Thursday, August 1, 2013

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!