Our condo sold tonight.  Sold.  Done. »phew.«  Thank you, Lord!

Woke up this morning
Fed my baby girl
Laid her back down in peaceful sleep
Just like the rest of my family
Ate some cereal in peace and quiet
Enjoyed some of God’s word
Dressed in my cute new skirt
Walked to church with my beautiful family
The sun shone warmly
The breeze relieved us in the heat
Greeted the beautiful faces of friends
(The family of God - how I love them)
Sang my heart out
Listened to the pastor and delighted in God’s might and goodness
Prayed my baby girl and little boy would be courageous to obey the Lord
Delighted in the fellowship of God’s people
Walked home
Laughed with my amazing husband at our funny little boy
Put on shorts
Changed some diapers
Finished packing our lunch
Drove to the park
Ate strawberries, sandwiches and Fudgee-os together
Watched my husband and son play soccer together
Cherished the sound of my son’s voice
Relished the sunshine
Laughed at my husband and son wrestling in the grass
Held my baby girl close
Remembered an old song “it’s days like this I realize/ what a gift it is/ it’s good to be alive”
Praised my Father
Squeezed our whole family onto one small blanket
Laid down and looked for birds and airplanes in the blue sky beyond the treetops
Cleaned up our mess
Picked up slur pees on the way home
Turned on the Blue Jays game (the soundtrack for summer, I think)
Tucked my boy in for a nap
Loved that he wanted hugs and snuggles
Wrapped my girl in a warm blanket
Loved that she smiled in her sleep
And now it’s nap time for me too…
But I just had to take a moment
To capture
Just how good life is.

Thank you, Lord.

I hinted last week about a wonderful development in the life of my family.

I’d written a while back about our journey towards building a house on the farm.  For years it’s been a dream of ours (me and Sean), and we’ve had one huge hang-up: the Rural Municipality council was not allowing us to build.

Well, over the last few months because of some changes in the bylaws and with the council, the hard work of my father-in-law, and the grace of God some things changed.  And last week the phone call came from the RM planner.  We have the go-ahead to proceed with subdividing the land and will be able to build.  Praise God!!

I can’t even express all of the feelings I have now.  It’s like a quiet bubbling of rejoicing in my heart.

This is just the first step of many… but the ability to take this step is exhilarating (as first steps always are!)  Just a few of the things to do now are:

• Subdivide the land
• Gather house prices and assess our mortgage capability
• Map out where the house will go on the land
• Get utilities brought in, and possibly digging a basement
• Sell our condo
• Order our house
• And probably a million details in between…

So the process has only just begun… BUT IT’S BEGUN!!

Hooray!

(Enjoy some of my favourite interior pictures today - many I’ve posted before, sorry - from my house inspiration files.  You might also want to check out my “20 Things” series.  Just click on the tag at the bottom of the linked post to see more.)

My heart is rejoicing.

A quiet, lovely, sweet sort of rejoicing.

Whispers of thanks to a kind God

who always heard

who always saw

who always knew.

And who, in His infinite grace and power

has delivered a long-awaited blessing.

And I can truly say

that a part of this blessing

has been the long waiting.

I have learned more of hope:

How hard it can be to cling to as time passes.

How foolish you can feel while it’s just hope.

How only hope in the Lord is worth the wait.

I have learned more of trust:

How to let go of control

How to let go of my plans.

How the Lord is always trustworthy.

And what I’ve longed for is now not a right I am entitled to,

but truly a gracious, kind, generous gift from the hand of the Lord.

And the waiting has brought Him more glory in my heart.  The waiting has made me more thankful for this gift.  The waiting has refined me and taught me.  And the waiting is drawing to a close.

My heart rejoices in the Lord.

Thanks Lord, that Little M slept through the night.

Thank you for my warm bed.

Thank you for my gorgeous husband.

Thank you for early morning snuggles with my baby.

Thank you that I have food to feed my baby and a warm blanket to wrap him in.

Thank you for Little M going back to sleep.

Thank you for my sweet running shoes.

Thank you for saving the best skies for early risers.

Thank you for the strength and health and ability to run.

Thank you for crisp morning air.

Thank you for the beautiful weather lately.

Thank you for my ipod.  Thanks for Downhere.

Thank you for helping me run further.

Thank you for a baby who slept in.

Thank you for a few minutes to clean the kitchen.

Thank you for my dishwasher.

Thank you for how funny and sweet Little M is when he wakes up.

Thank you for a day for Sean to rest.

Thank you for time with my baby boy.

Thank you that Little M still has two good naps.

Thank you for a husband who bought lunch.

Thank you for a husband who loves me.

Thank you for a husband who makes me laugh.

Thank you for a husband who is the best daddy in the world.

Thank you for time together as a family.

Thank you for the Montreal Alouette win today.

Thank you for a couple of Henry Burris interceptions.  Heh heh.  Sorry.

Thank you for giving my husband and I the determination to get through squabbles.

Thank you for your grace, and setting the example.

Thank you for not sending too much rain today.

Thank you for delicious foods like mashed potatoes and apple pie.

Thank you for helping me be a better cook.

Thank you for people who are patient while I learn that.

Thank you for a family that loves me.

Thank you for games and fun.

Thank you for how well-behaved Little M was tonight.

Thank you for turkey, and gravy, and brussels sprouts, and stuffing.

Thank you for the Winnipeg Blue Bomber win tonight.

Thank you for today.

Thank you for the many, many, blessings I’ve failed to count.

Thank you for tomorrow.

Thank you for my pillow.

If I could point to one thing God’s been teaching me in the last year it is to praise Him - regardless of current circumstances.  

My life right now seems a jumble of incredible joys and straining stresses.  Overall I would say this is neither the darkest nor the easiest time I’ve been through.  But as I consider my present struggles, and watch others around me grapple with their life situations, I hear God calling me to praise Him no matter what.

I was reading Psalm 76 last week and reflecting on the fear of the Lord: the sheer might and power of God.  The incomprehensible holiness of God. The sovereignty and kingship of God.  His majesty.  His justice.  Verse 8 says:

“the land feared and was quiet.”  

I thought of all the complaining and crying I’d had in my heart in the last weeks, and realized that I needed to fear the Lord and be quiet.  I had been mourning the idea of going back to work.  I love my job for many many reasons, and have known for a while that I would be going back.  And I know that both my husband and God have been directing me to go back to work.  But as it neared I lamented that my time would be consumed.  That my house would be messy.  That I couldn’t spend all my time with my son.  That my heart would have to be exhausted by the load of ministry.

And when I read about the fear of the Lord, I knew He was very clearly instructing me: “I am God.  You are not.  You will take on this load I’ve given you, because that is what I’ve given you to do.”  And you know what?  My load felt lighter.  It was one of those moments I’d call a “spiritual butt-kicking”, and it was excellent.  I know that this is what God has asked me to do, and since there is no better way to live than in obedience to God, I can proceed.  Furthermore, I know without a doubt that He will  walk with me all the way.  Because God never commands without also providing everything you need to accomplish His purposes.

Another day I was reading Psalm 95, and considered why we praise God.  The writer of Psalm 95 recalls the Israelites hardening their hearts to God, and testing and trying Him in the desert.  Verse 10 says,

“They are a people whose hearts go astray, and they have not known my ways.”

Hmm.  Why do we praise God?  Sometimes for what He’s doing right now before our eyes.  But even if our circumstances are dire.  Even if no good thing ever happens again in our lives.  Even if we are barely limping along, we can still praise God if we know His ways.  

We can always praise God for who He is, and what He’s already done.

God is worthy of praise simply for who He is.  He is the almighty Creator, the Loving Father, the Perfect One.  Furthermore we can praise Him for what he’s already done.  Is not the singular act of creating you enough to praise Him?  Is not the magnificent gesture of salvation the most praise-worthy gift ever?  Not to mention the many many blessings and joys we have undeservedly received up until now.

So we praise him - regardless of what happens today.  Because when we remember what He’s already done; when we remember who He is; when we truly know this God and His ways - how can we keep from praising Him?