Multitude Monday July 19, 2010

Back again....back on the Gratitude train. I began this awhile ago as a challenge from a friend to find things to be thankful for in my life. Not just find them randomly, but to actively look for them and record my search. Originally this is the heart-child of a lady I've never met - Ann Voskamp. You can check out her blog here and all she's written about her Gratitude community and her plan to find 1000 gifts from God and record them. I've never really linked up with that community but instead kept this kinda private - just me, and whoever out there knows my blog exists :) ie: you.

#61. I'm thankful for my first little red tomato, and the promise of many more to come if they green fruit and lingering blossoms on the plants have anything to say about it. Egan got to eat this one, Mica had one this morning and I had a third one this afternoon....delicious.

#62. I'm thankful for food in general. I know I take food for granted in this country where we have WAY more than our share. And I'm learning (especially over the last few months) to be more careful with food - quantity and quality both. I don't LOVE to cook or experiement - that is definitely my husband's forte, but I do love to play sometimes especially if there's a big reward - like this from yesterday...making our own Sushi at home. Oh...so good! If you're a chef, or this is something you do on a regular basis...don't judge me, and don't look too closely. Just know that it's driven higher my respect for many people in the food industry and a culture I already loved!

#63. I'm thankful for creative genes. I'm not particularly feeling creative these days and mostly that's because of stress and fatigue but when I need it, it's there. The creativity, I mean. Sometimes I know I need to get something done for a Design Team or a project coming up and I feel like I don't have any idea what to do...but it comes. I thankful that I can count on being made in the image of a Creative God and that his genes are visible in me.

#64. I'm thankful for football. Never thought I'd say that....but here I am, wife to a football lover/coach; mom to 2 football players and I honestly love the game. I love to watch and cheer. I love that it's such a disciplined, mental game. I love the experience my boys are getting - whether or not they follow this through to higher levels.

#65. I'm thankful for learning a little better through the years how to manage money. I wasn't always very good at it and I feel like I didn't learn well as a kid. But this week I got the chance to help my kids open bank accounts (not that they have much to put in there...) and help my daughter figure out tithing and saving and spending $$ since she's starting to babysit a little....it felt good to be able to help her understand some money things before too much of it slips through her hands. I hope this means she's off to a better start than I was.

#66. I'm thankful for summer. I LOVE the heat!

#67. I'm thankful for neighbours that we love to hang out with - sometimes supper, sometimes games, sometimes swimming, sometimes just sitting and talking. Not sure at all what I'd do in a neighbourhood full of people I didn't know/love/trust.

#68. I'm thankful for a husband who loves to cook. Despite his long-standing aversion to seafood, he grilled me salmon for lunch after church and made some yummy corn broth risotto.

#69. I'm thankful for my MCC. I know I've posted about stuff like this before but I find the coolest treasures there and today I used a few on some projects I was working on. I kept thinking....if I'd had to buy these new in a store...or worse yet, in a scrapbooking store where everything gets packaged in pink and sold for double what it is elsewhere (no offense to the LSS's...it's just the way of the industry)....I'd be broke. I found a bag of old chandelier jewels awhile ago. I used a couple on cards, gave a huge portion to a friend for a project she did for her school's grad and then used a bunch on some CHA projects for Clear Scraps today - this wall hanging for one:
#70. I thankful for my bed. I sleep so well in it - almost 99% of the time (and the other 1% is NOT the bed's fault). I'm writing this post late Sunday night and my whole body is craving crawling into bed...so good night - hope your bed treats you as well as mine treats me :)