Lately I'm Thankful For (68-82)

68. scrabbled eggs and spinach for breakfast
69. daily sipping on kefir (just trying it out for the first time this week)
70. the original Father of the Bride movie (so many of the lines are the same!)
71. anticipating my birthday gift from Paul's dad and sister. every time I hear a truck go by I lean over to sneak a look out my window. is that UPS truck stopping in front of our house?!
72. Spring is in the air, warmer temps are here and we're driving with the windows down
73. sauerkraut on our sandwiches (and today, hot dogs!) mmm just the smell of it reminds me of Oma :)
74. checking out books from the library and reading them on the iPad.
75. slowly finishing off my delicious birthday cake
76. Wes and Tiffany getting married this weekend! oh the celebration!
77. lots of babies arriving this Spring!
78. my new-to-me peach retro chair from the Habitat Re-store
79. dinner outside at Portillo's with family, and talks about what the future might hold
80. new business trickling in to my shop
81. birthday earrings from my thoughtful husband
82. that God is so patient with me, and that He is always faithful even when I am so faithless. new mercy every morning.

1000 Gifts: 60-67

It's been too long since I last recorded what I was thankful for. But getting back into it feels good and refreshes my soul!

60. banana milkshakes with fresh whipped cream
61. when my husband makes dinner
62. a really good sermon at church this week
63. for a God who is in control even when the path seems crooked
64. a month of visits with G & G Schmitt and their legacy of love
65. my new scanner
66. tax refund
67. "sewing day" with Mom

1000 Gifts: 54-59

54. when Paul laughs so hard he gets the hiccups.
55. strawberry season!
56. parents so generous.
57. shopping with Mom in the goldeny warm sunshine.
58. blue and white stripes.
59. birthday cards in the mailbox.

1000 Gifts: 41-53

.....

41. doodling with my husband.
42. making it to the top of the mountain.
43. dinner outside under the twinkle lights.
44. six months of wonderful marriage.
45. listening to the wind as i fall asleep.
46. God is in control of the wind!
47. inspiring artists.
48. exciting surprise in my email inbox.
49. vitamins.
50. Kirstie's cookies.
51. free fonts.
52. the mysterious leap year.
53. a screen door to let the fresh air in and keep the buggaboos out!

.....

1000 Gifts: 28-40

28. bike rides to the library.
29. bike rides to the grocery store.
30. bike rides with Paul anywhere (even up the big hill)
31. my new helmet to protect my noggin.
32. Chicken Parmassan in the crock pot.
33. my "S" notepaper mousepad – I'm a Schmitt!
34. getting lots of work done and the ability to stay focused.
35. working for a church I love even when I'm far away.
36. actually using what I learned in school for Kingdom work.
37. remembering that sweet cake dear Brittany made me last year, and the tea party my roomies threw.
38. the Lord's provision for us, today.
39. cheerful yellow and white stripes on my shirt.
40. roses still living.

1000 Gifts: 17–27

17. red rocks of Sedona – even especially when it's misty and overcast.
18. splitting a grande taco with my mom
19. interviews for Paul! hope for the future.
20. that Jesus is not safe.
21. making it to sunset point just before the sun goes down – moments.
22. generous parents
23. quartz mountain
24. lots of fresh asparagus!
25. sleeping in
26. lunch breaks with my hubby.
27. a new headlight for the car

1000 Gifts: 9–16

...

9. hot chocolate in a pretty mug
10. dark chocolate with a corny message
11. husband in the other room working hard
12. wedding invitation in the mail–so much joy!
13. generous valentines card from G & G Schmitt
14. cd from Stacy cheerfully playing through the speakers
15. watercolor inspirations
16. the bluest sky!

...

"A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are"

Have you read this book?

It's so great. I'm a little over halfway through, and I've just been soaking it up like a sponge. Ann basically walks you through her journey of discovering the power of being thankful–eucheristo–and the grace and peace she experiences through this daily discipline. She begins a list to see if she can record 1000 gifts from the Lord, and describes how this transforms her life and her walk with God. This is not an adequate summary...please just read the book!

Since I started reading it, I knew that I could surely benefit from growing in thankfulness. Ann even traces ungratefulness back to the fall, explaining that Adam and Eve were not thankful for the gifts God had given them, instead they wanted more. 

I too can see that a lack of thankfulness is rooted in many if not all of my sins. When I am unkind to Paul, am I really, in that moment, thankful that God has blessed me with a husband? When I am jealous of other women–how they look, what their gifts are, or what they have–am I being thankful for how the Lord made me or what He has given me? And when I am lazy and don't study His Word or commit time for prayer, am I being thankful that God has reached out to me, saved me, and wants an intimate relationship with me? Do you see how thankfulness can be the opposite to so many of our sinful habits?

So I want to join in and see what this is all about. Unfortunately, being thankful isn't something that comes natural to us. It just doesn't. We have to practice thankfulness, implement it as a discipline in our lives. And so I want to practice. Big and small and especially small. Because a lot of my days are woven together by the small. And I don't think these should go unnoticed. So here we go. Let my list begin!

1. a desk by the window to see the leaves sway and the sky change
2. a glass of clean water
3. 12 red roses blooming
4. and the sweet Valentine who gave them to me
5. surrounded by photos of the ones I love, and the precious memories they recall
6. colored envelopes with fancy addresses
7. chocolate ice cream with a shake of cinnamon
8. creativity flowing all around

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