JUNE JOY DARE 2013

June, June . . . a time to warm the bones and work in the garden. OH JOY!

#1496-1498  Gifts Orange:: Apricots sitting on the counter; Parking lot cones that protect us from all the cars coming to the garage and bake sale; Beautifully ripe, fresh tomatoes from our local farmer.

#1499-1501 Gifts Funny:: Watching Robins vie for fence post space; Watching my hubby demonstrate a value he heard from the sermon today; Chuckling over the Sunday Comics in the newspaper.

#1502-1504 Gifts from Today's Conversations:: God's voice in my heart as I listen to Him through scripture - and talk back to Him with my own thoughts; Birds chirping in morning chat; Hubby not completing the sentence I hear each morning: "It's time . . . "      for oatmeal, I can make it. (That's my signal to volunteer - because I make the BEST oatmeal ever!)  That said, I let him make it a few times each week.

Two baby Robins nestled deep inside our huge Rose bush.
This was a flash photo that startled the blind chicks.

#1505-1507 Gifts found in Christ:: Peace, Hope and Love!

#1508-1510 Gifts of Peace:: Knowing that each day has already been mapped out for me so I can walk forward with confidence and JOY,   Hope:: That was and is and is to come - Jesus Christ;  Love:: God's sacrifice of his own son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering - for US!

#1511-1513 Gifts Ugly Beautiful:: A now-empty field that had its wheat crop harvested yesterday; Muddy garden shoes after digging and transplanting and fixing empty garden spots; Soft gray skies that tempt us with the promise of rain we so need.

This is the Rose Bush that the nest was in.
Those little birds grew up and flew away before June 4.

#1514-1516  Gifts in what I am Reading:: The Prodigal God by Keller brings me back to the basic tenant of my faith in Christ - that I can be just as much a pharisee as Saul was before his life was transformed.  A great read for everyone.  The Summer Book by Susan Branch is a delightful piece of art, great recipes and hospitality tips.  Reasons to Believe by Scott Hahn provides basic explanations of our Christian doctrine so we are better able to share with others.

#1517-1519 Gifts Empty:: The wastebaskets my husband empties daily; My 'in' box for about thirty seconds; The laundry basket once in awhile - usually after five loads.

This looks like a perfect place to put
our love notes: to each other and to God!

#1520-1522  Gifts that made me really Smile:: Affirmation that my words to the congregation were embraced with a renewed heart; Friends from another church came to visit our church; Wonder conversation at Coffee Hour.

#1523-1525  Gifts at 8am:: Finished exercise, breakfast and quiet time (that's what I get for getting up at
5:30am because I just couldn't sleep!)  12 noon:: A short nap! 2pm:: Laundry done!

#1526-1528  Gifts on our Anniversary:: Twenty-five years together!; Lunch at a HUGE buffet that we never dared go to before now; My hubby and I are in good health and ready for another twenty-five!

#1529-1531  Gifts Full:: My heart as I review my memory verses in Romans 8; My life as I juggle some new opportunities to be used by God; My home: filled with trinkets from all over the world to remind us of so many treasured moments we each have experienced in our earlier years of travel.

#1532-1534  Gifts Smelled:: Fresh flowers in my garden; Chocolate at the "Wilbur Chocolate Factory"; Soggy fields as more rain brings more humidity.

#1535-1537  Gifts Unexpected:: A trip to Erie for a Women's Conference; Unwanted:: Rain while we drive for too many hours;  Unlikely:: Time will fly and we arrive at our destination sooner than we thought.

#1538-1540  Gifts in His Word:: Romans 8:1- "Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus because through Christ the law of the spirit, who gives life, will set us free from the law of sin and death." "Trust in the Lord" Prov.3:5   "The mind set on the flesh is death but the mind set on the spirit is life and peace." Romans 8:6

#1541-1543  Gifts Moving:: The car bringing us home from the conference; My body in exercise after sitting for three days, in the car and in meetings; My life as each day moves me through another year of life.

#1544 -1546 Gifts in my Dad:: Great genes - dad is 98 and still going strong; Curiosity; Can-do spirit.

#1547-1549 Gifts from my Heavenly Father:: Forever with me; Leading me on His best path when I
seek Him; Promises me eternal life.

#1550-1552 Gifts I became in serving today:: A speaker for someone who did not want to share a report; A listener as I shared lunch with a spirited 90 year old; A hunter as I looked for bast information needed by others.

#1553-1555 Gift Bent:: Sun rays through beveled glass; Gift Beautiful:: The garden as I plucked and weeded into the evening;  Gift Loved:: Summer sunshine!

#1556-1558 Gifts Found in Light:: This longest day of the year; Ability to read at night; A computer screen that I can see.

#1559-1561 Gifts Difficult:: Waiting for God's best for me; Knowing when to say 'yes;' Following another's lead when I am not in charge.

#1562-1564 Gifts Found Around a Table:: Friends, Family, Food

#1565-1567 Gifts in Water:: A cool drink on a hot day Words:: Affirmation and encouragement; White:: Linen tablecloth on the back porch table.

#1568-1570 Gifts Today:: My younger sister celebrates her birthday! Dad's lake cottage is finally sold; My brother is safely home after cleaning and sorting and throwing and giving.  Same with my sister who helped clean out dad's cottage for the new family.

#1571-1573 Gifts in Fabric:: Cotton that breathes in the heat; Linen that looks so good even if it does wrinkle easily; Patterns that please the eye for pillows that POP!

#1574-1576 Gifts Framed by a Frame::  My sister's mother-in-law painted what we call a "Pearl Primitive" of my first house.  To this day I dearly love it; Other works from my sister who is a botanical artist, are treasures you have seen periodically over the past months; Mini-mirrors in tiny places, used for 'primping,' a trend I learned from my mother.  Now all I need to do is look into them and 'primp' a bit. . . . if I ever remember.

#1577-1579 Gifts Eaten:: Apricots, Nectorines and organic celery. YUM!

#1580-1582 Gifts Small:: A second set of baby birds getting strong enough to fly in a couple of weeks;

Big:: The expanse of land behind us that leads to five farms - none of it is ours but what a glorious view!   Gift Just Right:: Breakfast out on our little back porch - nice.

#1583-1585 Gifts I Gave today:: Again I gave myself to God to do with as He wills as I wait to hear from a possible job offer; A fabulous italian lunch after church just for my hubby; Time in reflection as I published another blog post on womenofworthmin.com