Heart Choices: 2013-04-21 -->

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Five Minute Friday ~ Friend


Five Minute Friday
It's Five Minute Friday when I link up with Lisa-Jo of The Gypsy Mama.  We are given a writing prompt each week.  We have five minutes flat to write and that's it.  Our word for today is ...FRIEND.

GO

I am so fortunate.  I have many friends.  I don't take that lightly. Each one is near and dear to my heart in a different way.

I have childhood friends.  We go back many years and thanks to Facebook I can still keep in touch to find out what's going on in their lives.

I have friends I met in church.  Some have moved so I don't get to see them as often as I like.  One is on the mission field far away but I love to see her when she is home on furlough.  

I have friends I met through Bible Study Fellowship.  We laugh together, pray together and cry together.  We've experienced sickness, struggles and even a recent death of one.  

I have friends I met through work, past and present.

I have many blogging friends.  Some I have met and others I've yet to meet in person.

I have friends who are neighbors.

I have friends who also happen to be my family.

How grateful I am for the gift of friendship.  Life isn't easy.  Friends make the journey more fun.  

Thank you Lord for my friends.

STOP

Blessings and love,

QuickEdit

Thankful for Children


I'm so thankful for children.  I always dreamed of one day having my own but was unable.  However, I'm so blessed with a heart of love for children, even if they aren't my own.  

I'm reminded of the Scripture in Isaiah 54:1-2:
Sing, O barren woman, you who never bore a child' burst into song, shout for joy, you were never in labor; because more are the children of the desolate woman than of her who has a husband, says the LORD.  Enlarge the place of your tent, stretch your tent curtains wide, do not hold back; lengthen your cords, strengthen your stakes.

 Our Kenzie will be celebrating her first birthday on Friday.  She is my brother's first grandchild.  I love this photo of Steve with Kenzie. It warms my heart to see how he enjoys spending time with her and getting down on her level.  She is fascinated by the bubbles.  Don't you just love to see a child experience something for the first time?  

How easy it is for us adults to live life going through the motions, not noticing simple things that can delight.  We can learn much from children.


This little tapper certainly had me smiling.  She was so cute as she performed her routine for our class.  

I had to chuckle as little Sawyer demonstrated his love for soccer. What a perfect outlet for him.  He's really good at kicking that ball.

Yesterday was twin day at our school.  I was taking a photo of the three year old twins and they began making faces at Miss Debbie.  Aren't they so cute?

There are days when I feel so tired working with these little ones. But then they will do something silly or cute or just downright special and ...I am re-energized again.

So I continue to count my every day blessings even though I'm a day late.

#788 Seeing my brother Steve with his first grandchild
#789 Loving each and every new photo of Kenzie
#790 Grateful for a job I never imagined I'd be doing
#791 Experiencing the love of many children
#792 Getting to see the excitement as children learn new things
#793 Seeing the world through the eyes of children
#794 Laughing each day
#795 Getting to silently pray for each one of them
#796 Watching the children interact with each other

I'm linking up with Ann of A Holy Experience for Multitudes on Mondays.



Blessings and love,

QuickEdit

What Kind of Aroma are you Spreading?


What kind of aroma are you spreading?  When people have an encounter with you do they leave feeling better?  Or do they try to avoid you?  Maybe you tend to be negative or talk nonstop about all of the terrible things going on.

I've been blessed by God with a neighbor who spreads joy.  We live next door to one another and share the same entryway.  Our doors are literally next to each other.  We each have our own garden area. But this entry is common ground between us.  That could be potential problem if you're stuck with a not so nice neighbor. But God gave Greg and me ...Caroline!

In the early morning I love to sit in my wicker chair on my side of the entry area to our condo.  It is still quiet so I hear the sounds of birds chirping.  I can see my beautiful roses in bloom.  I see the shadows disappear as the sun rises in the sky.  I am quiet and I pray.

I was surprised when I noticed a green envelope placed on my chair one morning.  When I opened it up, I was so moved.  It was a lovely card of encouragement from Caroline.  She wrote that she was praying for me.  When we moved into this condo, I would never have imagined that I would be so blessed with a sister of Christ living so close.  And we just happen to be the same age and we get along so well.  How good is our God?  He knows what we need and just when we need it.

I can smell the aroma from my roses in my garden.  They are blooming and the colors are so pretty.

As I thought about Caroline, I had to smile.  She spreads such a sweet aroma wherever she goes.  Between her job, her volunteer work with a hospice organization and her ministry of teaching exercise classes she spreads sunshine and love.

So I ask you?  What kind of aroma are you spreading?

2 Corinthians 2:14-15
But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of Him.  For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.

I'm linking up with Charlotte for Spiritual Sundays.


I'm also  linking up with Joan of The Beauty in His Grip.

Beauty in His Grip Button

Blessings and love,

QuickEdit
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