seeking to find Him in every situation...

• it's all getting done (and got done last week)
• RELEASE, FREEDOM
• undeserved, unexpected encouragement
• running with a purpose: love runs

• helping
• learning to pipe icing (kind of)
• raw pizza dough. i love to eat it!!
• bill's lesson in work out class
• lovely-to-look-at cup of coffee

• the community that happened as a result of the planned blackout
• Africa Mercy version of cinnabon & coffee
• caroline's request for fiddler on the roof music (and the dancing that followed)
• BEAUTIFUL bouquet of daisies from nick

• my children's encouragement when i thought the project i'd been working on for an hour on the computer was gone -- "it'll be ok, mama."  "don't get upset."  "we'll figure it out."  "just stay calm."  so they HAVE been listening afterall!!!
• the moment my project reappeared on the screen (caroline said "that's just what i was praying would happen.")
• "the most reasonable response is to be thankful. do not reject any of My gifts; find Me in every situation." - jesus calling

merci beaucoup, Dieu

• nap on the chase's couch
• sunday morning runs
• spur of the moment chance to go to the batik making place -- getting to come home with a unique creation and fabulous "piece of guinea"

• time of worship saturday night (reminded me a bit of eminent)
• honoring the Mercy Ships' Academy graduates
• helping. i really like helping and am thankful for the chance to do it.
• spending time with God in a rocking chair

• "prayer for the world" during sunday evening church
• God provided bath mats...and not just any bathmats - the exact bathmats that i was thinking about buying!
• creative, thoughtful ideas (it's neat to see the body of christ blessing one another)
• fun new organizing tray

• lunch in mid-ships with emma
• a sunny day for cleaning/drying the dockside tents (just what harry asked for!)
• packages from the hart family

• safe and uneventful field trip
• end of the year ballet & karate performances
• nice walk with the kids to get cokes

• laughing outloud to a catalyst podcast while walking around deck 8
• clean, new, fresh sofa/bed!
• sweet girl napping (on previously mentioned sofabed) (thankful for the time to be productive)

• package from the white's!  what a sweet week for mail! 
• 22 days.
• children playing happily on deck 8 = i can get this thankful thursday list typed up and pictures added while it's still thursday!

a very visual thankful thursday list...didn't realize there were so many pictures.

• donna sell's smile, thoughtfulness & kindness
• making (and eating) pizza with erin - special lunch for a special daddy & kids
• pizza night with the chandras and walls (i'm a big fan of pizza.)

• learned how to make powdered sugar
• fun questions from molly
• successful rescue mission of the UGA ball

• shirtless, squinty-eyed little girls wandering into our room in the morning
• stacks of clean & folded laundry thanks to nick (i'm certainly thankful for the laundry room...but i don't mind not going!)(yup, we roll our towels these days)

• sinkfuls of dirty dishes that magically transform into clean dishes while i'm gone
• mother's day cards, posters, pictures & gifts

• rob's creativity with monday morning announcements
• Miss Leah's willingness to lead running club
• successful year of running club!  the cash kids ran a combined total of 676 laps on the dock!!!

• "jan & i pray for you every day" - in an email from keith myers
• weekly newsletters from our kids' teachers
• "what I require of you is to STAY CONNECTED WITH ME, living in trusting dependence on My limitless resources."  - jesus calling
• our new CD (and the story behind it)(coming soon!)

• easy conversations with gretchen
• my husband's awesomeness

• reconnecting with college friends and remembering fun times
• our view (thankful that i don't get tired of it!)
• rainy days.  i love them.  (the view may look dreary to you...but it's BEAUTIFUL to me!)

thankful for the gifts.

• cinnamon waffle cone with vanilla icecream
• people who are pursuing God with all their hearts, souls, minds & strength
• laying in a hammock on the beach

• breaking bread together
• a wonderfully refreshing weekend on Kasa Island
• yummy pepperoni
• learning other cultures' slang phrases (here are 2 fun ones:  sticky beat = australian for busy body; winjing (not sure i spelled that correctly) = british for whining)
• emma's cuteness (and suh-weet sense of style...fluffy pink high heels, sparkly red skirt that is oh-so-great for spinning and skipping, bright blue shirt with frogs...and we need not forget the baby doll - a mandatory accesory.)

• getting to share the gluten free snacks that matt & sarah sent
• "only 20 chicken fingers each" - sign in the dining room
• emma's idea to call aaron
• choosing to play princess rather than stay on facebook (i wish i always chose so wisely)
• blue bunny's play station playing skillz (and eli's creativity)

• leah's kindness to bring flavored milk to the kids at running club
• new calendar/planner from hannah wysong & laura coles
• countdowns
• eli choosing to read instead of having screen time
• RAIN.  rainy season is slowly making its way back to us!
• non-vicious dogs on the streets of conakry (makes running less stressful)
• WONDERFUL date night (most likely a blog post to come at the cash crew blog)

some tangible (and not so tangible) reminders of God's love and presence...

• came back from the "final flea market of the field service" with less stuff than we left with
• making pancakes with emma & nick!
• finding eli's dirty socks & shoes lined up by nick's after the ultimate game

• the man my son gets to look to as his role model and example
• wearing my hoodie all day
• worshipping to lay me down
• a whole strawberry pie (thanks, erin!!)

• a scooter for caroline (really nice and really free)
• shea's willingness to initiate
• 100 free prints from shutterfly (thanks, molly!)
• "your very lack is an opportunity to latch onto me in UNASHAMED DEPENDENCE."  -jesus calling
• calling popcorn and m&ms lunch

• all of our nalgenes are found/cleaned/sterilized and re-sharpied
• discovering faster/easier ways to do things
• reading my friend beth's thankful list
• eli's generosity
• ultimate frisbee