Day 30 - 30 Days of Thanks

Every good and perfect gift is from above ... James 1:17

It is with a very grateful heart that I have enjoyed sharing God's gifts of blessings this month. I will miss my daily posts and perhaps will have to revisit the lists of blessings often to stay focused. I am thankful for the friends - new and old - who have shared this past month with me. I look forward to staying in touch!

Today I got some really sweet gifts for my birthday! :) Flowers & candy from the church - delicious smelling "stuff" (from Bath & Body Works) from my co-workers - and not pictured a Goose Berry Patch recipe & craft collector's edition book from my little family. And cards - many sweet cards from friends and family. I used to say that "adult" birthdays were pretty boring & not worth getting excited over - but this year proved me wrong. It was an extra special day with many blessings!
I am grateful for my life ... and that God has allowed me 39 (??! really? so many??!) years on this earth - mostly healthy, happy years - but also the trials that He got me through - and a journey that has been amazing!

On a more frivolous note - I am thankful for my parents unknowingly getting one of my FAVORITE ice creams of all times for tonight: Breyers Chocolate Crackle (that my friend calls "crack" because it is soooo addicting!) ... yeah, that's one happily chocolate-crack-stupored pregnant woman:

I never want to take for granted the family God has given me. My husband who completes me - whom I respect even when he makes me mad because he's usually right - and who loves me unconditionally. My children who are growing up to be interesting individuals - who usually want to do what is right - who love the Lord and love being with us, their parents. (no pics of Andrew - he was manning the camera tonight)

I am thankful for my parents who drove 600 miles last week to be with me on my birthday - and who brought us a car seat-stroller combination as well as a bouncy seat they got at a consignment sale for our baby!! I am thankful for their quirks, for their love for the Lord, and for wanting what is best for me as I was growing up, even when I was difficult about understanding their advice.

Today was also my "last" day of work ... though it looks like another stint of being the "lunch lady" coming up this week - and perhaps even substitute teaching a few hours!! It wasn't a big deal that this was my "last" day of work because I know I'll be around - I'll be doing some work for the church/school from home as well as stopping by the office occasionally. After 6 1/2 years, I can't let go easily (ie. I am a CONTROL FREAK) ... and though I know the ladies will do a GREAT job in the office after I'm gone, I am thankful to still be involved in small ways around our church & school by doing the accounting, payroll, and other small tasks. I am thankful for my church - I am thankful for a wonderful little Christian school for my children to attend - and I am thankful for the privilege it was to work there ... and I am thankful for the lessons I have learned about ministry and about myself (some not very pretty lessons about myself!) these last few years.

I look forward to December - more blessings - more joy - especially with celebrating Christmas! I was just thinking that I am somewhat as pregnant as Mary may have been with Baby Jesus back then ... what an amazing thought (though I realize Jesus may NOT have actually been born ON December 25). I wonder how Mary felt - and I can understand why she would "ponder these things in her heart" (Luke 2:19) - Jesus gives us much to think about - so many good things to mull over and contemplate and rejoice in.

And for those who are wondering what we'll name our baby girl ... we've pretty much settled on Miriam (which is a version of Mary, meaning "beloved") unless we find something in the next few weeks that we like better ... well, that DAN likes better (he's naming this baby - long story - it's somewhere in my archives but I'm too lazy to search for it!).

What are YOU thankful for on this last day of November? Mr. Linky is not working tonight - perhaps we've exhausted him this month?? Please leave me a comment w/ a link to your last entry of thanks, if you'd like to share.