A Collection: Books I'm Reading, A Snowy Winter, and Thanking God for His Care

A little rambling post this last day of February ... a collection of memories and happenings from this month. A cold, snowy month here, filled with cancellations and "snow days", and also a sweet month of rest and of God's love and care. 

Books I'm Reading ...

Amidst the days of Cru ministry/work, and family connections ... I always love to make little pockets of time to read. It feeds my soul. 

For my daily times of connection with God, I am focusing on reading through Matthew, as that is what our pastors at Citylight Omaha are teaching on now. I love following along with reading the passage for each week's teaching, and am enjoying reading out of my new (in(courage Devotional Bible (not pictured above). And also, I am reading Paul David Tripp's New Morning Mercies, which holds a one-page reading for each day of the year. So very good in bringing the truths of the Gospel into every area of our lives.

I'm also continuing reading Salt Fat Acid Heat, a thorough, detailed book on the essential basics of cooking, recommended by a food blogger that I follow. I'm a great one for following recipes, but this book teaches the why and how of putting ingredients together. 

Just Open the Door by Jen Schmidt caught my attention when it was published last year, as I always desire to learn more on the sharing of our hearts and home. I am looking forward to reading the bulk of this book in March.

And it was a joy to find a new fiction book that I absolutely loved! I started and finished The Masterpiece during the month of February! Perfect for those cold, snowy evenings we had throughout the month. If you haven't read this yet, you really must read this latest book by Francine Rivers. Written so well, and a beautiful story of God's redemption, and how He creates a masterpiece out of each person who turns their lives over to Him.

Cold, Snowy Days, and God's Care for Us ...

This digital scrapbook page pretty much sums up what our winter has been like ... snow, snow, and more snow. We were so very blessed by a son-in-law and grandson, and also some very kind neighbors who helped us repeatedly with clearing our driveway! 

We experienced God's care in even more ways this past month. Early in the month my dear husband had a health scare that even required for me to call 911. It's the first time in my life that I have ever needed to do that. I am so very grateful that all turned out okay for my husband. He experienced a type of a "seizure" that day. After multiple doctor visits and medical tests through the month, it was determined that what he experienced is an after-affect of the (mild) stroke that he had three years ago this month. Gary is now on meds for that concern, and he has been back to work/ministry as usual all through the month. 

How does a person even know how to thank God for His care? I am so very grateful for His care for us, over and over again. Day by day with the routine happenings of life, and also, with the big scary emergency things of life. How we need Him, for everything. His mercies are new each morning.

Digital Scrapbooking: February

It's always good to pause, and remember. And photos are such a fun and beautiful way to look back, and to cherish memories.

This digital scrapbook page that I put together this month holds more memories than are even visible at first glance ...

First of all, you can see the sweet memories from the first day of February when we celebrated our daughter Sara's Feb. 2nd birthday! Such a fun warm time together on a cold night! 

But behind these photos, 

are beautiful glimpses 

into some amazing miracles! 

It was exactly 23 years ago today that this precious daughter of ours was diagnosed with leukemia. She was just three months from graduating from high school. We will never forget that day when we received the shattering diagnosis of acute lymphocytic leukemia. That day started us out on a difficult, heart-breaking journey of chemo, then a relapse a year later, followed by a bone marrow transplant six months after the relapse. And just look at her twenty-three years later! We continue to thank and praise God for the healing that He brought!

And I cannot look at these joy-filled photos without remembering an even greater miracle. The miracle of restored relationship with us, and with God. Twenty-three years ago we were going through a very strained relationship as parents and daughter. Not only has God healed the leukemia, but He has healed our relationship, and most important of all, brought Sara back to a vibrant, close relationship with Him. How can we ever thank God enough for His mercy and His grace in caring for our sweet Sara. 

There are miracles written all over these photos! 

Thank You, Lord,
for all that You have done, 

even above and beyond 

what we could have imagined.

On My Heart: Compassion

To know

His heart is to

know compassion.

“When He saw the crowds,

He felt compassion for them,

because they were distressed

and dejected, like sheep

without a shepherd.”

(Matt. 9:36 CSB)

To know Him, to follow Him

is to seek to have His heart,

to ask Him to open our eyes

to those who need His love.

“The harvest is abundant,

but the workers are few. 

Therefore, pray to the Lord

of the harvest to send out

workers into His harvest.”

(Matt. 9:37-38 CSB)

This year, this week,

and today … Lord, give me

Your heart of compassion
for Your harvest.

Credit: photo by Joseph Pearson on Unsplash

On My Heart: A Fragrance

It's not an effort -

the fragrance flows;

a natural overflow

from within.

The very present,

natural evidence

of being deeply connected

and deeply and completely loved

by He who is the Vine.

Blossoms, beauty, fragrance

from within. From the

Treasure within. From Him.

His sacrifice. His love.

Our greatest treasure.

And our greatest joy ...

we are the fragrance

of Christ.

"Stay so close that the

fragrance of His grace

may linger wherever you go."

(Ruth Chou Simons, Garden of Truth)

(I was recently looking through my journal, and came across these words that I had written a few months ago. And I stopped, and paused, quieted my heart, and soaked up the beauty of His Presence and His Love. With us. In us. And reflected, through us. And at the end of the busy and somewhat traumatic week that we have just experienced, I am overwhelmed again at the joy and privilege we have of walking closely with Him.)

Credit: Photo by ORNELLA BINNI on Unsplash