Gratitude

Our entire family spent a whole week at the beach in June. It had been four years since we had all been together for a vacation, since my son and his family moved away for his residency. I am so thankful for this special family time and especially for our new little grandson who was born in January--the portrait wouldn't have been complete without him. I felt like my grandmother when she used to say, "all my chicks under one roof!".
I finally got the family portrait I longed for. Handsome group, huh? Thank you, Lord.

Journaling via Blogging

Well, I've finally entered the world of blogging! A little scary. For over thirty years, I have guarded my morning devotional time. Many times, as soon as I got together my Bible, journal, and cup of coffee, I heard the scurrying of feet and looked up to see three little faces grinning at me. Now my mornings are quieter. Why the journal? Writing helps me sort out and understand my thoughts. Often within my scribbling of ideas, worries, scripture, prayers, to-do lists, and sometimes even rantings, I find the voice of God. I don't know how people hear from God without journaling. Going back and reading old journals is sometimes embarassing, often insightful, and always encouraging--I can see how God continues to work on me. He adjusts my thinking, and, because my thinking still needs a lot of adjustment, I chose Phillipians 4:8 as the theme of this blog. Just like my journal, the blog is a place to share what's on my heart--even if no one reads. I was hesitant to give the computer a place in my sacred time, but, here we go...