more gifts...
so I pull out my childhood Bible (I actually like the version better) and it opens to Colossians 3. And in my 12 year old hand-writing, there are notes in the margin - and these are the 4 words CIRCLED on the page...
thankful
thankfulness
giving thanks
thanksgiving

for the Peace of Christ to rule in your heart, for unity, for the word of Christ to dwell richly in us - whatever I do in word or deed - should be done giving thanks.

Chapter 4 starts that we are to devote ourselves to prayer - (get this) keeping ALERT in it with an attitude of - (you can guess the next part) - an attitude of thanksgiving.

A choice. A choice to be thankful.

The results. unity. peace.

53. holding a new baby
54. true intimacy
55. rainy days
56. time with girlfriends
57. laughter and tears
58. roast beef sandwiches on sale
59. the right song at the right time
60. a day off school
61. words of bloggers who chase God and encourage me to do the same
62. date night
63. a husband who loves me
64. beating "the boss" in Mario Bros with my sons screaming and cheering for me
65. sleeping late
66. new friends
67. little boy snuggles
68. our homebuilders group
69. friends I can be transparent with
70. burning 10 years of documents - washing it go to ash
71. books that inspire me
72. a day that holds little expectations of me - one where "nothing" really HAS to be done
73. teaching my boys to clean their own toilet
74. same boys fighting over who gets to wipe up the urine
75. did I mention laughter?
76. Gracie who made 45 valentines for my kids so I did not have to
77. flowers from my valentine
78. a chiro visit that helped my throbbing headache
79. hot fries made for the neighborhood boys
80. Andrew playing with his "pencil people"
81. a morning of actually feeling well - a chiro visit, a run, a massage
82. SOS message that called me to scoop up my middle schooler and bring him home
83. quiet moments in the car
84. Blake & Poppy's friendship
85. Sophie's successful tonsil surgery
86. fabulous weather - cloudless, sunny 73 degrees
87. God moving my heart to a new place
88. relationships with people I can be real with
89. the book "radical"
90. the book "1000 gifts"
91. the book "simply organized"
92. thankful for hope in a new way of living
93. thankful for Blake getting to go shoot by himself with his Poppy
94. my phone calendar that syncs my life with my computer and my husband
95. little boy giggles early in the am
96. car rides with my hubbie
97. sound of my kids singing "this is the day" on the way to school
98. my sister
99. my parents
100. my in-loves (laws)
101. unexpected visit and time with my brother and sister in law
102. opportunity to help with a wedding
103. selling stuff on Craig's list
104. dinner with my friend
105. a house all to myself