January 27th: "Three Gifts in The Kitchen"

(#2316  Early morning with the Only Boy)
(#2317  Cuddle time with the Eldest)
(#2318  Littlest wanting to play with me)
(#2319  Acts 2)
(#2320  Billy Graham & George Beverly Shea)

(#2321  Morning Has Broken)

(#2322  Words on ministry)
(#2323  Grilled shrimp)
(#2324  Time at home with kids)
(#2325  Rollerblading)

#2326  Baby Romaine

#2327  Ice cube trays

#2328  Drawer pulls

(#2329  Creative time)
(#2330  Martin Luther)

January 26th: "A Gift Before Dawn, At Noon, After Dark"

Author's Note:  Today is the birthday of my Eldest Brother, the Old Man, the "Quiet Genius"  Always the protector, he had my back from the get-go.  I can still hear the bounce of the basketball on the driveway of the house where we grew up.  I hope he knows how much he has meant to me and how much I love him.  Happy Birthday, Bryan!

(#2305  Starting a new journal)
(#2306  Twins' pretend picnic in the living room)
(#2307  Eldest sleeping late)
(#2308  Marital honesty)
(#2309  Smell of an outdoor fire)

#2310  Before Dawn:  Precious slumber

#2311  At Noon:  Breakfast for Lunch, by the Husband

#2312  After Dark:  Sleepytime tea

(#2313  Skating on sidewalks)
(#2314  The more adventurous route back)
(#2315  Eldest's reading log) 

January 25th: "A Grace Borrowed, Found, Inherited"

(#2291  Twins' teddy bears from the nursery)
(#2292  A foggy drive)
(#2293  Cardinals & Blue Jays in the woods)
(#2294  "O Love, that will not let me go....")

#2295  Borrowed:  A good library book

#2296  Found:  Quiet solitude

#2297  Inherited:  Mema's journal-keeping habit and Dad's long fingers

(#2298  Work of the church)
(#2299  Needing a jacket, all of a sudden...)
(#2300  Another Joy milestone)

(#2301  A balanced checkbook)
(#2302  Birthday party at the park)
(#2303  Duck, duck, goose)

(#2304  Filling a journal with joy....and on to the next one)

January 24th: "Three Things Blue"

(#2283  Song lyric in yoga:  "I pray you'll be alright")
(#2284  Day with the Littlest)
(#2285  The sticker book)

#2286  Clear, blue sky of a gorgeous day

#2287  The Littlest's eyes---especially in that blue shirt

#2288  Sunlight in the water

(#2289  Walking under the full moon and the sunset)

(#2290  Parmesan-crusted chicken and broccoli....good dinner)

January 23rd: "Three Gifts Found in Christ"

(#2271  Remembering little moments)
(#2272  Finding the right gift)
(#2273  Holding a 5-week-old)
(#2274  "mom-talk" with a friend)
(#2275  Books for the class basket)
(#2276  Lunch with Mom & Dad)
(#2277  The Boy wanting to go to the library)
(#2278  All the things that COULD happen, but don't)

(photos of the Lake Waco Wetlands)

#2279  Light in the Dark

#2280  Mercy...floods of it.

#2281  Worth

(#2282  Adult conversation involving new wine skins and old jeans)

January 22nd: "A Gift Wrinkled, Smoothed, Unfolded"

(#2263  The Boy singing in the bathroom)

(#2264  The Eldest's polka dot socks over her pants)

#2265  Wrinkled:  Laundry, with time to get it done

#2266  Smoothed:  Unloaded grocery bags

#2267  Unfolded:  God's Tent for the Sun

"In the heavens God has pitched a tent for the sun.

It is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, 

Like a champion rejoicing to run his course."

Psalm 19: 4-5

(#2268  Twins helping at the store)
(#2269  William getting to come play)
(#2270  Quotidian mysteries....)

January 21st: "A Gift In Sky, Water, Memory"

(#2253  Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.)
(#2254  The kids on vacation day because of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.)
(#2255  Playing together)

#2256  In Sky:  Lessons in clouds at the museum

#2257  In Water:  Carwashes

#2258  In Memory:  Making them.

(#2259  The boy, telling me he didn't want me to die)
(#2260  Poppo)
(#2261  Joint compound on canvas)
(#2262  Resident Artist's expertise)

January 20th: "Three Gifts Only Seen Close Up"

(#2246  ACTS with friends)
(#2247  Sara in church)

#2248  The delicacy of life in our hands, best seen when in community

#2249  Treasures in little hands

#2250  Intricacy of nature

(#2251  The Eldest and Princess Sophia at the Arboretum)
(#2252  Christmas with Sara, finally....)

January 19th: "Three Gifts That Might Never Have Been"

(#2237  children pretending)
(#2238  frozen waffles)
(#2239  no plans)

#2240  Motherhood

#2241  Mammoth adventure

#2242  Sunset at the dam

(#2243  Sara, Anna, James visit)
(#2244  Steaks like Daddy used to make)
(#2245  Roller skates)

January 18th: "Three Gifts From God's Word"

(#2226  Seeing my breath in the morning air)

(#2227  Twins pretending in the car)
(#2228  Steam off the Stream)

(#2229  Reading the bible outside)

(#2230 Frost on acorns)

#2231  Mathew 5....Jesus retreats

"Seeing the crowds, He went up on the mountain, 

and when he sat down, his disciples came to him."

Matthew 5:1-2

#2232  Acts 6 & 7...the Life of Stephen

"... they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit..."

Acts 6:5

#2233  Psalm 19...read outside

"The heavens declare the glory of God,

and the sky above proclaims his handiwork."

Psalm 19:1

(#2234  Sista Sara in town)
(#2235  Pandora Radio)
(#2236  The Littlest's singing voice)

January 17th: "A Gift Bringing Laughter, Prayer, Quiet"

Author's Note:  Today is my Momma's birthday.  One can only pray to know such a woman, much less to have her for a mother.  I thank God for her----for everything she's meant to me and my little family.  A steadfast Woman of God, with a keen sense of composition.  If you don't know her, I wish you did.
Happy Birthday, Mom.


(#2215  Mom's birthday greeting with the twins....)

#2216   LAUGHTER:   Twins in bean bags

#2217  PRAYER:   Yoga...both the breathing focus, but also that I made it through the class!

#2218  QUIET:  Date Night...uninterrupted conversation and silence when we want it.

(#2219  A CLEAN house)

(#2220  Kids being well-tended...thanks, Mimi & Papa)
(#2221  Asparagus & Hollandaise sauce)

(#2222  Brahms)

(#2223  Life-giving, Life-long love)
(#2224  Sitting in the Balcony)
(#2225  The comfort of the bed after a long day)

January 16th: "Three Witnessed Blessings"

(#2207  Turning in well-loved library books)
 (#2208  Sunlit morning after a rainy day)

#2209  Time spent with a wise friend

#2210  The Boy's "Valentine"....made of a shoe string and tacks

#2211  Sharing in the pastor's Christmas gift

(#2212  Candlelight and silence)

(#2213  Eldest wanting to stay with the twins, "helping the little kids")
(#2214  Good food.)

January 15th: "A Gift Worn, Given Away, Shared"

(#2195  My job of staying at home)

(#2196  Cinnamon bread)

#2197  WORN:  The Eldest's cap

#2198  GIVEN AWAY:  Successfully hand-painted gift

#2199  SHARED:  The tower the twins & I built

(#2200  Earphones)
(#2201  Productive creativity?  or is it Creative production?)
(#2202  Math homework with the Eldest)
(#2203  Time with women)
(#2204  The glow of a soon-to-be grandmother)
(#2205  Blessings for a journey soon-to-be made)
(#2206  Helen Keller's story)

January 14th: "Three Startling Graces of God"

(#2185  A smooth Monday morning)
(#2186  Kay's progress)
(#2187  Fresh haircut)

#2188  Conversations at the Mall....connections overheard

#2189  Husband's lesson with the children while I cooked dinner

#2190  Our new wall plaque

(#2191  Legos & Puzzles)
(#2192  Coloring sheets)
(#2193  Hans Christian Andersen)

(#2194  The Nightingale's song....readily available online)

January 13th: "Three Things About Myself I'm Grateful For"

(#2167  Fuzzy house shoes)

(#2168  Sunday papers)

(#2169  Breakfast talk)

(#2170 Invigoratingly cold wind)
(#2171  The Book of Acts)
(#2172  Dr. Parsons' knowledge and study)
(#2173  Tim & Denise)
(#2174  Children's worship time...the "best" silence)
(#2175  The Boy's chiming)
(#2176  The Littlest's prayer)
(#2177  Conversations with 5 year-olds)
(#2178  Reconstructing the dinosaur park with Legos)

(#2179  Bowl of delicious soup for lunch)

(#2180  Entire worship services on CD for the listening)

#2181  My Faith

#2182  My noticing and appreciating of beauty in Nature

#2183  My bright-side reflex

(#2184  The Littlest's Beanie Baby gifts)

January 12th: Something Above, Below, Beside"

(#2152  Sleeping later)
(#2153  Getting some work done)

(#2154  Afternoon adventure to Dinosaur Valley State Park)

#2155  ABOVE:  Historic Dinosaur Statues

#2156  BELOW:  Dinosaur footprints and wowing the Only Boy

#2157  BESIDE:  The Littlest's little hand in mine

(#2158  30-degree drop in temperature)
(#2159  Family Dollar jackets)
(#2160  Littlest:  "What a great day for eating candy in the trees!")
(#2161  Picnic by a waterfall)
(#2162  Eldest's lost & hidden tooth)
(#2163  Joel throwing the rock into the water)
(#2164  Mike the Mazda's car heater)
(#2165  The Boy's singing in the car)
(#2166 Safe trip home)

January 11th: "Three Yellow Gifts of Fresh Mercy"

(#2140  Karen's big news)
(#2141  Sunshine and cool breeze)

(#2142  Seeing Paige)
(#2143  Help-A-Teacher club)
(#2144  Alone in the elementary library, re-shelving books.  attempting order in chaos.)

#2145  The dawn of a brand new day

#2146  Creative encouragement at the school

#2147  Moment shared with a muddied beast

(#2148  Saving a trip to the bank)
(#2149  Joel's job)
(#2150  Papa bringing the Eldest home)
(#2151  Joel fixing dinner)