Weekly Gratitude Journal

I hope you all had a wonderful 4th of July celebrating with family and friends. Obviously, our nation is flawed in so many ways, from its beginning to its present. So is every person and nation since sin twisted and broke the human race. If we waited for perfection to be grateful, thankful and appreciative we would be waiting forever-in fact, I believe we'd become consumed with bitterness. We must focus on our blessings, on the goodness of God in our lives, while at the same time facing with both realism and faith those things that still need to change. Instead of pointing fingers at others with a heart of accusation that says, "You should change things!" we must humble ourselves and pray, "Lord, change ME and show me what You want me to do to change the world around me."

On another note, I don't mean to be so hit and miss over here on my much neglected blog. I have good intentions to get back to writing, hopefully soon! 

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Since 2009 I've been counting my blessings thanks to the prompting of Ann Voskamp.

 I continue to count my thanks, 

piling up gratitude day by day in my journal.

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

#14.598-#14,643

6-21-2021-

-a phone chat with my sister

-a fresh, whole salmon from a friend to grill for dinner-so delicious!

-dinner with our family, (except our South Carolina kids😢)

6-22-2021-

-God's provision for every need

-the old Asian man that always greets me when I'm out walking

-thank you God for what you are doing in our growth groups

6-23-2021-

-time to spend in your Word

-a beautiful evening walk around Lake Sacajawea

-listening to a book on Audible together in the car

6-24-2021-

-my middle son-in-law-today is his birthday!

-sweet time in the Word and prayer

-encouraging discussions at our growth groups and Bible study

6-25-2021-

-a really good night's sleep

-discovering a great new to us park to bring the grandkids to

-an air conditioned home during this heat wave

6-26-2021-

-chores done in the cool of the morning

-lunch with G.

-forgiveness and new mercies

6-27-2021-

-great time of worship and the Word

-praying with others

-lunch with my nephew and his family

-a sweet text from our daughter

6-28-2021-

-our youngest son-in-law-today is his birthday!

-God speaking to me clearly from His Word

-a sweet time gathering with our growth group at my house

6-29-2021-

-God is perfect in all of His ways to me - Psalm 18 and 145

-being able to walk outside after days of way too hot weather

-my husband being so easy to please on what's for dinner when I'm not feeling like cooking

6-30-2021-

-spending the day at the lake with the grandkids

-rocking and singing to our youngest granddaughter and her falling asleep in my arms

-oldest daughter thinking ahead on sending a first aid kit with us so we had something to take care of the bad cut our granddaughter got on her foot

-a Papa who spoils his grandkids

7-1-2021-

-facetime calls with our South Carolina daughter and grandkids

-a little summer rain shower after days of heat

-my husband cleaned the garage!

-a good report from the eye doctor

7-2-2021-

-waking up in the wee hours to spend time with God

-my yellow rose bush, that I planted with my grandson, is blooming

-heart talks with my guy

7-3-2021-

-a new day with new mercies

-sweet grandkid texts and photos

-a husband who goes to the store for me when I'm in the middle of cooking and need something

7-4-2021-

-our nation's 245th birthday

-my dad-who would have been 100 today

-playing in the sprinkler with the grandkids

-laughing so hard, playing silly games with our youngest daughter and her family and our nephew and his family

still following,