GRATITUDE 124 An Eye for Beauty and Grace for this Mama

We are image bearers, each uniquely mirroring our heavenly Father in ways that show his character to the world around us.  Today I am thankful for the way my Emma Grace bears God's image.  She, like her Father has an eye for beauty that amazes me.  She has a drive to create beauty, just like her Father in heaven.

Thankful today for the grace to embrace this gift.  To be honest, there are times when creating beauty is the last thing on my agenda...I have dinner to make and poopy bottoms to wipe and a five year old boy to keep alive, so stopping to make an archway isn't exactly what I "want" to do....but when I take the time the embrace her gifts and nurture them, her love cup is filled and I am blessed as I see the way she bears God's image.  So today I am thankful that God gave me grace to stop and create with Emma Grace, when what I really wanted to do was check off my "to-do" list.  Grace upon grace....everything is by his grace.

GRATITUDE 123 The laughter of this moment

Judah is a bit high maintenance.  He thinks he is five and also has lots of peculiar demands...I oblige...maybe because he's my baby or because I don't have enough time to fight or because I think most of them are harmless and pretty darn cute!!!

One of them that makes me laugh every time is the set up he demands for watching Curious George...

a blanket, and all four pillow stacked around him. Weird.  I agree.

But it makes me laugh.  Thankful today for the laughter he brings to me.

GRATITUDE 122 These gifts entrusted to me

Children are a gift from the Lord;
    they are a reward from him.
Children born to a young man
are like arrows in a warrior’s hands.
 How joyful is the man whose quiver is full of them!    He will not be put to shme when he confronts his accusers at the city gates.



Thankful today for Jack's two patches two patches of white blonde hair.
Thankful for his long eye lashes and deep brown eyes
Thankful for the freckles sprinkled on Emma Grace's nose like cinnamon
Thankful for her giggle
Thankful for the pitter patter of Judah's gate across my hard wood floor
Thankful for his happy, rough and tumble personality
Thankful for these image bearers of God in heaven
Thankful that God loves them more than I do
Thankful that he is writing stories of redemption in their lives just like mine
Thankful that I get a front row seat to see how God's grace conquers their sin, redeems their weaknesses and how his faithfulness alone will transform them into SONS and DAUGHTERS of the living God.  
Thankful for the hope I have of standing beside them at the throne of God as brothers and sisters.  

Thankful for the way these little ones push me beyond my limits, bring great joy while making me depend on God's grace and strength each day.  

Sunday 121 A delightful Sunday

Thankful today for:

Jenn's family 

Their hospitality

A delicious lunch

The smell of jasmine

 mulberries, many eaten, many picked

The smell of gardenias

 lingering in the grass

 mulberry stained feet and hands

 swimming break for smoothies

 sharing stories of God's work 

 seeing my son swim and swim and swim

leftovers sent home with us

along with jasmine to plant in our yard

and a spearmint plant for tea!  

hospitality and christian fellowship at it's finest

GRATITUDE 120 Black coffee and a request

Today I am thankful for black coffee, my grandparents who taught me to drink it, and a new prayer routine.


Today I drank my coffee black.  The last time I did that was in high school, before I had ever heard the likes of Caribou  or Starbucks.  I didn't know you could add cream and delights like vanilla syrup to coffee.  But upon entering college I had my fist experience with a coffee shop and a caramel macchiato and I never looked back.

I converted both Andy and my Chinese friend Xiao Li to coffee through my full-of-fat, syrupy sweet pumpkin latte.  I consider that a great feat.  Andy and I regularly drank our coffee with full fat cream while in China as there was no half and half.  Amazing.

But slowly, we've been cutting out the fat and the sugar.  He's down to only half and half and I am officially back to black.  Though the first sip is bitter, sweet memories come rushing back each time I drink it black.  See, I started drinking black coffee with my grandparents when I was little.  My grandma would pour me a small cup (just a few sips really) at the same time she poured her evening cup.  My grandparents drank coffee in the morning and at dinner and on into the evening.  The bitter taste is just the same and I can still see her cream mugs with brown lines on them like it was yesterday.

The taste of black coffee will always make me think of my grandparents.

I've always loved coffee but I started a new tradition a while back that has made my coffee experience so much more enjoyable.  Here's how it goes:  I have a variety of coffee mugs that people have given me.  A little cup with painted hearts and an "EA" from Emma Grace, a mug with an "E" from my sister, a gift for Christmas.  I have a mug from Andy's work team and a mug from Laura, my friend who lives across the world that she bought for me at her local Starbucks.  Everyday I pick a different mug and I pray for the person who gave it to me,....throughout the day.  When I pick up my coffee cup, which is quite a bit in the morning and again at 3:00, I am reminded to pray for the people I love.

Though I believe in spending extending time in quiet prayer, I also want to weave prayer into my days as much as possible and my little coffee mug experiment is working out nicely.

So here's where my request comes in.  I'd love to add you to my prayer routine as well.  So would you send me a coffee mug that will remind me of you?  It would make my day.  I'd be happy with an old one from the back of your cabinet that you don't even like anymore!

Will be fun to see what new people I get to add to my little coffee routine!

GRATITUDE 119 Jenn, again

So thankful for Jenn who helps me three times a week.  Today she took my big two fishing, something I could never do with Judah in tow and something I would never do anyway, since I hate touching fish.

She's been a delight to our family and God's provision for me as the help I really needed.

GRATITUDE 118 Andy

I've never been so thankful for Andy than I am this year.

It's in large part because this has been by far one of the most difficult years of my life and Andy has been incredibly kind and loving to me throughout it all. He's been Christ to me in a powerful way that has impacted me deeply.  I've been humbled in a way I didn't know was possible and the result is a deep awareness that this man is perfect for me.  Not to say he's perfect, but he's the right man to lead me.  And he does it with joy, humility, patience, prayer and gentleness.

Andy, on your 33 birthday, know that I am so grateful for you.  So grateful to the Lord that he allows me to be in this marriage with you.  That God has given us both grace to keep on running after him together.  Grateful to do ministry with you. Grateful to raise our insane and awesome kids with you.  Grateful to listen to country music, go line dancing, watch documentaries, ride bikes, wipe poopy bottoms, clean the kitchen, nerd out to NPR, drink coffee each morning, eat on our back patio, all WITH YOU!!!!    I love you Andy.

GRATITUDE 117 Confessions and freedom

A friend sent me a text message confessing something from her past that she felt ashamed of, weary of how I would react.  I replied with my own confession that made her laugh heartily, as it was even worse than hers.  We decided we could have a lot of fun with these texting confessions... a sort of "I'll see that and raise you one" confession poker.  

Seriously, .it's not funny the ways we fall short of God's glory in our lives, but it's so freeing to just get it out there.  And I love the freedom that comes in being real with those in our lives who offer complete acceptance and grace...cause that's what it's all about.

Thankful for this bold and courageous friend and her honesty.  Thankful for her tenacious clinging to the gospel of grace and how she challenges me to do the same.  Thankful for the growing friendship she and I have based on the gospel which levels us all at the cross and pronounces that we are  beloved, accepted, forgiven, unashamed.  Jesus Christ is just unbelievable.

A funny note is that the first time I talked to her it was because my son punched her daughter in the face...didn't think we'd be friends after that....little did I know!!!

GRATITUDE 116 God's faithfulness to prune me

"He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful."

I see incredibly flawed areas in my life and i am so grateful that my vine dresser knows how and when to prune me.  At times this process is INCREDIBLY prainful but I am thankful to be in his loving hands.  Praying today that I will be pruned to bear more fruit for his glory, namely in the areas of my pride and my materialism.  

GRATITUDE 115 Dr Copeland

There is nothing like a wonderful doctor.  My primary care doctor is just that.  She has years of experience, loves Jesus, her husband and her kids and loves helping people get well.  That's the thing I love most about her but a close second is her understanding of western medicine and her openness to more holistic and natural medicine.

I feel like an old person talking about my health woes but, oh well....the short of it is that I have a group of symptoms that flare up from time to time.  My immune system just gets really weak and my platelets get low, my B12 gets out of whack, my Epstein Barr comes back (read: major fatigue) and this crazy rash breaks out all over me and I have A LOT of emotional instability.  For a while my other doctors were treating them as individual ailments:

I've regularly seen an oncologist for my platelets  and had a GAZILLION tests run to make sure I didn't have leukemia or bone marrow cancer.

I've seen many doctors for the rash and they've ruled out everything from yeast to allergies to bugs.  My western dermatologist concluded that I must be picking at myself????  I guess that's what they say when they just can't figure it out and won't admit it.  A steroid cream will stop the rash but as soon as I stop using it, it comes right back.

I have taken lots of b12 injections from my lovely nurse, Andy.

I have tried to sleep off the Epstein Barr.

And the emotional instability is also treated with:  you guessed it, meds.

Not to say I don't appreciate the many doctors who have helped me over the past few years.  I really do.  But I am also so glad to be on a more holistic approach to understanding health.

 Dr Copeland is helping me to figure out what's causing my immune system to get so whacky and for this group of symptoms to flare up at the same time.  .  And some of the underlying causes make total sense, but western doctors aren't really "open" to them.   Stress of course plays a large part in impairing our immune systems so that's definitely part of it.  We are also looking into things like adrenal fatigue and Lyme's disease.  So needless to say, I am incredibly grateful for a doctor who wants to get a little deeper than just treating symptoms and help me get my health back on track.

GRATITUDE 114 A Risen Savior

                                                               "Christ Is Risen"

Let no one caught in sin remain*
Inside the lie of inward shame
We fix our eyes upon the cross
And run to him who showed great love
And bled for us
Freely you bled, for us

Christ is risen from the dead
Trampling over death by death
Come awake, come awake!
Come and rise up from the grave!

Christ is risen from the dead
We are one with him again
Come awake, come awake!
Come and rise up from the grave!

Beneath the weight of all our sin
You bow to none but heavens will
No scheme of hell, no scoffer's crown
No burden great can hold you down
In strength you reign
Forever let your church proclaim

Christ is risen from the dead
Trampling over death by death
Come awake, come awake!
Come and rise up from the grave

Christ is risen from the dead
We are one with him again
Come awake, come awake!
Come and rise up from the grave

Oh death! Where is your sting?
Oh hell! Where is your victory?
Oh Church! Come stand in the light!
The glory of God has defeated the night!

Oh death! Where is your sting?
Oh hell! Where is your victory?
Oh Church! Come stand in the light!
Our God is not dead, he's alive! he's alive!

Christ is risen from the dead
Trampling over death by death
Come awake, come awake!
Come and rise up from the grave
Christ is risen from the dead
We are one with him again
Come awake, come awake!
Come and rise up from the grave

Rise up from the grave...

GRATITUDE 113 A descended Savior

Therefore it says, "WHEN HE ASCENDED ON HIGH, HE LED CAPTIVE A HOST OF CAPTIVES, AND HE GAVE GIFTS TO MEN." 9(Now this expression, "He ascended," what does it mean except that He also had descended into the lower parts of the earth? 10He who descended is Himself also He who ascended far above all the heavens, so that He might fill all things.)…

GRATITUDE 112 A Crucified Savior

This is real love--not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.



Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

GRATITUDE 111 Transmission and such

A tax return that came in just in time to help us replace our transmission.
The luxury of having cars
The gift of a car from Andy's grandfather
Money for gas


We are so LAVISHLY blessed.  Forgive me Lord for always wanting more.

GRATITUDE 110 Date Night

We have a dear friend who comes every week so we can go on a date.  This has been awesome for our marriage. So thankful for this friend who is incredibly servant hearted.  Thankful for this regular time with Andy...what a blessing!!!

GRATITUDE 109 Motherhood in the path of the Savior

Thankful that Jesus became the lowest to serve those he loved...That he served to the point of death those entrusted to him.  The greatest became the lowest....Thankful today I get THE HONOR of following in his steps by loving those he has entrusted to me.  Praying I will have grace to make myself the lowest today.  Thankful that all the times I FAIL point me to the one who NEVER failed to serve me!


And a little humor to go along with the theme....

GRATITUDE 108 Encouragement as we begin Holy Week

Consider Jesus-The Object of Popular Favor
Octavius Winslow

When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, "Who is this?" –Matthew 21:10

Jesus was now enthroned upon the highest wave of popular favor. It was, perhaps, the only moment in His earthly history in which it might be said that His popularity was in the ascendant. The sun of human glory now shone upon Him in all its splendor. He was for a moment the idol and the delight of the people. They thronged His path, carpeted it with their garments, strewed it with foliage, and rent the air with their loud and joyous hosannas. All this was strange to Jesus. It was a new page in His history, a new lesson in His life, which would fit Him in all future time to sympathize with and support those who should be subjected to a like perilous ordeal in their Christian career.

We learn that, seasons of earthly prosperity in the experience of the Christian may be perfectly compatible with his close walk with God. The sunshine of God and the smile of the creature may be permitted for a while to blend, tinting with their bright hues the varied forms and objects of existence. These are some of the few 'lights' intermingled with the many 'shadows'--with which God pencils the picture of life. Are our callings prospered, are our homes happy, do friends smile, are neighbors kind, and have the lines fallen to us in pleasant places? These are gleams of light upon our path across the desert, and in them, O my soul! see that you trace a Father's hand, and acknowledge a Father's heart. The picture of your life is not all somber. If the clouds shade, the sunshine brightens it; if judgment frowns, mercy smiles; and if the bread and the water of affliction are at times your appointed portion, with it He gives His love to soothe you, His presence to cheer you, His arm to sustain you, His Heaven to receive you, and says, "You shall not be forgotten by Me."

We learn, also, how meekly and lowly a child of God should walk in times of worldly prosperity. Jesus was not inflated with pride, nor lifted up with vainglory by this ebullition of popular favor. Oh, how great the grace required to walk humbly with God in times of worldly prosperity! When "Jeshurun waxed fat, he kicked." When earthly riches increase, or worldly honors are bestowed, or human applause is lavished, then is the time to flee to the mountain of strength, to the armory of truth, to the solitude of the closet, and to wrestle with God for help to resist and overcome the soul-perils to which all these seductions fearfully expose us. O my soul! be doubly on your guard, be whole nights in your watch-tower, when floating with the tide, wafted by the wind, irradiated with the sunshine of creature good, of earthly prosperity. The world's dizziness, the creature's caresses, the heart's self-satisfaction, would prove your downfall and ruin but for the restraining grace of God.

We also learn how empty and evanescent a thing is the bubble of popular favor. When Jesus was come into Jerusalem, "all the city was stirred." But before many days elapsed, the air that rang with His acclaim echoed with His execrations; the voices that then sang "Hosanna!" now shouted "Crucify Him! crucify Him!" and from that very city they led Him out to die. O my soul! bid low for the world's applause; set light by man's favor; be not ensnared by creature smiles. Fill not your censer with the incense, and shape not your sail to catch the breath of, human popularity; still less the favor and adulation of the saints. Their idol today, you may be their object of ridicule tomorrow. 'Hosanna' now, 'Crucify Him' then! Walk humbly with your God. Cling to the faithfulness of the unchanging One, to the friendship of the loving One, to the strength of the Almighty One, and to the compassion and sympathy of the crucified One, and let your Jesus be all in all.

"Earthly friends may fail or leave us,
One day soothe, the next day grieve us,
But this Friend will ne'er deceive us
Oh, how He loves!"

So thankful that Christ set his face like flint on the path God had called him to, a path of ultimate suffering.  Though tempted by earthly praise he choose a harder path, an obedient path, a costly path.  And in that he secured redemption for us and gained a people who will rightly and eternally praise him with our whole hearts.

Lord give me grace to set eyes on the path you have called me to and not allow my sails to be caught by the "breath of human praise."  Oh how many times I live for human praise.  Thank you that you walked the road of obedience perfectly in my place not giving in to this temptation  but rather secured forgiveness for me by choosing to live for your Father rather than for yourself.  Thank you Jesus.  

GRATITUDE 107 My momma

My Momma, My Momma,  and My Momma.

GRATITUDE 106 My momma

Happy to have my Momma here with me for so many reason.  Thankful Thankful for my Momma.

GRATITUDE 105 A promise for today

Andy sat this morning reading his bible, staring at this spectacular view.

I'm thankful for this promise today:

Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed," says the LORD, who has compassion on you..  

And thankful for Andy to have some time to reflect and be renewed.

GRATITUDE 104 A good caring God

It often feels like Andy is taking care of me.  But today it occured to me  that it's God taking care of me through Andy.  Even when Andy is not around, God takes care of me.  I should say, ESPECIALLY when Andy is not around, God finds many ways to take care of me.


Thankful today for Chloe who offered to take Judah for a whole day just to let me rest
For Shelley who offered to have us over for dinner
Texts from friends who are praying for me.
For Jenn who came over to help and stayed an extra hour, doing much more than I payed her for
For my mom who comes TOMORROW!!!!

Thankful that God has his eye on me.  That he is near me. That he delights to care for me.

GRATITUDE 103 Just Driving

Every Sunday afternoon,  Charlie and I  would squeeze between Dan and my mom in his burgundy and grey Ford  F-150 pick-up truck.  Off we'd go into what seemed like no man's land to me, driving.  just driving.  We'd drive for hours, the likes of Patsy Cline and Ricky Skaggs blaring on the radio, all the while we had a front row seat to some of the most beautiful back roads North Carolina has to offer.  Too bad I didn't appreciate it at the time.  The highlight of the trip was our pit stop in Siler City for chicken nuggets.  Only  later did I learn they were actually chicken livers. My parents were smart.  We'd usually pull in the driveway around dinner time, Charlie and I more than ready to end the Sunday afternoon "fun."

Tonight Andy and I had our first driving date.  We grabbed some dinner and hit the road.  First he took me to some orange groves where he likes to ride his bike and after that we just went where our wheels and our curiosity could take us.  We crossed rivers, drove through swamps and passed some beautiful farmland. Florida has a lot to offer as well.

 Becoming your parents isn't such a bad thing, after all.

GRATITUDE 102 Soccer Team

We just finished up our second soccer season.

Thankful for a precious little soccer team and how much my kids L O V E playing. Thankful for the church and willingness of all the coaches to make it happen for such a reasonable price.  Thankful that no one had a major injury.  Thankful for a new mom friend who I can really relate to.

GRATITUDE 101 These women

Thankful for a husband who encouraged me to go on this mom's retreat.
Thankful for women who are fun, engaging, and authentic.
Thankful for unexpected encouragement from a friend.
Thankful for the ocean.
Thankful for Psalm 34 being read aloud and the way God used it in my heart.

GRATITUDE 100 I made it!!

Thankful today that by God's grace I made it all the way to 100 on my GRATITUDE posts!  That's a big deal for someone like me...I'm not naturally very thankful nor am I good at sticking with things.  So yippee for God's grace which has helped me stick with this thang....

But more than that....yippee for his grace that has helped me (on most every day) to see his goodness in the big and small things of life.  His grace that has enabled me to see with new eyes things I have ALWAYS taken for granted.

Really everything is from him and for him and to him....it's all about him.  And our right response is thanks.  Glad to be on the right track.  Praying for grace to make it to the end of the year on my gratitude posts and the end of my life with a grateful heart.

“When it comes to life the critical thing is whether you take things for granted or take them with gratitude.”

― G.K. Chesterton

GRATITUDE 99 God's transforming work in me

“I am not what I ought to be, I am not what I want to be, I am not what I hope to be in another world; but still I am not what I once used to be, and by the grace of God I am what I am” 
― John Newton

Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on until completion.
Philippians 1:6


So much sin in my heart....I see it so clearly sometimes.  But by God's grace I can see progress....and I have the promise that God will continue his work in me until completion!

Thankful.  Thankful.

GRATITUDE 98 Happy Birthday

Andy flew to WV today to surprise his mom for her 60th birthday.  Thrilled he can be there...so wish we were all there with him.

 As Proverbs 31 esteems a godly wife, it says of her..."Her children arise and call her blessed."  This is so true of you,  Kathi.  Your children (me included) love and esteem you greatly.  You are

Godly
Loving
Fun
Generous
Forgiving


So thankful to be your daughter, Kathi.  So thankful God made you.  Thankful for 60 years of Kathi Huffman.

Happy Birthday!!

GRATITUDE 97 How far we've come

Several of our newlywed friends are facing tough times.  Andy and I understand well the strain of two sinful people learning to become one.  Seriously I suck at marriage.  But God is so faithful and has grown us so much.  So thankful for how far we've come.  I just love that man.  Thankful today for Andy, for his dogged determination to love me well and for how much God has grown over the years.

GRATITUDE 96 Pot of Gold

Found this note from my kids:

look in the windoe of your bedroom.  you will finde a pot of gold.

We didn't find the gold but we found a honeydew in Andy's pillowcase and oranges in his shoes.

Thankful for April Fool's fun with our kids.