Friday, February 18, 2011

Thankfulness: Feb 15-18

Well, it's getting hard to get on here daily and post my thankfulness! So, rather than stress myself out and feel badly about not posting daily (I mean really; I set the rules for this, so I can change them if I need to, right?), I will post at least once a week. I'll still try to post daily when I can, but I'm taking the pressure off myself. Phew.

this week I've been thankful for the way God gets us through storms. last week was a hard week for our church family; the church's former pastor and father of many in the church, including the current pastor, died. Many in his family fought colds and the flu last week, but all were healthy by the time his service started on Friday. All family and church family were able to attend, which was/is a necessary part of processing through the grieving process. The Lord healed everyone in time for that service.

This week, just about all that man's family as well as almost the entire church is sick with one illness or another. While we know that it most likely is a temporary discomfort for everyone, it does bring regularly scheduled life to a halt. I'm so thankful that the all-wise God saved us all from sickness last week. And, that He'll get everyone through this week's illnesses.

Monday, February 14, 2011

Thankfulness: Feb 12-14

This weekend and today, especially, I've been thankful for my Valentine.

Saturday, February 12, 2011

Thankfulness: January 28-February 12

As we're sitting on the couch, preparing to eat some nachos and catch up on CSI:NY, the Firefighter casually says, "So, you're about two weeks on your thankfulness blog. You know that, right?"
I do know that. The problem has been that so much has happened in these past two weeks that my attention was pulled away from my daily post about thankfulness. I still contemplated what I was thankful for each day, just didn't take the time to write it out. And because I've gradually become TWO WEEKS BEHIND, I didn't know how to catch up. So, the Firefighter, in his sage way, said "just do one catchup post". I said "how do I catch up on two weeks' worth of thankfulness?" and he said... "just be thankful for a thankfulness catchup post". and so, I am.

Thursday, January 27, 2011

Thankfulness: January 27

Today, I'm thankful that it's my birthday! It's always a day of celebration and time that I get to spend with my family.  Hurray for  birthday parties!

Thankfulness: January 26

Today  I am thankful for this promise:

Proverbs 18:10  "The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe."

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Thankfulness: January 25

There's a holiday this week. What, you didn't know about one? You aren't getting your festive decorations out, finishing your shopping, cooking up a storm? You haven't heard about it on the news, read about it in the papers? Well, maybe it's not the most well known holiday, but it certainly is a big one to me. it's my birthday this week. :) It's always such a fun day, full of family and good food, and very thoughtful gifts.


I've joined several e-clubs for restaurants in our area, and frequently receive coupons of some sort throughout the year. The biggest perk to e-clubs? The birthday coupons! This year, I have received coupons for FIVE- let me say it again- FIVE free meals at these different restaurants! How's that for making it even more fun to celebrate the big day?!

Last night we used one at Red Robin. We enjoy going there; there's always friendly service, the food's good, and it doesn't take long to get in, eat, and get out. Yesterday was a really cold day here in our great state, so most people scurried home after work to get their fires going and put another layer on. Did we do that? oh no. Instead we headed up the hill- to the windiest part of our city, might I add- to enjoy the first of many half price bills due to these coupons. The Firefighter and I had a great time eating, and had especially good service because there were only three tables occupied at the time. We were almost finished our meal when all of a sudden the waitstaff came marching through the restaurant, headed right for our table- and the line leader was carrying an ice cream sundae, complete with whipped cream and a cherry on top. I thought surely the Firefighter had told them it was my birthday, and they'd come over to sing the now-familiar birthday tune that each restaurant seems to think they must have in their repetoire. To my surprise, the Firefighter was as surprised as I! Apparently they'd figured out (not difficult) that it was my birthday month beacuse of the coupon I'd given our waiter. And instead of asking if we wanted dessert, they marched right over with my FREE ice cream sundae! Do you know how longit's been since a restaurant has given a free dessert for a birthday? A long, long time. There's a restaurant in my home town (well, in the next town over, but they're basically the same place) that gives a free sundae on your birthday. as I was an extra-special birthday gift to my aunt one yaer (I was born on her birthday), she and I always went to get our free sundaes on our birth day the whole time I lived at home. It was such a treat to get a (free) treat last night.

Today, I'm thankful for free sundaes. :)

Thankfulness: January 22-24

We had such a fun weekend. We spent Saturday playing laser tag then going out to eat (at a restaurant I've waited 10 years to eat at, no less!) with a great group of friends. then, we stopped in to see my parents for a cup of coffee...which turned into a great visit and then going out to supper. Sunday we spent the day with our church family. We went to a couple's house for lunch and the afternoon and had a great time getting to know each other better. I was thankful all weekend for such a diverse group of friends that surround us. They come from all walks of life, all political and religious persuasions, and yet we are all able to enjoy each other's company, free of any type of animosity for anything. It's a blessed life!

Friday, January 21, 2011

Thankfulness: January 20-21

Today I am thankful for this:

"The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.  And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross."  Colossians 1:15-20

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Thankfulness: January 18-19

Today I am thankful for our vehicle. Seriously. I don’t usually think to be thankful for them- I mean, I’m glad I have something to get me where I want to go, but I’ve never really appreciated them.




We have two vehicles, my Saturn and the Firefighter’s Jeep. The Saturn is the official Wondercar: it has over 300,000 miles on it and the body is still in (almost) perfect condition. It’s great on gas, it’s reliable, and it has a fantastic heater which is very important in Maine winters. The Saturn is the first and only vehicle I’ve ever bough, and it’s turned out to be a fantastic investment. We’re hoping to keep it going until it just can’t give any more.



The other vehicle is our Jeep. I never had experienced a four wheel drive vehicle before the Firefighter bought the Jeep before we were married…but I won’t be without 4WD again! We’ve gotten a lot of use out of that with the latest rash of snow storms we’ve had the past month. The Jeep is great for all our outdoorsy activities: it hauls our kayaks quite nicely, we fit all our camping gear in it. It’s the vehicle we use whenever anyone rides with us, so we’ve had lots of fun times and conversations there.



I’m thankful and appreciative of the two safe, reliable, and did I mention paid for??? vehicles that we have.

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Thankfulness: January 17

Today is my mom’s birthday. I really don’t think I’d be able to fully explain just how awesome Momm is. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve experienced what other people often talk about: how your mom becomes not just your mom, but also your friend. The Firefighter and I have been able to take a few trips with my parents over the past few years, and it’s so fun to just spend the time together, the four of us, enjoying each other as individuals, and not just in the parent/child relationship sense.




Mom is a Godly woman, a loving wife, a loving mother, a fantastic grandmother, a loyal friend, an honest opinion, a trusted confidant, a fun one to laugh with. She’s a good example of how to be all these things, and I’m so thankful I get to call her MY MOMM.

Thankfulness: January 18

Well, another snowstorm is blowing through our great state today. And with it comes cancellations, postponed activities, slippery roads, people spending more time at home. The Firefighter and I enjoyed a nice, quiet snow evening (instead of snow day), tucked into our warm home, nice and safe. I’m thankful for moments like this, when all the activities quietly halt, and for a few hours, life is focused on loved ones and contentment.

Thankfulness: January 16

Today I am thankful for the opportunity to have The Niece come stay with us for a few days. Or, as she said numerous times, “I am staying here for TWO NIGHTS”, and held up two little fingers to solidify just how many nights she’d be with us. We had the best time with her: we went sliding, we played with play dough, she took a bath (which she LOVES to do…I think it’s so she can play with bubbles), we spent lots of time cuddling, she watched Spongebob, we took her to church with us. She is such a smart little girl for her three and a half years. I think a lot of people say how smart their kid is, or their family children are, but she truly is smart. And quick witted, funny, clever, and always thinking and listening to what’s being said.




I am thankful for the time we got to enjoy her, learn more about her, and love on her.

Saturday, January 15, 2011

Thankfulness: January 15

The Firefighter and I spent most of yesterday with my grandparents on my Dad's side. I am so thankful that I still have grandparents; so many my age have already had to say goodbye to theirs. Sadly, we had to say goodbye to my Grampa Rogers almost two years ago, but memories of him are still very much alive.

 I'm not only thankful that I have grandparents still in my life, but that they are still all able to get out and around and being actively enjoying life.

My grandparents came to Augusta and met us there. We went shopping (for my birthday!), went out to lunch, then they came back to our house and brought a tool they had for the Firefighter..and while they were here, discovered our refrigerator doors needed to be fixed, so Grampa and the Firefighter fixed them while Grammie and I looked on. It was a wonderful time to visit and be together, just the four of us. They used to be an almost daily part of my life all growing up, but since I moved away from my home area I haven't been able to see them as often as I, or they, would like. It's always extra sweet when we are able to be together.

Thankfulness: January 13 & 14

We had a good old fashioned blizzard on the 13th! We got over 14" of snow here at the house. It was a true winter wonderland all across the state, and then the next day it was a sparkly, glittery world. Snow is so beautiful!

These days I was thankful for our safety on the roads to and from work and for the safety of those we love.  And, I am thankful for SNOW!

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Thankfulness: January 11 & 12

I have been thankful these past few days that God always knows what's going on, even when nobody else, not even one single other person, knows.

There's been a lot of upheaval in our lives these past few weeks in areas that are outside of our control. Areas that we can do nothing about, but have quite a bit of impact on us, both personally and professionally. It at times has been very unnerving, very sobering, even..dare I say it?...scary at times.  And we have been surrounded by people who are also affected by the upheaval, and they don't all have the same assurance of the One who really is in control. That unassurance has led to worry, frustration, even sometimes panic. And those things are very easy to "catch"! 

Thankfully, in the quiet moments, I have been able to refocus (theme here?) and remember that the Lord, the Creator of this world that sees so much uncertainty and change, has the ultimate authority, and will only allow things to happen if they are within His will. And gradually, the reminder from those quiet moments begins to spread to other, more hectic, moments, and eventually that reminder became a banner of all the hours of my days. It was as if a sign had been posted for me to continually see that said, "I know what I am doing. You just need to rest and trust".  And so, I am.

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Our Christmas Card

This year we decided to make our first ever photo Christmas card. It was SO much fun!  We even got our kitty in on the project. :) She was pretty into having her picture taken, and we had probably an hourlong photo shoot. Then...we realized our photo quality wasn't high enough for our card. NO! So, we had Night Two photoshoot- and the kitty was less than impressed that she had to sit through it yet again. Poor thing.  But we finally did get a good picture, and had such fun mailing them out to our card list.  The cards were a big success!


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Monday, January 10, 2011

Thankfulness: January 10

Today I am thankful for the outward signs of a loving relationship. The Firefighter sent me flowers at work today! The flowers are beautiful- my favorites, actually- and added such a bright spot to a tough Monday.

I'm so thankful for his thoughtfulness. For how he knew that I'd been having a hard past few weeks and sent me flowers to show me he'd been thinking about me and that he loves me enough to go out of his comfort zone and go order flowers at a florist. :) And I'm pretty thankful for beautiful pink tulips, too.

Thankfulness: January 8-9

This weekend got away from me, and before I knew it it was time to go back to work today. I had a great time going to my sister's house Friday night and got to enjoy The Niece and Nephew (and their parents) for almost 24 hours. It was a wonderful visit, and a much needed change of pace.

This weekend made me even more thankful for free time, and the ability we have to choose what to do with it. I'm very happy with my free time choice this past weekend...and have lots more of it coming up. There's a 4 day weekend just waiting to be enjoyed at the end of this week!

Friday, January 7, 2011

Thankfulness: January 7

Today I'm thankful for the freedom we have to travel as we'd like. I can just hop in the car and go wherever I want (as long as I have gas money and the time!).  I know I take this for granted. There are many countries whose citizens don't even know what this freedom means, let alone will ever get to experience it in their lifetime.

Thankfulness: January 6

Today, I'm thankful for a job that keeps me so busy and an evening so full of housework that I forgot to post today's thankfulness! :)

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Thankfulness: January 5

Foremost on most Mainers' minds today is the election of a new governor for our state. This governor is breaking Maine's decades old political norm: he is a Republican. And with him is coming a slue of change. A lot of it is needed, and even wanted. Most of it is making Mainers, and government officials, pretty nervous. But quite a bit of it is getting people excited. Finally, after years and years of the same old political wind blowing around, we're finally getting a breath of something new.

Today, I'm thankful that I live in a state where we not only have, but are entitled to, political freedom.

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Thankfulness: January 4

Today I am thankful that the temperature is warmer in our office lately. This may not seem like something even worth thinking about to some people, but it's a huge relief from the chilly temps we had been having. I'm not sure why it has been so cold in the office in winters past, but it's made for some pretty long, cold days. I can't count how many days I sat at my desk with my fleece sweater over my legs, using it as a blanket. Now that's kind of crazy, I think!

Just this week it is a lot warmer in here. I'm not sure why...and I'm not going to question it. I'm just going to be thankful for it! (and give my fleece sweater a break)

Monday, January 3, 2011

Thankfulness: January 3

I've decided that in 2011 I'm going to read through the Bible. I've never committed to reading through the Bible in a year before. Honestly...I never really liked the idea. Now don't get me wrong- I love the idea of committing to reading the entire Bible. It is, after all, our Sword against the Evil One, our daily bread, our comfort, our instruction manual for living the life God has given each of us. The study of the Word should absolutely should be a part of our every day life. But for whatever reason, I didn't like the idea of forcing myself to read chunks of Scripture at a time just to say I read through the Bible in one year. I'd rather study portions at a time and really dig the meat out of each section...I'd rather go to a chapter, a verse, a whole book, that pertains to the issue I'm facing at that moment.

So, as I considered the possibility of reading through the Bible in one year, I did it with all these thoughts in the back of my mind. And I decided to make a yearly commitment that so many "Good Christians" proudly proclaim they do every year...but with a twist.

I am going to read through my new chronological Bible in one year. This idea holds a lot of appeal for me, because I've never studied the Bible in chronological order. I think- no, I know- I'm going to learn a lot this year from my reading, which will actually be studying. I'm excited about this fresh take on a tired tradition that so often is just another notch on an established Christian's belt. (Boy that sounds cynical. And I guess it is. But I just have never heard someone say "ya know, I committed to reading through the Bible in a year, and I did it...and I actually enjoyed it! and learned from it!" it always seems people say "yeah, I said I'd read through the Bible in a year, but boy did I get bogged down in the geneologies, and gave up". Maybe if I heard just one person say that they enjoyed what they committed to doing, then I'd have a different view of this).

So what does this have to do with being thankful, you ask? I'm thankful today that I have so much freedom in my choice of how to study God's Word. And that no matter what course of study is pursued, I am promised that His Word will not return to Him empty.

Sunday, January 2, 2011

Thankfulness: January 2

Today I'm thankful for the variety of seasons that we get to enjoy in Maine. I'm thinking about this today as it's January 2, which for Maine usually means below freezing temperatures and lots of snow.  However...yesterday it was in the upper 40s and today it's in the upper 30s. The foot of snow we got about a week ago has melted quite a bit, so much so that we saw several bare spots on people's lawns this morning on our way to church. Our own lawn is showing in spots. Just because this is the case today does not mean that we're going to have a mild rest of the winter though. We could get slammed with another foot of snow at any time. That's part of the fun of living in Maine- you never really know what you're going to wake up to for weather.

I'm thankful for the variety of weather we get. And I'm hoping for more snow for this winter, too. :)

Saturday, January 1, 2011

Thankfulness: January 1

Today I am thankful for the privilege of owning our own home. The Firefighter and I have done a lot of work on this place since we've been together. In fact, we were remodeling the place even before we were married and I'd moved in!

I often lament the fact that the house isn't the biggest, and that it isn't as close to my family as I'd like, and that it's a bit too far from our church and church family. Instead, I need to choose to be thankful that we have a warm, dry, safe place to live. That it's our own, thanks to our hard work. That we have the freedom to do whatever we want to the house to make it our own. That it's a place where we have welcomed many friends and family over the years. That we have shared so much laughter within these walls. We have together fought through hard times here in the privacy of our home, and have found comfort and rest here.

Today, I'm thankful for my home. May it continue to be a place where God comes first, our friends and family are warmly welcomed, and love and kindness are a consistent part of our days.

A Year of Thankfulness

Every day this past November, I focused on one thing I was thankful for. It was a great way to focus (do I see a theme here) on all the blessings in my life. I've been thinking about that, and how it's not something I should do just once a year, but rather should have an attitude of thankfulness at the forefront all the time.

I've declared 2011 the Year of Thankfulness. I am making it my goal to focus on one thing I am thankful for every day of this new year. It's quite a goal, and will take determination to see it through. I'm going to challenge myself to post my thankfulness here, so that I can go back over the year and see how much I really do have to be thankful for.

Happy New Year to you! Here's to a year full of refocusing and thanksgiving.