Grateful for another year...

From his abundance we have all received one gracious blessing after another. 
John 1:16

One year ago I made it my goal to notice what I have instead of what I don't have.
One year ago I began to look for the blessings that surround me every day.
One year ago I set out to be thankful... 1,000 times.

895. Sunday afternoon naps
901. My children, here, now
924. Having tea in a friend's kitchen
927. Eternal hope
928. Teenage boys being silly
937. A creek to explore
949. Surprise visitors from China
953. A new baseball team with new friends we haven't met yet
957. Digging deep in God's word
968. Warm towels from the dryer
970. Watching a movie at the Byrd theater
973. Planning a trip
977.Open doors and open windows
981. A family game of four-square
985. Walking and talking
989. Sunrise Easter services
991. Footprints in the sand
993.Cashiers who cover 13 cents when two boys are short on cash
995. The greeter at Walmart who calls out, "Bye love!" in a Scottish accent
996. Getting rid of stuff we don't need
998. Talking about Heaven
1,000. Counting my blessings

I am thankful that I have way more than 1,000 things to be thankful for!



What are you thankful for today?

Still thankful after all these months...

I am pressing on to finish my list of 1,000 things I'm thankful for before my birthday in April.   I hope you are still working on your lists.

802. Touch screen Coke machines (if you haven't seen one yet, they are SO cool)
805. Popcorn with milk duds (these taste best when eaten at the movie theater)
806. Free refills at Chic Fil A (I especially love the lady who comes to my table and gets my cup and brings it back full)
810. A sunrise on the beach

816. A song leader who takes requests
821. Laughing so hard your stomach hurts (doesn't happen often enough)
827. Planning a party
830. A blanket of darkness covering our sleep (so thankful that God turns out the lights and says "Rest")
831. Feeling lonely and friendless and wanting to go "home" (I hate it when I feel this way, but I try to be thankful because it reminds me that this world is not my home and it forces me reach out to different people.)
835. Milk and Twinkies at midnight

837. God with us (an amazing thought!)
847. Kids big enough to help (and especially a daughter who will do dishes for as long as she has music to sing to)
848. A new mom at Mom's In Prayer (love this group of women who get together each Friday to pray for their  kids)
849. Praying for Audra's future husband and his parents (Did you know that you can do that????)
850. Father/daughter dances

852. Clean water from the tap (so easy I take it for granted)
854. A de-cluttered closet
857. Remembering to slow down
858. My first time to make a chicken pot pie

861. An invitation to have coffee--even though I don't drink coffee
863. Learning something new
877. Snuggling on the couch between Richard and Will
880. Lemonade stands in February

882. A future and a hope
885. A chocolate cherry fudge cake waiting for company (If you are feeling lonely, invite someone over for dinner.)
887. Butterfly bananas

Christmas Thanksgivings

One of the best things I've done this year is start a list of 1,000 things I'm thankful for.   Here are a few things from my list this month...

The smell of fresh cut Christmas trees

Christmas lights reflected in the window

Making gingerbread houses with friends

Drinking hot chocolate and watching "Elf" outside with the neighbors

A daddy/daughter dance date

A Baylor Heisman winner who gives credit to God

Moms who pray for their kids' teachers and then take them cookies

Having a cup of tea at the Jefferson Hotel while watching Audra sing

Watching Will and his friends sing Christmas carols at the Jingle Bell Run

Boys sleeping under the Christmas tree

Ice skating outside

Celebrating 18 years of marriage

722. A crisp, quiet morning

723. A cup of tea and my Bible

728. God's grace measured in proportion to my need

731. A shoulder to cry on

741. Un-rushed family dinners

744. Package deliveries

745. A date with my daughter

749. Reading a book by the fire

750. Flannel sheets

752. Someone saving me a seat 

753. A new friend who dreamed we were moving--and cried!

756. Christmas cards in the mail

758. Pumpkin bread ready to be delivered to the neighbors

760. Finding the perfect gift

761. Sharing the comfort I've received

768. Having tea in a friend's kitchen

770. Frosted sugar cookies

780. Newborn baby bundles

788. Seeing someone I know when I'm out Christmas shopping

791. Dinner by the fireplace

794. Arms full of Christmas goodies from friends at church

I have so many good things to be thankful for!  

But last week I put something on the list that wasn't so good, but I was trying to "Give thanks in all things."  

767. A broken retainer

I didn't feel like giving thanks for that, but I did out of obedience.  ("I don't know why, but thank you Lord for broken retainers.") 

 Somehow Will's retainer was on the floor and somehow Richard stepped on it.  We had just been to the orthodontist the day before.  I was not happy with how Will's teeth were looking and I did not want to spend $200 for a new retainer.  I was grumpy, grouchy, and not happy or thankful, but I gave thanks anyway.  Hmpff!  A couple of days later I took Will back to the orthodontist to get fitted for a new retainer.  I was getting my teeth cleaned on the other side of the building so I left him in the waiting area with a note for the doctor.  In the note I might possibly have mentioned that when I first saw Will after he got his braces off I thought he was wearing "those fake teeth you wear at Halloween," but I said it in a very nice way and I signed it "weary mother of three kids with braces".  After reading the note, the doctor came and found me and thanked me for writing it and telling him what I was thinking.  He assured me that this was only the first phase of Will's treatment and that his teeth would look better when it's all over (in a few years).  Then he said that he looked at the broken retainer  pieces I had included with the note and that it shouldn't have broken like that.  (You mean Richard should be able to step on them?)  He said this new retainer would be "on him".  Whoo-hoo!!!! 

  I gave thanks for a not-good thing and God changed it into a blessing.  Does that always happen?  Well, I don't always get free retainers, but I do think that if we thank God for the good things AND the bad things, we will always be blessed.

Merry CHRISTmas!!!!!