Gratitude in the Ugly Beautiful

Monday was my last guest post for this month on Mississippi Women Bloggers...it actually completely slipped my mind.  The Lord brought it to my mind today and I went over to check it out.  As I was reading what I had written several months ago, tears flooded my eyes with His faithfulness.

Today has been a rough day.  I've been emotional, sick, and did I mention emotional?  Yet, here He was reminding me to find Gratitude in the Ugly Beautiful...maybe you need that reminder today too.  Just click on the link and read what He has been teaching me about the ugly beautiful things.

Five Minute Friday: FLY

In our backyard growing up, on the playground at school...wherever there was a swing set, I loved being in it - I guess I still do (although I may feel a little silly as the years have gone on).  Pushing up and swinging as high as I could go, closing my eyes and for a moment almost feeling like I was flying.  Flying above it all - gaining a perspective that I couldn't quite imagine but knew I'd enjoy.

There have been other times in my life that I have that urge - looking out over the Grand Canyon, standing with my toes in the water on a beach, being in the Space Needle in Seattle, standing in the mild of a wide open pasture that seems to have no end...just the desire to close my eyes and be lifted up - to fly out over it all.

Those silly questionnaires or journal entries we'd have in school - "what animal would you most like to be?"  How could anyone have any other answer besides some type of bird?  To have the ability to fly, to soar, to just run and lift off...not exactly to escape anything but more so to have a wider view of it all - to be able to take it all in a bit more clearly.

It wasn't just a desire - it was a feeling - something my heart felt when I imagined flying above it all - my heart seemed to take off even when my feet were solidly on the ground.

I love how He grants us the desires of our heart when our heart lines up with His and in spite of all the times that it doesn't.  He has allowed me that feeling of my heart flying more times than I can count.

Having a man who seeks after Him more than anything else in this world, look at me the way that he does even when I'm 31 weeks along and miserably hot - it makes my heart fly.  Opening my arms to a toddler who runs at me with full abandon while laughing hysterically - it makes my heart fly.  Sitting on our front steps and taking in the African sky - it makes my heart fly.

thankful for His reminders of His grace and His love and His faithfulness...that He can always make my heart fly.

Thankful Thursdays

Although I haven't done a Thankful Thursday post in a few weeks...I have still been very thankful and keeping up with my "Thankful Journal".  This week has been a much better week health wise for me so I thought I'd play a little catch up!

#472 - Internet shopping (Amazon, Etsy, etc) it just makes life overseas easier when it comes to birthday & Christmas gifts!

#475 - Ryleigh saying "Ooooohhhh I musta forgot" when being corrected/disciplined about a rule she already knows - it's really quite funny

#478 - Ryleigh's excitement over sleeping in her "tent" aka her mosquito net

#484 - grilled pizza crusts - my friend Jodie introduced me to these a few weeks back and they. are. awesome.

#489 - safety during the elections

#495 - milkshakes - laugh if you want but after days of severe acid reflux and keeping no food down - they can become your best friend

#503 - Team meeting days - I do love hanging out with our team and updating the calendar!

#505 - learning how to best show respect to Steve in our marriage

#508 - Hiding His word in my heart...and hearing Ryleigh do the same

#515 - Settlers of Catan