Joy Dare 2016

For several years now I have been doing the Joy Dare.

Some days, I follow the daily challenges.

Other days, I just journal the gifts as God provides. 

But journaling and counting the many blessings God gifts me with is a huge blessing.

It helps me keep my focus on Him and beyond my circumstances.

 

Not that I do it perfectly. 

Not that I don't get overwhelmed by the hard in life,

because I do.

But these journals... they remind me of His love, His faithfulness, His mercies.

He is gifting us treasures minute by minute if only we choose to See and Acknowledge them..

The cooling wisp of a breeze on a hot day,

the heart shaped cloud,

the tulips blooming on just that day I am sitting in my car waiting and I see them...

Glimpses of beauty, sweetness,

little "memos" of His love

perfectly placed for me to discover at that moment.

 

So on the hard days, I can look back. 

On the hard days, I look close.

I journal. 

On the good days, I journal.

As the days go by, the number gets larger.

At the end of year I have over 1,000 gifts.

Over 1,000 memories of love shown to me by

my Everlasting, Heavenly Father. 

And yet, I know there were far more than that,
I just couldn't journal them all.

This past month, I made some journals as gifts.

I had paper.  I had ink in the printer.
I had the binding supplies.
I got busy.

 I had some coloring books I had downloaded.
Found a free journaling template to download.

I have been sharing the books with those that would like one.

They are the size of an 8.5x11 piece of paper.

I found the printable here

found this free printable here

These coloring pages are from here.

The book was available for free for a while. 
Now I think it is a 1.99

Treasured joys and memories from the Holiday Season

Gratitude leads to Joy

A truth, I hope my children allow to sink deep into their souls.

Love setting up the Nativity. 

A Christmas gift from my mom many years ago.

For the first time ever I have an angel for the top of my tree! 

She is beautiful. 

My children noticed her immediately, which surprised me greatly.

First words out of their mouths when they walked in the door,

"You got an angel!"

They knew I had been looking, but I never told them I found one. 

This journal ~ an unexpected gift that brought me to tears. 
An difficult day, a friend delivered a wrapped gift for now or later.
I tucked it away under the tree. 

She had no idea, this simple journal I had passed over time and time again. 
Always something else on the list that received priority. 

But God knew..

Oh, how the tears flowed on Christmas morning. 

God is in the details and timing and He loves us so.

Counting joy and reflecting on the past week

I have been reflecting on my accomplishments this past week.

I traveled this weekend with my kids.  I had minimal bumps along the way.  The kids have been great.  They have been walking this road with me and learning right along with me.  As time passes, there are fewer and smaller bumps.

We have all learned to respect my limitations and live with "pacing" ourselves/me.  That means the trip was "quieter" than past trips.  Relaxing.  If I overdo, then I am down for who knows how long.  We have been learning to say no for the short term so in the long term and big picture it is only a little no, and more yeses.  (For instance, I may need to say no to a 30 minute run to the store, so I can rest.  Rested means I will be able "to do" the next 4 hours.)  It is frustrating.  I like being able 'to do'.  I remind myself regularly though it doesn't hurt the kids to hear "no,"and to do without.  "No" sometimes teaches creativity, contentment, compassion, and consideration.

Along with traveling, we were able to visit and connect with old friends/acquaintances.  Life just has a way of happening and interfering with moments to just sit and visit.  Or if you are a kid, to run and play and be silly with other kids. .

I managed to cook dinner Sunday with minimal intervention and help from them.  Their help was only needed because I was up to my wrists in bread dough and then I cut myself.  In spite of it all, dinner was made in 35 minutes.  This is huge in our house.  I have done a lot of relearning in the last year.  Cooking has been an issue but it is getting easier.  Monday night, I had another dinner success and score in the kitchen!!  So incredibly grateful for the Holy Spirit prompts and nudges that help me get through each day.

Laundry is caught up.  The dryer issues have all been resolved.

The dishwasher issues are almost completed.

Winterizing projects for the house are underway!

School lessons are getting done.  Some of the lessons are definitely God orchestrated because there is no other way to explain how they perfectly tie into what is happening in our own little personal world.  God is just so amazingly gentle and kind, going before us in this manner.

There is a plan for the remaining house chores.

The Earth Shook Today!

The last couple of weeks we have had head colds and allergies. Last year I made an announcement to the kids, on any given day that they did not leave the house, they could declare it pj day for themselves.  Of course, double checking with me to make sure there wasn't anything planned and not mentioned.  It is a rare day that I never have to leave my home.  A day nothing is planned.  If there isn't anything planned, well that is the day shopping will sometimes (most likely) get delegated to... Today, I woke up tired.  Tired to my bones.  I took my shower and just wasn't revived, my bed unmade just kept whispering my name.
While brushing my teeth I looked at my calendar.  Nothing.  Nothing at all.  Not one reason to leave my house!  PJ day!  I felt the stress of getting ready for the day lift off my shoulders.  The suprising and best part... my youngest girl was ecstatic for me.  She told me to Go for it!  Her encouragement meant the world to me.  Kids started school and I grabbed my Bible and drink and took this picture sitting next to my diffuser.

Sniffling and snuffling, I read.  My head was pounding because this morning I wasn't bouncing out of the morning stuffiness that comes with head colds and allergies.  

I just kept counting my blessings that I could have a PJ day.  I felt deliriously like a lady of leisure.  An amazing indulgence that was for the moment better than chocolate. 

Then I did something else.  The timer dinged and it was break time.  I declared a hour break.  An hour to play a game.  We arranged ourselves around the table, with 2 of us sitting in the sun's rays because sunshine beating on our heads and backs always seems to relieve congestion.  We played.  Snacked.  Laughed.  The timer dinged and it was back to work.  So much work was accomplished before lunch as a result.  

When I made my announcement the kids just looked at me.  They knew better to argue... cause I was offering FUN!  But I asked them, did you feel that?  Did you smell that?? More looks.  I think the earth shook, I think the volcanoes are erupting and there might be some hail... My oldest caught on quick and said she's saying the earth might be ending... 

Their mother just doesn't do things like this.  I looked at them and said, for a long time your mother didn't do things like this.  She was super responsible.  But NOW things are different.  Now Mom has some freedom to say, for one hour we will play.  Yes, we will still have the work to do, but it will get done.  We know what we are trading time for and what will need to be done.  We will get it done.  Smiles... 

My heart soars.  

Laughter...

Days like this, school like this... incredibly blessed today.  

Smile Makers this week

Smile makers this week!

Freebie Tea in the mail for my tea lovers...

Oh all the places to choose for curling up to take a nap!?!  This kitty does like soft beds but I often find him on hard wooden chairs and stools and apparently he likes boxes too.

Filling an hour...

In July, there was no more Wednesday night activities at church.  Just for the month.  Each Wednesday it rained.  The day cooled off.  I know this not because I chart the weather.  But each Wednesday as the temps dropped, we headed to the lake to fish with my dad.  He just can't be out in the heat.  He is on oxygen and hot temperatures make it extremely difficult to breathe, even on oxygen.  The church schedule has resumed and the rain and/or cooler temperatures continue on Wednesdasy.  It has left me in the quandry.  Attend church and build relationships with others, which is much needed or spend time with Grandpa at the lake.  

Grandpa had other plans tenatively.  So we went to church.  Afterwards, I just wanted to be outside.  To just be away.  So I asked the kids, would an hour be enough.  Could you be satisfied with an hour, fish or no fish... ?  It was unanimous.  Grandpa isn't a go for an hour kind of fisherman.  We called him up and told him the plan.  He hesitated and then responded with, "Oh, why not?"  
I started the timer, but then was told it wasn't fair... start the timer once the lines are ready.  I laughed and said, if I delayed there would be incredible dilly dallying... more laughter. But I did stop the timer.  Silly me. Because I forgot to start when this girl had the
first line in...

Much to be grateful for

This weekend's harvest.  My youngest likes to run and check the garden.  Last night he brought me a handful of tomatoes.  Today as I chatted on the phone for a few minutes, I picked what I could hold in my other hand and in my skirt.  Skirts and Aprons are so handy!  

This week:

Counting my blessings

Things yellow:

"wild" sunflower in my vegetable garden 

cherry tomatoes (yellow variety) ripening 

the gardens full of  Black Eyed Susans throughout the city..they just make me smile! 

sunny, hot days and trips down the lazy river at the pool (getting to chat with my oldest son)

clearance flowers (again) ~ they make all of us smile

new friends

repaired steps 

health

gardens being reclaimed after several years of neglect and the lessons being learned...

Things curled: 

my hair, after years of stick straight, my hair has become curly/wavy naturally!

the sweaty locks of boys

children curled up reading books

random blessings to add:
Kindhearted man behind the counter at the ice cream place.  His friendliness and chattiness changed the tempo of my day and my heart.
Lazy kitties that are at a loss due to rain, don't want to be in, don't want to be out.
Worms, fish hooks, unexpected company on the dock, good conversation, laughter and smiles
Sometimes honesty reveals critical natures that sting, other times unexpected grace and tenderness is experienced,
Hugs
Hugs
Hugs
Can't say enough about hugs, they are a blessing
Thunderstorms
Wild pumpkins sprouting from the compost bin! Seeds that escaped last year and have managed to produce a beautiful orange pumpkin almost ready for the picking.

Thankfulness and Counting Joy

I have come to find that no day is complete without counting the gifts God has blessed me with throughout the day. 

I have a planner I made and the front cover is the Joy Dare Missions.  In my planner, I have weekly sheets for menu planning..something I still need to get better at, but at the bottom I keep track of my blessings.  I tally them up, preferably throughout the week, sometimes I have to backtrack a few weeks.  Nothing helps me more through this difficult season of life than finding the gifts God is blessing me with beyond the "basics"...food, children, home, clothes, health... Training myself to keep looking deep and hard for the gifts all around me.  It also trains me to take my focus of the now and immediate and close to heart.  When I shift my focus, I can look forward and upward and train my eyes and heart to see things maybe a little more like my Heavenly Father sees them.

If you are struggling, I challenge you to jump in right where you are at and begin to count your gifts.

This week:

Gifts in the Challenge:  Learning in God how strong I can be with Him holding my hand.
Gifts in the Conflict:  Silence unexpected that is unnerving and disquieting...and then realizing, the same silence is an answered prayer, a gift from my Heavenly Father and then being able to exhale and rest in Him.
Gifts in Change:  So much change ~ We are creating new habits, better habits.  Learning to be more of who I am in God without worry and with more acceptance.  Changing thought patterns and speech patterns.
3 Gifts in Water:
Children who wisely choose to drink water over sugary drinks.
Evening at the lake learning to fish.
Peace found in listening to the waves gently reach out and touch the shore.