thankful {day 30...in my life}

I can't believe this is the last day of November.  I started strong with the daily thankful posts, but some unexpected events derailed me a bit.  I figure that's ok for two reasons:  One, it's my blog, so I guess I can be flexible with my "rules" & two, I figure y'all might have been getting a bit tired of hearing from me everyday anyway. ;)

 

For real, though, I am glad I set out in an attempt to do a thankful post each day this month.  Even though my thoughts didn't always make it to the blog, I found myself in a frame of mind on even the hardest of days to seek a thankful heart.  It's amazing how powerful our thoughts are, & when we set out to guide those thoughts into viewing life through a lens of gratitude to the One in our every moment, we have the eyes to see Him in the details.

 

Not gonna lie...these last couple of weeks have been HARD.  But in the midst of hard, I have found myself purposely looking for those things around me that I am thankful for.  Not only that, but I have also found that my tendency has been to appreciate those moments all the more.  Here's just one example from recently:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thank you, Lord.  Thank you for the moments that make us pause.  Thank you for the opportunity to see things through the eyes of children.  Thank you for the love & support of family & friends.  Thank you for Your mercies that are new each day...a great gift that is undeserved.  I pray that I would continue to seek an attitude of thankfulness & appreciation so that I can better see You in my life.  Thank you.

thankful {day 25...tradition}

Today, I am thankful for my family & the traditions we have developed.  In particular, I am thankful for our annual outing to the Christmas Tree Farm where we take a wagon ride out into the field to cut down our Christmas tree.  It is truly one of my most favorite things we do together!

 

So here's the thing....every year, we eyeball those trees & pick one that looks perfect.  Problem is, we get it home only to find out that we have to cut off at least a foot so it fits in the living room.  Every.Single.Year.  So this year, Mommy got smart & took along a tape measure.  People thought I was kinda funny, but guess what?  The tree is the perfect height!

 

 

My little oompa-loompas, but it gets so windy at this farm, & it was cold anyway!  So, they were warm oompa-loompas. :o)

 

Kade was eaten by caught the tree.

 

 

 

Kemeri took awhile to decide what she thought of this tradition, but she finally came around.

 

 

Somehow, Ella got to tag along.  I think in this picture, she caught sight of the huge horse team & was trying to pull Kyler in that direction, thinking they were just new friends.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I really am thankful for this tradition.  I am realizing that traditions are comforting because they are intentional moments for making unique memories with those we love the most.

thankful {this last week}

My father-in-law, Jack, was laid to rest yesterday.  Calling hours were held for 3 hours prior to the service, & there was a line the whole time.  What a testament to a life lived well serving others.

Looking back over this emotional week, I am thankful for so much:

Thankful that my Aunt Jackie & my mom dropped everything to come over when I needed to be with my husband & children as we said goodbye to Dad/Grandpa. 

Thankful for the way this family walked through this very difficult time loving each other.

Thankful for the text from my friend, Deb, letting me know she had my back with whatever we needed.  Boy, did she ever by watching our littlest babies for the whole day yesterday.  She even rocked my 12-passenger van...she is awesome-sauce.

Thankful for Cindy bringing us dinner.

Thankful for Grandpa helping with getting kiddos where they needed to be.

Thankful for Jaime, Kim, Cindy, Caley, Amy, & Jodi for bringing food to have available during calling hours.

Thankful for the cards & words of sympathy.

Thankful for Pastor Jeff.

Thankful to hear so many amazing stories of how Dad/Grandpa made a difference in so many lives.

Thankful for family & friends that came to love on us during a really hard time. 

Thankful for Kameryn's basketball coach & teammates that came to love & support my daughter.  Grandpa & Kam had a very special connection, so this has been an especially tough time for her.  I don't know exactly how heaven works, but I hope Grandpa was given a glimpse into this team tonight.  They worked so hard, & they brought home a win...the first opener they've won in a lot of years against a very talented team.  It literally came down to the wire, & we were only up by a point.  The other team's star player was driving in, & Kam stole the ball, got fouled, made a foul shot, & the clock ran out.  It was a bittersweet moment, knowing Grandpa would be so proud.  Thankful for the moments that make us smile again.

thankful {day 21...gratitude in grief}

These last couple days since Joe's dad's passing have been emotional.  It's amazing how that level of emotion can really wipe you out.

Today, I am thankful to the people that are stepping into that gap to hold us up & help us keep walking through this.  My father-in-law's service AND calling hours will be on Friday.  It will be a long day.  When we realized just how long, my brother-in-law asked if I could organize some snack-type foods being brought in so the family could have a place to retreat to for some sustenance & a break (Jack impacted many people, so public calling hours are 3 hours long, with the service immediately following).  Great idea, but I almost buckled at the thought of trying to find people able to help the day after Thanksgiving.

Enter another moment I am thankful for access to social media.  I put our need on FB.  Within a few hours...Done.  It's taken care of.  Not only that, an awesome friend sent me a text a few days ago wanting to help, & without hesitation, is caring for our littlest babes since it would be difficult (read: impossible) for them to make it through those many hours.  What a gift.

I have cried a lot today.  Tears of grief.  Tears of joy.  Tears of relief.  I pray I always remember the importance of gestures of caring & kindness, no matter how big or small.  They truly matter, they truly bless, & I am truly thankful.

thankful {day 19...in the midst of grief}

I was preparing another thankful post for today, but it needs to wait.  Today became a day that will be etched in our hearts & minds forever.

Today, my beautiful, ornery, loving father-in-law left this earth.

This is a day it is hard to feel thankful, but these things I know & pray they are the things that bring comfort in days to come:

I am thankful to have called this man family.

I am thankful for the example he gave for loving others, & the legacy he has left in the way his children & grandchildren seek to love others.

I am thankful that many family members, including our older children, had the opportunity to be together with him to say goodbye.

I am thankful that I "listened" to the inner voice that nudged me to drop in yesterday on my way home from being out of town.  I am so, so, so thankful that I told him I loved him.

I am thankful that he is no longer struggling to breathe.

I am thankful that he loved the Lord.

While it is hard to feel thankful in the midst of grief, I am thankful for these things.  I can only hope at the end of my days, there are those that are thankful that I have lived & impacted their lives the way he has done for so many.

His lord said unto him, "Well done, good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will set thee over many things; enter thou into the joy of thy lord."

~ Matthew 25:21

I would be blessed by your prayers for our family as we travel this unfamiliar road in the days ahead.

thankful {day 16}

Well, I am thankful that I can change my plans & not post every day.  Yesterday was just one of those days!  I figure some of you might have needed a little break from me anyway. ;o)

Today, I am also thankful to have HAD a mammogram.  As in, DONE.  Mission accomplished.  Ouch.  Major ouch.  DONE.  We are so blessed to have preventative health care, but dude, who made this up??  With all the advances to technology, how can we not have figured out an easier way?  This is my second one, & it all came back to me in a hurry.  And I consider myself to have a fairly high pain tolerance.  Ok, I know I'm supposed to remain thankful, so I shall quit the whining already.  But really, owie! :(

Seriously, though, if you have been putting off a mammogram, go do it.  Do it for yourself...do it for the people that love you! 

thankful {day 14...the half that makes me whole}

I've already mentioned before that I am thankful for my husband & the hard work he does.  But today, I am thankful for all that he is in our marriage.  We are a team in all things...the good, the bad, & the ugly.  We embarrass our children with our smooching in the kitchen, & on the days we may not like each other, we choose to love each other.  We share our hopes, dreams, disappointments, & hurts, & I am thankful.

This all comes up today because Joe is coming home after being gone over a week.  While I am perfectly capable of running things (I even changed the smoke detector batteries!), I realize just how much I appreciate knowing we can count on each other & live life together.  Today, I took all 4 little ones to Kade's basketball scrimmage.  Again, I am perfectly capable & we got along just fine, but I missed being there with my husband.  We so enjoy watching our children in their activities together, & his presence would have been especially helpful when Kendi's beautiful, loud voice announced to all present that she needed to go POTTY!   Speaking of Her Highness...

And Miss Thing, too....

This is actually at the basketball scrimmage.  The stage in the auditorium is also the basketball court, so we chose the front corner where the floor isn't sloped & we were close to the doors to the hallway/bathroom.  These girlies held their own...between coloring, potty trips, & hollering (loudly) for the team, it was a busy day!

Praying Joe arrives home safely so we can get back to the business of being a team.

thankful {day 13}

Right this very moment, I am thankful it's bed time.  Not naming names, but a couple of two-year-olds were going above & beyond their mischief quota.  *ahem*  On the up side, they managed to end the day in the same sets of under pairs & pants that they started with.  Just remaining in a thankful frame of mind, here.

I was also thankful for a few unexpected snowflakes, which naturally inspired an impromptu cookie-baking session complete with Christmas music (couldn't help myself!).

Hope you are enjoying some quiet moments to count your blessings today, too. :o)

thankful {day 12...a recipe}

Today, I am thankful to have found yet another crock pot recipe.  This one was even a hit with my crazy-picky 13-yr-old son.  No, seriously, he had 2 plates of it, which makes me happy, happy, happy.  I found this recipe on www.skinnytaste.com & am in the process of pinning more of her recipes because they look good AND good for you (shhhhh...please don't tell Kade).  Also, this was the best kind of recipe in that you throw everything in the crock pot & turn it on.  I did cook on low for the 10 hours, but the meat was ready to shred after 8.  I was actually glad I checked b/c that way it could really soak up the flavors once shreddded.  The only "tweaks" I made were that I used more chicken (probably closer to 2.5 lbs b/c I didn't want it to be too wet), & I used a 10 oz can of tomatoes/green chilies (Rotel) instead of 14.4 oz.  She suggested more scallions for garnish, but I preferred cilantro.  The kids liked theirs over tortilla chips, but we had ours over some cilantro-lime rice.

Crock Pot Santa Fe Chicken

1 1/2 lbs. chicken breast

14.4 oz can diced tomatoes & green chilies

15 oz can black beans

8 oz frozen corn

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

14.4 oz can fat free chicken broth

3 scallions, chopped

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp cayenne pepper (to taste)

salt to taste

Combine chicken broth, beans, corn, tomatoes, cilantro, scallions, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, cayenne pepper and salt in the crock pot. Season chicken breast with salt and lay on top. Cook on low for 10 hours or on high for 6 hours. Half hour before serving, remove chicken and shred. Return chicken to slow cooker and stir in. Adjust salt and seasoning. Serve over rice or tortilla chips.  Garnish with shredded Mexican blend cheese, light sour cream, & fresh cilantro, if desired.

thankful {day 11...undone}

I am thankful for this day!  I am thankful for everything I got accomplished, but even more thankful for the things I didn't.

I didn't do a stitch of laundry, but I did hang out with my kiddos.

I didn't go to the rec center to cross train today, but are these not the cutest personal trainers ever?

I didn't get any yard work done, but we did start putting Christmas lights on the bushes. Oh, my goodness, who knew the kids would be so excited just watching me untangle the mess of lights? And then being my helpers was even more mind-boggling. ;)

I didn't make a gourmet dinner.  Actually, I didn't get dinner started on time, so after digging around in the cupboards, I found a few packages of ramen noodles.  Umm, I never make these...I keep them on hand for a salad that I make, but tonight, we were making do.  Well, I am thankful that upon tasting said noodles, the little ones gave me hero status for this delicacy & wanted to know if Daddy knows how to make them. 

I am thankful that on days like this, it's even ok to put your elbows on the table.

thankful {day 10}

Today, I am thankful for the beautiful sunshine & warm temps we got to enjoy.  I am thankful that I completed my 8-mile run in preparation for a 15K I'm signed up for even though the course turned out to be really brutal challenging.  I am thankful for a pizza picnic in the living room in our comfies, & for ibuprofen (just keepin' it real).

And, seriously, who couldn't be thankful for these smiles?

thankful {day 9...my girls)

Today I am thankful for my older girls.  The younger kiddos tend to get plenty of mention b/c they are full of silly shenanigans are so darn cute, but today it's about my "big" girls.

Awhile back, Kearsten began "coffee Fridays" & would pick up a coffee treat on her way home from her teaching field experience.  That pumpkin spice yumminess hit the spot today!  I am thankful she is so thoughtful & indulges me like that!

I am thankful for the times during the week that Kaelee just stops by to see us.  The little girls are like magnets to her the minute she walks in the door.  I just enjoy watching them & getting to chat.  Today, I was especially thankful for her impromptu visit b/c it was just about lunch time, & our cupboards are pretty bare!  She hung out with the girls while I grabbed some lunch, & then we all got to eat together.  Some unexpected Friday fun!

Speaking of the cupboards being bare...I have been working on the mother of all shopping lists.  When Kam saw it on the counter this morning, she OFFERED to do the shopping trip.  Huh?  I assured her that I had mentally prepared for getting it done this morning.  Nope.  She said she wanted to, & when Kaya protested b/c she was stoked about our outing, Kam told her she could just go along.  I am so thankful for her sweet heart & the effort all three of the older girls make to have such special relationships within the family.

So tonight, Kam, Kaya, & two of Kam's good friends were headed out to restock the cupboards.  In the 12 passenger, no less.  How cute are they?

I am very, very thankful for these beautiful daughters that are growing up way too fast, thank you very much.

thankful {day 8}

‎'Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow.'

-Melody Beady

This has been one of "those days" where thankful just didn't come real easy.  It's not that anything super bad happened; I guess it just felt like it was a track meet.  But then a friend shared this quote, & I took a nice deep breath.  While I didn't get to everything that needed gettin' to, I didn't forget anybody anywhere, I got my run in, our bellies are full, & I am most thankful to be in my jammies. :o)

thankful {day 7...politically speaking}

Anybody else happen to notice that there's reaction to last night's election...well, like, in your face if you choose to tune into any type of media?  Yikes...some of it (most) is downright ugly.  And hateful.

Honestly, it's taken me a lot of years to find a peaceful place where I realize that my HOPE is NOT in man.  I'm not just talking about the presidency, here.  I'm talking about being hired for jobs.  Being approved for something.  Being told I made the team.  The list goes on.

My husband & I have experienced our fair share of heartbreak, disappointment, & fear over the years.  I can remember moments of literal sobbing at the unfairness of it all.  I've thought the ugly thoughts about others involved.  I've felt the self-righteous feelings that come when you're just sure that you have been cheated & those people making the decisions are clueless.  So people, do not think for one minute this is me being self-righteous.  At. All.

This is me humbly acknowledging my past moments of not seeing God in the midst, but instead turning ugly towards others, hurling blame at their "stupidity".  It kind of reminds me of some of what I saw first thing on FB this morning.  I was so sad to see how nasty some people were.  I could see myself once upon a time (geez, maybe even recently...ouch). 

But looking back over the different seasons of confusion, I see God all over the place, & I am thankful.  I am thankful that God is God, & that sometimes His answers to prayers are "no".  It is hard to see from this angle.  But my hope is not in one man.  My hope is in Him.  I trust that His perspective is way better than the small window I am privy to.

So, people can keep hurling ugly at each other if they choose.

But I choose to trust God & know that there will never be someone that is able to please everyone b/c as humans, perfection is impossible.

I choose to acknowledge that the injustices of the world do not fall on one man's shoulders.

I choose to be constructive, not destructive.

I choose to look for ways I can use my gifts & passions to be an encouragement & make a difference.

I think the best thing I saw on FB this morning came from Kam's government teacher, Dr. Siracuse:

"Woke up just as blessed to be an American today as yesterday."

True dat.  I have seen what life is like in other countries, & I am thankful to live here.  And for the record in case you've read this whole thing trying to figure out where I stood in this election, I thought both candidates had positives to bring to the table as well as weaknesses.  Ultimately, I have prayed the Lord's will be done, & I will continue to look to Him for guidance on the things I can change in my own life to make this world a better place.

“Be the change that you wish to see in the world.”  ~ Gandhi

thankful {day 6}

Oh my goodness, today I am thankful for SUNSHINE!!!  It has been so dreary in these parts as we experienced bits of Hurricane Sandy.  It's quite chilly (the weather channel said it felt like 19 degrees when I headed out to run this morning!), but it's so pretty & crisp.

It was also a beautiful morning to head out & vote!  I am thankful we live in a country with the freedom to have an opinion.  I am thankful for the opportunities we have as Americans...opportunities to pursue education, careers of our choice, religion of our choice.  I will never forget sitting with a room full of teenage girls in Ethiopia with Kameryn, & when they were given the opportunity to ask questions, the first one to Kam was, "What do you GET TO study in school?"  It is so easy to take for granted the opportunities we have to experience so many things.  Speaking of, I am thankful that we get to go watch Kameryn play in a basketball scrimmage tonight, which will be the first game of her final high school season. *sniff*  Can't believe she is a senior!

Hope you are have a blessed day!

P.S.  I must share a little funny from Kaya that I posted on FB last night:  "Tomorrow for preschool we are supposed to wear red, white, & blue. We are learning about the United States, & tomorrow people are voting....and I'm O'Vock Obama, & I approve this message."  I do believe I will also be thankful that we don't need to hear political ads after today so that we can go back to reciting song lyrics or something! lol

thankful {day 5}

Today, I am thankful for the worldwide web giving me access to new recipes.

 

I was feeling pretty happy to have dinner going in the crock pot...lasagna, of all things!  I know, right?  Lasagna in the crock pot!!  But seriously, I have been in a recipe rut, so it was nice to try something new, & it really does make me feel good when I have dinner going for my family.

 

I must say I was pretty skeptical.  Maybe that's why I pinned this on pinterest almost a whole year ago & am just now trying it.  Ya, that's the reason.  Go with it.

 

I got the recipe here, so you can go check out the original, but I will share what I did.

 

 

Crock Pot Lasagna

 

2 lbs. Ground Beef

2-29 oz Cans Tomato Sauce

1/2 Large Onion, Chopped

Garlic, To Taste

Italian Seasoning, To Taste

3 Cups Ricotta Cheese

1/2 Cup Parmesan Cheese

6 Cups Mozzarella Cheese (Approx.)

8 oz. Lasagna Noodles (Regular, not oven ready), UNCOOKED

 

Sauce:  Brown ground beef, onion, & garlic; drain grease.  Add tomato sauce & seasoning.

 

Cheese Mixture:  Mix ricotta, parmesan, & 2 cups of mozzarella.

 

Alternate layers of sauce, noodles (break them up to fit in single layer covering sauce...may want safety goggles for this step...lol! Those suckers can splinter, for real!), cheese mixture, & enough mozzarella cheese to fill in the spaces the cheese mixture doesn't fill.  I got three full layers out of this, finishing with sauce on top (so 4 layers of sauce). 

 

Cook on low heat for 4 hours.  Sprinkle with additional mozzarella cheese & let stand for 10 minutes with the lid off before serving.

 

This made a lot.  A whole lot.  So, if you don't have an army to feed or have a smaller crock pot, I would definitely halve my ingredients.  I was really glad I "doctored" the sauce (the original recipe calls for just sauce & meat).  As it was, I was wishing I had added a bit more seasoning or even some turkey Italian sausage for some zip.  But the overall verdict was....YUMMY!  Easy, yummy comfort food, for sure.  I will definitely make this one again & am thinking I now need to start trying some of the other recipes I have pinned. :o) 

 

Do you have a go-to crock pot recipe?  If so, PLEASE do share!  I would be most thankful to add more recipes to my repertoire.

thankful {day 4...an orphan no more}

Today is Orphan Sunday.  I am thankful that the Lord has brought us together with four beautiful children that have filled a special place in our hearts & family that was created by God that only they could fill.

It is hard to believe that at this time last year, Kemeri Abigail was still in an orphanage so very far away as we did everything we could to keep the paperchase moving along.

Today, I am thankful she is home.  I am thankful for EVERY SINGLE PERSON that helped bring her home through prayer or financially.  In case you don't know the story, we received LOA way sooner than is normal, so suddenly we found ourselves within a couple months of travel, but short on funding.

We could not figure out what was going on, but it is said that God loves showing up in the impossible so that He gets the glory.  And show up He did.  Through a simple request on FB for people to join "Team Hendershott", God showed up through person after person after person.  It was one of the most amazing, beautiful things I have ever been a part of.  God's heart is for the orphan.  And His goodness shines through people.  And He is glorified!

We now know that God totally knew what He was doing (as He always does).  Once Kemeri was home & we were meeting with specialists, we learned that she had come home none too soon.  We knew that she had some form of spina bifida, but what we didn't know was that her spinal cord was tethered.

Within 2 months of coming home, we found ourselves walking through a very major surgery with our new daughter.

We just recently had her follow-up MRI from surgery to see how things looked.  When her neurosurgeon put the images from before surgery & after side-by-side, I was floored.  While I had obviously seen the "before", I didn't really know what I was looking at since I had nothing to compare to.  But now I had the comparison....oh my word, the difference!  I really did not have a full understanding of just how tight her cord was being pulled, & her neuro said irreparable damage was a certainty if she had gone on without surgery for too long.

Instead, she becomes stronger every day.  She is no longer tripping every other step.  She can go up & down stairs.  She is continent.  We praise Him!!

While my heart is so thankful, there is also a piece that still breaks.  It breaks for the millions of children that wait for medical care that is so readily available to us.  It breaks because beyond any physical need they have, an orphan's greatest need is to be part of a family.  We hear so often people say, "That's such a good thing you are doing."  Let me assure you again...

Parenting children is a privilege.  While it is not always easy, I can honestly say that being able to walk with Kemeri on this road to physical health & emotional healing has been an honor.  Watching her blossom is so special!  Being the ones she looks to for love, courage, strength, comfort, & encouragement is a gift.  She is an amazing, brave little girl that brings to life that He brings beauty from ashes.

I am thankful to be her mom.

thankful {day 3}

I am thankful for Saturdays.

Not that Saturdays are any less busy than weekdays, but they bring about a different busy from the normal weekday gigs.

On this particular Saturday, I got to sleep in until 6:45.  Yes, that is sleeping in.  I also got to enjoy my run in the light of day instead of dark o'clock.  (And today's run was a 7-miler, which I am thankful to be able to say I did!)

This Saturday also gave the little girls & I the opportunity to go watch Kaelee's cheer squads do a final run-thru for their big competition tomorrow, which as you can imagine, is a rockin' good time for the girlies.  The relationships our children have with each other & the way they are involved with each others' lives is such a blessing.

And on this Saturday, Daddy's chocolate chip cookies are cooling on the counter (well, the ones that haven't already been gotten into), the kids did their drawing for the sibling Christmas exchange, & we love us some college football, especially watching the Buckeyes kickin' some booty.

Yep, I am very thankful for Saturdays.

thankful {day 2}

It's not yet noon, & I have already found myself thankful for a couple of things.  First, I am thankful for my husband & his willingness to work hard to provide for our family.  I am also thankful that while he works outside the home, he is always validating my position as a stay-home mom.  This morning while I was running the boys to school, he was tidying up the kitchen so I wouldn't have to face that first thing.  We are a team in all things, & I truly am thankful, especially when I am feeling a bit under the weather.

Which brings me to the other thing I am thankful for.  We have had "the yuck" going through the house, & it finally caught me.  While I am not a fan of a sore throat & stuffy head, I found myself feeling very thankful for our very low-key morning.  The girls are still in their jammies, we have nowhere to go, & they seem to know Mommy isn't feeling great.  I am thankful for time to just sit.  Literally.  I was just sitting on the floor, & pretty soon I had 3 little girls brushing my hair.  LOVE having my hair brushed.  Kaya & Kendi began pretending to go to the store for me, but Kemeri felt there was more tending to Mommy to be done.  Bless her heart, she was covering me, "wiping" my nose, doing my nails, & more hair brushing.

I am reminded that God works for good in all things, even a crappy cold.

30 days of thankful

Begin the new month on the right foot, beloved:

"Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise."  ~Psalm 100:4

A friend just posted this on FB (thanks, Katie!), & it convicted me of something that was on my heart this morning.  This is a month to focus on thankfulness...really, every day of every month we should focus on God's goodness, but this month carries a significance that is universal among Americans.

So here's the plan:

Each day, I'd like to focus on something I am thankful for.  EACH.DAY.  That means 30 days of blogging, & 30 days of not being so consumed with those things that can easily derail us from having a heart filled with gratitude.  Some days may be simple, some days may be extravagant, but in every day there are things to be thankful for, so I am committing these November days to sharing my blessings.  Let's face it...some days, thankfulness is a choice, & we may have to really focus to find it.  But just as running has been a good discipline to get back into for my physical health, I believe this discipline will be good for my soul.

Today, I will go with the obvious.  I am thankful that Jesus is Lord & that my every day has hope because of Him.  I am thankful that He sees in me things I cannot often see in myself, and He chooses to use this life & that He loves me.

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

I've never said much on here about comments, but I would love to hear from you this month (well, actually, I love to hear from people anytime!).  Please feel free to share what you are thankful for, what's on your heart, or just say "hi!".  I would be quite thankful to connect! :o)