Multitude Monday - July 12

I started this Multitude Monday journey a long time ago and although I really do have a ton of things in my life I'm thankful for, I stopped blogging specifically about them. I could claim life or distractions as my reasons for not posting, and that would be right, but busy or not, this was (and will be) an important thing in my life, so...here we go: Back on the Multitude Monday train...and starting where I left off.

First a re-post of the last time I did this:

March 22.
I have missed at least the last 2 Mondays. Not because I'm not thankful for anything obviously. But partly because sometimes what I'm thankful for is obscured by what I'm NOT thankful for.

So, today I'm starting again.
I'm choosing to be thankful again.
For everything.
Even the things that seem like they're not worthy.
Even the things that seem like they're hurtful and not helpful.
Even the things that are painful.
Because somewhere I read that God makes all things work together for good.
And somewhere I read that God has a plan for my life - to prosper me and not to harm me.
And somewhere I read that God loves me.

#51. God loves me.


Thanks God.
I love you too.

And now, TODAY:

#52-55. I'm thankful for (#52) my lawn, and (#53) the smell of freshly mowed grass, and (#54) that it got done before the next rainstorm, and (#55) that I did it myself. I really love mowing lawn - it's peaceful, all distractions are drowned out and I can walk for an hour and then not feel guilty that my treadmill has a layer of dust on it.

#56. In a similar vein....I'm thankful that my lawn mower, which is currently being held together by bungee cords and crossed fingers, just keeps chugging along. I can't afford a new one right now so this one will have to do.

#57. I'm thankful for our neighbours who are letting us use their pool again this summer. They are just the nicest people in the world...I'm seriously humbled to know them.

#58. I'm thankful for my crazy, crazy boys. I love how different they are and how they're growing into amazing young men :) My youngest is the bravest, silliest kid. He'll try anything. He's been diving for several years now and today, at only 8 years old, he decided it was time to learn how to back-dive and back flip off the diving board. Of course. 2-3 practice runs with Daddy's strong arms guiding him and he was off and diving on his own.



And my middle one - slightly less brave and a little more cautious - decided that today he'd learn to dive. We've been pestering him to try diving for years....really....maybe 3 years. "No. No. No. Don't want to. No." In fact, we've had tears a few times because he's not wanted to dive. It's not really a serious fear - he just really needs to decide for himself. We see it in all areas of his life so this isn't new for us. Anyway, today was the day. He said no at first, and then all of a sudden he got up on the board and dove in. No fanfare, no "hey-look-at-me." Just dove. Perfectly, the first time, I might add...as is usually the case with something he's refused to try for any length of time.

#59. I'm thankful for the beautiful weather we've been having. We've had so much rain around here that having several hot, dry days in a row has been lovely!!

#60. I'm thankful for devotions. The past week I've been getting up early. Sometimes as early as 5:30. Sometimes I just can't sleep. Sometimes I'm up with DH's alarm. But every morning I've put on a pot of coffee (enough for a cup for me, and some extra for DH for the 3 min. drive to work) and then I've curled up on my patio couch and snuggled into a quilt out there with fresh coffee, the birds singing, no mosquitoes, and my Bible. It's been so, so good. Most mornings last week I was out there for an hour or an hour & 1/2. I'm not sure why I don't do that every single day (except the whole winter things slows me down) but I'm certainly going to give it a whirl! Oh, and occasionally, if all that wasn't good enough, the neighbour's cat comes and curls up on my lap for awhile. Bliss...pure bliss.

And as I sit there just breathing in the morning air and the peace, this is the verse that keeps circulating round and round my head:

Psalm 143:8
"Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love,
for I have put my trust in you."

I almost can't wait for tomorrow morning :)
and next Monday!