{Grateful}

 

So as you can see I'm not keeping up very well on my daily list of thankfuls.

I'm not going to beat myself up about it but just start again today, knowing that writing it down here does not make me grateful, it is the daily moments where I stop to think and thank my God for the beautiful and even not so beautiful moments He gives me. 

49. Thankful for friendships. And not just those pictured in this photo I totally stole from my friend Chelle {which seems to be my m.o. lately..}.

For those near and far. 

50. For a really fun girls night out to celebrate Andi's birthday. 

An amazing concert by Sara Groves, Audrey Assad and Jenny & Tyler.

51. The chance to be out without my kids on a weeknight for hours.

52. That I am being hit from all sides with little signs confirming what God is putting on my heart these days.

53. For my new notebook that is encouraging me to go deeper in my time in the Bible.

54. For a sick day for Greg that meant he was home from work on a Tuesday. 

Boo for sickness, Yay for togetherness!

55. For holiday scheming and anticipation.

56. That God can bring good out of bad.

And let me explain...

I had ordered a box of 48 Bibles to distribute with our blessing bags I have talked about here. It was taking a long time to receive them so I called the company and U.P.S. today and they said they had delivered my 40 pound box of Bibles at 1:03 last Tuesday to my front door. That was probably about when I was at Fred Meyer and my two year old was puking in the kiddie car shopping cart. (You knew there was a reason you never allowed your children in those didn't you!) Basically we are figuring someone stole a very heavy box of Bibles off of my front porch. Will you all pray with me that they are getting to who needs them and aren't just in a dumpster somewhere? Pray that people are being changed by the Word of God right now by those Bibles. We'll never know, but I know God is good and He works in mysterious ways. I also think it's kind of funny. They probably thought they were getting someone's awesome Christmas present, like a playstation ....and they got Bibles. Cool.

57. My children and listening in on their creative play. They've been saying "oh, hiiii" in this funny little way and talking a lot to some Donny or Danny person. Hmmm...

58. Trader Joe's and the fact that it is like five minutes from my house. Jealous?

59. New music.

60. Friends that help with carpooling Eli after school. 

61. For soft squishy white bread in all forms: rolls with cheese whiz, nutella and butter, white bread with American cheese for grilled cheese. I'm sorry that I am undoubtedly offending many of you here with this total display of unhealthy and processed food choices. 

I looove them.

What are you thankful for today?

{Catch Up}

 

Wow, I feel like I need to do some catching up around here!

With the 30 Days of Thanks, the Happy Day project and Ten on Ten today this might be a long post! 

Is anyone else doing the Happy Day project? It's been a bit challenging for me and so far the only day I've done the challenge on the day was Monday. 

It was bless your neighbor day and I hung some chocolate cookies on the door of my next door neighbor. He's a great neighbor and recently divorced. So he's living alone for the first time in a long time. 

Tuesday was write a handwritten note - I had good intentions on this one and even grabbed a stack of cards to try and write in while I was out and about. 

It didn't happen. 

I'd still like it to though. 

I was really moved by the story that was shared on this blog though. 

Go read it, you'll cry, you'll want to pray, you'll be inspired by this family's faith.

Yesterday was gift card to the homeless day.

This got me excited because my mind has been on how to help homeless people a lot lately. 

My Bible study girls are putting together little bags of goodies to keep in our cars to hand out to people we see in need. We were inspired to action by my friend Leslie's blog post on this from a few years ago.

How fun it was to see some other posts about this as well. 

And in fact I think that this challenge is coming up in the Happy Day Project as well!

Read this post, so good. 

I got this book she referenced on my iphone last night and read it all.

A real eye opener. 

I want to see people as God sees them. 

I want my faith in God to have arms and legs. 

I don't want to be just talk. 

This is really something God is challenging me with lately, in lots of different areas.

Good works in His name.

Because He loves us so we love others.

I had someone in mind for the gift card yesterday. 

The only problem was I saw him as I was running late to an appointment. So I said to myself, I'll get him when I'm on my way home. Except he wasn't there. 

So today around lunch, I drove up. 

It's this guy that always hangs out by this gas station, in the trees a bit by the side.

He is always there. And I think he is usually sitting there drinking.

He isn't panhandling. Just living his life right there.

I felt like he was the one I was supposed to give my gift card to but I was really nervous.

Would I offend him? He wasn't asking for help.

Was he really homeless? I think so but my husband said he thought he must live in that neighborhood.

But why would he hang out there day after day if he had a home?

And does it really matter if someone has a home or not if that is the way they are living?

All these questions. 

All these nerves.

I prayed and when I drove up he was standing right by the alley and lifted his hand in greeting to me. 

He made it really easy. 

His name is Jimmy. 

He wanted a dollar but I gave him some water, a jerky stick and a gift card to McDonalds. 

I told him I see him all the time and think about him and just wanted to do something for him. 

I told him Jesus loved him and we exchanged names. 

It was really cool. And not scary at all.

Today is give a book to a friend day. 

I think I want to find a copy of this book....who to give it to? 

Not sure yet. 

If you are still with me, here is my Ten on Ten for today!

Instagram style!

(And I'm sorry, some of the pictures are a terrible quality...still figuring out all this taking pictures on my phone business!) 

{9:00 hour}

Shopping at Trader Joe's with my littlest. We went to see if their holiday goodies had arrived and they had!

 

{10:00 hour}

Finally getting a shower. Coffee on the bathroom windowsill. 

Does anyone else drink coffee while they shower?

{11:00 hour}

Kind of wearing a dress. Something I never do. 

I feel weird.

{12:00 hour}

Going to give Jimmy his gift card.

{1:00 hour}

Working on this blog post!

{2:00 hour}

This sweet girl fell asleep on the couch.

{3:00 hour}

It's pick up time and I had a car full!

{4:00 hour}

I found my book! There was only one, it was meant to be.

{5:00 hour}

Loading the dishwasher. I think I could do this twice a day...how do we make so many dirty dishes?

{6:00 hour}

Not a very beautiful picture I know, but a beautiful idea...these are the bags my Bible study girls are putting together that I mentioned earlier in the post.

Thankfuls...

44. that there is no school tomorrow - it feels like a vacation to me too!

45.for all of the veterans that have served and are serving. Thank you.

46. for friends.

47. for a sunny fall day.

48. that I have my husband to help raise my kids and I am not at it alone.

30 Days of Thanks - Day 3-5

 

24. I am thankful for seriously talented friends who share their photos with me! 

The photo above was taken at the most gorgeous lake house on a lovely Autumn day.

25. In-laws who take my kids for a few hours of fun.

26. My two year old's serious delight and excitement at playing the Mousetrap game.

27. That my husband is coming home this morning from a weekend men's retreat.

28. God's love and peace that are always available to me, anytime, anywhere.

29. Grocery shopping alone.

30. Fun holiday drinks at Starbucks.

31. An inquisitive seven year old and the lovely conversations we have about God.

32. A clean house.

33. Cute Kleenex boxes.

34. Holiday candles that make my house smell cozy.

35. Fire pasta. And the indulgence of getting it to go and eating it at home all by myself.

36. Really great music that draws me closer to God.

37. Hope.

38. Finding some really inspiring blogs written by amazing women who love Jesus. 

39. That it hasn't snowed yet.

40. Getting to play with my honey's new work IPad all weekend.

41. The photo shoot scheduled for today.

42. That I am healthy again and can kiss my babies on the lips.

43. Friends and family. I have the best ones.

30 Days of Thanks - Day 2

 

I'm going to try and not let it bother me that this is day 2 of my 30 days of thanks and it is technically day 3 of November! I'm just going to keep plugging along and recording my thanks for all the happy little gifts God is giving me each and every day.

11. Listening to two seven year old boys in the van sing "I like you" and "I love you" to my Rosi Golan song.

12. Eggnog lattes

13. Girls Bible study and sock stuffing at my house tonight

14. Trader Joe's five minutes from my house (even though it is still one week old crazy!)

15. Rubbing my daughter's feet and legs as she lays on the couch looking at a toy catalog.

Doing this makes me really feel like a Mom for some reason. I think it's because it's the kind of thing my Mom did for me and it brings back homey memories.

16. Good friends that you can just hang out with and not do anything and still have fun.

17. Easy dinners.

18. A reliable furnace that pumps out heat really well.

19. Sunflowers for the house.

20. The sound of the dishwasher running.

21. This project! I think I'll join in!

22. Christmas catalogs in the mail.

23. Getting a package finally put together and mailed off!

{What are you thankful for today?}

30 Days of Thanks - Day 1

 

I'm going to join in a lovely blogging tradition this month.

Everyday I'm going to attempt to post what I am grateful for from that day or from the day before. 

I will no doubt be doing posts on other topics this month but I want to take this on as a personal challenge to document all of the good and even the not so good things that God is blessing my life with this month. 

I want to publicly give Him the thanks He deserves in this month that we celebrate a holiday conceived in gratefulness.

Since I missed the first of the month yesterday, I'm going to include all the good things I'm so grateful for that happened yesterday as well!

1. My parents were visiting and my Dad took my van and sat for three hours at the tire shop while they put my winter tires on! Last year I had to do it myself with kids in tow. Now I am ready for the snow they are predicting any day now!

2. My Mom, who seriously delights in serving others. The way to bless her the best? Have a mountain of dirty laundry waiting for her. God has given her a strange but wonderful gift. She delights in doing laundry. And I delight in having it done for me. 

3. Good spiritual conversation.

4. Getting to volunteer in my daughter's classroom. 

5. A clean and sparkly house, especially clean kid's rooms.

6. Dinner I didn't have to cook.

7. The Holy Spirit and what a gift from God it is to have Him reveal all truth to us.

8. Feeling better after being sick all weekend.

9. My two youngest, who play so nicely together.

10. That the holiday season is upon us! I've bought my cinnamon scented pine cones so I'm ready to go!

{What are you thankful for today?}