Walking with God on a Pilgrimage to Prayer

Things pile up.

Countertop displays day's work or lack of work.

Mail that was judged not to be 'junk' waits in gift bags to be sorted.

Basement and garage ... need a miracle.

... my miracle comes as I open the front door and walk away ...

A nice long walk helps me to shed the encumbrances of the day... I clear my mind and look down at the leaves, rocks, flowers and other treasures at my feet ...

and up to the sky through to the heavens above ...

I can feel the encumbrances and burdens falling off of my shoulders and Peace entering from within.

Since before I was married, throughout our first years, later with children in wagons or strollers... and now with my husband or alone...
My front door is my helper
as I go out to walk with the
Helper ~ Healer ~ Comforter
of my soul.

'Now it was in those days that Jesus went to a mountain to pray, and he spent the whole night in prayer to God.'

'Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.'

'At that time Jesus walked through the grain fields on a Sabbath. '


Walking with God on a Pilgrimage to Prayer

Photos taken on one of my village walks last autumn.

Thanking God for my sweet little village... where thousands of prayerful pilgrimages have included my footsteps.

~All is Gift ...... All is Blessing

See how others Walk with Him today.

One Thousand Gifts *148- 155*

~A Gratitude of Great Magnitude~
This Sunday morning my father (almost 85) and I had a rather personal and quite sensitive discussion of the current state of the church in America ...
A few minutes later, he came walking toward me pointing to one of the pages of his devotional book ...
He said to me,
"Maria, these are the three most important words in a person's life."

. . . Jesus, Thank You . . .
He is a man of such Grace and wisdom... I am so grateful for him.
Jesus, Thank You
... for my father...


148. Wonderful day and evening with my husband and my father.
149. Visit from son, Jason... always love to see him... and makes his dad and g'pa smile!
150. Jason loves math and science... and so... this awesome shirt that makes me laugh.
God's math is perfect!151. Swiss chard from the garden...
with Parmesan Reggiano cheese on top!

152. George Foreman who made a great grill that makes great panini sandwiches! ...Jason loved learning that his grill can do that too!

153. We enjoyed the perfect summer weather all day...
154. Beautiful sunset tonight... with sherbet clouds everywhere.155. Al & Cathy who made a breakfast corn bread and dropped it off here for us to enjoy
tomorrow... their visit was the 'frosting on the cake.'
~All is Gift ...... All is Blessing

One Thousand Gifts ~ Gift of Love for All

~ For All Time ~

This song from yesterday's worship music stayed with me throughout the day; I humbly bow in gratitude for the example of love and sacrifice...

Thank you, Jesus, for what you did...
All for Love by Lenny LeBlanc
Oh You gave it all for Love
You gave it all for Love
Traded the stars above ... You gave it all for love

...All for Love ... You gave it all for Love...
With every drop of Blood ... You gave it all for Love

What would make You turn away from glory
Laying down Your life to save the world...

... Giving up Your Throne...Giving up Your Throne ...

... For a crown of thorns ...

King of all, You became a Servant
Leaving everything to rescue me
. . . Never looking back . . .

Never looking back ... You embraced the cross

You gave it all for love...You gave it all for love
Traded the stars above...You gave it all for love
You gave it all for love...With every drop of blood
You gave it all for love...With every drop of blood
. . . You gave it all for Love . . .

Thank you, Jesus,
for All you did for the love of humanity. Open our eyes ~ bring us to a conscious awareness of the sacrifice you made. You released to the Father . . . what would be a dream of life, health, worldly success, fame and power.
I am deeply and most humbly grateful for your complete and perfect surrender of all...

...You released the world to the Father ...
...and released the divine to the world...

* * *
My heart opens to new moments of gratefulness as I continue . . .

143. For Muffin's health... our ol' girl's hanging in there!
Mostly blind (about 95% ... completely deaf --- I talk deeply next to her ears so she feels my voice) Her sense of smell and enjoyment of eating keeps her smiling!
144. Sue's oatmeal cookie recipe...morphed into even 'healthier' cookies

145. Mixers that make arms flabbier but happier ~

146. My little birdies...always bringing joy into hearts

147. Sweetest ... bread dough ... comfort food ... comfort aromas

Counting my blessings has opened my eyes to a new awareness of God's presence in the everyday...every day~
I count Ann Voskamp as one of my blessings...
Visit her at Holy Experience .

~All is Gift ...... All is Blessing

One Thousand Gifts *135 - 141*

135. Clearer and clearer skies over my sister with every day that passes.

136. My niece...Miss M ... so grown up, polite and thoughtful.
137. Beautiful blue skies and cooler breezes blowing today after the huge storm last night.
138. Learning about the preciousness of life through family and nature.
139. For the grace and beauty of this plant called "Angels Tears."
It reminds me to pray for the unborn.

140. Google Earth is so amazing... we took a virtual drive down
"Going to the Sun Road." It's soooo special!

141. This cute heart cloud... I was looking for clouds with "curls" for a special :SkyWatch Friday: and saw this little gift :)

~Thank you Heavenly Father for the blessings all around me~

~All is Gift ...... All is Blessing

Walking with His Letters of Love and Grace

Wednesday's Gift of Scripture
#134

Romans 5

1Therefore, since we have been justified through faith,
we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
2through whom we have gained access by faith
into this grace in which we now stand.
And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.

3Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings,
because we know that suffering produces perseverance;
4perseverance, character; and character, hope.
5And hope does not disappoint us,
because God has poured out his love into our hearts
by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.

God teaches us through nature...

I see so much in nature that is teaching me...
I want to be like Mary, at my Lord's feet following Him into his stories...

...telling the Martha in me to set my priorities ...
...and choose 'the better part.'

I often think of the day this robin (that nested in one of our trees) endured 3 thunder storms
as she protected her precious eggs.
You can see the nest in the bottom right corner.

...Life is stronger than Death...
another lesson, another love letter from God.
Humbly Grateful
~All is Gift ...... All is Blessing

I always knew, that God blesses us... but how aware of the steady flow of these blessings was I? As I count them ~ my awareness rises and they 'count' more than I ever could guess.
Thank you, Ann Voskamp at Holy Experience, for raising the sails!
My ship has left the harbor!
Ps. Ann, ever since your post on "Power Source," (one of the first of yours we read as newcomers to blogland) Chris and I have kept your farm in our prayers...Keeping you in prayer now with the aphids.

One Thousand Gifts *126 - 133*

At Sunday Service our pastor continued his series

"Inside Out" part 9 - Deciding What is Most Important"
This scripture (Matt 6:21) was discussed:
"For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

...When thinking of my dearest treasures...

126. My walk in God's presence...
127. Jesus leading me on.

128. Many others are walking along side of me...family ~ friends ~ this body of Christ.

129. My husband, Chris, so close, we are one as we walk.

130. Children, now adults, they are friends and fellow travelers.

131. My sister ~ closer every step of this walk together. I am so grateful she is in my life.


132. My father, almost 85, at his kitchen window with day's first prayer, and on his knees at bedside before sleep. He walked with me for my first steps ~ and continues along side me in this journey.


133. Brothers and families ... walking together.

We, with God in us, are treasure to one another.
trésor ~ tesoro ~ treasure

~All is Gift ...... All is Blessing

A prayer today for sisters