Multitude Monday 301-310

301. a 10 yr old son's heart full of righteous indignation every time he reads of the persecution of believers in The Voice of the Martyrs newsletters, he sees the wrong and prays/pleads for what's right

302. a teenager who sees the sin and brokenness in our society in the daily headiness, and who understands the importance of strengthening his walk with Him if he is to navigate these treacherous waters

303. being able to be there (in spirit & prayer) for a dear sister in Christ going through the heartache of loss, as hard as such a thing is, I'm thankful that because of my own experiences I can have a deeper empathy for others as they walk through their dark valleys

304. tissue paper flowers, I'm sure it won't be long before I see them as clutter and toss them to make room for the next crafty decorations, but for now I'm thankful for the tissue paper flowers that signal our eager anticipation of spring

305. longer days with more sunshine, melting the layer of ice and snow that had crept over more and more of our driveway, our sidewalk, and my energy levels...

306. patches of old grass peeking through, and the sense of urgency to enjoy the last bits of cool air and wintry white stuff before the seasons really do change and we begin to grumble about the heat (and humidity!) and mosquitoes (our unofficial state bird)

307. 9 & 7 yr old girls that can brush their own hair yet will often still ask Mom for help with some braids or a sweet little bun

308. 5 & 3 yr old girls with many more years of needing & wanting help with hair, it's so nice to feel needed in such a simple way

309. a stack of good books

310. years of old pictures and the sweet laughs and giggles of children as they look back on themselves and their brothers and sisters and Mom and Dad, our lives together and our looks through the ages, I remind myself often- take more pictures!

It's overcast today- I notice how spoiled I've become by several days of sunshine, and I notice how obviously the lack of sun affects me. My tendency is to turn inward, to sigh deep sighs of something less than contentment, and to muddle through my dreary days, but I know that is far less than the best I can do. As a Mother, I strive to do better for my children's sake, and yet as a Christian I need to strive to do better for much more than my sake, an for far more than my children's sake. I need to, I can do, better for the sake of Him whose Name I claim. And so I turn my eyes to see my world in another light, in a light that sees my everything as something from Him, and something to be truly thankful for, and it's changing me. From the inside out, it's changing me in such a good way.

Multitude Monday 291-300

291. children who color so many darling pictures that we don't have enough room on the walls to display them and they need special folders to store the archives...

292. a teenager who volunteered to stay home with a sick toddler (not too sick, but enough to not bring out to play with friends) and insisted I bring the others to our scheduled play date, as they had all worked so hard all week to get their lists checked off, their work all done...

293. seeing my children work so hard all week, with their eyes on a prize they can really push themselves, they did great, my Mother heart beams...

294. morning sunshine making it so much easier to get out of bed each day- I have never been a morning person, having a sleep disorder doesn't help one bit, and neither does a crazy month at my husband's jobs...

295. more birds tweeting each day, the suet rapidly depleting from the feeder

296. thoughts of gardening, I'll grumble in the heat and when the weeds take over, but for now the thoughts of our long winter melting into spring green keep my smiling in anticipation

297. tissue paper flowers

298. sweet toddler grins

299. big brothers enjoying play time with their youngest brother, the contagious laughs spreading through the room like wildfire

300. 8 yr old girl turning 9, last year of single digits, she may be growing up too fast for my heart to comprehend, but I am so thankful for 9 years with my oldest daughter, my mini me, the one who has shown me more about myself than I ever wanted to know, but I needed to know so much...

Multitude Monday 281-290

281. releasing another several pounds of clutter

282. children who beg for more biscuits, some with sausage gravy, some with butter and jelly, some with butter and honey, some with peanut butter, some with just butter, all made with love and more helping hands

283. a week with more sunny days than overcast days

284. a good night's sleep for my husband and I, on the same night...

285. respiratory crud finally easing up again and making it through this round with only 1 ER visit and no hospitalizations for any asthmatics- I never thought I would be in a place to need to say that I'm thankful for months in a row without a hospital stay, but after the last 5 yrs, ever since our 5 yr old Hope was hospitalized with RSV at 6 weeks old, and the many hospitalizations that Grace and Hope have endured... now I'm in that place, and I'm thankful for every month without a hospital visit...

286. a husband who keeps encouraging me

287. personal character pruning, it hurts to go through, but I trust and love the Gardener

288. time spent holding a sister's new baby

289. a sister and brother-in-law buying their first home, not too far away, bringing the rest of my immediate family close together again (us, my parents, and now both of my sisters and their husbands, and of course their precious children, live within about 10 miles of each other!)

290. the urge to take down the snowflake decorations and start creating some springtime atmosphere in our home!

Multitude Monday 261-280

261. the beauty that is in our frosty land these days

262. a Friday field trip down "in the city" without a headache despite harsh sun while driving, cold air outside, parking too far from the museum and nearly getting lost in the skyway system, oh, and paying to much to get out of the ramp due to losing the ticket... definite headache material, and yet there was none... it was a good day

263. dry roads on Friday and Saturday while we were out and about and I was behind the wheel

264. overcoming my urge to wimp out and stay home on Saturday

265. meeting the sweetest alpacas

266. our first pair of snow shoes

267. 10 yr old son deciding to make our 2nd pair of snow shoes

268. coughing and wheezing, though not subsiding, is lessening day by day

269. more than 1 day in a row with sunshine!

270. finding a couple coupons I think I'll actually use

271. impromptu steak dinner with husband after kids in bed

272. sparkling peach juice shared with my love

273. another 4 yr old turning 5!! Our sweet and silly little Hope is growing up so fast!

274. children who think my cake decorating is g-r-r-eat! beauty, even cake beauty, truly is in the eye of the beholder...

275. sisters wrapping up things of their own to gift to their sister on her birthday! It touches me that our children always do that!

276. the calendar filling up a bit more as spring approaches

277. my husband who works long hours to provide for us

278. my husband who provides more than just money to pay the bills, but an example of hard-working responsibility

279. my husband who continues to tell me I'm cute

280. my husband who doesn't have anything to prove on Valentine's Day, because I already know that he loves me, every day, even on an off day, I still know it

Thank you, Precious Lord, for the many gifts You have seen fit to give to me, today, and every day. All I have to give back to You is my thanks, and my life, and my love- here they are, they're Yours.

Multitude Monday 241-260

eta: 7 yr old seems to have been hit with a virus, causing her asthma to act up suddenly, 3 hrs in the ER and another round of steroids, no pneumonia- today we're thankful for no pneumonia!

Not what we say about our blessings, but how we use them, is the true measure of
our thanksgiving. ~W.T. Purkiser

241. safety on snowy roads

242. a minute or 2 more daylight each day

243. feeling the spring fever coursing through my veins

244. leisure time with friends

245. excitement for my youngest sister, nearing the birth of her 2nd son

246. the well meaning "how are you?"s, the ones when dear women make eye contact, and really want to know

247. modern medicine, yet again helping our sweet daughter to breathe

248. Cheetos dust, on the youngest of hands and cheeks, even when it leaves its mark on my clothes, when it's on my baby, even that staining orange stuff is endearing

249. knowing he's my baby, even though he's a whopping 15 months old, he'll always be my baby, right?

250. another stirring message at church

251. a heart in a place and condition to be stirred

252. knowing it truly is in Him that I live and move and have my being

253. a heartfelt hug

254. a genuine smile

255. shared tears

256. another day to get up and try again

257. another daily list to work through

258. a few stolen moments to plan my week

259. new resolve

260. resting in the peace that truly does pass understanding

Multitude Monday 221-240

221. a slow morning, with time in the Word

222. not worrying about the slow start

223. knowing I can catch up

224. knowing it'll be okay if I don't

225. gigantic fresh oranges in a Minnesota winter

226. youngest little soul reaching high on tippy-toes to put his own bowl in the sink

227. sweet little future man, gaining independence in baby steps each day

228. 3 yr old wanting up in my lap, again and again and again, she loves to be near, I love to have her near

229. 4 little girls, all eager to help wash the living room windows, especially the part where they get to climb on the furniture to reach the windows

230. children who love to munch on carrots all afternoon

231. homemade ranch dressing, with homemade buttermilk

232. children excited to get back to home school co-op tomorrow

233. 3, 4, & 7 yr olds having fun with phonics, excited to read and to write

234. reading another of the 50 Famous Stories Retold to an eager young audience

235. reading the Word aloud with a 3 yr old by my side, listening so sweetly

236. 10 yr old creating a pretend copy of the Constitution because he noticed on the calender that this Friday is the anniversary of the Constitution, and deciding we should have a Constitution party. Seriously, a Constitution party?! Sure, why not?!

237. children who'll use anything as an excuse to have a party

238. having a 10 yr old very capable of doing the laundry

239. sisters working together to fold and put away clothes for their big loving family

240. a teenage son who doesn't mind getting "dishpan hands" to get the supper dishes done, well, if he does mind, he doesn't complain one bit, and I'm thankful for that as well

Today was full, and tomorrow is packed. Wednesday is busy, and before I know it, another weekend will be here. There are a few more moments and minutes of daylight each day and I can feel the Spring Fever begin to rise in my veins. I think perhaps some time with a seed catalog and a little garden planning, I just may pull through this long winter yet!

Multitude Monday 211-220

211. seven children, healthy at the same time

212. time spent training the youngest two to sit still in church

213. knowing that time spent training children will mean more time spent enjoying their company for years to come

214. a reading checklist getting all checked off

215. feeling like we accomplished something and learned something new today

216. believing we can do it again tomorrow

217. a tired 3 yr old taking a much needed nap

218. a hungry 15 month old eating his veggies and squawking for more

219. boys working together, hauling in wood to keep the family warm

220. my husband working hard most every day, for us

It was a hard weekend for me. I was the one month anniversary of our loss. My cycle returned, as it should, except that it shouldn't. I should have been 15 weeks along tomorrow, except that I'm not. Ultimately, I know I'm okay, I know the Lord is in control, and I know He's faithful, no matter what, but right now I'm still sad, still missing being pregnant.

Turning my eyes, my heart, my mind towards the many things I have to be thankful for has been such a blessing through this time. It's always a blessing, to thank Him, but even more so in a time of grief. Thanking Him, gets my eyes off myself, if even for a moment. May I have more of those moments each day!

Multitude Monday 201-210

201. puppies and all of the smiles and giggles they bring

202. boys to train the puppies

203. biscuits and sausage gravy for weekend breakfasts

204. the art of making gravy from scratch

205. baking shortbread

206. slowly, but surely, cleaning out the closets

207. buckets, bleach, and plenty of washcloths to clean and disinfect

208. a stomach bug that "isn't too bad"

209. overall health, despite the creeping crud

210. knowing this too shall pass, again

Having weeks like these, the weeks "when it rains, it pours", still processing the grief of loss, feeling helpless to do anything but stand by and clean up as children get sick, a Frozen Tundra winter dragging on and on, struggling with my sleep cycle turning upside down for yet another time, missing opportunities to get out and have some fun because of sickness... I could go on.

If I wanted to, and sometimes I do, I could find an awful lot to complain about. I'm thankful for the reminder from Ann, and through her, the reminder from Him, to instead look around me and count my blessings, because as overwhelming as life can seem sometimes due to all the things I could complain about, there is still so much to be thankful for.

Thank You, Lord. You are so good, so good to me.

Multitude Monday 186-200

Old pic, because it makes me smile...

186. late night talks with my husband

187. discussions that go beyond computers, kids, and how do you want your coffee today?

188. the yawn that comes on a tired day after a good late night talk, and knowing I'm tired for such a good reason

189. a lighter closet and 3 more bags to the thrift store

190. knowing it's okay to give excess away, if we need more someday He will provide

another one...

191. sweet ladies at church praying for me, for us, as we hurt and heal after loss

192. the sun breaking through on a Minnesota January day

193. 3 & 4 yr olds learning letter sounds, beginning the journey to reading, a journey so full of expectation and promise, a journey to unlock the doors to so many other journeys in life

194. the days when a child pulls out the math book before being asked to

195. baby boys 'playing piano' with feet swaying and toes wiggling in glee

and another one...

196. another late potty trainer having a dry day!

197. a basket of socks to match and fold, the very fact that there seems to be an overabundance of things like socks in this house is not merely because there are 9 people in this house, it is because He has so richly blessed!

198. curls to untangle and the sweet little heads they adorn

199. cereal bits to vacuum (and the working vacuum to do it with) another sign of His provision- that we even have cereal to make the mess that needs to be cleaned up... He has been good!

200. baby boys in button-up collared shirts looking like little men, so sweet (he's 14 months, I know, but he's my baby!)

Multitude Monday 176-185

176. a brother-in-law available and willing to help work on a broken car

177. money for a new battery for the van

178. compassionate doctors

179. a quiet and low-key family gathering New Year's Eve

180. time to reflect this week

181. reassurance of His love and faithfulness in a time of sorrow

182. supportive homeschooling friends offering help in a time of need

183. phone calls from friends offering their love and support

184. families at church offering to bring a meal

185. another good sermon hitting another nail on the head

There are gifts to be seen any which way I look, the more I see and recognize them, the more I'm thankful to Him for them, the harder it becomes to grumble about that which I do not have, or that which doesn't seem to go my way...

Multitude Monday 151-175

151. the loving embrace of a husband sharing a moment of grief
152. the assurance that "He heals the broken in heart, he bindeth up their wounds"
153. Hershey Kisses to share with my children
154. 'smooth dark chocolate with real coffee' to share with my husband
155. time to myself to think
156. time to myself to cry
157. time to myself to pray
158. a house full of children to return to
159. a cozy bed to curl up in
160. another asthma flare-up settling down
161. the two youngest's croupy coughs settling down as well
162. leftover turkey for many a sandwich
163. Mr. Extraordinary taking care of the turkey roasting while I was at Urgent Care
164. a mound of creamy mashed potatoes
165. children who usually eat all of their vegetables
166. candy canes for a seasonal special treat
167. sticky kisses after a candy cane
168. another cup of cocoa
169. Vivaldi's Concerto in G minor for 2 Cellos
170. listening to good music on my phone while waiting...
171. the beauty of fresh white snow
172. rosy cheeks on children after playing in snow
173. clearance priced sweet wooden toys
174. an impromptu meetup with both of my sisters
175. finding a favorite coffee on sale

Multitude Monday 101-150

101. freshly fallen snow
102. a husband safely arriving at work on a slick-roads kind of day
103. time to make cookies
104. the aroma of cookies baking
105. the taste and feel of a warm freshly-baked cookie
106. eating all of the duds right away
107. another cup of coffee to wash another cookie down
108. little hands reaching for "one more, please?"
109. a clean kitchen after cookie-making
110. time to write out a grocery list
111. a husband who will stop for a few things on the way home
112. the silly songs a 4 yr old sings
113. a danish in the morning
114. a fridge full of honey wheat bagels
115. bags of fresh juicy oranges
116. plump grapefruits as well
117. old cookie press for making the old favorite Spritz
118. an easy frozen food supper now and then
119. sale prices on frozen turkeys
120. $0.99 butter, even if there is a limit of 2
121. remembering to use the cranberries before they go bad
122. late evening urges to bake more
123. cranberry orange bread for tomorrow's breakfast
124. another child mastering counting by tens
125. a child looking up and learning a new word
126. white elephant gifts
127. the wonder and excitement of children cracking codes with their Caesar Cipher Wheel
128. soft 1-ply yarn
129. a scarf growing as I knit
130. time for knitting while sweet breads are baking
131. tiny wire hangers for tiny hand knit sweaters for winter decorations
132. soothing piano playing my favorite hymns
133. a quiet home full of sleeping healthy children
134. 2 months with no asthma episodes
135. flashcards with more first words
136. 3D Paper Snowflakes and children eager to make more
137. big fluffy puffy down-like comforter
138. a wonderful gifted new-to-us coffee maker
139. taste tests with the new machine
140. cheese & crackers, shared with my husband
141. a husband who doesn't mind if the floor didn't get vacuumed today, again...
142. alarm clocks
143. snooze buttons
144. newly turned 3 yr old waking early and coming downstairs quietly to wake up Mommy with her sweet "good morning"smile
145. smelling the fresh orange zest, an hour later, aaahhhh...
146. capturing pictures of baby and Daddy playing with new computer gizmo
147. children excited for home school co-op tomorrow
148. like minded friends
149. being able to stay home when the weather outside is frightful
150. a fire that's so delightful

Multitude Monday 51-100

51. soft blankets
52. flannel sheets in a Minnesota Winter
53. bookshelves
54. our big dining room table
55. quiet nights
56. warm pajamas
57. slippers on little feet
58. a 13 month old little boy who still cuddles with Mommy while drinking his milk
59. 1st haircuts for little girls
60. the pile of laundry waiting to be folded (a sign that we have more than enough clothes)
61. a fairly full freezer
62. a fairly stocked pantry
63. a stack of crock-pot recipes
64. seasonal lists of 30 recipes we like
65. late-night grocery shopping trips by myself
66. children who behave in the grocery store the times we need to go by day
67. big batches of oatmeal w/maple syrup & brown sugar
68. fresh veggies for afternoon snacks
69. big bunches of bananas
70. homemade pizza
71. stock pots of soup
72. big batches of pasta
73. a whole family who loves nachos for snackin' and sometimes for supper
74. hearty whole wheat and oatmeal pancakes for breakfast, and sometimes for supper
75. a big black bench found at a local antique show
76. little bodies to fill up the benches in this house
77. an antique cradle from Nanny to keep the girls' dolls contained
78. dolls to fill it and the girls who play with them
79. a 3 yr old learning to be a big helper and a big sister, caring for her little brother
80. children with memories way better than mine who recite silly movie lines with great comedic timing, cracking me up daily
81. sweet fun from classic toys like Slinkies
82. sisters who make room for each other & squeeze together on the rocking chair
83. popcorn, popped on the stove top
84. the smacking as they lick their fingers after eating the fresh popped buttery popcorn
85. dry erase boards and the blank canvas for impromptu art that they are
86. enthusiastic young artists
87. digital cameras to capture picture after picture of their never ending pictures
88. chubby baby feet
89. a small army of helpers when it's time to pick up
90. a teenager who does the dishes without attitude, seriously, I can't even say enough about how thankful I am for that, and for him
91. counting butterflies in a book with the 3 yr old
92. cinnamon crumb coffee cake
93. a warm cup of coffee after waking from a migraine-induced stupor
94. a more than capable husband who handles it all while I'm in bed with a migraine
95. children who do NOT ask for $100 jeans
96. another lovely Thanksgiving with the in-laws
97. another chance to play their incredible antique baby grand piano
98. safety on the roads, 2 hrs, both directions
99. chicken soup on a cold day
100. eternal promises

May I never neglect to be thankful!

If you've never read Ann Voskamp's inspiring writing, you're missing out. There is beauty, inspiration, and challenge in every one of her posts where she never fails to point the reader in the direction of the Savior. I wish she were my neighbor...

Multitude Monday 1-50

I've thought about and focused on things I am truly thankful for, a bit here and a bit there, a scrap of paper tucked in a Bible, a journal page now and then, the notes section of my planner... This list will be my way of keeping it all in one place, a record of gratitude, to look back on and meditate upon in the moments when it all gets hard, the moments when I could use a reminder-

1. salvation
2. a Bible in my language
3. a loving & patient husband
4. forgiveness
5. 7 beautiful children
6. 8 yr old daughter lost in a good book
7. the sound of our oldest son playing his violin
8. cuddly 1 yr old
9. a good church
10. 12 years of marriage
11. godly grandparents for our children
12. sisters I am blessed to call friends
13. toothy 1 yr old grins
14. contagious belly laughs
15. a good cup of coffee in the morning
16. a husband who works hard so I can be home with our children
17. his good job
18. homeschooling
19. good friends
20. precious pictures of my grandmother when she was young, beautiful, & full of life, before the cancer took all of that away
21. a house full of leftover party balloons and the joy of pure fun that they bring
22. the freckles on our sweet Gracie
23. the curls in our blonde girls' hair
24. lovely thick brown hair on our brunettes
25. girls who like bonnets
26. children learning to do laundry
27. reliable vehicles
28. chickadees at the feeder year round
29. the variety of woodpeckers right outside the window
30. a place in the country
31. space for a garden
32. room for children to run and play
33. unseasonal warmth this Minnesota November, extending our outdoor play season
34. warm coats, ready for when Winter decides to come...
35. my knitting needles
36. classic games like Uno and operation
37. Jane Austen books for lovely leisure reading
38. pumpkin bars
39. sweet games of peek-a-boo
40. a working vacuum for this house of crumbs
41. yard sale chairs that have become my favorite
42. audio books so I can listen & knit at the same time
43. a piano to play
44. beautiful music to listen to
45. ears that can still hear it
46. a warm home
47. wood to heat it
48. food on the table
49. tasty bread recipe
50. naps, when needed

May I never forget to be thankful-