Thankful Thursday!

It's the end of the day here in the West Coast on this Thankful Thursday. Recapping my week, I'm so grateful for the new things in my life, great and small:

1. Another new year -- Last weekend I celebrated my last birthday in my thirties! Caught up with my dear husband, who turned 39 in December.

2. A new haircut -- A friend of mine used to be my hairdresser for years, but it's been rather challenging for me these last several months to get my hair done by her only because she works part-time, my babysitters always seem to be available on the wrong days, and I've simply not been organized enough to coordinate all of our schedules. I was desperate for a haircut this weekend, so on President's Day, I went to a nearby salon and the hairdresser did a fabulous job. My hair is now manageable, and I really like the style, and I'm so thankful. Although, I do miss visiting my friend Wendy; she always did a great job with my hair. Maybe next time.

3. Our new church family -- We've been attending a new church in town for about seven months now. We've had many relationships in that church and have been somewhat involved there for a few years largely due to their AWANA ministry and homeschooling community. My husband and I felt that the timing was right for a transition and followed God's leading to make the move by faith, not knowing for sure if we were making the right decision. Since then, it has been crystal clear to our family that God had gone before us, and although change is always difficult, we are now planted and flourishing in this spiritual home he has brought us to. I'm very grateful for the welcome we have received there.

4. A new season in our homeschool -- I wrote a little about this in my other blog and in a previous Thankful Thursday post. I've learned so much since then, and only a few weeks later, the fruit of God's work in our home school is still growing -- peace, freedom and lot of fun learning!

5. His tender mercies, for they truly, truly are new every morning!

6. A new way of studying His Word - Last summer, I learned about the inductive method of studying God's Word. Certainly by no coincidence, in the fall I became part of a new women's Bible study, and we've been looking closely into the book of Luke these past six months. I've been able to approach the study of God's Word in this new way, and it has been simply amazing! Oh, the depth and the richness of the Word of God! How thankful I am!

7. A new, healthy lifestyle -- My husband and I have been gradually and purposefully taking steps -- baby steps -- to adjust our lifestyle (exercising, eating more healthy etc), born out of our desire to better steward our bodies and to teach our children to do the same. This has been a tough one, but I'm so thankful for God's grace in helping us to stay motivated and not give up no matter how challenging it seems at times. Check out the fun that's been happening during our home school here as my children and I have been finding more creative ways to get some exercise at home while the weather has yet to clear up!

8. Blogging -- This is still so new to me, and I'm very sporadic at posting, but I'm thankful for the outlet and for the wonderful connections I've made through the blogging world. So, so thankful!

All that being said, I'm thankful also for the things that aren't so "new" -- the past, the lessons that I've learned through life, my family, friendships that have stood the test of time, and the countless testimonies of God's love and grace.

Sweet Remembering

The other day my husband came across this photo taken several years ago during a birthday dinner given to me by some dear friends.

We lingered a bit as we reminisced about our dear friend, Jenny, pictured here at the end of the table second to the right, wearing red and black. Sometimes it seems like yesterday we were dining and laughing together. We lost Jenny a little over a year ago to cancer, which she fought in faith until the end. I wrote about her in an old blog of mine here.

This weekend, it was a thrill for us to, after several months, see and connect with Jenny's husband and grown children, all dear to us, at a mutual friend's wedding. What a testimony they are of Jenny's life, love and legacy of faith and of God's sustaining and ever-present grace. Remembering is often painful especially when the one we miss is no longer with us. But this photo brought back for me sweet and special memories.

FREEDOM!

"The Lord sets the prisoners free; the Lord opens the eyes of the blind. The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down; the Lord loves the righteous." (Psalm 146:7b-8)

Messes happen in life. There are those that we create, and there are those that others have made. There are thoses that others either have caused at our expense or have brought into our lives (or into some aspect of our lives), whether intending to or not. There are messes that are just there because we live in a fallen world. No matter how they came about, they're all still messes. And messes can be ugly, sometimes ugly enough to hurt and keep us bound up. BUT GOD in His gracious sovereignty, love and goodness, is able to take every mess and turn it into something beautiful.

Each day I walk with Christ, I experience more and more of the freedom that He purchased for me on the cross. And it's always more than what I imagined it to be. It also often looks a lot different that what I dreamed it to be. But always, it is better than what I've known. I learn to love and forgive. Like the prisoner set free, I can breathe in the fresh air. Like the blind man who now can see, I can behold the vibrant colors of the world around me. The images look fuzzy at first, but then real clarity begins to set in. God daily makes me whole so that I can give again, and know what it means to become fully alive in Him.

The past six months have been filled with change, transition and even heartache. Much of what I thought about the walk of faith was not as it appeared. But I have discovered that God's truth always prevails, even in the midst of difficult circumstances, and He will show me truth and set me free from that which is not true as long as I am willing to allow Him to open my eyes, shape me, mold me, change me and love me, painful as that may sometimes be. No excuses.

Freedom doesn't come without a price. Jesus paid the ultimate price of all for my freedom. I am thankful for a deeper understanding of that through these past six months. Because of Him, I can embrace life and have hope for the future. I revel in the liberty Christ has brought me into. Life has a fresh newness. My relationship with Christ has entered into a new season, as if I am just coming to know Him all over again. Daily, He enables me to look out onto the horizon in celebration and shout, "I'm free!"