Weekending 1-8 with a #75 on the side

This past weekend we.....

1.) We registered for stuff for Baby Sweet Stuff

I love those registering guns!

John tried out our stroller by running it around the store a full lap and a half.

then he napped in our dream glider (it's only $359)

Then we finished the night with Thai food but I was too busy shoving my face

 full of food to take pictures of that.

2.) We worked outside 

my Dahlia bulbs are coming up nicely :)

and the new mulch definitely makes it look better in the flower beds!

3.)We went to a Luau at church for a volunteer appreciation dinner but I got sidetracked by the dinner and forgot to take a picture of our cute festive outfits. That happens a lot these days.

4.) John served me cinnamon rolls and {decaff} coffee in bed on Mother's Day but again, I was too busy slamming those down my throat to even think about photographing it. I was in ecstasy.

5.) We washed cars and I cut my finger on his muffler

he sort of overreacted and wrapped my finger like I had severed it completely.

He almost ripped his shirt off to use it as a tourniquet. One simple band-aid now suffices.

Dual Post ALert:

gift  #75

{I'm very thankful that John is quick to help me and even "over-helps" me sometimes. That in and of itself is a tremendous treasure. He's my best team-mate. And he is pretty rad at being my perfect help-mate. I need LOTS of help}

6.) Sunday Drive

 7.) Sunday Ride

I'm not going as fast as I used to due to a certain basketball shaped growth in my mid-section

and I might have to upgrade my seat to one of those double-wide deluxe gel filled seats.

 I'm a little sore today in the butt region.

8.) A Sunday evening run to sonic to get me an ice-cream cone. Do I even need to explain why there isn't a picture??

******

That's it.

It was a great weekend.

We spent a lot of time together and worked on our home. 

We make a good team and I love relaxed weekends with my love.

Happy Monday to you, hopefully you got lots of rest and sunshine this weekend 

to carry you through your week!

sixty to seventy

I just like this picture.. 

************

#60 a husband who listens and hugs often

#61 my early mornings with John and Lola-Jean

#62 hanging baskets of flowers

#63 "windows down" weather

#64 free baby stuff

#65 friends who call just to encourage and to listen

#66 fun childhood memories experienced through old pictures

#67 surprise baby showers

#68 long walks with friends

#69 laughing 'til my guts ache and my belly bounces

#70 trip anticipation!

As I have been journaling my thankfulness and gifts, I am more inspired and prompted to start blogging again at my other blog Surrender Story.

It's going to get a face-lift first and I am still writing and finding inspiration for things but if you want to follow along with my ongoing journey to surrendering fully in every area of life, please check it out once in a while! It's a place for me to process and work through some things but I hope that it will also be an encouragement to others too.

I will let you know when it's up and running again :)

Follow the list of the many gifts, small and large but all very significant, that God has blessed me with. 

Click HERE!

#1-1,000

I am forgoing FIBF today and am concentrating on something amazing.

Her

#1-1,000 of my thankfulness journal could be filled up with things about this little peach.

Seriously. It's said a lot by moms and future moms but it's true: 

"You never knew you could love someone so much until you became a mother.."

Yesterday we found out "it" is a SHE..a daughter!

What a blessed little person she already is, too.

We are blessed from 1 to 1,000 with her.

I am very thankful, indeed, that God chose to spoil me abundantly through this process, the process of pregnancy and motherhood. She is no ordinary baby (I know all parents say that but..).  She has been prayed for, hoped for and celebrated already more than I could have ever imagined. How could she not be extraordinary with all of the prayers and love she has received in her short little life already?!

He knew that this was the thing in life that was most dear to my heart, my greatest dream. He definitely has made it feel like a fairytale so far. That's just the way he works with our hearts desires, you know? Sometimes I think that I am the exception and that my dreams and desires will be just so-so. Maybe that my dreams aren't great enough to merit such divine favor. But He has proven me wrong, once again. With delight I am happy to concede that his ways are so much better and higher than mine. I am so glad (doesn't seem like great enough of a word!).  Everything has a season, a purpose under heaven..even the hurt, the waiting, the unfairness and the struggles of life Nothing is ever wasted.  No one is the exception to his awesomeness and his miracles. No one is ever excluded.  I am humbled and thankful for these things.

Now to Him who is able to do superabundantly, far over and above all that we [dare] ask or think [infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dreams]

Ephesians 3:20

   Click HERE for more on gifts and thankfulness!

A holy habit, #44

Last night my Monday Night Bible Study started the book Calm My Anxious Heart by Linda Dillow.

Oh geeze.  It's good.

I had started it sometime back but for some reason I didn't finish it. Now that I pick it up again, it's like it's the perfect time for me to do this study with my group and grow with them. Everything has it's reason and it's season.

Anyway, since I have been trying to learn my intentional thanks prompted by Ann Vosberg's book One Thousand Gifts, what we studied last night fit right in with this new intentional habit of thankfulness. And that is the holy habit of contentment. They go hand in hand but do take some practice an much daily surrender.

Surrender, full and complete, is something God is teaching me still. It's been the theme of my last two weeks (also, my entire life!) in many ways. I even sang a song about it at church, and the words resonate..

All to Jesus, I surrender;

All to Him I freely give;

I will ever love and trust Him,

In His presence daily live.

I surrender all, I surrender all,

All to Thee, my blessèd Savior,

I surrender all.

All to Jesus I surrender;

Humbly at His feet I bow,

Worldly pleasures all forsaken;

Take me, Jesus, take me now.

All to Jesus, I surrender;

Make me, Savior, wholly Thine;

Let me feel the Holy Spirit,

Truly know that Thou art mine.

All to Jesus, I surrender;

Lord, I give myself to Thee;

Fill me with Thy love and power;

Let Thy blessing fall on me.

All to Jesus I surrender;

Now I feel the sacred flame.

O the joy of full salvation!

Glory, glory, to His Name!

So this week (also, the rest of my life) I am working on being thankful by full surrender and contentment NO MATTER the circumstance. Not just singing about it. Not just teaching about it. But doing it with the leading and strength of the Holy Spirit. It's not going to be easy but it will get easier with practice.

This list was given in our book that I thought was a fabulous set of standards to live a life of full of thankfulness, contentment and surrender.

It's called "Ella Spees' Holy Habit of Contentment"

v  Never allow yourself to complain about anything-even the weather.

v  Never picture yourself in any other circumstances or someplace else.

v  Never compare you lot with another's.

v  Never allow yourself to wish this or that had been otherwise.

v  Never dwell on tomorrow-remember that tomorrow is God's, not ours.

#44 I have more content days than not lately. That's an accomplishment and an awesome work of God. And I am thankful to be learning it still.

Random, awkward thanks

On the lighter side of giving thanks this week..

#40 A good phone call

 I've noticed that in effort to connect with people on the phone that sometimes it can be a most disconnecting experience.  One person usually does most of the talking. Or you are both silent. OR you do a lot of talking over each other. Then it's just weird because you are like,

  "you go first"

"No, you go first"

"Whoops, sorry, didn't mean to interrupt, go ahead"

"Nope, you go first"

followed by both of you asking completely different questions at the same time.

Aw-kward!

Have you ever had a phone conversation where you got talked at and not talked with? Frustrating, yes. BUT it can make you oh-so-thankful for the times you have a "good" phone conversation with someone. Whether it's the doctor's office, a best friend or a wrong number, make sure you are doing as much listening as talking. 

It's fun to be the listener, I think. Takes the pressure off. Also, I'm just better at it.

But then, it also makes me have restored faith in phone communication when I have an "easy" and enjoyable phone call with someone.

Some people are just awkward on the phone. I definitely can be one of those people sometimes but I refuse to be like, "I'm awkward, I can't help it. I'm just better at texting" Nope. That's a cop-out for me.

I actually prefer talking on the phone. I'll risk the awkwardness and simultaneous question asking over a disconnected texting relationship. It's worth it.

If you find a friend or telemarketer or whoever that you enjoy talking with, appreciate them. If someone compliments you on your phone skills, consider it the highest of compliments!

Nothing like having a super, fast talker/ one way conversationalist on the phone to remind you to do your part on the horn next time...or to not answer next time they call. Of course, I'm never a conversation dominator and I never screen my phone calls...

Pshaw.

#41 Chicago dogs

'nuff said.

Wonder why I am awkwardly giving thanks for random things?  Look HERE to find out why I am so thankful (sorry, there is no explanation for my awkwardness).

Little Big Blessing

I had another ultrasound yesterday. It comes in handy that I used to work with the pregnancy clinic in town and know the ultrasound tech there! It had been about 5 weeks since I had seen this little bambino and when I saw those skinny chicken legs and cute nose and big lips I was blown away at how in just 5 weeks, my sweetcake had changed so much. You read about it and hear about how much they grow but to see it with your own eyes is something else. It was SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO active and squirly! So cute. I am hoping that means I start to feel it soon. I feel weird things in my stomach but I can't identify it as a for sure kick or jab ye.  It's fun to imagine what he or she will look like.

Baby  has John's lips from what I saw.

And who knows what those skinny legs are about. Those definitely aren't either of ours!

Good thing it has about 5 1/2 more months to get some meat on it's bones.

:)

Anywho.

This tiny little person is my biggest recorded blessing to date.

#32: our baby

take a look at our pictures when we were little...

I hope it favors John and he hopes it favors me.

The baby is 13 weeks and 5 days in this picture.

We are both around 2 in our pictures.

Confused about what #32 is all about? Based off of the book, One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp, I am practicing the art of thankfulness. I am learning to recognize, savor and celebrate the things, people and experiences the Lord gives me.  Look HERE to follow along!

# 13

#13: The Sun

A leaf fluttered in through the window this morning, as if supported by the rays of the sun, a bird settled on the fire escape, joy in the task of coffee, joy accompanied me as I walked. 

Anais Nin

I sat on my porch with my cat and my 7UP basking in the sun, drinking the warmth and appreciating a preview of Spring this morning.
What a lovely gift the sun is!

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Based off of the book, One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp, I am practicing the art of thankfulness. I am learning to recognize, savor and celebrate the things God has placed in my life, big and small, sweet and sour.  Look HERE to follow along!

Let's celebrate

#22 Friends who celebrate our differences rather than letting them separate us.

Last week I started something new.

Based off of the book, One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp, I am  being more intentional about thankfulness and am learning to recognize, savor and celebrate the things God has placed in my life.

Look HERE to keep track of the gifts I have been blessed with!

Diamonds in my trees

Have you ever heard what the ice does to the trees? 

It makes them noisy. It's like they are talking or singing in harmony. It's the coolest thing ever.

Yeah, yeah, it makes branches fall and roads slick but ice+sunshine= amazingness.

I was captivated by the prettiness of the "gross weather" and walked out into it yesterday and this morning.

Everything sparkles and shines...and talks!

And while the trees look heavy and sad, I am grateful for:

#5 cold, harsh winters that make everything sparkle, shine and talk

#6 seasons changing ( I wouldn't quite value spring without these harsh weeks of freezingness!)

#7 paw prints in the snow

#8 a furry companion that enjoys nature as much as I do

If you don't understand the #5,6,7,8 thing look here to get caught up :)

Time to wake up

A thankful heart is not only the greatest virtue, but the parent of all other virtues. - Cicero

After a year of below-the-belt blows at our house, we have entered into a season of rest. Maybe.

Until about 6 months ago, I assumed a "season" or an attitude of thanksgiving was something that came after a series of trials or it came post-desired prayer answer. I don't know that I walked around actively thinking that but now, after some hard lessons in "being thankful in all things", I am now more aware that my mindset of 'thanksgiving after the blessing' was completely wrong.

There have been a few people, books, inspiring words, verses, songs and words from God to my own heart that have gradually brought me to a point of realizing that being thankful in all things means being thankful at all times.

Easier said than done... for me.

It's embarrassing to admit but it's kind of a foreign concept. Even to this Christian.

Thankfulness is not a magical equation or chant that brings a gift.

Thankfulness is a humble way to accept with joy, the small and the large blessings God has given me or will give me.
Having faith that He who started the good work will be faithful to complete it..and then offer thanks even when I don't see any signs of the completion.
Thankfulness is a state of worship in which I am supposed to be in continually.

The small things...

The seemingly insignificant, everyday things.

The things I've never cared to place a name on , "gift".

I am to be thankful before, after and during the situation. At. All. Times.

I wouldn't say I have been an ungrateful. But even as I type that I realize, yes, I have been ungrateful.

It's ironic that I had felt God working on me in this area in the past few months.. Simultaneously, I had been hearing about a book that was coming out called One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp. It was getting amazing write-ups and seemed to be all the rage. Last week, I bought it and this week, my perspective is different.

I'm reading it slowly.

Digesting each phrase a little at a time.

I usually love to speed through  a great read like this but after reading a few chapters I am finding that

reading slowly will help me more in the long run! I don't want to miss every lesson in this new way of walking.

I'm dog-earing and underlining like crazy.

Rewriting and meditating.

One of the many phrases that struck me was this

she writes:

‎"Do not disdain the small. The whole of the life -even the hard- is made up of the minute parts, and if I miss the infinitesimals, I miss the whole...There is a way to live the big of thanksgiving in all things. It is this: to give thanks in this one small thing. The moments will add up"

Uggg.

Really?

That got my number.

I think my preconceived notion was this: the blessing needs to be what I deem worthy of thanks before I value it.

I mean really, who values the depressing cold weather? Who is usually thankful for the months of unanswered prayers? When is it normal to even be joyful about a death or a family tragedy?
Be thankful in all things.

Should I be thankful that I have struggle?

I'm supposed to consider all things and be thankful in them??? ALL things? I mean, I know Paul was content in whatever state he was in but he was Paul.. I'm not.

Be thankful in all things.

So for me, personally.. the minute parts are sometimes very hard parts. Most times it's the insignificant parts. Coming out of a season of lots of significant "hard parts" I see now, in hind-site, the missed thankfulness in it all. I had my thankful days. And it's something that I am aware of but I'm not sure that I was purposefully looking for ways to be thankful to my God.

I resolve to not let it be so anymore.

And who is to say I am not headed into another season of "hard parts"?

From what I observed, life is mostly made up of "hard parts". But those hard parts contain bits of blessing and multiple opportunities to see my Heavenly Father really work  all things together for his good..

That's a blessing in itself, is it not?
Be thankful in all things.

In this book Ann talks about making a list of one thousand gifts that she is truly thankful for personally. A seemingly simple challenge made by her  friend. What a simple yet completely complicated thing to do!! Not complicated in the sense of it's hard to execute but hard in the sense of intentionally learning to recognize thankfulness and verbalize your thanks as a part of your moment by moment life.

Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:18

It's time to wake up and be thankful. In. All. Things.

Not for the sake of marking "thanksgiving" off of my good Christian to do list  Not for the sake of following a trendy book book club assignment.

But for the sake of His glory and my joy.

The two go hand in hand. (Thank you John Piper for illustrating that liberating truth!)

So here we go...

I am going to commit to posting once a week on a gift (or two or three or five) that I am thankful for.

{Thank you, Lord, for people you gift in this area of writing and revelation to your children!}

I to want to find out more about my God and his goodness. To know more of what his Word says about this and live accordingly. I want to put down my agendas and my notions, my plans and just be with Him and learn thankfulness. 

 There are many following along and filling out their own lists. I believe God is really using Ann to wake up our hearts in this area. So whether you choose to follow along to the 'T' and do all of the assignments and want to join a book club, just WAKE UP AND BE THANKFUL.

Even when you don't feel it. Even when the excuses and distractions multiply and distract.

Give thanks.

I've just started my list. So I will be posting soon.

And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Ephesians 5:20