Day 125: moving on

Today I am thankful that I am not defined by the past. I do not have to be held back by things that I've gone through. I can be hurt and I can make mistakes, but I can learn from them and I can move past them. My past will only tie me down if I let it. So today I'm thankful for being able to move on and I'm thankful that my past does not have to define my future.

What are you thankful for today?

Day 124: iPad

Today I am thankful to have an iPad. Because it means I can write on the road like I am now. :) It also means that I can carry many books with me without added weight.

What are you thankful for today?

Days 114-123

Day 114: wisdom search

Wisdom Search is what we call our family devotions that we have in the mornings. I am thankful for wisdom search because it means we come together as a family to study the Scriptures. And also because it's taught me that getting up early in the morning is a good thing. And I get to see my dad before he goes to work in the morning :)

Day 115: advice

I am thankful that people (like parents) give me advice that I maybe don't like. Because they can see things that I miss, and they are often right. 

Day 116: game nights

I am thankful for game nights because I like to play games, I like to hang out with people, and it gives me a regular opportunity to see others whom I would not normally see if we didn't have game night.

Day 117: Dad

Today I am thankful for my dad. I am thankful for Dad because he provides for us, loves us, plays with us, is willing to keep creepy guys away from me, taught me how to drive (that was an adventure), likes to try new things with me, and a whole bunch of other reasons. But mostly, Dad, thanks for caring. Thank you for loving me enough to correct me and discipline me when I was a child, and for giving me advice now that I've grown. Thank you for everything you do and say (and don't do and say) to let me know you're there for me. You're a favorite of mine.

Day 118: sense of direction 

Because I like to know where I am. I am so, so thankful for this. I take this for granted a lot. Sunday we took Dad to a really huge Bass Pro shop and when it was time to leave I was able to help navigate out of there. And then I thought what if I couldn't do this. Yikes! Really glad I have a sense of direction.

Day 119: feeling better

I am feeling so much better than I was a couple weeks ago. I even had a friend over Tuesday.

Day 120: hand-me-downs

Reasons hand-me-downs win 10+ awesome points:

1) they usually consist of things I couldn't afford if I'd seen them in a retail store

2) I get to play dress up

3) I get to keep anything (everything!) I like free of charge

4) if something needs alteration, we can play around with it without losing money if we mess up

5) I can sort through it on my own time in the comfort of my own home 

6) I can walk right into my closet to see if a color matches what I already have

7) it's usually a surprise, and I like surprise gifts of new wardrobes

I could think of more reasons, but 7 seemed like the perfect number to stop at.

Day 121: a brother

I have a brother. You may know him as the Musician. I remember praying for a brother before he was born. I remember being so excited when I found out the new baby was going to be a boy. My brother is, I'm convinced, one of the best people on earth. I'm proud of the way he's growing up and I love that we've turned out to be pretty good friends. M: thanks for being the awesome guy that you are. I love you.

Day 122: when people respond negatively to RSVPs

Yeah, RSVPs. Those things that a lot of people don't use anymore but are actually super helpful. I greatly appreciate when people who said maybe call and say they can't come (although I'd rather them say they could). But I'm glad they let me know. Makes planning easier and I don't have to worry something tragic happened

Day 123: rain in summer

I am thankful for rain in summer because it cools things down. Yay for a break in the heat! :D

So this week I kept working on this post and I was a couple days behind from the previous weekend, but every day adds another topic which means more to write about and I wasn't able to catch up completely until today. I'm pretty sure nine days is a record for me. Hope that won't happen like that again :)

What are you thankful for today?

Did anybody find my joke?

Days 111-113

Day 111: suggestions

Specifically suggestions that you wouldn't have thought of from people you wouldn't have thought to ask. Because other people know different things than me. 

Day 112: finding a good deal on something you were going to get anyway

Different from finding a deal on something you don't need, this kind of deal is cool because it often means getting more than you were expecting and/or for less than you were expecting to pay for it.

Day 113: baking soda

Because it seems like it can clean almost everything. Pretty cool :)

What are you thankful for today?

Day 110: my brother is a musician

Today I am thankful that my brother can play music. It sounds lovely and fills up the house. Right now a friend is over and they are practicing a piece for tonight's service. His music makes me happy. I am glad that I was able to grow up alongside a musician.

What are you thankful for today?

Day 109: jaw/mouth pain

Today I am thankful for the pain and discomfort I am experiencing due to my jaw joint problems and the means being used for correction. Thankful for pain? YES. Why?? 1) because it's slowly teaching me to choose my words carefully, something my dad often refers to as "economy of speech." Using the right words keeps one from having to talk more than necessary. 2) it keeps me focused on today. It can be kind of overwhelming at times to think about dealing with discomfort for weeks, but if I just concentrate on one day at a time it becomes much more manageable. And every day can be a good day when I take the day one step at a time without stressing over whether I got everything on my to-do list completed.

Have you ever had to work through anything difficult?

What are you thankful for today?

Day 108: air-conditioning

Today I'm thankful for air-conditioning. Because it's been hot outside. 

What are you thankful for today?

Day 107: indoor lavatories

For reasons of convenience, mostly. 'Nuff said.

What are you thankful for today?

Days 105 & 106

Day 105: that I know how to use a stove

Today I'm thankful that I know how to use a stove. I am able to be independent in the kitchen and don't have to wait for someone to do it for me.

Day 106: looking young for my age 

To be frank, this is something I often have difficulty being thankful for. Nevertheless, I was reminded today that there are some benefits to looking 8-10 years younger than I actually am. Today I was trying to park in a parking space in front of a diagonal curb and for whatever reason I couldn't get it to go right. So eventually I hopped out and let my mom fix it. I then noticed that a man in a nearby car nodded at me and gave me a thumbs up. He thought I was a student driver. His reaction made my momentary incompetency funny rather than embarrassing.

What are you thankful for today?

Day 104: in sickness...

Today I am thankful that, although I do not feel my best, I am not sick with anything contagious. I can still go out among the "land of the living" as my mom says. I can still see people and do things. Being able to come out sometimes makes feeling uncomfortable less tedious.

What are you thankful for today?

Days 100-103

Day 100: second opinions

I love the ability to go to a different doctor and get a second opinion when I want to.

Day 101: heating pads

Because pain is a real thing. Headaches and such become significantly more tolerable with the application of heat.

Day 102: weddings

I am thankful for weddings. 1) because wedding=party=food 2) opportunity to visit with people. This doesn't happen all the time, but a friend of mine from school got married yesterday so many of my other school friends were there as well 3) weddings are celebrations. Celebrations of what? Of the beginning of a marriage, a life-long commitment. This mirrors the relationship between Christ and believers (see Ephesians 5:25-32).

Day 103: milkshakes 

For obvious reasons (general tastiness). But also because milkshakes are filling. Sometimes I can't open my mouth very far which really limits the type of food I can eat. With milkshakes I don't have to worry about still being hungry after I eat. (Some soups are good for this too, but I already covered soup). Lunch today was 32 oz of strawberry deliciousness from Sonic.

What do you like about weddings?
What do you like to eat when you don't feel well?
What are you thankful for today?

Day 99: mild summer weather

Yes, I know it's only June, but hot and humid summers are something I'm very familiar with. Today it was nice enough to sit outside. In fact, I had to come in after a few minutes because it got kind of chilly. I've been enjoying the weather while it's good :)

What are you thankful for today?

Day 98: people with the same sense of humor as me

"A merry heart doeth good like a medicine"

Proverbs 17:22

Today I am thankful for when people have a sense of humor similar to mine. My sense of humor can be kind of...quirky? And I literally know two people who have similar senses of humor. Not that I can't or don't appreciate other senses of humor, but it's really awesome when someone actually gets (read: cracks up over) the humor in something when normally you're the only one in the group who would think it was funny. So cool. Anyway, that's what I'm thankful for today.

Do you know anyone who shares your sense of humor?

What are you thankful for today?

Days 96 & 97

Day 96: VBS

Because it's one of my favorite weeks of the year. I love helping out with everything.

Day 97: toothbrushes and toothpaste 

Because walking around all day with bad breath would be really awful. 

What are you thankful for today?