Thankful Thursday: February

(For an explanation of Thankful Thursday, go here.)

511) Well-written books that are difficult/disturbing to read but good for my soul as they open my eyes to important issues and bring me to tears for the gratitude of the life I have (or, in some cases, do not have, thankfully). (Tom Davis' "Priceless").

512) Lazy mornings with ample time in the Word.

513) Meaningful conversations (and, even more so, friends with whom I am free to have meaningful conversations).

514) A father whose love I have never questioned.

515) Spiritual lessons learned over dinner - a stomach satiated too early due to my pre-dinner snacking and need for immediate gratification - realizing I do the same thing in my spiritual life - take the "lesser" thing now and lose out on the better things that I wouldn't wait for.

516) Bubble baths with relaxing music and a good glass of wine.

517) Five girls sitting around a jacuzzi in their swimsuits drinking wine and soaking weary feet. I love my friends.

518) The opportunity to visit Chichen Itza, one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. Breathtaking.

519) Feeling hot and sweaty in February.

520) Another beautiful day in Mexico.

521) AMAZING red-wine-braised short rib with mushrooms at Tramondo restaurant.

522) AMAZING Norton Malbec wine from Argentina.

523) AMAZING creme brulee.

524) An extravagant God who would choose to bless us even in the details of delighting in the food we eat. So unnecessary. So amazing.

525) Snuggling/laughing/chatting on the bed with Rach and Linds. I love those girls. I am blessed to have them in my life, no matter the distance.

526) Christian fellowship - dear women who spend time in prayer together.

527) Good talks and long cries with Linds. Seems out pattern is one good sobfest every time we're together. :-) Feels good to have someone I can be so honest with.

529) Knowing I have been chosen (by the KING, no less.....amazing!!!).

530) My parents' generosity in letting us come stay in this place - the accommodations are amazing!

531) The relaxing scent of eucalyptus and mint essential oils. Again, such unnecessary detail for such a big God - I am stunned at the delight we find in our senses.

532) Massages.

533) Another beautiful day in Mexico despite the forecasted rain.

534) Long goodbye embrace from the treasured Lindsay Lou.

535) Cards, laughter, creme brulee, Malbec wine, hugs, stories....a lovely end to a lovely week in Mexico!

536) Laughing over This American Life with Chinwe on the plane. What a delightful show.

537) One. Last. Mudslide.

538) Safe travels.

539) Jimmy Johns.

540) Still sad to have left an AMAZING week in Mexico, but it's always nice to get home to a familiar bed.

541) Having my back hold up for my first post-injury workout.

544) My Bible study girls - what a delight to see them again.

545) Praying God would give me words to say and then feeling like he is speaking through me.

546) Freedom to approach the throne in confidence.

547) Extra time in the morning that allowed me a moment to play the piano and sing a few hymns before work.

548) Surrendering my day to the Lord and meaning it.

550) My amazingly generous and hospitable parents.

551) The joy and challenge of writing poetry.

552) Sweet time in prayer.

553) Knowing the system well enough to write an ENR on a patient I've never met.

554) Working on the Hem/Onc/BMT floors and realizing how healthy and blessed I am.

555) Blessing others (like Faith) with a birthday accordion serenade. :-)

556) Long swims where I feel myself getting faster and stronger.

557) Exodus 33-35 - realizing that the very times when I want to hide from God's presence are the times when I need to most earnestly plead for him to be in my midst.

558) Enjoying my poetry. Writing something and realizing I said something exactly how I wanted to say it.

559) Louie Giglio video at SNL - being reminded of how abundantly blessed I am in Christ.

560) Meeting new friends like Jamie. I think I'm gonna like her. :-)

561) Dropping off my poetry at Crossings and feeling that mild anxiety of really wanting something.

562) Visiting Crowsers at the hospital - thrilled that Caleb is doing well and proud of myself for mustering up the energy for a non-awkward visit.

563) My first attempt at BBQ ribs - SUCCESS! So, so yummy.

564) A house full of well-fed company and laughter.

565) Meeting new, interesting people (Misha) - hearing and telling stories.

566) Rocking a 90-minute cycle class. Bring it, Saturday morning!

567) The sound of my mother's laughter.

569) Friendships that can be maintained despite half a world of distance.

570) Coffee shops.

571) Time to write cards. I love writing cards.

572) Surprise friends to go to church with (Ian came and Jill was working at Gillette, so she stopped over).

573) Small group fellowship - the bond we have in Christ even when friendships are new.

574) The soft heart I feel when sitting at BBC - being assured of the truth of this gospel and wanting to more and more of Christ.

575) That Christ died once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous... (1 Peter 3:18)

576) My family - four great reasons to celebrate on Valentine's Day.

577) Long chat with Julie after 2+ weeks of vacay and phone tag. I love listening to her process and I enjoy being in a place where I feel like I can offer godly feedback. I cherish her friendship.

578) Long, spontaneous, funny chats with Chinwe. It's a blessing to have someone to share the insignificant stories with.

579) Fully blooming orange roses (even if I did buy them for myself). Flowers make me happy. :-)

580) High-energy days. I like who I am (especially conversationally) when I have something to give.

581) Patients who approach new cancer diagnoses with humor and strong family support.

582) Running hard, sweating a lot and feeling sore.

583) Casual morning chats with Chinwe when she works from home.

584) Spicy chili.

585) Patterns in the egg crate. :-)

586) Being able to use my dad's lymphoma course to encourage my patient in her cancer diagnosis.

587) Liking who I am when I am in my nurse role.

588) Limerick invitations from Julie. :-)

589) Long swims.

590) Things falling in place for making a chiropractor appointment tomorrow - hoping I can get rid of this pain!

591) Large, full moon rising just over the downtown building. Beautiful.

592) The crazy/amazing things we can do to our bodies - surviving my first chiropractor appointment. :-)

593) Knowing the ups and downs of my emotions are not ins and outs of Christ. My God is constant and faithful.

594) A praying roommate.

595) Loooooooooooooooooong bedtime hugs.

596) Eggs and toast in the morning. What a lovely breakfast routine.

597) Smiles from dying patients.

603) Time serving to get to know my small group.

604) The Oostras.

605) Kyle carrying my bags for me.

606) A wonderfully relaxing snow day with a fabulous roommate.

607) Being forced to rest (by the weather).

608) Fried plantains.

609) Long conversations with a lot of easy laughter.

610) Feeling delighted in a relationship. I am so blessed.

611) Eight hours as the resource nurse with one page.

612) Time to get organized for Chinwe's birthday scavenger hunt and the cruise.

613) The pure and utter joy I find in planning surprises for people.

614) Jimmy John's.

615) 6 days until the cruise!

616) Getting excited about the books I got for the cruise.

617) Watching how hard Chinwe laughed when she saw my accordion-playing-mexican-wrestling-pinata-Happy-Birthday video. :-)

618) Good talk with a friend about mood swings and negative thought patterns - realizing that I can empathize and give decent advice only because I have been there (and in some ways still am there) myself.

619) A lovely dinner celebrating Emily B's new job - an answered prayer and a mark of God's faithfulness in her life.

620) Laughter.

621) Finding my lost phone by my seat in the car - NOT run over and NOT lost forever.

622) Realizing how much a dying patient and a distraught family put the "agony" of a lost phone in perspective.

623) Hearing my mom laugh over how much she delights in the humor of us girls.

624) A scavenger hunt birthday video that turned out WAY creepier (and, therefore, way funnier) than planned.

625) One more day of work before the cruise!

627) Finishing plans for the scavenger hunt. SO EXCITED!

628) Working with the nicest doctor I have ever met.

631) Laughing hysterically over sagging candles in the birthday pancake and blowing out Chinwe's candles for her because they were dripping wax. Epic fail.

632) Secrets. :-)

633) A WONDERFUL scavenger hunt...seeing Chinwe love it....finishing at 7:57 when our dinner reservation was at 8. :-)

634) Realizing how much joy I derive from planning things for people (especially when it's a secret!) and trying to communicate to them that they are known and loved.

635) Chinwe. I love that girl. What a blessing she is to me! And what a joy to celebrate the marking of another year for her. #happybirthdayroomie

636) Prayer conference - feeling like I got my $10 worth after the intro. :-) So encouraging.

637) Naps.

638) A lovely goodbye from Chinwe - feeling missed.

639) Wine and chocolate cake with the Oostras - love that couple.

640) Cruising tomorrow!!!!

641) Kyle being willing to get up at the crack of dawn to take us to the airport. What a guy.

642) On-time planes and no-stress travels (for us, at least...)

643) Sam and Kara making it to the ship - answered prayers for a tailwind - landed 20 minutes early and got to the boat with 5 minutes to spare.

644) My mom's excited exclamation when she saw us at the airport. Oh, how she loves us!

645) Laughing with my sisters.

646) Hammocks.

647) Malbec.

648) Jane singing songs on stage for Battle of the Sexes.

649) Walking up to any counter and getting any food item and not having to pay for it.

650) Sitting on our balcony reading the Word while being gently rocked by the ocean.