DECEMBER DELIGHTS!

How can anyone not be grateful for the month of December - unless it is totally freezing outside and  you just returned from Florida.  Yet, I give thanks for the change of seasons and the endurance to last through a cold winter and another month of giving THANKS for all God's blessings.

# 2027-2029 Gifts White:: The gift of purity given to us who believe in the resurrected Christ; Robed acolytes who help to draw others into the Holy of Holies, as we worship our Lord; The candle for the First Sunday in Advent.

#2030-2032 Gifts Bright:: Sun bouncing off of ice patches; a little night-light in the dark of the night; The light of Christ in my heart.

#2033-2035 Gifts Shining:: A crescent moon in a clear night sky; Candles in windows; The North Star.

#2036-2038  Gifts Circling:: Hawks over the fields behind us; Crowning::A good head on stout; Crafted:: Creation by God's hands.

#2030-2041 Gifts Silver:: The Christmas Angel on our front porch; The small Cross I often wear; My favorite spoon I inherited.

#2042-2044 Gifts Sweet:: Wilbur Chocolate; Honey for my tea; Lingonberries in jam.

#2045-2047 Gifts from Our Savior:: His presence on our small earth; His eternal Word; His birth and death just for us.

#2048-2050 Gifts Hung::Wreath on the front door; Held:: Clementines as I peel them; Heard:: Sweet sounds of laughter from giddy children.

#2051-2053 Gifts Ugly Beautiful:: Gray day of rain and high temps; Strips of harvested land lying muddy; Leafless trees.


#2054-2056 Unframed Art:: Winterberry bushes covered with snow; A bowl of Clementines; Icon of Mary and Elizabeth greeting each other.

#2057-2059 Gifts Ice Cold:: Snow, a frozen puddle; ME!
#2060-2062 Gifts Berry Red:: My Winter pillow that lights up a simple chair; My favorite coat; Tiny stockings on the mini fire place in my favorite miniature Christmas scene made by my step-mom while she was so sick with cancer.

#2063-2065 Gifts Striped:: Candy canes reminding us of the blood of Christ shed on the cross to make us seem pure in the eyes of God; My favorite long sleeve t-shirt; fields I see outside my window- brown rows with tufts of snow in between.

#2066-2068 Gifts Stamped:: Footprints of bunny and field mouse frozen in the snow; Postage on Christmas cards we receive; Snowy feet as they enter the house and release excess ice and snow.

#2069-2071 Gifts Gold:: Tiny threads woven through fabric worn by the priest when celebrating the mass; Scented:: The smell of brewing coffee weaving upward from the parish hall; Bent Low:: Evergreen bows weighed down with icy snow that refuses to melt.

#2072-2074 Gifts for today:: Snow has a beautiful shine top from melting and freezing again; Snow this early in December just in time for Christmas; Clear roads and sunny skies.

#2075-2077 Gifts frosted:: The lone car in the community parking lot; Tree branches where icy snow hides from the sun; our back porch floor with a layer of crusty snow.

#2078-2080 Gifts Miraculous:: Celebrating the Advent of Christ's Birth; The ability to create another life within a woman's body; So many answered prayers for those in deep distress.

#2081-2083 Gifts Manger-small:: Any new-born baby; Faith in God mustard-seed small; One step with purpose given by God in Christ Jesus.

#2084-2086 Gifts Angelic Song:: Our church choir singing O Come, O Come Emmanuel; Our choir director filled with Joy to the World! Our congregation singing praise-filled Advent songs.

#2087-2089 Gifts Lit:: The sunny day on this darkest day of the year; A neighbor's Christmas tree lights at 4pm when dark shadows lurk about; Candles in windows on the longest night of the year.

#2090-2092 Gifts with Rejoicing:: The fourth Sunday of Advent and only three days left until Christ-mass;  Wondering:: I wonder as I wander out in the moonlight, knowing Christ as our savior all day and all night;  Praising:: Praise God from Whom all blessing flow!

#2093-2095 Gifts Starry:: This winter night so balmy and bright; Twinkling lights that make the short day seem less dark; The Moravian star on my little tree.

#2096-2098 Gifts Humble::  Mary and Joseph birthing our Lord in a stable; My heart in anticipation of a gift that saved my life; Hubby and me as we celebrate the birth of Christ with others in two very different Christmas Eve services.

#2099-2101 Gifts in Luke 2:: Verse :12 "you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." Verse :28 Simeon took Jesus in his arms and blessed God. Verse:40 The child continued to grow . . . increasing in wisdom; and the grace of God was upon him.

#2102-2104 Gifts in Christ:: His story in the Gospels; Our story of salvation; The Comforter he sent to us after his resurrection - The Holy Spirit.

#2105-2107 Gifts Found:: Something to be thankful for each day; Shared:: Whatever I have to offer another at any time;  Saved:: Sweet moments piled up as memories.

#2108-2110 Gifts Lingering:: Lingering by the fire on a cold day; Lingering over annual letters from friends; My linger-longer blog: lingerlongerwithgail.blogspot.com

#2111-2113 Gifts of Hope:: The One who was and is and is to come; The meaning behind life purpose;  Sustainer of life.

#2114-2116 Gifts Remembered:: Birthday gifts given in love; Siblings; Years of blessings.

#2117-2119 Gifts Anticipated:: Another full year before my birthday; A great New Year; New adventures.

NOVEMBER THANKSGIVINGS

Thanksgiving is so daily.

Yet, in November we set aside a special day for everyone to remember our blessings.

What a treasure it is to remember our Thanksgivings throughout November and the rest of  the year.

#1937-1939  Gifts Saintly:: We celebrate All Saints Day as we remember all those who have forged a path ahead of us that we may follow Christ according to their example. Gifts Eaten: Corn on the cob; Fried Green Tomatoes.

#1940-1942  Gifts Worn:: Extra layers of clothing; Hoodies to protect me from wind gusts; Sturdy shoes instead of my usual flip-flops.

#1943-1945 Gifts that start Within:: Feeding my

Our Bunny resides under the rose bush and refuses to
leave.  Amazingly, it only likes to eat pansies.

soul with affirming words; The Holy Spirit guiding my thoughts, words and deeds; A sense of peace that comes from allowing the Holy Spirit to guide my every step.

#1946-1948 Gifts Gathered:: Green Tomatoes ripening to red; Given:: Words of grace; Good:: Each day I spend in God's Word.

#1949-1951 Gifts Acorn Small:: Computer keys; Shirt buttons; winterberries.

#1952-1954 Gift Governed:: A bunny that governs my garden and never leaves when I try to scare it away; The sun that governs the sky on a cloudless day;  The moon that governs the sky on a star-lit night.

#1955-1957 Gifts from My Window:: Golden fields in varied shades; Amber and Rust leaves clinging to naked trees; A lush green meadow slicing through bunches of cat tails.

It's hard to capture the BRIGHT RED of the berries.

#1958-1960 Gifts Sweet:: Wilbur Chocolate Salty:: Mixed Nuts Sipped:: A delicious cup of hot tea.

#1961-1963 Gifts of the Harvest:: Green tomatoes turning red inside; My last green pepper; Herbs still going strong as wild winds bring low temperatures.

#1964-1966 Gifts found in Bible Reading:: Exhortation to live a godly life; Assurance that God is with all who call upon Him; Delicious stories  of intrigue - especially in the Old Testament.

I miss mom but remember her every
time i get a bit creative with fabric.

#1967-1969 Gifts of Remembrance:: My mother who influenced me so much in the arts: music and fabric design; My father, still living, so 'left' brain, gifted me with a love of math; Aunt Helen, 101 and very much alive, continues to give unconditional love to all she know - hundreds!

#1970-1972 Gifts at Noon:: Lunch, Sun peaking out from clouds; Delightful conversation with hubby.

#1973-1975 Gifts Behind a Door:: Wreaths ready to be hung outside in December; A small table that can be set up at a moment's notice; Pictures hanging on the wall.

#1976-1978 Gifts Silent:: Time of meditation; Cleaning the garden; Lingering in late afternoon.


#1979-1981 Gifts Golden:: Harvested Corn; Swaths of husks left in the ground; Mums in the garden.

#1982-1984 Gifts of Hard Eucharisteos:: Working with those who are ruffled by change; Making decisions that work best for all but may not for one or two; Leading where few wish to follow.

#1985-1987 Gifts Laughter:: Children playing outside; in JOYful conversation; Shared with hubby when we both get sidetracked by a 'senior' moment.

YUM! Fresh cucumbers and 'green' tomatoes that turn
red as we keep them in our basement.

#1988-1990 Made:: A Fall picnic on the porch with some garden fare; Shared:: The Gospel of Jesus Christ for all to embrace;  Passed on:: The love of God in Christ with everyone with whom we connect.

#1991-1993 Gifts of Autumn:: Dry, sunny days; Golden hews across harvested fields; Amish in open buggies.

#1994-1996 Gifts of Tradition:: A day of remembrance to be shared with all; Dried Apples- especially Cortland; Gatherings and yard sales.

At 101 my aunt is still
 my role model.

#1997-1999 Gifts of Family:: A delightful Aunt; A wise Father; A sweet Hubby and so many more.

#2000-2002 Gifts Grateful:: Good Health; Good Genes; Energy to lead others in Christ.

#2003-2005 Gifts Only in-Christ: Salvation; Everlasting Life; True Trust

#2006-2008 Gifts Humble:: Quietly leading behind the scenes; Embracing a gift that restores the soul without fanfare; Serving my hubby when he is very able to serve himself.

#2009-2011 Gifts Ugly- Beautiful:: Muskovie ducks; A beach being renovated (more sand); Florida 'grass'.

#2012-2014 Gifts Preparing:: Pre-Advent- a time of preparing for Christ's coming; Making food for our upcoming Thanksgiving celebration; Cleaning dad's condo in preparation for a renter.

#2015-2017 Gifts Hand-made:: My favorite scarf from my sister; Held:: A new Tea Cup;  Happy:: Working on my computer in Florida as cool breezes sweep through the lanai.

I couldn't resist.  I have had this picture on
file for a long time.  He is sound asleep.
The sun glasses are the best!

#2018-2020 Gifts In Community:: Enjoying friends we have not seen for awhile; Sharing a meal with a dear friends; Worshipping with those who also GIVE THANKS for the freedom to worship and give thanks to God in the middle of the week.

#2021-2023 Gifts Red:: Shopping on "black" Friday will hopefully keep shops from ending the year in the 'red;'  My long sleeve sweater as I adjust to COLD weather at home; Winterberries on the bushes outside our house.

#2024-2026 Gifts Astonishing:: It's already the end of November!  I have given THANKS more than 2000 times in the past two years; I am alive, well, and enjoying my job leading others into the arms of Jesus Christ, Our Lord.

OCTOBER PRAISES

We slip into October with sunny, cool days and crisp cold nights.  The flowers still bloom with full color and tree leaves barely begin to change.
It's getting dryer after a very wet summer.  And so I continue to give thanks for:

#1843-1845 Gifts Orange:: Tomatoes still growing on the vine; Pumpkins in piles at garden center yards; A very few leaves at the tops of tall trees.

#1846-#1848 Gifts Falling:: Red and green tomatoes from the vine; dead daylily leaves; acorns.

#1849-1851 Gifts Caught::A shot of the Amish farm near us filled with tobacco;  Let Go:: My garden as I let Fall take over; Mid-Way:: Chick-fil-A is midway between our home and work.

#1852-1854 Gifts Reaped:: Basil for pesto; Satisfaction from Fall cleaning- especially our windows; Souls who give their lives to Christ Jesus.

#1855-1857 Gifts Returned:: A sweet hello from a friend after I sent her a note; Hugs from hubby; More blessings than I can count from my Lord, my God.

#1858-1860 Gifts Redeemed:: Christ's life for mine;  My time in God's Word bringing stillness to my soul and, hopefully, to others; My time with others so that they feel encouraged.

#1861-1863 Gifts Baked:: Molasses Bread  Stirred: Gingerbread cookie batter  Eaten:: Bread or

cookies with cream cheese on top.

#1864-1866 Gifts Prayed for:: Salvation for specific friends; Growth of women in  Women of Worth Ministries; JOY of Christ to fill church family.

#1867-1869 Praised for:: Cool weather; Great harvest from my herb garden; Enough rain to sweeten the soil and nurture fresh fall plantings.

#1870-1872 Hard Eucharisteos:: Consoling one who is grieving; Encouraging my father who is slowing down considerably at 98; Waiting
patiently for others to catch a glimpse of  God's treasure set before us.

#1873-1875 Gifts of Change:: The weather from hot and muggy to cool and breezy; Leaves turn crimson and gold; I wear more layers of clothing.

#1876-1878 Gifts Small:: Silver Dollar Shell;  Smaller:: Three dove-like shells inside the Silver Dollar Shell; Smallest:: A grain of sand that clings to the inner dove-like shell.

#1879-1881  Gifts Read:: Old Testament message of seeing good things from God; the Psalm of Thanksgiving; The Gospel message that tells us of gratitude for Jesus' healing.

#1882-1884  Gifts Said:: The Lord's Prayer, THANK YOU! I love you (said softly in his ear).

#1885-1887  Gifts Re-read:: The Gospel of Luke; The Cost of Discipleship by Dietrich Bonhoeffer; my old blog notes.

#1888-1890  Gifts Burning:: Wet wood in our farmer-neighbor's smoke house; Our gas fireplace in the early morning hours to take the dampness out of the air; the bright colors that peer through the fog like a blazing fire.

#1891-1893 Gifts Ugly-Beautiful:: Cortland apples waiting to be dried; Plowed cornfield; Hydrangeas on their last leg.

#1894-1896 Gifts Shared:: Life with my hubby; Saved:: Detergent cups to give to my crafty friend; Surrendered:: My life to God in Christ.

#1897-1899 Gifts Unexpected:: A warmer day than was forecast; Some time to linger in the garden that continues to bloom and produce; God's ever-present GRACE.

#1900-1902 Gifts Unconventional:: Two sermons in one worship service; Coffee after the 8:15 service because of "Bible-4-Breakfast"; Making worship of the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob on this day a priority in this very secular world.

#1903-1905 Gifts Undervalued:: The beauty of a RED gate; The American flag that represents the incredible gift of freedom; the freedom to worship the Lord, thy God not only on Sundays but in our daily lives.

#1906-1908 Gifts Silent:: Early morning hours in winter; Still::  Midnight with a full moon;  Strong:: Wind that wisps away dead leaves in the garden.

#1909-1911 Gifts Begun:: Each new day; A good book; An exercise program

#1912-1914 Gifts Accomplished:: Memorizing 40+ scriptures in Romans; Continuing with this blog in thanksgiving for all I have; Ending each day with a sense of completion.

#1915-1917 Gifts Enjoying:: My hubby on a day off; Drying apple chips on a cold day; Reading some of my favorite blogs of encouragement.

#1918-1920 Gifts Extravagant:: God's gift of His Son just for me; God's mercy when I do not deserve it sometimes; JOY!

Dad always looks at difficult situations with a positive
attitude - like not getting around as well as he use to.
After all, he is nearing the end of his 98th year of life
and is still going strong!

#1921-1923 Gifts Humbling:: Knowing I cannot do what I am 'called' to do with out the Lord's continuous encouragement; Honoring:: The elderly who have lived long, loved God and greet each day with anticipation for good things to come; Happy:: A child singing for no reason at all.

#1924-1926 Gifts in Christ:: Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness and self control.

#1927-1929 Gifts On Time:: Answers to prayer are seldom early but never too late; Time and space move as one; Both are gifts from God that go well with gravity and all are only needed by mortals.

#1930-1932 Gifts Overjoyed:: A sunny, warmer day; Finally going to the theater to see NOAH at Sight and Sound; A lovely day to linger in a lovely pumpkin patch.

#1933-1935 Gifts Hallowed:: Preparing to whisk away the goblins that interfere with saintly matters; Celebrating an incredible harvest; Preparing for All Saints Day the next day.

SEPTEMBER GRACES

I begin a new month with sweet praises to God in Christ.  Slowly the slender rays of sun seem to show up fewer hours of the day.  I longer a little longer when I feel the warm rays on my shoulders and continue my daily thanksgiving to God.

#1743-1745  Gifts Summer:: Hot, wet days; Ice tea on the back porch; the Garden!

#1746-1748  Gifts Cut:: Cucumbers from my vine; Peppermint leaves for tea; Bunches of flowers.



#1749-1751  Gifts Yellow:: Merigolds; Coriopsis;  My chair by the front door.

#1752-1754  Gifts Cool:: Ice Cream; Warm:: Tepid Tea;  Sun soaked:: Me!

#1755-1757  Gifts Autumn:: Cool Evenings; Browning leaves; Changing light.

#1758-1760  Gifts Growing:: My faith in Christ; Mounds of basil for pesto; Lush Tomato Vines.

#1761-1763  Gifts Given:: Christ's life so that I might live; Soldiers' lives for my freedom; Unconditional Love from my Lord.

#1764-1766  Gifts Made:: Cucumber and Tomato with herbs - all from the garden;  Masked:: Strong odors from farmer's fields masked with hanging herbs in our kitchen; Marveled:: God's abundance that never ends.

#1767-1769 Gifts Framed:: My sister's drawings; mirrors in old frames; The sunset framed by my 15 pane window.

#1770-1772 Gifts Moving:: Amish buggies; My body early in the morning; Clouds in a windy sky.

#1773-1775 Hard Eucharisteos:: Getting up at 0-dark hundred on Sunday to drive an hour to church; Sitting in doctors' offices waiting for hubby and re-visiting and more visits - all for cataract surgery follow-up; Listening to people's stories that are enduringly hard.


#1776-1778 Gift of Words:: Scripture as I study daily; Hubby with complements almost daily; Prayer that slips from the tongue when I wake at 4am and wait to return to sleep.

#1779-1781 Gifts Scented:: Potpourri to lighten up the bathroom; Scrawled:; My signature on official papers; Started:: A new ministry in a small church in a tiny town.

#1782-1784 Gifts Drawn:: Water from the pond for plants; Scribbles from a two-year old; A young mother with an extraordinary gift of drawings that come from scripture.

#1785-1787 Gifts Paired:: Two Parables in Luke 15:1-10: Shepherd and his sheep and A woman and her lost coin; Bread and Wine for Holy Communion: Christ's body and blood; Hubby and me!

#1788-1800 Gifts Shared:: Life with Hubby; These personal graces with anyone who wants to read them; The Good News of Life with Jesus Christ.

#1801-1803  Gifts Ugly-Beautiful:: Dried Coreopsis; Sedum Autumn Joy that our little bunny sat in and made to flop flat; Our pile of laundry that will soon be sparkling clean.

#1804-1806  Gifts Fixed:: The red bike filled with flowers; Folded:: Fresh, clean sheets; Freckled:: My body with aging spots.

#1807-1809  Gifts in Conversation:: New faces with new voices and new stories; JOY-filled comments about the cooling weather; Great ideas that stimulate creativity.

#1810-1812  Gifts of Salvation:: My own; Hubby; Kyle who is now with the Lord in heaven.

#1813-1815  Gifts of Information:: God's Scripture; Catholic Encyclopedia; Friends.

#1816-1818  Gifts Rattling:: My dehydrator when drying apple chips;  Receding:: Destructive flood waters in Colorado; Reclaiming:: Odd pieces of wood filled with flowers.

#1819-1821 Gifts Quiet:: Meditation on Scripture; Early morning sunrise; Breathing
#1822-1824 Gifts Funny:: Children's wisdom; Hubby's stories; comic strips

#1825-1827 Gifts Finished:: This month's eucharisteos; Hubby's cataract surgeries; my bag of chocolate ship cookies.

#1828-1830 Gifts Flourishing:: Autumn Joy Sedum; My herb garden: Basil; ME!

#1831-1833 Gifts Unexpected:: A huge spider web early in the morning;  Uneven:: pavement

near our church that makes our car go bump, bump; Unpopular:: My stance on not killing babies in the womb.

#1834-1836 Gifts Shy:: Little children I am meeting for the first time; memories of me as a child; An elderly woman who is embarrassed by her tears.

#1837-1839 Gifts Shelved:: Dozens of books; Gifts waiting to be given away; Future blog-notes I no longer have time to write.

#1840-1842 Gifts Shining:: Bright round sun on this clear morning when we are driving to church at 6:30 am; The gleam of the eucharist goblet; The Lord's presence as we sing to Him.

AUGUST AFFIRMATIONS

August is upon us much too soon.
 This means summer is nearly over.
 I dare not say another word or my PRAISE may turn to sorrow.
 I continue to glory in each day with thanksgiving and eucharisteo and JOY!

#1649-1651 Gifts White:: The furnishings on my lovely back porch; Clouds that rise above the green fields; A bright spot of light pressing through a pinhole in a dark space.

#1652-1654 Gifts Eaten:: Fresh 'white' peaches picked from our local orchard; Red peppers from our garden; Salad from garden pickings.

#1655-1657 Gifts at 10AM:: A second breakfast of oatmeal with blueberries and raisins.  Yum!
 1PM:: The sun began to peak through blooming clouds.
10PM:: Deep sleep in preparation for waking very early on Sunday

#1658-1660 Gifts Sitting:: Digesting a wonderful sermon, Completing a series of blog notes on Proverbs 31:10-31 at Women of Worth ministries blog; Lingering in my garden on this sunny, cool day.

#1661-1663 Gifts Outside:: Cool breeze that invited us to linger in the garden.
Inside:: Mounds of fresh fruit, vegetables and herbs waiting to be processed or eaten.
Upside Down:: My Bible as it holds down papers that could fly away with each gust of wind.
#1664-1666 Gifts in Water:: Quenching thirst; Cool, clean shower on a hot day; tadpoles!

#1667-1669 Gifts in His Word: Ps 119:105 "Thy word is a lamp onto my feet and a light onto my path."  Romans 8:1 "Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." Romans 8:6 "For the mind that is set on the flesh is death but the mind set on the spirit is life and peace."

#1670-1672 Gifts in Summer:: The GARDEN! Dinner out on our little porch; Birds chattering and singing as butterflies weave among the bees.

#1673-1675 A Gift Hole:: Waterhole out back when the rains come heavy; Whole:: My life in Christ; Half:: Time working at our new church.

#1676-1678 Three hard Eucharisteo:: Memorizing God's word and sustaining it in my heart; Saying 'no' when I want to say yes but know I need to pace myself; Digging out time each day for ME, especially in my garden.

#1679-1681 Three gifts of metal: The Cup filled with God's presence as we share Holy Communion together; Organ pipes that look good but no longer fill with the swell of music; Nails on the Cross that

This is four years ago.  The tree now covers
the upper two thirds of this picture.
I need to take a new shot from the
same window.

remind us of Jesus' death on the Cross so that we might live eternally with God in Christ.

#1682-1684 Gifts Half-Hidden:: The Sun as clouds sneak by it; The baby bird as it peaks it's head out of the bird house, almost ready to fly; Parts of my garden that I cannot see from my little back porch.

#1685-1687 Gifts Green: Our HUGE Leland Cypress evergreen tree that LOVES where it was planted four years ago; Grass that has been soaked by rain before it even thinks of becoming dry; Thousands of leggy corn stalks growing higher than ever before.

#1688-1690 Gifts in a Ring::My engagement ring reminding me of hubby's forever love;  Curve:: My body with all its lumps as I age;  Sphere:: The beautiful egg - so useful in recipes and so full of protein.

#1691-1693 Gifts Ugly-Beautiful:: My bucket I use when I pick my rose bushes clean of old blooms: it is cracked and has holes everywhere but it does a beautiful job; MUD after a raging storm that brings enough water to make everything in the garden burst with life; The office at my new job - such a cute place but unused for months and filled with cobwebs - easy to clean but weird to the touch.

#1694-1696 Gifts of Family:: Brothers and a sister, each with incredible talents; Hubby who is the best admin. assist a wife could ever have as I begin a new job; A dad who is totally amazing at 98!

#1697-1699 Gifts in the Morning:: A cup of hot tea; quiet time on my little back porch; dew in the garden.

#1700-1702 Gifts Read::Magnificat in the Book of Common Prayer, p.91;
Red:: This sign that was re-written from "Keep Calm and Carry On" to "God is good, God is on the throne.  Breathe in.  Breath out."  Written:: My daily graces as well as my lectionary journal.

#1703-1705 Gifts in Church:: Meeting a new congregation: Sensing God's love through His people; Being affirmed in the ministry God laid out for hubby and me.

#1706-1708 Gifts of serving:: Stocking shelves in the local food bank; Cleaning rooms in church that had been neglected; Cooking farm fresh meals for my hubby - and I hate to cook.

#1709-1711 Gifts Straight:: The flag pole; Curved:: My garden path; Turned:: Spindles on our old settle bench
#1712-1714 Gifts of Light:: Our living room lamp with its red shade; A lovely summer day that sparkles light on my roses; The Light of Christ that kindles the fire of His love.

#1715-1717 Gifts Old:: Most of my furniture; Beautiful covered bridges in our county; God's Word that never knows age but is ever present.

#1718-1720 Gifts Moving:: Our car that takes us to church; My soul as it is stirred by the wonderful music that draws me into the presence of God; A breeze that cools the warm, humid days.

#1721-1723 Gifts Fragile:: My soul when it is not fed daily; Altar coverings that are over fifty years old; My favorite tea cup that I use on special occasions.

#1724-1726 Gifts Cut:: Portraits from paper;  Sewn:: Many of my clothes;  Buttoned:: Cotton shirts.

#1727-1729 Gifts New:: Church Family we are now serving; Names to be learned; Patterns to melt into.

#1730-1732 Gifts Long Awaited: This opportunity to lead others to Christ; A new vision for Christ's

followers; A ministry that uses the gifts of my hubby and me in such a natural way.

#1733-1735 Gifts One:: God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit; Two:: Hubby and me are healthy; Three:: Trinity - although One, each person has a specific purpose.

#1736-1739 Gifts Very Small:: Coriander seeds from the garden; A semi-colin at the end of this expression of a gift to distinguish from my next gift; The plug to this computer so I can keep writing in this blog.

#1740-1742 Gifts of Miracles:: Each day I wake up healthy is a miracle; The gift of LIFE for these many years is a miracle; My salvation is totally a miracle and I praise God that He kept pressing in on my until I said YES - 35 years ago!

JULY JOY!

July, a joyous month to celebrate Red, White and Blue!
#1586-1558 Gifts Loved:: Lingering on my back porch as the rain pours into my garden; Warm days and blooming flowers; My hubby of 25 years!

#1559-1561 Gifts Read:: "Meditating on the Word" by Deitrich Bonhoeffer;  "A Father Who Keeps His Promises" by Scott Hahn; and I re-read "The Precious Present" by Spencer Johnson.

#1562-1564 A Gift in Faith::God's sustaining presence in everything I do;  Family:: Lots of helpers for dad even if they live far away;  Freedom:: Ability to worship as I please.

#1565-#1567 Gifts in Red:: Stripes on our flag to remind us of the blood shed for our freedom;  White:: The empty spaces that remind us of those who died to give us a freedom most of us cannot comprehend; Blue:: A color many of wore today to offset red and white accessories as we all celebrated the true gift of being a Nation of Independence.

#1568-1570  Gifts of Persistence:: Keeping up with my daily 'graces' as I write this blog; Finishing my very long trek through Proverbs 31:10-31 as I write one more entry in my Women of Worth Ministries  blog; Writing my Linger Longer at least monthly at my Linger Longer With Gail blog.

#1571-1573 Gifts of Enthusiasm:: Having enough energy to put mulch into 1/4 acre of gardens this morning with some 'enthusiastic' helpers;

Cheering a friend enthusiastically as she recovers from hip surgery; Sharing hubby's enthusiasm when he received a Vivaldi CD.

#1574-1576 Gifts of Challenge:: Sharing words that affirm and motivate others;
Conflict:: Learning how my 'buttons' and their 'buttons' can be 'pushed' at the most profound moments; Change:: I love change.  The weather is my most favorite gift of change.  It was 92 and so humid I could not sit on my porch.  Then it rained!  It is cool and breezy and such a fabulous evening - all because of change.

#1577-1579 Gifts of Water:: Indoor plumbing!  Cooling rain that soaks into the garden; the cleanest form of hydration - I love drinking water all day.

#1580-1582 Gifts of Rhythm:: Paul's words in Romans 8 have a pace that helps me memorize two verses each week.  Rhyme:: Nothing rhymes with Orange - yet.  One never knows what will pop up. Reason:: Paul's gift of reason helps me to understand his long, repetitive sentences until they actually make sense.

#1583-1585 Gifts in Weakness:: When I am weak, God takes over and gives me strength I did not know I had; Although it's early and I have not eaten before a doctor's appointment and I feel distant, I have an encounter with someone who totally lifts my spirits as we find commonality in a tiny church in a very tiny town.  Totally a God thing!  Our Creative God fills my personal weakness of non-creativity with amazingly creative affirmations.

#1586- 1588 Gifts in Jars::  An empty jar waiting to be filled with apple slices; Safe storage for our oatmeal and raisins; Sweet pickles!

#1589-1591 Gifts of Life:: Good health; Growth:: I learn something new each day - especially when I am memorizing scripture; Decline:: My age is showing with the beginnings of a double chin!  Does it make me look wise?

#1592-1594 Gifts Curled:: My hair on a hot, sticky day; Day Lily leaves as they new buds open each day; Ribbon as I draw my scissor blade to the end.

#1595-1597 Gifts Yellow:: HOT sun! My favorite T-shirt; squash blooms.


#1598-1600 Gifts of Stone:: My herb garden path; My garden wall filled with rose blooms; Tiny formations around the garden that I made from a yard filled with buried stones.

#1601-1603 Gifts Hanging Down:: My husband's head as he fell asleep reading the newspaper after a very long day; Limbs of our huge fur tree as they begin to envelope a corner of our yard; My arms after I type too long - to relax my shoulders a bit.

#1604-1606 Gifts Learned: Another way to meditate on God's Word; A greater depth of the Mass as I continue to read The Mass of the Early Christians by Aquilina; How to relax when my memory work is not being retained as quickly as I desire.

#1607-1609 Gifts Musical:: My hubby's new love for classical music, especially Vivaldi :-); His early morning singing while I am too groggy to speak; Praise music as well as classic hymns.
#1610-1612 Gifts Baked:: Molasses bread - our staple for desert; Fresh scones at our favorite coffee shop; Chocolate chip Cookies!

#1613-1615 Gifts in Light:: Sparkle in the birdbath; Dark:: Quiet, sleep;  Shadow:: Amazing images that make life fun.


#1616-1618 Gifts in Story:: We each have a story to share so others can remember meeting us; Story helps us remember, especially when the preacher is helping us to remember to live like Christ Jesus; A friend shared his favorite passage from Homer and the story encouraged my journey.  We are almost at Ithaca but the journey continues.

#1619-1621 Gifts of Understanding::  Listening hard to my hubby's oratory on microbiology so I can understand his interest; Memorizing passages in Romans 8 in order to understand the Apostle Paul's gift of apologetics;   Understanding another as we discuss our differing views on the way Christians worship and draw closer to the Lord, thy God.

#1622-1624 Gifts High:: Our invisible, eternal, omnipotent God who seems high and lofty and is also embedded in my heart through the power of the Holy Sprit;

Low:: My humbled heart as I bow before the Lord in thanksgiving for His incredible GRACE over the past four years.
Far Away:: My new job, to which the Lord has definitely drawn hubby and me, is a one hour drive away.

#1625-1627 Gifts of Sand:: Great weight in glass jars with votive candles; Mixed with our heavy clay soil, my plants can grow! I miss the squiggle of my toes in sea sand when I visit Florida.

#1628-1630 Gifts of Endings: Laying my head on my pillow at the end of a long day; I made it all around the house and ended my weeding in the back yard; The end is near on my study of the Woman of Worth in Proverbs 31 on my blog: Women of Worth .

#1631-1633 Gifts Fresh:: Cool air in the early morning - especially after a skunk visited us last night and it's smell seeped into our house;  Bed sheets just after they have dried outside; Green Peppers and Tomatoes just picked from our backyard garden.

#1634-1636 Gifts On Vacation:: Taking one is a gift.  At Home:: My back porch which I so love in the summer;  In Relaxation:: Lingering over my wonderful garden this year, oh my!

#1637 - 1639 Gifts of Beginnings:: Each day I wake up begins new discoveries; Each new book I open begins a new adventure in my heart; Each new discovery I make begins another path of learning.

#1640-1642 Gifts Together: Hubby and I enjoy running errands together; eating together; sharing the adventures of each day.
#1643- 1645 Gifts Hard: Planning another year of formation for Women of Worth; Digging and cutting that makes my garden always look beautiful; Cooking - a gift to my hubby- is not easy for me.

#1646-1648 Gifts Difficult: Walking the path of righteousness when I'd rather step off of it for awhile; As a leader, helping others to 'join the team' going forward as we grow a church; Finding the best way to 'go forth and make disciples of all nations' without lots of prayer.