The God Who created, names, and numbers the stars in the heavens also numbers the hairs of my head… He pays attention to very big things and to very small ones. What matters to me matters to Him, and that changes my life. – Elisabeth Elliot

March, 2011. My sister challenged me to text her every day with three things for which to be grateful. She would do the same. It helped us both to think about the wonderful things in our lives, superficial or extremely important and life-changing. I would text her first thing in the morning on my pre-dawn walks, sometimes needing to walk in the middle of the deserted street so I wouldn’t run into a vehicle parked on the street. And before I returned home, she had usually texted me back on her way to or from her exercise class. That is how this started. Three things. Every day.

Of course, I am an overachiever in some areas. My gratefulness cannot be condensed into three things each day. And my text message could not be limited to just Angela, so I added the few people around me who supported me with daily encouragement, and then it just began to grow so much that my thumbs couldn’t keep up. I moved to emails until Google no longer supported my efforts and labeled me “spam.” I was offended but not so much as to cancel my membership in their club.

I decided that gratefulness works in my life, in my heart, in my mind, and I grow closer and closer to my Lord as I count every single blessing that comes to mind each day, so I welcomed WordPress and what you are reading is my personal journey journal that keeps me accountable to thank God for the privilege of living this life and thank him for ALL things, one by one. I try not to repeat, but some things just keep coming to mind, so I continue to thank Him for them.

Read if you want, ignore if you don’t want. But I hope that you will stop for a minute and think of just three things that are often overlooked but make you smile or make your world a little more beautiful, and say, “Thank you, God.”

I am grateful for a shoulder rub.

I am grateful that my brain is not always serious. This morning, I walked into the office building, and a rabbit hopped across the parking lot in front of me. It made me want to name him. So, I named him Bunny Foo Foo in memory of my Texas grandchildren. And then I thought his name should be Peter. And then I thought, “No, Bugs.” And then it was Roger. Or it could be Thumper. Maybe Trix. Finally, I settled on VW. Yeah, that’s it. VW.  Short for Volkswagen Rabbit. I know. I have issues.

I am grateful for Seinfeld clips.

I am grateful that my egg stopped on the padded chair and didn’t roll onto the floor and splat.

I heard TWO SEASONED METEOROLOGISTS say “more cooler” in less than 12 hours. What in the world. I am grateful that I am not a TV personality speaking such horror.

I am grateful that I am in “grandparenthood” season, not in “raising kids” season.

I am grateful to be a list maker. Not always a list crosser-offer, but at least I begin the process.

I am grateful that I have finally learned that people who know me as a Christian most likely know my political leaning by what I say, what I post, what my attitude is towards my President and other leaders, what my attitude is towards political and social issues, and if I am truly going to live a godly life and DO love, I must do it in all aspects of my life – I must refrain from passing on negative emails and posts, and instead, I must follow Jesus’ example and love one another, love my “neighbor” as much as I love myself. The world is not going to get better, but MY world can be better and I can choose to brighten a day rather than destroy it with my words.

I am grateful that parents named their children with funny names that make me smile. Today, it’s “Ralph.” Go ahead, say it. It’s fun.

I am grateful for books. I am not thrilled about technology, so a Kindle is not for me. I like to see how far along I’ve gotten in the book. I like to feel the pages. I like to use an actual bookmark or bulletin or picture to mark my place. I like to know that I don’t have to plug my book in and re-charge. And I like to accidentally “forget” a book I love and have finished for someone else to read. My Dad does that. If I could leave a book for you, accidentally, I would forget the one my Dad gives away – Love Does by Bob Goff. Seriously, people. If you haven’t read it, you are missing out.

And I am grateful for cinnamon ice cream and warm cinnamon bread pudding without raisins from Marisco’s Restaurant in Lawrence, Kansas. Oh my goodness gracious sakes alive.

Lord, at the end of the day, tune my heart to sing your grace — 

Instead of singing some off key number about what didn’t get done today, what went wrong, what failed, what didn’t turn out as hoped. 

Tune our hearts to sing Your grace at the end of the day & not our guilt —- and maybe that number just sounds a lot like: count your blessings, name them one by one.  – Ann Voskamp
#HonestPrayers #1000Gifts

This is why:

I was able to spend 4 1/2 days with my daughter and her beautiful family, and I am so grateful for that time.

I am grateful that life is mostly sweet.

I am grateful for bugs on the windshield – it means a road trip happened.

I am grateful that every weekend for the next month is completely full – life is full of bottle rockets, and life is too short to not enjoy family and friends and take road trips and do something different just for the experience of it all. Weekdays in the summer are for routine and being home. Weekends in the summer of 2014 are for adventure. Yee haw!

I am grateful for dollar stores.

I am grateful for transparency, people who are who they are and don’t pretend to be someone they are not. I am grateful that I finally learned this lesson, no, I am finally LEARNING this lesson, and have quit trying to act religious when my heart wasn’t there. I am grateful that I have learned to just be me and love Jesus, love everyone in my life no matter their “leaning,” DO love instead of talk about it. I am grateful that I don’t have to speak or write a bunch of words that I don’t back up behind closed doors. I am grateful that my life behind closed doors is an actual reflection now of who I am – no more masks, no more putting on a front for the world to see, no more happy smiles hiding pain and misery and discontent and depression. I love to see Jesus truly reflected in others – servants who walk it, not just talk it – servants whose talk is a reflection of “Jesus bottle rockets” in their heart.  It’s that Colossians 4:5-6 thing…and I hope people can see it in me.

I am grateful for Sam – he talked me home last night. It is true. He wakes up every day with the “mission” to brighten someone’s day. Another reason to love him.

I am grateful for rice krispy treats.

I am grateful for beautiful followers of Jesus who offered grace and showed compassion to my daughter and her family.

I am grateful for a night of rest.

I am grateful for iced tea on a hot day.

I am grateful to have skipped hand-in-hand with Anissa down a WalMart aisle.

I am grateful for a current picture of me with my grandchildren – miracles do happen.

I am grateful for good elastic in socks.

I am grateful for lots of laughter while playing Scattergories with my daughter and son-in-law on a lazy Saturday afternoon.

I am grateful for sparkle-y fireworks while sitting with a squirmy granddaughter on my lap.

I am grateful for saltine crackers.

I am grateful for this song that has played in my mind all morning – my girls ensemble sang it once upon a time. You should listen to it:

This Day

This day is fragile soon it will end
And once it has vanished, it will not come again
So let us love with a love pure and strong
Before this day is gone

This day is fleeting when it slips away
Not all our money can buy back this day
So let us pray that we might be a friend
Before this day is spent

This day we’re given is golden
Let us show love
This day is ours for one moment
Let us sow love

This day is frail it will pass by
So before it’s too late to recapture the time
Let us share love, let us share God
Before this day is gone

Before this day is gone

I am grateful for people who compliment parents (and Ama) on their gorgeous and well-behaved children. I need to do that more often for others. It certainly is an igniter of bottle rockets in the heart.

I am grateful for friends who kept me awake on Tuesday evening as I drove – thank you, Sam, Dwight, Karen and Geri.

And I am grateful for this wisdom from author Ann Voskamp:

I am grateful for fireworks that amaze and delight the senses.

I am grateful for the times when I can sit downwind and smell the spent fireworks. Mmmmmm…I love that smell.

I am grateful to have seen the looks on shoppers faces yesterday when they walked by two little grandchildren singing at the top, and I mean AT THE TOP, of their lungs: “I may never march in the iffatree, wide in the cabaree, shoot the awtilluhee, I may never fwy ore the enemy, but I’m in the Lord’s army, YES SIR!!!!!!

I am grateful for memories of 4th of July parades with my Mom and Dad, and Karissa and Katrina.

I am grateful for memories of past 4ths: walking to the fireworks stand with my brother and sister and Dad, climbing up on the roof in San Antonio and watching fireworks shows all over the city with my girls, lighting BlackCats in the trees and running away fast, watching the snakes curl on the sidewalk and smelling their wonderful smell, punks, sparklers, smoke bombs, those special fireworks with the parachute guy, splurging to get a few Roman candles, watching my brothers light fireworks for the whole neighborhood in the middle of Wichita street, red and blue finger jello, fried chicken, watermelon, corn on the cob, and flag cake, and feeling such pride hearing my daughter sing the National Anthem.

I am grateful for a little granddaughter who makes me laugh. She saw my brown casual sandals yesterday and said, “Jesus had shoes just like that, too!”

I am grateful my daughter is beginning to feel better.

I am grateful for an air mattress.

I am grateful to be so privileged to have a tiny one wake up before the sunrise and come see me in my room.

I am grateful for air conditioning in this Texas heat.

I am grateful for a church that provides meals for the family.

I am grateful that this beautiful family dresses in festive matching clothes from Daddy down to the littlest angel.

I am grateful for a walk this morning with the newest drivers on the road.

I am grateful that Sam is with his family and in the tractor doing what he loves to do, although we all miss him here. The very first question I was asked by the two oldest: “Where’s Sam?!?!”

I am grateful to work with friends who call and text and email, wanting to know updates. I feel very loved.

I am grateful for my devotion this morning that talked about making this Independence Day an internal Independence Day, and allow the Holy Spirit to free me from the past, from the guilt, from the shame, from the worry. Jesus came to give us life abundant and came to share grace and show us how to share grace with others. This is a perfect day to allow Him to free us from the chains that hold us back. Freedom day…Independence Day.

I am grateful for wipes, because when there aren’t any, things can get ugly. And smelly.

And I am grateful that my grandchildren love to sing with me.

I am grateful for vacancy.

I am grateful for a safe trip and enough money for the trip.

I am grateful for rest for my daughter.

I am grateful for hugs.

I am grateful for giggles and slobbers and sticky fingers and dirty diapers and “I wanna sit on your lap”s.

I am grateful for sleep.

I am grateful for inquiring and caring volunteer receptionists and gift store employees and nursing administrators.

I am grateful for sleeping children.

I am grateful for “yes ma’am” and “please”and “thank you.”

I am grateful that two little ones fit in a kitchen sink.

I am grateful for the smell of baby lotion.

I am grateful that Karissa is home now.

And I am grateful for a job and employers who allowed me the time off at a moment’s notice.

I am grateful for good hairspray from Michelle.

I am grateful to have met our newest, prettiest, tiniest neighbor last night – baby Katelyn, 6 lbs, 14 oz..

I am grateful to be concentrating my thoughts today on God’s grace and grateful that my mind is filled with amazement, not destruction.

I am grateful that we are finally connecting with a few of our neighbors.

I am grateful that the Royals won.

I am grateful for really good Chinese food and enough for leftovers tonight.

I am grateful for a great Snickerdoodle recipe and just enough cinnamon to make them which also makes me grateful for cookie dough that is left on the beater just for me and for parchment paper so that I do not have to wash the cookie sheets when I am done.

I am grateful for a temporary end to the extreme humidity.

I am grateful that my road led me to this place, even with its twists and turns, potholes and detours. I have a Guide now, and I do not ever want to be lost again.

I will rise.

And I am grateful that I will see my Bingo friends tonight.