Gifts Found in August 2015 - Part 4

August 22nd

3 Gifts in Light

1.  The Gift of Sunshine:  I close my eyes in the darkness of the night, after a very busy day; and I sleep well to awaken to the light of a sunny morning.

Oh, yes, Lord!  A beautiful sunny morning!

2.  The Gift of the Dawn:  An online bloggin' friend used these words recently:

"HOPE FLOATS...

LOVE SOARS"

And responded to a comment I made on his blog with these words:

"Love soars...but it has to soar above something.  We can only appreciate the light when we know the darkness.  But, the light is Power.  The Darkness always ends with the Dawn."

3.  The Gift of Another Day:  The darkness comes at the end of the day; another day has ended...

Yet, in the morning, when the light comes again, another new day will be before us.

August 23rd

3 Gifts Old

1.  The Gift of Travel Safety:

Old, Cold, Bold, Hold

This old lady has driven in the cold rain for almost 2 hours, and is ready for it to be over!  Boldly asking God to hold me to a slower pace so I can see in front of me...

Thankful that God carried us safely through the on and off thunderstorms - which ended up lasting at least half of the way home!

2.  The Gift of Education:  The "good old days of Butler High School"!  My high school days were loads of FUN-filled, education and friends, and all things expected in our high school days!  The "old" building" had seen its days - I recall just before returning to school one year, someone broke into the library - or was it the lab?!  In any case, a fire was set, and a lot of damage caused.

George P. Butler High School

Augusta, Georgia

THEN

Now, the new school year brings a "new" Butler after major renovations.  So thankful for my years at BHS, and that the old alma mater is still educating our young people.

George P. Butler High School

Augusta, Georgia

NOW

3.  The Gift of Aging:  With aging comes many changes...in our outlook, our likes, dislikes, our size and shape, what we can and can't control...

But, aging doesn't mean we can't still have FUN!  And, as often as possible, I do manage to have FUN...laughter is the best medicine; and I don't laugh quite enough at home.

So, here's to aging; and her's to laughter!  (Please excuse that one "word" in this image; but isn't it so appropriate for "aging"?!)...

August 24th

3 Gifts Moving

1.  The Gift of Slow Moving:  After a busy - but wonderful - vacation; and a hectic, scary drive home, at least half of the way home driving in thunderstorm after thunderstorm...I was exhausted from the drive, the stress, etc.

And, I was definitely moving quite slowly today!

2.  The Gift of God's Immovable Abounding Love:  Thanks to a morning blessing by Susie Larson, shared by Helen T., I felt much better than the day before; but a bit exhausted still...

Yet, these words lifted me up a bit to get my birthday started:

"May your emotions rest on God's immovable, abounding love and faithfulness..."

Just what I needed to hear!

3.  The Gift of "Words to Live By":  A Tuesday @ Ten prompt..."The Words I Live By", shared by Shirley at Light, Love, Hope...really touched me, moved me to tears; read her entire post here.

These words:

"Recently, I became a mirror to the person that was mistreating me.  When they talked to me ugly..., I would try my best not to go back at them the same way.  Seeing as how that did not work, recently I gave them exactly what they gave me.  If they were mean to me, I was mean back.  If they ranted, I ranted back.  If they had a harsh tone, I had a harsh tone back.  And you know what?  They had the nerve to ask me why I was doing this to them!"

Yes, Shirley...you surely have stated me exactly.  This is how it is - how it can be with no warning!

Words to Live By...

Prayers for strength!  Thank you, God, for words to inspire, to encourage, to live by!

August 25th

3 Gifts Fragile

1.  The Gift of Broken-ness:  From my devotion ..."The Psalmist writes, 'Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.' (Psalm 30:5 NKJV).  But when we are suffering, the morning may seem very far away.  It is not.  God promises that He is 'near to those who have a broken heart.' (Psalm 34:18 NKJV)."

When we are broken, God is near!  Yet, He is near all the time!  Finding thankfulness in the broken-ness...brings us closer to God.

2.  The Gift of a Child:  The heart of a child is so pure, so open, so loving, so accepting...so fragile!  Thank you, God, for the innocence of the child - even the adult who is, in many ways, a child.  Help me remember; help me understand.

3.  The Gift of Self:  I thank God for the person I am...the "child" that He has made.  The "child" that is fragile; sometimes broken, many times innocent ...and, to treat myself as a child would be treated, helps to heal the broken-ness in my life.  Thank you, God...just...thank you!

 

Found on Pinterest

Shared by bloglovin.com

August 26th

A Gift Cut, Sewn, Buttoned

The Gift of Creating:  A small box with many pieces of a puzzle cut into interlocking shapes...put together to create a picture.  Once complete, the picture shows a pile of buttons, as if a box of them has been dumped out on the table.

Once the puzzle is complete, it will be mounted onto a tray or frame, to be given to a friend who loves buttons!

{It will be some time before I get that puzzle put together, and complete the project; but will try to remember to post a photo once it's finished!}

August 27th

3 Gifts New

1.  The Gift of Change:  "They" say that change is good...or, it can be good!  I think the older I get, the less I like change.  But, it can bring "new"...

A new perspective from a new minister; a new "style" of music from a new music director; new FUN, friends, ideas, etc. from new friends!

As we, at the church, begin this season of searching for a new minister and a new music director, I thank God for those who are retiring, moving on to other ministries!  And, I thank God that He will guide us through our searches.

2.  The Gift of Focus:  As a member of the Pastor Search Committee (or "Team"), my focus will shift from me...family, friends, hobbies, my simple life...to the church family, friends, activities, the life of the church.

Thank you, God, for a new focus!

3.  The Gift of Another Year:  A year from now, I'll be another year older, 65 years old!  Not sure where I'll be in another year; what my/our situation will be.  But, I thank God for the 64 years behind, and however many I am blessed with ahead!

August 28th

3 Gifts Long-Awaited

1.  The Gift of Music and Crafts:  Love the music from Disney movies, and crafting, and Disney characters.  Before vacation, I ordered myself a "birthday present", the new "Frozen" Cricut cartridge.  I've been looking for it the past few days...just checked tracking and should receive it tomorrow!  {I did!!!}

2.  The Gift of Patience:  It's hard to be patient, waiting for anything!  "Something" to happen; "someone" to come - visit - or to meet or receive that special someone or something!  thank God in the waiting, and be patient!

"Patience is not the ability to wait, but the ability to keep a good attitude while waiting."  - Joyce Meyer

3.  The Gift of Time:  Many years I worked full time.  I still managed to somehow find time for family, friends, church and its activities, hobbies...

Now that I'm retired, some days I find so much time on my hands...do I waste it away at the computer - reading blogs, comments, writing for my blog?  Do I read away the hours with a good book?  Am I using my time wisely, and doing things God wants me to be doing?

God, I thank you for my long-awaited retirement, and all the things I can now enjoy doing!  Guide my steps, my thoughts, my actions that they may follow your plan for my life.

August 29th

A Gift One, Two, Three

Writing this on Sunday, August 30th...

Well, because sometimes the gifts are hard to see...

Today, one, two, three; mother and two daughters shared their talents (gifts!) with a beautiful violin "String Ensemble" as a prelude to our morning worship.

Sometimes, you just have to be in the right place to see -  hear - the gifts!

Thank you, God, for these three beautiful musicians; and for music!

And, a prayer for God to be with us in the Scriptures, the Sermon, the Silence...

Three more of your awesome gifts, God!

August 30th

3 Gifts Very Small

1.  The Gift of Welcome:  As I walked into church today, a friend I've known for a very long time gave me a hug and said he had missed me last week (while I was gone on vacation).

2.  The Gift of Story and Story-Telling:  During the Children's Moment, one of our young fathers (well, at least he's younger than I am; probably the age of my own children!), shared the whole Bible with our little ones!

Actually, in a very expressive, FUN voice, he read a children's version of the Bible, with a few of the well-known favorite stories from creation, to Noah, to Moses, to the birth of Jesus and His ministry.

Story-telling is a gift, for sure!

3.  The Gift of Help:  It may be a "small gift"; it may not even seem lie a gift...

But, my husband offered to help me -  he has said quite a number of times that he would "clean my toilet" ... those exact words!  And, he keeps forgetting!

He said it again yesterday; and I told him my plans were to clean the whole bathroom!  His reply?  "Well, let me help you" - no, not a "small gift"; but a "very big gift"!

With two, it won't take us long.  By myself, I have to do a little at a time because of my back (and my lungs energy level is so low)...

Yes!  A "very big gift"!

August 31st

3 Miracles

1.  The Gift of a New Baby:  Words came via Facebook from fellow blogger Heather Faria; her baby boy was born August 29th, 11 weeks and 2 days early, weighing only 2 lbs. 13 oz. Named Brayden Noah Faria, he is a precious little miracle baby, anxious to join his family.

Found on Pinterest

Shared by blog.hwtm.com

And, mom says the doctors are very positive about how he is doing.

Thank you, God, for the journey of this mamma and her little one.  Protect them, strengthen them...praying for them all!

{Heather blogs at www.heatherfaria.com.}

2.  The Gift of Life:  God breathed in being the first "life", the first being; and it is with the miracle of God's breath that each of us comes into our own "life"...

Yes, it is true that we can find many miracles every day of our life, in the lives all around us!

Found on Pinterest

3.  The Gift of Creation:  Look around you...what do you see?  I see a multitude of creatures great and small; tame and wild; cute and...a bit ugly!

God made them all - and, oh how intricately made they are!

And, what about nature?  The tallest of trees, the most beautiful of flowers and blooming things - even "ugly" - there are also a few "pretty" plants that are poisonous!

Yet, they are beautiful to look at...and God created all of it; for us to enjoy!

Thank you, God, in the good, the bad; the ugly, the beautiful.  All part of God's creatures; of nature, of His world...

And, remember:  there are miracles all around you!  Just turn around and look!

So...miracles!  Yes!  They are all around us...


So ends another month of discovering all of the amazing Gifts that God bestows upon us!  How awesome to end with "Miracles"!!

Join me in September for more Gifts found!