Reflections

I came home Tuesday after a nutty week last week and a few days at the lake, and noticed my sad, neglected laptop waiting quietly for me. I blew the dust off of it, opened it up, checked my email and saw one from Terri with this subject line:

:)

Well, Terri always makes me smile (oh-my-GOSH, she is so funny) so the smiley was no surprise, but inside the email was a link to this post on her blog! She blew me away with this wonderful nomination for a "Blogger Reflection Award."


SO sweet! Here's what she said:

"Cyndi at One Day More. I want to be more like Cyndi. She practices what she preaches in her sweet Texan accent. I'm in awe of missionaries like Cyndi especially because I try to avoid conversations in real life with strangers. She shares her joy and enthusiasm and makes me want to donate to every Christian missionary I meet."

Have you ever read or heard something someone said about you... and really wanted it to be true? That's how I felt reading that! Oh, how I want to be someone who "practices what she preaches." (And how does she know I have a Texas accent??? Does it come through in my typing??? Well, I'll be.) Thank you so much, Terri, for those words. Coming from an amazing woman like you, they mean more than you know.

So, here are the instructions: I am to pass this on to 5 people
"who have been an encouragement, a source of love, impacted you in some way, and have been a Godly example to you. Five Bloggers who when you reflect on them you get a sense of pride and joy… of knowing them and being blessed by them."

"This award is for the best-of-the-best so consider who you pick, carefully. This award should not be given to just anyone. If you're going to do the award don't just write a few words and slap it on your Blog. Write real thoughts about these Bloggers and what they've meant to you. If the Bloggers you pick have already been given the award, don't be afraid to give it to them again. They deserve it as many times as it's given."

Linda at Middle Years. Linda's sweet spirit comes through in every single thing she posts. Her blog is peaceful and soothing, and her words are wise. I wish I were sitting having a glass of tea with her each time I read what she writes. I have been blessed by her words which are steeped in Scripture and born of a faithful walk with her precious Lord, a walk that has been difficult at times, but that continues to lead her closer to the heart of Jesus and deepens her love for Him. Reading her blog (and email) takes me on that journey with her.

Mindy at Ponderings of the Heart. Mindy has blessed me, not only with her witty and honest posts, but recently she went beyond the blogosphere and right into my mailbox and sent me this:

after I posted that I get a pedicure before mission trips because of the "beautiful feet" verse. That arrived in my mailbox on a particularly difficult day, and totally made my week! She said, "If the verse fits, wear it." Oh, how I love that! She shares openly and honestly what it's like to be a wife (a pastor's wife, no less!) and mother, and I always feel like I'm getting a first hand glimpse at what the Lord is teaching her. Consequently, He uses her to teach me.

Lisa at The Preacher's Wife. Ya'll. If you're not reading Lisa yet, start today! She's another, well, preacher's wife, who's open and honest about her walk with the Lord. Her words are wise, (and she's a fellow fan of the Greek lexicon!) She doesn't mince words, and I find myself thinking about her posts (both on her blog and on the Internet Cafe blog) for days afterward. God is obviously using her to teach the women in her church, and I'm personally glad He seeing fit to use her to teach some of us in blogland, too.

Chris at Come to the Table. Well, for cryin' out loud, I just realized I picked another preacher's wife. I think I see a pattern here! Chris is another one that if you haven't started reading her... GO! She "rightly divides the word of Truth" as well as anyone I've read... ever. I love her take on Scripture and the wise resources to which she refers. Her posts have an uncanny way of speaking to issues with which I'm wrestling. She has blessed me with her wisdom time and time again. She clearly adores her husband, serves her precious children, and builds her home with a Proverbs 31 heart. LOVE her.

Alycia at For Where Your Treasure Is. Alycia's blog is just beautiful, and it's just a glimpse of how beautiful her heart is. It's easy to see where her treasure is. I love how she talkes about her kids and her dear (military) husband. She's a fellow homeschooler and a dear prayer warrior. She was so supportive of me recently when I was traveling to China, and I felt especially close to her because she is in Okinawa, Japan! I thought about her a lot while I was on her side of the globe a few weeks ago. I love stopping by her blog to read her "Thankful Thursdays" each week, because they truly make me thankful for the blessings in my life as well. I think her Thankful Thursday posts are probably characteristic of how she thinks every other day of the week, and I want to be more like that!

Well, this was fun! I hope those of you that I've nominated can truly see how you've been a source of love and encouragement, and have impacted me personally. Really. When I started blogging I had no idea that other bloggers could or would mean so much to me, or that God would use what He's teaching you to teach me as well. Thank you for allowing Him to use you in my life. (And thanks, again, Terri! ;)