Weekly Gratitude Journal

(sunset Bar Harbor, Maine)

Autumn officially arrived on Wednesday of this past week and then on Friday and Saturday we had summer temperatures again. It made for a lovely Friday date day trip to the beach. Today it's in the low sixties and raining, but I don't mind. There is cozy candlelight here in my kitchen while I cook for a gathering tonight at my house. However, I know there will be days ahead when I forget to be thankful for the abundance of rain we have here in the Pacific Northwest. 

We can always find something to be thankful for about each of the four seasons of the year as well as always find something to complain about. The same goes for the seasons of life we are in. Each season has its blessings and its challenges. Which am I more alert to-life's problems or life's blessings? What do I choose-to grumble and complain or to notice my blessings and give thanks?  From experience, I know that focusing on the negative and harboring a grumbling attitude leads down a slippery slope to misery. On the other hand, I know from experience that staying alert to God's blessings and choosing to be grateful nurtures a positive attitude that leads to peace and joy. Stay alert with your eyes wide open in gratitude friends. It will change your life, no matter what season you're in.

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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)

#14,903-#14,927

9-20-2021-

-foggy mornings

-coffee in bed

-blue skies after a rainy weekend and this morning's fog

-sweet time in the Word

-my framed Maine map finally came after being lost by FedEx for a while

9-21-2021-

-texting with my cousin

-Bible reading in the book of Isaiah

-a sweet visit with a dear couple from our church

-fresh beets, parsnips and tomatoes from their garden

-a beautiful sunset on my walk

9-22-2021-

-the first day of autumn

-discovering a new park with my two middle granddaughters

-a nice long FaceTime chat with my oldest granddaughter

9-23-2021-

-God, You never leave me or fail me!

-Your Word

-this beautiful journey through the book of Romans we are on together as a church

9-24-2021-

-a sweet Friday day day with my guy

-a beautiful day at the beach

-laughing together

9-25-2021-

-listening to a great message on the book of  Revelation's 

letter to the seven churches while doing my Saturday house cleaning

-autumn colors appearing on the trees

-facetiming with my two grands who are in Hawaii right now

9-26-2021-

-a great word

-lunch with my nephew and his family

-my husband saying, "You're my best friend."❤️

still following,

Weekly Gratitude Journal

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This past week was our first full week immersed back into our real life schedule after our seventeen days of vacation-back to ministry life, family life, our "normal" life.  This is where the rubber meets the road in choosing a lifestyle of gratitude-on the days when there are migraines, misunderstandings and miscellaneous mundane responsibilities filling up your to-do list. Right there, right in the messy middle of a mundane, migraine and misunderstanding filled regular day, God has something miraculous for you to notice. Provision via a clearance sale on the exact thing you needed, an encouraging note that spoke truth to you about the very thing satan was trying to get you to believe his lies about, one perfectly sunny afternoon with two grandkids that you love so much your heart could burst, God doing a good work in someone you love. There's always something to be thankful for. You just have to take the time to notice.

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)

#14,880-#14,902

Thank You, God for-

9-13-2021-

-a clearance sale on my favorite face moisturizer

-and Tillamook Cheese, the best cheese, on sale too!

(thank You, Lord, for the big and small ways that You provide)

-my South Carolina son-in-law staying with us while he is doing a job here

9-14-2021-

-God's Word

-help from my Visionary Leadership Team

-a great meeting with the ladies from our church, 

(and knowing that God helped me in spite of preparing and sharing with a migraine)

9-15-2021-

-God's peace about a decision

-a walk with my friend

-Papa having a "coffee date" with youngest granddaughter

-facetime calls from South Carolina with my youngest grandson

9-16-2021-

-a beautiful, sunny day before a forecasted, much needed, rainy weekend

-a sweet day with C and B, one to treasure in my heart

-a beautiful time at church tonight

9-17-2021-

-a sweet Friday date day

-good news from our oldest granddaughter

-"Jesus is a far better leader than satan is a deceiver"

9-18-2021-

-a good, deep, sleep

-having dinner together with some of our church family

a beautiful time of worship and learning together

9-19-2021-

-our church family

-lunch with our son-in-law at one of my favorite places

-cozy, rainy weather

-an encouraging message in a card to us

Weekly Gratitude Journal

Happy Monday morning to all of you who may read this post! It's been three weeks since I posted. We were on a wonderful vacation in Maine. We celebrated our forty fifth wedding anniversary while there, We spent a day with my cousin and his wife and got to visit with my aunt, (Mama's only living sibling). We thoroughly enjoyed relaxing with one another, exploring parts of Maine we hadn't seen before and enjoying the beauty of Maine and eating lots of fresh lobster, clams, scallops and haddock. I personally ate quite a bit of Maine blueberry pie, blueberry pancakes and blueberry ice cream as well. Now I have to pay the piper and get back to healthier eating and exercising, but dare I say it was worth it? 

I am so very thankful to God for the way He provided for this time away and the way He smoothed out the path ahead of us. He provided financially. He provided those who watched over and cared for things at our home and our church. He even provided smooth travels and great weather when we wondered if hurricane Henri was going to scuttle our plans. I know that God is good and worthy of our praise even when things don't go our way, even when things don't go the way we planned. We've had plenty of that happen in our lives this year, as well! Even then, there is always something to be thankful for, and so I continue to count my blessings day by day.

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

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)

#14,785-#14,879

Thank You, God, for-

8-16-2021-

-Your patience with me and Your tender mercies that help to keep me on the right path

-praying together for Afghanistan

-the Unceasing App.

8-17-2021-

-a good report of God's healing

-worshipping as I walk which gives me a different perspective on this world's news

-good reports from a gathering at church tonight

8-18-2021-

-a good night's sleep

-a super fun afternoon with the four grands, (the ones that live nearby)

-God's provision for our oldest granddaughter who got a job

8-19-2021-

-Your love

-praying with a young mama who used to go to our church before moving out of town

-such encouragement as we study the book of Romans together

8-20-2021-

-my sweet hairstylist

-a visit from our youngest daughter and her two kiddos

-friends from Missouri that have really helped our oldest granddaughter in her transition to life away from home

8-21-2021-

-a really fun church picnic

-fabulous food cooked by dear ones from our church

-packing for vacation with my guy!

8-22-2021-

-church was so good and so encouraging today

-time to rest before our red eye flight tonight

-hurricane Henri will miss Maine!

8-23-2021-

-smooth and uneventful flights

-our tradition-first stop in Maine is Becky's Diner in Portland, Maine for blueberry pancakes, 

(my husband had a lobster omelette!)

-walking around beautiful Bath, Maine-my Mama's hometown

-a relaxing evening together in our AirBnB 

(which is an an upstairs apartment in an historic building in downtown Bath)

8-24-2021-

-a good night's sleep

-God's comforting reminder during my devotions-John 14:1 and 27- "let not your heart be troubled"

-walking together at Popham Beach on this practically perfect day

-Maine sea scallops for dinner and blueberry pie for dessert

8-25-2021-

-sweet morning quiet time digging deep into John 13-17

-four year old grandson's dream coming true of getting to ride on the digger

-exploring parts of Maine we've not seen before

-dinner outside on the Kennebec River

8-26-2021-

-our oldest granddaughter facetiming us about how happy she is 

-a beautiful, relaxing time at the beach on a sunny summer day

-a long phone chat with my cousin

8-27-2021-

-a truly wonderful day with my cousin and his wife

-the most delicious Maine clams for lunch

-getting to pray for my cousin's wife who is facing a huge health challenge

-getting to watch the new Navy destroyer, (built in Bath, Maine) go out to sea for sea trials

8-28-2021-

-a good book to read 

-a pottery mug and bowl make in Maine

-all of those who are taking care of things at home for us

8-29-2021-

-good reports from home

-a sweet visit with my aunt

-church bells chiming on the hour

-quiet evenings with only the sound of crickets chirping 

8-30-2021-

-a safe drive to Bar Harbor

-yummy blueberry ice cream

-finding sea glass along the rocky shoreline

8-31-2021-

-this beautiful summer day

-the loveliest sunset seen while on a sunset cruise

-my husband surprising me with tickets to go see my South Carolina kids in October

9-1-2021-

-a lifetime senior citizens National Park Pass

-the free busses that take you all around Acadia National Park

-finding sea glass as we explored Sand Beach

-driving to the top of Cadillac Mountain, (the free busses don't go there) 

9-2-2021-

-a lovely AirBnB in Bristol for our last week of vacation

-stopping on the way to enjoy exploring Camden, Maine

-facetiming our middle daughter and our grandkids

-the sweetest little grocery store that has everything we need

9-3-2021-

-Maine's dramatic, rocky coastline

-snug harbors full of boats with little restaurants and cute shops tucked all around it

-cozy, soft sweatshirts and my comfiest jeans on a cooler day

-more sea glass ☺️

9-4-2021-

-God's faithfulness these 45 years

-our 45th anniversary

-a wonderful time at Pemaquid Beach

-a beautiful dinner at the Harbor Room

-anniversary greetings from family and friends

9-5-2021-

-learning more of You while digging deep into John 13-17

-listening to church at home

-watching a favorite movie together

9-6-2021-

-a detour that led us to see a beautiful harbor we'd not seen before

-a last visit to Bath for this trip

-a surprise rain burst while beach combing

9-7-2021-

-a good night's sleep

-eating fresh lobster together on the wharf in Boothbay Harbor

-new levels of trust and surrender about the unknown future 

9-8-2021-

-feasting on lobster rolls at Red's Eats

-one last walk on Pemaquid Beach before we go home tomorrow

-God's provision for his wonderful vacation!

9-9-2021-

-a safe uneventful flight home

-those who did such a good job taking care of things at church for us

-HOME!

9-10-2021-

-my friend who kept all of my plant babies alive

-changing weather and autumn colors just beginning on some of the trees

-both of us saying how our vacation was the best one ever

9-11-2021-

-a wonderful tea party and good conversation about what God is doing in us with one of our growth groups

-having our (local area) kids and grandkids over for dinner

-our youngest grandson trying to kiss me on FaceTime

-remembering the heroes, the lost and our own experiences of trying to get home from New England on 9-11-2001

9-12-2021-

-God is doing such a beautiful work in our church

-a facetime chat with our oldest granddaughter

-a peach colored pumpkin

still following,