Be Amazed - Stay Amazed

Last night I was dropping my son off at football practice- just doing what we always do when the fall hits

my baby boy- enjoying a football game break

After dropping him off I turned a corner in my neighborhood on the windy streets that kids love to play on.  Another football player, excited to be driving the family ATV barreled around the corner.
He was going to fast to see me, and I couldn't see him at all in the blind spot of my mini-van (dang, those thing have some huge A-pillars, right moms???)

Somehow, we missed each other.  It took me so much surprise that I didn't feel the THUNK of a 4-Wheeler in my side door that turned around to see the road where we passed.  I have no idea how we did it.

When I got home I told my husband "Man, I am so lucky! You wouldn't believe how close I came to taking out an 8th grader!"

Well this morning, as I was soaking in my bubble bath (which has become my private sermon time) I clicked on the following link from Joyce Meyer.

Living Amazed- Joyce Meyer

 (trust me- save the link and watch it later)


This spitfire of a woman preaches from the Bible in a non-denomination style that begs to be heard, felt, and practiced.   I found on her T.V.  months ago when I couldn't sleep one night, and I have been hooked ever since. I love to hear her fearlessly preach and watch her show a couple times a week.

In the Being Amazed lecture she talks about this very thing that I did. How we we get so used to God that we are no longer amazed at his miracles.  The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints uses a phrase which I love dearly..... "tender mercies".

I am sad to say I do not always sit amazed at God's hand in my everyday life, although I do it more now than I have in the past.  I mean, I have had miracles affect me in as big of things as the horrible accident our family went through, right down to the smaller mercy finding a backpack while school shopping when I absolutely was at the end of my rope.  I have had them in answered prayers in spiritual matters, far too personal for me to write here, to unexpected cash discounts that blessed us a little further....

I don't want to be guilty of taking God's goodness and merciful gifts for granted.

In this sermon Joyce also shows a box of journals she has.  This is dear to my heart because I always have a journal, a church notebook, and a scripture journal that I am working on.  I too, have my bin of remembrances.  She talks about writing down your prayers and desires of your heart.

This concept really hit home for me when I read (the ever life-changing) Remembering Wholeness, by Carol Tuttle.

This was a new way for me to use positive thinking, faith, and amazement and joy to attract more tender mercies.  Carol suggests you write your list every morning. I call mine my 'angel wish list' and while I don't do it every day, I do it A LOT.

My Angel List front cover

a morning's prayer and thoughts

I remember being nervous because I had returned a running jacket in the mail, and it was very expensive, and I hadn't heard anything about it, and was long over-due for it's return.  I was starting to feel anxious, so I asked for help this morning. I believe the jacket showed up the next day. I was also pleading for help in my work that day as I interacted with my clients, and for ease in our re-finance of our home loan (which later closed without a hitch, no closing costs, and very little effort on our part- it was AMAZING).  So, you see, I think, and I live on this belief, that God does care about the little things- those little things become big things without his guiding hand.  We aren't meant to live in anxiety, fear, or a stressed out state.  Write it down- and GIVE IT AWAY!

I even have a "master list" of my hearts desires- these are the biggies.  I have wished about Girls' Camp, going on a cruise, traveling to London, and getting a 'break' that would allow us to landscape our yard.
Guess what...check, check, check and check...all done.

So today I am telling you to first have the faith to ask, then stay in faith and be amazed.
The video link I posted is long- watch it while you do your dishes or fold laundry.  (or soak in the tub) She says it much better than I can.

Write down your hearts desires, remember to record your tender mercies, then sit back and prepare to be astonished.
If it's been a while since you have been blown away by goodness re-read your victories of the past.

Don't forget to be amazed.  The reasons are all around.

And, for the record, I am grateful for a safe journey home yesterday...both for me, and for that sweet boy on the street. It was not luck.
God is good.