

10th- 3 times you heard laughter today
122.  Martian Mold
123.  Ellen and Amy "Hello?  Is it me you are looking for?"
124.  Pillow fight

11th 3 Gifts in Working
125.  Avodah my work is also worship
126.  My work is a prayer for me and mine
127.  My work is exercise and allows rest

12th  Hard Eucharisteos
128. Friend's baby in the hospital
129. Friends preschooler with brain cancer
130.  Tight finances

13th  Gifts behind a door
131.  Friends
132.  Restaurant kitchens
133.  Ash Wednesday service

14th 3 ways you feel the love of God
134.  Flowers
135. Creation
136.  Music

15th A gift in losing, finding, making something
137.  Losing weight
138.  Friends and sleepovers
139.  Dinner

Rejoice Jan 27th - Feb 9th

Well, its been too long since I updated my Joy Dare List so I have included it today.  I have also been wrestling with God on going back to work. I don't really have it all worked out in my mind yet, although I know God does.  I previously wrote about why I am now a stay at home mom.  I still believe everything I wrote there.  Honestly, I wholeheartedly agree that moms should be home with their babies. I do.  But I wouldn't be able to prove it by my past actions.  I cannot explain this belief alongside the knowledge that God called me to work before and that He is calling me to go back to work now.  I have been resisting.  I'd like to pretend that I am all on board now.  But some days I am and some days I am not.  The funny thing is, once I do it, I know I will love it.  I love serving kids and families through my work.  I do not know exactly where He is sending me to work.  But right now I am praying that it is part time and/or that I get off work by the time the girls are out of school.  And so, I have been updating my resume and soon will send it out.  Depending on what happens, my blog may take some turns.  But I do plan to keep blogging and I am excited to see where God is taking me, and us.  I am honored that you read my blog and stuck with me to hear my struggle with returning to work.

January
27th Three Gifts in the kitchen
80.  San Francisco Sourdough culture
81.  Bulgarian yogurt culture and yogurt maker
82.  Candles

28th 3 Graces found in friends
83.  Encouragement
84.  Motivation
85.  Energy

29th A song heard, a soft word, light seen
86. Hallelujah
87. "I love you  mommy"
88.  Mission Statement hard to write if avoiding God's call

30th 3 old things seen new
89. New Testament in The Message version
90. Eucharist
91. my calling

31st A gift on paper, in person, in a picture
92.  48 days to a job you love
93. Job contact
94.  Granny

February
1st 3 Gifts Red
95.  Red breastfeeding dress
96.  Valentine's Welcome door decoration
97.  Red frosted sugar cookies

2nd 3 Gifts on paper
98. Photographs
99.  Jujube's artwork
100.  Coupons

3rd 3 Gifts in writing
101.  Blogging friends
102.  Scripture memory work
103.  Self discovery

4th 3 Gifts found while bent down
104.  Money in the laundry
105.  Full drawers of baby clothes
106.  Baby crawling

5th A gift stitched, hammered, woven
107. Stitched jeans
108. Bookshelves
109.  Warm blankets

6th 3 Gifts outside
110.  Pure White Snow
111.  Bright Red Cardinal
112.  Bare Trees

7th Gift at 1130, 230, and 630
113.  Lunch with Jujube and Baby
114.  Miss Froggie home from school
115.  Dinner as a family

8th A gift broken, fixed, thifted
116.  Precious Moments figurine
117.  Car
118.  Dresser

9th  3 Surprise gifts- unexpected grace!
119.  State Income Tax return early!
120.  Guest for dinner
121.  Blue sunny sky

Rejoice January 19th-26th {Joy Dare}

This weeks gifts are listed below.  No huge changes in my daily habit.  Still struggling there.  Hopefully this week will be a breakthrough.

19^th 3 gifts that might never have been

56 Miss Froggie

57 Sister’s hanging out and getting along

58 My sweet boys 

20^th 3 gifts only seen close up

59 Financial challenges

60 Repetition/rhythm

61 God’s plan

21^st A gift in sky, water, memory

62 Sunshine

63 Bath time with little boys

64  Grandparents

22^nd A gift wrinkled, smooth, unfolded

65 Marriage

66 Baby skin

67 Laundry drying on the line

23^rd 3 gifts found in Christ

68 Salvation

69 Purpose

70 Ministry

24^th 3 things blue

71 Sweat pants

72 Sky

73  Eyes

25^th A grace borrowed, found, inherited

74  DD10yo friend spending the night

75  Tax refund

76  China from my Great Grandmother

26^th A grace before dawn, at noon, after dark

77  Snuggling/nursing baby

78 7^th grader taking SATs

79 Faith Five after dinner

   I'm also still keeping up with Bible reading with Rachel and memorizing Romans.  Getting some exercise in, but not s much as I'd like.  How are you doing with your goals so far?

Rejoicing in this weeks gifts

It has already been another week in January.  I cannot believe how fast the weeks go by.  I have still not gotten the daily habit of each days gifts.  But even naming them in fits and spurts has been a blessing and cause for rejoicing!  But a do believe that the best growth happens slowly and consistently, not by fits and spurts, so I will try again to do better this week at naming my gifts daily. 

12^th Something above below beside

35. Hardwood trees

36. A yard

37. My husband

13^th  3 things about yourself you are grateful for

38. Petite

39. Discernment

40. Compassion

14^th 3 startling graces of God

41. He gave up His Son for me

42. I can start new every day

43. I am not too much for Him

15^th A gift worn given away shared

44. Bracelets

45. Time for a friend

46. Necklace, handheld blender, computer, kindle

16^th 3 witnessed blessings

47. Another year of life

48. A child finding friends at church

49. Celebrations large and small

17^th A gift bringing laughter prayer quiet

50. Pillow fight with kids

51. Blogging friends

52. MOPS day out

18^th 3 gifts from God’s word

53. Song of Songs 4:7

54. Proverbs 18:24

55. Matt 5:4

Accountability time

The second weekend in January and time for me to post on how I've been doing with my goals.  In case you missed what these goals are I will relist them here:

Relationship with God
1.  Scripture Memory
2.  Joy Dare
3.  Read Bible in a Year
4.  Learn to pray without ceasing (in the midst of doing life)

Relationship with others
1.  Schedule time
2.  Be intentional
3.  Pray for more ideas

Other stuff
1.  Exercise 90 minutes a week
2.  Get enough sleep
3.  Pray about job

Breastfeeding Goals
1.  Breastfeed baby (the entire year Lord willing) and then wean early 2014.
2.  Write a weekly post for the breastfeeding bloghop.
3.  Take one continuing education class on breastfeeding.
4.  Explore ways to support or encourage a culture of breastfeeding.
5.  Pray about my long term goals related to breastfeeding.

OK, so wow!  15 goals.  I hadn't really written it out this way before.  So here is the update.
I am on track for  memorizing Romans Chapters 1, 8 and 12 this year, which means I memorized Romans 1:1-4.  So far I am keeping up with Bible reading.  I have been praying a little more, so I guess I am on track but not where I want to be. Now, here is my Joy Dare for the week, but I got behind and had to catch up.  I haven't really made this a habit yet.

7th Three Graces From People You Love

19.  Jujube saying grace

20.  Birthday presents from my mom

21.  Mamamama with a toothy grin from baby

8th Dusky Light Surprising Reflection Lovely Shadow

22.  Bedtime routine with Jujube

23.  A walk to the dentist

24.  Marriage = shadow of Jesus and his bride

9th A gift held passed by sat with

25.  The baby

26.  The kitchen

27.  Jujube snuggles and toy room play

10th A gift sour, sweet, just right

28.  A friend couldn’t come to MOPS, but it allowed me to get to know others better

29.  Chick-fil-A sauce on nuggets

30.  Lunch with new friends while littles play

11th 3 yellow gifts of fresh mercy

31.  Safety on the road

32.  Encouragement for courage and bravery

33.  Exercise and Fun at the Zoo

34.  Embracing my “yellow” personality

I guess I scheduled time for friends and Jujube this week with MOPS and the Zoo.  But I need to schedule time for Dear Husband and the girls.  And I have lots of work to do to improve being present and intentional during the times we get.  It is way to easy for me to be multitasking because of all there is to do. Between the zoo and the walk to the dentist I got all the 90 minutes of exercise in.  I think this counts. I did NOT get enough sleep.  Usually because I went to bed too late.  I breastfed the baby and wrote my post for the breastfeeding bloghop, but that is all I did for breastfeeding goals.  Please pray for us and God's will for me and a job.  We are at a place where we will have to cut some more from the budget for me to continue to stay home.  Most of the easy cuts have been made.  So now the only left to do is cut kids activities or start bringing in more money. And cutting gymnastics is so hard...

Rejoice in this week's gifts

I am participating in the Joy Dare this year and posting it on my blog to keep me accountable.  The Joy dare gives three prompts for each day of the year.  Sometimes it will be very clear how my gift relates to the prompt, and sometimes it may not seem to relate at all.  I plan on posting it on the weekend and linking up with Ann Voskamp on Mondays.

January

1st Three Gifts Heard

 1. The Baby starting to babble.

 2. Jujube saying "Thank you, you are my good mommy”.

 3. The noise of a bustling house full of happy kids. 

2nd Outside inside on a plate

 4. Snow on trees and grass but not streets

 5. Central heating

 6. Strawberry cheesecake

3rd 3 graces overheard

7. Passion 2013

8. Not sick in December

9. FMFParty

4th A gift old new blue

10. A (old) car that works

11. Healthy kids

12. Sun and a blue sky

5th Something you are reading, making, seeing

13. EntreLeadership by Dave Ramsey

14. Mimosa soup and homemade yogurt

15. Life slowed down

6th One thing in your bag, your fridge, your heart
16. Coupons
17.  Cultures for health (San Francisco sourdough and Bulgarian yogurt cultures)
18.  Jesus and that he saved me