Thankful Thursday

Linking up with Cami at Thankful Thursday

"Every day brings a chance for you to draw in a breath, kick off your shoes, and dance"  Oprah Winfrey

The week has flown by. Each day has been a gift. I've spent a lot of time running in the woods and writing. I'm grateful I'm alive....I'm grateful for everything I've been given. This week I'm thankful for...

-nature.....I've been in the woods a lot....hiking..... running.... climbing the mountains.....standing at the top edge......breathing in the joy of just being alive. 
-Birds...they're all back...the blueys (herons), cardinals, swallows, nuthatchers and others.I love watching them. There's something about birds that makes my heart sing.
-turtles.....tons of them sunbathing on logs as if it really is summer.
-the awesome feedback from N. and W. and J.R. after they read my book. Their words remind me how much I want to shine hope and also walk gently b/c no one knows what someone else is going through. You can't usually tell just by looking at them.  
-mostly for the touch of His gentleness.

Thankful Thursday

Linking with Cami at Thankful Thursday

"I want to thank you, Lord, for life and all that's in it. Thank you for the day and for the hour, and the minute. " Maya Angelou

Maybe it's the beautiful weather.....or the awesome sounds of nature coming alive. Or maybe it's that we're leaving to Europe in less than two weeks.  I'm not sure exactly.... but lately...every day I wake up feeling this overwhelming urge to dance and run. 

Happiness.....it's in those everyday moments...the little things that make up for all the yuck stuff. An unexpected visit from a friend I haven't seen in ages......a guy in the store jumping to my aid when I can't lift the bag of earth......a warm smile from a stranger......
This week I'm thankful for......

-Earth smells....Starting to scrape away winter from the yard.....being outside....breathing in the soil awakens my senses to the awesomeness of life.
-seeing our first blueheron....a true sign of the end of winter. We went wild....hooting and hollering. The bird glanced at us like we were crazy. Another family came by and we passed our excitement onto them until they were all cheering with us.  
-got the tickets for our trip. We've even started packing. It's beginning to feel real.....we're actually going to Europe....yeahhh.
-writing.....had two articles accepted by two magazines.  
-mostly....for His love that always gives me courage to live my best life.....

Thankful Thursday

Linking up with Cami..at.Thankful Thursday

"There are victories of the soul and spirit. Sometimes even if you lose, you win" Eli Wiesel

I've been thinking a lot....about people and life and things. Life can sometimes be so complex. Why do some things that look like they're moving forward all of a sudden stop midway......other things that I hardly give a second glance at.....snap together perfectly and with ease.  Just when i think I've figured something out.....everything shifts and moves and leaves me scratching my head. 

Winning doesn't always look like I pictured. Sometimes the win is in my heart....the acceptance inside....and the work He's done that's pushed me to live calmer...more trusting.  I'm grateful this week for....

-all life lessons...even the rough ones. (okay maybe not at the time....but later on)
-peace. It's funny how it's there even when things aren't going the way I think they should. It think it's His way of saying trust...I'm in this with you.
-my daughter did something I've never done....not even come close...she aced her math...got 100%
-had a long talk with my bank manager. Told her my story. Because I did....she shared what happened to her as a teen...sharing hope....it's the absolute best.
-mostly....knowing in my gut that His plans are way better than my puny ones.....and His come with awesome purposes. Because of knowing that....I'm kicking back and trusting no matter what.

Thankful Thursday

Linking up with Cami at Thankful Thursday

“When you get into a tight place and everything goes against you, till it seems as though you could not hold on a minute longer, never give up then, for that is just the place and time that the tide will turn.” Harriet Beecher Stowe

Things had gotten really messy......the negotiations between me and a friend. He wanted something different than what I wanted. We're both survivors and fighters. He fights one way...me another. But the one thing we couldn't do is deny that we really like each other and that there had to be a solution that was best for both of us.  We talked...more like he talked....my head spun.....both of us were wiped and no closer to coming to an agreement until......yesterday he accepted what I wanted. I accepted what he wanted. Boom. Done.

There were times in the negotiations that I wanted to throw my hands in the air and give up. He felt the same. It's like we were talking two different languages and couldn't understand the other. We prayed like crazy. Everyone I knew prayed like crazy. And then just like that the Son came out and shone light in our murkiness. I'm thankful for.....

-peace between 'F' and me...and that we've come to a workable solution.
-support....both online and in my world...people who believed in me and really rallied around to encourage and offer help.
-Everyday out running in the woods and feeling the wind in my hair.....and his whisper in my heart.
-working with my 11 year old to make a class project that I have no idea how to do. She made this electrical thing with working lights and moving parts. I mostly stood around and watched but afterwards she threw her arms around me and said 'thanks Ma for helping me.'
-mostly for His gentleness....There can be all kinds of crazy things happening but it's His gentle spirit that calms me inside and makes everything right.He gives me peace in the middle of crazy......and assurance in the middle of conflict.

Thankful Thursday

Linking with Cami Thankful Thursdays

"I know that what is moral is what you feel good after and what is immoral is what you feel bad after." Ernest Hemingway

I've learned a tough lesson. Not everyone who claims to be a believer acts morally, ethically or honestly. I trusted someone and he lied. And he used the Bible to prove his point and I fell for it. When I found out the truth..... 

At first I was confused....then upset...but the overwhelming support of family and good friends has been amazing. Because of them I'm choosing to let go and move forward. I'm thankful that........

-friends care enough to rally around and point me to a higher ground 
-What happened is only a blip in life....not horribly devastating that I can't bounce back from it.
-I've learned a lesson...okay it's been a tough one....but now I'm aware.....and won't fall for this again. Boy is it easy to be conned!
-my 16 yr old who witnessed all this said, Why aren't people more honest and kind. It would make the world so much nicer. I didn't know what to say. Later we went for a hike. We found a set of keys. Passing a house we asked a lady if she had lost them. She hadn't....but she jumped in her car and said let's go find the person. It was dark but she zipped around the area until finally she drove us home. She turned to us and said, one thing for sure about all of us, we really care about people. I looked at my daughter. Yep. He knew she needed to see kindness in action. 
-that He's a great amazing God no matter what!