Celebrating new life...

It's September first!  

Labor Day weekend means goodbye summer and hello fall to me.

Today, we had a combined riverside baptism with our church and the church my son-in-law and daughter planted in southeast Portland.

Whether it's saying goodbye to summer or saying hello to fall, 

witnessing people publicly proclaim their new life in Christ is a great way to celebrate.

It's a great reason to be thankful, too.

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In 2012 I followed the prompts in Ann Voskamp's Joy Dare in counting my thanks.

In 2013 I'm going back to the way I did it in the beginning,

just noticing and recording the many extraordinary blessings in my ordinary life.

And so I continue to count my thanks

piling up gratitude day by day

in my little black journal.

(and capturing some of them via my camera or iPhone)

#3727-#3749

8-26-13-

-puttering around the house, nesting, after getting home from vacation

-getting back to my running routine

-four year old granddaughter going to Dr. and being diagnosed with pneumonia,

(thank God for effective medicine), 

but she had to go back to the dr. for some blood work...

after prayer she was very brave in spite of getting poked in both arms

-watching the two youngest granddaughters while their mama and daddy were at small group

8-27-13-

-frustration turning into gratitude

-flowers from the Hubs and he cooked dinner while I worked on some things for our upcoming church ladies' retreat

-something that spoke directly to me while I was preparing for retreat

8-28-13-

-baking sugar cookies with all four grandkids

-taking a 6 mile bike ride with the two oldest grands

-a free outdoor movie at our local golf course

8-29-13-

-fall-ish weather - a late summer rain that inspired me to make pumpkin muffins

-one big item on my to-do list accomplished

-She Reads Truth...so thankful for online conversation about the Word

-such an encouraging evening at our prayer and worship time

8-30-13- 

-a sweet morning together

-an especially yummy dinner

-watching Penny Serenade with Cary Grant and Irene Dunn...an oldie but goodie!

8-31-13-

-housework all done with the Hubs help...he did the vacuuming!

-watching a Jane Austin movie, dozing off and taking a little nap

-56 year old legs that can still take an evening run and listening to some great worship via Spotify

9-1-13- 

-baptisms with Truelife Church and Hope City Church at the river

-getting to see my out of town friend-she and her hubs brought us some fresh caught salmon!

-an impromptu meeting up with the whole family for dinner at Chipotle, 

then the grandkids talking us into having frozen yogurt afterwards

still following,