How do you get your fingers wrapped around joy? I began reading "One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right where you Are" by Ann Voskamp. The book is about living a life of thanksgiving. It is her journey as she documents 1000 things that she is thankful for. After loving the book, I decided to start my own list. I will add to this regularly, counting to 1000.
94. Fall is here. We had such a hot summer, it is nice to have cooler weather.
93. A dog who will usually take her medicine without a fuss.
92. Neighbors who are willing to care for our dogs while we are away.
91. Friends who are failthful to walk with us through all the frustrations and losses we have faced.
90. Lavender sunsets.
89. Chocolate covered strawberries.
88. Jet skiing on the lake.
87. Being able to get our back yard cleaned up so we can enjoy it this summer.
86. A relaxing weekend away with James.
85. Neighbors who were happy to watch our dogs while we went away for the weekend.
84. Getting to celebrate our tenth anniversary with some of our close friends.
83. Learning how to make a new dessert.
82. A weekend with family.
81. Photos of our little girl from a traveling family.
80. The chance to get outside and do some gardening.
79. Two doggies that love to be with us.
78. A husband who had dinner cooked when I got home from work.
77. A garage that is big enough for both of our vehicles so they can be protected when it hails.
76. Beautiful flowers blooming in our yard - knock out roses and day lilies.
75. Getting to cook with herbs, right out of our garden.
74. No hail damage on my car from the storm today, and everything at home was fine.
73. A great first week of work at my new job. It has been so good to feel like I'm a pharmacist again.
72. The chance to help a patient with their medication over the phone.
71. Another update on our little girl with some wonderful photos!
70. Getting to see new life in two transplant patients who had just received their new organs.
69. Getting to hear a wonderful sermon from Revelation on our Lord's return that made me want to stand up and clap! For the first time in way too long, the tears that I shed during the sermon were tears of joy, instead of sadness.
68. A night out with James, dinner and a movie - Water for Elephants.
67. A new phone - that works much better than my old one.
66. Warm weather and air that is a little more humid.
65. A good visit with my parents and grandmother.
64. Daisy seems to be responding to her medication. She is more frisky and barks more.
63. A skillful carpenter's work. We have a new pantry and handrails on our backporch.
62. A job offer! Part-time, great hours.
61. Finding out that our case has been submitted to court in Ethiopia.
60. Getting to hear about life in Port-au-Prince from a Haitian pastor and being reminded of the beauty of worship when your life has been turned upside down.
59. Crawfish, boiled at home - just the two of us.
58. Getting an update on our little girl with adorable photos.
57. Two phone calls in one day about part-time jobs I had applied for.
56. Friends who have stepped up to help us meet a need and be the hands and feet of Jesus.
55. Getting another referral for another little girl in Ethiopia.
54. An impromptu double date with our friends.
53. Fitting into a smaller pair of jeans.
52. The arrival of a document I had been waiting on.
51. Encouragement from others at an adoption conferance.
50. Getting to eat dinner outside on the patio.
49. Time to talk with and pray with a brother who has suffered.
48. God's beauty and creativity on display in the daffodils.
47. A visit with my parents and grandmother.
46. A functional air conditioner.
45. The chance to pray with one of our pastors who we rarely get to see in person.
44. A night out with James. Dinner at Pi (best pizza in St. Louis, if you ask me) and dessert at FroYo. Yummy!
43. Cards of condolences from loved ones
42. Encouragement and prayers from a friend who knows the struggles of adoption.
41. Comforting words from a favorite book.
40. A mom who has been through what we've been through who was willing to share her story with us.
39. The incredible way the body of Christ has carried us through our heartbreak.
38. The prayers of people who we will never meet this side of heaven.
37. A friend who has connections in Ethiopia.
36. Flowers from a friend.
35. Encouragement from a neighbor.
34. A friend who is willing to take time out of her busy day with her two little boys to grieve with me and pray with me and encourage me.
33. A pastor whose heart is in the same place as ours who we can pray with can cry with after our losses.
32. A new haircut.
31. Good news about our daughter-to-be from our pediatrician.
30. Finding ripe mangoes at the market in February.
29. Friends and family who have rejoiced with us these past few days.
28. Comfortable shoes.
27. The chance to go back to the Y today after missing a week.
26. A little dog who was able to restrain herself from barking at the mail truck today.
25. The availability of medication.
24. A friend who was willing to call in a prescription for me when I was sick.
23. Chubby baby girls.
22. The much anticipated call from our social worker telling us of a little girl in Ethiopia!
21. The need to run the air conditioning in February.
20. God's handiwork on display at the botanical garden. Beautiful.
19. Encouragement and prayers from one of our pastors.
18. The reassurance that God's grace is big enough to cover a multitude of sins.
17. Melting snow, a hint of spring.
16. The smile that a young child can bring to my grandmother's face.
15. Shoelaces.
14. Sunshine hitting the snow, making it bright white.
13. A new photo of our sponsored child.
12. The smiles and laughter of a sweet little boy.
11. The abundance of food and clothing that we enjoy in America.
9. Sunshine beaming in through the windows on a cold winter day.
8. A phone call from my mom.
7. A husband who shows me that I am the most important person in his life, second to Christ.
6. The encouragement of a friend this morning.
5. The chance to pray with friends.
4. A husband who wanted to cook dinner tonight.
3. A little dog snuggled next to me on the bed.
2. The plethora of recipes available online and a well stocked pantry that kept me from having to go to the store today in the icy weather.
1. A home to keep us warn in the midst of a winter storm
