Day Thirty

Well, it's the last day of November. There's still leftover turkey in the refrigerator, but November is closing quickly. I've read the introductions of two Advent books: The Greatest Gift by Ann Voskamp and Good News of Great Joy by John Piper. I used the Piper last year and really loved it; Voskamp also wrote 1000 Gifts and The Greatest Gift came out this month. I love Advent. 

But oh how I've loved November. I've loved remembering to be grateful and naming my blessings and growing in grace. 

Thankful today for: 

1. Readings for Advent

2. First impressions that come with second chances 

3. Toast with raspberry preserves

4. Sweatshirts without hoods 

5. When objects hold stories in them

Mercy, Grace

Today I celebrated Black Friday in a special kind of way. I went to Guitar Center and learned how to restring my guitar (which sounds so good. I always forget how much I like it when the strings aren't dead) and also got a mini cajon! Woohoo! 

Then I went to see Catching Fire because Jennifer Lawrence is AMAZING. As much as I didn't care for the Hunger Games books, the movies are incredibly well done. For the record, I am #teamgale. 

In the darkness of the theater, I scribbled down a quote as Katniss talks to the family and friends of a fallen tribute who spared her life: 

"He could have killed me but instead he showed me mercy. That's a debt I'll never be able to repay" 

It made me think of Jesus and grace and my life and o, to grace. 

Mercy is when the bad thing that you deserve doesn't happen to you. 

Grace is when the good thing you don't deserve happens to you anyway. 

Mercy is when you're speeding and the cop pulls you over but doesn't give you a ticket. 

Grace is when the cop pulls you over and gives you a brand new car. 

And praise Him in the highest, God is both endlessly merciful and full of grace. 

He is merciful in saving me from my sin and gracious for ushering me into new life. 

Thankful today for 

1. New guitar strings

2. Whispers of grace everywhere I go

3. Fog. It is so pretty

4. Lake Washington 

5. Ugly sweaters. 

I'm late

It's technically tomorrow. I left Kathy and Lenny's at 1:30am. 

I didn't plan it that way

I had a slow, casual morning, filled with Bible and leftover donuts and coffee and the paper. I walked to the store and the sun was warm and I got pretty flowers and I was thankful. So thankful. 

And I made squash and Elizabeth made apple dessert and our house smelled delicious and I was thankful. So thankful. 

And Lenny's daughter came and the son he rarely sees and Kathy and Lenny are ADORABLE and the food was amazing and I was thankful. So thankful. 

Lenny left to drive the son home and Kathy and I talked and talked and I was thankful. So thankful. 

And then Lenny came home and we talked and finally he looked at a clock and said, ladies, it's a quarter to one and we were shocked and I was thankful. So thankful. 

And we all talked about how God has blessed us and how great it is that Jesus is on the throne and wow we are so blessed. We hug and Lenny walks me to my car and I drive home and there's no one on the roads and I am thankful. So thankful. 

Naming just 5 blessings is asking a parent to pick a favorite child. 

Thankful today for 

Phone calls from worried mom 

The mess we make of the newspaper

That Elizabeth would never shop on Thanksgiving no matter how many stores are open 

Apples 

Finally cracking open a squash

Warm sun on a November day

When someone asks if I drink and I say wine would be great and they pick out one I really like

Family, even if it's not mine 

Kathy

Lenny

Chandin

Time to talk

Testimonies

Bacon Brussel sprouts 

Leftover donuts

Late nights with beautiful people

Jesus

Tired eyes but too much love of life to go to bed

Quiet small lap dogs

Walks

Bouquets with sunflowers and roses and wheat 

Cooking 

Laughter

Grace 

Flannel pjs

Thanksgiving leftovers

Nothing to do tomorrow 

Sleep 

Help Me Find It by Sidewalk Prophets, discovered in the radio 

Free street parking on holidays 

Basically every minute of today because it was beautiful 

Well and every minute of every day because God is beautiful

Portland

Well Elizabeth and I are a little crazy and since we've already driven across the country, driving 3 hours for a day trip isn't that bad. We went to Washington Park and Powell's and a place that serves Crete food and Voodoo donuts and randomly wandered around town. We were surprised at how many things were closed and how quiet it was. Anyway, we had a pretty good time and my car smells like donuts. 

Powell's: home of a million books and the best coconut Americano I have ever had. 

I also found out that I'm the only one who took Kathy and Lenny up on the orphan Thanksgiving. They said they wouldn't be offended if I accepted a different invitation, but it works out really well: I had just been thinking about how I wanted to get to know them better and this should be a great opportunity. 

Today, I'm thankful 

1. That Elizabeth has excellent navigation skills

2. Cereal on donuts

3. That I live in a cool city and really close to another cool city. 

4. A break from coaching 

5. Isaiah. I love so many verses in Isaiah it's ridiculous. 

Loving and Living

Today, I had a day off and I had no idea what to do with myself. So last night, I texted Gab, who has taken on a lot of very heavy responsibilities and asked her how I could serve her with my day off - errands, this around the house, an extra hand with children - and it turns out she just really wanted company! So I spent the day with her, watching a movie, talking, drinking smoothies. Then we sang (I'd brought my guitar) and her cousins (whom she cares for) got home. They thought it was really cool and Luca(7) and Ava (5) took turns strumming and dancing along. Mia (3) is allegedly very shy, but she said hello to me and showed me her book and picture and as I was leaving, gave me a big hug and kiss and said she loved me. 

I went right from there - in the worst traffic - to a sushi making lesson! Some Japanese guys one of my pastors knows did it to raise money for medical relief. A bunch of church people were there and it was really fun. I also learned that I have a knack (or beginner's luck) for rolling a slicing sushi. 

Hello, California rolls. Yum. 

Thankful today

1. For sisters in Christ just doing life together 

2.  That I have a car. 

3. That I can use this car to help other people out.

4. For sushi. It's fun to say, fun to make, and fun to eat. What's not to love?! 

5. Flannel PJs. Toasty 

And now it's break

I survived the summer right to fall 20 weeks of coaching showdown. And now it's break time. 

Thankful for

1. Opportunities to serve friends

2. A rewarding, challenging, learning experience

3. That it's almost socially acceptable to enjoy Christmas music

4. Grateful parents

5. Isabella's spunk. I'm not sure I've ever met a 5 year old quite like her. 

Sleepy

The sleepover went better than the last one, but I was still exhausted. I had to pray with my eyes open during communion time so I wouldn't drift off. I took a nap this afternoon and woke up not sure if it was 7pm or 7am. 

We sang a song at church today we hadn't done before, Lily of the Valley, and I really liked it: 

1. I have found a friend in Jesus, He’s everything to me,
   He’s the fairest of ten thousand to my soul;
   The Lily of the Valley, in Him alone I see
   All I need to cleanse and make me fully whole.
   In sorrow He’s my comfort, in trouble He’s my stay;
   He tells me every care on Him to roll.
   • Refrain:
     He’s the Lily of the Valley, the Bright and Morning Star,
     He’s the fairest of ten thousand to my soul.
2. He all my grief has taken, and all my sorrows borne;
   In temptation He’s my strong and mighty tow’r;
   I have all for Him forsaken, and all my idols torn
   From my heart and now He keeps me by His pow’r.
   Though all the world forsake me, and Satan tempt me sore,
   Through Jesus I shall safely reach the goal.
3. He will never, never leave me, nor yet forsake me here,
   While I live by faith and do His blessed will;
   A wall of fire about me, I’ve nothing now to fear,
   From His manna He my hungry soul shall fill.
   Then sweeping up to glory to see His blessed face,
   Where rivers of delight shall ever roll.

Thankful today:

1. For Brian. He has a great family and genuinely cares about his church family too

2. For the gospel, and a pastor devoted to preaching it 

3. For leftover frozen fruit

4. For chipotle less than 2 miles away. 

5. For fall vegetables.