joy {and thanksgiving}...

my preventative health tests results are all good!  {God is, too}

joy {awaken to His presence}...

taken from cfhusband, written by his wife, tricia, who desperately needs our prayers right now as her lungs are very ill...

"Feeling at my weakest now. But I need to be reminded of the grace in my life & of God's goodness. Thankful for this lesson from the Jesus Calling, 'Thank Me for the very things that are troubling you. You are tempted to indulge in just a little complaining about My treatment of you. The best protection against this indulgence is thanksgiving. It is impossible to thank Me and curse Me at the same time...your thankful words, prayed in faith, will eventually make a difference in your heart. Thankfulness awakens you to My Presence, which overshadows all your problems.'"

joy {on tuesday}...

meme's soup for dinner {miss her}...

inviting paul to join us for dinner...

and he brings along his friend, grey...so we get to make a new aquaintance...

and we spend time eating and enjoying one another's company...

simple life.

buying new shoes for jacob.

larry's xc team did well at the meet tonight.

beautiful walk on the bridge...sunny and cool.

joy {to start the week}...

watching jacob and mary perform at the founder's day concert...

and it was jacob's first performance with the jazz band, and he rocked his solo!

cooler temps settling in...

joy {from other's words}...

"I will not desecrate this moment with ignorant hurry or sordid ingratitude...I will not profane His offer of joy with jaded pessimism." ~ Ann Voskamp

www.aholyexperience.com

joy {found in the weekend}...

sleeping and awaking without an alarm...

curly hair that is somewhat tame today...

saved as much as i spent at the grocery store!

homemade pumpkin oatmeal muffins {with a handful of chocolate chips for good measure}...

gamecocks football {'nuff said}...

joy {on friday}...

pumpkin greek yogurt, pumpkin granola, pumpkin butter...

clean bed sheets...

stephanie's gift of encouraging words from beth moore...

date night!

best burgers and sweet potato fries in charleston (yah, sesame!)...

unexpected gift from hubs (yah, urban nirvana!)...

kim's verse that she has prayed for me, a now daily reminder (romans 15:13)...

moonlight filling the bedroom when i woke at 2:30 am (God is watching over you)...

joy {within me}...

taken outside my front door, 7:15 pm, 10/4/12

the hubs telling my heart "i love you" over and over and over...

coming home to get my forgotten lunch...

coworkers who fill your cup...

opening the Word to a random {God-chosen} verse and being reminded in psalm 46:5 that God is WITHIN me...

breeze and clouds that cover the sky as i start my bridge walk...

prayers of the saints that sustain me...

ending the day with a cotton-candy-colored sky...

remembering tomorrow is a new day, and His promises are new every morning...

joy {chosen on wednesday}...

pumpkin butter + coffee = a great combination

seeing an old friend, clifford, the teller at the parking garage

a note left by my past colleague, leigh, telling me "hey, friend!  miss you!"

paying only $10 for david's airline ticket home for thanksgiving (love skymiles)

a struggling student had a good day

dinner at jack's cosmic dogs

update...actually talked to david...got to hear his voice!  (happy momma)

choosing {JOY}...

(via pinterest)

faith...{certain of what we do not see}

i cross this bridge every day.  i look forward to the artistic display of God each morning as i drive across, and this is what i witnessed one day.

fog.  deep, thick, immense.  flooding my vision.

the bridge was not seen.  yet i kept driving.

why?

i drove because i have been here before.  i remember what is there.  and i am i certain that it is still there, holding me up.  even though i can not see.

i see runners coming across from the opposite direction.  with each footstep, they say, "go, it is there, you know that.  i've been there, too.  you will be ok...".

faith is like that fog.  we know that He is there.  we've been this path before.  friends remind us of our journeys, their journeys.  so why are we so hesitant?  why will i drive across that bridge, but so quickly fail to see my Lord in times of fog?

build my faith, Lord, that as i cross through the waters to you, i will not lose my vision...hebrews 11:1...

in all things...{billboards, too}

so as i was traveling down the interstate towards school one morning last week, i was sharing with God just how frustrated i was with myself. 

with my inability to focus on His word.
with my apathy towards prayer.
with my lack of discipline in my spiritual life.

i was crying out to my Father for reassurance as i was flying down the road at 60 mph, but going nowhere.

and as i looked up, He spoke to me through billboards.  four billboards, one right after another. 
{no joke, so don't laugh.}

i have no photos, so words will have to explain...

first...a beautiful collection of blue butterflies, taking off...it said "transformed".

second...a crumpled piece of paper on one half of the billboard, which said "before"...and a smooth, wrinkle-free sheet on the other half that said "after".

third...one half of the billboard showed a boy's hands playing a video game.  the other half showed the boy's hands holding a turtle.  and it said "unplug".

fourth and final...the words "get insulated".

words from God where i needed them, fast and furious glimpes on the highway.
telling me i am His.  i am worthy.  i am not of this world.
reminding me i am loved.  i am new.  i am capable of breaking free.

"teach me your way, oh Lord, that i may trust in you; give me an undivided heart that i may fear your name..." ps 86:11

seeing the graces...{thank you}

coming over a bridge, slowly creeping in traffic, that i normally try to avoid...

i see it first through the passenger side window...

then i feel its warmth and morning glow.

a grace experienced because i traveled by a different way,

a grace given in the midst of waiting in traffic.

 a grace received, as always, that i did not deserve nor expect.

it is a good day.

what's for dinner...{per request}

jacob requested meatballs and spaghetti for dinner.  and this recipe was in the sunday paper. 

easy and yummy!  best part?  cook them all day in your slow cooker and dinner is DONE.

photo via dashrecipes.com