Give Thanks In All Things

My buddy Jennifer challenged her FB friends to post 10 non-cliche items for which we're thankful. Here's my list:

1. A husband who loves God first
2. A daughter who is truly a blessing
3. Not always getting what I pray for
4. Forever forgiveness I didn't (and still don't) deserve
5. Starbucks coffee with vanilla chai creamer
6. A car with relatively few problems and a functional heater
7. Fantastic in-law's
8. Blue Bell Ultimate Neapolitan ice cream
9. Fabulous friends...seriously, you're great
10. Not having to have it all figured out (He knows the plans He has for me)
11. Parents who are still together after almost 40 yrs of marriage
12. A brother like no other - he makes me laugh, loves me, and brought an awesome new sister into our family
13. Modern appliances
14. Two children I'll get to see in heaven
15. Living on a street where the neighbors watch out for each other

Obviously that's not ten. I'm indecisive and at times unable to follow directions, so you get 15. They're also not in order of importance, so please don't read anything into how they're presented. There are so many other things I could mention, but I think this is a good start.

I challenge you to make your own list. I really helps you feel more content by moving the focus from what you don't have to all the blessings you do possess.

I Thess 5:18
Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

I THOUGHT It Was Dark Outside

I don't have a battery in my watch so I never really know what time it is. My body is pretty good at waking itself up at the same time each day and I have neighborhood cues to let me know morning is here. Well, yesterday I woke up and thought "I'd better hurry and get a shower before hubby needs it." I thought I'd heard the neighbor leave for work, so it should be getting up time anyways. It had rained all night so the darkness wasn't surprising. I got showered, dressed (make up and all) and went to let the dogs out. As I passed the microwave, the glaring LED showed "4:25". Crap. I could've slept for 2 more hours! I'd never done that before and honestly hope to never do it again! I chalked it up to God getting me up. I was able to complete my week-long BSF lesson that I'd been remiss in completing and was able to have a nice little quiet time before going to wake up kiddo. I actually had a pretty good day after that and was thankful for the time God and I got to spend together. I'm feeling the sleepy aftermath today, but this should serve as a good reminder to me what a positive difference a morning quiet time can make.

Voices in My Head

I'm guilty of carrying on conversations with others in my head. Let me just say upfront that this is a BAD idea. No, I'm not schizo (I'm pretty sure). Here's what happens - I think of what I would say to them, what I imagine they would say back, my reply to that, and on and on. This can take place over the course of days and even weeks. All the while, I'm experiencing the emotions that would go along with the conversation were it truly happening. Come on now, I know some of you know what I'm talking about! Usually, the unfortunate soul with whom I've been carrying on this imaginary conversation is completely clueless that anything is wrong until BLAM! I actually say something aloud.

I did it again last week and snapped at someone after a seemingly minor comment was made about a situation I'd been stewing about for a couple of months. So when they said something that to them was relatively harmless, I let them have it. Oops. I had to apologize and we did get to discuss the root core of my anger a bit. It would have been so much better to have addressed the issue early on and talked about it calmly.

I hate confrontation so much that I usually choose not to address issues with people early on thinking that things will just magically get better. The problem is that this almost never happens! I hope one day soon I learn to speak up early and honor Christ in my relationships by exhibiting love and respect for people by being honest with them.

Authority Issues

I really hate being told what to do. In fact, I tend to hate any hint of being told what to do. I know this will come as a real shock to my parents. Even as the thought "How dare you tell me what to do!" crosses the synapses of my brain, I'm quite shocked at my own arrogance in thinking I know everything and that my way is the right way. I really do know that's false and the older I get, I realize just how much I don't know. Unfortunately, this kind of attitude makes work, marriage, friendships all the more difficult.

If you've run out of ways to pray for me (goodness knows I can usually provide a long list), a teachable and gentle spirit would be great! While you're at it, can you ask for some of that to develop in Kiddo, too? I see the "don't boss me around" in her sometimes, and her life (and mine!) will be much more pleasant if we can just nip that in the bud. She often says she wants to hurry and grow up and when asked why, she'll tell you because grown-ups get to tell other people what to do. Uh-oh.

To Be Content In Any Situation

Paul says in Phil 4:12, "I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want." I realized this morning that this is what I want. I'm really tired of allowing my happiness to be dependent on my circumstances. Did I get what I want today? I'm happy. Did everything just fall apart and Murphy's Law reigned? Life sucks. What a herky-jerky, tiresome way to live. I had to ask God's forgiveness for allowing my hope to depend on anything other than Him. My prayer for today (and the next and the next) is that Phil 4:12 will become as real to me as He made Phil 4:6-9 last year. Perhaps I should just camp out on Phillipians 4 for a couple of months!

And the Gold Medal in Hopscotch Goes To...

I was sitting in the living room when hubs yells out from upstairs, "You've GOT to be kidding me!" Curious, I went up there to see what he was talking about and he was watching the Olympics on the Oxygen channel (as if they're a hub for athletic events...whatever!). They were showing what we later learned was Individual Dressage. Pronounced 'druh-SAHZ,' it is defined as "the art or method of training a horse in obedience and in precision of movement." Looked like horse dancing to us. I swear they even used the word, "pirouette" in the commentating.

We sputtered a bit about how we couldn't believe this was an Olympic sport (I have a hard time defining as a sport anything where the bulk of the work is done by an animal or machine, but I digress...). We began naming off other "sports" that have found their place into the Olympic line-up - trampoline, synchronized diving, rhythmic gymnastics. Please, why not give us marathon hula hooping or shuffleboard? I did read a simple, informative article that did explain some of the how's and why's of event selection, but it does make me wonder who gets to make the final decision about what we get to see every 4 years. Where do we get to vote? Come on, give us some roller derby.

Salutations to the Musician

My friend, The Musician, lamented the dearth of new posts by her blogger buddies, so this one is for her. I wish I could offer some deep, thought-provoking prose or some funny anecdotes, but I'm just too tired! I truly hope you're not reading this in the wee hours of the morning. Just know that you, the Geek and the wee one are prayed for!