Choosing Grace

What a wonderful last few days.  God continues to reveal His blessings all around me and I can't stop smiling at His grace.  I'm excited that I begin my second month of the Joy Dare.  In my devotions this morning I love how grace is described.  Grace means "favor" from the Latin word gratia.  "It connotes a free readiness. A free and ready favor."  It is one thing to choose to take the grace offered at the cross.  But to choose to live as one filling with His grace?  Choosing to fill with all that He freely gives and fully live-with glory and grace and God?  It truly is a choice. (thoughts from Ann Voskamp) So today I choose to be filled with all of His glory and grace.

January 30th, 2013
Gift #224: A morning shower
Gift #225: Safety through the thick fog as I ride my bike to class.
Gift #226: A walk downtown.

Gift #227: Hearing the voices of young children at play in their classrooms close by.
Gift #228: The intricacy in combining all the different food components in my meal tonight.

Gift #229: Night time bike ride in the rain.
Gift #230: Neapolitan ice cream.

Gift #231: The blinds whistling in the wind.

January 31st, 2013
Gift #232: Describing aspects of a warrior through the Fruits of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23).
Gift #233: A light-hearted moment at the beginning of class.
Gift #234: Class discussions and learning about different curriculum methods.
Gift #235: A kind student offers my friends and I a ride when we mixed up the classroom for class.
Gift #236: Little pep talks on a wrapper.
Gift #237: The sweet music flowing from piano keys.
Gift #238: Opening a package and holding a brand new book.
Gift #239: Clothe lines hanging with memories, smiles, family, and friends.

 February 1st, 2013!
Gift #240: A new month to count more of God's blessings.
Gift #241: A reminder that we should thank God for everything because he is always benevolent.
Gift #242: 100+ students raising their voices to God singing, "Holy, Holy, is the Lord Almighty" in chapel.
Gift #243: Kickball Friday with the four years old.
Gift #244: A scrubbed down table turned clean.

Gift #245: Dinosaur cupcakes.

Gift #246: Groundhog puppet & songs.

Gift #247: The details found in a tree stump.

 

Gift #248: Recycling a tree...a little humorous too.

Gift #249: Balancing on the curb and seeing my shadow.

Gift #250: A letter waiting for me in my mailbox.

Gift #251: Loving words written in a card that brings a smile to my face and joy to my heart.

Gift #252: Fish party with my girls! Watching Finding Nemo and eating Goldfish.
Gift #253: Gift that is red-Swedish fish

February 2nd, 2013
Gift #254: Spray oil to loosen my bike chain.
Gift #255: Hula-hooping in class.
Gift #256: Having fun creating a routine and being silly.

Gift #257: Hilarious impersonations and conversations during lunch.
Gift #258: Challenging content but full of knowledge in learning about the origins of the English language in one of my textbooks.
Gift #259: Podcasts of Professor's discussion.
Gift #260: A semester of books filled with a lifetime of knowledge.

Gift #261: A fun message welcoming me back to my room.