~ glorious riches ~

In my journal this morning,

I asked

"What would you say to me, LORD?"

Glorious riches.

Finches in the snow in your spruce tree.

Glorious riches.

A pen, blank pieces of paper, and time with Me.

Glorious riches.

My voice.

Glorious riches.

Paint, art supplies, scraps of wood, and a mind of ideas.

Glorious riches.

A demand that is greater than your supply of art pieces.

Glorious riches.

Spiral index cards that you are memorizing

of My word that is like fire and like a hammer

to demolish road blocks ~ strongholds in your life.

Glorious riches.

A walk outside with your camera.

Glorious riches.

A healthy family.

Glorious riches.

Children who seek and love Jesus.

Glorious riches.

Safety, warmth, food.

Glorious riches.

A hard-working, fun-loving husband.

Glorious riches.

Peanut butter.

Glorious riches.

Stick people drawings with sunshine over their heads.

Glorious riches.

Kutless singing Give Us Clean Hands on your mp3 player.

Glorious riches.

The dishwasher is working.
Glorious riches.
A bouquet of authentic friendships.

Glorious riches.

Glorious riches.

God will meet all your needs

according to His glorious riches

in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:19

I asked a friend for prayer this week

about my looming fear of having to work

at a job I hate

while someone else enjoys

the delightful days of Erin's growth and youth.

Ideas for writing, teaching and art are springing into my mind.

I listened to Beth Moore teach on

praying God's word.

The weapons of our warfare are mighty

in God for demolishing strongholds

and any high thing that exhalts itself above God.

She taught of putting His word above the

strongholds until they topple over

and are demolished.

His word like fire and a hammer to destroy even rocks.

~Jeremiah 23:29~

The Word that He gave me was

"I will meet all your needs according to

My glorious riches

in Christ Jesus."

It is toppling over my stronghold of fear.

My friend replied back in an email

that sometimes the enemy makes our fear

seem like the only viable option.

But it is not.

Glorious Riches.

This is what is happening in my heart

and the photos are

in my studio this week.

Check out the other Studios here:  Studio JRU.

copyright 2011 Jodene Shaw.

Celebrating Freedom

July is a month for celebrating freedom and we have done our fair share of feasting and fireworks.

Lots of celebrating.

I am grateful to live in the United States of America.

Grateful that my kids

have a safe place

to live

and play

and go to school.

Grateful that they have opportunities

to chose their education

and career

and to worship freely without persecution.

Grateful that their great-great {and even up to 10 and 12 greats}

grandparents

had the courage to cross an ocean

on a boat

and take a train or a horse or a wagon

across the plains.

Grateful that some fought for freedom even in the Revolutionary war

and for those that endured the Dirty Thirties, dustbowl and depression days.

There were no trees on this prairie.

At times just dirt and grasshoppers.

And yet, because they endured, we live here.

I am grateful.

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These photos below are what Erin thought of the noisy fireworks.

I just had to share them too...because they are part of the reality

of our little celebrating here on the ranch.

Happy Birthday U.S.A.!

Have a great weekend!

Photos & text copyright 2010 Jodene (Jodi) Shaw

P.S.  My daughters green eyes are NOT enhanced with photo shop...that's the real thing.