1000 Gifts: June 2011 Edition #171-185

I was listening to a John Piper sermon entitled "Sustained by All His Grace" and this quote really stood out to me.  "The function of gratitude is to worship the Lord for yesterday's grace and in that worship to have our faith in tomorrow's grace strengthened."  And that is so why I catalog my gifts.  I find my faith strengthened as I read through my gifts.  I know that His mercies are new every morning.  And cataloging these gifts opens my eyes to Him and His work all around me.

171.  God's grace
172.  Adorable little baby clothes and toys from my students
173.  Softy, fuzzy blankets
174.  Pale yellow colors
175.  Peanut butter cups
176.  The crunch of green, green celery as I slice it up for salad
177.  Sermons online to listen to as I rest and as I work
178.  Strength to get work done around the apartment
179.  Encouraging Christian women
180.  Coupons and blogs to help me save us money
181.  Family stopping in to visit
182.  My husband making me dinner when I'm too sick to cook
183.  FlyLady to help keep me from becoming too overwhelmed
184.  Chocolate milk
185.  A full to do list

1000 Gifts: May 2011 Edition (Part 2)

A new work week and a new start!  I love the freshness of Mondays.  Even when I'm not feeling my best and working from home.  Here are some of the gifts that I'm thanking the Lord for from the past week.  



155.  13 weeks of pregnancy!
156.  A fantastic, retired English teacher willing to sub for my classes to give me a two-day break to rest at home
157.  Relief from vomiting when I am laying still in bed
158.  The joy of prayer
159.  The calming presence of the Lord in the midst of physical distress
160.  Vision for a new chapter in life
161.  Green grass
162.  Leafy trees
163.  Syrup drizzled over pancakes
164.  The coolness of pineapple touching my tongue
165.  Focus for the moments
166.  Ciaran deeply engrossed in his reading of a book about Alex Ferguson
167.  The glorious sound of silence as we limit our TV consumption
168.  Learning new things about blogging
169.  Finding ways to pinch pennies
170. Little baby Canadian geese wandering by our back porch all fuzzy and cute

1000 Gifts: May 2011 Edition (Part 1)

Ciaran and I celebrated 12 weeks of pregnancy this Saturday so it is with great joy in my heart that I catalog my 1000 gifts today.  After losing our first little one in the early weeks of pregnancy in December, Ciaran and I delight and treasure every day that this pregnancy goes beyond the last. God has blessed us with gifts all around!


126.  12 weeks and 2 days of pregnancy!
127.  God as my refuge
128.  Emergency room doctors and nurses to get IV fluids and meds in me on Friday
129.  The subsequent relief from vomiting!
130.  My salvation in Christ
131.  My wonderful English II students who stay committed to learning and growing even when their teacher is consistently fleeing the room to vomit
132.  Being able to read of God's faithfulness to those who came before us
133.  Ciaran's spiritual leadership
134.  Ciaran's loving care and willingness to pick up my slack on the home front
135.  My mother's willingness to spend Mother's Day weekend with us, cleaning my apartment, doing laundry, finding food to tempt me to eat
136.  Being able to consume protein-packed foods without vomiting and the little surge of energy I get afterward
137.  A little miracle prescription drug named Reglan
138.  Online pregnancy resources to answer all of my many questions
139.  Working internet
140.  Satellite TV and Netflix to distract me from my nausea
141.  The hope and comfort I experience knowing God is sovereign
142. Finding a Bradley Method birthing class with 35 minutes of our apartment that is also offered right when we need it  (Saturday nights...which is actually the only evening we have available August through the beginning of November primarily because of soccer season).
143.  Ciaran completing his first grad. class successfully and beginning two more classes today (all of which we were able to pay for with cash)...Thank you Lord!
144.  Being able to go for a few short walks outdoors
145.  A sermon provided by a fellow blogger right when I needed it  
146.  The steady lullaby of rain outside the bedroom window
147.  Brown sugar toaster pastries served with cut up pineapple on the side (all eaten in bed)
148.  Worship at home with Ciaran laying by my side
149.  The sizzle of pancake batter on a hot griddle
150.  The warm light of my bedside lamp
151.  Cheery birdsong outside my bedroom window
152.  YNAB budgeting software to keep us focused on being wise stewards of the finances the Lord has blessed us with
153.  Grace and strength given to get me out of bed in the way too early morning hours 
154.  Strength to make it through showering

1000 Gifts: January (Part 2)

As the month stretches on, I am finding myself growing more and more optimistic.  Chronicling 1,000 gifts truly does change us.  Situations and circumstances that used to discourage or deter me are now not so bad.  There are blessings in so many places and joys to be found in disappointment.  God is so good.





102.  My job which gives me endless opportunities to learn patience and perseverance
103.  The sense of accomplishment after decluttering an area of my classroom
104.  A weekend of fun with my sister-in-law and brother-in-law now that they are living in Michigan
105.  Watching my husband create a beautiful piece of furniture out of a pile of wood
106.  Don Pablos leftovers to reheat on a Sunday afternoon in my classroom
107.  A cheery lamp that a colleague gave me to brighten my desk on dreary January afternoons
108.  Tons of teaching/lesson plan ideas circling in my mind
109.  Layers of freshly fallen snow
110.  A tidy apartment
111.  A toilet that flushes
112.  A shower that streams hot, clean water
113.  A warm classroom
114.  Freedom to read my Bible without legal consequences
115.  Watching EPL soccer on a Saturday morning
116.  Internet that works
117.  XBox Kinect for a great workout
118.  Cuddling with Ciaran
119.  A washer and dryer in our apartment
120.  Sweetwater's doughnuts
121.  My sister-in-law's homemade bread
122.  The Psalms
123.  Warm scarves, gloves, mittens, etc.
124.  Dragonfruit Febreeze
125.  Energy that comes after a great workout

1000 Gifts: January

These past several weeks have flown by with so many whispers and shouts of God's love that I don't even know where to begin, but begin I must, completely aware that this list doesn't even begin to scratch the surface of His goodness and faithfulness to us.



71.  The close proximity of my OB/GYN and blood work facility (both less than 2 minutes from our apartment complex) for my many appointments I had in December.
72.  The blessing of supportive family, church family, friends, colleagues, secretaries, and students.
73.  A bouquet of a dozen roses hand-delivered to our apartment by a few of my students
74.  Encouraging words sent just when I needed them the most
75.  Joy in being a follower of Christ
76.  Joy in being a wife
77.  My husband's compassionate and tender care making me smile and feel warm again
78.  A cozy, snug apartment with glowing Christmas tree lights illuminating the darkness
79.  A slow-paced, steady routine those last few weeks of December in place of the frantic, chaotic schedule I've been keeping for almost four months now
80.  Delight in small, simple things all around me
81.  Hope/Ideas for redeeming the three months between now and when we can begin thinking about getting pregnant again (I won't deny that this has been the toughest one)
82.  Anticipation and excitement for the next boys varsity soccer season which I'm now (Lord willing) going to get to view since we won't have a newborn at home
83.  Joy in exercising without fear
84.  Drinking caffeine and eating cold deli meat
85.  My bright and cheery classroom
86.   A joy-filled Christmas celebrating the birth of our Savior
87.  My grandmother's wonderfully peaceful home
88.  Spending time with my awesome niece and nephew
89.  Lots of fun and laughter with family
90.  Tons of new Chelsea gear from my brother
91.  My new Pandora bracelet
92.  A peaceful morning looking out at the beauty of the snow-covered woods behind my grandmother's house
93.  Returning home to an apartment filled with work for me to do
94.  Strength to survive my 14 hour first day back at work
95.  Coming home from above-mentioned 14-hour work day to an XBox 360 w/Kinect all set up and Ciaran dancing in the living room
96.  Endless fun with the XBox 360 w/Kinect
97.  Long workouts
98.  The stability of a work routine
99.  Lots of fast food available when I'm too tired to cook
100.  Precious fellowship at RBC
101.  Joy in gathering to worship our great God with fellow believers and the privilege of sitting under godly teachers.