My new cookbook...

Is my new favorite cookbook for two reasons...

1.  It was written by the Mennonite women from Montezuma...the Yoders.  And has recipies in it such as Colorado Peach Pie, (which I made today with fresh peaches from Lane, and it is divine) Amish Friendship Cake, and cough syrup.

2.  It has this poem
"My God, I sit beneath Thee,
My little child upon my knee,
My little one looks up to me,
And I look up to Thee."

As I flipped through this cookbook this afternoon looking at all of the wonderful recipies that I can't wait to make for my family,the only page I marked was the page on which this poem appeared...no cake, casserole, or cookie.  That poem caught my attention.  And as I crawled into bed next to each of my precious boys tonight, I was extra careful to drink in their smell.  Snuggle them extra tight.  And simply pray that these boys know how much I love them.  I also whispered a prayer to God that memories of nights like tonight would be enough to last a lifetime.

My God, you have given me these children as an inheritance.  As they climb up in my lap every day, as I gather them close, may I remember that I should be in your lap every day as well.  Father, as they look to me, may they see You in me.  May they see You changing me.

Thankful Thursday

3.  I am thankful for this idea from Ann Voskamp.  On her blog, A Holy Experience, Ann posted an article titled "How to {help} raise grateful kids."  In it, she talks about how every day she has her children write on a flower shaped sticky note one thing they are thankful for.  She then hangs them on her window in her "garden of gratefulness."  So I am totally swiping the idea...I bought some star sticky notes and we are going to "count our blessings that outnumber the stars in the sky."  We're starting tonight.  I'll post pictures of it later.  I also bought some thank you notes, so we can start thinking of the people in our lives we should be grateful to.  Watch out!  You may get a thank you note from the Cooks at some point :)  Look at the cute flower pen Elijah made at VBS today :)

4.  RAIN!!  It's coming a decent little shower here right now. 

5.  I'm praising God for these sweet baby blues that greeted me after naptime.  He crawled up in my lap to snuggle while he woke up.  There's nothing in the world like little boy lovin'!

From the 1000 Gifts Blog...

How long do I really have to figure out how to live full of joy?
So my husband might find himself married to a woman he loves being with, a woman who knows how to laugh at the days to come? So our children have these memories of a mama who smiles easy, listens long, makes jokes and praise and all these good days out of crazy messes? So the Christ in me, Joy Himself, “the gigantic secret of the Christians,” is apparent to the world around me, Joy to the world, rescuing the world?


So I sit here, asking myself these same questions.  Why don't I find more joy in my life.  I know it's there.  God has blessed me with the most amazing man for a husband, boys who are funny, smart, kind.  I have a job I love, a beautiful house to live in, plenty of food on the table...so why do I grumble and always want more?

As I approach my 32nd birthday, and watch these boys grow up so fast around me, God is pressing on my heart that I need to be more aware and more thankful of what He's blessed me with.  So it is with a humble heart that I start my own 1000 gifts.  I don't know how long it will take me to get to 1000, but I will...I know I have much more than that to be thankful for.

1.   I'm obviously going to start big.  I'm thankful for the Blood of Jesus that cleanses me from all sin.  Without the hope that comes from being adopted as a child of the King, I'm not sure where I would find myself today.
2. I'm amazed at God's grace, that he would see fit to trust me with these three in the picture below.  After the Blood of Jesus, these three "men" are the most important things in my life.  They love me inspite of how mean and hateful I can be.  Sitting here writing this makes me realize how I need to be more patient, loving, gentle, and kind.  Please, Father God, make me so.

Goodnight

It's time to close those sleepy eyes

It's been a busy day.

Snuggle in to momma's lap,

So we can rock and pray.

Thank You, God, for stars that shine

For the moon that glows above.

For trees and dirt and lightning bugs

and thank You for Your love.

For loving me even though

I can be stinky and mean.

For giving up Your only Son

So I can be made clean.

"Goodnight, my love," I say again

"Tomorrow will be new.

Sleep tight. Sweet dreams. God bless, little one,

And know that I love you.

William Wordsworth Said...

"Fill your paper with the breathings of your heart." So this is me taking that advice to heart. I'm not exactly sure what it will become. Lot of things, I think. Writing, photography, cooking, kids...whatever strikes me on the days I write. I hope people will read it and be blessed by it. Check back often...it's going to grow...I hope!