Habitrails...

We have a busy four lane street near us that runs north and south through our city.

Our car has helped create the grooves in the pavement these past 15 years, as this is one of the main routes we drive to and from the store, the bank and all manner of our regular errands.

It's our habitrail, the avenue we could practically drive in our sleep because it's so familiar to us.

One afternoon this week while running errands, I had to make a left turn onto this perpetually busy street, crossing two lanes of traffic.

Amazingly, no cars were coming from either direction.

Sweet!

I drove to my next stop and did my next errand, then again had to make a left turn onto this busy street.

Again, absolutely no traffic in either direction.

Unheard of!

"Thank You, Jesus!", I said as I turned onto the street and headed towards home.

Suddenly, I realized I've got another habitrail, grooves I'm creating in the thought patterns of my mind.

Almost three years now, I've been gathering gratitude, counting my blessings.

Thanking God is becoming a habit.

Even for something as simple a break in the traffic...

-or flowers in bloom in our backyard

-or youngest granddaughter's first time on the swing

-or taking Miss Blue Eyes out for frozen yogurt on a sunny, summer evening

…oh, so many reasons to give thanks.

********************************************

I’ve taken the Joy Dare.

I’m counting one thousand thanks in one year.

I hunt for thanksgiving using the prompts Ann gives us each month.

If you are interested in joining in, click the link above or at the bottom of this post.

I continue to count my thanks

piling up gratitude day by day

in my little black journal…

#2142-#2162

a gift high-

-the view through the branches of the cedar tree from my second story home office window

a gift low-

-happy orange blossoms

a gift far away-

-being awakened by a phone call from Ghana and the voice of oldest granddaughter on the line

a gift of sand-

-the Hubs vacuuming out my car, cleaning up the sand from last week's day at the beach

-a hanging jar filled with sand and shells we've gathered here and there

-three year old granddaughter digging in the dirt, (not actually sand), by her back door and asking Papa and I to help her dig for treasure

3 gifts of endings-

-paying off a bill

-saying goodbye to the early fifties and reaching the double fives this coming week

-our second born and her family coming home from Ghana and youngest daughter coming home from Missouri in August

3 gifts fresh-

-fresh basil in a pasta salad

-fresh cilantro in cilantro-lime rice

-fresh strawberries and blueberries for my morning smoothie

a gift on vacation-

-no vacation yet this summer, but looking forward to rest and relaxation when we do!

a gift at home-

-hot coffee and morning devotions in my home office

a gift in relaxation-

-getting my hair cut and colored, (which I find relaxing)

3 gifts of beginnings-

-new mercies with each new day

-fresh journal pages

-forgiving and being forgiven

3 gifts together-

-a fun evening out this week together with the ladies from our church

-worshipping together at church

-taking communion together

Gratefully yours,

Elizabeth