Category: Grace Goals 2019

The Gift of 86,400 Seconds

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God gave you a gift of 86,400 seconds today.  Have you used one to say “thank you”?

William Ward

It is quite challenging to have a theme each month – for study, for photo opportunities/stray gifts – and it’s only February! I have followed other challenges in the past, but felt God was leading me to create my own based on where He was guiding my studies and blog writing. For this month’s stray gifts theme, the words which came to mind were: admirable, kind, lovely, and sweet. For anyone who may be reading the term ‘stray gifts’ in my writing for the first time, it is based on a quote by William Wadsworth who wrote, “Pleasure is spread through the earth in stray gifts to be claimed by whoever shall find”. I have been taking notes, snapping photos, and writing about noticing these ‘stray gifts’, but with the take on that God has His hand in everything. These gifts really are not strays, but handfuls of purpose in my path that He put there to bring my attention to Him. Here is what I have so far for February: (photos first this time, explanations below)

#1) “Lovely” – From our kitchen window this week, we watched this bird (I think a finch) eating away at the feeder. He had beautiful red and brown feathers.

#2) “Admirable” – Jonathan (my son) is a junior at UTEP and it is his first semester attending. In between classes or while waiting for my husband to be done with work, he has been walking all over campus to see what’s what. The theater, science buildings, the basketball stadium that was used in the 60’s. Track and field, football stadium, Geology building, Fine Arts building where he found himself beneath the stage…I say “admirable” because he was curious about something and went to explore. He could have looked at photos online and it would have been much easier. But he has been walking all around the campus lately because he was interested. He walked in cowboy boots, by the way. Because ..well…we’re in Texas. That’s what we do.

#3) “Sweet” – TWO lovely cards last week. What a fun surprise! The handmade card and envelope from my 11 yr old niece. I love it! The other card from a long time friend which made it all the more special.

#4) “Lovely” – Don Juan climbing red rose bush with baby leaves. I read that climbing roses need not be pruned right away, to wait until after the first bloom. I only planted this last year so I am looking forward to seeing how they do this year. #straygifts in lovely red roses wanting to wake up already.

#5) “Sweet” – My husband brought home these cookies for me knowing I love a chocolate and mint combination. Coincidentally, I was drinking mint tea that day because I was in the mood for it. (He didn’t know that.)

#6) “Kind” – My husband isn’t really known for being a “kid person”, yet somehow he has managed to have a collection of buddies in our church in Mexico. We are not sure when this game started of him getting their shoes and putting them just out of reach, but they are highly entertained by it. They pretty much hand him a shoe for him to toss. Sometimes, my tall son comes to the rescue with a ladder to get shoes off the roof. Stray gifts in surprising entertainment, kind adults who play with kids, and sweet play, too.

Strength of Heart

Published on by arecordofgraces

“Follow your heart”, the world advises. “If it feels good, do it.” Yet in the Bible, God guides us to trust HIS heart and HIS path because our hearts lead us astray all too easily. The heart is deceitful, wicked, swayed and distracted. But there is H O P E. There is a Redeemer who longs to cleanse, heal, renew, and guide.

Over on Facebook this month, I have been posting Scripture verses pertaining to my February “Grace Goals”. Along with these verses, I have been sharing prayers and thoughts. Here are last week’s reflections:

_______________________________________

Within me, Lord, let no seed of resentment take root and grow.

Within me, I want to know joy, wisdom, and grace.

Within me, deep down, I know that strength of heart comes from not comparing my life to others or in jumping to conclusions. It comes from trusting You and Your plan for my life and the way I should go.

Within me, plant a will to forgive and the ability to extend mercy for I have received above and beyond what I deserve from You.

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I want to see You, Lord, in the every day.

Shadows fall, I turn to disbelief instead of the Divine.

Keep my heart pure from doubting that You are good. Keep me safe from the shouting of the world and from those against You, so that I may notice Your hand working in ways I may not see and hear Your still small voice.

In order to truly see You, free my heart from distrust, from complaining, from comparing and dissatisfaction. You have given me more than I deserve and more than I will ever need. When my heart and thoughts are focused in the right direction, I will see all that You have given me and all that You are.

_______________________________________

My flesh and my heart ignores, neglects, deserts, disappoints, and forgets.

But…However…Nevertheless…Still

God is my courage, my stability, my anchor, my might.

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Wait on the Lord…continue, persevere, endure, persist, remain

and He will…

bolster, establish, restore, sustain, fortify.

Grace Goals for February

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I am not sure if I should admit this, but I do not have February’s goals all planned out like I did for January. Sometimes a mind block happens and more and more, I see it as a blank page waiting to be filled in the right time. I stop guessing what I think God wants to teach me and just listen. I do have the topic of study for me and I do know the “stray gifts” themes at least.


Last month, I shared a few thoughts on praying for the caregiver as part of some ‘grace goals’ I had. This month for a prayer plan, I keep coming back to praying for my own heart to be right. If my own heart isn’t in the right place, all of what I do will not come from a sincere place. A Scripture verse that comes to mind:

Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.

Proverbs 4:23

Keep (synonyms): conduct, control, manage, preserve

Diligence (synonyms): alertness, earnestness, effort

To preserve my heart with all effort requires paying attention to my responses to life- from how I deal with trials and setbacks to how I love others. More to come as I know more the direction God is leading me.


Minister Grace

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This month, a focus has been on encouraging through three ways: praying for a caregiver you know, writing a note or card to someone, and through complementing. While looking for Bible verses to share on Facebook on the topic of encouragement, I found this:

“Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.”

Ephesians 4:29

I began to think of being an encouragement in a different way than I had been writing about. More than praying, more than writing a note, and more than complementing someone, encouraging others can be done simply through our behavior – how we speak in our every day lives. Based on how I communicate, am I an encouragement to others who might be around listening? Do I complain often? Do I speak well of others? Are my words useful? Does my behavior help improve others or impair? Ouch. The answers to those questions sting a bit. My words are not always useful for good nor do they at all times minister grace, to be honest. Looks like I have some work to do.

In the meantime, I will keep counting the stray gifts, keep looking for the good and pray that in some way, sharing them uplifts and inspires others to look for the gifts in their lives as well. Here are this week’s stray gifts photos: (January’s theme: inspirational, white, heartfelt, new growth)

Top Left: A little bit of color is left on the rose bush from last year. The rose was ready to bloom but had frozen overnight. Soon it will be time to prune the rose bushes to make way for another year of new growth.

Top Middle: The book, “Patches of Godlight” by Jan Karon. It is full of inspirational quotes, poems, and Bible verses. I have shared many parts of this book on social media. It is well-loved and used often.

Top Right: This is a daylily I had just about given up for dead. I bought it for $3.00 last year on clearance. Looks like it might be ok.

Bottom Left: This pink oleander plant was transplanted from the front yard to the back when we first moved in. Over the last 5 years, it showed a little life after the transplant, so we kept cutting the dead branches down to make way for the new. Last year, this bush exploded in height and in blooms. It seems it might make it another year. Healthy looking growth reaching for the sun.

Bottom Right: Stray gifts “white” -the top of our dog’s head when she nuzzles in for some love. We adopted her a few years ago and she is an entertaining playmate, a fun walking companion, a good listener, and an excellent encourager.

Not pictured: Heartfelt hope in x-ray results for my husband who has been struggling with pain in his hips and legs for a long time. The VA has not wanted to do much with this issue because he was told he was ‘too young’ to have a hip replacement when they first detected a problem. Now both his hips are bad and are basically bone on bone. “Severe degenerative change” is how the findings were written. Good news: He doesn’t have an auto immune disease as we originally thought. This issue is fixable and he is hopeful for a better quality of life in the future.


Pleasure is spread through the earth in stray gifts to be claimed by whoever shall find.
-William Wordsworth, 1806

Your Very Own Self

Published on by arecordofgraces

Somewhere along the way through time, the notion has been planted in young minds that being the same is the way to go. This pressure of uniformity stays with many of us as an adult. It can lead to a life of feeling lonely when we are not comfortable in our own skin. Unsure of who to follow, we change the way we look, the way we act, and the way we think just to (hopefully) be accepted. If you are ‘different’, you are labeled an outsider and you do not belong. The media or whoever spread this thought is dead wrong. We are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14)→ each and every individual. And with our individual differences, we can serve God and make the body of Christ a beautiful thing to behold and a wonderful place to belong.

I am sharing a quote written by author Jan Karon who wrote this on her Facebook page a few years ago. ‘Comparison issues’ and feelings of self-consciousnesses can plague us for years. It is exhausting mentally and spiritually for that is not the way God would have us see ourselves. I am encouraged by the following quote to be more God-conscious, not self-conscious. I am motivated to keep complimenting (part of January’s Grace Goals) others because I never know just how much that person might have needed reassurance and support on a particular day.

From Jan Karon- January 4, 2016:

“For our readers who did not grow up in the South: a generous portion of okra or beans or collards or salad greens, etc, is called a “mess”.

I was always different. I never felt that I fit in anywhere. Some of you know that feeling. Usually, I felt too dumb or too smart, too thin or too fat, too short or (at a mere 5’3” I never felt too tall). I just couldn’t find a way to identify whatever myself might really be.

When I was seven or eight years old, my grandmother, Miss Fannie, gave me a bemused look and said, “Janice, you’re different.” There was a long pause; my very life seemed to hang suspended. “And,” she said, “that’s a good thing.”

It took decades for me to understand and believe that. And here’s an experience that helped.

I was getting ready to fry okra, and while washing it, came across a green bean that had somehow landed in that mess of okra. I cut the green bean in three or four pieces and coated them with batter, and every now and then, in that melange of fried okra, I’d come across a delicious bit of green bean.

What a difference.

I believe it takes a whole mess of okra to make one green bean so full of surprise.

God didn’t make you like everybody else, of course. He made you like your very own self. Something special. Something different.

If you’re still trying to figure out what that wonderful difference is, here’s the best way, in my opinion, to find out.

Say, “God, you made me and you know what you made me to be. What is it? Show me. I want to know. Because whatever you made me to be, that’s exactly what I want to be. I’m excited! Thank you.”

Words Unspoken

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“She is confident in her abilities and how she manages life.”

“He knows he looks great in that shirt.”

“She realizes how important she is to everyone around her.”

“He is aware of how brave I think he is for following his dreams while struggling with chronic pain.”

“She feels no fear and always does things with confidence.”

“He believes in himself and the choices he makes for his family.”

All things I think about particular people but never tell them.

Surely, they know.

They must.

But, not necessarily.

Words go unsaid. “They know how I feel”, I think. But what they see in the mirror and what I see may be two different things.

What if I shared the words I think? Words of encouragement and hope. A compliment. What if I gave something meaningful for them to hold on to? Something true, lovely, of good report (Philippians 4:8) from me to them about them. Because deep down, I don’t know what a difficult day they may have had- the health struggles, the worries. Nagging questions, fear, and crippling doubt could very well be hidden behind the closed doors of a brave front.

Words unspoken help no one.

Words unspoken spark no joy, offer no hope, and give no warmth.

Say the words. Give the compliment. Share a warm, ‘Hello’.

It might make all the difference in the world.

#gracegoals2019

Other “Grace Goals 2019” for January Posts:

Considering the Caregiver

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This month’s Prayer Plan focus has been for the caregiver. Several of my friends and family are caring for their unwell spouse, their child who has life-long health struggles, and/or their aging parents. There are always adjustments to the day, doctor’s appointments scheduled, and the need for keeping a balance in caring for themselves while nurturing those in need. In my last blog post, Praying for the Caregiver, I shared five areas to pray for concerning someone in this situation. Prayer is good and needful, and I believe we could take one step further to be an encouragement. Here are a few hands-on ways to show your care for them:

  • Purchase a gift certificate. There are many directions to take with this suggestion. It could be for a restaurant for a nice meal out. If the caregiver loves crafting/sewing, how about a gift certificate for the local craft store? If they are a gardener, a gift card for the local gardening center. For the reader, a book store. And last, but not least, Amazon – where they can purchase just about anything!
  • Prepare a meal. Soups are always in season in the winter. A rotisserie chicken is a good idea with some sides. Put together a deli tray of meats, cheeses, crackers, cheese spreads, fruit for something different. A baked potato meal, maybe, with toppings (meat, cheese, sour cream) and a nice side salad. Many possibilities. Ask ahead of time for any dietary restrictions. Or call out for pizza or other meal you know the family would enjoy and take it over.
  • Spend some time. Make a lunch date or set time aside to visit in some way or other, whether in the house or outside. Or if the caregiver on your heart right now lives long-distance, call them and let them know you are thinking about them.
  • Make a personalized gift basket. Consider their interests: baking, gardening, reading, relaxation bath salts, coffee or teas. A fruit basket, perhaps.
  • Give flowers. A lovely flower arrangement in the house always brightens up the space.
  • Write and send a nice note. A handwritten connection is always a blessing.

Of course, this list can be utilized to bless anyone! Throughout January’s
#gracegoals2019, I am praying for the caregiver, I am asking the Lord to bless those who care for others. In considering other caregivers, I am asking the Lord to help me put hands and feet to my prayers to do something and be a blessing to others.

Other January “Grace Goals” Blog Entries:

Praying for the Caregiver

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PART TWO of January’s #gracegoals2019 encouragement is to pray for caregivers. Being a caregiver myself for my dad, a Vietnam Veteran, others who care for their aging parents are on my heart often.

The verse which comes to mind for this goal is Philippians 2:4, “Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others”. As I was contemplating this, one word spoke to me; the word, also. If we are to look ALSO on the needs of others, wouldn’t that mean to care for ourselves AND for others? Does that make sense? Something I have been considering. If a caregiver feels run down, senses depression, or suffers physically, emotionally, or spiritually, of what benefit can they be to anyone else? We cannot take care of others if we neglect our own needs. This not only pertains to caretakers of parents, but for those in any ministry of caring- parents raising children, parents raising special needs children, a husband or wife caring for an ill spouse, a pastor and his wife, a janitor, a teacher. I would imagine we all know someone who could use some prayer support!

I researched quite a few web links on the topic of caregivers caring for themselves, and most of them share these tips:

  • Eat healthy
  • Take time to rest during the day
  • Exercise to keep your body strong, even if only for 10 minutes a day
  • Get plenty of sleep
  • Do things you enjoy (read, create, listen to music, garden…)
  • Ask for help when needed
  • Seek support (whether through reading material on the topic, by talking to someone (spouse, family, friend, pastor, counselor) who can be an encourager, and by seeking God’s guidance even for the smallest of decisions.

If you are a caregiver, I understand it is hard work. Sometimes we become so focused on the needs of others and the needs of the home, we forget to take care of ourselves in the process. To find a balance can be a challenge. I know there are days when what you have planned gets put aside. I am familiar with days filled with doctor appointments and waiting at the pharmacy for medication. I identify with days when all that is needed is companionship and quietness when your loved-one is resting or struggling with pain. For these reasons and more, I pray for you today.

If you are praying for a caretaker:

  • Pray that they will make wise choices in caring for their nourishment.
  • Pray for physical, emotional, and spiritual strength.
  • Pray they will be able to sleep well, feeling rejuvenated for the next day.
  • Pray for opportunities to rest and/or to do things they enjoy.
  • Pray they will ask for help when needed and not try to do it all on their own.

Lord, bless those who care for others. I pray for compassion because compassion makes a world of difference. There are always adjustments to the day and I pray change and re-shifting be accepted with grace. May we be flexible, be moved by another’s needs, and be willing to be a blessing. And may we live for You in every decision, in every action, and in every thought of the heart. Amen.

Other January “Grace Goals” Blog Entries:

Grace Goals for January

Just A Note

“Just a Note”

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A few days ago, I shared encouragements for this month in a blog post entitled, Grace Goals for January. I have four goals in mind. Two focus on a relationship with others (giving) and two focus on a relationship with God (one asking something from God, the other giving thanks to Him by noticing #straygifts in the day).

  • Ministry Goal: Write and send at least one letter or card to someone to encourage
  • Prayer Plan: Pray for a caregiver. Caregivers have many definitions (mothers, nurses, pastors, teachers, those who care for a spouse or a child who is ill, those who are caring for a parent)…I would imagine you have someone in mind that could use some encouragement and prayer.
  • Grace Goal: Compliment someone and make their day
  • “Stray Gifts” Suggestions: Look for things brand new, heartfelt, inspirational, and white

The first part of the goal is to write a note to someone. A personal touch goes a long way. Writing a note does not necessarily mean sending a card out in the mail, it could be a note written to someone in your own home. I make my husband’s lunch for him to take to work. A few months ago, I started writing notes to put on his lunch container – a small sticky note with words of love, a silly quote, a fun memory, or an encouraging message. He is a quiet sort of guy and had not said anything about it until one day, there wasn’t one. I was thinking that maybe my ‘little note’ was not noticed or appreciated. Later, he mentioned that he missed it and had been looking forward to seeing what I had thought to write that day. It wasn’t just a note, it made his day. Such a small thing, we think, but you never know what it might mean to another person! I try not to miss a day now, even if I only draw a heart or a smiley face.

Small opportunities surround us every day. Whether you write a note and mail it, or you write it to someone in your own home and place it with a lunch, on a pillow, or around a place you know it will be found, I encourage you to surprise someone. When a person does not comment, say, “Thank you”, or seem to notice, it causes me to wonder if I should even do it. In those cases, I can only pray that God is using me and that for that particular person on that particular day, it is not just a note.