Grace Upon Grace pt. 5

* Hot weather. It has warmed back up over the last week or so and I have been loving it. There's still a crispness to the air, but I can sit outside and feel the sun on my skin again.

* The "Not my circus, not my monkeys" quote that's been going around. 

We usually host a HUGE get together in September, but I just knew that I wasn't going to be up for it this year. I apologized/declared my incompetence by sharing this quote with people. I've been saying it all weekend and even though a few people came I didn't play the hostess game this year.

It was wonderful. I needed the break.

* Conversations with strangers. I'm always up for a chat...Always. And I try to be safe about it, but I'm just going to talk to strangers.

I've met two people who interjected themselves into my conversation after listening to me say something to someone else (THAT'S a little creepy). As for a less creepy introduction, my Mom and I met an 84 year old man who came to America from Greece when he was 16. That is THE old country...In case you were wondering.

* My brother and sister. I can't emphasize enough how glad I am to be around for their teenage years. Teenagers have ALWAYS driven me a bit nuts, but I love them and I'm excited to watch them become passionate about things and pursue those passions as they get older.

* Time. I can't decide exactly how I feel about it, but fall always makes me get all nostalgic. I love looking back (well, on most of it anyway) and looking ahead.


Let's link up with JORDYN!!!

Grace Upon Grace pt. 3

Life has been HEAVY lately. A lot of times the weekends make my heart swell with grief...Let's join Jordyn and make a list of simple graces that we've been enjoying lately! 

The berries on this tree keep reminding me that it's September.

I noticed that this Phlox that I thought had died is blooming. It's not the middle of August, but life is life, I'll take it!

This dog is something else...I think she's enjoying the cooler temps!

I pulled out THIS cookbook and made The Homesick Texan's "Black Bean Sopes with Chipotle Crema". Minus the black beans and chipotle crema.

I chipped away at this novel over the weekend. I think I'm going to love it.



I've got four more days of "23" left and then it's on to 24. I could tell you about how I cried at KFC on Saturday (who even does that?!?!)...I'm carrying around things that aren't really mine to carry. I'm worrying about things that I have zero power to change. Pray for my friends. Pray for my family. Pray that 24 is spent worrying less.

Let's end with some words for our soul.

"The source of your fire is God and He is always burning." Dr. Paul Jehle

His grace is so real. May we warm ourselves by His fire and find that the fire that He has placed within us is burning strong. May we know Him and love Him and obey Him. May these lives be spent in ways that make people see our God for who He is. Even when it hurts.

Grace Upon Grace pt. 2

I'd just really like to get right to God's grace today!

1. I know that getting home safely on Friday night was by God's grace alone. It was a long day, an even longer drive, and I was barely awake. After one 15 minute nap on the side of the road, I was only a little better, but we had to get home.

2. My Mom and I decided to go geocaching yesterday afternoon. We ended up running into some friends who don't get to see often. Lauren and Mikaela, our visit was fantastic! Thank your family for waiting so we could catch up. :)

3. At some other friends' VBS program, I was reminded of the time the Gospel became real to me. It was precious and made me even more excited about "Victory in Jesus" (click HERE, if you missed the invitation to link up!).

4. I'm grateful for the future grace that I know God's got for me over the next few months (read: my LIFETIME). I'm an anxious little monster this morning!

5. Time to go to God's Word and then His nudging me to pray. You'll be hearing more about 1 Peter this week. I feasted on a few more verses this morning and found some great weapons to use on that anxious heart of mine. For now, I'll share the words with you:

"Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; for

'All flesh is like grass 

and all its glory like the flower of grass. 

The grass withers, 

and the flower falls, but the word of the Lord remains forever.' 

And this word is the good news that was preached to you."

1 Peter 1: 22-25

Tell me about God's grace in YOUR life lately! 

Grace Upon Grace

July 1, 2014

As I was reading another installment in Amy's "Make It Monday" series last week, I clicked over to Jordyn's blog. After clicking around I realized that we have a few things in common (reformed theology, clean freakishness, and a love for taking time to recognize God's grace in our lives, to be specific).

I discovered she has a bi-weekly link up that she calls "Grace Upon Grace" which is  all about "sharing at least four evidences of grace from my previous few days of life".

So, here we go! God's grace showed up in my life last week in these four ways (and soo very many more)...


1. "Meeting" Jordyn! There are so many bloggers to be friends with...Finding one with several things in common is extra nice.

2.  When I was invited to 2 cookouts. Last Saturday night I went to bed with a fever and I didn't really feel better until Monday afternoon. Starting the week sick is not so good and I spent the week in "catch up mode". Not having to cook twice was PERFECT timing.

3. A pool day with my sister. Swimming has gone through some serious seasons. When I was little I was the kid that treaded water and played an occasional game of colors. After my brother and sister were born I was their ticket to go in any pool they wanted. Then they magically out grew the need for that ticket and I became the chauffer/occasional swim buddy, but I usually just sat on the side talking to the moms. Then the time came where they really didn't need me at all anymore and I thought, "Well, now what?!?! I can't go swimming by myself." (I'm weird, I know. Everyone else is happy to swim alone.) Last week my sister and I went and we swam. She didn't ditch me to swim with other kids and I lightened up and raced and tried strokes I haven't done in years. It was a blast! Do I dare say that THIS swim season is my favorite? Only God knew!

4. Sleep. I can pretty much sleep any time and any place. I know that this is not true of everyone and I also know that I have God to thank for the sleep I get each night. As John Piper shared yesterday, "'He gives to his beloved sleep.' Psalm 127:2 We can’t even sleep in our own strength. He gives it. Or we don’t have it."

So, there's my first Grace Upon Grace post. 

 Join in every other Monday!

  

Just a reminder, today is the last day to sign up for a penpal! Click HERE to sign up.

Last, but not least, the winner of the Tropical Traditions Gold Label Coconut Oil giveaway that I hosted is:

Brittany from The Pistachio Project

Thanks to Tropical Traditions for sponsoring this giveaway and offering such great products! Thanks to everyone that entered!!! Special congratulations to you, Brittany! I know you're going to LOVE it. :)

If you're interested Tropical Traditions is having a FREE shipping event until midnight TODAY with the coupon code: 11147! Click HERE to check out all of their SALES and place your order for some coconut oil now! :)