weekly gratitude

As the road stretched out before me, there was no sound other than the gravel under my feet and the steady breathing of my canine companion. The sun was rising and everything around me testified to the tranquility of the God that sustains it all. The drops of rain that fell through the night still lingered over the flower petals and blades of grass that waved softly in the breeze that came from the west. As I stopped for a second and inclined my ear to the sounds around me I could hear the echo of a woodpecker, the calling of birds and the croak of a few reptiles. I could hear the awkward crow of one of our new roosters trying to learn the ropes of 'rooster-hood'. It sounded more like a squeaky bike horn, but made me smile none the less.

It is in these moments--the quiet of the morning, before the phone is ringing, the kids are hungry or the car is started--that I am reminded of the constant presence of God. This morning in particular, I was overwhelmed with gratitude as I looked around me. This was mine. I didn't have to travel miles to come to this country oasis, but rather, it runs along the property that my husband fell in love with that fateful July day in 2004. I have grieved that purchase in many ways, but in others it has been the tool by which God has shaped me and loved me. I have met God many times not with a heart of gratitude but rather with a heavy satchel of complaints and agony. My friends have encouraged me, my husband has prayed with me. My God has heard me and quieted me with His love and unfailing faithfulness.

As if she could hear my thoughts, my eight year old just softly said without looking up from her drawing, "I love it here. It is the best place in the world."
Perhaps she is right.

With that said, 

I will share a few of the undeserved blessings that have come my way....

~sunshine

~sunscreen

~God's Word and children that love to read it

~swim lessons

~new friends

~mosquito spray

~the inspiring story of Corrie ten Boom and others like her

~the hospitality of friends

~the ability to remember

~the blessing of forgetting

~the imagination of my kids 

~knotted hair, sleepy eyes and brown skin of kids savoring summer time

~a budget

~having enough to pay the bills and send the kids to horse camp

~an unexpected word of encouragement

"Sing praises to the Lord, O you His saints, and give thanks to His holy name."

Psalm 30:4

I pray that your heart and mine as well, would choose gratitude rather than discontentment. 

I pray that we would choose peace rather than strife.

I pray that we would choose stewardship over carelessness

and

the eternal over the temporary.

Savor that which is precious

and express your love and appreciation to someone today.

It might be the only ray of sunshine in their whole week.

May God give you eyes to see the eternal through the temporary and the blessing through the pain. 

Happy weekending!

blessed.

tiffany

off the grid

"Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life,

and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever."

Psalm 23:6

Goodness and mercy. 

My house smells like fresh lemons. But when I look around, I see the trash that needs to be taken out and the dishes that are nearly finished. Two small things, but things that remain unfinished. If I am not careful, my sense of sight will overrule my sense of smell. I will focus on the unfinished rather than the blessed lemon bars that cool nearby. 

Isn't that how life is? 

It is so easy to see the weeds through the grass. 

Someone once told me, "Tiffany, some people complain about the thorns among the roses while others praise God for the roses among the thorns."

Same circumstance. Different perspective. 

The last few months have been challenging in many ways. 

As our house project winds down and the trim boards are being primed and ready for paint, the piles of unfinished mess scream my name. Daily, I am having to refocus on what has been completed rather than what is yet to be finished. 

It has been a challenging time spiritually as Satan has really pressed in hard. I will make a confession and I think I need to make this one out loud... I am really self conscious. I hate the idea that I would hurt or offend someone. I hate that I may rub someone wrong. Satan is really using that against me. 

As my desire to walk more intimately with Jesus becomes my primary goal in life, I am learning to lay all of that aside and trust that there will be people that will not like me or share the same desires in life. That's ok. I find myself feeling sometimes like, "Oh no, that person has an issue with me--where have I gone wrong?!" When truthfully, sometimes I haven't gone wrong at all, it is merely the Enemy trying to sow seeds of discord and self consciousness. 

I have also been wicked busy. 

Wicked is properly used, trust me. 

A few weeks ago, my husband looked deep into my soul and asked for his wife back. He missed the woman he married, the woman he laughs with and prays with. I missed her too. 

Last weekend, I returned from an incredible trip that I am eager to share with you. Since my return, I have been intentionally off the grid and hope to remain so (more or less) for the month of July. 

My children need it. My husband needs it. My soul needs it. 

I love the story of Mary and Martha. 

Martha is busy serving and toiling while Mary lounges at the feet of Jesus. 

I am definitely a Martha. My hands must always be doing. 

I love Jesus' response to her complaint about her 'inconsiderate' sister,

"Martha, you are distressed about a great many things. You have become distracted with much serving..." 

Isn't that the truth?!

How many of us as women, wives, mothers, Sunday School Teachers, friends, Pastor's wives, employees, home makers, can relate with that? I know that all too often, my eager, over zealous, servant hearted spirit often becomes distracted with much service. 

Notice that Christ is not correcting her service--he is correcting the perspective of her heart. She has lost sight of the reason she serves--to glorify Jesus Christ and to know Him more intimately. 

That has been me.

I have greatly enjoyed the last several days with my sweet kids and husband. 

I have taken very few phone calls, failed to check or reply to e-mail and have intentionally focused those precious morsels of energy not on anyone other than the family that God has blessed me with. 

In some ways, it has been hard to be off the grid as self creeps back in and I feel as though people will be hurt, feel ignored or stop 'following' my blog because I have failed to post. Then the Holy Spirit, in His gentle wisdom, reminds me of why I blog--it is not to gain followers, but rather to glorify the Giver of my gift. Right now, I will glorify Him by loving those nearest to me. 

So, for now, I will live off the grid and will pray that my heart will take a moment to sit at the feet of Jesus. In this time, I too will pray for you. I pray that your heart will learn what it means to dwell in the house of the Lord and that as a result, goodness and mercy will follow you all the days of your life. 

live abundantly.

tiffany