Hello long, lost WordPress and friends, it’s been over a year since I’ve shared here on my blog the joys given to me from the Gift-Giver. It’s been a different year for sure and I won’t go into detail about that now, but I’ve still been counting them because I have a little place on my phone where I’ve recorded them. This list is a littleu lengthy (154 gratitudes to be exact) and I don’t expect you to read them, but this is a practice that’s important to me. I do hope in the near future to be writing more though because that’s been a while too.
I left off at #3084 so here’s…
#3085 Taking my daughter and her friend to see Pete’s Dragon
#3086 New seats in the old movie theater
#3087 Seeing two retired nurses I used to work with at Carol Woods Retirement Community at my supervisors retirement reception
#3088 Seeing a basketball game in October!
#3089 Seeing the new lights on the steeple light up at dusk for the first time. The Highland UMC where I grew up purchased new lights for the steeple with the money given to the church in Dad’s memory. What a special time and service they had before son switched the lights.
#3090 Elon College 20th reunion with friends
#3091 The gift of the book “The Extraordinary Ordinary Life of Mark Rodriguez” my friend gave me.
#3092 Another gift from a friend of a little block that says “Lead me. Guide me. Walk beside me.”
#3093 Seeing Dakota band performing after 20 years…fun memories of line dancing and enjoying listening to those friends perform
#3094 Is it a blessing to be called a “mother hen” when I was in college? (that’s what one of the guys in the band, who’s just 1 year younger than me, told me afterward I heard them perform tonight). I’ll take it as a compliment! I didn’t know someone thought of me that way.
#3095 The surprise delivery of flowers from the local florist from the SMC Women bloggers and especially the not that went with it.
#3096 A day shopping with my mom in Mebane
#3097 Lunch at The Table with my 2 dearest friends
#3098 The gift from a friend “The Broken Way” by Ann Voskamp with some chocolate to go with it.
#3099 Haw River Mud Pie and Blue Ribbon with my family for my birthday
#3100 All the birthday wishes from friends in texts and on Facebook
#3101 Hard Eucharistic – being turned down after an interview for another job – again…the 6th time.
#3102 The lace handkerchief my friend’s mom gave me that sits beside the chair in the sunroom because it comes to good use.
#3103 Giving out candy on Halloween (first time I think ever!)
#3104 Daughter’s friends family who love on her often
#3105 It’s November 3 and flowers are still blooming
#3106 Seeing dew on a rose
#3107 The men who work for the city who come in their big, white trucks, and pick up our sticks we put on the side of the road. They always wave and smile when Levi and I are walking first thing in the morning.
#3108 Family afternoon hike at Shallowford
#3109 Opportunity to talk about thanksgiving and gratitude at SMC Women event
#3110 brilliant leaves
#3111 Pretty color of leaves on our neighbors’ tree
#3112 The rustling sound of leaves blowing in the wind
#3113 The silky feeling of sand
#3114 Being up close to a pelican
#3315 Sticking the feet in the sand even if it was for just 10 minutes
#3116 Pam Bonney taking pictures of our family on a beautiful, fall afternoon
#3117 Seeing leaves more vibrant in sunglasses
#3118 Seeing a tree, at someone’s house who I don’t know, with beautiful yellow leaves. The home owner was in his driveway and I stopping and asked him if I could take a picture of it. He said yes!
#3119 The Danielson’s who offered their beach home to us as a gift after Dad’s passing
#3120 Reminiscing with childhood friend, Renee
#3121 Being at the beach for Thanksgiving break with our family – including my mom and sister’s family
#3122 Walking on the beach on Thanksgiving morning telling other walkers “Happy Thanksgiving”
#3123 Breath-taking sunsets
#3124 Eating a bountiful, Thanksgiving dinner at the beach house
#3125 Dancing after eating all that food with the family
#3126 Warm weather while we’re at the beach
#3127 Seeing kids enjoying kayaking in the sound
#3128 Riding bikes with my sister at the beach
#3129 Driving to the NC mountains for the day to cut down a tree and eating lunch at Daniel Boone Restaurant
#3130 Reading the Advent book “Come Lord Jesus” by Kris Cameley
#3131 Seeing snow on our Christmas wreathes in the windows
#3132 Unexpected quite time in the middle of Christmas break
#3133 Sitting looking at the Christmas Tree
#3134 The smell of the Christmas tree that has lasted so long.
#3135 The Jesus ornament a friend gave us
#3136 The book my husband made me of pictures of me and my dad
#3137 Hard Eucharistic – Susannah’s father passed away
#3138 Hard Eucharistic – first Christmas without my dad, but first Christmas dad with Jesus to celebrate his birthday
#3139 Hard Eucharistic – Joseph’s father passed away
#3140 Hard Eucharistic – not being able to attend both of their parents’ funerals
#3141 Eating cereal by the fire on the cold, 5* morning
#3142 10” of snow
#3143 Keeping the Christmas tree up until January 9th
#3144 “All Things New” Bible study
#3145 A text from a college student that encouraged me
#3146 Got to meet someone I’ve heard good things of and the good conversation we had
#3147 Talking with a friend whom I don’t get to talk with much at play auditions about my dad, her mom, God’s evidence in her life, and being able to talk with her about deeper things
#3148 Brightest rainbow ever seen!
#3149 When the warmth of sunshine on your face gives you goosebumps
#3150 Green lights on the way to the hospital following the ambulance my daughter is in because she dislocated her knee cap in the gym at school
#3151 All of daughter’s friends who checked on her
#3152 Daughters link group leader who brought her Wendy’s for dinner while in the ER for 4 hours
#3153 The staff at SMC 936 texting and calling to check on her
#3154 Talking with Erica on her 21st birthday
#3155 Overcoming fear to share feelings with someone who hurt me
#3156 The grieving book my friend gave me
#3157 What I read in the grieving book about being an artist
#3158 Watching IF:2017 with Sarah. First time now hosting an IF:Alamance. It was hard but good, too.
#3159 Breeze on a hot, swim meet
#3160 Celebrating daughters 14th birthday
#3161 Going to a new ice cream place in Greensboro
#3162 The opportunity to help organize someone’s files
#3163 SMC Women’s summer series and the joy of showing it to the 25 who came.
#3164 Listening to Jill Briscoe speak at IF about when we’re scared, we have to take a step forward before God gives us the courage to do…it’s called faith.
#3165 The holy silence after Jill spoke at our SMCW gathering
#3166 Tears when watching discipling conversations on IF:.2017. I still must be moved when it comes to mentoring.
#3167 Time one evening with friend who is in the midst of chaos moving to a new home and taking the time to talk, listen and pray together.
#3168 Prostrate prayer before SMCW
#3169 The strength to prostrate prayer claiming the Name of Jesus against the evil one
#3170 Feeling the peace seeping back in
#3171 Long talk with sister late one night
#3172 The desire to write a devotional and have it published
#3173 And afternoon with one of my favorite people and mentor
#3174 A prayer from the book “The Valley of Vision” she prayed with and over me the day we were together and then in the mail a few weeks later it appeared in my mailbox.
#3175 A date with my husband at a new (to us) restaurant
#3176 Son’s excited anticipation of going to NYC mission trip
#3177 Praying with son about his trip
#3178 Seeing son off on a train to NYC with a group of 936 students and leaders
#3179 Daughter back home after having been gone almost a month his summer
#3180 Watching High Scott Musical movie with daughter
#3181 The 5 hours I had alone with Jesus and writing
#3182 College friend visited and spent the night
#3183 Nehemiah 8:10 “The joy of the Lord is your strength.”
#3184 Labeling Feed the Hunger bags with my daughter to help hurricane victims
#3185 Seeing pictures and hearing stories of son and their group in NYC
#3186 Son missing being on his trip to NYC
#3187 Reading a previous journal entry from 2011-2012 and how I was freed from depression and how God ministered to me and revived my joy
#3188 “Nothing to Prove” book by Jennie Allen and doing a Bible study about it with friend
#3189 Lunch at a new restaurant (Tangent) with a neighbor and mentor and friend – it had been 5 months!
#3190 Delicious eclectic tacos
#3191 She treated me to lunch
#3192 Pulling cucumbers off the vines in our garden
#3193 Talking to friend for an hour on the phone telling from my heart
#3194 The comedian video she sent me after our talk
#3195 Hearing how her son is speaking out and telling his testimony to others his age
#3196 Mom taking my daughter and niece to the beach just the 3 of them
#3197 Elon student texting me and asking me to pray for her and her boyfriend and the people in the car accident they witnessed.
#3198 Hummingbirds finally came back!
#3199 Seeing our kids hang out together with a huge group of friends at the pool on a summer night
#3200 Helping serve pizza to a bundh of hungry swimmers
#3201 Given a job offer at ProFeet, Inc., owned by a Christian friend and accepting it. Yet it’ll be a big adjustment and challenge since I haven’t worked for 17 years and it’s accounting which I have no experience. But trusting God has me there for a reason.
#3202 I survived the first week at work on my own…but barely…but still grateful
#3203 Getting to know people at work
#3204 Evening with college neighbor and giving him the workbook “Experiencing God”
#3205 Sharing my testimony with my boss
#3206 Daughter prayed for me after a frustrating day at work
#3207 Painting with daughter
#3208 Seeing former art professor at the grocery store and catching up
#3209 Lunch on the patio at work reading “Nothing To Prove”
#3210 Text from friend to encourage me at work
#3211 Surprising office mate with a cup of ice from Sheetz
#3212 Giving co-worker a surprise card to encourage her
#3213 One the 1 year mark of dad’s time in heaven, giving mom and my sister what I wrote about him the month after he died
#3214 Being asked to lead an FCA small group
#3215 John 21 experience with God and shepherding His feet…answer to prayer to lead the small group of Elon athletes
#3216 Seeing the first Elon volleyball game to cheer on Maddie
#3217 Our teens liking their classes for 9th and 12th grades
#3218 Hard Eucharistic: they’re grown up and both in high school
#3219 Hard Eucharistic: going to work because it’s hard for me to pick it up but grateful for a job that’s flexible and led by Christians.
#3220 A new office mate – a friend from church of many years!
#3221 I finally got the checks run correctly after many weeks of messing it up
#3222 Time with family, including Aunt Jennie and Uncle Jerry and hearing childhood stories of her and dad when they were growing up
#3223 Those who have survived the devastating hurricanes this summer in Texas, Puerto Rico and Florida
#3224 Husband, spur of the moment, went with friend, CEO of Feed the Hunger to help hurricane victims
#3225 Listening to FCA Elon athlete tell what God’s been teaching her at Fat Frog bar and grill.
#3226 Sending texts to college girls
#3227 Leaves starting to change color already in September
#3228 “But if you say so…” Peter in bible
#3229 Listening to The Quiet Collection by Emily Freeman
#3230 The 5:15am time with God with the aroma of candle burning
#3231 Working with daughter at Salvage Sisters
#3232 Meeting in person and getting to know a girl from our online bible study at Panera
#3233 Hard Eucharistic: Jerry Johnson quickly getting sick and passing away but now in heaven
#3234 Me, this broken person, serving broken bread at church for the first time at communion
#3235 The lovely sound of a bird singing
#3236 Hard Eucharistic: Being “put on the spot” to answer questions college girls have about life at an FCA meeting…and being honest.
#3237 Riding bikes down the Creeper Trail with family
#3238 Hard Eucharistic: senior night at son’s last home soccer game but a joy he enjoyed all 15 years of his life playing on a team
#3239 Small group dear friends who come to cheer son on at his last game
#3240 Son asked to escort a friend on the Homecoming Court
#3241 Son’s being the entrainment of Halloween with friends
#3242 The gift of tickets and an invitation to go to the theater DPAC with dear friends to see “ Love Never Dies” Part 2 of Phantom of the Opera
#3243 Last minute trip to Miami with husband to get away from work and busyness
#3244 Needing time just the two of us.
#3245 The beautiful 83* weather
#3246 My mom being home with the kids while we get away
#3247 This time to read a book, write and add this post while sitting at the pool.
#3248 overcoming a fear of speaking out
#3249 The book SW gave me – devotions for people who are grieving from loosing a loved one.
#3250 Talking to Erica on her 21st birthday
#3251 What I read in the grieving book about being a artist
#3252 breeze on a hot swim meet
#3253 opportunity to help edit and organize the office for Susan Bowen
#3254 Tears when watching conversations in IF:2017 about ordinary women sharing their stories about discipling others – tears of joy and glory to God
#3255 SMC Women IF series and joy showing it to the 30 who came
#3256 Time talking with Susannah in the midst of her chaos moving and caring for her mo and praying for her on the sofa
#3257 Prostrate prayer before IF:2017
#3258 Prostrate prayer proclaiming the Name of Jesus against evil one
#3259 Feeling of peace and juoy seeping back in
#3260 My afternoon time with Jean M.
#3261 The Valley of Vision she talked about and prayer
#3262 Hearing its healing to be numb
#3263 Callum calling and asking if I’m interested in a job
#3264 Interview with Callum and offering me the job if I want it – with ZERO experience
#3265 Being raw and real
#3266 Serving at B2S
#3267 Date night to new restaurant
#3268 Grady excitement and anticipation of going to NYC mission trip
#3269 Seeing G off on train to NYC to serve in the Name of Jesus
#3270 Praying with Grady about his trip
#3271 Seeing Libby nack home from grandparents
#3272 Watching HSM2 with Libby
#3273 The 5 hours alone to work on devotion with Jesus
#3274 The new desire to write a devotion with cirection
#3275 Cindy visiting
#3276 Nehemiah 8:10 The joy of the Lord
#3277 Labeling FhH bags
#3278 Seeing pictures and hearing stories from Grady about his trip
#3279 Reading journal from 2010-2011 and how I was freed from depression and how God ministered to me and revived my joy and soul
#3280 Nothing to Prove study by Jennie Allen
#3281 Listening to Jill Brescoe speak at IF about when she’s scared having to take a step forward before God gives you the courage to try new things – take new calling or opprrtunity
#3282 Holy silence after Jill spoke and SMCW gathering
#3283 Lunch with Susan Disher. It had benn 5 months since we’d talked
#3284 Susan treated me to lunch at new to both of us restaurant – Tangent
#3285 Delicious tacos
#3286 pulling cucs and tomatoes off vines in our garden
#3287 talking with Laurie for over an hour on the phone
#3288 the comedian video Laurie sent mme about depression
#3289 Hearing how Jack M. shared his story at camp
#3290 Hearing how Grady wished to be back on a mission trip
#3291 Grady writing about his trip
#3292 Maddie texting me to pray for her, Daniel and people in a car accident.
#3293 Hummingbird finally came to our feeder this summer
#3294 mom taking Libby and Cate to the beach for a few days
#3295 comfortable summer evening timing at a swimmmeet
#3296 Message from Jama after many months
#3297 Starbucks with Maddie and hearing her excitment for spreading the love of Jesus.
#3298 Long, heart-to-heart convo with Grady about college and God’s plan
#3299 smiles and counseling with Monica
#3300 Reaading my dad’s letter to me
#3301 God’s timing for me to read it again – today – even when written 23 years ago.
#3302 IF:Gathering at SMC – final night people sharing leaving space and time of silence be – and women sharing.
#3303 The hug and whisper Angie Hailey gave me as she left IF early and said I’m one of her “I love Jesus more because…” people in her life.
#3304 Abbey Sykes shared at IF that “I am her ‘I love Jesus more because…” person
#3305 College student at SMC Kayle asking to meet with me
#3306 Maddie sending me her new address
#3307 Hearing Kayley wHitsett’s story called to start Bible study in Asheville, NC where not many churches are
#3308 son healthy Dr report and may be last appointment there…growing up!
#3309 knowing my “responsibility” isn’t just work in a business but work for Kingdoom purposes
#3310 Angela Presley’s message about notbeiing comfortable and giving Jesus ALL
#3311 20 years of marriage
#3312 asked to lead an Advent Bible study at ProFeet, where I work.