Surprising Means

From "The Upper Room"

"God sometimes leads us by surprising means.
During frustrating times,
we can find comfort in remembering
that God has something good in mind for us."

Psalm 25:4
"Show me Your ways,
O Lord, teach me Your paths."

God, I am frustrated and cannot seem to find the right path.
Please show me and teach me.
I am lost.
Please lead me and surprise me.
I know I can find comfort in remembering.

Day 63 - gifts from God:
1.  technicolor day
2.  Ben running 5K
3.  Margaret placing 3rd in 5K
4.  John Victor placing 2nd in 5K
5.  Dad placing 2nd in 10K
6.  pancake breakfast
7.  seeing Ashley feeling better
8.  ferns swaying gently
9.  wedding invitations and news of engagement
10.  getting my house in order

Day 63 note of sympathy.

With gratitude,
Sally

Gracious Uncertainty

Great words from "My Utmost":

"Certainty is the mark of the common-sense life:
gracious uncertainty is the mark of the spiritual life.
To be certain of God means that we are uncertain in all our ways,
we do not know what a day may bring forth.
This is generally said with a sigh of sadness,
it should be rather an expression of breathless expectation.
We are uncertain of the next step,
but we are certain of God.
Immediately we abandon to God,
and do the duty that lies nearest,
He packs our life with surprises all the time!
. . . when we are rightly related to God,
life is full of spontaneous, joyful uncertainty and expectancy."

God, I am certain of You.
And for that I am so thankful.

Day 62 - gifts from God:
1.  a new month coming
2.  knowing I can do all things only through Christ
3.  an above average month
4.  time to keep in touch
5.  Sarah getting grad school acceptance letter
6.  cleaning out and organizing secretary and paperwork
7.  my study alcove
8.  the benefits of God's way
9.  celebrating administrative assistants
10.  sisters with their sweet mother

Day 62 note of thanks to prayer partners.

With gratitude,
Sally

There Is Profit

Proverbs 14:23

"In all labor there is profit,
but idle chatter leads only to poverty."

Sally, it's time to get to work.

Day 61 - gifts from God:
1.  addressing Sarah's graduation announcements
2.  hearing her voice after a night of tornadoes
3.  friends celebrating a birthday and visiting awhile
4.  rain
5.  getting back on track asap
6.  days to prepare
7.  begin 21 days on Sunday, May 1, anticipation
8.  a money map to follow
9.  focused prayer in days to come
10.  a book to write

Day 61 note to friend who has been under the weather.

With gratitude,
Sally

Work Hard

"He also who is slack in his work
is brother to him who destroys."

Please forgive me, Lord,
and help me to work hard and do my best.

Thank You for the work You have given me to do.

Day 60 - gifts from God:
1.  this computer
2.  new beginnings
3.  God's Word
4.  realizing we are under attack
5.  rings that mean so much
6.  early morning time with God
7.  my husband
8.  working in the heat of the attic for our comfort
9.  a 109 on a chemistry test
10.  promise of peace

Day 60 note to generous friend.

With gratitude,
Sally

Do the Duty

"If you make a god of your best moments,
you will find that God will fade out
of your life and never come back
until you do the duty that lies nearest,
and have learned not to make a
fetish of your rare moments."
(from My Utmost)

So, do the duty that lies nearest.

Day 59 - gifts from God:
1.  daddy daughter date
2.  doctor making reservation day after Vic thought would call him
3.  Ben winning 3rd place in spelling bee
4.  M's team only losing 2 to 0 to Frederica
5.  JV's team beating Frederica!
6.  JV scoring goal!
7.  JV making pk!
8.  beautiful sky
9.  out with fam to celebrate games
10.  time for bed

Day 59 note of thanks to very generous friends.

With gratitude,
Sally

Faithful Is He

I Thessalonians 5:24

"Faithful is He who calls you;
and He also will bring it to pass."

Lord, help me to trust in you and to persevere through rejection.

Day 58 - gifts from God:
1.  realizing Your way is the best way
2.  a renewed call
3.  a redbird
4.  honeydew and cantaloupe
5.  Hershey, Snickers, and Wolfman
6.  Jean bringing a bucket full of flowers
7.  40 days
8.  enough for gas and groceries today
9.  peppermint soap
10.  finding pictures

Day 58 note of thanks to generous, thoughtful friend.

So thankful that Your mercies are new every morning.
Tomorrow is a brand new day.

With gratitude,
Sally

I Will Arise

From Easter Sunday sermon, by Barry Giddens:
"Let us not only say Christ is risen,
but also, I will arise!"

Because You live, Lord, help me also to live.
Really live.

Day 57 - gifts from God on Easter Sunday:
1.  sunrise service - Dr. Max: "budded on earth to bloom in heaven"
2.  birds singing praises
3.  my Easter garden from Vic
4.  hiding eggs
5.  chills - "Christ the Lord is Risen Today"
6.  singing "Yahweh"!
7.  seeing Susan and Ben and family in church with Betty
8.  Pat holding baby Laura
9.  Mema coming to Easter dinner
10.  big, happy family going to movie

Day 57 note to celebrate resurrection.

With gratitude,
Sally

Get to Work!

It's time to get to work!

(from My Utmost):

I Corinthians 3:9
"Laborers together with God."

"We have no right to judge where we should be put,
or to have preconceived notions as to what God is fitting us for.
God engineers everything;
wherever He puts us
our one great aim is to
pour out a whole-hearted devotion to Him
in that particular work.
"Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do,
do it with thy might."

I am ready Lord.

Day 56 - gifts from God:
1.  seeing a boy from early youth ministry days grown up and serving God
2.  walking with Ben and the girls in the early evening
3.  pretty purple wildflowers
4.  soft pink sunset
5.  little ones hunting eggs
6.  the candle burning after the cross
7.  wearing Easter sweaters again
8.  Benjamin bouncing by himself
9.  my youth and children with their own children
10.  friends asking about the tour bus

Note of encouragement to homebound friend.

With gratitude,
Sally

Never Get Over It

O dear God, as I was taught at the Maundy Thursday Communion Service,
I never want to "get over" the gratitude I feel to You for giving Jesus
to suffer and die on the cross for me.

I love You, too.

Day 55 - gifts from God on Good Friday:
1.  nearing the end of the journey to the cross
2.  peace
3.  sisters celebrating birthdays
4.  daughter, granddaughters, and friends celebrating sweet, pretty Mary
5.  darling four year old Ethan having lunch with mom and grandmother
6.  Ben visiting Mema
7.  Ben serving with us, looking so handsome
8.  Vic taking me out to dinner and I know it's time
9.  Ben coming with us and thoroughly enjoying his meal
10.  nice acoustic guitar music during dinner

Day 55 note to restaurant friends.

With gratitude,
Sally

So Long

John 14:9  "Have I been so long time with you,
and yet hast thou not known Me?

O Lord, I want to know You.

Day 54 - gifts from God:
1.  Rebecca, a beautiful bride-to-be
2.  Emily asking about Joseph - still praying and giving hope
3.  friends' birthday lunch, "a blessing"
4.  sweet girl from Alabama expecting another baby
5.  sitting on the swing drinking a smoothie
6.  time to pray, to seek the Lord
7.  looking forward to an appointment with Holly
8.  Wendy's darling lambs for her preschoolers
9.  a much needed nap
10. God's Word is my sustenance

Day 54 note to encourage wounded friend.

With gratitude,
Sally

Daring to Worry

From "My Utmost":

"Have we been slandering God
by daring to worry
when He has said:
'Seek ye first the kingdom of God,
and His righteousness;
and all these things
shall be added unto you'?
Worrying means exactly what this servant implied--
I know You mean to leave me in the lurch."

Help me, Lord, to trust and obey.
And not to worry!

Day 53 - gifts from God:
1.  two ladies ordering one of each entree so they could taste everything
2.  their encouraging note
3.  former teacher asking about Joseph and Sarah
4.  fragrance of roses in the house
5.  time to make desserts
6.  depending on You minute by minute
7.  time to attend to several important matters
8.  lady wearing pretty pink hat to restaurant
9.  Victor taking Margaret to find her historical markers
10.  good friends staying up to help us

Day 53 note to friend for sharing her onions.

With gratitude,
Sally

The Faithful One

Thank you, Lord, for being the Faithful One.

Day 52 - gifts from God:
1.  the tour bus from Iowa
2.  the wonderful people on the tour bus from Iowa
3.  Andrew and Beth being such good servers
4.  the beautiful flowers You provided for all the tables
5.  our personal angel, Sarah, showing up just in time with an offer of help
6.  the nurse giving Andrew and Beth an extra tip to help with nursing school
7.  enough of everything
8.  folks admiring our Lenten wreath
9.  very encouraging words
10.  words from sweet lady as she was leaving:  "He is risen, indeed!"

Day 52 thank you note to Richard who forgot what day it was.

With gratitude,
Sally

Continually Guiding

"The Lord will guide you continually."  Isaiah 58:11

I am trusting in You, Lord,
and You are directing my path!

Thank you!

Day 51 - gifts from God:
1.  meeting with beautiful bride and her sweet grandmother about bridesmaids' luncheon
2.  49 glasses!
3.  time to prepare
4.  fruit smoothies
5.  sitting on a bench in the warm sunshine
6.  no one fainting during the cantata
7.  Debbie sharing gum
8.  ladies praying
9.  to bed by midnight
10.  time to be grateful together

Note to encourage friend.

With gratitude,
Sally

Save Us!

Today is Palm Sunday.
It is also called Passion Sunday.
This morning Bro. Barry told us that the truest meaning of "Hosanna!"
is "Save us!".
So that is my cry, O God, this week, this holy week.
"Save us!"
"Please, save us!"

Day 50 - gifts from God:
1.  Singing praises to Your Name
2.  a beautiful day for an Easter egg hunt
3.  getting a head start on Tuesday
4.  the power of music felt by a true heart
5.  hearing Your voice so clearly
6.  trusting that You will save us
7.  palms provided
8.  Ben balancing soccer ball on back of neck
9.  JV making waffles
10.  beautiful Margaret

Day 50 note of thanks to one who loves my children.

Thank you, Lord, for being our Life Saver.

With gratitude,
Sally

Give Thanks

Psalm 9:1-2

"I will give thanks to the Lord with all my heart;
I will tell of all Your wonders.
I will be glad and exult in You;
I will sing praise to Your name O Most High."

Day 49 - gifts from God:
1.  Saturday morning
2.  groceries shopping already done
3.  a nap
4.  twenty-one days
5.  true stories made into a play
6.  walking home from the theater
7.  stars shining
8.  49 plates
9.  cleaning out
10.  brown rice with mushrooms and onions

Day 49 note to encourage.

With gratitude,
Sally

Every Good Thing Given

"Every good thing given
 and every perfect gift
is from above,
coming down from the
Father of lights,
with whom there is no variation
or shifting shadow."

(James 1:17)

Thank you, Father, for every good thing given
and every perfect gift.

Day 48 - gifts from God:
1.  every table of guests today had come back
2.  being able to comfort with the comfort I've received
3.  having just enough
4.  setting up for forty-nine
5.  a 17 year old wearing her birthday badge
6.  researching sisters from Florida returning
7.  freedom at last!
8.  having a crab quiche to give away
9.  the hope of having a plan
10.  18 day old baby here

Day 48 note to old friend.

With gratitude,
Sally

The Faithful One

Lamentations 3:22-26

"The Lord's lovingkindnesses indeed never cease,
For His compassions never fail.
They are new every morning;
Great is Your faithfulness.
The Lord is my portion, says my soul,
Therefore I have hope in Him.
The Lord is good to those who wait for Him,
To the person who seeks Him."

Lord God, You are the Faithful One.

Day 47 - gifts from God:
1.  praying for help and God answering right away
2.  Sarah having a better outlook
3.  Sylvia being so kind and understanding
4.  really nice librarian helping with JV's passport application
5.  whole restaurant singing "Happy Birthday"
6.  folks noticing sweet smell of flowers on way in
7.  friend bringing her lawnmower to Victor
8.  Margaret liking Cadberry Cream Eggs
9.  jelly beans on carrot cake
10.  Josh saying "that's the best Baby Carrot Bisque I've ever tasted"

Day 47 card of encouragement.

With gratitude,
Sally

Impossible?

Take this to heart.  Believe God's Word:

"For nothing will be impossible with God."  (Luke 1:37)

Our situation seems impossible.
But God,  I am counting on You.

Day 46 - gifts from God:
1.  watching Margaret sing
2.  an encouraging friend's letter
3.  bouquet of big, fragrant roses
4.  JV's dimples in his passport picture
5.  taking care of business
6.  Your provision
7.  Bunny born on Easter sitting at table with Mr. Bunny centerpiece
8.  getting tickled at choir practice
9.  huge red amaryllis blossoms
10.  finding an ace bandage for Ben's bad bruise

Day 46 note to encourage hurting friends.

With gratitude,
Sally

Keep Letting Go

From  My Utmost:

"Jesus came to give us endless supplies of life:
 "that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God."
  Eternal life has nothing to do with Time,
 it is the life which Jesus lived when He was down here.
 The only source of Life is the Lord Jesus Christ."

"We have to keep letting go,
and slowly and surely
the great full life of God
will invade us in every part,
and men will take knowledge of us
that we have been with Jesus."

Lord, help us to let go
of anger,
of disappointment,
of hurt,
so that Your great full life
will invade us in every part.

Lord, fill my Time  with Life.
Your Eternal Life Now.

That is why You came.
That is why You carried that cross.

So that I might have Eternity Now.
So that I might have Life.

Help me to live my thanks.

Day 45 - gifts from God:
1.  words of encouragement at Walmart
2.  aroma of orange-glazed ham cooking
3.  kind caretaker making reservations
4.  opening our eyes
5.  homework
6.  listening
7.  a friend sharing vulnerable place
8.  fresh fruit on stand
9.  birthday girl in red jacket and red shoes
10.  sweet Rosie

Day 45 note to birthday girl.

Dear God please help me to fill my time with Your Life,
with what makes the time eternal.

With gratitude,
Sally

Show Gratitude!

Victor shared this verse with our Gathering of Gratitude today:

"Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken,
let us show gratitude,
by which we may offer to God
an acceptable service
with reverence and awe;
for our God is a consuming fire."
(Hebrews 12:28)

I've been making this list of gifts from God,
counting the ways He loves me for 44 days now.
What can I give Him to show Him my love?
I can show gratitude to Him!

Day 44 - gifts from God:
1.  His unshakeable kingdom
2.  grocery shopping in peace early on Monday morning
3.  sharing our sorrows
4.  gathering gratitude
5.  friends who love our puppies
6.  Jean sharing Psalm 37:7 with us - the very same verse from yesterday's devotional with Vic
7.  Mary reading of God's great love for us
8.  clothes from a friend - Christmas in April
9.  gorgeous appliances in the church kitchen
10.  Beverly back at Bible study

Day 44 note to thoughtful friend.

With gratitude,
Sally

Living in the Midst of Lions

God is clearly speaking to me.

From Ann Voskamp's One Thousand Gifts this morning,
on Day 15 of my Daniel Fast:

"This is the other side of where Daniel, man of prayer, lived. Change agent, mover and shaker Daniel, second-to-the-king Daniel, sleeping-on-perfect-peace-in-the-den-of-the-lions Daniel.  Daniel is a man of power prayer, not because he bends the stiff knees and makes petitions of the High Throne three times daily.  Rather, his prayers move kings and lions jaws because Daniel "prayed three times a day, just as he had always done, giving thanks to his God." (Daniel 6:10)  Three times a day, Daniel prayed thanksgiving for the everyday common, for the God-love spilling forth from the God-heart at the center of all.  The only real prayers are the ones mouthed with thankful lips.  Because gratitude ushers into the other side of prayer, into the heart of the God-love, and all power to change the world, me, resides here in His love.  Prayer, to be prayer, to have any power to change anything, must first speak thanks:  "in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God" (Philippians 4:6)

We live here, in the midst of Lyons, lions.
And the power to live lies in the daily, continual, practice of thanksgiving.

Thank you, Lord, for drawing me closer and closer.
One gift at a time.

Day 43 - gifts from God:
1.  catching the scent of honeysuckle, then finding it
2.  Barbara with her bucket and Billy on the swing
3.  making hummus
4.   Compassion
5.  watching DVD on laptop
6.  David on the porch
7.  very good friends
8.  omelets
9.  grape juice from Marilyn
10.  God's Word, new every morning

Day 43 note of humble thanks.

With gratitude,
Sally

Prepare for the Miracle

What comes next?

I believe it's time to "excel still more."

That's what you are telling us, Lord, isn't it?

Like the lady said last Sunday,
Jesus used ordinary things and ordinary people to do His first miracle.
Sometimes what He wants us to do doesn't make sense.
If we give Him what we have,
He'll make something beautiful of it.
They were obedient and willing to do hard work.
They gave Him the best they had.
Sometimes God has to get us to the place of desperation
so we will cry out to Him.
It takes us getting weak enough so that God can rescue us.
When we say "I quit. I give it to You." then He can do what we need Him to do.
God knows best.
Some preparation had to be made for the miracle.
Why did Jesus do the miracle?
Because He cared.  He cares about everything in our lives.

Help us, Lord, to prepare for the miracle.

Day 42 - gifts from God:
1.  fifty roses
2.  swinging and rocking
3.  Victor playing and singing
4.  a clean desk
5.  a new church for a good man
6.  dessert already made
7.  catching up
8.  a nap on the sofa
9.  my colorful stained glass lamp glowing colors softly
10.  hope that we will pay our vows

Day 42 birthday card to old friend.

With gratitude,
Sally

Excel Still More

Sweet Relief.

We now know.

Our calling:
"But we urge you, brethren,
to excel still more,
and to make it your ambition
to lead a quiet life
and attend to your own business
and work with your hands,
just as we have commanded you
so that you will behave properly
towards outsiders
and not be in any need."
(I Thessalonians 4:10-12)

Our how-to:
"For God has not given us a spirit of timidity,
but of power and love and discipline."
(2 Timothy 1:7)

Thank you, God, for giving us a spirit of power and love and discipline.

I'm counting on it.

Day 41 - gifts from God:
1.  friends bringing friends with darling children to lunch
2.  Bobby and Betty folding napkins to say "we're coming back"
3.  sweet mama bringing her daughter (mama of seven with one on the way) and son-in-law to lunch
4.  sisters' birthday lunch with lots of talking and laughing
5.  beautiful purple iris
6.  thoughtful granddaughter treating her Mema to birthday lunch
7.  asparagus
8.  dry land!
9.  fresh pineapple
10.  the weekend

Note of thanks to closest one.

With gratitude,
Sally

Dry Land

Jonah 2:8-10
"Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit
the grace that could be theirs.
but I will sacrifice to You
with the voice of
thanksgiving.
That which I have vowed
I will pay.
Salvation is from the Lord.
Then the Lord commanded the fish,
and it vomited Jonah up onto dry land."

Thank you, Lord for your salvation and your protection
and your direction and your provision.

Thank you for answering our prayers so clearly.
With Your help, that which we have vowed
we will pay.

You are so faithful.

Day 40 - gifts from God:
1.  birthdays
2.  a bouquet of roses
3.  our town
4.  my girls
5.  Easter cookies
6.  walking to dinner
7.  a calling
8.  Friday
9.  oranges
10.  hope

Day 40 birthday card.

With gratitude,
Sally

The Crash

From My Utmost For His Highest:

"The center of salvation is the cross of Jesus,
and the reason it is so easy to obtain salvation
is because it cost God so much.
The cross is the point where God
and sinful man
merge with a crash
and the way to life is opened--
but the crash is on the heart of God."

Thank you, God, for the cross.

Day 39 - gifts from God:
1.  a bouquet of roses from the children's bushes placed on the restaurant kitchen counter by my sweet husband
2.  a daughter treating her mother to a birthday lunch
3.  David saying that he thinks Margaret and I look alike and she didn't mind
4.  roses from our yard on all the tables
5.  the way roses smell
6.  Margaret singing with us in the Easter cantata
7.  tender chicken
8.  jelly beans even though I can't eat them right now
9.  Snowballina
10.  the Compassion box arrived

Day 39 note of thanks for celebration meal.

With gratitude,
Sally

Because

 From "My Utmost":
"Every human being can get through into the presence of God now
because of what the Son of Man went through."

As I move the candle forward on our Lenten wreath and Jesus carries the cross,
I remember.

And I am thankful.

Day 38 -Gifts from God:
1.  sliver of moon hanging low
2.  watching soccer with Dad
3.  clear eyes
4.  a cup of coffee
5.  gazpacho
6.  JV's orange cleats
7.  pretty Margaret
8.  Ben's dimples
9.  an undeserved "A"
10.  a patient husband

Day 38 note of thanks and apology.

With gratitude,
Sally

Order My Ways

Psalm 50:23
"He who offers a sacrifice of thanksgiving honors Me;
And to him who orders his ways aright
I shall show the salvation of God."

Lord, please show me how to order my ways aright.
Right now they feel all wrong.

Day 37- gifts from God:
1.  full blooming bush
2.  gratitude gathering on the porch
3.  smiling Easter bunnies - reminders to be grateful
4.  Made to Crave ladies passing the test
5.  encouraging one another
6.  DVD working
7.  desserts all made
8.  possible end to waiting room
9.  a pastor who is praying for us
10.  finding way back into blog

Day 37 note of thanks to carrot donor.

With gratitude,
Sally

Something Beautiful

"All I had to offer Him was
brokenness and strife
And He made
something beautiful
of my life."

She Reads of Proverbs 31 Ministries is offering a fun scholarship contest through today, April 3rd, for the amazing writers, speakers, leaders conference called She Speaks 2011 to be held July 22-24.  I went to the 2010 conference and am hoping and praying to go this year.

As the song says,
I am offering God my brokenness and strife
and He is making
something beautiful
of my life.

I believe one way He is doing that is through the She Speaks Conference.  It might just be a part of His plan for you, too.

Day 36 - gifts from God:
1.  early morning sunlight shining through trees
2.  clear blue sky
3.  fresh green leaves
4.  walking to church
5.  sermon:  A Woman Who Prayed and a SituationWas Changed
6.  pictures of "Hope In God" luncheon
7.  Mexican lunch
8.  "Why not give up your problems for Lent?"
9.  Bruce and Sarah, such encouraging friends
10.  precious baby Cameron's picture on phone

Day 36 note of thanks to encouraging friends.

With gratitude,
Sally

A Sacrifice of Praise

 "Through Him then,
let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God,
that is, the fruit of lips that give
thanks to His name.
And do not neglect doing good and sharing,
for with such sacrifices
God is pleased."
(Hebrews 13:15-16)

Thirty-five days ago, when I began to write here, God gave me a place, a way, to "continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to Him".  With each day, with each sacrifice, He draws me nearer and changes, blesses.

Thirty-five years ago, when I began to wander into captivity, God determined never to leave me or forsake me, never to quit calling me home, always to be ready to rescue, redeem, restore.

From the darkness of ivy-league depression desiring death, God saved and called me into His marvelous light.  Then He healed with familial love and unfailing love and made me a part of the family of God in a little town in south Georgia.  Here, He helped me to proclaim His excellencies through daily doing good and sharing and He was pleased and life was full.

God, sooner than I expected, surprised me with a husband and we began to build a household of faith together.  God gave us six miraculous gifts of love and we gave ourselves to giving them back to Him as we kept building this household of faith.  But the more we built for God, the more the enemy tried to tear down.  Our foundation shook, walls cracked and began to crumble under the weapons of fallenness, miscarriage, sin, unfaithfulness, disappointment, rebellion and defeat.

When all was crumbling and falling apart around me and I did not know what to do and could not hold my family together, I ran to God.  I held on to God.  I hoped in God.

And, again, God rescued.  And He is redeeming.  And He is restoring.

This is what God does.

The beautiful part, the part that fools the enemy every time, is that when we run to God when the battle is raging the fiercest and He rescues us and we give thanks to God among the ruins and offer up a sacrifice of praise in the ashes, the weapons the enemy used against us become wonders of God's great goodness and love.

And God is pleased.

And God is glorified.

And others see and come to know His great goodness and love.

And what the enemy meant for evil, God uses for good and His Kingdom comes.

Day 35 - gifts from God:
1.  confidence in God's faithfulness
2.  assurance of His unfailing love
3.  a heart to share His love with others
4.  the power of forgiveness
5.  the freedom of truth
6.  the beauty of light
7.  the medicine of mercy
8.  the reality of restoration
9.  the freshness of God doing a new thing
10.  the wonder of the Word

Day 35 note of thanks to a wounded wonderful writer.

Thank you, Lord, for this opportunity to share a sacrifice of praise.  Thank you for the privilege of serving You through She Speaks 2011 (www.proverbs 31.org).  May many hearts please you there by "doing good and sharing" and "continually offering up a sacrifice of praise".  The wonderful writer, Ann Voskamp, is offering a scholarship opportunity at www.a holyexperience.com.  Please visit both these sites.  You will be blessed.

With gratitude,
Sally

Rich In Love

"The Lord is gracious and compassionate,
slow to anger
and rich in love."  Psalm 145:8

Lord, because You are rich in love,
I am rich in love.

And I thank you.

Day 34 - gifts from God:
1.  grace
2.  compassion
3.  righteousness
4.  mercy
5.  love
6.  kindness
7.  goodness
8.  comfort
9.  humility
10.  gentleness

Day 34 note of thanks to a generous good cook.

Lord, I want to be more like You.

With gratitude,
Sally