Weekly Gratitude Post

Do you remember that a year ago last December my husband talked me into getting him a puppy for his Christmas gift? 

Sal, my husband's silver labradoodle is a year and a half old now and has settled into being a fun addition to our empty nest. Even though she's his dog, per our agreement before getting her, she's become my walking companion. Today we managed to take a nice brisk walk in the one hour that it wasn't raining. I'm thankful for that.

I'm thankful for videos of our youngest grandson talking so clearly now. It seems like he went from a few random words to being a fluent talker overnight. Dislike is too mild of a word for my feelings about living clear across the country from him, but I'm so thankful that I can see him on FaceTime and through videos sent via text. We've come a long way from when my mama got news of what my little girls were doing via handwritten letters and the U.S. postal service. There are certainly disadvantages to our technology driven lives, but being able to talk to and see my far away daughters and grandkids on my phone whenever I want is one big plus.

We are having an awfully cold and wet spring this year. But last Friday, the weather was beautiful. Hip, Hip, Hurray! We took a Friday date day drive to the beach. Oh, how I needed that walk by the sea! And I found a great piece of sea glass, just moments after beginning my walk. For the nice weather, a lovely date day with my husband, a delicious seafood lunch, a walk by the sea, finding seaglass and a pup that is now a great traveler, (unlike her disastrous puppy stage), and walking companion I give God thanks.

There are always things about life that I wish were different, from life's little annoyances, like this gray, wet, cold, spring, to life's big things, like concerns for people I love and the ever increasing darkness and chaos of this sin-twisted world. "Yet, I remember" is a phrase often used in the Psalms, usually after some lines about sorrow or suffering or frustration or anger. Yet, I remember the writer says, and then shifts the focus from his lament to the character and lovingkindness and faithfulness of God. Deliberately giving God thanks each day is similarly a sift of focus, from what I wish was different, to the blessings of the life I've been given. And I've been given so very many blessings, more than I can count...but I intend to keep on trying.

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Since 2009 I've been counting my blessings thanks to the prompting of Ann Voskamp.

 I continue to count my thanks, 

piling up gratitude day by day in my journal.

(and capturing some of my blessings via my camera or iPhone)

#16,826-#16,881

4-1-2023-

-the freedom of asking for forgiveness and being forgiven

-a fun day of antiquing with a friend

-sweet photos of my grandkid's t-ball game and their faces aglow with delight at Disney on Ice

4-2-2023-

-Robin Mark's Prodigal Heart Song

-God's Word preached

-a writing idea started

4-3-2023-

-putting new shelf liner in the kitchen cabinets while listening to worship music

-my friend and her grandson unharmed in a car accident

-a nice evening walk

4-4-2023-

-our son-in-law-today's his birthday!

-God's clear direction for an upcoming meeting

-dinner, fellowship, planning and prayer with my Visionary Leadership Team

4-5-2023-

-waking up headache free!

-an "everything looks great" report from the dentist

-a long phone chat with my granddaughter

4-6-2023-

-Psalms 42 and Nicky Gumbel's commentary on it on the You Verson App.

-a mini trampoline to work out on when it's just too stormy and wet to walk outside

-tonight's teaching on the cross

4-7-2023-

-a sweet Friday date day together

-a clearance sale Easter dress

-delicious hazelnut crusted halibut

4-8-2023-

-an early morning walk

-baking for Easter all afternoon ( I love to bake!)

-Nathaniel Bassey's new album

-facetime calls with all of the youngest four grands

4-9-2023-

-Christ is risen!

-texts of the grandkids in their Easter clothes

-Christ our Passover Lamb

-His body broken for us, His blood shed for us

-Easter dinner with family and friends

4-10-2023-

-God's Word

-a rainy day tucked inside studying and prepping for tomorrow's meeting

-God's care and provision for us

4-11-2023-

-our youngest daughter-today's her birthday!

-God's help with my notes for tonight's meeting

-hearing from my granddaughter

-a nice long phone chat with my sister

4-12-2023-

-answers from the dr. about my husband's back pain

-my favorite hot tea

-our women inviting their friends to church/our women's meeting

-answers to prayer for our friends new grand baby

4-13-2023-

-pink sunrise

-the Holy Spirit's help to pray

-God's provision

-all of those praying for my husband's back

4-14-2023-

-my husband woke up pain free for the first time in five days!

-a beautiful day to take a drive to the beach!

-a perfect piece of seagrass just for me!

-a nice long walk by the sea

4-15-2023-

-a home to clean

-my husband bringing home dinner so I don't have to cook tonight

-a beautiful evening walk

-stunning cloud formations in the evening sky

4-16-2023-

-Sunday! Thank you God for being able to gather together, worship together, hear Your word preached, grow and learn

-my husband and our fourteen year old great nephew accidentally wore exact matching shirts to church today 😂

-trying a new to us restaurant with our nephew and his family

still following,

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