1,000 GIFTS, #153 to #170

As I come to yet another Multitude Monday, my heart is overflowing with His goodness as I continue to count blessings, grace gifts. Including pictures makes this more than a simple list, but I pray you'll indulge me.  As you know, "a picture is worth a thousand words..."  I'm working to one thousand gifts...so one thousand words in pictures sounds joyful too.

153.  My dearest friend is named Lanie. We were talking in the car on the way to our quilt class last week and she quoted a line from her Mother's Day card from her husband...it sounded familiar. Can you say like-minded friends and husbands? Our husbands gave us the exact same Mother's Day Cards! What a gift to have life-long friends.

154.  Lunch at Longhorns with a like-minded same-season-sister, Patsy. We have so much in common. She raised 3 sons, I raised two. One of her boys is married, both of mine are. We love the Word, we love our church, we love each other. It was such a sweet time and it was her treat...making it all the sweeter!

155.  A wonderful meeting in my home with my church's Women's Ministry Leadership Team. We accomplished so much, and enjoyed some delicious chicken salad too. I made a homemade peach cobbler.  Here is my recipe! Complete with pictures. :)

156.  Zeke spent the night with me Friday and we had so much fun.  He is getting older and it is getting funner (great word).  We picked blueberries and worked in the garden.

157.  And of course blueberries on Saturday morning call for blueberry waffles:

158.  I just love this picture and had to share these sweet little hands with 4 blueberries.

159.  The Instrumental worship pastor from my church, Rev. Dawson Hull attended a conference and my friend, Rev. Travis Cottrell was there leading in some of the sessions. I got this picture on my cell phone with a "Travis says hi" message and it made my day! 

160.  This is a "Blushing Bride Hydrangea" from the Endless Summer Collection.  I planted it the spring my youngest son Jonathan married his blushing bride, Erin on 06-07-08!  It blooms a pale white/pink, then turns into a very pale blue.  I love it!

161.  This is the son of Jonathan & Erin, sweet baby Jackson. He knows so many words and understands just about everything they ask him to do...he will toddle off and do whatever it is they say or do...here he is "loving Curious George."  Sweet!  He has a first birthday coming up one week from tomorrow.

162. This past Friday my friend and co-worker Sharon and I attended the funeral for the brother of our mutual friend and co-worker, Brenda. It was one of the most inspirational funerals I have ever attended. Three preachers and a quartet!  It was a celebration homegoing and the quartet sang a song called "If You Knew Him," by The Perry's that is absolutely wonderful!

163. The drive to the funeral was all backroads country and it was good for the soul.  We came upon this old covered bridge.  It is in Upson County, GA and is called Auchumpkee Creek Bridge and of course is tied to the time when the Creek Indians lived in this part of Georgia. I could have stayed there all day.  Had a great time tweeting about it with my siestas!

164.  This is the first daylily of 2011 from my garden.  Daylilies are my favorite perennial. 

165.  All the songs we sang yesterday in our morning worship were about God's holiness. "Holy Holy Holy," then a beautiful duet by Julie and Megan entitled "No Word But Holy," and then "Lord, You're Holy."  The Spirit was strong and the LORD added to His church. 

166.  Big families! Our church hosts a monthly "visitors luncheon" where new and prospective members meet and have lunch with the pastors and their families. Three of the families there yesterday had lots of children! I mean lots!  Two of them had 5 children each, and the other had six children! Hope for the future of Christian families.

167.  Our church nominated a great group of folks last night to serve as our Pastor Search Team. As God calls them to your memory, will you just pray for His will to be done?  We are searching for a Senior Pastor to come shepherd us, love us, and lead us.  Exciting times ahead for our family of faith!

168.  This is sweet baby Madie Ruth, my granddaughter, in as her momma calls it, "her girliest outfit yet."  There's more to come baby girl and we can't wait!

169.  Lastly...as I sign off tonight, I just want to say it is going to be 49 degrees tonight and I am loving this gift of cooler weather.

170.  One more lastly, I planted green beans, squash and cucumbers in my garden this past weekend.  I harvested red potatoes and onions to make room for the above veggies. The tomatoes have been planted for about 3 weeks and are growing so well with the help of my farmhand, Zeke.  He was watering them for Gran Jan!

It's been a very good week and I thank you for sharing this journey of counting His gifts with me.  Oh to grace how great a debtor daily I'm constrained to be...

1,000 GIFTS, #130 to #152

I have not posted on "Multitude Mondays" in a multitude of Mondays, but I'm back and thankful to be here. Life is good but life is busy. I promise I've been counting all along the way...and really can affirm that this counting grace gifts has become a habit. A good habit. A way to bring perspective to my day, even to my "situation."  Blessed.

130. I had a great checkup from my new young doctor, "Dr. Young." I told him I wanted a young doc to get me to my senior years and his name was a plus! :)

131. Celebrating my youngest sister's birthday April 8th. Peggy Jo was born on Good Friday back in 1966 when I was 8 years old...she's a sweetheart.

132. Having all the pastors and their wives over to our home for a meal and sweet fellowship a couple of weekends ago...priceless, theraputic, and just plain FUN!

133. Celebrating my Dad's 77th birthday on April 29th.  "Captain Tom" is a Vietnam War Veteran, a retired Career Marine and one of the finest men I know. I love you Dad.

134. Surprising my sweet Mother-in-law with a visit! She was so excited and apologized for not having her "face fixed." (Meaning no makeup...she is 88 years old - I love that!)

135. I have finished my quilt top! My bff Lanie and I are taking a quilting class on Tuesday evenings. We have so enjoyed our class, but the fellowship in the car during our commute to and from the quilt shop is an added bonus (we drive for over an hour to our class site).  There's nothing like good conversation with a trusted friend.  We always get Starbucks on the way home!

136. On Easter Sunday our choir did the most beautiful music and at the end of the song, a HUGE banner was unfurled...it simply said JESUS. I got to "pull the cord" to unfurl it from the choirloft...it was WAY overhead...very high. I have never been so excited in my life as I anticipated letting it go at just the right time...and I am thankful to say it was right on time!

137. Purple Martin birds coming to live in the big birdhouses we have up for them! They are migratory and they found us! :)
138. Speaking of birds...the hummingbirds are back...I so love them!

139. A great harvest of snow peas from my garden - delicious.

140. Beautiful tomato plants in the garden now...pictures soon!

141. This visitor on my patio the night before Easter...I am serious.

142. This is my youngest grandson, Jackson. He loves being outside and this picture has brought me a multitude of smiles...that is his momma, my sweet daughter-in-law Erin holding the hose for him.

143. A letter from my Compassion son, Iduar. He was thanking me for his birthday money. He bought tennis shoes. Remember the perspective I told you that this counting grace gifts brings? A little boy that lives in Colombia bought tennis shoes and he was so grateful. Speak LORD.

144. Coffee on the front porch with my grandson Zeke. It was a cool morning and we had our "blankies" and our coffee. I love when he spends the night with me and Pop!

145. Beautiful roses in my garden. My favorite of all is "Mr. Lincoln." Smells divine.

146. The joy of praying for my dear friend in the fellowship of pastor's wives, Lisa McKay, who weathered a tornado in the crawl space of her new home with her husband and four children. They are well and are ministering to their community in northeast Alabama. Go here to keep up with her. She is a treasure.

147. The joy of babysitting my little grandgirl recently, Miss Madie Ruth. She will be ONE YEAR OLD tomorrow and we had her birthday party this past Friday evening with a big family BBQ planned by my son and his wife...her parents. The weather was perfect and it was so much fun to be together to celebrate her life!

148. Rocks! Yes, rocks! Rocks to line my flowerbeds. Nice big beautiful rocks from "the Stone Mart" in town. They are beautiful and I plan to do a post soon about my garden because it is a work in progress and it is my happy place.

149. My husband and I took Dr. Robert Smith of Beeson Divinity School (Birmingham, AL - Samford University) and his wife Dr. Wanda Smith out to lunch last Sunday. It was pure JOY to sit with them and receive the wisdom they spoke into our lives. We are on "this side" of a rough season in ministry, but God is faithfully teaching us, and we are receiving all He has for us.

150. We have blueberries on our farm and the earliest varieties are bearing now. They are HUGE (that is a quarter next to the blueberry I picked this evening). I had the best time teaching Zeke which ones to pick! He kept saying, "don't pick the green ones Gran Jan...they will hurt your belly."  :)

151. Celebrating Mother's Day this past weekend with my boys and sweet daughters-in-law and grandblessings and then having my Mom and sister and her family for Sunday dinner yesterday. Besides knowing JESUS, being a Mom & Gran Jan has brought me more JOY than anything I've ever done!

152. The joy of singing a solo in church yesterday with the most wonderful choir in the universe! The song is "Saving Grace." The second verse always *blesses* me so:

In this life before me, there are trials I must face.

But God has given all I need to finish out this race.

So when the earth's foundations crumble,

there is refuge in His Hand,

and I will rest in this assurance,

that by His grace alone I'll stand... 

Yes indeed, by His grace alone I'll stand!

For ALL is GRACE - to Him alone be ALL glory!

ALABAMA TORNADO RELIEF EFFORT - FROM LISA McKAY

It is such an honor to post concerning the Alabama Tornado Relief Effort on behalf of my dear friend in the Sisterhood of PW’s (preacher’s wives), Mrs. Lisa McKay. I talked to her for a long time this morning, and cannot tell you how the chills ran up and down my spine as she shared. In fact, when I saw her name on my cell phone as a call coming in, my heart began to race. She has not been far from my thoughts or prayers the past 3 days.

First and foremost she wants everyone to know that she and her husband, Rev. Luke McKay and their four children are safe. Their home is uninhabitable at the present, but it can be fixed and will be! They had much devastation up and down their road. Lisa was so thankful and yet grieved, in that place where joy and sorrow meet. Thankful for her own family being spared, and grieved to tears at the pain of others.  In the words of Lisa, “It is like God reached down His Hand and cupped His palm over my home as the tornado jumped and skipped all around…” More chills. More tears. More praise.

She and Luke and the kids were in the crawl space of their home and she said she was praying and crying out to God Psalm 57:1 over and over…

Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me,

for in you my soul takes refuge.

I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings

until the disaster has passed.

She said she was praying, “Lord either take all of us or none of us, don’t leave part of us…” Can you even imagine? The children were telling each other they loved each other. For those of us who have or have raised squabbling siblings – that in itself will make you cry. Let’s all commit to pray that the terror of this will be erased from their memories by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Lisa also said that yes – a tornado sounds like a train and she cannot even describe the terror and feeling of doom as they were huddled together waiting…waiting…waiting. And to hear the sound of your man crying out as well…

They had neighbors that were killed (pray as members of the Otts family grieve) and another neighbor where the concrete slab foundation of their home was literally “wiped from the face of the earth,” only 200 yards away.

And now, at Lisa’s request – the purpose of this post is to let you all know that another local church in the area, Chestnut Grove Baptist is the “HUB” of all collections, donations, etc. for the relief effort in their community. They have a fund set up that is ongoing for benevolence called “Chestnut Grove Needy Child Fund” where the tornado efforts will be pooled. This is the address of the bank where the funds may be sent:

Citizens Bank
Attn: Chestnut Grove Needy Child Fund
PO Box 147
Valley Head, AL  35989

The donations are tax deductible and receipts/thank you's will be mailed!

Following are pictures that Lisa sent me…with her text beneath the pictures:

 More of our road I'm just now seeing.

This is the landscape for miles.

 Behind the house.  My backyard used to be a dense pine thicket.

 The trees miraculously began falling horizontal to the house

where we were hiding underneath.

 We were in this crawlspace...

Front of the house. All trees blowing directly perpendicular to it.

I love you Lisa, and we are praying for you. And you know there's a guestroom here at the farm with YOUR name on it!

Your friend,
Jan

1,000 GIFTS, #111 to #129

Continuing to count His gifts, all is grace...

111. Spring Break, a week away from work...what a gift.

112. A birthday lunch with my Mom and sisters - sweet times for sure.

113. Dinner with good friends in a quaint restaurant that was featured in Southern Living Magazine. Yesterday Cafe is known for buttermilk pie. (But my mother-in-law's buttermilk pie is better!)

114. Spending time with my daughter-in-law Erin one afternoon during spring break.  She and Carrie are both such good little mommas, it blesses me so. Long answered prayers. 

115. Help planting my moonflower seeds...Gran Jan's JOY!

116. New porch swing with a special spring that makes it bouncy and fun!

117. Extra time to read, one of my favorite things.

118. Signing up to take a machine quilting class with my bff Lanie!  Can't wait! First class is Tuesday...

119. Attending two bridal showers back to back on Saturday and the JOY of knowing the bride of one and the groom of the other for most of their lives (the blessing of serving in one church for almost 23 years).

120. A long long visit with my mother-in-law and the chance to serve her by helping her buy groceries and then putting them away for her. She needs assistance with a walker now, so getting around takes lots of effort. It was good for me to s-l-o-w down...

121. New ferns on the front porch - a sure sign of spring for my gardening delights!

122. A crop duster flying low over the farm and bringing great JOY to Zeke (and Gran Jan and Pop too). A beautiful day full of God's blessings. (Pop & Zeke are in the picture below.)

123. A word from my son that brought about some deep personal reflection.  A good thing. I love my two boys very much. Sometimes I forget they still need their mom even though they are grown MEN.  It's a different season...this empty nest.

124. The first grass cutting of the season - I love the smell of a freshly mown lawn.

125. Cherry blossoms...I love Spring in the South.

126. The delight of texting back and forth one afternoon about the JOY of old hymns with my friend Beth, and we especially lingered long over "How Firm a Foundation."  We had church across the miles. We are "same season sisters."

127. Avocados on my salad...love them.

128. Balancing my checkbook...quickly...the first time.

129. Being awakened by my little grandson very early one morning last week...and when I opened my eyes...we were eye-to-eye. Sweet.

Thank you for sharing in Gran Jan's JOY!

BOOK GIVE-AWAY OPPORTUNITY

One of my very favorite artist/authors is having a give-away on her blog, and I wanted to be sure you all knew about the chance to enter!

Go here to read all about it.  Her name is Karla Dornacher and I have a "link" to her in my blog sidebar as well.  Her art is whimsical and fun and she loves the Lord.  The book below is one of my favorites...

Her writing speaks to me of the simple joys of life, and always always blesses.

Check it out, okay?

For Grandmothers & Grandmothers Yet-to-Be

For all Grandmothers, whatever your name...

"Grammy, Mimi, Gramma, Gran, Nana, Grandma, Mamu, Granny, Mimmie, Mawmaw, Grandmother, Big Mama, Nanny, Memama, Gigi, and of course, my sweet friend Bibby!"

I began this blog almost 3 years ago anticipating the JOY of becoming a first-time grandmother; hence, Gran Jan's JOY. My very first post was entitled  "The Waiting Room" as I journaled about this new season in my life. I came across these "grandmother" quotes recently and wanted to share them. (I apologize if perchance you are the author, please reply and I will give due credit.)   

I suspect many of you young women probably never think much about becoming grandmothers. I honestly didn't when I was your age. However, I can surely testify to you first-hand that aside from the precious love of Jesus Christ...it is the most wonderfully sweet and delightful pure love, and I am smitten with these three grandbabies of mine:

JACKSON, ZEKE, MADIE RUTH

Here are the "Grandma Quotes:"

 Grandmas are moms with lots of frosting...

 What a bargain grandchildren are! I give them my loose change,

and they give me a million dollars' worth of pleasure.

JACKSON

Grandmothers are just antique little girls.

 Perfect love sometimes does not come until the first grandchild.
GRAN JAN HOLDS EZEKIEL "Zeke" FOR THE FIRST TIME

 A grandmother is a babysitter who watches the children instead
of the television...on purpose.

When a baby is born, so is a grandmother...

 Becoming a grandmother is wonderful.

One moment you're just a mother...

the next you are all-wise and prehistoric.


A grandmother is a mother who has a second chance...


 When grandmothers enter the door, discipline flies out the window.


Just about the time a woman thinks her work is done she becomes a grandmother...

 Grandma always made you feel she had been waiting just to see you
 and now her day was complete!

 Grandmas never run out of hugs or cookies.

  Grandmas hold our tiny hands for just a little while, but our hearts forever.

It is as grandmothers that our mothers come into the fullness of their grace...

JACKSON

My grandkids believe I'm the oldest thing in the world.
And after two or three hours with them, I believe it, too!

 If becoming a grandmother was only a matter of choice,
I should advise every one of you straight away to become one.

MISS MADIE RUTH

Grandchildren are God's way of compensating us for growing old.

An hour with your grandchildren can make you feel young again.

 The best baby-sitters, of course, are the grandparents.

I wish I had the energy that my grandchildren have, if just to keep up with them.

Grandmother-grandchild relationships are simple:

grandmas are short on criticism and long on love...

nobody can do for little children what grandparents do.

 Grandmother - a wonderful mother with lots of practice.

A grandparent is old on the outside but young on the inside.

 One of the sweetest handclasps is that of a new

grandbaby around the finger of a grandmother.

It's amazing how grandparents seem so young once you become one.


 If your baby is beautiful and perfect, never cries or fusses,

sleeps on schedule and burps on demand,
an angel all the time, you're the grandma.

 Grandparents are similar to a piece of string - handy to have

around and easily wrapped around the fingers of their grandchildren.

Grandchildren don't make a man feel old;

it's the knowledge that he's married to a grandmother...

I LOVE YOU, "POP!"

1,000 GIFTS, #99 to #110

MULTITUDE MONDAYS

This sweet discipline of counting the gifts of grace is precious and priceless. Thank you for indulging me as I once again list graces of the past week. Yes, as Ann Voskamp says, all is grace...



99. A surprise gift from my sweet husband just for me. Yes, this is a garden TILLER!  I have wanted one for a long time to support my gardening passion.  It is the perfect size for me to use.

100. The SUPERMOON of this past Saturday night! Beth Moore posted this picture on Twitter and it was absolutely the BEST picture of the night.  What a great Creator God! I kept going outside every few minutes to enjoy God's handiwork.

101. A swing for my littlest grandboy...Jackson. My son and his wife were "testing it out" prior to hanging it outside. They are sure enjoying this little boy. Guess what? He has 2 grandmothers, 4 great-grandmothers, 2 grandfathers, and 2 great-grandfathers! 

102. My husband grilled porkchops for us all this past Saturday - great weather and a delicious meal with the family.

103. Zeke drove his John Deere tractor next door to make a special delivery of buttermilk to my father, his Papaw. He LOVES this tractor!  

104. This double rainbow appeared as the family was leaving the cemetery after the burial of two sisters who died last week. It was seen for miles and miles...this is in my front yard. Thank God for His precious promises. We are still praying for the Sullivent family in their grief.

105.Today is my Mom's birthday, I am so thankful for her life. She is a strong woman from a generation of self-sacrificing women, a good wife and mother. She took care of my sisters and I while my Dad was in Vietnam; gone for 13 months at a time on two occasions - all this before the days of Skype and email and internet...a strong woman of faith. I love her! Happy Birthday Mom! 

106. My daughter-in-law sent me this picture of Madie Ruth via text last week.  This little girl has won our hearts! She and Zeke have 2 grandmothers, 2 great-grandmothers, 2 grandfathers and 2 greatgrandfathers. Blessed indeed.

107. My favorite Easter candy...Starburst Jelly Beans! I am not a fan of chocolate (truly). But I love jelly beans :) These are sitting on my desk at work. They are "hard to get into" which is a good thing...because did I mention they are my favorite? 

108. A conversation this past Wednesday night after Bible study with long-time friends that lingered long. Cindy, Jean, Joy...thank you! Pure therapy for our hearts and souls. God be praised!

109. A letter in the mail from each of the children we sponsor through Compassion International. The joy of seeing that "letter from your sponsored child" envelope in my mailbox is overwhelming.

110. The joy of the truth of 2 Corinthians 12:9 settling over my heart and soul last night after a message by Dr. Ron Lynch (guest preacher at my church yesterday) gave me such hope. Our God is Greater!

But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you,

for my power is made perfect in weakness."

Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses,

so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

(2 Corinthians 12:9)