Since it has been almost two weeks since my last day of thankfulness I am doing two in one today...
Grace and Parents Who Pray for Me.
I'll start with Parents who pray for me. I am blessed to have two parents who love the Lord and have sweet hearts for talking to Him. So not only do my parents love and encourage me but they pray for me. What a gift that is!
And Grace... I'm not sure what more to say but that I'm real thankful for it. One day I think I'll come back to this one and write some more!
8.31.2011
8.19.2011
No. 10
I know I can trust the Lord!
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him and he will make your path straight."
With the Lord is love and grace, forgiveness and compassion. He has it all figured out for me, I just have to look to him and submit to him and he'll get me right where I belong. Sometimes it might take longer than I plan, sometimes faster, but always in his perfect timing!
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him and he will make your path straight."
With the Lord is love and grace, forgiveness and compassion. He has it all figured out for me, I just have to look to him and submit to him and he'll get me right where I belong. Sometimes it might take longer than I plan, sometimes faster, but always in his perfect timing!
8.18.2011
No. 9
My Mom!
Today is my mother's birthday and I could not think of a better way to honor her than to say how thankful I am for her.
The question is where to begin... my mom is a pretty amazing woman!
The first thing that always comes to me when I think about Mom is praying. If I ask her to pray about something I know she will be talking to the Lord about it. My whole life I have seen her taking things to the Lord in prayer. You name it, she would pray about. I am so thankful to have grown up seeing my mother pray and through that seen the wonder and power of prayer in my own life. Wow, what a blessing!
What else... we'll the woman knows how to shop! And boy does she love a good bargain. Now, I've seen my mom hunt for deals my whole life but somehow that gift just skipped right past me. But she will come over and bring me some amazing top, shoes, purse, or whatever that I would have spent way too much on and she'll have spent nothing on it, and it is cute! She is so good at that!
Besides being an amazing shopper she is also one of the most generous people I know. If there is something I need or something that I want but can't get it she will do everything in her might to get it for me. And not only that but there are so many times when she has had something cute on or a cool little something or another and if I even mention that I like it the next thing I know she is giving it to me! She is crazy generous!!
She is also an amazing listener. More times than there are stars in the sky have I called her needing to get something off my chest or cry about something or whatever it might be and she just listens to me. Now, she will always give me her opinion on the matter too, but that is okay, she is my mom.
And she is fun to laugh with! I love sharing my joys with my mom! There have been a few times this summer we have giggled like school girls together on the phone. What a blessing to share that with her!
There are so many more things I could say about my mom, but I'll just simply end by saying how very, very thankful I am she is my mother! You are a light and a blessing in my life!! Thank you for being you and helping me be me! I love you Mom!!
8.14.2011
No. 8
... and long over due!
Fresh Flowers and Weddings
This weekend I had the honor and [really] the joy of doing the flowers for my friends Katie and Gabe's wedding. Katie pretty much gave me free reign to do what I wanted with a little direction here and there. But then said just make it beautiful and I knew, or should say hoped, I could do that! It was a pretty big job for being my first real flower gig. I have done my own parties before and been helping a wedding florist this summer with her jobs but never anything like this before!
I started Friday morning by picking up all the flowers from the wholesale shop. I am so thankful to have a great guy there who helped me find everything I needed and stay within my budget! Some how I managed to leave and not spend but $45 more than was given to me. And that was really things that had nothing to do with the cost of the flowers! Praise the Lord for that gift!
Then I headed back home to start working with the most beautiful flowers. Katie wanted a garden themed look so everything in the kitchen looked like it was freshly picked from the yard. Not to mention the flower selection in August is pretty stellar! I was nervous driving all those flowers home, but not one of them was lost in the journey! And my car smelled amazing the whole way home!
It was such a fun day! I was surrounded by some of the things I love the most-- flowers and had some of the people I love the most helping me. (Although they all might say it didn't always look like I was having so much fun, but in spite of my stress level soaring at times it was fun!) I was so lucky to have my Uncle Curt and our family friend Velve in town from NYC to help. Velve is a master with flowers and my uncle is super creative! Along with my mom and even a little help from my dad, Aunt Sharon and Uncle Eric! Everyone pitched in to make the work more manageable.
Everyone loved the flowers on Saturday and I have to admit it was so exciting to have my creations be a part of such a wonderful couple's special day. Thank you Katie and Gabe for letting me share my love and passion for flowers with you on your wedding day! And thank you family for all your help and encouragement in getting it done!!
8.08.2011
No. 7 [I love the number seven]
Unexpected Blessings... AKA Being Sent Home Early From Work
So maybe this is a real stretch, but hey, that is what I am trying to do here: stretch myself in Trusting the Lord and Praising Him always!
The past few day have been painfully slow at work and when it is slow that means someone has to go home. No fun in anyway when you count on those hours as your income. But today it worked out beautifully! I am doing the flowers for a friend's wedding this weekend and must admit that I have been a bit behind [EEK!] in the whole process. And due to my procrastination have been a tad bit stressed out... and rightfully so, the wedding is on Saturday! Anyhow, today I began winging it, because I had the time to do it and just the right amount of procrastination-inflicted stress to get me going!
I got to the flower shop, walked around, talked to the guy who helps me and actually have a game plan! I am so very thankful for days that I can turn lemons into lemonade!!
So maybe this is a real stretch, but hey, that is what I am trying to do here: stretch myself in Trusting the Lord and Praising Him always!
The past few day have been painfully slow at work and when it is slow that means someone has to go home. No fun in anyway when you count on those hours as your income. But today it worked out beautifully! I am doing the flowers for a friend's wedding this weekend and must admit that I have been a bit behind [EEK!] in the whole process. And due to my procrastination have been a tad bit stressed out... and rightfully so, the wedding is on Saturday! Anyhow, today I began winging it, because I had the time to do it and just the right amount of procrastination-inflicted stress to get me going!
I got to the flower shop, walked around, talked to the guy who helps me and actually have a game plan! I am so very thankful for days that I can turn lemons into lemonade!!
8.04.2011
No. 6
REI's Amazing Return Policy!
A few weeks ago I stayed with the cutest dog while her family was in Europe... well, for as cute as she was she was also a tad bit naughty. Not bad naughty, just puppy naughty. Anyhow, one day I noticed that my one Chaco was not with the other Chaco and when the lost Chaco was found it suddenly didn't look like its mate. The webbing now had the loving teeth marks of Penny the dog. Needless to say I was pretty bummed about it. I love my Chacos! They have been almost everywhere in the world I've ever been and pretty much like a faithful old friend. But then I remembered, my parents got them for me at REI; REI has pretty much the most amazing return policy ever. I have never personally used it before, but I have heard stories of turning in worn out and broken [well loved] outdoor goods for new ones.
So today I set out to try this amazing return policy for myself. I must admit I was a tiny bit nervous. I didn't know how it worked. Would I be questioned? Would I have the right answers? How in the world are they going to exchange my dog eaten shoes for new ones? Maybe I would just have to get the one shoe repaired and then they would never be the same? I didn't know what to expect. I didn't have a receipt, I had no proof that they were purchased there, I didn't even have the box. But I went right up to the customer service desk and said, a dog ate my Chacos and I heard I can return them. The kind man said sure, no problem. That was it! No questions asked, no rude or judgemental looks. Just a nice, helpful man and a new pair of Chacos for me.
I almost got emotional when he took my Chacos away. I traveled through Israel and Egypt in those shoes. Walked around Italy and Estonia in them too. And planned to have them for ever trip thereafter...
But instead of being sad that they are gone I am so very thankful to have a new pair on the way that will go on my next adventure with me! (and every one thereafter)
A few weeks ago I stayed with the cutest dog while her family was in Europe... well, for as cute as she was she was also a tad bit naughty. Not bad naughty, just puppy naughty. Anyhow, one day I noticed that my one Chaco was not with the other Chaco and when the lost Chaco was found it suddenly didn't look like its mate. The webbing now had the loving teeth marks of Penny the dog. Needless to say I was pretty bummed about it. I love my Chacos! They have been almost everywhere in the world I've ever been and pretty much like a faithful old friend. But then I remembered, my parents got them for me at REI; REI has pretty much the most amazing return policy ever. I have never personally used it before, but I have heard stories of turning in worn out and broken [well loved] outdoor goods for new ones.
So today I set out to try this amazing return policy for myself. I must admit I was a tiny bit nervous. I didn't know how it worked. Would I be questioned? Would I have the right answers? How in the world are they going to exchange my dog eaten shoes for new ones? Maybe I would just have to get the one shoe repaired and then they would never be the same? I didn't know what to expect. I didn't have a receipt, I had no proof that they were purchased there, I didn't even have the box. But I went right up to the customer service desk and said, a dog ate my Chacos and I heard I can return them. The kind man said sure, no problem. That was it! No questions asked, no rude or judgemental looks. Just a nice, helpful man and a new pair of Chacos for me.
I almost got emotional when he took my Chacos away. I traveled through Israel and Egypt in those shoes. Walked around Italy and Estonia in them too. And planned to have them for ever trip thereafter...
But instead of being sad that they are gone I am so very thankful to have a new pair on the way that will go on my next adventure with me! (and every one thereafter)
8.02.2011
No. 5
Tuesdays with Sadie Grace!
Sadie is a sweet little blessing in my life! For the past ten months we have become fast friends spending almost every Tuesday afternoon and evening together. It has worked out beautifully that I leave work at 2 and head straight over to her house. We play horses and blocks, sing songs, take long walks, read stories, sneak in a little PBS kids and just have plain old fun!
When we started hanging out she was still a baby but now she is turning into such a big girl... she willl be two in December. I love it when she babbles on and on about only she knows what! A few weeks ago, right when she started talking, she didn't stop babbling the whole time I was with her. I think I was giggling the whole time we were together! I caught a few little words here and there, but most of it was a mystery to me. I feel totally sure she knew exactly what she was saying and probably wondered why in the world I wasn't responding to anything she was saying to me!
I am so thankful for this precious girl, she is a special little treasure to me! I cherish our time together and am so grateful for the blessing she is!
8.01.2011
No. 4
Sweet Customers... who come in and manage to brighten up your whole day (even at 6 PM) with their genuine appreciation, sweet stories, and fun laughs. They remind me why I love my job and make it all worthwhile!
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