Monday, November 8, 2010

overflowing with gratitude

111. Encouraging conversations via text with a faraway friend, celebrating God's faithfulness even in the midst of difficult circumstances.
112. Attending Breakaway for the first time and getting to hear Afshin Ziafat speak.
113. A fun morning at U Paint It with a friend from church.
114. That Lina's surgery went so well! She is already heading home (much earlier than expected)!
115. Living in a country where I have the privilege and the right to vote, without fear of persecution.
116. Late night visits with my dear friends, one night shivering over the ice cream we were crazy enough to eat, another night laughing over a stupid movie.
117. Cool weather = scarves and boots! (I mean, for Texas it's cool. But oh-so-lovely.) And. warm, cozy pajamas and lots of blankets to fall asleep under.
118. That my church is intentional about caring for orphans, both locally and around the world.
119. Laughter of children
120. The reminder that no matter the circumstance, no matter the trial, no matter how bogged down by sin we may be, as Christians, "our hope...is not a what, but a Who. The hope we wait for, our only hope, is the 'blessed hope -- the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ' (Titus 2:13) . . . It's all about Jesus."* What may seem utterly impossible -- what may BE utterly impossible for man -- is ENTIRELY possible with God. "Therefore...let us also lay aside every weight, and the sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God."** Hallelujah!

* Joni Eareckson Tada, "A Lifetime of Wisdom" (I highly, highly, highly recommend this book!)

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