Day 7: Grateful that even though it’s November and everything is dying and turning a drab color that this beautiful and resilient rose of crimson is adding a splash of color and life to the surrounding. There is always something to be thankful for. “God asks us to give thanks in everything — because this is the way you live through anything.” ~Ann Voskamp
Even though there were a lot of people around it was incredibly quite. The air almost seemed to envelope me and the silence was so tangible that I could practically hear my own thoughts. The crunching of the leaves along certain parts of the path only heightened my awareness of the stillness. It was as if I was in a perfect scene from a snow globe. I smiled inwardly because while I may have looked quite alone to anyone observing me I was very much taking a walk with Jesus. This may seem strange but it really isn’t. Just knowing that he was there and talking with him was so beautiful. Bliss really. Also I felt a delight and peace knowing that I didn’t have to talk and that he knew exactly how I was feeling. It felt like he created that time just for me with a perfect atmosphere. The air seemed almost sultry and I could smell the fragrance of the trees tingling my nose and making it happy. And as dusk set in more fully on the park I noticed that the Narnia looking lamp posts along the winding path were illuminated. It felt like I had stepped right into a fairytale book. Today’s Thankful30:
Day 6: A walk by myself (yet not really alone at all) in a picture perfect park at dusk.
I’d love to hear what you are thankful for today in the comments! 🙂
Friendship isn’t bound by location. That’s very evident in my life. Several dear friends of mine live in other states, yes, even other countries. I’m incredibly grateful whenever I get to have a Skype date with one of them. I miss my “sisters” all over the world but what a gift it is that I have the ability to see their beautiful faces and hear their lovely voices instead of having to wait for snail mail to communicate. Today’s Thankful30:
Day 5: Skype dates where I can see my friends laughing and smiling and hear what’s happening in their lives even if we live oceans apart.
You haven’t eaten an egg until you’ve had a farm fresh egg. They are so yummy and have the brightest orangy/yellow yokes. I didn’t used to be able to eat eggs but now I can and I’m pretty happy about it! Here’s the Thankful30:
Day 4: Grateful for healthy eggs and I especially like it when they are pretty browns or blue/greens. I usually eat mine scrambled but I like them other ways too. How do you like your eggs?
I love my piano and I’m so grateful that my parents gave me lessons for how to play it. I’m thankful that they encouraged me to finish my Level 10 exams even though I was very sick. I’m even more thankful to Jesus for somehow helping me to pass. It really was a miracle. Today’s Thankful30:
Day 3: Music. More specifically being able to play the piano. Because there are times when I have so much to say and no words left to express it but I still can through the language of song. It’s a priceless gift. And therapy…
I’d love to hear in the comments what you are thankful for today. 🙂
If I could figure out a way to eat pure color I would. To say that I like color would be an understatement. Rich, vibrant jewel tones can leave me mesmerized. I have been known on more than one occasion to sit and stare at something that has a dazzling hue and make everyone else around stop and acknowledge it too… The fact that I can see color is such a gift (although I have to admit that I’m just a bit envious of a little sea creature that can see quite a few more colors than I can…a shrimp. You heard me right). Wait this is about thankfulness! So here goes the second installment of my Thankful30 challenge.
Day 2: Right now where I live the trees are aflame with color. They are dressed in fashion with passionate reds, fiery oranges, and golden and lemon yellows. And some trees have all the colors at the same time! ::Gasp of happiness:: Grateful for colors and the leaves showing them off to perfection.
Hello everyone! As I was thinking about what to post yesterday I got the idea in my head that since Thanksgiving is this month that what better way to start celebrating than by being thankful ALL month (I do realize that thankfulness should be a daily thing and not just a one day a year event). In light of wanting to cultivate a more thankful heart I’ve decided that for this month I’m going to try and post one picture every day of something I’m grateful for. We’ll see if I can get around to posting that much. Anyways I’d love for you all to join me! So if you want to get in on the fun of this then take a picture every day for the month of November and let us know in the comments what your picture was for the day and why. We’ll call this Thankful30.
Day 1: I’m grateful for my youngest nephew. He’s the cutest little lion I ever did run into!
How can these cuties NOT make your Monday?! They were trying to make finger sunglasses. Isn’t it hilarious? 😀 As always “my” kiddos make my heart melt…love them. Happy Monday!
UPDATE!!!!! $59,825.04 So excited about this big update. 😀 Getting close to the $60K mark! Wanna help us get there?
It’s been almost a decade since I last wrote a book report in high school. Writing a book review now somehow seems just as daunting. This time though it’s for much different reasons that I hesitate to lay down words about a piece of literature. I’m not afraid of the writing itself. Neither of the grade. Mainly I feel the inadequacy of expressing my musings about this book. Recently I finished reading Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy by Eric Metaxas. To say that it is an excellent read would be far from adequate. It is well written and several times I had to reach for a dictionary. While that is all very well and good the life of Dietrich Bonhoeffer is what left me amazed. My mind was stimulated while reading this book like few things have done for me. Yet where do I start? True he was intellectually brilliant but that was balanced by his generous, caring, and humorous personality. He was well read and purposeful with his time. It is astonishing how much he did at such a young age. I’m not quite sure if he ever slept. Getting his doctorate in theology at the age of twenty one was only one of the many things he was doing at that time. Did I mention that he also had the honor of graduating summa cum laude? He lived a life of purpose and conviction. I was repeatedly intrigued and challenged by the way he chose to live his life. He wrote profusely and I now want to go read everything he ever wrote. Even in his imprisonment he had the same grace and character that characterized his life. He didn’t shrink back from what he felt to be right and he loved God above all else. I encourage you to read this book. It will be time well spent. Not only is his life worth reading about but the history lesson alone that the book lays out is highly enlightening. It helped me understand what was happening in Germany prior to World War II. This post can never adequately do the book justice. It doesn’t even come close… I’ll leave you with this quote from Bonhoeffer himself:
“Who stands fast? Only the man whose final standard is not his reason, his principles, his conscience, his freedom, or his virtue, but who is ready to sacrifice all this when he is called to obedient and responsible action in faith and in exclusive allegiance to God–the responsible man, who tries to make his whole life an answer to the question and call of God.” ~Dietrich Bonhoeffer
The other night I hosted a clothing exchange (that’s another post…) and we had a wonderful time finding “new to you” clothing. I got this skirt, shoes (they have a cute heel but it’s getting lost in the grass), and cardigan! One of the enjoyable parts about having these parties is the commentary that occurs. Everyone was laughing about this skirt and how frumpy it was. At the end of the night when it still didn’t have a home I grabbed it and decided to figure out how to make it work…and fit. It was rather large. But what would you know?! A huge safety pin saved the skirt from humiliation. I just created one box pleat in the front, pinned it, and viola! Instant problem fixer. Very grateful for safety pins… Anyways by pinning it I took the waist in and up which also fixed the length problem. I really like wearing high waisted skirts because they are incredible flattering. So that’s just a quick trick if you need to adjust a skirt. 🙂 And I don’t mind if I look like a librarian. I rather like my librarians. 😉 Plus I hope to blog later about a book I recently finished reading and this is just to help set the tone. Oh dear, I just went there. Into the realm of themed dressing! Have any quick tips for adjusting clothing that you care to share with us? I’d love to hear in the comments!
