Laced With Grace

In a parking lot near my office, I spotted the cutest family parade: four little goslings marching single file, Mother and Father Goose in front and rear, on their way to a nearby stream. 

Unfortunately, one little fella wound up on the wrong side of the fence. Hearing his family on the river side, he franticly scuttled along the barrier. A mere one foot high, for the little bird the fence might as well have been Alcatraz. 

you can spot his little head all the way to the left

Nearby, Mother Goose hovered and honked loudly to Junior who desperately waddled back and forth along the divider. At one point, he tried with all his pathetic little might to fly over the divider. Jumping and flailing his weak downy wings, he failed to launch more than an inch off the ground. And then I saw it. Several feet away, the rugged wooden beam arched upward, just a few inches, but surely high enough for Junior to scurry under. Now how to steer him there without causing him a coronary? 

Seems like a perfect belated Mother’s Day story.

Happy Belated Mother’s Day!

Susan

The fireplace is glowing. The turkey is roasting. The pies are cooling. And the guests will soon be arriving.

This sets the scene for so many of us today, as we gather with our loved ones around a table of plenty and offer up our thanks for the blessings that we have all received. It is a wonderful day to celebrate the goodness of our Father and share in love and memories with our loved ones. It is a day to rejoice. To celebrate. And to remember.

The writing team here at LACED WITH GRACE will be sitting down to our own feast sometime today. Each of us live in a different town, even different states, but we all share a kindred spirit with one another and a special appreciation for each of you, our readers! We would like to take this time to just say THANK YOU to all of you who so faithfully tune in Monday thru Friday to share with us as we write from our hearts. We also give honor and praise to the One Who inspires us and spurs us on…Jesus Christ, Who is the reason we are able to give thanks.

So from our Thanksgiving table to yours, all of us here at LWG wish you and yours a very blessed THANKSGIVING!

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FROM NORTH CAROLINA… “This Thanksgiving, I’m thankful for becoming keenly aware of God’s presence by searching for God in the moment. Sometimes the moments have full of joy. Sometimes the moments have difficult to accept. They’ve both come from His hand so I can experience the truth that He is enough.” -MARSHA

FROM SOUTH CAROLINA…‘This Thanksgiving,I am savoring the fact that my children are still all under one roof (only one more year probably). I’m thankful for that roof, the family God has made us, and that cooking and eating together carves an all-five-senses memory deep into our lives. Happy Thanksgiving, all.” - DAWN

FROM FLORIDA… “What a tremendous joy it is to be living in a day with such awesome opportunities to share the love of Jesus Christ with the world! I used to have a Mary Englebreit t-shirt that read: ‘Life is just so daily’. I thought it was cute–but as I reflect on those words in a spiritual context, I change it up:  ‘His benefits and blessings are SO daily!’ (Psalms 68:19) Thank you faithful readers for joining us on this journey of daily benefits and discovery of the truths that God would have us know!” - ANGIE

“This Thanksgiving, I am thankful for the sweet times God has graciously given my family and I to spend together on camping adventures. With the unexpected death of my mother in law earlier this year, we have learned to savor and cherish these moments away were we can simply relax, connect and have lots of fun.” - DANA

FROM IOWA… “I am thankful for a wonderful husband and 5 beautiful children. I am most thankful for a God who loves me, forgives me, encourages me, and challenges me to be more like Him everyday. I am thankful for a network of beautiful women on the internet who so honestly share their hearts and experiences all for the glory of God. Have a blessed and joyous thanksgiving.” Much love – TRACY

FROM ARIZONA… “Happy Thanksgiving to all! I am so thankful for God’s faithfulness. He has provided me with what I needed through a very challenging season in my life. I have a wonderful family, many blogging friends, a job that involves children, an opportunity to write and share Christ and His peace. He is sufficient for all my needs!” -DEBBIE

This is a post I shared on my blog last week, and I wanted to share it with you here today.
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We were excited to sign the papers to close on our new house on October 11, 2010.  We knew a couple of the rooms needed to be repainted….we did not want bright blue or purple bedrooms!  Plus there were some other things we wanted to do before officially  moving in.  We had it all planned out to sign the papers and then be ready to move in by the end of the month.

Well if you followed my blog last year you know that nothing went as we had planned!  On October 7, 2010, we got the unexpected news from our Realtor that we were not going to be able to sign the papers on Monday.  The delay was caused because the TX Attorney General put a hold on the sale of foreclosures in the state.  I didn’t understand all the legal jargon associated with this…it basically meant though that our plans were on hold because the house we were buying was a foreclosure property and the banks had to verify they were handling the paperwork correctly.  We did not have any idea when we’d be able to continue so we were in a waiting game.

My husband was starting his training for his new position.  We were renting a duplex and had assumed we’d be out by the end of October.  The days went on and on, and it was a very frustrating time.  I remember waiting to hear something, anything from our Realtor each day, hoping he’d have some sort of good news or date for us.  We even got a lawyer involved to try to help us through the process of figuring out our options.  We went to look at other houses as well because it just didn’t seem this particular one was going to work.

It was quite the roller coaster for us all.  We didn’t know what was going to happen from day to day really.  It was just waiting and praying, trying to see what God would have us do next.  Being the planner that I am I did not like not knowing what was coming. I did not like that all the plans I had made regarding the house and where we would live and not wanting to be separated from my husband and getting my son into a new school were not working out like I thought they should from my perspective. I wasn’t angry during this time, I just didn’t like not knowing!

So today I remember how this time last year our plans changed suddenly and without warning.  I remember how God used this time to teach us some valuable lessons about Himself and His plan and timing during the period of unknowns and waiting.  And I remember the verse that encouraged me so much, Psalm 40:1–

I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry.

I heard this song called “Waiting Room” on the radio this week, and I was immediately taken back to that time.  Because on October 7 and October 8 and 9 and 10 and on and on when I didn’t know what was going to happen, I still held on to my faith that God had a plan for us.  He had things to teach us and used the time to bring us closer to Him and closer to each other.  We couldn’t see the whole picture like He could.  Take a minute to listen to the song, I hope it will encourage you with the great lyrics.

Looking back a year later, it is still crazy to me how it all worked out.  I think I am still processing it all that we did get to move eventually and are actually here!  The timing of everything fit together just beautifully.  He knew that all along, even though I could only see what was happening in the day to day moment.  Aren’t you thankful that He has a bigger perspective than us?

“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.”  Ephesians 3:20, 21

Have a day of blessings!