47. gps systems that work

today, i am grateful for the gps systems that work. like the one in my edge. while julie and i have been in minnesota visitng deluxe, we have been driving around in a hertz rental car- a snazzy bright blue mini van. and in that van, we have had the neverlost gps system that promote. and we have gotten lost. multiple times. it makes me very grateful for a system that can be trusted.

46. grace for myself

while i haven't posted my grateful thoughts in about 12 days, it has been on my mind. in the midst of busyness, traveling, cherishing sweet moments with friends and family, and keeping up the other blog,i haven't had a chance to focus on my gratefulness. but i find that in the midst of this, i am thankful that i can give myself grace- and not stress on the fact that i am not being grateful enough.

45. My ipad

Ok so I'm not going to lie or pretend, I am quite thankful for my iPad. I have been using it quite a bit the last few days, and I am grateful for it's easiness, it's quick start, and all my apps.

44. Sunrises

I was up way early this morning and quite thankful for a beautiful sunrise. How great is our god!

43. cell phones

while traveling and being busy and getting things done, i often find myself reaching for the small flippy device in my purse/pocket/wherever it is. i am so grateful for cell phones, and how with just a few clicks, i can reach anyone i want/need. i am grateful for this technology.

42. fresh georgia peaches

today, i am thankful for the amazingly yummy goodness that each year grows on the trees of south georgia. i am so thankful for my georgia heritage, and for my appreciation of juicy, soft, flavorful georgia peaches. mimi gave us a huge basket of them, and i am quite grateful.

41. Our police force

After attending a special screening for the new movie courageous, I am quite thankful for our police force. I am quite thankful for how they so boldly and sacrificially serve and protect and keep our communitites safe.

40. my dad

tonight, i went to the screening of the new movie courageous, which is a challenge to fathers everywhere to step up to the plate and become dads that make an impact. it made me so thankful for my dad and all that he has done, has been, and continues to be to me. i have a great dad, and i am so very grateful for him.

39. ultrasounds

today, i am thankful for technology & ultrasounds. we got to find out the gender of little baby cash today thanks to this great goodness! i am so thankful for how we have progressed and the chance to celebrate a baby boy with ash & charlie!

38. back to school

today, i am grateful that colleges and schools are finally back in, as it means it is time to start back up with my agnes girls. i have been so thankful to get to be a part of their BCM the last two years, and am grateful for another year of fun, fellowship, and fostering spritual growth. i am grateful to see them all, with their new notebooks and hairdos, returned at last to grand old decatur for another year. its hard to believe that my first year mentees are now juniors, leading and growing in awesome ways. i am so thankful for these women- and this time of year.

37. pumpkin spice lattes

they aren't here yet, but all the hype on facebook has me looking forward with great anticipation & thanksgiving to the come back of the pumpkin spice latte at starbucks :)

36. pinterest

on nights were i am just chilling or when i'm trying to pass some time, or sometimes even when i'm just trying to get "inspired", i am so thankful for pinterest. what a nifty little site.

35. swiffers

today, after cleaning & vacuuming, i swiffered our floors and i decided that i am quite grateful for swiffers. so much more effective and easier to use than a mop, swiffers are great- especially for our small space. i am grateful for tools that help make my home a little cleaner and my life a little easier.

34. big storms

you know, normally, i HATE storms, but today, as we sat inside a frozen yogurt place with some good friends, a huge stormed blew in and it rained like crazy and the wind was sideways it was so strong, and for once, i was grateful. watching the water come down, and knowing that we were safe inside, made me quite thankful for this summer storm. and, walking outside afterwards, when it had cooled and the humidity was gone, made me thankful for the sweet relief a storm can bring.

33. alarm clocks

after getting up late this morning, i became more thankful for my alarm clock. funny how you aren't grateful for something until you need it.

32. thursday night date nights

nathan and i have committed to try to have at least 1 date night a week. we try to make them the same night for a while, then sometimes have to switch them up to suit our schedule. i am so thankful for these nights, as it gives me something to look forward to in a busy, hectic week. i am thankful for time spent together doing whatever we choose. tonight, we cashed in a vudu free credit and watch the new jane eyre, and it made me so thankful that we carve out the time to be together.

31. bertolli frozen meals

ok so i know they are nothing much, but on nights like tonight, when i want to serve up a good dinner but also have 5 loads of laundry to do, i am thankful for small conveniences like these meals.

30. sweet little babies

tonight, i joined up with our lifegroup for a little ice cream social, and two of the babies that have been born since our group has been together were there. teague- who is now 13 months old, and lincoln, who is 10 weeks. it has been so cool to watch how these little guys develop and grow- and so quickly! it made me thankful for the honor of getting to be in their lives-even if just for a few years that they might never remember- and how thankful i am for life.

29. warm showers in the morning

so often, one of the few things that get me out of bed early in the morning is the comforting thought of the warm shower that is ahead. it is so nice to allow my muscles to soak in the warm, hard, downpour of water from the faucet. i am so thankful to be able to not only take a shower on a daily basis, but a warm one at that.

28. windshield wipers

yesterday, while driving home from chattanooga, i was thankful for windshield wipers. as we drove in the rain, i was thankful for the swish-swashing way they brush the rain off & allow me to see clearly. i was thankful for the feeling of safety they offer as they came the view clear even when the downpour is torrential.

27. picnics

on saturday, i was thankful for a picnic lunch with friends. sometimes the simplest meals can be so sweet, and on saturday, i was thankful for such sweetness.

26. good times with great friends

tonight, we joined several couples in our lifegroup for a braves game and had a great time. funnel cakes, fire works, 5 homeruns- great night! it made me so thankful for sweet times like these, and thankful to have a community i am a part of that is not only encouraging and inspiring my spiritual growth, but also fun to be with. i am so thankful for time spent with these folks.

25. early morning sunrises

this morning, while driving into work groggy and sleepy and wanting to go back to bed, my breath was taken out of my chest by the view of the beautiful sunrise. wow! i am so thankful that we serve such a creative God who, for no other reason than to display his glory, paints such a beautiful sunrise for us to behold. i am so thankful for how even just the sight of something so magnificent can change the rest of my day. i'm still tired, i'd still love to go climb in bed, but i am so thankful that God is so big, and even today is part of his story. i am thankful for beautiful morning sunrises that but my mind, and my heart, back in the right place.

24. friends that live close by

we love where we live- love living in the city- but the one thing we miss sometimes is living near our friends for little reasons like spontaneously having folks over for dinner. not many people just up and drive to the city for dinner, especially on a "school night." but tonight, we were thankful to entertain & feed our friends ty & molly. i am so grateful for friends with history- memories from college and now memories as married couples living in the city. i am grateful for friends to discuss c.s.lewis and cognitive development and tv shows with. i am grateful for friends close by. :)

23. God my exceeding joy

read this in my quiet time this morning, and for this i am abundantly thankful:

Send out your light and your truth;

let them lead me;

let them bring me to your holy hill

and to your dwelling!

Then I will go to the altar of God,

to God my exceeding joy,

and I will praise you with the lyre,

O God, my God.

(psalm 43:3-4)

22. dailymile

i am so thankful for this site because its the encouragement & accountability i need in my running journey. i look forward to posting a new run, seeing how far i've come, and getting to encourage the community on there. i am thankful for a tool that allows me to get better, run harder, and keep a visual check of what i have accomplished.

21. my sister hannah

today, after church, nathan and i headed to my family's lake house for lunch, a visit, and some home-smoked ribs for dinner. due to the overcastness outside, mom, han, & i decided to leave the boys behind and head to the outlet mall close by. we had a great time shopping, but one of the things i realized and thought about the whole time was how thankful i am to have a little sister. she is so cool, and it is so exciting to have her join me in "grown up" world. i have had a little sister for 14 years now, but its exciting to make a new friend in her. i am so thankful for her, and the beautiful young woman she is becoming.

20. starbucks shaken iced green tea

its kind of my new thing, and i love it. today, after sitting in the park all morning in the sunshine, i was quite thankful for a venti glass of this goodness at a local starbucks with nathan. i like it so much. i like mine with 1/2 pump of sweetener (they look at me like i'm crazy as it normally comes with 4), and i like how it is a little minty, a little sugary, and so refreshing. i am so thankful for the sweet & cool relief it offers to thirsty & hot me.

19. the internet

when i got home from work today, i flipped open the ipad and switched on the tv to watch some hulu when i was greeted with the dreaded screen of "cannot connect to internet" great, i thought, and called nathan. after talking with him and doing some looking around, i realized it was no big deal (just some wires unplugged) and that as soon as he got home to fix it, we would be good to go. after we hung up and i settled back on the couch, i realized how thankful i am for the internet. isn't it funny how you don't realize how thankful you are for little things like that until they don't work? anyways, today, i am thankful for the technology that allows me to not only blog, check my email, and send a Facebook message, but also allows me to be connected to the world, to understand and immediately read the report on the us's credit rating, and look up a place to eat dinner. i am thankful for the internet.

18. hair cuts

didnt get a chance to post this last night, but yesterday (and today even!) i am thankful for a hair cut. i apperciate the clean & straight ends, and the way it feels so clean and crisp.

17. excedrin pm

after a night of no sleep (thanks to my medicine), i am quite thankful for excedrin pm. hopefully tonight, it will offer relief and rest, both of which i need. i am thankful for these little man made creations, that aid the body & help the head.

16.early morning time with God

lately, nathan and i have been trying to get up an hour early to spend time with the Lord. i'm not going to lie- its hard. its required us to make some changes- like going to bed early and dealing with being a little tired during the day. but its mornings like this morning that make me so thankful that, with the Lords help, we get up when that very annoying alarm goes off very early. i am thankful for the presence of the holy spirit in me throughout the day, and it is amazing how, when i start my day in scripture, my mind stays there throughout the day. i am thankful that i have a God who hears me, who forgives me, who speaks, who is alive, and who wants to include me and use me in His plan.

15. the dvr

nathan and i have chosen to not get cable due to the outrageous prices and the fact that in our small place we only have one t.v., but i am quite thankful and appreciative of my parent's dvr. almost everyday, after work, i head over to moms to run on her treadmill, which is in her bedroom, and get to run to an assortment of shows that i get to tivo. i am so thankful for the dvr because it allows me to see shows (like dc cupcakes, 19 kids and counting, cupcake wars...can you figure out which channel i record?!) that i otherwise wouldn't get to..AND i get to fast forward through the commercials! double win! i am so thankful for this technology, and i cant imagine running on the treadmill without it.

haha, this gratitude post reminds me of a quote from youve got mail:
"Technologically speaking, the world's out of hand. Take the VCR. The whole idea of a VCR is that it makes it possible for you to tape what's on television while you're out of the house. But the whole point of being out of the house is so you can miss what's on television."

14. sundays

after a week of busyness, work, friends, life, running, and everything else, i am so thankful for sundays. i am so thankful that God created us to need rest, and ordered our days to encourage us to take a day to acknowledge him and rest in His goodness. sometimes, that rest is in the form of sleep or laziness, but sometimes, it is resting in the simple pleasures he provides. friends, figs, snocones, grlls, crunchy potatoes, movies, couches, and time to look to Him. i am so thankful for how He has crafted me to need Him and to need to rest in Him. i am thankful for Sundays.

13. peaches

this morning, we went to the green market in piedmont park, and after admiring all of the vendors booths and goods that they were selling, we settled on a bag of peaches from a local farm in south georgia. after enjoying the sun and a surprise visit from nathan's sister, we headed home for a quick shower before going to celebrate a 1st birthday with some friends. in the car, we brought a few of our peaches as a snack, and as soon as we took a bite, i was reminded of how thankful i am that God is creative and loves us in such a way that he would create something as wonderfully delicious as peaches. nathan and i got into a discussion about how amazing it is that a seed, some dirt, some sun, and some water can turn out so magnificent as a peach. i am so thankful for their juicy, plump, filling, sweet goodness.

12. my nephews & sticky ice cream kisses

tonight, we had dinner with nathan's parents and one of his sisters and her husband and- our two nephews! grant (hannah & jaqs boy) is 2 years and five months and tristan (jacks boy) is 2 1/2. they are the cutest little guys ever, and as they played with us and talked to us and finally had to say goodbye, i am so thankful for them. we love them greatly, and i truly do thank God for them each time we get to see them. as they kissed and hugged us good bye, i was reminded once again how thankful i am for family & sweet little boy kisses with a side of leftover ice cream.

11. my mom

i am so thankful for my mom. tonight, we attended a viking cooking class (more about that tomorrow on my other blog), and it was just so great to laugh and cook and eat and visit. we took it with a group of ladies, and it made me so thankful to know that now, shes not just my mom, shes my friend. i am so thankful for her.

10. crossing things off my to do list

man, nothing beats a long to do list with lots of things marked off. i am always so thankful for the wave of relief & accomplishment that comes with each mark through. today was busy at the office, and after making my list this morning (its a daily ritual for me), i was so grateful to leave with most of the things done. i write mine in sharpie, and i love the definitive doneness of each mark through. follow up emails? did it. load budget? done. lunch desk duty? finished. evaluate error in reports? check. this list went on, but it was conquered. i am so thankful for the achiever in me sometimes. its the little things that make me happy, ya know?

9. the way my legs burn after a good run

i am so thankful for how strong my body can be. i mean, how cool is it that our bodies can do things like run four miles in the hot sun?! i am always so grateful for a run, especially a long one, and how the feeling stays with me the whole night. it makes me want to get up and do it again. 

8. youve got mail

When I am sad, scared, bored, or insecure, this movie is my security blanket. I am so thankful for the sweet story and the calming effect it has on me.

7. shane & shane

back in high school, i was introduced to the band shane & shane and ever since, i have been quite a fan. while driving home from church today, i opted to switch on the ipod (in lieu of my traditional talkradio) and decided on some shane & shane. i am so thankful for how they turn my heart's affection and mind's attention to christ. even after arriving home, i came in and switched on pandora for a while to the shane & shane station, but soon just went straight to the laptop, putting it on shuffle through all my shane & shane stuff. i am so grateful for music that humbles me, speaks to me, challenges me, and encourages me every time. 

6. a blue sky with a few clouds and lots of sun

have you been outside yet today? at least where we live, its perfect! this week has been full of days like today, and it makes me grateful for the simple pleasure of  pretty white clouds on a sunny day. i started noticing them again last saturday when we went to stone mountain with our lifegroup, and every day they have caught my eye. i love how when the clouds blow over the sun, the air instantly cools a bit and a breeze comes, and it seems to accentuate the warmth and glow of the sun after the clouds pass. i love looking up and seeing the sky peppered with the fluffy things. its so calming, and reminds me of just how small i am. funny how sometimes that feeling can be so scary, and yet sometimes so  humbling and exciting. thats how i felt today looking up. what a great God that would create such a beautiful way to water the earth- and create our minds and eyes in such a way to enjoy even the look of them. 

5. ash

while i didn't get a chance to post this yesterday, it was on my mind. i spent most of the day with my best friend ash and it reminded me of how thankful i am for her friendship and presence in my life. we have been friends since high school, and i treasure how she has remained in my life. yesterday was her last day of summer vacation before returning to her job as teacher, and in a way, it was our last summer day as childless friends. next summer, and for the rest of our summer days, we will have kids in tow, with sunscreen and toys and nap schedules lingering over us. i'm excited about that, but it was a day of being grateful for what has been, and anticipating what is to come. i am so excited for ash. she is going to make a killer mom. i'm grateful to be her friend in the process of her pregnancy, as it has given me a chance to think about things that i wouldn't have without such an up close perspective.  last night, we sat around the dinner table with our husbands and were discussing topics such as schooling and what not, and i was reminded of how grateful i am to have someone (besides nathan of course) to really talk through things with. ash has been that person for a while- even back in high school, the way we would study for tests is i would talk through all the material with her, and in doing so, reinforce what i know while also allowing her to hear it one more time to cement it in her mind. i am thankful for a friend that i can talk through anything with- and thankful that she can summarize it at the end and succinctly tell me what i was trying to get out. i am so thankful for ash.

4. clean teeth

i visited the dentist today (for the first time in five years...oops) and i remembered how thankful i am for clean teeth. after getting them scraped ) scrubbed, i love how smooth they feel, and how you can feel each individual tooth. i am thankful for the simple pleasures like this, when a little something like smooth teeth puts a smile on your face. :)

3. the word of God

just when i have no words, and dont know where to turn, God's word always holds truth. always.  God is truth, and His word is a collection of His promises.  there are some hard truths, and some relieving truths. truths that encourage, inspire, humble, help, challenge, energize, and direct. God always speaks through His word. His word never returns void. i am so thankful for His Word. this morning, while reading for my daily quiet time (i've been reading through john and romans), i came across this passage, and it reminded me how thankful i am for the truth of scripture.

"as for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions...who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? it is before his own master that he stands or falls. and he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand...why do you pass judgement on your brother? or you, why do you despise your brother? for we will all stand before the judgment seat of God; for it is written, as i live says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. so then each of use will give an account of himself to God. therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother...for the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. whoever thus serves Chris is acceptable to God and approved by men. so then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding...." - romans 14

2. sharpies

its true, sharpies are thebomb.com. i have always been a fan- nothing writes better. and one of my favorite things? their consistency. i know exactly how a extra fine point sharpie will write everytime. its pretty much all i use to write with (except in my planner). and while they seem trivial, i am quite thankful for them. especially a large assortment of them in many different colors.

1. coffee

it might sound trivial, but on days like today, after not getting much sleep, coffee is one thing i am quite thankful for. in the mornings, when i am groggy and foggy, a freshly brewed cup can help me make it through the rest of the day. i like mine black, in a ceramic mug, with whipped cream on top.

as well as a morning pick me up, i am so thankful for sweet moments over coffee with the people i love most- nathan, mom & dad, and my friends.