ChosenRebel's Blog

Inspired by a Canadian farmers wife: (begun 2/21/11)

1. For a bride who has loved me for 26 years 2/21/11 (now, 31 years) (now 37 years)
2. for a God who has loved me from eternity
3. for the joy of a spring rain.
4. for the wonder of my children
5. for sleep and a new day filled with grace.
6. for a low maintenance wife who delights in the Lord.
7. for black squirrels with red tails.
8. for central Michigan woods and Amish enclaves
9. for the glory of blue behind a white cloud
10. for sunlight on a table 5/7/11
11. for books and those who write them 5/7
12. for wind, high in the trees 5/31
13. for wild turkeys in the woods 5/31
14. for black squirrels with red tails 5 /31
15. for a mother’s love for her son 6/2
16. for sunshine on a prayer book reminding me what is important 6/13/11
17. for conversations with adult children that evidence Christ at work 7/5/11
18. for wild black berries on a walking path 7/7/11
19. for a son who fights the good fight for purity 7/7/11
20. for a wife who can be silly and beautiful 7/7/11
21. for the never-exhausted-glory of the gospel 7/7/11
22. for a wife who always says yes to proof-reading my work 7/17/11
23. for a son who cuts the lawn when I am away 7/17/11
24. for bright classmates to challenge my soul 7/18/11
25. for a wife who loves the color blue 8/9/11
26. for new niece Cally Ann 8/9/11
27. for growing grass and coming friends 8/9/11
28. for cell phones and dropped calls 8/15/11
29. for children 8/15/11
30. for friends who love 8/15/11
31. for a wife whose smile brightens a room 8/15/11
32. for phone conversations with my bride 8/29/11
33. for Ann’s blog chasing me to the word of God 8/29/11
34. for the joy of a summer-ending-fall-coming day 8/29/11
35. for a cat bearing its belly 8/29/11
36. for a 35 lb bike to take on 10 mile rides 8/29/11
37. for the wisdom of my bride, the lovely Stephnie 8/29/11
38. for a bride safely home from a visit to mom 9/5/11
39. for the confusing wonders of Ezekiel 9/5/11
40. for the smell of Fall in the air 9/5/11
41. for coffee 9/5/11
42. for women like my wife and daughters in the world 9/19/11
43. for the joys of being useful to God 9/19/11
44. for Canadian air and the smell of approaching Fall 9/19/11
45. for the glory of being “in Christ” 10/25/11
46. for a bride who likes chocolate 10/25/11
47. for a tabby cat who loves affection 10/25/11
48. for daughters and sons who walk with Jesus 10/25/11
49. for young men who want to change the world 10/31/11
50. for Fall days warm enough to ride a bike 10/31/11
51. for sons who call their father’s for help 10/31/11
52. for daughter’s and son-in-laws who bake sourdough bread 12/2/11
53. for blankets on cold days 12/2/11
54. for cats with belly’s up and plaintive meows 12/2/11
55. for the convicting work of the Spirit 12/2/11
56. for the illuminating work of the Spirit in the heart of seekers 12/2/11
57. for the power of the word of God 12/2/11
58. for a wife who prays 12/31/11
59. for books found 12/31/11
60. for challenging opportunities 12/31/11
61. for gentleness of the neighbor’s dogs 12/31/11
62. for new opportunities to preach the word of God 1/25/12
63. for a bride who continues to love me and Jesus 1/25/12
64. for hot chocolate in a big mug 1/25/12
65. for the wonder of being a part of God’s family 1/25/12
66. for all my children in the same place for a weekend 5/28/12
67. for friends beyond geographic proximity 9/18/12
68. for daughters who share the gospel boldly 9/18/12
69. for freedom and opportunity to serve 9/18/12
70. for my bride who drives 90 miles, just to spend two hours with me on my birthday 4/4/13
71. for my daughters who did the same thing 4/4/13
72. for my son, who called to say he loves me and is looking forward to getting together next week 4/4/13
73. for a God who gives me a better family than I deserve 4/4/13
74. for the joy of riding a bike and sweating 6-21-13
75. for a daughter who gives my wife back rubs 3-1-14
76. for the prayers of friends 3-1-14
77. for the joy of being a pastor of Christ’s Church 3-1-14
78. for the taste of fresh cut garden lettuce 6-26-14
79. for the anticipation of vine-ripened tomatoes 6-26-14
80. for 30 years with the perfect woman for me 9-11-14
81. for a church family hungry to learn the word of God 9-11-14
82. for moss on a rock that spends most of its days under 6 feet of salt water (or ice) 9-11-14
83. for a wife talking to herself in the next room 9-28-14
84. for a Sovereign God who knows my heart 9-28-14
85. for a church family that will experiment to serve the community 8-28-14
86. for warm Fall days filled with color 9-28-14
87. for Ann Voskamp’s book and the opportunity to read it again 10-19-14
88. for dry October mornings to ride my bike to work 10-21-14
89. for the joy of a bride who believes 10-21-14
90. for misplaced journals that get found at the right moment 10-27-14
91. for a daughter who walks with God sorrow and confusion  10-27-14
92. for the entertainment of a lady bug and a cat 10-29-14
93. for a bride who smiles each morning 10-29-14
94. for a bride who has loved me for 30 years 10-29-14
95. for early morning hours with little sleep 11-19-14
96. for writers who challenge status quo 11-19-14
97. that we are not Fatherless, any of us 11-19-14
98. for daughters and son who drive four hours to spend a few hours with us 3-17-15
99. for strong walls on a stormy day 3-17-15
100. for the new glow on a new believer’s face 3-23-15
101. for the wonder of a wife who laughs 3-23-15
102. for the laughter of grandkids 3-23-15
103. for coffee growers 5-10-15
104. for second chances and forgiving friends 5-1-15
105. for cooperation between local churches 5-27-15
106. for a God who is a refuge to the weary 5-27-15
107. for a son-in-law clever enough to figure out my rain barrel problem 5-27-15
108. for the joy of sunshine and warmth 6-11-15
109. for legs to walk, and pray and think 6-11-15
110. for a son who loves words 6-11-15
111. for daughters who love Jesus 6-11-15
112. for friends who speak hard truth to me 10-29-15
113. for the humbling that the Spirit of God orchestrates in my life 10-29-15
114. for the surprises and the surprising places we find Your gifts 10-30-15
115. for saints like Bob & Phyllis Hartman who finish the course well 10-20-15
116. for a rain that greens the lawn and waters the garden (6-23-16)
117. for a son who visits on Father’s day (6-19-16)
118. for daughters who drive 185 miles to spend five hours with their Dad (6-21-16)
119. for friends who look out for you when other friends disappoint (6-25-16)
120. for neighbors to have dinner with when my wife is away tending to her mother’s needs (6-24-16)
121. for prayer retreats that refresh the heart, nurture the soul, and direct the mind (1-14-17)
122. for a daughter who arranges skype visits with grandchildren (1-14-17)
123. for the joy of a surprise Spring in January (1-14-17)
124. for the invitation to slow the pace of life to hear the voice of God (1-14-17)
125. for the family of Manchester Creek Community Church (5-31-17)
126. for a place to call home and a bride who loves me (5-31-17)
127. for the larger number of anti-white supremacists in the country (10-28-17)
128. for faithful men who can preach the word with power and authority (10-28-17)
129. for neighbors who pick up mail for you when you are away (10-28-17)
130. for brothers and sisters in Christ who share the word at the point of need (12-15-17)
131. for a wife who watches black and white movies with me (12-15-17)
132. for men who take discipleship seriously (3-21-18)
133. for children who send pictures over my phone (3-21-18)
134. for missionaries like Svea Flood who labor hard, see little fruit, die young and yet change the world (3-21-18)
135. for music that calms the spirit and lifts the heart (3-21-18)
136. for hard questions that force me to grow (11-20-18)
137. for crisp fall days and orange tipped leaves (11-20-18)
138. for video’s on youtube that help me improve my soil in the garden (11-5-19)
139. for the gift of visiting children for thanksgiving (11-5-19)
140. for the the soul-strengthening verses of Isaiah 64:3-5, for a discouraged prayer warrior in the thick of battle (11-5-19)
141. for the joy of Fall sunsets and warm Novembers. (11-17-19)
142. for the chaos of grandchildren underfoot (11-27-19)
143. for young men with an earnest desire to learn how to study God’s word (11-27-19)
144. for Ben Long, a loyal and honest friend (6-5-20)
145. for a bride who continues to be wonderful 36 years after her wedding day (6-5-20)
146. for Dallas Jenkins and his vision for The Chosen. (7-29-20)
147. for the joy of knowing the Living God. (7-29-20).
148. for a bride who loves to smile.  (8-20-20)
149. for the fellowship of praying saints. (9-7-20)
150. for the ministry of prayer in our lives. (9-7-20)
151. for the evidence all around us of his love and mercy. (9-7-20)
152. for the promises of God that lift us out of depression (10-20-20)
153. for young pastors who are committed to the Bible (10-20-20)
154. for a vaccine that eases my son’s fears about being around his parents (3-18-21)
155. for new carrots, and spinach, and lettuce, and beets, and onions, and radishes growing in the garden (3-18-21)
156. for a wife who knows how to cut hair (3-18-21)
157. for egg-laying turtle mom’s depositing their eggs in the backyard (5-20-21)
158. for rain at 3:30 AM breaking a two week drought (5-26-21)
159. for the sound of refreshing rain
160. for the wonder of life being sustained by this unexpected soaking
161. for the opportunity to pray at an early hour that is undistracted by TV, chores and duties (5-26-21)
162. for friends who confess and ask for forgiveness for having not been a friend (9-27-21)
163. for fresh tomatoes on the vine in the garden in late September (9-27-21)
164. for the most fruitful garden since we left Watseka, IL in 2016.
165. for skin that repairs itself. (1/30/22)
166. for a book nearing completion (1/30/22)
167. for the excitement of a new journey group tonight (1/30/22)
168. for young faith that wants to grow in a neighbor (1/30/22)
169. for my bride’s cinnamon-banana  muffins (5/18/22) –surely a preview taste of muffins in heaven!
170. for phone calls from daughters and sons who love their mother. (5/18/22)
171. for prayers partners who truly love to pray (5/18/22)
172. for in season tomatoes grown in the garden (7/12/22)
173. for a bride who likes having me around the house (7/12/22)
174. for time to write and a new book published (7/12/22)
175. for the excavators behind out house taking care of the erosion problem (11-10-22)
176. for peppers and cherry tomatoes still ripening in the garden (11-10-22)
177. for new neighbors who are friendly and inviting (11-10-22)
178. for a coming visit with two of our children over Thanksgiving (11-10-22)
179. for the wonder of spring in the South Carolina (3-6-23)
180. for friends who give free fertilizer for my garden (3-6-23)