'tis the season for gifts (always)

• taco soup from the faircloths 
• sweet girls enjoying each other alllll day long!

• christmas movies with the cashes
• amazing kiddos to make christmas cookies with

• finals are done for emma
• fun little "gingerbread" houses

• date night!!!!!!
• first gathering under the new structure

• when people are nice.  
• christmas crack!  (and the hands - all the hands - that helped prepare it!)

• getting to go to infusion day (and i got a wink!)
• lovely gift from a lovely friend (and salvaged christmas lights!)

• christmas kringle!!! it has officially become a tradition (thanks kaos!!)
• celebrating christmas with clement arts (especially celebrating these 2 on the right and their mama)

• baxter family all sunday afternoon
• everybody's home! 

grate-full.

• enchiladas and other deliciousness from brad and sally
• appointment at dr. tyler's...easy peasy 
• good reminders: 

• gutter across the back of the house! 
• christmas cards
• big monkey reading the bible in my chair 

• abigail's kindness
• rose & adam's willingness to stock/stuff the chair pockets at CS
• celebrating emma!!!

• plenty of help setting up the post musical reception
• super fresh chicken minis
• kaleb's baking skillz

• caroline's sweater sharing abilities
• sweeeeet cityscape team christmas dinner
• nick is home. home. home. 

• whole cash crew getting to watch the game
• how happy/comfortable zoe is with nick
• rest-sleeping-naps-early bedtime

what a week. so much to be thankful for.

• miracles on miracles on miracles this week
• appointment after appointment that lined up perfectly and went so very well 
• so many mountains moved
• favorite christmas music

• lane + doughnuts + coffee 
• black friday vending machine shopping spree
• all the hands & hope wonderfulness (want to subscribe? let me know! i'll connect you with beth...you can join in the goodness dec 6-12)
• good quote...thinking about being pinned to Jesus' feet...

• sitting by the windows with emma
• Ms. Georgia's excellence and kindness
• olive garden from sunette (5th and 6th round leftovers that are just as good as round 1!)
• Christmas decorating with the cash kids (one was resting)

• kimberly klaus - well timed provision & help
• the ease of molly keeping zoe this week
• eli's homemade hot chocolate
• KJ's christmas card.  

• unbelievably expedited demobilization process
• wonderful sleep
• the cleaning team was able to fit us in
• good reminder

• UGA game...seeing eli and caroline on the screen :) - knowing the outcome really doesn't matter...but it's still more fun to win. 
• realizing there's still time to use a coupon/reward
• the best help with the christmas lights...and multiple walks this week
• well timed lectio 365

thankful list on thanksgiving

• best 1/2 time of the UGA game walk
• lane & his cot (and his joy)
• Christy Nockels' lullabies for the beloved  (album of the week for me)
  
• delightful walk/conversation with eli
• so.much.laughter around the table and the fire (especially all the spontaneous singing of "nothing is impossible with God...")
• sweet sister reunion

• monkey bread!!! (and the hands/heart that prepared it)
• nick has made it to kuwait!  so much closer to being home!!!!
• the realization that God has sent new friends that nick will get to meet (john & soozi, pete & aliche)
• caroline's car was able to be fixed (huge thanks to stella's dad!)
• eli's thankful email (summing up impact)
• flowers & a candle

• fun fountain pen
• wil's starlink (making the posting of this thankful list on thanksgiving at the cabin so very easy!!)
• vanilla creamer waiting on me
• delicious cups of coffee
• sermon reminder about servanthood
• all of papa and papa palmer's hard work to make the thanksgiving meal...and all the contributions that others make!**  

    **there may be more thanksgiving pictures added at some point

a few of the good gifts from my week

• carwash
• when God says that something is good nothing else matters (and He said it twice)
• cracker barrel biscuits
• the best stacking stone block train i've ever seen (and the hands/minds that built it)

• spaghetti that slaps
• thanksgiving questions
  
• eli & emma's help cleaning up/resetting from DNow
• eli making a leaf pile for zoe

• super clean front doors
• all of zoe's naps lately (especially the ones in random places)
• getting a badge (of honor)(seriously. what an honor to get to be with katie & emma)
• quite the view on my wednesday afternoon

• emma and caroline on the phone sharing about their weekends
• vivification - another incredible sermon
  
• lisa williams' singing and worship leading abilities (especially with the kids' songs...so worshipful!)
• the night of worship and prayer for foster care/adoption/those who love & care

• alllllll the towels are clean again
• dining and dashing (not really...but kind of....)
• pretty pretty road (from hamilton to hadley)
• easiest and peasiest UPS drop off

breathing room...good gifts...

• friends eating burgers in the forest
• "i don't know margot" sweatshirt from nick
• well placed string of lights 

• panera with emma 
• shelley's grave digger story/impersonation
• sweet little walk with a beautiful view

• talking with ella grace
• the countdown is measured in weeks
• walking back with these 2 

• "belonging matters"
• being on "this side" of the deployment mountain (as compared to this time last year)
• walking in the woods with wonderful people

• isaiah 25:12,,,,watching the trees applaud God
• blackstone hibachi!
• these 2 sweet sisters and their cute pictures

• "live and breathe with greater ease - as an eternal being loved by You." - lectio
• all the things for the prayer & worship night seem to be coming together
• sweet moments on the porch

• cream cheese + pepper jelly + crackers + friend who brought them
• kind lady at the tag office that let me go in front of her
• favorite trader joe's treat:

• cherry coke from the camper (and the best ham sandwich)
• rain + rest 
• porch + coffee + cinnamon roll + phone call with nick (2x)

more than a thankful list this week - sharing a sermon

This is one of the most impactful sermons I have listened to lately.  I listened to it once...and then went back and listened again and took some notes....and then, as I was putting this blogpost together, I listened to it again...

Church of the City New York, Jon Tyson, Formed: Sanctification

A few of my favorite quotes:

The foundation of sanctification is Christ's work, not our performance.

There is no formation without repetition.

Your faith is not based on how good you are at your gifts but in the places of brokenness that need to be transformed and healed. 

The school of life is the school of formation...how can this moment make me more like Jesus?

Titus 3:4-7

But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.

And my most favorite part (the one that has really made me think and pray)

Do not settle in the sanctification process. Let Jesus go after the motivational structure of your heart.

Bonus: i got a little distracted by the "fame and deeds" banner on the pulpit while he was preaching (honestly, I've never watched a Church of the City sermon - I usually just listen to them)...so I googled it and found that "fame and deeds" is from Habakkuk 3:2 and is a part of their church's vision  "To see the fame and deeds of God renewed and known in our time."

let's write our blessings in marble.

• everyday gets us closer and closer to nick being home. 
• such a sweet kitty

• hearing about God's work through hidden hook..."stay humble, stay hungry" - lee mcbride
• doing math with harris III cards

• meeting beth at botanic
• such a delightful cinnamon roll and coffee

• "i yield to You all of my striving to achieve anything for You in my own strength. acknowledging my weakness, i will depend always and only on You." - lectio
• good stuff:

• my happiness, joy and contentment are not dependent on the outcome of an election
• did i already know this? i don't think so....maybe...regardless, i love palindromes. 

• getting to share at crosspointe about jeeah's hope (and getting to be with a friend on the q&a panel)
• good stuff in the hands and hope emails

• Laura Story's Come Unto Jesus
  
• sooo many wonderful pictures (and giggles) from the backseat

• nick on a stick (thanks to amy!)
• celebrating charles & leah (and also getting to watch the UGA game ;)

• rainy days
• walks in the woods (and runs on mountain brook)

• sooooo much birthday love and care....bacon and giftcards and treats and honeycomb words....meals shared and texts sent....cupcakes and ling ling and IG posts....too many wonderful things to post them all. 
• beautiful book...and playing the piano more in the past week than i have in the past 2 years combined

• mr. don and his team....working their magic. 
• all the warning lights went away.  pilot seems to be running just fine....

less pictures than usual...but still alot of thankfulness.

• full morning of really great JH meetings
• lotsa good volleyball for emma 
• caroline taking care of her foot. way.to.go. 
• lunch a la car 

• downtown julia brown brought country's (and a piece of pie!!)
• caroline's encouraging texts and messages
• multiple good sermons that all tie in together
• getting to pick this girl up

• college ministry hoe down throw down.  never have i ever seen such intense line dancing!
• "grace and mercy released over your life" 
• talking to nick. so grateful. 
• zoe and her sight words!  she's getting it!

• candy + costumes + walk in maple ridge (one of my favorite nights of the year!)
• eli is home!
• the upgrades to the foyer at cityscape!!  (creamer pump is especially great)
• sbucks giftcard delivered via text

His never ending generosity on display....

• amy taylor's hair do-ing skillz (love knowing my girl is in good hands...for her hair and her heart!)
• scones & coffee & conversation in the taylor's kitchen
• all thing HOCO went so well! 

• josh + taylor.  look what God has done/is doing. 
• when it's easy...

• deacon.  she's remarkable - especially in her ability to name characters/greet people. 
• hotdogs, pie, hot chocolate - all put right into my hands at Harvest at Midtown
• sweet little pre-bible study swing with these 2 

• getting to meet South African Aliche, seeing the Tulls at H.A.M.
• TA parent night (i heart TAs) - good reminders & encouragement (and tasty food!)
• the best pen as of late:

• sweet & special Breathe.  love hearing people's stories. 
• ch ch ch care package from sarah (round 2)
• a few minutes by the river at sunset

• the best cats.
• gorgeous weather
• sweet sisters

• vacationing in the adirondacks (without leaving columbus)
• a cinnamon roll & coffee at the ready for the most recent adirondack visit
• lovely things in the window sill...reminders of beauty and friendship and prayer

• connecting with folks this week
• the getting ready corndog eating and journal reading
• that these 2 got to get ready for dinner/the dance together:

• psalm 111..."His generosity never runs out."
• this week is better than last. better pace/rhythms.
• a moment captured

• when the neighborhood really feels neighborly (got to meet james & josie and hear some of their story)
• jack o lantern of absolute JOY (candy + giftcards...the perfect combination)
• being with the MIC ladies...recounting God's faithfulness.