The end is just the beginning Little Revelations Day 22

 

I feel joy-full because of the joy I’ve had as I’ve counted 1000 gifts.  I feel grace-full because of the blessings God has given.  I am prayer-full for HIS will.  I feel wonder-full because of HIS devotion and patience and holiness…I’m filled with the wonder of what comes next.  

 

I’m also getting my hand-full.  My hands cup and open-wide, holding hope, holding dreams, holding tight to HIS promises and HIS Story.   I hope that God can use some of my story to give HIM the glory…

So…I’m changing my blog name.  Now that I reached my original goal when I started recording my joys on this blog (counting 1000 joys), I have the feeling to continue…a new venture with a new name.

Simply Remind Me 

In a busy life as a mom and wife, I simply need constant reminders.  Reminders if it’s a to-do list or even more reminders of God’s promises.  And I pray if you read my posts, it will also simply remind you as well.

If you want to follow me over to my new blog, here’s the address:

www.simplyremindme.blogspot.com

You can like me on facebook or follow me on Twitter:  @simplyremindme

Thanking you and giving HIM the glory…

Beth

Laughter Little Revelations Day 20

 

My stomach hurts and the cheek bones on my face are sore.  I love it!  Those muscles were used for two solid hours tonight.

Isn’t when you decide to go back to exercising when you haven’t for a long time, you use muscles you haven’t in a while?  Then afterwards,  those muscles feel a little tight?

It must have been a long time then since I’ve laughed that hard for that long…out loud (pretty loud if you know me!) and tears rolling down my face, and no more make up on my eyes!

What a fun evening with dear friends celebrating our sons’ October birthdays at a Tim Hawkins show!  (and getting to meet him afterwards!)

Something real and sweet Little Revelations Day 19

There’s now another person I want to meet in heaven some day.  I understand his story and have much in common with him.  

The guy made it to the Hall of Faith (Hebrews 11), even though his weakness was not totally trusting God (hmmm…sounds familiar).  It’s Gideon.  God had so much patience with Gideon’s need for confirmation and assurance before he went into battle.  He needed it over and over.

Don’t we all?  I do.

I’ve been especially feeling the need for assurance over the past couple of weeks…or maybe a lot longer.  This beginning of a new venture is getting closer and closer and I’m getting more nervous and more nervous!  I keep asking myself, “Should I really be doing this?  Why am I making a bigger deal about it in my mind than it probably really is?  I’m just going to listen to some great speakers and meet a few people…all by myself.  Why do I feel anxious?  Why do I have this feeling of anticipation (and yes, some excitement!) ?”  My heart starts beating quick whenever I think about it.  Why?  What will happen after next week? 

I just read that we learn through Gideon’s story  that “God may ask us to take risks on the way to assurance.  Going into the enemy camp is dangerous (thus the advice to take Purah with him to spy on the Midianites).  In the same way, we may find that we lack assurance of God’s presence with us because we never do anything bold”.

I’ve decided to be bold and take risks. 

I have to be desperately dependent on only HIM…not my expectations, not my needs, not my selfish wishes…in order to be bold and take risks….plus there are many loved ones in my life who are nudging me, praying for me and supporting me in this venture in order for it to happen.

So I have to be desperately dependent.

Tim Keller said when we read God’s and His people’s revelations in His Word and especially His promises, “we often find that the Holy Spirit comes and makes the promises both real and sweet to us.” (Rom. 8:16) 

How sweet it is.

 

Thank-full to God for…

1001 – “God wanted to assure Gideon (and Beth) one more time and fill him with confidence and joy”. (over and over)   - Tim Keller

1002-  The sun rising through the fog this morning…seeing magnificent sun beams shining through the fog and red and orange leaves

1003 - Seeing a group of bluebirds frolicking and playing on the children’s playground on my morning walk.

1004 – going to the theater to see the kids production of “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” with my daughter

1005 - my husband’s support (even technical) and love as he’s setting me off into the unknown…in a good way.

 

1000 Counted!

I really did it.

I reached a goal.   1000

Gifts opened this year that I never imagined on January 1, 2012

I’m being vulnerable to anybody…the polar opposite of who I’ve been. 

I’m writing and blogging…starting to live out a dream???  Looking ahead…what does God have planned?

Grateful for God’s grace and I’m being small.

 

Oh what a God Moment….  I was thinking of changing my music to George Winston but right before I was about the change my Pandora music feed, one of my absolute favorite songs, The Revelation Song by Phillip, Craig and Dean started playing.  It’s always been a powerful worship song to me so I didn’t change it.  I kept writing.  I counted.

#997, 998, 999… and the last verse (my favorite) of the song begins as I type in #1000.

“Filled with wonder, awestruck wonder 

At the mention of Your Name                                                                                 

Jesus, Your Name is power                                                                                        

Breath and Living Water                                                                                            

Such marvelous mystery.”  

I’m so awestruck.

I’m so filled.

Eyes filled with tears. Knees hit the ground.

On this cloudy afternoon all of a sudden the sun breaks through the clouds and shines through the window on me.

The Revelation Song playing…and I remember my “31 days of Little Revelations” challenge I’m in the middle of right now.

“Holy, holy, holy is the LORD God Almighty,

who Was and Is and Is To Come!

With all creation I sing,  ‘Praise to the King of Kings

You are my everything and I will adore You.’” 

I’m speechless and so small.

Counting 1000 gifts…what a gift.

 

#997   I reached a goal. 1000.

#998   Gifts opened this year that I never imagined on January 1, 2012

#999   I’m writing and blogging…starting to live out a dream???

#1000   Counted 1000 gifts!!!!!!

 

 

  Day 18

The gift of chaperoning Little Reminders Day 17

I rode on a comfy bus today with about 70 boys and a few men.  I was the only female on that bus.  How I managed to do that, I don’t know.   We were on our way to a Renaissance festival a couple hours away.   I had the opportunity to chaperone eight seventh graders.

It was a beautiful day.  The weather couldn’t be more perfect.  What a beautiful ride seeing all the leaves changing color along the highway.

 

When we arrived, it was like stepping back in time to the 1400’s…the Renaissance era.  Back in the middle of no-where was a wooded area that was turned into live history.

There were people dressed in their historical attire, music made from harps, lyres, violins and little ukuleles.  There were booths of food (my son ate a HUGE turkey leg!), shops filled with hats, jewelry and glassware.  There were many different performances throughout the village.

We got to the area the kids were looking forward to the most…the jostling reenactment.

 

The horses walked out on the “stage” as the queen spoke to all of us explaining what was about to happen as if we were people back during that time. 

The two men came out on their horses dressed in their colorful and elaborate costumes.  They put on their helmets and held onto their jousts and charged towards each other.  Then they pulled out their swords after they got off their horses and went into battle.

Ephesians 6:13-17… ^{13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.}

I thought of that as I sat amongst hundreds of 12 and 13 year olds in such a awkward, testing and even scary time of life…which includes our son.  He will be in many battles, maybe not dressed in the rich costumes and culture from hundreds of years ago, but he’ll need to put on his armor.  I just whisper to God asking that our son will put on that armor every morning when he gets up.  I want him protected from the temptations the evil one as much as possible by keeping him in the Word and God’s promises.

Beautiful day and just.right.reminder of the Armor in the midst of the Renaissance.

 

Thankful for:

#994   Being a chaperone on my son’s field trip…and he didn’t mind it!

#995   Seeing colored leaves while on the highway

#996   Observing life during the Renaissance

 

Moment of tranquility on a busy day Little Revelations Day 16

I’m still thinking of the feeling of home…even though I’ve got so many other things racing through my mind that needs to be done today.

I’m remembering and wishing I could be back to a place where I felt so much in awe and wonder and being surrounded by Beauty and magnificence.

My husband and I went on a long needed trip just the two of us back in 2006.  Where has time gone?  It really didn’t seem that long ago.   We drove up the west coast from Los Angelo, CA to Seattle, WA.   It was one of our best trips.

One of our stops was in Portland, Oregon and we found our way to the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, along the Historic Columbia River, right outside of Troutdale, Oregon.

I’ve always enjoyed going to National parks but wishing I could stay at them longer than a day.  Even though we were being more spontaneous (which for us Type A people that we are was not usual!)  and just driving until we got tired, we still had to be in Seattle by a certain day.

That day we chose to follow the trail that led to some of the waterfalls in the gorge. It looked as if the sky would open any minute with pouring rain but we took the risk and parked at our first stop and got out of our car praying it wouldn’t rain.

The first waterfall we stopped to see came with a little hike.  As we walked, I remember seeing different hues of green in the ivy, plants and mossy rocks. Even though the clouds were gray, those colors were radiant. I remember hearing the birds singing and the water babbling over and through the soft stones and rough rocks. Ferns and lush foliage surrounded us.

I heard in the distance a quiet rushing of water getting louder every step, giving me the anticipation of what I would see.  Through the branches we could begin to see the waterfall.  We hiked up a rather steep hill and some of the rocks were slippery due to the mist in the air coming from the waterfall and creek.   I was slipping into an artistry of God.

Then we turned the corner and there it was…turning the corner into the unknown with anticipation.

I stood looking at it in awe. It took my breath away.  A picture couldn’t do it justice.

The sound of the water cascading over the ledge of the gorge was exhilarating and tranquil at the same time.  Mist fell over me like a cloak of peace.  Breathe deep.  All I could think of was, “This is what it’s going to be like in heaven…at home”.

The waterfall was powerful. I was in radical amazement. I was in silent wonder as I felt tears well up like water drops from the cascade.   Something moving caught my eye.  It was a man walking through the foliage to experience what it was like under that waterfall.  From where we were standing he looked like the size of a bug beside it.   

He looked small. (see him in the photo above?) 

I felt small.  I felt so small in the Creator’s vast masterpiece.  I felt small with thankfulness for this gift to see.  I felt small because God’s grace is enormous…small because His love is immense.

I felt like I was on holy ground.  It felt like a glimpse of heaven revealed.

 

Thankful for:

#991  memories of revelations

#992  the feeling of anticipation but not quite sure why

#993  making chicken pie

 

Where is your home? Little Revelations Day 15

On this dreary, rainy day I’m thankful for the warmth of home. 

Home is where you wear your slippers, pull warm linens out of the dryer, hold a warm drink in your hands and snuggy under a fuzzy blanket with your daughter on the couch.

Home is where you can do your chores with your hair looking crazy after getting out of bed in the morning, where you show your true self…inside and out.

Home is comfort.  Home is a refuge.

Being at home today is made to be a place of rest, a place for restoration physically, emotionally and spiritually, and home is to be a refuge from being stretched in all directions.

That’s how God created us… needing that; needing a place, a home for retreat.

On earth, “home” to us can be different things to different people. For some, home is when you’re with your family recreating by playing games, travelling or eating dinner together. Some people find a feeling of home when hiking in God’s natural creation or spending time at the beach. Others feel home when they go to visit their aging parents in the home they grew up in most of their life.

The feeling of home can be when you are alone in your house curled up on the couch with the fireplace lit reading a book. One of my favorite feelings of home is when I’m on our screened-in porch, resting in the lounge chair, on a warm day, listening to the birds sing melodies, enjoying the greenness of leaves on the trees and just soaking in the warmth  as I journal to God.

Where do you feel most home?

The way we know home today is just a glimpse of what our true home will be in heaven.   Some day our bona fide home with be revealed.

Until then, I’m so thankful for our home of refuge.  And I’m OK that it’s filled with a thin layer of dust, a little bit of clutter, crumbs on the table, laughter, music, clanking of utensils on the dinner plates and stories. 

 

Gratitude…

#987  a place to call home

#988  the promise of Promised Land

#989  re-reading cards family and friends have given me

#990  re-reading God’s promises in His Word