The Beauty of the World Around Us...

Psalm 100:
Shout with joy to the LORD, O earth!
Worship the LORD with gladness.
Come before him, singing with joy.
Acknowledge that the LORD is God!
He made us, and we are his.
We are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
Enter his gate with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise.
Give thanks to him and bless his name.For the LORD is good.
His unfailing love continues forever, and his faithfulness continues to each generation.


This past week has been a bit difficult for me. My daughter got sick on Sunday and a common cold turned into a major glandular infection...again. She stayed home from school for 3 days and battled a sore neck and fever. Thankfully, today after three days of antibiotics she is feeling better and headed off to school this morning. Even though I know that what she had wasn't overly serious, a mother never quite feels like anything in the world is right when her baby is sick...even if her baby is six years old!!!

The point of this story is that for the last three days, I have been a worrying, less than thankful Christian. I didn't take anytime to stop and praise God for all the good things in my life, all the blessings He has poured out on me, and the lessons I get to learn in the times that there seems to be more struggle than peace.
So, here is my thankful list...
I am thankful for:
-my family (a mother and sisters that have walked beside me every step of the way in this crazy journey of life, not afraid to get a little dirty for my sake... sacrificing so I could succeed)
my friends:
-Shelley, who is a major beam of support for me... who is partly responsible for the degree I know have hanging on my wall (which I am also thankful for), she is the person who most inspires me to seek out the Lord and live a life faithful to Him)
-Franky, who reminds me to lighten up and live life as joyfully as possible
-Rachel, who has been so generous with her time and her life... the last of my old friends that knows fully the old me and fully the new in Christ me and loves me exactly the way I am
-the abundance that this country is privy to: food, shelter, medecine, doctors, hospitals, schools
-for the freedom I have to serve the living Savior, Jesus Christ
-for my church family, while not perfect, perfectly fit to me
-for the grace that covers me so instead of being covered in shame, I am covered in love
-for a strong mind and healthy body
-for the beauty of the four seasons Canada gets to enjoy
-for the new life that Spring brings reminding me of my new life
-for a daughter who brings a smile to my face, joy in my heart and her ability to daily humble me in her innocent, acceptance of Christ and His promises


So in conclusion today, as I was walking to the local Shopping center, I stopped and enjoyed the beauty of this world that God has let me live in and I took a few pictures to share with you. I hope that you can find time today to stop and thank God for his abundance and His goodness. Enjoy the beauty of the world around you... it is truly one of God's gifts to us!!!