I am grateful for a coin in my pocket, waiting to be moved to the other pocket as soon as I do something EXTRA kind, EXTRA nice, EXTRA compassionate, for someone else today.

I am grateful for hymns that fill my mind.

I am grateful for squirrels with mouths full, as long as they aren’t on our roof. Or preferably anywhere near our house. It’s okay if they are across the street or here at the office. And I am grateful for little Chipster who greeted me this morning when I walked into the office. He can visit anytime.

I am grateful to hear sweet words every morning and every evening, and even throughout the day.

From Ann Voskamp today:

You’re up & at ’em, fighting your own fires today — and Every Single Person you meet is fighting their own fire today.
So thank the kid who is trying hard today to just show up when he wants to give up, thank that mom who fought the heat & fear of failure and got up to face the kids today with this brave smile, thank everybody you meet on a Monday, because everybody who gets up & does their work, desperately needs a thumbs up that their work really matters. “Love one another. In the same way I loved you, *you love one another*” John13:34
Thank the garbageman, the postman, every man, woman & child who needs to know that their brave is making the world a better place.
Because the radical thing is:

*and that unexpectedly makes everything better for everyone* – Ann Voskamp

I am grateful today that my brother and my Dad are okay after hitting a deer on their way to our home on Friday night. I am grateful for a totaled van. Totaled van is okay. Totaled Dad and brother…not okay.

I am grateful for laughter on a Sunday morning about a Gerber Ultraflush 1000. A forceful toilet, apparently. Hearing my brother and my husband outdo each other with their hillbilly accents while tiling in the basement forced much laughter, that’s for sure.

I am grateful that my sister has become my Mother. On Saturday evening, she actually said in conversation something about “cooking wieners.” What in the world.  WHO SAYS WIENERS ANYMORE?! Talk about laughter in the house. Wow.

I am grateful for a quiet car ride with jazz music playing softly.

I am grateful for wonderful memories of homemade egg noodles drying on the counter. Or the washing machine. Because that would be the most logical place to dry egg noodles in the world of my Mother.

I am grateful for a beautiful clean car after a lunch time oil change.

I am grateful for free tickets to hear Philip Yancey speak in two weeks! I have three tickets, so if someone wants to go with us, LET ME KNOW. I could most likely get a few more…

And I am grateful for another blog to follow. Wow. I read this story by Allison Hendrix while I waited for the oil change at lunch, and I don’t care if the other clients in the lounge saw me crying. It was a good cry. It only takes two minutes, but you won’t be able to quit thinking about the story for the rest of your day. And hopefully, you’ll share it at dinner this evening. It’s worth sharing with someone else. Seriously. Read it and then share it.

When strangers become your people

In daylights, in sunsets, in cups of coffee, in inches, in miles, in laughter, in strife.
How do you measure a year in your life?

I am grateful for a friendly group of “coffee guys” at McDonald’s this morning, and their invitation for my Dad to join them one of these days.

I am grateful for a little bag of Oregon Cheetos that I’ve saved this week, but it is saved no longer. I savored every last crunch, thinking of my grandchildren one week ago and the little bags of chips we bought for snacks during our trip.

I am grateful for memories of after-work-time-wasting at Ken’s Pizza, playing quarter after quarter of Galaga and PacMan.

I am grateful for silly memories of a little guy named Colt, who said, “Lots of horse hockey!” when asked what he wanted for Christmas during music class one day at Western Oklahoma Christian School. It was a yearly tradition to sing “The 12 Days of Christmas” and personalize each day with the students’ wishes. Colt wanted lots of horse hockey because he loved sweeping out the horse barn with his grandpa.

I am grateful for a “sense of security” on different levels.

“We have a good life.” How ironic that these were the words that began my day today. A realization of God’s blessings.

Today, I’ve been reflecting back to a time when I lost so much of my life as I once knew it, lost many of those who were nearest and dearest to me, and I was left with only what I needed to survive each day. I had the support of my family and a handful of close friends. I had a small futon to sleep on and a small desk lamp, thanks to my sister and my niece. I had a card table and two chairs and the flopout chairs for a couch, thanks to my parents. I had a few kitchen items, thanks to Michelle. And I had an $8 floor lamp from WalMart, thanks to Nanette. The apartment was mostly empty, but I discovered that it doesn’t take much to survive. I also discovered that for me, it took losing my possessions, my children, and life as I had always known it, to finally come to repentance and find the peace and acceptance that only Christ can provide. It took losing so much in order to gain His forgiveness and His redemption and grace, realizing that all I really needed was Him.

All I Need – Shawn McDonald

This is what sparked my reflection this morning:

…I am working My ways in you: the divine Artist creating loveliness within your being. My main work is to clear out debris and clutter, making room for My Spirit to take full possession. Collaborate with Me in this effort by being willing to let go of anything I choose to take away. I know what you need, and I have promised to provide all of that – abundantly!

Your sense of security must not rest in your possessions or in things going your way. I am training you to depend on Me alone, finding fulfillment in My Presence. This entails being satisfied with much or with little, accepting either as My will for the moment. Instead of grasping and controlling, you are learning to release and receive. Cultivate this receptive stance by trusting Me in every situation.

I am grateful for a surprise on the other end of the phone last night when I called my Dad and he handed the phone to none other than…Delores!

I am grateful for this song from the musical “Rent.”  Someday, I want to see this musical in New York on Broadway. I am grateful for the simple message of the song:

Seasons of Love

525,600 minutes – how do you measure, measure a year?
In daylights, in sunsets, in midnights, in cups of coffee.
In inches, in miles, in laughter, in strife.

In 525,600 minutes – how do you measure a year in the life?
How about love? Measure in love. Seasons of love.

525,600 minutes! 525,000 journeys to plan. 525,600 minutes –

How can you measure the life of a woman or man?
In truths that she learned, or in times that he cried.
In bridges he burned, or the way that she died.

It’s time now to sing out, though the story never ends
Let’s celebrate, remember a year in the life of friends.
Remember the love! Measure in love. Seasons of love!

And finally, on this Friday afternoon, I am grateful that I have 525,600 minutes to count my blessings each year, grateful that whether I live in an empty apartment or the most beautiful home, I have the desire to dwell in the house of the Lord, and if every material possession is stripped away and those I love are no longer, I still have all I need.

I am grateful for people who do not use foul language but find other ways that are more appropriate to express themselves.

I am grateful for whipped topping.

I am grateful for hearty laughter.

I am grateful for an article by Philip Yancey that I read about our gradual drift towards a post-Christian world, and this quote struck me:

Although post-Christians do not oppose a spiritual search, they will listen only to Christians who present themselves as pilgrims on the way rather than as part of a superior class who has already arrived.

I am grateful for an absence of hypocrisy in this season of my life.

I am grateful for a dining room full of new friends enjoying time together.

I am grateful for people who genuinely care, and I am grateful that I can shake my head and move on when someone doesn’t.

I am grateful for this addition to my church devotion this morning that reminded me of Sam and the way he has chosen to treat those who called themselves Christian and were less than kind to him:

Mercy triumphs over judgment in the Kingdom of God. I tasted the fruit of this truth in the life of a mentor.

My mentor and I still meet weekly for coffee to encourage one another in our efforts to walk in the way of Jesus. Soon after we began meeting, my friend lost his job due to the false allegations of employees he managed, despite a track record of meeting performance objectives and strong evaluations. As the sole bread winner for his wife & children, he was angry & remained so for months.

Then, one day, I noticed a lightness in his tone when I asked how he was doing. He explained that he had started praying for his former co-workers and sending them anonymous gifts because of the unmerited mercy Christ had freely given him.

I’m not sure how my buddy’s co-workers ever fared, but I do know this. My mentor began growing again and moved forward with a new lightness, ready to meet his accusers with kindness should the occasion ever arise. Mercy definitely triumphed over judgment in the heart of my good friend. – Mike Wilhoit

I am grateful for the beauty of a butterfly.

I am grateful for the warmth of our home on a cold, blustery evening.

I am grateful for access to Sunday’s message.

I am grateful for my boots.

And I am grateful for a sunny cat nap in the car, in the middle of the afternoon. Still catching up…

I am grateful for this month. Somehow, the general public begins to focus on being grateful for people and things and experiences and blessings in their lives, and they are more open to sharing their gratitude during this month. If that is all it takes for people to focus on their blessings, then I wish every month were November.

Grace and gratitude belong together like heaven and earth.
Grace evokes gratitude like the voice to an echo.
Gratitude follows grace like thunder follows lightning. – Karl Barth

I am grateful to have found a sticker on the bottom of my shoe and another one all folded and dirty under my wallet in my bag – evidence of grandchildren nearby.

I am grateful for a positive review hearing for my CASA girl this morning.

I am grateful for Bingo friends who make Tuesday night an evening for which to look forward. I am fairly certain one of my ladies could be a double for Maxine, the grouchy old lady, at least in spirit. I’m also fairly certain two others could double as Mrs. Claus, the happiest old lady, at least in spirit. What a silly group of friends.

I am grateful that tonight is the beginning of our new small group. I am grateful that I am not concerned with a clean house or loads of food. I am grateful that we are ready to do this and will attempt to keep it simple.

I am grateful for an abundance of answered prayers and a lack of worry.

I am grateful for bird poop on the shiny clean car, because it makes me very grateful for a shiny clean car and for drive-through car washes.

I am grateful for guests who strip the bed and bring their sheets to the laundry room.

I am grateful for an end to campaign commercials and candidate junk mail. Bring on the Christmas materialistic commercials and sappy music that puts me in that expectant, anxious holiday mood. Ahhhhhh, gotta love two full months of Christmas.

I am grateful for a Halloween card from Delores!

And I am grateful for expiration dates that aren’t even CLOSE to expiring yet.

I am grateful for this devotion that has stuck with me for a week now. I can relate on both sides of forgiveness. I am human. I will hurt others, unintentionally, but because I’m human, sometimes intentionally, as well. I am human. I will be hurt by others, unintentionally, but sometimes intentionally, too:

A word. A slight. A look. A forgotten birthday or anniversary. A piece of gossip about us – it was true, but it didn’t need to be spoken. Things happen to us every day, from minor to major, that could serve as an excuse for vengeance. And each time something hurtful happens, we have a choice to make. Will we be a peacemaker or a revenge seeker? Will we inflame the event with the fire of revenge or will we smother it with the blanket of peace?

Let’s assume you’ve been hurt purposefully. What should you do? God said, “I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live.” Ezekiel 33:11 Substitute whatever you’re tempted to do in retaliation for the word “death” in that verse and you’ll get God’s counsel on your contemplated course of action. God said that vengeance is His; He will repay. (Romans 12:19) Paul wrote that we are to do everything possible to “live peaceably with all men.” (Romans 12:18) When we choose to forgive instead of fight, we become peacemakers.

If you are faced with the choice of seeking peace or seeking vengeance, choose peace and receive the blessing of God. 

The noblest revenge is to forgive. – Thomas Fuller

I am grateful for a man named Drew. He was our seatmate on the flight to Portland, and he was perfect for Annistan – didn’t mind sitting with her at all. We had the best visit, all 3+ hours of the flight.  So much in common, so easy to relate. And to top it off, he promised to pray for us as we began our weekend.

I am grateful for a sleeping child on my lap, oblivious to the noise and turbulence of an airplane.

I am grateful for scribbles on a note pad down deep in my bag.

I am grateful for little cowgirl boots and sticky fingers.

I am grateful for the opportunity to once again watch my daughters laugh with each other. I love these two so much it hurts so hard.

I am grateful to have seen my daughter Katrina at work, making a difference in the lives of children.

I am grateful for the heavenly sounds of five little ones saying, “trick or treat!” at each house on Friday night.

I am grateful for glow sticks and glow bracelets that made five little ones squeal with delight at their own hotel “glow party” on Friday night. Lots of monkeys jumping on the beds, lots of giggles and silliness, lots of warmth in this Ama’s heart.

I am grateful for Bob Goff and Joyce Meyer’s wisdom and insight, grateful for their books to read on the plane, and grateful that I am learning to live under the umbrella of God’s grace and no longer under the  smothering blanket of condemnation and judgment.

I am grateful to have been pulled in multiple directions at the bounce place in Bend, two little girls wanting me to go here and watch them do this and go there and watch them do that…

I am grateful that Parker wanted to sit by me at the pizza place on Sunday.

I am grateful for the opportunity to do Parker and Reilly’s hair on Saturday morning.

I am grateful for Elsa and Anna dresses that make little girls all excited.

I am grateful for little Andrae in his new costume and Batman underwear and cap. His tagline: “I AM Batman!”

I am grateful for my son-in-law Mandrae, who was so concerned with getting his family back together and so thoughtful to have provided us all with a pizza at the airport last night, so that we could eat dinner together one last time before sending me on my way home.

I am grateful for Karissa’s positivity and godly attitude in stressful situations.

I am grateful that my daughter is so concerned with capturing good memories in pictures, because they make the memories that much sweeter. And I am grateful that she felt it was important to include Ama in some of them. This brings tears to my eyes. For years, when the girls were growing up and when the first four grandchildren were born, I was the only one taking pictures, and if we were to have any, it was due to my effort, which meant I was rarely in pictures, and the pictures we did have were not very good. I am grateful for my daughter’s sensitivity and heart.

I am grateful that Zak and Levi were so good at giving attention to all of the kids at the bounce place and in the swimming pool at the hotel. Not one of them was left out of being chased by the growling guys or held in the pool to swim to the other side.

I am grateful for the fun of surprising our Elsas and Annas and Batman with Shirley Temples on Sunday night.

I am grateful that I was able to succeed in renting a van, in taking care of hotels, in not getting us too lost in Portland and beyond, and in taking care of Annistan yesterday in two unknown airports.

I am grateful for blue sparkly plastic Elsa shoes and bright pink furry ear muffs.

I am grateful to have seen diversity in parenting, cultures, styles of living, and just how unique my children really are, but to have also seen how those contrasts just make this family more interesting, and to have seen how these two women come together and appreciate and love each other in spite of and because of their differences.

I am grateful for Anissa’s tears last night as she told me goodbye. I never ever want to forget her forever wave as we walked away until we could no longer see each other.

I am grateful to have walked off the airplane last night in Kansas City to a most welcome sight inside the airport. It meant a lot to have Sam park the car and actually come inside to greet me and help me with my luggage.

I am grateful to be home. Walking in the house and seeing the changes made while I was gone, feeling so loved and cared for – it’s good to be home.