Joy Dare, last of September

Counting my blessings...

Day 25

956) uplifting chats with my farm sister

Day 26

(2 gifts flourishing)

957) my lemon tree....flourishing since hubby moved it into a sunnier position
958) spring flowers bringing beautiful splashes of colour into my garden

&

959) thankful for a young lady, willing to give up her afternoon to help my daughter with some sewing and then my son with science tutoring

Day 27

(2 gifts unexpected)

960) free "brand bucket" delivered to my door with seven different deodorants for us to try out

961) an awesome and very early birthday present from my neighbour .... 

Margaret Roberts "My 100 Favourite Herbs" 

&

962) catching up with hubby after a long and busy day

Day 28

963) beautiful sunshine, an answer to my daughter's prayers for her tea party this afternoon
964) the blessing of a gorgeous "tea cup" cake made by my neighbour for our daughter's birthday

Day 29
965) celebrating our daughter's 15th birthday today with family and friends

Day 30
966) catching up with a friend over a cuppa
967) a day with no agenda after two days of celebration
968) calls from my sisters this weekend and seeing my brother and his little family

August
Day 1
969) get together to celebrate a friend's daughter's 21st birthday....
lovely to get out and enjoy lunch with friends

Joy Dare September into week 4

The past week was one I would not choose to re-live.

 I was "hanging on by a string" as Ann Voskamp would say...

Sometimes I think too deeply of what others say and it is not good for me. 

I am grateful to have a loving family and precious friends who help me through when things get tough.

 But most of all I am thankful for God's grace which is new every morning and His unconditional love.

Day 18

( a gift freckled)

942) my precious daughter

Day 19

( gift in conversation)

943) a friend helping me see things from a different point of view

Day 20

( gift in salvation)

944) Knowing His grace towards us and this: 

Romans 8: 1 There is no condemnation now for those who live in union with Christ Jesus

&

945) enjoying seeing my children skate fast and free with with friends at the ice rink today

946) hubby sorting dinner out when I came down with a migraine

Day 21

947) rest and much needed sleep as the migraine persisted

948) hubby making dinner again

Day 22

( a gift rattling)

949) rattling...our car that gets us from A to B, rattling all the way but doing the job

&

950) catching up with friends today...face to face and via messaging

Day 23

951) chatting with my wise and loving mum

Day 24

952) enjoying hubby's home-made pizzas with friends we haven't seen in a while

953) spending time with my daughter, laughing hard at a funny movie she knew I would enjoy

954) friends who uplift and encourage
955) my hubby standing by me when things are difficult for me

Joy Dare September into week 3

Choosing to count His blessings...

Day 11

921) dinner on the beach tonight, watching my youngest enjoy building sandcastles and my teens running fast and free on the beach, a brisk walk for me and then back to neighbours for coffee, dessert and good laughs

Day 12

922) He is faithful, 
all knowing, 
wise,
 He knows the end from the beginning,
 wants my good,
 is all powerful, 
omnipresent, 
and stays closer than a brother.

923) an unexpected visit from my sis in law and her sweet baby today

924) giggling, happy teen girls looking through photos taken over the years

925) hubby surprising me with a wasabi chocolate 

926) my brother calling just to see how I am today

Day 13
927) coffee with a friend just when I needed it
928) sounds of guitar from my teen son's room... love it
929) seeds planted.... pushing up through the earth

Day 14
930) that wonderful Friday feeling and being able to spend time just reading for school today, and knowing that it is ok to do just that
931) early afternoon escape to a local dam for a picnic 
932) unexpected visitors....evening filled with laughter...good for the soul

Day 15
933) visit to a local market with my sis in law and her sweet baby... 
watching him tasting various cheeses and breads and just being his cute little self
934) beautiful rich compost from our heap that hubby dug out for me again today
935) the gift of friendship

Day 16
(3 gifts shared)
936) early morning walk on the beach shared with my daughter and a friend
937) pancakes with strawberries and ice cream shared with family and friends
938) delicious fish braai shared with neighbours and friends

Day 17
939) smiles and laughs on a day that was difficult
940) my dad stopping by on his way to work this morning to share some melon seeds with me
941) soothing sounds of my teen son playing his guitar again tonight

Joy Dare September week 2

It is good to give thanks...

Day 4

(a gift cool, warm , sun-soaked)

897) cool waters and ice cream at the beach this afternoon with all my children, and our sweet baby nephew/ cousin and his momma

898) weather beautifully warm

899) skin soaking up a little sun on this glorious spring day

Day 5

(3 gifts Spring)

900) birds chirping their announcement of the new day

901) buds promising new life

902) longer days with beautiful calm, warmer evenings

Day 6

903) an early morning walk with my daughter and a friend, perfect way to start the day

904) my youngest helping me get the watering done and having fun splashing the water everywhere

905) relaxed afternoon at the Science Centre...

eldest son finding practical lessons helpful....

 youngest having fun exploring with a friend....

and myself enjoying catching up with friends

Day 7

906) a glorious spring day and another brisk morning walk

907) a beautiful tree, free from the nursery in exchange for a bag of old newspapers

908) free gift of a restio from the nursery

909) a perfect evening enjoyed with friends, first braai of the season, good company and good laughs

Day 8

910) perfect weather and a good days work in the garden....

 hubby's help appreciated and beautiful rich compost from our heap

911) chatting with my farm sister, always good

912) an early evening walk on the beach enjoyed with my daughter

Day 9

913) breakfast enjoyed with my Dad in celebration of his birthday this week

914) finally getting to chat with my Mum after trying to make contact all week

915) a much needed afternoon rest

Day 10

916) my hairdresser needing a model for her exam and doing my hair free today

917) my youngest helping me with my work.... with a cheerful heart

918) finding someone to help my son with his physics

919) being able to share my compost with my neighbour

920) getting hugs just when I needed them 

Last of August Joy dare and September week 1

I am grateful for so much...

Day 28

886) time spent with my eldest as my other two were busy all day today

887) thankful for short queues when we went to apply for his ID

888) delicious cake pops and cupcakes made by my daughter at a workshop today

Day 29

( a gift one, two, three)

889) one... unexpected invitation by a girlfriend

890) " two.... birds killed with one stone" as I ran errands in the hour long wait for my son 

to finish his extra lesson

891) last three... tickets for a wonderful, fun and entertaining evening as two girlfriends and I went to the Elvis Blue concert

Day 30

( 3 gifts very small)

892) broccoli seedlings that seem to be making it when I thought they wouldn't

893) small breakthroughs, bringing restoration to a precious relationship

894) small gifts as recognition for my educational toy sales this month

Day 31

(Miracles)

895) His protection over a dear friend when she got caught in a rain storm today and another car overturned close to her and her sweet girls

896) His grace and mercy new every morning

897) that He makes a way when there seems no other way

September

Day 1

898) leftover paint from a job done by hubby meant our kitchen could get a much needed fresh coat of paint

899) happy and loud sounds of teenagers visiting

890) enjoying watching our younger two take part in the Shakespeare School's Festival at the Artscape Theatre tonight....thankful it went well for them all

Day 2

(2 gifts cut)

891) delicious birthday cake as we celebrated a sweet little 8 year olds birthday

892) left over quiche cut and shared at dinner time...thankful for leftovers

&

893) hubby doing the hard work of getting wheel barrows of compost out of the heap for the veg beds

Day 3

(3 gifts yellow)

894) delicious gooseberries sun-ripened and enjoyed fresh

895) lemons from my mom in laws tree

896) nasturtium flowers brightening up the garden.