Day 120 - 55° {Tiny Tuesday}

I am so thankful that when I walked out the door this morning, on my way to work, that the temperature gauge read 55°.

I am thankful that the cooler weather allows my class to be outside for longer each day.

I am thankful that we have had several days in a row of amazing weather! Please God, don't let up!

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Day 119 - Heart of Stone

This weekend I had an amazing opportunity to witness the work that God has done in my heart over the course of this Year of Thanks project.

I set out with the goal of growing a thankful heart and I feel like that idea  is really taking root in my heart with each passing day.

Like I said, this weekend was a great witness to that work.

After church yesterday my husband and I went to my parents house to grab a few things that they had picked up for us. About five minutes into our stop, my little brother (17) came into the living room with a pained look on his face.

"I hit the back of your car." He was devastated. 

He was waiting for the hammer to fall and he just knew it was going to fall hard.

"It's fine, don't worry about it at all." Were the first words out of my mouth.

To fully understand this whole story we have to flash back to Saturday...

I was looking at my old 13 year old Honda. It's a great car. Runs well, looks great... except for one little part. The back right bumper. 

A deer ran into it about 5 years ago and we still hadn't gotten it fixed. Money and the time to have it fixed just never seemed to coincide. 

Just this past Saturday I was looking at that back bumper and praying that we would be able to have it fixed soon. It really is the only part of the car that gives away the age of the car and I was planning to start saving for the body work.

And we're back to Sunday.

I walked out to assess the damage and literally the only part of the car that was damaged was the back right bumper!

My very first thought was of thankfulness. Even in this, God has our best in mind.

I prayed for that part to be replaced and my brother hit that part and nothing else.

I could have been upset and scolded him, but instead I high-fived him for being the bringer of answered prayers.

What a wonderful perspective to have! Six months ago that would not have been my reaction.

I am thankful that God laid the idea of Year of Thanks on my heart and wouldn't let it go until I followed through.

I am thankful that God loves me enough to push me out of my comfort zone in order to help me be a better person of character.

I am thankful that this one little act is such a confirmation of what God is doing in my life and in my heart.

Here's to the next 246 days of growth!

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Day 118 - Super Short Sunday

I am thankful that I get to go to church for the first time in three weeks!

I am thankful that this week has been free from family tragedies and illness.

I am thankful that the weather is so unbelievably beautiful today!

I hope your Sabbath has been wonderful!

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Day 117 - Book Fair

What makes a perfect Saturday?

Rain.

Cold breezes.

A fall drink in hand.

And a book fair! 

The local library is having a book fair this weekend. I am such a sucker for 25 cent books... that's probably why our library numbers in the 3000+ book range.

I am thankful that my husband loves books (and reading) as much as I do.

I am thankful that we enough room to have all of our books beautifully displayed.

I am thankful that it is finally fall... summer was too long!

I hope your Saturday is amazing!

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Day 116 - Write {Five Minute Friday}

Linking up with Lisa Jo Baker and her sweet, wonderful community for Five Minute Friday!

No editing, just five minutes of pure writing.

Go.

Writing.

It seems like the only way this ADD brain came manage to get a single thought out is through writing.

Even my prayers tend to be written out. If I don't channel my thoughts on paper, they float around and I realize that after just a few minutes I've jumped somehow to making a mental meal plan for the next week.

More than just a useful way to focus, writing ideas seem to spring up everywhere. A funny sentence or a stray object can spark an idea and off I go.

My fingers flying across the keyboard, or with pen in hand they fly across the paper... desperate to release the sudden flood of ideas.

I love those moments... hours... days. Full of inspiration and blessed with the time to write it all down, that's when I feel I'm truly where I should be; when I'm writing.

It is one of my heart's true desires to be able to write full time.

I so love my little class of Kindergarteners, but I am so tired at the end of the day that not much writing takes place.

But that longing has not been taken away, so I know that someday I will write again.

Even now, it comes in fits and spurts. Just this week I sat down and wrote several thousand words on the novel I am currently working on.

I am ever thankful for the gifts and blessings that I have been granted in this life, and the love and ability to write is nothing short of a blissful blessing!

I am thankful for this love of writing that God has blessed me with.

I am thankful for the unending inspiration that He grants.

I am thankful for the longing in my heart to write more. I know that God has a purpose for that desire and I can't wait to find out what it is!

Stop.

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