Continueing Thankfulness.

‎13. I am thankful for Vashon Island and fantastic friends to explore it with!

14.) I am thankful for Pikes Place Market with Kristy Uhlig ♥ and SNOW! (And the International District, and crazy ethnic foods!! Indian curries yesterday, amazing teas and coffee, and thai food today. Wow.)

 15.) I am again so grateful for the magical snow! Also an amazing sermon at LBPC, health-nut friends, a lovely run, and some delicious steamed broccolli and carrots! I am grateful for a warm house to sit and watch snow fall...and I'm grateful for a good phone conversation with a good friend! :)

 16.) I am grateful for a God who loves us, and who is here with us!

 - I have found that the hardest part of this all, is finding ONE thing a day to be grateful for. There is so much everyday, that I am so thankful for!! It's hard not to list them all and sound super cheesy. Thus, I'm trying to keep them short, but it's hard. (Really though, that's something to be thankful for...:))

Thankfulness

              How are everyone's New Year's resolutions going? I hope they are going well! (The average resolution lasts 3 days...so if you're still going, I am proud of you!) I also made some resolutions. The first one I made on Dec 31st, and it was a determined committment to
                1.) TRUST God...(no matter what happens, or how i feel) and with trusting comes obedience; which is hard, and sometimes scary! My second resolution is to 2.) Be consistent in spending time with God, and in reading his word. My third resolution has come by means of realizing it is wayy too easy to focus on the negitives in my life, and not on the positives...thus my third resolution is to 3.) Write down, every single day for a year, something I am thankful for.
          Since I'm starting late...I'll kinda have to BS my way through the first 11...but here it goes.

1.) I am so thankful for my family! It was so good to be with them, and celebrate the holidays with them for a few days....
2.) I am so thankful for my friends! (Got to go on a wonderful breakfast date with four of my closest, and dearest friends from childhood!)
3.) I am so grateful for the beautiful, beautiful sunrises in the morning - that eluminate the mountains in all their glory!
4.) I am thankful for music...which helps to draw me into the presence of God (or pump me up for a run!)
5.) I am thankful for Remix! And the lovely children who come...I am grateful for the chance to be a part of their lives...
6.) I am grateful for Orphan Relief and Rescue, and the encouragment and challenge they have been for me - and to others!
7.) I am so grateful I realized I don't have to figure out my life...or worry about it constantly. Everything is going to be OK.
8.) I'm grateful that I had the chance to work at Dairy Queen for a bit...but not much longer than that.
9.) I am grateful for stars, because they are a constant reminder of how much bigger God is than me...
10.) I'm thankful for big, full moons, that make me pause for a moment and stand in awe 
11.) I am thankful for times of rest
12.) I am so thankful I work at Smoothie shop where I can make myself delicious smoothies! (Today I had one that tasted like Rasp. lemonade! It was super delicious.)


....more to come. But also, in general, I am grateful to God who makes all these good things happen! "Every good and perfect gift comes from God our Father" - James 1:17

Blue Like Jazz

Today was a great day. I went for a run in the woods...got hopelessly lost, and fell on my face in cold creek, but it was very enjoyable adventure non the less. After that, I walked to the Orphan Relief and Rescue office, (I am making an effort to spend much more time there now - so I go everyday before work). and I helped Rebecca bundled up some beautiful handmade cards from Liberia. Then I spent some time reading. I flew right into chapter 8 on a book called "Blue Like Jazz." Being very skeptical of the title, I was more than a little suprised to find the book incredibly intriguing. It was a lot like the book "Heaven Without Her", except instead of the story going from athiest-christian, the story goes "christian" -lost- christian. It was so gripping to me, because it was a lot like reading my own story... it addressed many of the questions and problems I struggle with, as well problems everyone in the whole world experiences. His writing is raw, real, and funny. Already I have been challenged and convicted by this book. It's almost like a modern day CS Lewis book, but understandable and humorous. I hope I'm not getting too far ahead of myself...I still have to finish the book... but if you need a good book to read, I strongly suggest this one!