I am grateful for plastic containers with lids that are not melted or deformed.

I am grateful for a card from Geri and a picture of Melissa and little lady.

I am grateful for sharp knives as opposed to dull knives, but I sure wish I knew how to make dull knives sharp again.

I am grateful for a few moments this morning in the bathroom as I got ready for the day. I stopped to pay attention to the sounds I heard from the open window: children laughing and yelling on their way to school, the hum of a drill, bleating of calves, singing of a chime in the breeze, and a dog barking.

I am grateful for Quaker worship. I miss that silent time of waiting and then witnessing the moving of the Holy Spirit.

I am grateful for running water and a brand new sink and faucet in the kitchen!

I am grateful for the best soundtracks in the history of the world: Dances with Wolves and Schindler’s List.

I am grateful for overwhelm in this season. I don’t have it all together, and overwhelm is a reminder that I am not alone, that God is for me not against me, that nothing can separate me from His love. Even in the chaos and the uncertainty and the loneliness of busy and disorganization and deadlines and all that causes my worry, I have a Dad and a sister and two brothers who love me, and I have Sam, my best friend and the one who holds my hand and talks to me and is walking through life with me. All of that is reason to be grateful for overwhelm, or at least be grateful IN the overwhelm.

I am grateful for text messages from Lori and Katrina last night. They brought happy tears in my sentimental moment.

I am grateful for the glimpse I had this morning when I sat up in bed at 5:45, of the first hint of the morning sky.

I am grateful that I know how to do research on LinkedIn, but I don’t have to know how to install a new dishwasher.

I am grateful that every morning I have my devotion time and I have a choice of devotions that help me to dive into scripture. Too often, I skim the scriptures that I think I know by heart and get to the message that follows. This morning, I was convicted to slow down and spend time reading and re-reading the verses so familiar to prepare my mind and my heart for the message to follow.

I am grateful for stress. It makes the easy days that much better, and it reminds me to take an aspirin.

I am grateful for cloud designs and jet trails.

And I am grateful for a little guy named Asher who made me laugh today because he has the cutest pronunciations and his mama sent me a personal video so I could listen to him all day long.