see ~ i am doing a new thing!

i’ve been studying this verse lately  {source: this amazing book: Pursuing an Intentional Life by Jean Fleming} and i hope you will read on, and contemplate with me!

“… so teach us to number our days so we may get a heart of wisdom.” Psalm 90:12 ESV

she writes: {i’ve paraphrased slightly} i’ve often heard the word “stewardship” ~ used in regard to money, talents, and time.  but how much of a good steward can i be when it comes to the insights God gives as well?  these revelations are graces from God not to be received lightly.  i {and we} catch glimmers of  how the Lord is asking us to correct, enlarge, and refine them ~ hopefully listening closer, as He teaches us His wisdom, so we can number our days in order to make them count. i want to be  purposeful in the choices i make, and pray  those choices reflect back to Him for His glory, always!”

i admit… i have “counted the days” when i am anxiously waiting for something to happen… like, as in: counting the days to retire?  yup, that is me.  counting the days until… {you fill in the blank}.  

and i want to share a prayer with you, too, on this day:
“heavenly Father, sometimes we are so busy looking ahead and anticipating the future, or looking behind, and recalling the past, that we miss today’s opportunities you’ve set before us.  Help us to remember that today is the future we’ve waited for, and the past we will look back upon; you have brought it to us right now for this day of life. as we make decisions on how to spend this day, let us feel your power and love, and the significance of this ‘here-and-now’ gift of life.” in your Son’s name, amen.

and… in studying this verse, i said “yes” to an early retirement offer last week, and i’m very, very excited about it!!  july 25th, 2014  marks the last day of my 28 year career in the federal court!  

i am excited about new possibilities, the new things that God has planned for me. now, when people around me hear i am retiring, they respond:  “what will you do now?”  well, the short answer:  “anything i want?!”   how about my love and passion?  art! teaching!  quilting, and more.  i look forward to studying God’s word more, deeper and wider; to look to Him as to how to make my days count!  i have always loved teaching, {it’s what i went to college for back in the good ol 70’s} and overall… it will be a joy to become more fully engaged in being a homemaker — also something i wanted as a young girl {but it wasn’t really “supported’ or encouraged to a young girl in the 70’s one little bit}… so… in a nutshell?  doing more of what i love, and loving more of what i do, and making each day count… {better}.

have a “marveles” weekend ~ and for you folks who live in america, may we know the freedom our country obtained came at great cost and sacrifice; that God Himself was the one who orchestrated it all.  may we learn {more} about repentance, and ask Him to restore our glorious america… to serve one another in love, and for all generations to come, that we will seek the Lord’s wisdom to make all the days we have count… for Him. 

soli deo gloria!