Thoughts of Love

First I want to say Thank You for all your prayers on my behalf regarding sleep. I have had four nights of blissful sleep. Four in a row. blissful. sleep. Those herbal pills were the ticket, I think. They are horse-pill sized and smell horrible, but I don't feel like I'm being pulled up from the underworld when I wake up each morning. I feel like a different person all day long. Sane. There's something to be said for sanity. grin.

It's Valentine's weekend and I'm thinking of all that I love. In no particular order:

**having the house all to myself today with no place I have to go.
**my kids' belly laughs. Lately this has been happening at the dinner table. I smile thinking of it now.
**my husband. I love dreaming with him, cooking for him, his support.
**Spring flowers: tulips, lilacs, peonies. I'd really love to see some soon.
**reading a good book. Just finished Sophie Kinsella's "Twenties Girl". Not a typical book for me, but I enjoyed the movie based on her book "Confessions of a Shopaholic" so I thought I'd try it. Just started Beth Moore's "So Long Insecurity, you've been a bad friend to us". After the first chapter, I know it's going to be just what the Physician ordered. Love to read.
**seeing a good movie. We saw "The Blind Side" recently. Highly recommend this one. I've been watching Masterpiece Classic on PBS. I so enjoyed "Emma". This was a different cast and a longer version than last years with Kate Beckinsale. Much preferred this year's. Also a big fan of Pride and Prejudice. So funny.
**Girls night out.
**a tall glass of iced tea.
**watching my daughter grow up into a thoughtful, caring, tender, fun young lady. She is such a delight.
**Sunshine.
**knowing my friends Sandy & Rob got the invitation to go get their adopted son in Kazakhstan this week. I love seeing God's hand in all of this. You can read their story here.
**figuring out small portions of technology. Like installing the wireless router. I only yelled in frustration once, I only called my brother in law once, I only asked Ron at the router company help desk, "say that again, please" twenty times (don't think he was from Idaho...or the US). And I just figured out how to link in this post. These are big things in my world!
**my son's sense of humor. Dry & quick. He loves to read the comics. We fight over who reads first in our house (well, Steve doesn't). The rule is, if you get the paper from outside, you get to read first.
**learning from God's word. This week I learned that the spies who went into Canaan to check out the land came out carrying fruit. A cluster of grapes so big it had to be carried on a pole between two men. (Num 13:23) Now, Costco has some big grapes. But I'd look silly carrying them out on a pole. These spies returned and said, yes, the land is flowing with milk and honey and look at this fruit! (vs27) But the people who live there are powerful...they are stronger than we are...the land devours those living in it...we seemed like grasshoppers. (vs28, 31-33) These were the leaders of the people (vs3) and influential among the Israelites. They were focusing on the wrong things - the obstacles. And they influenced the two million people to grumble and complain and be afraid. As a result, none of those people were to see the promised land. (Num 14:23) Caleb and Joshua focused on what was exceedingly good and were allowed to enter the promised land. (vs30) So the question is this: what kind of influence are you? Do you see the obstacles? Or do you encourage others to expand their view of God's capacity & ability in their lives? Let's be like Caleb and Joshua - one in a million.

Well, there's fourteen of the things I love. Tell me what you love today. Happy Valentine's Day!