September 20

I didn't feel great when I woke up this morning. I had a pounding headache and felt vaguely sick to my stomach, so as I fumbled my way into the kitchen in search of coffee, I considered staying home from church.

I asked God about it, and ultimately decided that I should go, so I did. But I also did something unusual: I put on a jacket over my dress instead of my typical lightweight sweater. That may seem like a weird and random detail, but I'm at a phase in life where I tend to run a bit warm. 

But when I stepped into church, I immediately realized why I felt the need to wear a jacket: it was COLD in there. The pastor apologized to the congregation for the chill and explained that she'd fiddled with the thermostat a bit too much.

Given that I already didn't feel my best, I was very grateful for that jacket. So for the prompt that didn't make sense at the time, I am thankful.

September 19

I was bummed out when, about four weeks ago, I accidentally gave my big, beautiful volunteer tomato plant too much water and it slowly, slowly turned brown and withered. (I put the hose in the pot with the plant, unaware that it was leaking.)

I did all I could to try to save it; I drained the extra water, gave it fertilizer, pruned off the dead limbs to maximize nutrients to any remaining healthy part of the plant that might've still been in there. But nothing seemed to help. So I stopped watching it and told myself I'd be more careful next time.

And then earlier this week, I noticed something surprising: bright green leaves and little yellow flowers sprouting from the same root system as the original plant. (And right next to it, an itty bitty volunteer that must've sprung up from one of the tomatoes that fell into the dirt last month.) 

The sight surprised me and reminded me of a Biblical truth. God often takes things that we think are dead --relationships, dreams, goals-- and breathes new life into them. And He often acts when we're least expecting His hand to move. So for that great blessing, I am thankful.

September 18

I had what I'd call a really nice Friday. Abby and I enjoyed our morning together, Adam came home from a brief work trip, and Brady got back several positive test results at school. So praise the Lord for all of that!

And then after Adam wound up his final work call, we loaded into the car and Brady (our learning-to-drive chauffeur) drove us to Five Guys for dinner in honor of National Cheeseburger Day. (And yes, today is indeed THE day!)

The place was packed to the gills so it took a long time to get our food, but we were able to snag a table fairly quickly. So we talked as we waited, with Adam sharing some details from the retirement party he attended in Oregon and Abby regaling us with tales from her latest week in the second grade.

Good days are a huge blessing, so I am grateful to God for this one.

September 17

After Adam and I cleared out the first batch of (very overgrown) plants from the hydroponic garden, I refilled it with peat pellets seeded with lettuce, spinach, and kale. And then I waited. 

And waited some more. And eventually, a handful of tiny lettuce and kale sprouts appeared. (No dice on the spinach.) Last week, this little guy here had a few very small leaves, and now it's almost ready for his first harvest.

The whole experience of watching and (impatiently) waiting mirrors human life: a lot of the time when we want something, we want it now and have zero interest in waiting. But it's often necessary to wait to allow the full blessing time to reach its state of completion. As frustrating as it may seem, God does indeed want us to wait upon Him and His plan.

So for the blessing of this reminder (and for the yummy homegrown lettuce we'll soon enjoy), I am grateful.

September 16

I get into cleaning jags every now and again; I'll feel a sudden jolt of inspiration and will go until the wheels fall off the bus. I had what I'll call a mini jag today.

I unloaded and reloaded the dishwasher, wiped down the countertops, took out the recycling, cleaned the bathtub, and ran several loads of laundry.

I'm not a fan of folding laundry, but instead of just letting it sit in the basket as I'm often tempted to do, I prayed for motivation and got to work. So I sat there in front of an old "Matlock" re-run and folded socks and pants and shorts and shirts and underwear. And I didn't stop until the last socks were rolled together.

So today, I'm thankful that God answers prayers -- even the dull everyday ones.

September 15

I've always been a fan of crescent moons.

Maybe it's because I was born under a waxing crescent (two days past the new moon, in fact. I didn't actually know that last detail, for the record; I just looked it up). Or maybe it's because I can picture a little mouse sitting on it with a star hung from the top portion, like you might see in an old children's book.

Whatever the reason, I always like how they look. And I like how seeing one fills me with a sense of calm serenity.

God made the earth and the moon and the stars. And I am continually in awe of the scope of His creativity.

September 14

My Bible Study group took a field trip to a local non-profit this morning. Little Miracles collects and distributes baby items to underprivileged families in our local area. It's an amazing ministry, and seeing the facility --and hearing that they include a baby blanket with each gift they give away-- inspired me to get to work.

This particular item that I started when I got home isn't a blanket because I already had a specific pattern in mind, but I've gone through my (extensive) yarn inventory and am planning to get to work on my first donation soon. 

Fortunately, I have an ample supply of yarn that will work well for baby blankets. So today, I'm grateful to God for showing me another organization that can use what I make to bless my neighbors in a practical (and hopefully powerful) way.