Strangely Warmed Wonder

Today,
many times,
my heart was strangely warmed.

Thank You, O God, for these wonders of Your love:
481. LuAnn speaking what was on her heart
482. how wounds shared begin to heal
483. the wisdom of Dr. Suess
484. Lana being "not quite normal"
485. a night free of nightmares
486. gifts waiting to be opened
487. dear Cathy in her warm blue coat
488. Patti understanding the pain
489. Amy holding my shaking hand
490. Cynthia's compassion prayed
491. Deb declaring deep trust
492. Chris's confession of everyday sins
493. singing with the composer
494. learning from the authors
495. seeing the same prayer card propped on Linda's table that I propped on my lamp
496. clear confirmation of calling

With gratitude,
Sally

Wonder After Wonder

God is raining down steadily
wonder after wonder.

And I am so glad.

Thank You, Lord, for these wonders of Your love:
465. white cotton knitted cloths handmade by Diana
466. tingsha bells - ding!. . .hush
467. teaching from the Word
468. seeds spilled forth
469. an ongoing dialogue
470. realizing our theme for the day is Christmas
471. a second chance to give
472. trees of life
473. the slow sprinkling sound of rain approaching across the lake
474. the blessing of B.A.
475. the sound of water falling as we remember our baptism
476. remembering Rose's arms of love
477. Kristen's favorite worship moment described
478. Laura's aura
479. a bubble of protection prayed
480. being welcomed back by the kitchen crew

With gratitude,
Sally

Wide-Eyed Wonder

A question from 1000 Gifts Devotional:
"Without expectations,
what can topple the surprising wonder of the moment?"

When I don't expect,
when I relinquish control,
then I am surprised by wonders!
When I let you lead the way,
I discover a trail of treasures!

O God, help me to see with the eyes of a child.
Help me to let go of expectations
and have the wide-eyed wonder of anticipation.

Thank You, God, for these wonders of your love:
449. remembering looking up
450. "gladiola! look up!", a silly sisters' saying
451. blue sky through green leaves
452. a full round moon through bare-branched lace
453. melting gold over rolling velvet hills
454. missing my exit because I was looking down (a lesson learned)
455. learning the importance of paying attention
456. Victor's embrace and empowering words
457. hugging each child
458. room in Bertha to bring so many bags - 8!
459. calling Daddy and finding he was on the road just behind me
460. Joseph coming home right before I left
461. coffee beans galore
462. Miller's voice of wisdom and cousinly love
463. the now familiar road to Sumatanga and "shelter"
464. Grace Girls gathered again!

With gratitude,
Sally

Small Wonder

From Ann Voskamp's 1000 Gifts Devotional for today:

"I want. . . to live in
the wide-eyed wonder
of a world that unwraps itself grandiose
and larger than life,
so otherworldly.
As G. K. Chesterton wrote,
"How much larger your life would be
if your self could become smaller than it is."
Dear Lord, make me decrease
that You may increase
and keep me small and humble.
Cause me to embrace that simplest of truths-
that all wonder
and worship
can only grow
out of smallness."

Lord, today, let us see with the eyes of a child. . .
and wonder!

Thank You, Lord, for these wonders of Your love:
433. sitting on the front row with Margaret and James
434. a word for the whirlwind
435. the gift of a photo of our senior in the doorway
436. the dear, kind giver
437. David and Patsy back at church
438. David's deeply felt truths told
439. John Victor's boss calling to tell him not to come in today
440. JV taking care of the transportation
441. Beverly's budding relief
442. time with Victor while driving to North Georgia
443. a mother kneeling before her mother in grief
444. "Love You Forever"
445. caring co-workers
446. Benjamin's text, "Tell Dad I made the team!"
447. hearing the noise, before my trip
448. Victor's piano check

With gratitude,
Sally

Wonders in the Deep

Word of Wonder:

"They have seen the works of the Lord,
and His wonders in the deep.
For He spoke and raised up a stormy wind,
Which lifted up the waves of the sea.
They rose up to the heavens,
they went down to the depths;
Their soul melted away in their misery.
they reeled and staggered like a drunken man,
And were at their wits' end.
Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
And He brought them out of their distresses.
He caused the storm to be still,
So that the waves of the sea were hushed.
Then they were glad because they were quiet,
So He guided them to their desired haven.
Let them give thanks to the Lord for His lovingkindness,
And for his wonders to the sons of men!"
(Psalm 107:24-31)

O God!
We go down to the depths.
Our souls melt away in our misery.
We reel and we stagger.
We are at our wits' end.
We cry out to You in our trouble!
And You, dear Lord,
bring us out of our distresses,
cause the storm to be still,
hush the waves,
and guide us to our desired haven.

We give thanks to You, O God,
for Your lovingkindness
and Your wonders to us!

Thank You, God, for these wonders of your love:
417. finding my own wonder quote
418. the dark before the dawn
419. Victor's compassion
420. time to clean on a Saturday
421. carefully wrapping the last two nativities
422. the smell of clean sheets
423. realizing we have enough towels
424. having much more than enough of everything, really
425. Victor tying his sneakers
426. a father-daughter trip to the wellness center
427. Margaret getting back on the treadmill
428. receiving a surprise gift for my trip
429. a Valentine coat
430. "You are a generous man."
431. Joseph, dressed, to "expo"
432. JV finding his shirt and his keys

With gratitude,
Sally

Expecting Wonders

Aslan?!


"I am. . .expecting wonders.
Life is rich and God is good and all is grace!"
(This is a quote from me-
written last summer and
remembered yesterday,
with wonder!)

Thank You, God, for these wonders of Your love:
401. two gift certificates in the mail
402. out to lunch with Victor and Joseph
403. writing my report
404. pushing "send"
405. a laundry lesson learned
406. Joseph's audition/interview appointment
407. that Victor can take him
408. Mema pushing lawn mower right out of Joseph's hands
409. Victor bringing Mema home for supper
410. John Victor's acceptance to UGA's Freshman College
411. a scholarship application delivered
412. Andrew sharing hard-earned wisdom
413. Andrew finding out how to change a headlight
414. Mema enjoying a chocolate or two
415. a pretty, pink sky at soccer pick-up
416. Mattie's friendly wave

With gratitude,
Sally

The Wonder of Waiting

Benches are for waiting.

We might be waiting on the bus to come to take us somewhere.
We might be waiting to meet someone.
We might be waiting until it is time to do something important.

The wonder of waiting
is that waiting doesn't have to be wasted.

Waiting can actually take us Somewhere.
Waiting can be our meeting with SomeOne.
Waiting can be doing Something Important.

Words on the wonder of waiting:

"Lead me in Your truth
and teach me,
For You are the God
of my salvation;
For You I wait all the day."
(Psalm 25:5)

"I wait for Your word."
(Psalm 119:81b)

"Yet those who wait for the Lord
will gain new strength;
They will mount up with wings like eagles,
They will run and not get tired,
They will walk and not become weary."
(Isaiah 40:31)

So, Lord, today. . .
Let us wait!
Let us wonder!

Thank You, God, for these wonders of Your love:
385. writing
386. Victor's wisdom
387. Margaret preparing a meal for her brothers and friends
388. the sounds of conversation and laughter around the table
389. the power of an apology
390. going to Elements on Joseph's first night back
391. "John Mark has my back."
392. warm rolls dipped in olive oil and balsamic vinegar
393. a table of four lovely ladies nearby
394. driving to Swainsboro for Andrew
395. Snuff's forceful friendliness
396. staying awake
397. taking a nap on the parlor sofa in the nick of time
398. Benjamin's good practice and sprint
399. David taking Ben to Bible study
400. John Victor anticipating his future

With gratitude,
Sally

The Wonder of God's Ways

"For My thoughts are not Your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,"
declares the Lord.
"For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways
And My thoughts than your thoughts."
(Isaiah 55:8-9)

How can we know Your ways, O God?
You are so high and we are so low.

"Although the Lord has given you
bread of privation and
water of oppression,
He, your Teacher,
will no longer hide Himself,
but your eyes will behold your Teacher.
Your ears will hear a word behind you,
"This is the way, walk in it."
(Isaiah 30:20-21)

"Thomas said to Him,
"Lord, we do not know where You are going,
how do we know the way?"
Jesus said to him,
"I am the way. . ."
(John 14:5-6)

God's ways are higher than our ways.
God's ways are wonderful.
For, Jesus is the Way.

Thank You, God, for these wonders of Your love:
369. stretching and breathing
370. remembering the pregnant girl
371. having Bertha serviced for a small fee
372. Joseph getting work clothes
373. Sarah's interview going well
374. new cleats for Ben, relieving pressure
375. reading while waiting
376. my education
377. doing a double-take when seeing handsome JV
378. Ashley addressing a crucial area of life
379. "Enjoy this moment."
380. Margaret asking to light a candle
381. brotherly concern
382. doing Andrew's laundry
383. Victor calling when work is done
384. buying a matching notebook

With gratitude,
Sally

Gathering Wonder

Jesus said,
"For where two or three
have gathered together
in My name,
I am there
in their midst."
(Matthew 18:20)

The gathering is beginning.
We are making our preparations to come.
From north and south,
from east and west,
we will soon be gathering.
Driving or flying,
we will be gathering.
From many and varied situations,
from countless circumstances,
we will come together
in Jesus's name.

And, wonder of wonders,
Jesus will be there-
in our midst!

Come, Lord Jesus!

Thank You, God, for these wonders of Your love:
353. a dryer repaired, humming softly
354. being reminded of the holiness of a clothesline
355. stepping outside into birds everywhere
356. Mr. and Mrs. Redheaded Woodpecker
357. flashing cardinals
358. so many robins singing of Spring
359. the light of the moon causing me to look up
360. bright shining Jupiter
361. ironing the funeral clothes
362. a pew full of our family
363. Cousin Alicia's strong Spirit singing of "The Anchor Holds"
364. sunshine and blue skies for the dirt road drive
365. "Andrew was such a man"
366. John Mark calling to offer Joe a job
367. Beth's shimmery black shoes
368. Caylin's smile

With gratitude,
Sally

Every Morning Wonder

Just like the sun coming up every morning,
even after a long, dark night,

"The Lord's lovingkindnesses
indeed never cease,
For His compassions
never fail.
They are new every morning;
Great is Your faithfulness."
(Lamentations 3:22-23)

Lord, thank You for Your mercies this morning!

And thank You, God, for these wonders of Your love:
337. Beth holding onto her mother's Raggedy Ann
338. Miss Mary's conversation with Sherry just before midnight
339. all those beautiful flowers
340. lots of cousins
341. shoe shopping with Andrew for Beth
342. photographs scanned in the wee hours
343. a father's drive home
344. friends who come just to be there
345. that we can heal from deep wounds
346. dolls amidst the flowers
347. the story of Hillary's room
348. Baby settling in
349. "We are the wonders!"
350. powerful stories of God speaking spoken
351. eternal rest after earthly struggle
352. Bobby answering his phone in the hospital

With gratitude,
Sally

Comforting Wonder

When disaster and death and despair
surround us,
when sadness and anger and wondering why
overwhelm us,
when all we can say is,
"This is so hard.". . .

God sees,
and God knows,
and God is with us,
loving us through
all that is so hard.

And, somehow,
we experience the
comforting wonder
of God's great love
and we realize that
"all shall be well,
and all shall be well,
and all manner of things shall be well."
(Julian of Norwich)

"For I am convinced
that neither death,
nor life,
nor angels,
nor principalities,
nor things present,
nor things to come,
nor powers,
nor height,
nor depth,
nor any other created thing,
will be able to separate us
from the love of God,
which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
(Romans 8:38-39)

Thank You, Lord, for these wonders of Your love:
321. the power of praise
322. Margaret saying she would memorize too
323. giving her my book
324. Ben in his new shorts on a January morning
325. a welcome hug
326. little girl's "I have new glasses!"
327. coming full circle with Connie and Wayne
328. the Somers being at church
329. the conscientious video man
330. gathering round Mama's table for Sunday Dinner
331. hearing Joseph and Travis playing music on our porch
332. three boys shooting baskets
333. John Victor wearing those red pants to church
334. sweet, smiling Cornchip
335. Victor's loving, lovely flower spray for Beth
336. the kindness of funeral directors

With gratitude,
Sally

Wonder and Amazement

Word of Wonder:

"And all the people saw him
walking and praising God,
and they were taking note
of him as being the one
who used to sit at
the Beautiful Gate
of the temple
to beg alms,
and they were
filled with
wonder and amazement
at what had happened to him."
(Acts 3:9-10)

Do people see me
walking and praising God
when I use to
sit and beg?

Are they filled with
wonder and amazement
at what has happened to me?

Lord, please let it be so.

Thank You, God, for these wonders of Your love:
305. pictures for each epiphany
306. candles from Beth and Andrew burning bright
307. Light in a dark day
308. Victor's powerful drive of crisis compassion
309. the comfort of an embrace
310. the man in the orange shirt
311. Aunt Pat and a family who loves
312. camellias crowning tall, slender vases (ostrich vases)
313. family photos
314. new life green rather than black
315. a rooster crowing in a neighborhood
316. Margaret's artistic ability
317. 25 bleacher creatures
318. saint Sarah
319. dear, dear Andrew
320. Travis peacefully snoring in Joseph's room

With gratitude,
Sally

Awaken Our Wonder

"There is no end to the things
that can awaken our wonder,
from the majesty of the night sky

to the smell of lilacs in the spring
(or gardenias in the summer)

to the turning of the leaves in the fall.

And it is all right here,
a feast of epiphanies
and astonishments
in the daily round
of our spiritual lives."
(Spirituality and Practice: Spiritual Practice Homepage: Wonder)

Oh, God, awaken our wonder!

Thank You, God, for these wonders of Your love:
289. an old sweater that is just right for a new skirt
290. restocking the groceries and supplies
291. the pure sweetness of a "cutie"
292. realizing I already have a notebook for the Romans Project
293. pretty, positive Emily
294. sitting with Miss Mary at the funeral
295. Glenn getting a cup of cold water for Victor too
296. the gentle power of Victor's "Hymn of Promise"
297. darling granddaughters speaking about their granddaddy
298. a fine young man honoring a mentor
299. David's loving graciousness
300. the commanding majesty of Scripture known and spoken forth
301. truth unleashed
302. Glenn's humble, healing "Amazing Grace"
303. funny Fay chasing little lizard while perched safely atop her chair
304. Victor treating Joseph and good friend from Bridges to dinner at Elements

With gratitude,
Sally

The Wonder of Walking

The wonder of walking
is that we can choose
to walk with God-
step by step,
one foot in front of the other,
walk with God!

These stepping stones
at one entrance to the walking path
at Green Bough House of Prayer
invite us to
walk in
peace,
happiness,
and serenity.

We have a choice about
how we will walk:
"If we say that we have
fellowship with (God)
and yet walk in the darkness,
we lie
and do not practice the truth;
but if we walk in the Light
as (God) is in the Light,
we have fellowship
with one another,
and the blood of Jesus
cleanses us from all sin."
(I John 1:6-7)

God, today, I choose to walk with You, step by step.
I choose to walk in the Light, one foot in front of the other.
I choose to practice the truth.
I choose to walk in peace, happiness, and serenity.

An old hymn says it well:
"When we walk with the Lord,
In the Light of His Word,
What a glory He sheds on our way.
While we do His good will,
He abides with us still,
And with all who
Will trust and obey."

Thank You, God, for these wonders of Your love:
273. tears flowing hearing "Fly to Jesus" and remembering a dance
274. hearing a new song: "Don't Let Me Lose My Wonder"
275. Sarah steering to safety after I-85 blowout
276. kind man stopping and changing her tire
277. 24 year old's composure on all-went-wrong day
278. Victor's fierce protectiveness
279. Andrew sitting down at our table for supper
280. Joseph applying for job at Elements
281. John Mark's encouraging "I know you!"
282. finishing book "Worship As Theology"
283. a big bag of KFC
284. good John's shared realization: life is fragile and fleeting
285. strong, sweet, stylish Shirley in her dotted dress
286. a warm place to gather, to care
287. Margaret covering our broken windows with cardboard
288. Margaret answering Ben with "I'm saving our parents."

With gratitude,
Sally

Star of Wonder

Two nativity scenes are still on display at our house.
All the other Christmas decorations were packed up and put away
at the beginning of the new year.
I even undressed the tree,
in the last days of December,
while Margaret mourned its loss.

But, for some reason,
I can't seem to bring myself to box up
these last two nativity scenes.

I think it's because of those kings.

Those kings who said:
"We saw His star in the east
and have come to worship Him."

Those kings who:
"When they saw the star,
rejoiced exceedingly
with great joy."

Those kings who:
"saw the Child
with Mary His mother;
and fell to the ground
and worshiped Him."

Those kings who:
"opening their treasures,
presented to Him
gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh."

Those kings who:
"having been warned
by God
in a dream
not to return to Herod,
left for their own country
by another way."
(excerpts from Matthew 2:2-12)

I think those nativity scenes with their kings are still on display at our house
to remind me of the Star of Wonder,
to inspire me to be like those kings.
I want to see,
to wonder,
to come,
to worship,
to rejoice exceedingly with great joy,
to see the Child and fall to the ground and worship Him,
to open my treasures,
to present to Him gifts,
to be true to the dreams God gives.

Star of Wonder! Star of Light! Star with Royal Beauty Bright!
Lead! Proceed! Guide us to Thy Perfect Light!

Thank You, God, for these wonders of Your love:
257. saying "Good Morning!" to those I love
258. a full room at flow
259. Holly's laughter
260. another "I love butterflies"
261. Stephanie's painted sunshine
262. hot towels
263. choosing a color
264. time to sit and soak
265. recounting good news
266. sunrise sky through Margaret's window
267. encouraging reading
268. the round green ottoman
269. Margaret helping me post a picture
270. Joseph washing Bertha
271. a sunshiny day
272. seeing a groundbreaking gathering

With gratitude,
Sally

Wonder of the Well

Have you ever felt that your well has run dry?

Jesus says:
"Whoever drinks of the water
that I will give her
shall never thirst;
but the water
that I will give her
will become
in her
a well
of water
springing up
to eternal life."
(John 4:14)

Come to Jesus,
and discover the
wonder of the well!

Thank You, God, for these wonders of Your love:
241. Joseph repairing my chair
242. a good cup of coffee ready in a jiffy
243. transcripts sent
244. Margaret's first-place medal
245. John Victor's vocabulary problem
246. Ben's soccer enthusiasm
247. hugging Holly
248. butterflies being special to so many
249. a 10-day meal plan
250. "this completes your order"
251. talking with Temple
252. hearing about her Bible study
253. message for Marty
254. making a reservation at the monastery
255. the kind retreat house lady
256. sharing an orange lunch with Joseph

With gratitude,
Sally

Awestruck Wonder

I see our family
all together
celebrating
and
I am filled with wonder,
awestruck wonder.

Oh, God, amazing God,
only by Your grace
and mercy
and love
are we
a family
all together
celebrating.

I see
and
I am filled with wonder,
awestruck wonder.

Thank You, gracious God, for these wonders of Your love:
225. happy baby pose
226. remembering Seth's exclamation: "Baby! Happy!"
227. Seth
228. Jess
229. powerful parental love
230. banjo praise
231. truth told and story shown on video shared
232. friend's touch upon my shoulder
233. big birthday bash
234. following God's lead though I felt foolish
235. finding single pink camellia bloom on kitchen counter
236. promise of "our best year ever"
237. Rebecca calling and coaching Margaret over the phone
238. Margaret taking the risk of trying
239. Joseph taking the risk of trying
240. Victor's text about work: "Going good."

With gratitude,
Sally

Filled With Wonder

We have to
be stilled
to be filled.

In order for my cup
to be filled
with coffee
it must be placed
under the flowing stream
and stay still
until filled.

In order for the gas tank
of our vehicle
to be filled
the vehicle has to
stop moving
and be parked
close to the pump
and stay still
until filled.

Yesterday morning in our FUEL worship
I was filled with wonder.
It felt like the whole activity center full of people
was filled with wonder.
Perhaps we were
filled with wonder
because
we came on purpose
and placed ourselves
under the flowing stream
and parked ourselves
close to the pump
and stayed still
until
we were
filled
with wonder.

Thank You, Lord, for these wonders of Your love:
209. smiling greeters at the door
210. worship that leads to a holy place
211. the Word of God preached
212. "never too late"
213. remembering to go forward with Margaret
214. Ben's grin
215. being received in love
216. welcoming hugs from old friends and new
217. Miss Joan and her camera and her pearls
218. sitting with Connie
219. laughing in church
220. receiving Wayne's benediction
221. meatloaf, collard greens, butter beans, new potatoes, and cornbread
222. Sunday dinner dessert with a good cup of coffee
223. Victor scaring Margaret while she practiced at the piano
224. soaking in worship (better than a nap)

With gratitude,
Sally

Wonders of God

Wonder from the Word:

"Listen to this, O Job,
stand and consider the
wonders of God."
(Job 37:14)

Perhaps we could substitute our own names.

"Listen to this, O Sally,
stand and consider the
wonders of God!"

Thank You, God, for these wonders of Your love:
193. Saturday mornings
194. time to catch up with each other
195. Vic going rambling to yard sales
196. seeing his treasures
197. cleaning toilets
198. scrubbing the shower
199. changing our bed
200. Margaret bathing Little Darling and Sweetie Pie
201. Joseph, JV, Ben, and Vic moving big things
202. Margaret emptying the freezer
203. putting things in place
204. lovely, mild, January weather
205. rolling down the windows
206. reading moving meditations
207. reading a book written by a future teacher
208. tasting a new poundcake recipe warm from the oven

With gratitude,
Sally

Wonder Upon Wonder

Wonder for the Weekend:

"If you become Christ's
you will stumble upon
wonder upon wonder
and every one of them true."
(Saint Brendan of Birr quoted in The Open Gate by David Adam)

Thank You, God, for these wonders of Your love:
177. finding that wonder is a spiritual practice
178. reading all the words of a great hymn
179. recounting a story
180. fresh blueberries in January
181. having a previous commitment
182. the sonogram showed hiccups and movement
183. introducing myself
184. time to wait and pray
185. connecting in a phone conversation
186. being asked to tell my story
187. "May I pray for you?"
188. finally writing to an old friend
189. tucking a butterfly into the envelope
190. Andrew's hugs
191. David's laugh
192. John Victor bringing his friend by after the movie

With gratitude,
Sally

Lost in Wonder, Love, and Praise

Last Sunday I forgot to join the church.

While driving with Victor to the later service where he plays the piano,
he asked me,
"Did y'all join the church this morning?"

Pause. A bit of embarrassment.
"No. . . I forgot."

"You forgot to join the church?!"

Benjamin and Margaret and I had planned for weeks
to transfer our membership
to the church where they have been involved now for several years.
We talked about it.
I phoned the pastor.
I reminded the children the night before.
We even all got up on time and got ready.
(Though we were still a little bit late.)

All through the service,
the singing and announcements,
the praying and offering,
the preaching of the Word,
I anticipated going forward at the end of the service.

And then the last song came.
I sang.
My eyes closed.
The words penetrated.
My hands lifted.
I forgot.
I forgot myself.
I was "lost in wonder, love, and praise."
And I forgot to join the church.

But, for the moment, something better happened.

I found God.
I found myself in God.

"Finish, then, thy new creation;
Pure and sinless let us be.
Let us see thy great salvation
Perfectly restored in thee;
Changed from glory into glory,
Til in heaven we take our place,
Til we cast our crowns before thee,
Lost in wonder, love, and praise!"
(from Charles Wesley's hymn "Love Divine, All Loves Excelling")

Thank You, God, for these wonders of Your love:
161. a new way of seeing: The Artist's Way
162. miniature watercolors marking gift list
163. "still life" slowing, stopping to see
164. waking just before the alarm and turning it off
165. walking into the Wellness Center
166. Fay's ready, "Yes, of course."
167. realizing all the reading I've done recently
168. looking up directions/locations on Mapquest
169. the possibility of a place to stay already offered
170. Joseph applying
171. Victor having time to stop along the way
172. Margaret's generous sharing of Sonic gift card
173. birthday cards
174. calling Dad
175. BBQ brisket, kettle-cooked chips, and fresh fruit
176. little silver basket of chocolates

With gratitude,
Sally

Wonders of His Love

Let's Remember today:
God's love is wonderful.
God's power is almighty.
God's riches are unlimited.

And:
God's love is pouring out to us today in countless wonders.
God's power is promised to us today for every challenge.
God's riches are plainly available to us today to meet our needs.

Will we:
Open ourselves to the wonders of God's love?
Connect our lives to the source of promised power?
Rely on God's limitless riches?

"For the Scripture says,
Whoever believes in Him
will not be disappointed...
for the same Lord is Lord of all,
abounding is riches
for all who call on His name."
(Romans 10:11-12)

All who call!

Today,
let's call on the Lord
who is abounding in riches
and receive the
wonders of His love.

Thank You, Lord, for these wonders of Your love:
145. the way warmth can be felt over the phone
146. fresh produce
147. our fruit stand full
148. a little cushion of savings
149. knowing we have a plan to pay
150. Victor's strong work ethic
151. rental cars
152. Margaret cleaning Bertha's cloudy windshield
153. healthy children
154. Paula introducing me as her "sister"
155. "Come with us."
156. an activity center overflowing with activity
157. ice cream to offer
158. putting new socks on his pillow
159. folded towels
160. Benjamin's pulse slowing down

With gratitude,
Sally

The Wonders of God's Ways

"Oh, the depth of the riches
both of the wisdom
and knowledge
of God!
How unsearchable are His judgements
and unfathomable His ways!"
(Romans 11:33)

This morning I wrote and I wrote and I wrote.
I thought back on last year
and I wrote about how
one thing led to another
and how God called to me during disruptions
and led me in the midst of interruptions.
And I am amazed.

Oh, the wonders of God's ways!

When we take time to think back,
When we take time to wonder,
we will be amazed.

Oh, the wonders of God's ways!

Thank You, amazing God, for these wonders of Your love:
129. looking back and seeing the wonders of God's ways
130. Victor leaving pretty place mats and napkins on the dashboard
131. trying out "my K-cup"
132. working out after writing "Wonder Workout"
133. a certificate of completion on the fridge
134. a dean's merit list letter on the fridge
135. Sarah's interview scheduled: January 23rd @ 9:00 am
136. talking about cleaning taking time with Sarah
137. the offering of a new recipe by a daughter
138. Victor saying "Let's go to lunch!" two days in a row
139. following Victor to places I've never been
140. delicious chicken salad on cranberry bread
141. a "welcome" email
142. seeing that I've already read some of the books on the reading list
143. Victor's enthusiastic encouragement
144. beauty to bless a funeral luncheon

With gratitude,
Sally

Wonder Workout

"Work out your salvation
with fear and trembling;
for it is God who is at work in you,
both to will
and to work
for His good pleasure."
(Philippians 2:12b-13)

Since last June
I have been working out
at our Wellness Center.

I really didn't think I needed it.
I really didn't think I would like it at all.

I love it!

Each workout
(training session of exercises
to maintain or improve one's physical or athletic skill)
is invigorating.
Each workout makes me feel more fully alive.
After I workout, somehow, I am no longer worn out.

A workout is a wonder!

Perhaps, what we are doing here at Entertaining Angels Everyday
by continually offering up a sacrifice of praise
is a wonder workout.
Perhaps, giving thanks for the wonders of God's love
is a training session of exercises to maintain or improve our living skill.

This wonder workout
might just be a way of
working out our salvation
with fear and trembling,
of being awed by
God at work in our lives,
of feeling astonishment,
of marveling
at God at work in us
to will and to work
His good pleasure.

I am finding that
in this daily wonder workout,
in this training session of giving thanks for the wonders of God's love,
in wondering at God working His good pleasure,
I feel His pleasure!

I love it!

I highly recommend a daily wonder workout
to maintain or improve one's abundant living skill!

Thank You, God, for these wonders of Your love:
113. finding I already have the right cards to send
114. the richness of words
115. the richness of God's Word
116. before dawn moments with Victor in the parlor
117. someone with whom I can share the burdens
118. a second reading
119. beginning a new Bible study
120. faithful Miss Bernice
121. walking in and sitting with an old friend
122. sharing updates on our children
123. Spirit-filled teaching
124. the blessing of a baby
125. continued confirmation of the call
126. envelopes of books in the mail
127. a big box of book delivered to our door
128. spaghetti and meatballs

With gratitude in Christ,
Sally

Radical Wonder

Radical Wonder.

"Radical" means:
-of or from the root or roots;
going to the foundation or source of something;
fundamental;
basic;
extreme;
thorough
-in Chemistry: a group of two or more atoms at acts as a single atom
and goes through a reaction unchanged, or is replaced by a single atom:
it is normally incapable of a single existence.
-in Math: the indicated root of a quantity or quantities
-in Botany: coming from the root

In my "1000 Gifts Devotional" for this morning,
Ann spoke of the radical wonder:
Romans 8:32
"He who did not spare His own Son,
but gave Him up for us all-
how will He not also, along with Him,
graciously give us all things."

This is the radical wonder that
we have just experienced in the incarnation of Christmas
and we celebrated yesterday in Epiphany
and we will remember in the days and weeks leading up to Easter:
God "gave us Jesus. Jesus! Gave Him up for us all". (1000 Gifts Devotion)

Ann says:
"The counting of all blessings is ultimately summed up in One.
The radical wonder of it stuns me happy,
hushes me still:
It's all Christ.
Every moment, every event, every happening.
It's all in Christ and in Christ we are always safe."

So, Christ is the radical wonder.
Christ is the root,
the foundation,
the source
of all these wonders of God's love.
The gift of Jesus is the radical wonder
that causes extreme, thorough change in our lives.

Just like a radical in chemistry,
when we are joined to Christ
we can go through a reaction-
any circumstance or situation-
unchanged, undisturbed, in peace,
because we are joined to Him.
We are, like the chemical radical,
normally incapable of a single existence,
because we are now in Christ Jesus
and in Him we have peace.

As a radical in math is the indicated root
of a quantity or quantities,
Jesus is the radical root wonder of
all the wonders of God's love.

Like the botanical radical,
these wonders of God's love
grow out of,
stem from,
have their source in
Christ Jesus.

Thank You, God, for the radical wonder of Jesus!

Thank You, Lord, for these wonders of Your love:
97. Sunday morning cinnamon rolls
98. singing in the shower
99. Margaret saying "I'll sit with you"
100. the construction setting for worship
101. hearing that God is the builder, not me
102. being "lost in wonder"
103. forgetting to join the church
104. a hug from sweet Tracy
105. coming home to Sunday dinner almost ready
106. time alone in the chapel during Margaret's piano lesson
107. a Sunday afternoon nap
108. Ashley's deep love for our children
109. a roomful of parents
110. watching Victor play the piano
111. the elusive green pocketbook
112. monopoly laughter

With gratitude,
Sally

There Is Wonder

There is wonder.

When we watch, there is wonder.

When we take time, there is wonder.

And, when we wonder, we worship!

Wonderful God, I praise You and thank You for these wonders of Your love:
81. Joseph getting up early for his class on his own
82. email
83. grocery shopping with Benjamin
84. the lowering of the laundry mountain
85. a slight chance
86. Victor's "Yes, you should do it."
87. trying a new chili recipe
88. a fictional character feeling like a friend
89. wonderful Margaret cleaning her wonderful room
90. singing at the piano with Vic
91. polishing wood with Old English lemon oil
92. fresh, clean sheets
93. a goodnight kiss
94. blue-lined envelopes
95. printing a scripture memory project
96. brisket slowly cooking overnight

With gratitude,
Sally

Arrested by Wonder

How did we already get to Saturday?
How did we already get to the fifth day of this new year?
Time flies.

In my "1000 Gifts" devotion this morning
Ann uses the phrase "arrested by wonder".

Could it be that when we wonder,
when we are filled with amazement, astonishment, and admiration,
time stops?

Could it be that when we take the time
to remember and record
the wonders of God's love
we redeem the time?

Being "arrested" is:
-"to stop or check the motion, course or spread of"
So, when we are "arrested by wonder",
do we stop the motion, course or spread of the time of our life?
-"to seize or take into custody by authority of the law"
So, when we are "arrested by wonder",
are we seized by God,
taken into God's custody and keeping
by the authority of
Who God Is
and the law of
God's great love for us
received through
wondering at His everyday good gifts?
-"to catch and keep (one's attention, sight. . .)"
So, when we are "arrested by wonder",
and, especially, when we "write wonder",
when we remember and record and return thanks for
the wonders of God's love,
are we caught and kept by God?

Is this what Philippians 4:4-7 tells us about
the secret to slowing time, to lingering over life?
"Rejoice in the Lord always;
again I will say, Rejoice.
Let your gentleness be known to everyone.
The Lord is near.
Do not worry about anything,
but in everything,
by prayer and supplication,
with thanksgiving,
let your requests be known to God.
And the peace of God,
which surpasses all understanding,
will guard your hearts and your minds
in Christ Jesus."

When we are "arrested by wonder",
when we stop to rejoice with thanksgiving,
our hearts and our minds
are guarded
by the peace of God
and God's great love for us
in Christ Jesus.

Instead of time flying,
time is filled with wonder.
Life is filled with love-
the wonderful love of God!

Thank You, God, for these wonders of Your love:
65. the movement of "Bodyflow"
66. hugging a new friend
67. breathing deeply
68. meditation and relaxation
69. reaching high and bowing low
70. "cuties" (sweet, easy, little oranges)
71. Benjamin and Margaret getting the job done
72. a lunch date with Victor
73. an unexpected gift certificate
74. a tableful of laughing ladies
75. "Quesadilla Explosion"
76. the touch of a son's hand on my shoulder
77. sweeping clean
78. slice and bake cookies
79. the colorful glow of candlelight through red and blue and green glass
80. a husband who gives good gifts

With gratitude,
Sally

Return to Wonder!

"Through Jesus, therefore,
let us continually offer to God
a sacrifice of praise."
(Hebrews 13:15a)

This verse started my devotion today.
And it is the subtitle of this blog:
"Entertaining Angels Everyday. . .
continually offering up a sacrifice of praise."

The praise is a sacrifice because
in the offering up
I turn my focus
away from self
to God.

I focus on what is good and right and honorable and true and lovely
in the midst of a broken, ugly, messy life and world.

I make a choice to think on the good, the gifts,
rather than the bad or the lack.

Instead of wandering in discouragement and discontent,
I decide to wonder in God.

This is, perhaps,
what Jesus means when He says that
we must become
like little children
in order to enter the kingdom of God:
we must return to wonder!

Dear God, thank You for these wonders of Your love:
49. the "chunk" of the ice maker working again
50. "Bodypump"
51. teacher appreciation gifts given
52. sweating
53. keeping going 'til the end
54. black-eyed peas and rice, collard greens and cornbread for supper
55. John Victor in Peach County safely almost home
56. tithing
57. reopening our savings account
58. bank ladies who love me anyway
59. packing up the Christmas decorations
60. Andrew picking up Joseph for "Open Mic Night"
61. paying the bills
62. reading the witness of a daily saint
63. little, lovely angel note from an old friend
64. finding the new address of a friend who has moved away

With gratitude,
Sally

Speak of All His Wonders

"Oh give thanks to the Lord,
call upon His name;
Make known His deeds among the peoples.
Sing to Him,
sing praises to Him;
Speak of all His wonders."
(I Chronicles 16:8-9)

Speak of all His wonders.
What a wonderful command!
I prayed in my journal this morning
to listen,
to trust,
and to obey right away.
And, what do you know,
as I speak of all His wonders,
as I write wonders here
and list the wonders of His love,
as I proclaim God's praise,
I feel His pleasure!

Ever since last summer during my quiet days
at Green Bough House of Prayer
when I heard God calling me,
beckoning me,
to proclaim His praise,
and then when God confirmed this call,
this wonderful command,
during the delightful days
of the first session of the Academy of Spiritual Formation,
and continued calling,
kept confirming,
during the driven, desperate, delivering days of session two,
I have known this was God.

Could it be that this is what I was made for?
Could it be that this is where we all can find our reason for being,
our completion, wholeness, satisfaction?

When we proclaim God's praise, we experience God's pleasure.
When we speak of all His wonders, we are wonderfully satisfied.

If you hear God calling you today,
do not hesitate,
do not hold back,
go ahead and answer His call,
do what God is telling you to do.
You might find, as I am finding,
the Wonder of His Love.

Good God, thank You for these wonders of Your love:
33. waking out of a bad dream
34. funny parts of dreams (like hair on a bald man)
35. "creation reveals the "wondrous" beauty of God"
36. driving time
37. browsing in a bookstore
38. not buying a book
39. a picture being worth a thousand words (thanks, Suzanne)
40. making our own pizzas
41. waking up to a kitchen cleaned by a thoughtful son
42. well-behaved dogs
43. Sarah's interview invitation
44. lunch with Sarah - meeting halfway
45. helping Victor with his booth
46. email from Kathy about upcoming Academy session
47. little reminders of lessons learned
48. fresh pineapple

With gratitude,
Sally

Perpetual Wonder

From "My Utmost for His Highest" for January 2:
"Continually revise your attitude towards God
and see if it is a going out of everything,
trusting in God entirely.
It is this attitude that keeps you in
perpetual wonder-
you do not know what God is going to do next.
Each morning you wake
it is to be a "going out,"
building confidence in God. . .
God does not tell you what He is going to do;
He reveals to you Who He is."

How about that!
I declare 2013 to be my "Year of Wonder"
and the very next day
"perpetual wonder"
shows up in my devotions!
Oh, the wonders of His love!

Thank you, God, for these wonders of Your love:
17. early morning quiet time
18. Little Darlin in my lap
19. the dictionary
20. a concordance in my Bible
21. the internet being down
22. notecards from original watercolors
23. a text from John Victor saying they got there
24. the sound of rain outside
25. writing a thank you note
26. beginning a beautiful new journal
27. robin's egg blue
28. my new blue coat
29. shopping with my dear daughters
30. the swish and swing of skirts
31. my encouraging little cubbyhole
32. the mystery of sons

With gratitude,
Sally

2013: A Year of Wonder

"Behold,
I will do something new,
Now it will spring forth;
Will you not be aware of it?"
(Isaiah 43:19a)

In this new year, 2013,
may we be aware of the "something new" God is doing
and wonder at God's lovingkindness
for each of us!

Here, this year, my prayer is to proclaim God's praise
by naming, counting, listing,
the "wonders of His love" that abound everyday
and to thank God for each one.

With God's gracious help,
"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."
(Psalm 9:1-2)

And so, Happy New Year!
May 2013 indeed be a year of wonder!

Thank you, God, for these wonders of your love:
1. sweet Margaret and "give me a hug"
2. Vic buying the beautiful Lennox redbird
3. bare, gray crape myrtle branches filled with flitting redbirds
4. an auction adventure with Vic
5. the concession lady serving the best black-eyed peas, collard greens and cornbread
6. taking care of Milly and Copeland
7. Victor watching one of my favorite movies with me on New Year's Eve
8. driving into the wonder of a winter sunset for over an hour on Sunday evening
9. a full, glowing moon coming up huge over Lyons
10. early morning coffee on the porch in the cold on New Year's Day
11. my amazing new Christmas coffee maker given by my amazing Sarah
12. leaving two nativities out to enjoy until Epiphany
13. candlelight, candlelight, candlelight
14. time to talk while we drive
15. holding hands
16. this place to record and remember

With gratitude,
Sally