Here we are more than halfway through June. I pause on Fridays with Susanne and friends at Living to Tell the Story to intentionally look at at the blessings of the week. Those blessings often pass us by almost unnoticed unless we make a habit to intentionally look for them and express gratitude for them.
1. A thoughtful gesture. We discovered a little bird’s nest in the planter on our porch.
Jim put photos on our family text thread, commenting that he’d have to be careful about watering that planter. Then the next time we saw Jason, he gave us a little device he 3D-printed to help water the planter without disturbing the bird’s nest.
2. Productive days. Every day this week has not been as productive as I had hoped, but I did get a few good days in. I enjoyed getting a number of little odd jobs done.
3. VBS video. I forgot to mention this last week, but the Sunday after VBS, the director gives a report and shows a video from VBS week. It’s so neat to see and hear a bit about how God worked in and through people.
4. Sleep. I don’t seem to be able to sleep more than about four hours at a time. Whenever I wake up, I almost always have to get up to use the bathroom. Sometimes I can get back to sleep, sometimes not until a nap later in the day. But sometimes I conk out arounf 9 p.m. on the couch. And even though I wake up in a couple of hours and have to get ready for bed, I can usually get back to sleep easily and feel so much more rested in the morning.
5. Intersections. Lately, what I’ve heard from the sermon and podcast from Ecclesiastes has intersected with the book on God’s attributes that I am going through with a friend. Mainly things like the limitations of being human, our lack of control over much of what happen in our lives, the need to trust God and rest in Him. I love when that happens.
That’s our week! How was yours? I hope you have a good time honoring your fathers on Father’s Day. Happy Father’s Day to any dads reading here.
Stray Thoughts 
What a great device for watering the plant and not disturbing the nest! We have a decoy wren nest in our impatien plant on the front porch. The wrens worked on it a little bit every day and then, built a nest in the tree. 🙂 I love the birds! Well…except for the geese. haha! Have a blessed day!
I love it when a sermon or a book coincides with a Bible study or other Christian book I’m going through. If I remember correctly you are reading through None Like Him? I took a class centered on that book 2 years ago and loved it. It was so powerful and humbling! We serve a great God!! Our human brains can barely comprehend Him.
I love those kinds of productive days where little things get done. I had one of those this week, too!
Sleep…..I typically fall asleep well, usually around 11 now that i’m not needing to be up at 5:30, yet almost alway wake up around 4! since adding Magnesium Glycinate to my diet (400 mg at dinner), I’ve slept through the night most nights! highly recommend but check with your doc first.
We have a young friend who has made some 3D printer items for my husband’s gaming event and I think it’s so neat….the whole concept of a 3D printer. That is awesome that your son made that little pitcher! And how sweet to have the baby birds in your plant. So cute!
Enjoy the weekend!
This was such a grounding list of everyday grace. The intersections between sermon, podcast, and study really stood out to me. Those moments always feel like God weaving things together. I really appreciated this reflective pause.
I’m glad I kept scanning because I couldn’t spot the nest in pics 1 and 2! What an ingenious 3D printed “thingie”! We had a bird make a nest on my front-door wreath this year; a first for that. By the time I figured it out, the babies had hatched and moved on. Lately I have been taking magnesium before bed and I’m getting up less frequently. Have you tried that? I too love Biblical and life “intersections”!!
That’s very smart thinking on the little watering “funnel”! And how sweet that you are protecting the little nest until the birds fledge.
Given your health and sleep issues, I’d call those odd jobs a win for the week!
It’s neat when studies and messages and readings intersect, like a message that keeps getting highlighted. Glad to hear you and your friend are alert to them.
I love the watering device that Jason made. Such a thoughtful thing to do! And it looks like a tulip, although maybe that was the idea behind the design.
There is such meaning when lessons are presented from different places at the same time. Love that that happened for you.
That watering device is very clever. 3D printing is beyond my scope but I find it fascinating.
I love it when one study or conversation encourages and ‘matches’ another one.
Have a good week, with more productive days. Willow
I love those kinds of intersections you mention. I really feel God is trying to say something to me personally when that happens. What a great device your son made. I’ve never heard of a bird making a nest in a planter before. Hopefully you’ll have a week with better sleep and a few more “productive”days.
My sleep patterns are erratic as well. I wake up several times during the night and usually have to take at least one trip to the bathroom. I’ve had nights of insomnia which is so frustrating. Usually when I wake up during the night, I do eventually go back to sleep.
I’m glad that you are able to water your planter and keep the nest undisturbed. Pretty little blue eggs!
I love it when I come across something that ties in with a study or passage I’m reading in the Bible. God is so good that way!