Last 2010 Fave Five!

Well, it's the last day of December.  Last day of 2010, and the last Friday Fave Five of the calender year!  A huge THANK YOU to Susanne from Living to Tell the Story for hosting this each week and encouraging us to find those 5 special things that we all like to call "Blessings from God".

It's been a lazy week for me and my family.  But that is sometimes a much needed thing! We are ready to break down the Xmas decorations and tree tomorrow and organize the rooms and schedules for back to school.  We are nearing the end of the 2nd quarter in our school district and that makes for a bit less homework but more tests.....so...back to reality on Monday!

Here are the 5 things that make my Fave List this week:

• THIS BOOK.  It made me think. It made me feel.  It describes, with poignant words, what life was like in Seattle during 1942 among the Chinese, Japanese and Americans. (it's historical fiction but the characters jump out at you and they seem real ) I will be doing a book review on this sometime next week. It is one of the best books I have ever read.  It has left a huge impact on my own emotions regarding love, friendship, prejudice, forgiveness, and yearning with hope. 

• THIS MOVIE.  Each Christmas Eve, I have my husband open a new dvd to add to our collection of classics.  We were collecting classic musicals for awhile and then classical romances.  We are now collecting the classic Christmas movies.  This is the one we all watched after our Candlelight Service on the 24th.  It was a special family time as my youngest had never seen the movie before.  She loved it.  She couldn't believe that this same little girl grew up to play the amazing Maria in one of her fave musicals (West Side Story).  (Claire likes that musical because of the dancing :) )

• THE NEW IPOD NANO 6.  This was my Xmas gift from my husband.  ((we also got one for our youngest for her #12 birthday.).  He got me the blue one (my fave color besides green; we bought Claire the silver one with the purple cover and pink wristlet).  I love it because now when I power-walk, I can listen to my fave praise or classical music AND it has a built in pedometer that also tells you how many calories you are burning during your workout! It also has a radio so I can listen to my fave Christian station while cleaning around the house without blasting the stereo system we own.  This is the smallest piece of technology I've ever owned.  He is still "teaching" me how to get my cd's on to computer and then into this little thing.....(my daughters already know how!) and the other thing that makes this a fave is that Claire told me I can borrow her wristlet when I go walking!  

• MORNING MEDITATIONS.  I have savored my time in the mornings this week while the rest of the family sleeps.  I've also slept in but not as late as the rest of them.  I have had my coffee while sitting in the family watching the sun come up and meditating on God's words.  Many Scriptures have comforted me this week as I reflected on various things that came up during 2009/2010.  I enjoyed times of praise, prayer, and pressing in to gain a renewed sense of hope and purpose for my spiritual walk and to continue in friendships/relationships that God has placed in my life.  I have had times of thankfulness for my children, my husband, my small group, my extended family and my church family.  I will always look back fondly on this week as a week that has led to some more personal spiritual growth and praise God for it.....and for the Savior who allows us to savor these moments.

backyard sunrise
31 December 2010

• THIS MORNING'S SUNRISE.  I stood in the doorway leading to our deck and snapped this at about 7:15 this morning.  I thought the sun looked so pretty coming up in the east with the bare branches of trees.  As I finish up this post, it is a little after 9 in the morning and I'm sitting in the dining room looking out a busy birdfeeder, at bright sun melting the snow and a gorgeous blue sky with white puffy clouds.  If it wasn't for the snow it would look like April!

That's it for me this week.  I hope you have a blessed start to the new year and continue to write about the blessings in your life.

Things that are coming up here on Gold in the Clouds include 2 book reviews, some thoughts on Hope and Generosity/Gratitude, a yummy dinner recipe I want to share, and of course the regular posts like the Friday Fave Fives and Marriage Mondays.

ENJOY THE WEEKEND and HAPPY NEW YEAR!!