souldare

Let all that I am praise the Lord;
    may I never forget the good things he does for me. (Psalm 103:2 NLT)

So many good things happened over the wedding weekend that I could never list them all. But we experienced the calm and delight of God over the whole experience. In the above picture, the smiles and laughter exude the joy and peace we all felt.

I have been spending all morning reliving the moments with thanksgiving in my heart. (To see more photos and video clips, check out my Facebook page.)

As I sat on my porch swing scrolling and checking the news feed for posts about the wedding, I was just stunned with how generous God continues to be. His love overwhelms me. His creativity delights me. And His timing is always good.

The lovely couple is off to a great start with the goodness of God as the foundation of their love.

And so I return to my life . . . thinking, reading, journaling, blogging and sharing my love for lists and all things creative.

I said I would catch up, so here we go:

List #11 Date Ideas: Instead of going with the traditional idea of dates for couples, I am thinking of ideas for connecting with our Creator. Creative ways to express love and devotion. Here are a few: go to the park and journal, sit on my porch swing and enjoy the morning bird songs, make a collage prayer for someone who needs some encouragement, go for a walk and enjoy nature. (For more ideas check out my series based on Pam Farrel’s 30 Ways to Wake Up Your Quiet Time.)

List # 12 Weekly Rituals: On Mondays, I spend the day reflecting on the past week and plan out what’s next. Tuesdays, I meet with some magnificent friends to pray and in the evening share dinner with my mom, my sister and the kids. Wednesdays and Thursdays are for errands and appointments. Fridays are for fun or teaching my art classes. Saturdays are for catching up with family and friends. Sundays are for teaching God’s word with my husband and worshiping together.

List #13 DIYs that I want to try: Check out my Pinterest boards to see what creative pursuits are on my mind. I want to make a light box for taking still life photos.

List #14 On my shopping list: My neighbor and good friend, Paula, gave me a challenge to buy 10 items for my wardrobe for $25 (thrift stores and yard sales, here I come!) She picked items from catalogs and magazines that coordinate. I have until August to find them all.

List #15 Things I love about GOD: There are many things that I love about God, but one of my favorite things is the way He surprises me with gifts. This happened with finding my dress for our son’s wedding. To read about God’s provision read here.

So many more good things happened, and even when we faced some difficult times, we still witnessed God’s love pursuing and comforting us.

Writing lists is a great way to remember. Even the Psalmist does this:

Bless the Lord, O my soul,
    and forget not all his benefits,
who forgives all your iniquity,
    who heals all your diseases,
who redeems your life from the pit,
    who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,
who satisfies you with good
    so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. (Psalm 103:2-5 ESV)