If God Is For Us

God is at work.

God is at work for our good.

If God is for us, who can stand against us?

Day 2 - gifts from God:
1.  courage to speak the truth in love
2.  privilege of praying for a friend
3.  when God shuts a door, He opens a window
4.  John Victor speaking up
5.  time with Margaret on drive to Savannah
6.  sweet Ben taking Vic to Henry's
7.  words of affirmation spoken at the right time
8.  bird singing its heart out
9.  finishing the grocery shopping
10.  time to get well

Note of thanks to friend.

With gratitude,
Sally

100 Days

  After several failed starts, some better than others, I am beginning again.

Today is Day One of my 100 Days of Writing.

I am using Ann Voskamp's "100 Days Calendar" to record my progress.

Each day I will:
*record 10 gifts from God, give thanks to God, and include them here in a post
*express appreciation to someone in a note
*work for at least one hour on my book

I realize this will not be easy.

I know I will not be able to do this on my own.

I thank you, Lord, that You have promised me that
"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

Quotes from the "100 Days Calendar":
"You will find joy in overcoming obstacles." - Helen Keller
"A habit is overcome by habit." - Erasmus

So, here goes!

Day 1 - gifts from God:
1.  waking up feeling better
2.  having our own business
3.  our answering machine
4.  early morning on the porch
5.  the way Little Darlin' really seems to understand me sometimes
6.  Sarah and Ross seeing Brown
7.  new challenges
8.  going to my nephew Clay's graduation
9.  John Victor and Ben driving to Tybee in the red car
10.  the promise of summertime

Day 1 note of thanks to Catalina for Spanish soup and recipe.
Book: binder ready and begin January

With gratitude,
Sally

A Very Present Help

"God is our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble."
(Psalm 46:1)

You truly are my very present help.

Thank you, Lord.

Gifts from God:
1.  Mama's chocolate cake
2.  JV in his waiter get up
3.  Joseph got the catering job
4.  Andrew had a fantastic time at Tybee
5.  the sound of the rain
6.  Rebekah's reception invitation
7.  the "Rebekah and Matt" "B" stamp
8.  Victor getting everything ready for Ben's party
9.  renewed determination to do things God's way
10.  friends bringing freshly picked vegetables from garden

Note of thanks to friends for sharing.

With gratitude,
Sally

Small Things?

  
From the Upper Room:

"Who despises the day of small things?" (Zechariah 4:10)
Dear God, let us not scorn what we consider insignificant labor
but faithfully perform our everyday tasks to your glory.  Amen.

Gifts from God:
1.  Victor
2.  Joseph
3.  Sarah
4.  Andrew
5.  John Victor
6.  Margaret
7.  Benjamin
8.  Little Darlin'
9.  Sweetie Pie
10.  the cats

With gratitude,
Sally

Be Thankful

"Enter His gates with thanksgiving
and His courts with praise;
give thanks to Him and praise His name.
For the Lord is good and his love endures forever;
His faithfulness continues through all generations."
(Psalm 100:4-5)

The way to draw close to God, to be with Him, is to be thankful.

Day 1 - gifts from God:
1.  waking up early
2.  my coffee grinder
3.  summertime
4.  Andrew and Beth having "Tybee time"
5.  Mary going on cruise
6.  "You Are My Sunshine" reminder
7.  The Church Cook/ event planning tips
8.  Alicia - opportunity to love
9.  God's provision
10.  kids saying thank you

Day 1 note of thanks to Ben's prayer partner.

Day 1 book:  set up binder.

With gratitude,
Sally

Simple Joys

"The Lord takes delight in his people." (Psalm 149:4)

From the Upper Room devotion by Cynthia Clarke:
"Often, I feel God draw near,
not because God is particularly interested in what I am doing
but because God is interested in me and what I love.
The Creator of the universe chooses to share my simple joys
because this amazing God delights in me."

"Dear God, help us to grasp the depth of your love for us.
Let us sense the times that you draw near,
and lead us to bring you delight.  Amen."

Day 7 - gifts from God:
1.  faithfulness of fellow who cleans the bank parking lot every Monday morning
2.  seeds and nuts and raisins
3.  progress on passport
4.  sending an email
5.  Margaret washing the girls
6.  Margaret dusting and rearranging the jewelry
7.  Margaret cleaning her room so nicely
8.  praying to find passport letter and finding it right away
9.  privilege of praying for a dear mom
10.  friendly check-out lady

Day 7 note of thanks to Dad.

Lord, please help me to wake to write in the morning.

With gratitude,
Sally

Satisfied in God

Something to remember from Barry's sermon this morning:

"God is most glorified in us,
when we are most satisfied in God."

Day 6 - gifts from God:
1.  Benjamin Lee Wolfe
2.  Ben's 13th birthday
3.  walking to church with Margaret
4.  singing "Yahweh"
5.  dedication of church kitchen
6.  picture of Fran and Ron in slide show
7.  treating Ben to "the best birthday lunch"
8.  serving snack supper in his honor
9.  Ashley, Sean loving our kids for the Lord
10.  a new week to live fully

Day 6 note of thanks and prayer.

With gratitude,
Sally

Hope In God!

Today I am feeling hopeful.

Before me, in my secretary cubbyhole, are two signs of hope from years past.
One is in a little silver frame and it says "Sally, hope in God!"
It served as my place card nearly four years ago at a luncheon I helped to give
that was in itself an act of hope.
The other is the word hope engraved in gold letters on a smooth stone
that Victor gave me when we needed to hold on to hope.

The verse from the Upper Room this morning was Romans 5:5.
"Hope does not disappoint us,
because God has poured out His love into our hearts
by the Holy Spirit,
whom He has given us."

Thank you, Lord, for this wondrous, healing hope.

Day 5 - gifts from God:
1.  having a party
2.  cleaning and organizing
3.  Victor shining the floors
4.  beautiful blue hydrangeas against green walls
5.  outdoor seating areas
6.  making an exception to enjoy a friend's delicious cooking
7.  a sweet, beautiful graduate
8.  Nanny Q's embroidered tablecloth
9.  a couple coming to honor their graduate the day after surgery
10.  good old friends

Day 5 note of thanks to generous supporter.

With gratitude,
Sally

Incarnate Spiritual Pluck

Encouragement today from "My Utmost":

"We have to take ourselves by the scruff of the neck and shake ourselves,
and we will find that we can do what we said we could not.
The curse with most of us is that we won't.
The Christian life is one of incarnate spiritual pluck."

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

Lord, help me to be strong and do what You have called me to do.

Day 4 - gifts from God:
1.  celebrating the last day of first grade
2.  dad taking his daughter to lunch then walking and shopping and talking downtown
3.  seeing that dad open his daughter's car door
4.  helping friends celebrate daughter's graduation
5.  finally getting the red car ready for JV
6.  his smile
7.  last day of school
8.  cleaning out the fridges
9.  exceeding our high goal in a regular restaurant week
10.  minted fresh fruit

Day 4 note of thanks to thoughtful friend for gift of herbs

With gratitude,
Sally

Full House - Full Day

I had planned to write this morning.

And now it's tonight.

Oh well.

What a good, full day we've had.  We had a full house with the restaurant too.

Now it's time to go to bed.

Thank you, Lord.

Day 3 - gifts from God:
1.  the antique angels coming from Dublin on their church van
2.  Elaine's pretty gift of angel kisses
3.  friends cheering another friend up
4.  celebrating birthdays with coworkers
5.  family celebrating the last week of school
6.  looking forward to summer
7.  washing dishes
8.  planning Ben's birthday
9.  lady sending picture of graduation cookies to husband by phone
10.  hydrangeas on the tables when Rebecca came to lunch

Day 3 note of thanks to generous friend.

Lord, please help me to put first things first.

With gratitude,
Sally

The Certainty of God's Love

Today's prayer from The Upper Room expresses my heart right now:

"O God, in the middle of life's changes, 

thank you for the certainty of your love.  Amen."

Day 2 - gifts from God:

1.  helping celebrate a friend's birthday during a terribly difficult time in her life

2.  a granddaughter and a grandmother treating each other to a birthday lunch

3.  friends from 8th grade going out for lunch together 60 years later

4.  dear good friends remembering Sarah's graduation

5.  graduation fireworks

6.  serving church friends

7.  planning Maggie's party

8.  finding the formula for flesh color icing

9.  a full house tomorrow

10.  finally sitting down

Day 2 note of thanks for my pretty apron.

Tomorrow, I hope to write early in the morning.

With gratitude,

Sally

A Brand New Day One

My first Day One was February 27th.

It was Day One of 100 days.

100 days of giving thanks to God for good gifts and recording 10 good gifts each day.
100 days of writing at least one note of thanks to express gratitude to another person.
100 days of writing here and thus, I hoped, to "continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God,
that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name" and to "not neglect doing good and sharing,
for sharing, for with such sacrifices God is pleased."

I made it to Day 65.  That was May 2nd.  On May 3rd, we got home late from an out-of-town soccer match and I completely forgot to write.  I didn't realize I had forgotten until sometime the next day.

Today is May 17th.  Two weeks have passed.  I am ready to begin again.

I was just going to pick up with Day 66, but my Margaret told me I needed to start over at Day One.
She's the only person who told me they noticed that I had stopped writing, so I will start over.
She's right.  I do need to start over.

I'm glad this is my brand new Day One.  I'm looking forward to these 100 Days.

I have missed giving thanks.  I have missed recording gifts.
I have missed writing notes and expressing gratitude.
And, I have missed writing here and offering up a sacrifice of praise.

So, thank you Lord for my brand new Day One.

Day One - gifts from God:
1.  this place to write
2.  our God of brand new days
3.  celebrating 3 birthdays in the dining room at the same time
4.  praying for healing
5.  caring friends
6.  important breakthroughs coming soon
7.  delicate white flowers in tiny vases on the tables
8.  finding the right spot for Miss Bobbie's piano
9.  compliments on my pretty pink ruffled apron with the embroidered angel
10.  thoughtful, caring Wendy who gave it to me

Day One note to friend in gift of 1000 Gifts.

I'm sitting here smiling.
This writing is such a pleasure.
Somehow the days are richer, maybe count more, even slow down a bit when I thank God, record the gifts, express gratitude, and write.
Thank you, Lord.

With gratitude,
Sally

Loose the Chains

Isaiah 58:6

"Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:

to loose the chains of injustice

and untie the cords of the yoke,

to set the oppressed free 

and break every yoke?"

It is time.

Day 65 - gifts from God:

1.  our porch

2.  the gathering of gratitude

3.  pound cake

4.  Nanny Q's birthday pound cakes

5.  thoughtful acts

6.  a good book to read

7.  bringing back favorite recipes

8.  pizza and soda pop

9.  Little Darling wanting to get in my lap

10.  JV keeping his room neat

Day 65 card of condolence.

With gratitude,

Sally

Touches of Inspiration

From "Utmost":

"Never live for the rare moments,
they are surprises.
God will give us touches of inspiration
when He sees we are not in danger
of being led away by them.
We must never make our moments of inspiration our standard;
our standard is our duty."

Now it is time to do my duty.

Day 64 - gifts from God:
1.  abundant life
2.  Jane
3.  Down By The Creek Bank
4.  banana pudding for Vic
5.  Mema is safe
6.  starting over
7.  determination
8.  Jean and Fred
9.  kind policemen
10.  one step at a time

Day 64 note of thanks.

With gratitude,
Sally