Day 213

I am grateful for fondue parties.

I'm mostly mostly because it means Ryan's home! We didn't get to celebrate his birthday with him since he stayed in Bozeman for the summer, so today's the day. It's what he wanted last year, so we tried it and loved it. I borrowed two pots, and we had oil, cheese, and chocolate.

Thank You, Lord, for the simple, social, fun fare.

Day 212

I am grateful for my cell phone.

Most people love their cell phones for texting, but we don't have that in our plan. I love my chocolate touch for its simplicity and the mp3 player. It's two devices in one that work perfectly for my needs. I'm on my second one and am grandfathered (grandmothered?) to the no-data-package-required by the date of purchase, only two months before Verizon instituted that nasty demand for smart phones.

Thank You, Lord, for my cell phone.

Day 211

I am grateful for Christian radio.

I was in college when I started listening to a lot of Christian music. I was so grateful when our big town finally had a contemporary Christian music station.

All kinds of music hold an interest for me. I have favorites in classical, jazz, blues, country, and even opera. What's so special to me about Christian music is that it reaches fathoms farther into my deeps than other genres can. It hugs my soul, renews my mind, reminds me of what's truly important, and lingers in my spirit like an eternal melody. Nothing else can hold that kind of power for me.

Air1 is our station of choice for music. KMBI FM carries several programs with savory and meaty offerings. (Sounds like the Food Network!) It airs a show my kids grew up on, "Adventures in Odyssey" and that I still like to listen to on Saturday mornings. =)

Thank You, Lord, for Christian radio.

Day 210

I am grateful for My Utmost For His Highest.

I began reading this devotional book about 25 years ago. It was a gift from a friend, and I have been inspired, encouraged, challenged, questioned, and uncovered by the anointed writings of Oswald Chambers.

This is an excerpt from today's offering:

We are apt to imagine that if Jesus Christ constrains us, and we obey Him, He will lead us to great success. We must never put our dreams of success as God's purpose for us; His purpose may be exactly the opposite.

God's end is to enable me to see that He can walk on the chaos of my life just now. If we have a further end in view, we do not pay sufficient attention to the immediate present: if we realize that obedience is the end, then each moment as it comes is precious.

"The chaos of my life," I love it.

Thank You, Lord, for this marvelous book.

Day 209

I am grateful for wisdom.

"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom," (Proverbs 9:10).  This fear is not just the shaking in your boots kind. It's an awe of the Creator and Lover of all things good. Solomon was blessed extravagantly after asking God for this tremendous gift. 

God has allowed us full access to His wisdom. Sometimes I have to stop trying to wrap my brain around that and just whisper a simple prayer of thanks and a petition to let this virtue be large in my life.

Thank You, Lord, for wisdom.

Day 208

I am grateful for self-control.

While I am not as self-controlled as this poor doggy, I am thankful for this fruit of the Spirit when I do exercise it. Most of the time it's with food, but sometimes it's my mouth. I wish there was a do-over button...

This is the ninth of the nine fruits of the Spirit, but its position is in no way indicative of its importance. Lack of self-control has done massive damage to hearts and minds since the Garden of Eden. I pray for the wisdom to take advantage of this gift resident in my spirit.

Thank You, Lord, for this vital gift.

Day 207

I am grateful for faithfulness.

I am profoundly blessed to have a husband who loves me. He loves my company, companionship, and me. He is faithful, helpful, available, and sweet. We agreed from the beginning that divorce would never be an option. Murder maybe, but not divorce. ; )

Kev is faithful, and God is more so. He is the definition of it, the author and inventor of it. His Word even says, "If we are unfaithful, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny who He is," (2 Tim 2:13). He cannot be unfaithful and still be God. Good thing for me!

I am His, and He is mine. He is faithful not because I deserve it, but because it is His nature. He is that good.

Thank You, Lord, for Your utter faithfulness.

Day 206

I am grateful for goodness.

It's kind of a difficult virtue to define, so I used dictionary.com:

1. the state or quality of being good.

2.

moral excellence; virtue.

3.

kindly feeling; kindness; generosity.

4.

excellence of quality: goodness of workmanship.

5.

the best  part of anything; essence; strength.

In Exodus 33 after Moses beseeches God to show him His glory, instead of God saying, "Sure," His response is, "I will make all My goodness pass before you." I was floored. His glory is His goodness.  Then another floor. He gave me His goodness. Wow. Just wow.

Thank You, Lord, for this remarkable, glorious gift.

Day 205

I am grateful for patience.

I suffer from "hurry disease" when I go to town. I look for the shortest checkout and driving lanes, and it's only when I'm in a lather that I realize I don't have to be in such a rush. It's just a bad habit. That's when I remember to look for the longer lane, let someone go ahead of me, take shorter strides, and breathe.

Raising kids built up my patience. I learned to take that fruit of the Spirit and let it rise up. I'm still learning the habit of patience with my sweet hubsy, but I don't know that I'll ever be as good as he is.

God's patience with me is astounding. Fascinating. Other-worldly. Extravagantly gracious. And I am so glad.


Thank You, Lord, for this wonderful gift.

Day 204

I am grateful for peace.

"Peace I leave with you; My own peace I now give and bequeath to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid" (John 14:27).

I wanted a photo for this day that won a contest for the best depiction of peace. A wild storm filled the canvas. There was torrential wind and rain and objects falling and tearing away. It was a scene of utter upset. In a cleft of the mountain though, a mother bird slept along with her wee ones, ensconced in the small nest held firmly and surely in the rock that would not be upset by any storm. She knew calm in the storm.

In the case of this picture, a man stands casually  in the doorway, apparently unmoved by the violent waves crashing all around him. He knows the lighthouse isn't going anywhere. He knows calm in the storm.


Jesus bequeathed to us not just peace, but His peace. His own peace. It's a peace that never fretted, never worried, never doubted, never kept him sleepless, even when the boat he was in was pitching in a rage that made those sailors' knees knock. The world cannot offer that kind of peace. Only Jesus can, and it is mine.


When I lost my mom, my world was hijacked. The day after though, the calm and thoroughness of His presence rose up, and I knew everything would be okay. I knew I would not only survive, but be tenderly and graciously carried through. I am grateful for that kind of peace every single day, even though I admittedly do pepper it with future tripping and pessimism.


Thank You, Lord, that every storm brings the opportunity to encounter Your own peace.

Day 203

I am grateful for joy.

God is the most joyful Being in the universe, and I am created in His image. Joy is one of the most beautiful things in life. It's a deep, abiding presence, different from happiness which is fleeting.

Listed second among the fruit of the Spirit only behind love, joy makes life worthwhile. Whether it is offered or received, it is doubled when shared. The joy of the Lord is your strength (Nehemiah 8:10).

Thank You, Lord, for Your joy.

Day 202

I am grateful for surprise parties.

We went to two surprise parties back to back last weekend. I love surprising people, but I would prefer not to be surprised myself. I think it's a control thing.

The first shindig was a 65th birthday and retirement party in Sandpoint. He was duly surprised when he saw us walking up his driveway on his way back from the store. The shock and joy on his face were so worth the drive. He took us boating on Lake Pend Oreille, and it was really fun to watch his son's Lab jump into the water again and again to fetch a Frisbee. Beautiful day for boating.

The second was a 60th birthday party for a long-time friend. The jig was up once he saw all the cars, but the surprise and joy were still apparent as you can tell. It seemed a little fishy to him that his friend called to ask for his help but didn't mention what he needed help with, so it clicked when he saw us all gathered on the deck to welcome him. Fun!

Thank You, Lord, for the fun of surprise parties.

Day 201

I am grateful for Joy & Strength.


This devotional is packed with encouragement, inspiration, wisdom, and as the title indicates, joy and strength as well. The author took excerpts from favorite writers of old and coupled them with relevant verses to compile a volume that has lasted a century and will go on to minister to generations long after I'm gone. This is one of the sweetest books I have ever read and feel hugged and lifted with every encounter.

Thank You, Lord, for this great blessing of a book.

Day 200

I am grateful for letting someone go ahead.

Whether I'm the one who does it or I'm the one who gets to or I simply witness it, I love when someone lets a person behind  him in line go ahead of him. It should have a name so I don't have to be so wordy about explaining it, so I'm going to call it prolining. It's such a sweet courtesy and has saved me time on many an occasion and given me the opportunity to bless.

Thank You, Lord, for prolining.

Day 199

I am grateful for 23.

When I turned 23, my insurance went down. I could rent a car. I was older than 21 and younger than 25. I was married a year and learned the difference between being in love and loving someone.

On this, my Ryan's 23rd birthday, my wishes for him are that he'll never need to make a claim with his insurance, enjoy whatever car he ever rents, contentment with whatever age he is, and that love and wisdom are his lifelong compadres.

Thank You, Lord, for 23.

Day 198

I am grateful for road trips.

While I'm not someone who enjoys driving or even being on the road, I do love the anticipation that comes with a road trip. Planning for the arrival at our destination is half the fun. Future tripping isn't usually something productive for me, but when it comes to road trips, it's definitely a welcome factor in the party.

Thank You, Lord, for road trips.

Day 197

I am grateful for pansies.

Not only do they brighten my garden, they spread themselves without my help, flourish with little attention, and press nicely. They're the favorite flower of my friend Mae, and thoughts of her pop up whenever I see these sweet puppy-faced flowers.

Thank You, Lord, for this sweet, lovely blossom.

Day 196

I am grateful for fonts.

They make me happy. I go through the list choosing just the right one. Each one has its own personality. I've always been interested in marketing, and they know how to fit exactly the right font to ads in order to reach a product's target market. It's the psychology of it that interests me.

I always wondered why Courier was the default for all the early programs. Now I wonder how Times New Roman inherited the default. My current favorite for personal documents is Taffy. Wish I could show you...

There's a video called Font Conference posted by College Humor that I watched a few years ago. Except for the couple of ugly words, it's right up my alley.

I wish blogger had more options for fonts. O, the fun I could have! The older I get, the less it takes to entertain me.

Thank You, Lord, for all the fun options I have.

Day 195

I am grateful for going barefoot in the grass.

It's summertime! I wear flip flops year round, and I can't wait to walk barefoot in the grass, especially before yellow jackets are plentiful. I love the feel of the soft blades bending and the loam giving way. I love the smell of freshly cut grass, and I love to be the first to walk on it afterward. Reminds me of childhood, and I had a good one.

Thank You, Lord, for this simple pleasure.

Day 194

I am grateful for Costco.

This store is notorious for good deals. They have built a reputation for not ripping you off and affording customers a fair exchange in goods and services. I raised my family on this store and saved money doing it.

I was working at a firm that had an in with Costco at ground level and was a major investor. I had heard of warehouse type stores, but not one of such a major scale. It has revolutionized the way we shop, and there's no going back. I remember the t-shirts they sold soon after we joined. The front read, "I got out of Costco for less than $100." The back said, "Not!" Still true.

Thank You, Lord, for a worthwhile place to shave some bucks off of our grocery bill.

Day 193

I am grateful for swallows.

The barn swallows that swoop, dash, zip, soar, and glide around here are so pretty. Their blue fairly shines and glints in the sun, and their aerial acrobatics are entertaining as they catch evening insects in flight. I love that they do a number on the mosquitoes.

We had a nest on our front porch a couple of years ago, which was fun when we got to see the babies, but bad when we had to duck and dodge the dive-bombing, protective Mom and Dad. And their poop wasn't so great either, but we knew their presence would be short-lived and just enjoyed them whilst we could.

Thank You, Lord, for these pretty mosquito-eaters.

Day 192

I am grateful for starlit skies.

Enjoying a star-filled sky is something I especially like in the warmth of a summer night. It's a brilliant thing in the winter, but the warmer weather lets me take it in for a lot longer. The stars are impossible to count, and their endlessness fascinates me. I love finding the Big and Little Dippers, which is about the full extent of my navigational skill. The immensity of that kind of sky reminds me of God's eternal nature and how He loves to delight me with His wild imagination, power, and love.

Thank You, Lord, for your gorgeous starry skies.

Day 191

I am grateful for boating.

This was taken about four years ago at one of our favorite day spots. Boating is something Kev and I both grew up with, and after a car, a boat was our first major purchase.

Having a boat is something we call a necessary luxury. We can't afford it, but we can't not afford it. The family and friends time is too precious to give up, and the memories more than make up for an empty wallet at the end of the day. We have LOADS of treasured memories because we have a boat.

Thank You, Lord, for this extravagant gift.

Day 190

I am grateful for our fire pit.

It is functional, a tool for burning excess boxes and paperwork with our personal information on it. My favorite use for it, of course, is to gather around it with friends and family, roast marshmallows, and marinate in their company and conversation. I love it.

Thank You, Lord, for this great part of the backyard.

Day 189

I am grateful for my toes.

Sounds a little dumb, but you're never more grateful for something until it's damaged or lost. I developed an ingrown toenail last year after kicking a wall on accident. I was aiming for a box, but it was dark, and  at impact I thought I might pass out from the pain, it was that bad. And I'm not a wuss.

Anyway, I had to have half the nail removed, and then a month later, the other side of the nail started ingrowing. Yeah, nice.

Two months of regrowth later, the first side gave me the first twinge of that ingrown feeling again. When I told Kev, he informed me that he had a problem with ingrown nails when he was in high school. You never told me this until now? His dad wouldn't take him to the doctor for it, so he dealt with it his own self. He told me how, and with the help of a small collection of leftover antibiotics, a nail file, and a whole lot of prayer, I think it's working. It's a hard go, but we shall see.

Thank You, Lord, for healthy toes.

Day 188

I am grateful for linens dried outside.

The smell of sheets that have been dried on the line outside is not a smell, it's a fragrance. I wish my clothes could smell like that all the time. I wish my hair could smell like that, my shoes, my towels, my countertops, carpet, laptop... I love that the fragrance leaps up when I pull the covers back. It hugs me everywhere and always makes me smile. EeeYUM!!

Thank You, Lord, for this delicious perfume.

Day 187

I am grateful for Old Glory.

I love our flag. I love all that she represents. I think she is the most beautiful representative of our United States, and I tear up every time she waves in the wind during the playing of the National Anthem.

When Brett first came home after he joined the Air Force Academy, we went to a football game in Seattle, AF v. UW. We got there a little late, and as we were walking from the covered area to our seats, the Star Spangled Banner began to play. I took two steps before I recognized it, and then I realized that Brett was no longer by my side. I turned to find him, and there he was standing stock straight, at attention, in full salute. Handsome already in his cadet uniform, that vision is seared into my memory like it was yesterday. I was so moved. I was still swallowing hard and brushing away involuntary tears when we eventually found our seats.

Thank You, Lord, for our beautiful, stately flag.

Day 186

I am grateful for Independence Day.

The fourth of July has always been a really fun holiday for me. I always look forward to a day filled with family, fun, food, and fireworks. I love to celebrate the meaning of this day, the vision, passion, faith, and bravery of this country's founding patriots and all the blessing that comes with the privilege of being an American citizen.

As the daughter, sister, aunt, and mother of military men, I am proud of our country and the greatness of its history. I believe this is the greatest nation on earth, and I pray for the security and stability of its future. God bless America!

Thank You, Lord, for this land that I love.

Day 185

I am grateful for French bread.

I like a lot of breads, but French bread will always be a favorite because of its versatility, chewy interior, and crispy exterior. Toasted, fried, broiled, dipped, or ripped, it's all deliciousness. From French toast for breakfast to hefty sandwiches at lunch and garlic bread at dinner, it serves me well and diversely.

Thank You, Lord, for good bread.

Day 184

I am grateful for Brianna.

This is my brother Alan's firstborn daughter. With all the traits of a firstborn child, as well as many others that are equally attractive, she is one in a bazillion, and I love that in her.

She is a runner, extremely intelligent, wise beyond her years, a devoted wife and mother of a 5 year-old and 3 year-old twins, she home schools, maintains their home while her amazing husband is on his fourth deployment to the Middle East, and manages to remain kind, loving, caring, and sane. She's a great cook, an invested daughter, and she cares enough to keep me in the loop with cards and pictures. I cannot say enough good stuff about this girl.


I had no kids when Brianna was born. I was fortunate enough to live in the same city when she was very little, so I had the privilege of going over and visiting her. It was usually at lunch time, and she would be right there in her high chair with a bowl of Campbell's vegetable soup and some saltines. That was her favorite. I gave her a bath one night and had the foresight to take along a cassette recorder so I could tape her precious voice. She has that tape now, and I will always be grateful for those memories.


She has her own little treasures now, and she knows what it means to savor the time as they grow and change and become. My prayer is that she can care for herself as well as she cares for her family. It's so common for a mom to neglect herself as she sets her priorities on the wants and needs of her children. May they enjoy a long and joyful and Christ-centered family life. Bless her this day after her 29th birthday.


Thank You, Lord, for our beautiful Brianna.

Day 183

I am grateful to be halfway through this year.

Today is the first day of the second half of 2012. This has been an exercise of joy, fun, and thought as I name one thing a day for which I am grateful. The past 182 posts have been an effort of love as I reflect on God's extravagant grace and generosity in my life. What a privilege, what a Friend.

Thank You, Lord, for Your constant grace and oceans of blessing.