Category: Counting Gifts

Always Remember To Call On Joy

~ Elizabeth W. Marshall ~ 4 Comments

Don’t forget to invite Joy to your next gathering.

You will be so glad you did.

She’ll bring her belly laughes, her love and outstretched arms.

She’ll brighten up the places which felt a little dark and sad.

She will shine friendship all over the room and sprinkle like confetti her glad heart.

Don’t forget to ask her to bring her friends Grace and Goodness.

They really light up the room with their gracious goodness.

“Proverbs 3:14 She’s worth far more than money in the bank; her friendship is better than a big salary.

Dd Do a  favor and win a friend forever; nothing can untie that bond — Provers 18:19

Friends come and friends go, but a true friend sticks by you like family. — Proverbs 18:24

And if you ask her to come you won’t regret it.

Not even one little bit.

She will roll out the red carpet and shower the day with her silly laughter. And delight will  rule the day.

Don’t be surprised if she brings gifts and radiant smiles and encouragement along for the ride.

And abundant, gracious hospitality will likely come with her.  That Joy.

She never disappoints.  She is a girls best friend when life bumps and bruises.

  She will bring Encouragement and Celebration along, if you will just graciously allow her some  room to spread out and spread her Glory.

Delight in her always.  She is a Joy to have around.

She’ll help you celebrate the life of friends, the gift of friends, and the precious goodness of life with friends.

And you’ll never want the party to end, once  she lights up the room , that Joy with her amazing power to heal and bring blessing.

Every bite of food and sip of drilnk will be enhanced by her presence.

And you will feel loved, cherished and embraced by the warmth of her sweet sweet spirit.

For more beauty and joy click on the link below for some Joy notes.

Wishing you a joyous week,

wynnegraceappears

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Three’s Company – A Momma, A Girl, and Our God

~ Elizabeth W. Marshall ~ 2 Comments

Psalm 19:1 – God’s Glory is on tour in the skies, God-crafted on exhibit across the horizon.”

Psalm 19:7-  The revelation of GOD is  whole and pulls our lives together.  The signposts of GOD are clear and point out the right road.

Psalm 98:1 – Sing to GOD a brand-new song.  He’s made a world of wonders! He rolled up his sleeves, He set things right.


We are traveling back from a short but action filled mother daughter time away.
Weary and in need of rest we hunger for home and all that is to us.
Comfort, nourishment, routine, fellowship, strength of my husband, the love of her dad.
These blessings are miles away but we are journey weary and fatigued. We feel far away from home and on empty.

I am in need of being awakened by Beauty.

So God infuses His wonder, His presence and a distinct double rainbow in the Heavens.

I am awakened by Beauty.

I am restored for the rest of the journey.

When God’s presence is so raw and real and felt, don’t we wake up in a new and fresh way.

What an amazing way of  speaking to us.

We laugh about that pot of gold at the end of this bow of beauty and name the irony of it being Saint Patricks Day.  We need rest and a beauty moment so we pull off the main road, down a chocolate brown country side road and get out and gaze over emerald green farm land. One mother, one daughter, and one amazing Creator God.

She records.  I record.

The single glorious bow of color and majesty whispered to us, wooed us, to turn off the road. To soak in this gift.  His gift.

And  then the double appeared.  She shouts, its a double rainbow.

Our tired tanks, depleted by life and travel are filled with His Glory.  He restores.

And He always does.  He knows us so well.  Our needs, our hearts desires, the cry of our spirit out to Him.

What started out as a journey home will now be tagged and labeled as the time we saw the double rainbow.  God marked and God painted moments owning the day.

What others have I missed, those days he marked with beauty that I didn’t catch or see or mark.

What other moments did he lay before me to minister into or speak into or be present in that I simply fell asleep at the wheel.

Grateful for this one.  Keenly looking for all that He has laid out like precious jewels in our path.  Simply, wondrously, colorfully speaking to us in Love and with Goodness all these days of our lives.

In my sanctified imagination this seemed like a moment for me so perfectly timed.  BUT he loves us all so much it had to be for His whole world, for all of creation, for all of His children to see and soak in.

My pictures are so lacking in His spectacular gift.  But sharing with you all amplifies the moment, and increases the beauty.

Thank you for reading.  You humble me.

Mark His Beauty all around.  To Him be praise and glory

Thanking him for  all that He gives and counting gifts (but not often as I should) with Ann Voskamp over at A Holy Experience, author of 1000 Gifts ( click on her link over to the right under Blogroll)

*Dreaming with my daughter of a prom dress that frames her beautiful spirit and is “just perfect”

*Thanking Him for the precious young man who asked her.  Praying God’s blessing on budding relationships.

*Thanking Him for fun in defeat, laughter in the face of fleeting victory.

*Home Sweet Sweet Home and Sunday worship, Sunday quiet, and Sunday family time

*Purple wisteria on slate gray vines dangling their bounty down country roads

*A double rainbow over an emerald green field.

*The first words from my 17 year old when I walked in the door.  Precious and full of love. A true gift.

*Watching his eyes as he listened to the sermon today, listening to him praying The Lord’s Prayer

Enjoy this beautiful film.  Creator God is worthy of Praise.

Out Of The Muck

~ Elizabeth W. Marshall ~ Leave a comment

Fatigue, worry, pain and despair come knocking.

So we go walking.

And His unfailing Love and Mercy rain down in the most amazing of places.

Plucking my heart from the muck.

Refocusing on fur and those eyes.  Those eyes.

God–made truffle brown, orbs of beauty.

Regal, piercing, glistening.

Steely stare of wonder.

I don’t know who needs whom more.

I have nothing to offer.  No carrot no hay.

And the soul soaks up the looks and the glances of God created beauty.

Perfectly timed.

A friend in her fur.

Me in my need.

And at the most unexpected times we are ministered by His Grace.

I focus on the eyes.

And look back.

Long moments of soaking up the smells and the sounds of rustle of wind, smell of him.  Musk and all good barn smells.

Memories of youth of barn and carrot and saddle and hay.

And it was always the eyes.  Rich like espresso soothing the broken soul.

Barbed wire shadows on face, on heart.

We stare and breathe.  Heart beat to heart beat.

Eye ball to eye ball.  Fur and withers exchange glances with me.

In need of comfort and hope.

Proverbs 15:30 – A twinkle in the eye means joy in the heart, and good news makes you feel fit as a fiddle.

What amazing joy a donkey can bring to the soul of man.

What incredible good news road on his back , waving palms and songs of praise down dusty road.

Counting gifts and giving thanks for those ministering angels that come to hearts in need.

*Safe return of first born

* Fields of cows, calves and a pair of white donkeys

*Time with glorious statues at the Gardens to stare in awe

*Time on the island to revisit the chapel

*Friends who call

*Office workers at the doctors office who smile and are patient who bless.

*Blogs in my in box which bring me comfort and joy

Streams of living water.

He who brings good news.

May you soften your heart to all He has for you this day.

It is the day that He has made.

Let us be glad and rejoice as we allow Him to pluck us out of our muck.

Wishing Grace and Counting Gifts into the night.

wynnegraceappears