Days 8 through 13

Recent blessings for days 8 through 13...

Day 8: A beautiful day of sunshine to go out and skate on the lake. Was nice to get away form school work and skate away some stress.

Day 9: I found letters of encouragement from my youth leaders in an journal, it was great to read them again. They are a great reminder, and they lifted my mood a lot. 

Day 10: Even though I have stated this before, I love my blanket. It it always there for extra comfort, and after a long day of classes, coming back exhausted, my bed and my blanket were the perfect combination for me to relax.  Being able to just unwind after a long day was great.

Day 11: The blessing of having a single room. Being able to just hide away when I need time to myself. Being able to just escape for relaxing and unwinding. 

Day 12: I was able to Skype with a great friend from high school! We had been trying to find a time that worked, and even through technical difficulties, it ended up that we were able to chat and catch up! Great to re connect and share laughs together once again.

Day 13: Taking a nap. It seems like I always mess up my sleeping schedule when I am at university, and I was able to actually fit in a nap between classes nicely. It turned out longer than I had anticipated, but it was definitely worth it. The extra sleep helps tremendously for the rest of the day.

Praise the Lord!

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good!

His faithful love endures forever.

Psalm 106:1

Days 4 through 7

Update for my 40 days of thanking God for these blessings in my day. For days 4 through 7 I am saying thanks for various things that I have been blessed with the last few days.

Day 4:
Loving words - When I was home, I got to see a very special woman in my life, she is my friend, my mentor and my sister in Christ. It was such a gift to sit and talk with her. I can share tears, laughs, hugs and more with her. She is such a blessing to me in more ways than one, I can always count on her wise and loving words.

Day 5:
Church family - Coming home to see those that have been with me throughout my journey, and being able to worship together with them again. Having that feeling and sense of community together. I took this for granted but then when I went away for school I realized that having a church family built is such a blessing.

Day 6:
My pillow - After having it in my luggage in another city for the night, it was certainly a blessing when I was able to retire to bed with it under my head.
Fuzzy blankets - They came in very handy when I wanted that extra comfort, warmth and coziness during the night.

Day 7:
Walk in fresh air - It isn't everyday I get the time to take a walk down the streets. Sure it was for a  class assignment, but it did feel refreshing to be out of the classroom or residence building.
Guidance and wisdom - Being able to share and learn from those who care about you. Even though there are many difficult things in life, being able to talk about it is a blessing. Even more, receiving back advice and guidance from another woman in my life that cares. Having her there to listen and to help on many occasions.

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

James 1:17 (KJV)

40 days

A while ago I heard that when giving up something for lent is meant for focusing more on God as well. Each year that I gave something up I just chose something that was in my life that I used a lot or ate a lot. It never really had much of a connection or reason to it.

This year, I couldn't figure out what to give up so in stead I am doing something a little different. I am going to keep track of the blessings each day he gives me for 40 days. And hopefully continue longer than that. 

These next 40 days will hopefully but a transition for me. From being at university I feel like I have become lost and it took until now to realize just how far. I do not want to continue this way, instead I want to use the little things that I look over everyday and recognize how important they are. Also just to realize that God is there for me in so many different ways and times within my daily life that I do not realize and instead I overlook. It is the little things that can make the most difference.

Day 1:
Snail mail, words of encouragement, God's hand in perfect timing.
I received snail mail from an amazing woman!! Her mail always comes at the perfect timing,... when I need it most!

Day 2:
Music - I was listening to music on the bus ride home, and the powerful words of worship music and the ability to uplift your mood and spirit.
Family - I was able to come home for the weekend even just driving part the way home with my Dad was great to be with him.
Home - When i walked into my house from being away for a while, there was the familiar feelings and sense of comfort no matter how long I had been gone.

Day 3:

Friendships - The ability to meet up with friends to catch up and spend time together. There is the feeling that they love you for your good and bad times, your crazy and quietness.

Hugs - Receiving hugs from family and friends, I know that a hug can say so much. For me it means a lot and just like a picture can say a million words, so can a hug.
Words of wisdom - I received many words of wisdom from various people in my life, all being very important to me and very useful. 

 

The words I needed to hear

This year is my first year of university. If I look at how coming here has affected my faith, it is interesting. There are both "ups" and "downs" of going away for school. Although, I would have to say that I haven't really felt close to God when I have been here. That is, until recently. I feel like I have been shifting. My heart is being challenged. Many things have sparked the challenge. Even though I have heard many things before, for some reason they feel different this time. Maybe because I feel like they apply more to me now than before. Either way, they were the words that I needed to hear.

Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working 
for the Lord rather than for people- Colossians 3:23 

A few weeks ago the Pastor of the Church I attend did a series on Jesus in the Office. He spoke about how we are to work like we are working for the Lord. Currently I do not work at a job anywhere, but I can still relate this to my life. Within my program at school I work on many group projects. Within my work at studio I can take this to heart and act on it. No matter how many headaches the project may be giving me, I need to make sure I am giving it 100%. Not taking shortcuts or the "easy way out". The way that I work should show Jesus through my actions. He should shine through everything that I do, including the work that I do at school. 


In my heart and my soul
I give You control
Consume me from the inside out Lord
Let justice and praise
Become my embrace
To love You from the inside out

These words are part of Joel Houston's song called, From the Inside Out. Yesterday in church we sang this song. It is the first time that I have heard these words for a long time. This time when I heard and sang them they meant so much more to me than they have before. They hold so much more meaning. This time singing them I really felt like that is what I wanted to say to God. I wasn't singing the song just because I was in church, but I really want to have God inside and out, and have him shine through my life for others to see his amazing love.


"Blessings on you this week in all your interactions and the lives you touch"

I received these words, along with some verses from the bible, in snail mail a couple days ago from a very wise friend of mine. Even though I had not told her about certain things that were on my mind and heart she couldn't have wrote more perfect words for me to read at that moment. It caught me and made me think about the previous week, let alone the previous 24 hours. What had others thought about the course of my actions? Did they see Jesus through what I said or did? What impact was I giving?  How can I show more of the Love of Jesus through my daily work at school?


It is amazing how God loves us so unconditionally, and He knows everything about us. He gets our attention in many different ways and at the perfect time. Had all this happened the week prior, I don't think I would have been in the same spot. My heart was being challenged but I did not know where it was taking me and God knew, even though I did not. I knew that I was struggling and didn't know much beyond that, but as the week went on God gave me the words I needed to hear.

The plans I have for you...

Life changes, it doesn’t always stay the same, with the same circumstances. I personally have been realizing that times and areas of life come and then pass fairly fast. Example, I am in grade 12 with less than 2 months till the last exams of my high school career. That is freeing and scares me all in one. I can’t wait to move on to bigger and better things, but at the same time there is the knowledge of the unknown that is ahead of me. This idea of the unknown is probably one of the most frightening things that I will ever encounter. I don’t take it very well. If you have been talking to me recently you might know that I have had a couple bad days, I break down to the point that I can’t focus on anything that I am doing, and all I want is to go home and cuddle into my bed for the next morning to start everything fresh. Mostly this is because of amounts of stress that I pile on myself when waiting upon hearing from schools. I could be going in one of few directions, and right now not actually knowing which one. But then to stop and think about it for a few minutes I need to realize a couple things.

1.      God loves me

2.      God will not leave me nor forsake me

3.      God has it all under control

These are things that I might know, and believe, but I haven’t taken the time in my busy life to think about and to remember. Remember. That is a strong word. I can know how to take derivatives in calculus when I am studying, but then going to the midterm remembering that is vital. I also need to remember these things, that God has a plan for me and isn’t going to leave me. Remembering is important, and goes hand in hand with knowing and believing.

At the beginning of this year at youth we were talking about what Ezekiel 36:26-28 means, and then we talked about turning 180, the old into new. We also said that to be truly happy we need to lead our heart to God. Personally, I want to be able to trust in God completely and be able to know, believe and remember that God had it all under control. I know that if I am to be truly happy then it means that God is a part of my life and that I can trust in him.

So, bringing this all together… trusting in God is something that is important and something that makes life more bearable. I know that the days that I remember and know that God is looking out for me are better days. For example I woke up one morning and listened to worship songs all morning as I was getting ready for school that day was great, and the little things in life were suddenly the things that made me smile all day long. But there are days that I lose track of that, and they are harder for me mentally, emotionally and physically. So I want to end on this verse.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you” declares the Lord.  - Jeremiah 29:11-14

Chocolate cake

There has been a lot on my heart about what it means and what it looks like to live fully in God and to let it show that I have been changed by God. I know that there are things that are different about me and that my values have changed, among other things. But then I think about other aspects of my life and how I show my love for Christ. I once listened to a speaker, Swayze Waters, who was talking about showing evidence in your life that you have been changed by God.. He referred to Mark 8:34 which says,...

 "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me for whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the Gospel will save it. "

He talked about two points,

1. Throwing up your hands and Telling God that you want him to take control of your life

2. Dedication and willingness to follow Him and live for Him 

To me, living for God means loving others, loving yourself and showing that God's love is amazing and whole. But if we as Christians aren’t showing others and living out what we believe then how are others to know what is so amazing.

Let's look at this another way... If you had never tried chocolate cake how would you know that it is good? Well you would have to try it right? But how would you know to try it if someone didn't tell you that you should because it is amazing. If you aren't told then how will you know that chocolate cake is so amazing? Or what is your favour activity to do? Think about it, what if the person beside you had never done it or know what it is like. Would you explain it to them and tell them it is great and they should do it too, or let them miss out on an incredible experience?

Here is something… have you ever ran into the ocean on January 1^st? No? Didn’t think so. What is your first reaction to doing that? Freezing cold maybe? Crazy? Well I think that it is amazing and so much fun and it gets your heart pumping and it is just such a great adventure! I have done this, I know what it is like and that I enjoyed it so much that I would tell others that they should as well because it was so great.

 

So the same applies to being a Christian and knowing the love of God,… if people don’t know that God is so loving and true, and when God is present that amazing miracles in your life can come true, and amazing things happen around you then they aren’t going to see why they should or what the reason is that to be Christian. They aren’t going to know that God will protect them and love them, never forsake them or leave them. But you are the one that knows that, you know what God is capable of and how radiant He is. So you are there to show them what they are missing out on.

 

So I challenge you to now think about what evidence you have in your life that shows others that you are totally in love with God. How would they know the love of God by looking at what you do or spending time with you. If you live for God and want to live for him then you realize how incredible He is, and so why not share it with those around you?

I can do all things through Christ

I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

Pilipians 4:13

There are things in our lives that we know we are good at, we always have been, and people have told you that. There are things that we might try and improve in, like your grades, how well you draw, your singing, your memorization, your drama skills, the list can go on and on. I have so much in my life that I focus on and try to improve in or excel in. Even writing this devotional, I wanted to write a good one, and I wanted it to mean something. But I found I had troubles with this one, I wrote one thing and then focused on it, and then decided no, that really wasn’t working, and tried to fix it. Then I stopped and thought about it. Why is it so hard to write this one? Then I thought about my recent conversation with a great friend earlier that day. She had talked about how it doesn’t matter about what the person beside you is going to come up with. They might have something that is so beautiful, so creative, and amazing. But yours doesn’t have to be huge and elaborate. You just have to remember that whatever you do, to let God show through it. So let Him be the light that is coming from your art, or your grades, singing, and so on. Then I thought about this even more, this devotional is for Him, and his glory, not to show that I know my stuff and to sit me on a pedestal, but instead it is about HIM. Then I thought about other aspects of my life, like my portfolio of University. There is a lot of work that is needed to be done for that, and there are things that just aren’t working the best, and so then when I think of the verse in Philippians 4” I can do everything through him who gives me strength” I realize that I just need to listen to Him and see what His plans are for my portfolio.  I see how I am trying to lift up myself and show how talented I am as a person. But maybe if I can change gears a bit and through my work show how amazing God is. He is the ultimate one who can I am trying to delight in and what to show to others, so God and his Grace is what I want to show through my portfolio, and how act, and who I am.

So I am going to end on a question.. what is it in your life that you do to Glorify Him?

This time of year

 

It is has come again, this is the time of year full of family, friends, carols, snow, presents, food, and the new year right around the corner. There is so much around us and so much going on that we can get lost in the hustle of everything. I myself find that this time of year is very busy, not only with the family gatherings, outings with friends, and planning around schedules, but also with the sense of another year, and the feeling of time slipping flying by and not seeing how fast life is moving around myself. So I am taking this time to look at the things around me and see that I am so thankful for them. I am grateful for the people that I have to spend my time with. This time of year is also one of which I find so beautiful and amazing, the trees topped with snow, the crunch of snow from your shoes, the amazing way water can form beautiful icicles.

 I look around and see that life is beautiful and amazing, and it is precious. So stop with me for a second from the planning and hustle and look around yourself, look at what you find pretty, or beautiful, and thank God that He has placed that in your life to give you the reminders that He cares about you, and loves you. He has given us so many amazing, precious, gifts to see, enjoy and glorify.

Just the right words...

 

There are so many times that I am in search of just the right words. It doesn't matter what it is for, whether I am explaining something to someone at work, or I am writing an essay, or my blog, or even if I am just looking for an answer to reply or to receive. The right words can sometimes just flow so easily together, but then other times they feel a million miles away.

Just recently I was taking a break, and talking with friends. Then a friend and I were talking about how life is so busy, and how there is so much stress on midterms that were coming up in the next couple of days. Then out of the blue (at least that is how I felt it to be), my friend told me this....

 "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about

 itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."

And instantly I recognised it, knowing that it was from the book of Matthew in the Bible.

 I love that verse, and to be honest I had not thought of it in a long time. My friend

had remembered me mentioning it from the previous year and how I liked it and how

 I felt about it, so she reminded me of it. I didn't know at the point in time, but that was

exactly what I needed to hear. Those words were ...

just the right words.

She had given me a gift out of the blue, and it was perfect timing, and it meant so much, even if she did or did not realize it at the moment.

Sometimes we search and search because we think we have to find the right words, or the answers, but really it may be so much closer than we think. We might be the one who contains the answers (or the right words) for someone else, and we might not even know it. But God does know it. He knows the answers,and the right words. We just have to think of him, and remember that he has the control and he loves us... so that we won't worry about finding the right words, or worrying about what tomorrow will bring, because he will come through for us. He is always there.

Realizing Fear

 

I know what fear is. I learned about it as a child growing up, it is a feeling you get when you are scared. It happens almost involuntarily. But I have recently learned more about fear,...

I now know that it (fear) has the ability to hold onto someone and it can be a distinctive game changer in someones life, with or without them realizing it. It is sometimes unrealized and we look right past it. Fear, is what makes us miss out on opportunities that life presents to us.

In my life there has always been a reoccurring feeling of fear. Not just the idea of  "this is spooky, I'm scared" kind of feeling, but the part of fear that comes with the trying of new things, and getting out of your comfort zone. The feeling that holds you back from doing what you want to do.

Just recently I have realised fear is present more often than I think. I was at a youth retreat and the speaker was talking about how we miss out on so many opportunities. He linked it all back to the story of Peter taking his eyes off Jesus while he was walking on water. He said that Peter may have been wrong to stop focusing on Jesus, but at least Peter took the first step. Peter got to experience something that the rest of the disciples in the boat did not get to, because they stayed in the boat.

So naturally I started thinking about this, and how it is with my life. When have I stayed in the boat? When have I missed out on opportunities because I was held back by fear? Well, the answer is, many times, more than I have realized, or can think of.

So I can stay thinking about all that I might have missed out already, but instead I am going to look forward. When I feel/sense that feeling that I am going to just sit back, or that I do not really want to do something, I ask myself, what am I possibly going to miss out on? Do I really want to miss an opportunity that life is handing me? Am I going to stay in the boat, or this time get out?

Prayer

Prayer is something that everyone sees differently, understands differently, uses differently. I asked some people if they had to summarize prayer into a sentence to tell someone, anyone, what would they say… this is what I got.

Prayer is a dialogue with God, not only talking to God but also listening to him. A two way conversation

Prayer is an ongoing, intimate conversation with God.

Prayer is a conversation between two friends. The purpose is to understand and get to know each other better, just like talking to a trusting friend.

In the last couple of days I have been trying to read in my bible about prayer, and see what the scriptures say, what I have learned is that God is there, he is listening to what you say, he may not answer right away, but he is there. He will answer, for the scriptures say in Matthew 7:7-8, Keep on asking and you will receive what you ask for, keep on seeking and you will find. Keep on knocking and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.

This doesn’t mean that if we pray every night asking for a perfect score on a test, that it will happen. I learned that God responds to wisdom and love. That what glorifies him will be answered, and isn’t every little thing we want.

But the major thing that I have read and learned, and had it repeated by different people… is that that Prayer is more than simply asking God to give us what we want. It’s living, active, and powerful communication with the LORD. My study bible gave me an analogy, have you ever seen two people who are friends, and they spend a lot of time together, they become more like each other, they may talk, act, and possibly think a lot alike. They are becoming more like each other. So, if we are spending time with God in prayer, it is the intimate two-way conversation between you and a trusting friend. You are going to become more like Him. Or look at it this way,… I personally have had it that when I am around a group of people, they tend to sway me to talk like they do, whether I notice it or not, and well, I think that it is the same with God. If I spend more time with him, then I will be veering towards Him in our relationship, than if I am not spending that time with him.

I know that I have to be willing to let prayer surround me, it can be so powerful., but I have to let it be, and be willing to open my heart and let God speak to me. We can get to know each other, even though he already knows so much about me, He still wants me to talk to Him, tell Him my hurts, fears, excitements… everything. So in the next couple of days I am going to challenge you, and myself. Not only to pray to God and to pray for yourself, but also to pray to Him about others, the person sitting next to you, or your co-worker, etc. And you can pray about numerous things… for someone to understand God’s will, gain wisdom or spiritual understanding, to honour God, bear fruit, appreciate God, or to be filled with his love, and joy, and to be thankful.

 

 

NOTE ** This week for my youth group I had the privileged to read devotions. So I decided that I was going to write my own for a change, since I usually read them from a book, or find one online. Therefore, I decided to take my devotion and also use it on my blog. It is slightly different to work for my blog than the one I read but the almost the same.

Plans I have for you....

 

 

"For I know the plans I have for you" declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a future" - Jeremiah 29:11

This verse has showed up in a couple different things in a small matter of time. So that made me sit and think about how it relates to me right now...

Right now I am in the decision making process about my schooling and where I will go... Will I go to a univeristy nearby, far away, or do I take the college approach then into a university, or do I go for a year of bible college and then to university/college. ?? There are too many decisions that I find all come together into my head and comfuse me, I can say that for sure...

 I am confused.

But I don't like that, I want an answer to fall into place, for the decision to be made and then be final. But of course that doesn't just happen. When I was talking to a member at my church a little bit ago, I mentioned not knowing what I was going to do, he had said to me that the answer will come eventually, and that I have probably prayed about it. That stopped me right there.

I haven't prayed about this. I haven't ask God what/where he wants me to go. So know I am trying to pray about this and see what happens. Then now I have been seeing this verse in different places.. and well it is a comfort to me that this verse is standing out... I hope that it is a message from God, and that I can just sit back ,adn don't need to stress out about it, because no matter what happens, I know that God will be right beside me watching out for me. He already knows what my plans will be.

 

This verse is just what I needed to read and it came at the right time.

 

Living today...

If you have noticed, I have changed the title of my blog,... but that may only be a temporary thing. I have been thinking a lot about what I post and about what I want to write about, what I already write about, etc. But I haven't really think that I have nailed what I truly think that is the right thing for me yet,... at first I was posting pictures of the gifts that I see that God has created for us, those peaceful comforts. But then I started writing a bit more but I still don't think that I am 100% happy with my blog, so I am going to try something else out,... I am going to try to,..

Live for Today.

Not only because of my blog, but because I am a person who gets caught up in the past, and in the future. I don't very often end up in the present time. This bothers me often because I know that in the bible, in Matthew 6:25-34 there it tell you not to worry. Then pinpointing it down to the single verse of Matthew 6:34 So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today. (NLT)

Right now in my life I have so much going on, I am "growing up" so to say, in less than a month I will be entering grade 12, the last year, and even though there are so many great things, I seem to always get caught in the worries and the questions... but I wish that I could just live in the present.

So I am taking a small step with my blog, but in different areas of my life I am also going to try and live today, not for tomorrow, or from the past. And even though I have changed the name, and a bit of my outlook, doesn't mean that I can't post the peaceful comforts that come in my life, because those are still living today, but I think I need more than that, I think I need to challenge myself a bit more.

Memories

Memories, the act of retaining or reviving events, impressions, facts, previous experiences...

Today I was lying down on my couch and thinking about life, about the past the present
 and the future. I was thinking about my family, and my friends. As I would think
about something or someone my brain would give me a show, a devine recollection of
a past event, or maybe better put ...  

... a memory.

I was thinking about the people in my life, and then suddenly I am replaying what the past held. How we always used to sit at the end of the hall in our church on Sunday mornings, and we would talk until it was time for the service. I think about how we became friends, and how we made the bad parts of our freindship turn into something better. There were memories of homework marathons, and going to youth group.There are memories of camping trips, and campfires. I remembered how we would hangout, laugh, and joke with each other. How we would get together early in the morning and talk, and pray. There are memories of innocent card games turning into the some of most competitive times that I can remember. These memories were the babysteps to how these people have become so close to me and how they are now a very important part in my life.

There are somethings that you just can't forget, mind you I don't want to forget them, but that gives me the warm, peaceful feeling that even though it has happened in the past, I know that I can still think of it and replay parts of it, even if it doesn't have as much detail as when the event actually occured, but it is still better than only being about to experience things once. Today I could remember things that happened years ago, and how we have come to the present day.

So today I am thanking God for the amazing gift of memories, and being able to replay those events from the past. I thank God that he is so loving that he has given us the use of this astounding gift.

Challenging Decision

"Why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies

of the field grow. They do not labour or spin. Yet I tell you

that not even Soloman in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.

If that is how God loves clothes the grass of

the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not

much more clothe you, O you of little faith?"

Matthew 6:28-30

       This is a passage that I have been struggling with personally. I want to be able to not worry about what I am wearing, and to be able to pick out clothes much faster. I find that I can sit at my closet for 20min and still not know what to wear, why am I wasting this time on something that doesn't even matter that much? I could be using this time for reading God's word. Why can't I get over this challenging decision that realy shouldn't be that challenging?

       Not only just those verses but the entire section of Matthew 6:25-34 is really good for me. I especially love the last verse,

 "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for

 tomorrow will worry about

 itself. Each day has

 enough trouble of its own"

 Matthew 6:34

                                

      To me I can use this verse in everyday in my life, and not just about the clothes that I wear, but also the stress that comes with exams, or tests, or presentations, or jobs, anything. Even though verses 28-30 come to me as more of a challenge, I see that 6:34 is more of a comfort, and when I am stressed out, and this one shows up, then it always gives me that sense of relaxation.

  

      So today, I am thankful for God's word and for these verses especially, but I am also thankful for the small group that has brought these words to my attention again.

One Page...

Tonight I have started a new book, it is called, "A Million Miles in a Thousand Years" by Donald Miller. Sitting on my bed, I have started with the Author's Note in the front, which was only a page long, and I already interested and excited, I'm seeing and realizing the truth in short amount of words I have just read. If this is just the first page, then I have no idea what to expect for the rest of the book, but am I excited or what!!

So tonight I start this book, and I want to thank God for placing this book in my path to read, and my prayer is that with God here to help me, this book will challenge me and that I will not only take root to those words, but to the words of the bible.

Comforts in...

Today I am sitting here and reflecting on the things that give me a sense of comfort. There are so many things in life that give people comfort, in different ways, and right now for me the main ones are...

Family and friends

Hugs

Blankets and Pillows  

Tears

Mug of cold milk

These are things that right now I am so thankful for because they put me at ease, help me relax, and give me a calm feeling. They help me through the hard times and help me continue pushing on. I am so glad that God has given me these people and items in my life to gain comfort.

Colourful fun

Do you remember when you were little and drew with pencil crayons, but then when it

broke, it was annyoing when you had to sharpen them and all the

shavings would make a big mess,... Today, I was sharpening my pencil crayons, but then I looked

at that "mess" in a different way. I saw them as a gift of colourful fun.

Everyday Gifts

During the day I use and see so many things in my life. So many of these items I use

 and then just keep on going on about my day. Here are some things that I have

 come to be so thankful for...

Apples... so delicious and nutritious

 

Mirrors... use them everyday

Socks... what would I ever do without them

Soap... we use it a lot

 

Pillows... they are where I can crawl up and feel comfortable in seconds

All of these items I see everyday, but if I stop and take a second I see that they are all little comforts to me. They are the little presents that I took for granted, but get rid of them and I would be sad. I thank God for these everyday gifts.

Pancake Tuesday

The youth group that I attend, had pancakes today because today is Pancake Tuesday, also known as Shrove Tuesday. Here is a quick peek at some of the beautiful food that we were blessed with.

 

I am  thankful for gift of different tastes, the sweet and sours, the vibrant colours, and for the community that was made while we made the pancakes. I am also thankful for what Pancake Tuesday leads to,... lent, Easter, but as the bigger picture here, that...

 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16.