Thankful Thursday: Thanksgiving 2014

This year marks ten Thanksgivings in a row for counting a hundred gifts. Always good to zoom out and think not only about the gifts I've received in the last few days, but the gifts that enrich my life all the time. So this week, I am remembering again how many, many blessings I enjoy over and over, and thanking God for things like...

6705. hot drinks that warm you from within
6706. ice cream on a hot day
6707. heavy blankets on cold nights
6708. hot meals to feed my family, three times a day
6709. Jesus' patience with me when I am neither hot nor cold

6710. cobalt blue
6711. Jude's electric blue winter hat against his blue eyes
6712. the richness of language, that there could be so many words to describe "blue"
6713. eyes to perceive aqua, cerulean, cornflower, sky, navy
6714. ocean waves

6715. Elijah's brown eyes crinkling when he smiles
6716. his Lego creativity and math-nerd mind
6717. the way he has been an encouragement to his teachers
6718. his calling me "my sweet mama"
6719. all the times he teaches me about forgiveness and unconditional love


6720. a new sister-in-law
6721. readers of my blog
6722. our pastors
6723. new local friends
6724. elementary + preschool teachers, aides, principals

6725. not restraining His mercy from me
6726. no condemnation for me
6727. adopting love lavished on me
6728. a compassionate yet perfectly sinless Mediator who welcomes me
6729. calling the stars by name...and yet numbering the hairs on my head

6730. Jude's full-body hugs
6731. the way he says "becept" instead of "except"
6732. his imagination + constant chatter as he plays with trucks and trains
6733. his ability to make friends
6734. the way he has to be right there in the thick of things anytime Daddy is working

6735. poetry
6736. written prayers
6737. metaphors and analogies that clarify and sharpen
6738. funny sarcasm
6739. words of encouragement and affirmation

6740. dancing with my husband
6741. reading with my boys
6742. FaceTiming with my parents
6743. praying with my newest friends
6744. catching up with my oldest friends

6745. calligraphy
6746. memory
6747. immunity
6748. honesty
6749. sanity

6750. ponytails
6751. belly laughs
6752. felt-tip pens
6753. chocolate
6754. texting

6755. my boys' soft skin
6756. the feeling of having my hair played with
6757. holding Steve's hand
6758. arms strong enough to do pushups
6759. the ability to taste and digest food

6760. spiritual gifts
6761. evidence of grace changing me
6762. opportunities to serve
6763. reminders of my weakness
6764. glimpses of Jesus' beauty in others

6765. more shoes than I need
6766. more love than I deserve
6767. a peaceful, privileged childhood
6768. opposable thumbs
6769. sunglasses

6770. hearing my boys pray
6771. hearing them recite Scripture from memory
6772. hearing my husband say "I love you"
6773. hearing friends speak hard words of criticism/rebuke
6774. hearing talented people sing

6775. the riches Scripture yields no matter how many times you read it
6776. gifted women and men who teach it
6777. brothers and sisters who serve quietly, faithfully, with love and humility
6778. friends who succeed by grace
6779. friends who fail and keep fighting

6780. Steve's willingness to listen and learn
6781. his relentless, sacrificial servanthood
6782. his incredible DIY skills
6783. the ways he challenges and sharpens me
6784. his wisdom and ability to point me to Jesus


6785. toilets
6786. traffic laws
6787. teeth
6788. toenail polish
6789. truth-tellers

6790. a perfect remedy for the individual + systemic sin that plagues our nation + world
6791. the certain hope that justice + mercy will prevail in the end
6792. eyes to see the Remedy and a heart to trust the Rescuer
6793. reminders that this world is not my home and something far better is coming
6794. how incredibly easy it is to come up with a list of a hundred gifts I've received
6795. audiobooks
6796. memoirs
6797. fantasy novels
6798. narrative nonfiction
6799. 140-character nuggets of wisdom and truth

6800. the experience of being needy
6801. the experience of having something to give
6802. the experience of putting words to what someone else can't describe
6803. the experience of being speechless
6804. the experience of being known and still beloved