two more little things.....

i just remembered two more little things that i want to remember....

Shawn was home from bible school....they made these little churches out of cardboard and he said it was for his offering - then he asked me what offering was. I tried to explain how we give money to God through the church.....and how that money goes from the church to help others. We have talked many times about God and heaven and Jesus - and after my explanation, he goes back into his room very satisfied with the answer. In just a bit, he comes back in the living room with his little church in his hands.....and he tells me "momma, he dropped it!" - i said "What?" and he tells me again, "He DROPPED it!" I notice that his little church has pennies in it.....and then i realize what he's done. He went into his room, put the pennies into his little cardboard church and he held it up to heaven.....he was giving HIS money to God through his little church....and he let go! Oh to have the faith of a child!

Another time i was picking up glasses at an optical place.....i had three year old Shawn with me and he was cute as cute could be.....and never met a stranger. As we walked in, a lady waiting too struck up a conversation with him.....he just talked away....well, he kept talking....and she began to write in her checkbook and wasn't giving Shawn the attention he was so wanting....so he got up on the couch beside her....he inched as close to her as he could and he looked up at her and said "just fine.....and how are you?" -

BREATHE

2018 - Christmas Tree is down and neatly put away.....the house looks bare without all the decorations - a new year....new opportunities.....new word.  BREATHE.

My small bible study group has decided to choose a word to focus on in 2018.  It's something Marsha, our leader, has done for years now.  I think this is a good idea!  Since starting this bible Study.....Since i saw you last (aka SISYL) i have grown leaps and bounds in my relationship with the Lord.  I struggled with choosing my word.  I mean this is a word for the entire year.  I even downloaded a book on choosing my word.

The word i kept coming back to - less - less of me, less chaos, less busy, less technology, less insecurity, less negativity - but then i couldn't have less without another word....more....more of HIM, more quiet, more one on one relationships, more patience, more confidence in being the daughter of a KING!  So then i ran across the word "Breathe" - and i thought about it.....breathing in all the gifts God offers me....breathing in HIM - through study and prayer and just talking with Him as my day progresses.....Breathing in serenity, gentleness....all those fruits of HIS Spirit....and exhale....just letting all the crummy stuff out of my body....out of my life.  So my word for 2018 is BREATHE.....i hope i can actually focus on this word and be reminded when i take that deep breath that i am HIS daughter and i can be more and more like Him as i breath in big huge breaths of all He is and all He has for me in the life - and the next.  The picture?  This is Lake Moraine.....the most beautiful place i have ever seen - It was on our trip to Canada - a trip i have longed to share with Michael since before we were married.....it's close to one of my favorite cities ever....Banff - but this place....this place must be like heaven.  i literally stood in awe and cried as i took in the beauty, the smells, the experience.  BREATHE in cindy.....BREATHE in His goodness and grace.

This is our little group.....growing together in Christ....being there for one another through thick and thin.  Such a blessing this group....such a gift.

Then there's this man.....oh the places we will go.  I hope.  I pray.  I pray that in this 2018, Michael and i will grow closer and closer as we deepen our relationship with our Savior.  We've been through a lot.....45 years this coming March.  Most happy times, but some really tough times too.  I pray that this coming year will be a healthy year for us.....a year of exploring, growing, BREATHING in God's sweetness, together as ONE.

This year i pray our family can grow some roots down deep.  For the past year or so....maybe longer....changes have taken place in the relationships within our family.  Some good and some i am not crazy about at all.  I will continue to pray and i just hope in 2018, the air can be cleared and our hearts can be drawn together and roots be deepened.  BREATHE......EXHALE.....and pray.  Prayer changes things.  This is my prayer for 2018....that our family can come together, face to face, much more often....that the elephant in the room - well, God i pray You just send him away forever - and that we can truly appreciate the gift we have in each other, in this precious gift of each other.  Lord heal my heart....it's broken into a million pieces.

So BREATHE Cindy....BREATHE in big huge breaths of God....of His mercy and grace.....of all the gifts He gives....EXHALE the negative, the insecurities, the hurt....and oh Lord it's so hard for me sometimes.  I can't do it....it has to be YOU.  Please be my strength....be my portion Lord.  YOU are enough....YOU are everything to me.  I love You SO much....i need You SO much....my praise to YOU dear Lord.

1 John 3:17-18 Help me be a blessing.