His Love Compels

For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.

2 Corinthians 5:14&15

On this Easter Monday, I meditate on how loving our Father is that he would send his Son as a sacrifice for me, for us, for you. It is His love that compels me to list the blessing that he has so lavished upon me. Not one of these gifts compares to the sacrifice He made to call me his own. And, so I continue to count my blessings...

(#'s 21-30)

* God's great love for me in that He sacrificed his only Son for me.

* Watching the kids have a joyous time roller skating.

* Passion for God poured over from others.

* Quiet afternoons

* Sundays

* Listening to the chatter as they happily play together.

* The coolness after a storm.

* Time with family on Easter Sunday.

* Walks at dusk.

* Baby's first steps.

Looking for the Lovely

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy -- think about such things.

Phillipians 4:8

We live in a broken, a fallen, an ugly world. We all have bits of ugly in our own lives...short tempers with our children, hurtful words, kids fighting, tiredness that causes crankiness. Then we turn on the news...more ugly...earthquakes, wars, accidents, murders, sin. The list goes on and on.

It is easy to get wrapped up in the ugly of the world and of our own life, to go over and over it in our heads... to worry about it, but the Bible says we are to think about things that are true, noble, right, pure lovely, and admirable.

So choosing to see the beauty around me because "every good and perfect gift comes from God" (James 1:17) I continue to count my one thousand gifts.

(11-20)

* birds singing in the early morning

* great fellowship with great friends

* friends who sharpen us

* notes from my seven year old during church saying, "you are pretty."

* Zoe

* the river as the sun reflects on it

* wisdom imparted to Steve just when needed

* beautiful warm weather

* playing outside

* warm, hearty meals