gifts to be thankful for!

• cookies from erin
• honesty (i'm very thankful for honesty)
• itunes giftcard from a precious friend
• peaceful morning at work
• "I form you into the one I desire you to be." -jesus calling
• watching the big ship leave with emma (emma didn't leave on the big ship...we just got to sit on deck 8 together and watch the ship leave)
• delicious brownies
• sam & christy collins
• same foods i'm always thankful for: bacon, green olives, cinnamon rolls (just to name 3)
• getting blog posts done (especially in a timely fashion)
• jesus culture/bethel/hillsong playlist (best version of pandora i can get right now)
• wisdom and encouragement from joy crumpton
• "what you say about yourself (for good or for bad) means nothing in God's work.  it's what God says about you that makes the difference."  2 Cor 10:18 (the msg)(parentheses mine)
• date night.  so. much. fun.
• attempting to do the tasks in minute to win it...and the ensuing laughter
• chicken fingers for lunch!!!!!!!
• people who make me think (sometimes this happens because they say/write something that i disagree with...it challenges me to think about why i disagree)
• getting to see a certain bracelet on a certain wrist in pictures :)
• being/staying connected
• not having pictures to post with this list (pictures make the thankful list more enjoyable...but, i must admit, it's kind of nice not to have pictures to post this time (it gets complicated sometimes))

can i do it?

"Ella Spee's Prescription for Contentment"

• Never allow yourself to complain about anything - not even the weather
• Never picture yourself in any other circumstances or someplace else
• Never compare your lot with another's
• Never allow yourself to wish this or that had been otherwise
• Never dwell on tomorrow (tomorrow is God's, not ours)

can i do those things? (or not do those things as the case may be)  i'm not sure.  i know that i want to though.  i long to be fully and wholly content...

"At all times, in all circumstances, Christ is able and willing to provide the strength we need to be content."

"Contentment occurs when Christ's strength is infused into my weak body, soul and spirit."

"2 women looked through prison bars
one saw mud, the other saw stars."

(quotes from Linda Dillows' book "Calm My Anxious Heart)

intentional. (and some glimpses into my thankful journal)

what a difference being intentional can make. 

i unofficially started my thankful list in 2003 (it's original name was "happy book" - one of my growth group girls gave each of us a journal and suggested we write down things that make us happy - our plan was to share those things each week when we met)

so i started writing down things that made me happy...it took me nearly 8 years to reach 1000 items on the list -- over the course of those 8 years i would add things to the list every now and then - maybe a few each week...and there were times when it would be four to six weeks before i added anything...

Inside cover (little random pieces of paper, magazine cut outs and dove chocolate wrappers that have to do with God's gifts/being thankful) and the first page.  

somewhere along the line, i realized that the items didn't just "make me happy" but that they were gifts from God that i wanted to say "thank you" for.....and somewhere along the line (December 2011), i started making writing down things i was thankful for a more regular practice...at least weekly...and then i read on Ann Voskamp's blog (which is awesome) that if you write down 3 things - just 3 things! - each day, in a year's time you'll have 1000 gifts written down.

so that's what i started doing - my goal was to write down 3 things each day...some days the 3 come easy - so easy that the 3 become 10...but then there are days when it's hard to come up with 1 - much less 3.  but if i sit long enough and i stop thinking about ME long enough, God usually brings at least 3 things to the surface that my heart is thankful for...

so it took me 8 years to get to 1000 when i just sort of did it when i felt like it/thought of it/happened to remember....it took 8 months to get the 2nd 1000 once God helped me make it a daily habit. 

i just keep thinking about that...about how, as much as i would like for some things to "just happen", they won't, unless i'm purposeful, intentional and allow God to make a habit in my life.  scripture memory is one of the main things coming to mind... but really any habit could fit into this -- exercising, eating healthy, communicating well with others, reading the Bible, friendship, community, and on and on it goes.

i want to live intentionally - with my thankful list...and in every area of my life.

the front cover
there used to be a flower in a vase underneath the ocean heart (well, i suppose it's still there...just covered up).  the dirt came from Pai Katanga...not sure why it doesn't just come off...maybe because it's a reminder in and of itself to be thankful. 

thankful verses and quotes get written on the inside of the back cover

the back cover.  I need to go over the words/verses with sharpie again.

Since you can't really see them in the picture - here are the words from the back cover:

• Isaiah 30:8 "...go now and write this all down.  put it in a book so that the record will be there..."
• Isaiah 63:7 "...I'll make a list of God's gracious dealings, all the things God has done that need praising...:
• "10,000 reasons for my heart to sing...bless the Lord, O my soul...worship His holy name"
• "Let thanksgiving fill every corner of your soul."

so we've hit the 2000 mark of God giving good gifts and me attempting to say thank you (though i wonder how many i've missed...).  i'm looking forward to the 10,000 mark....wonder if i'll live long enough to reach the 100,000 mark....

our God gives good gifts...so thankful to be on the receiving end of His gifts. 

thanks & praise

• free dental work (God continues to provide!)
• goldfish crackers
• doing laps on deck 8 with dara
• hearing "Your love never fails, it never gives up, it never runs out on me" FOUR times in about 12 hours (and 2 more times this morning)
• i got to use our letter opener (read between the lines: we got mail :))(and i just like using the letter opener!)
• getting to go to Coyah for the day/night
• worshipping in God's creation

• walking in the creek
• sitting with my feet in the creek

• sitting with a friend and having a conversation in the creek (thankful for the friend & the conversation)

• the sound of the water running over the rocks
• successfully using my camera to record (hopefully it loaded correctly and you can listen, too!)

• dragon flies the same color as my foxy green chacos
• campfire, smores & conversation
• uni-ball vision micro waterproof/fadeproof pen
• being prayed over (a group listening to God on my behalf)
• the willingness of others to be a blessing
• the way the ship smelled when we got back on sunday
• getting to see pictures from molly's baby shower
• discovering christmas presents that hadn't been opened yet (thanks, aunt amy!)

• songs that just don't seem to get old
• seeing life through the photographic lens of a 3 year old
• making nick laugh
• eli's cleverness
• when a word, phrase, concept, verse repeats itself over and over
• the generosity and thoughtfulness of the joyful noise sunday school class at Wynnton UMC
• the way crosspointe consistently asks how they can be praying for us
• stickers for the kids from amy taylor
• a very generous offer
• seeds that produce flowers
• a windowsill to put a cup with a seed on

• that the fire doors on the ship are usually open (when they are closed the place seems alot less "friendly" - more closed off -literally- and those doors are tricky to open...especially if you're trying to carry a tray of food!)
• skittles riddles (wondering if that's a mess up that has become a money maker)
• breakthrough for a dear friend of our family
• aboubacar was WALKING down the hallway.  HALLELUJAH!!!! 

Quote from Priscilla Shirer. I want this.

"I am determined to be a woman who walks in the fruit of the Spirit He is growing in me.  I want to be the one who listens for His voice and expects to hear it, who believes what most others are only willing to wonder about.  I want to the be the one who is willing to anticipate the possiblity in my impossibility.  I want to be a magnet, not to draw people toward noticing me, but to draw down the presence of the Holy Spirit in such tangible ways that He cannot help but be seen in me.  I want to be open to His gifts operating in my life and to be willing to use them for the edification of His body.  I want to be the one in a million of who others say, "There is something different about her...She's someone who experiences the power of God on a daily basis.  He is her life.  You can see it all over her..."  I want it all.  And all for His glory."

lots of "quotes" and (parentheses)

• water in the middle of our runs (most of the time)
• being able to laugh at myself (it doesn't always happen...thankful for when it does)
• caramel popcorn (i'm learning to be quite creative with our food options)
•  what does God's face look like?
• thankful that jessica hall shared that picture/blog with me (above)
• sweet mercy ministry experience with emma

• watching "a dolphin tale" in the international lounge with eli and caroline (and a host of other people)
• special time with God (deck 8 + sunshine + ice + His word + bethel live music + thankful journal = quite the refreshment)
• sharing life with amy
• "fortune chocolate" (that's what eli calls dove chocolate)
• dancing to "baby, baby" with emma and caroline
• getting to hear lisa's story while getting my teeth cleaned
• kids' creativity/fort-building/dressing up

• "rejoice in the relief of being fully understood" - jesus calling
• "peaceful dissolve" for someone i love
• when things go "according to plan"
• jonathan's surgery went well
• another successful hosptial open house

• really cute notecards
• "He used His servant body to carry our sin to the cross so that we could be rid of sin, free to live the right way..."  1 Peter 2:23 (ish)(msg)
• i am NAMED and KEPT for good by the Shepherd of my soul. 1 Peter 2:25
• sending mail

thankful thursday - part 2 - thankful toni thursday

today is toni's birthday! toni is our amazing, incredible, fabulous, awesome, wonderful, one-in-a-million  YAYA.

just thought i'd take a few minutes and try to put into words how very thankful i am for her (though i'm pretty positive my words aren't even going to come close to scratching the surface of my family's heart in regards to how thankful we are for her and her love)(but i'll try anyway....)

i love her laugh...and her smile...and the way she knows the things we like to eat.  i love the way she doesn't mind (and actually enjoys!) washing clothes (and i love the way clothes smell that have been washed at her house).  i love her willingness to tell things like they are...and to flat out say "get over it" when those are the words that are needed!  i love how she looks for the best in people and in situations...

i love that one time, when nick and i were dating and staying at her house, she got on to us for leaving dirty dishes in the sink (i understand why way more now than i ever did then).

i am thankful for her strength and her independence - she's going to do what she thinks is right and best (even if it's tough sometimes).

i am thankful that she loves God and seeks to honor Him.  She worships wholeheartedly and she loves wholeheartedly.  When there is a need, and it is within her ability to meet the need, she does - without making a big deal of it.  She loves the people that God has put in her life - and she loves them well.  She's a great friend, neighbor and co-worker.  

she has fed us, clothed us, housed us, let us use her car, kept our kids for hundreds of date nights...she asks what we want for Christmas and then GETS it for us.

she's fun and generous and has been the giver of not just gifts but experiences - thomas the train, caroline's birthday beach trip, the trip to Splash...i know there have been more  - that's just what's coming to mind.  she's been present for the birth of ALL of our children...and has willingly shared in the joys and sorrows of our lives.  God has used her hugs and smiles and candy-bringing to encourage me time and time again.

i am thankful for her dedication to staying connected with us...(i won't go into how sad it makes me to think of her missing us...).  she calls and sends mail and packages...she emails...she makes every effort to skype with us.  i know it's not easy for us to be so far away (understatement of the year) -  but she's still trying...and i really appreciate that.  

Afew words from the kiddos:

Emma's 3 favorite things about Yaya:

• "that i love her"
• "toys from her"
• "reading books with yaya"

"Yaya's birthday!!  I want to give her one of Caroline's books for her birthday.  I love you (holding up the sign.)." - Love, Emma

Caroline's 3 favorite things about Yaya:

• "that we get to live with her"
• "she's nice and makes us lunch sometimes."
• "she took us to lego land with the whites.  i loved that trip because it was so fun!"

"Happy Birthday! I wish I could see you with my real eyes - not just on skype - and say happy birthday.  If I could give you anything, I would give you a whole day for just the 2 of us."  Love, Caroline. 

Eli's 3 favorite things about Yaya:

• "that she always has fruit snacks & blueberry pop tarts for me."
• "that she loves me to the moon and back"
• "that she gets us activity pages and coloring pages"

Happy Birthday, Yaya!  If I could give you anything for your birthday, I would give you a hug.  Hope you get lots of good presents for your birthday! - Love, Eli

eating icecream in your honor!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!  We love you!!

crazy faces

so, toni, on your birthday - and everyday - we celebrate you and thank God for you.  you are such a special lady...we are so so so so so so grateful that you are our Yaya...what a gift God has given us. 

we miss you.