busy, busy week

The beauty of the cross is that there's One who has redeemed my soul

The beauty of the cross is that I'm finally free and letting go

The beauty of the cross is that Your grace has found me just as I am.

Beauty of the Cross - Jeff Johnson

261. Loving this music!

262. A quick visit to see extended family in Tennessee; so thankful for the opportunity to see my grampa one more time.

263. Awakening to the chirping of birds outside my window.

264. Beautiful spring weather.

265. A quick Sunday afternoon nap beside an open window.

266. The sound of my neighbors' kids playing.

267. Spending my lunch break with a wonderful friend from church, who is also my newest coworker :)

268. An evening playing games at a coffee shop with friends.

269. An especially fun night of bingo at the assisted living home.

270. A belated Valentine's Day party with my dear friends, watching this favorite movie.

Valentine's gratitude

I've found a love greater than life itself

I've found a hope stronger and nothing compares

I once was lost now I'm alive in You!

(Love Came Down)

We love because He first loved us.

(I John 4:19)

So, so much to be thankful for on this Valentine's Day.

251. The amazing, incredible, awesome way God worked out all the details for me and Paul to sublet our apartment and move into our new duplex.

252. Our duplex, with its yard. and attic. and doorbell. and windows. and space. and everything about it that makes us so excited to live here :)

253. The generosity of several wonderful people from church who donated furniture to the couple from Spain who sublet our apartment.

254. Friends who gave up their evening to help us move.

255. A birthday dinner for a friend.

256. The opportunity to serve coffee with coworkers at a benefit concert for a family in need.

257. A movie night with friends.

258. Discovering another kindred spirit.

259. A beautiful afternoon, and time spent under a tree reading through I John.

260. Spending Valentine's evening with girls from church, enjoying a wonderful meal cooked by one of the elders and remembering that "this is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins." (1 John 4:10)

loving life

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights...

James 1:17

211. A fun evening hanging out with friends after a wonderful church service.

212. The first Lifegroup meeting of the year; so good to be back together again.

213. Tuesday night Bingo at the assisted living home with Samuel, Bunny, and friends from church.

214. Baking cupcakes with Willin and Jubilee.

215. The gift of friendship...so grateful for long-time friends; thoroughly enjoying meeting new friends.

216. That my ice skates were able to be repaired (so that I don't have to buy new ones!).

217. This lovely book, which I am currently rereading.

218. A conversation with TGIGM.

219. Watching this fantastic movie again.

220. Hanging out with Paul, Sabrina, Everly, and Birdie at a local coffeeshop.

oh, what a week...

201. Ice skating TWICE last week!

202. A good, honest conversation with a friend.

203. Finally having time to clean/organize the back room at work (now if we can just KEEP it this clean/organized!).

204. Dinner at Blue Baker with friends from church.

205. Watching Sleeping Beauty for the first time ever :)

206. Getting to eat leftover pizza at Eyrie Park.

207. Having a new, fresh week ahead of me (and being able to put last week behind me)!

208. Nicknames.

209. The reminder, however painful, of how very much I need God's grace and mercy, and the fact that "if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9)

210. This very timely article.

But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness. "The LORD is my portion," says my soul,"therefore I will hope in Him." Lamentations 3:21-24

such a good week

181. Lots of fun opportunities recently to hang out with friends from church.

182. An afternoon spent driving around with a friend, finishing up Christmas errands.

183. New rubber boots!

184. Unexpectedly meeting up with my dear friends whilst Christmas shopping and getting to spend several hours together.

185. Reading this new book (or rather, the first of these two) by a crackling fire.

186. Going to the midnight showing of True Grit.

187. Taking my 12-year-old cousin to play bingo at an assisted living home in town with friends from church.

188. A wonderful new coat, just in time for cold weather (which finally showed up, after we hit the 80s last week).

189. A low-key Christmas, spent with my brother and my "Texas family". Don't think I've ever gotten to sleep in on Christmas before; 'twas lovely!

190. The crazy, amazing, gloriously awesome way that God has worked throughout all history to bring about redemption. (Check out this and this!)

of gratitude and mostly Christmasy sorts of things

161. Homemade Christmas cards (though I'm questioning my sanity in deciding to do this...I am so not crafty but am very much a perfectionist. Dangerous combination.)

162. Lunch with a friend from my Bible study.

163. A day of [forced] rest... Though it would have been preferable to have not been sick, I clearly needed a day of doing nothing but drinking tea, laying on the couch, and watching Pride and Prejudice.

164. So excited about Heartline's new teen mom home; also super excited to get together with other women from my church to shop for one the rooms in this new home!

165. This Christmas album, which has quickly become one of my favorites and which I've had on repeat for the past several days.

166. An afternoon outing to see The Voyage of the Dawn Treader with my Texas family.

167. An evening at the theatre watching a local production of White Christmas with friends from church.

168. My second year of celebrating Saint Lucia's Day with my Texas family.

169. The comfort (and thrill) of knowing that God places certain people and situations in my life for a purpose, even though it often doesn't make sense to me. It's neat to look back and see how this has been true in the past while realizing that it certainly must be true in the present as well.

170. Christmas lights.

ever so thankful

61. The opportunity to make a quick trip to Houston to have lunch with my dad while he was in town for a business meeting.

62. A wonderful Sunday of fellowship with my Life Group, dear friends, and at church.

63. my new Lesley Gore pandora station. I anticipate this being the soundtrack to much future baking.

64. Fun with coworkers painting mugs during our store party.

65. Trying out new recipes!

66. Sunday afternoon book study with Sabrina and Everly

67. Perfect tea-drinking weather (so far today I've had two cups of Earl Grey and one cup of Vanilla Rooibus...mmm!)

68. Texts from friends, keeping me accountable about spending time in God's Word

69. Julie and Julia movie night with Sabrina, Everly, and Birdie

70. A phone call from my brother in Haiti while he was at Notre Maison; I was able to get an update on "my" baby (she's doing very well and can sit up on her own now!).

fifty-one to sixty

51. Cooler weather (the high today is only 79, and it's a beautiful 58 degrees out at the moment!)

52. The ability to laugh at myself

53. That God can and does use even me (yeah, crazy!) to accomplish His purposes for His glory--in spite of my ignorance and ineptitude!

54. Multiple opportunities recently to share the reason for the Hope that is in me

55. That even though I wish I myself were in Haiti, I can at least read stories from those who are.

56. Girl time with the lovely Sabrina, Everly, and Birdie which involved chocolate (of course) and finally getting to watch Letters to Juliet again.

57. This book, which Sabrina, Everly, and I used for our summer book study (though summer has turned into fall and we still have a final meeting left).

58. Swinging in the twilight on a cool autumn evening.

59. That I have no guilt in life, no fear in death (this is the power of Christ in me) / From life's first cry to final breath, JESUS COMMANDS MY DESTINY!

60. For my "Texas family", my church, several of my coworkers, my "flogos" Bible study group -- all those God has put in my life who encourage me and challenge me to grow in my faith and in my walk with Him.

A thankful heart

The unthankful heart discovers no mercies; but the thankful heart will find, in every hour, some heavenly blessings.
-- Henry Ward Beecher

31. I watched The Sound of Music last week for the first time since I was a child. Loved the movie growing up, love it even more now!

32. Big powerful thunderstorms.

33. Wonderful time spent assisting my dear chef friend Sabrina make fajitas on a blustery afternoon.

34. My first close as a shift supervisor went way better and more smoothly than I'd expected, thanks to having great coworkers. I cannot express the immense relief of having made it through this "first"!

35. Oatmeal chocolate chip cookie dough

36. A long-overdue meeting with Sabrina and Everly for our book study

37. A super-cute and sweet card from Birdie

38. Proof that chivalry does still exist.

39. Lots of opportunities this week to bake!

40. For God's "comfort in affliction", and for reminders from several sources of how to minister to those who are suffering.

(1-10) (11-20) (21-30)

21-30

(1-10) (11-20)

21. Encouraging cards (of both the electronic and the paper variety) from dear friends, and unexpected but encouraging phone calls

22. Our very own wireless internet at our apartment (no more huddling by the window trying to catch the one non-password-protected network near our building!); seriously, it is a beautiful thing to be able to sit at my desk and type this!

23. French-pressed Anniversary Blend

24. A lovely Sunday afternoon of cookies and movie-watching with Paul, Everly, and Birdie.

25. My rearranged (and currently quite clean) room; there's just something therapeutic about changing the layout of my room from time to time (yes, I am strange).

26. Prayers of friends, and their patience with me in all of my emotional ups and downs

27. Surviving (andsurprisinglymostlyenjoying) week one of (sort of) being a shift supervisor at work

28. The anticipation of new-to-me old books coming soon in the mail, wrapped in brown paper and tied with a string (how fun is that!)

29. The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness. "The LORD is my portion," says my soul, "therefore I will hope in Him." (Lamentations 3:22-24)

30. 23 years with my wonderful, selfless, giving, loving, amazing, beautiful, godly, incredible mother, who is now in heaven with Jesus