On Saturday morning I dropped my husband off at the salon and was on my way to a town 30 minutes away to pick up our grandchildren for the weekend. I had some time to waste so I went into the local Goodwill store – it’s fun to look around, and I love the book shelves filled with old, new, and classics! When I came out of the store, my front tires were turned out and I could actually see that the tires were as bald as a rubber ball. I freaked, and drove immediately to the tire store, all the way praying, “Lord please let there be immediate service and no waiting line so I can get down this mountain in time.” I pulled in and the ONLY car in the bay was being pulled out! O! Thank You, Lord. I got in and out of there in 25 minutes and still beat my daughter at our meeting place! All the way down the mountain I found myself thanking the Lord for His grace and provision. I sounded like a broken record (anyone remember those!!!). Thank You Lord. Thank You Lord. Thank You Lord. All day long I said those words because my heart was so full of gratefulness. Many of you have read Ann Voskamp’s “million copy seller” One Thousand Gifts, in which she encourages us to write down our gratefulnesses, our “gifts” every single day. I took the challenge a couple of years ago and filled a journal with 1,000 gifts of grateful! This year I began counting again because, you see, I believe in what she says that…
#1217 Seeing bald tires before a short road trip
#1221 Hannah is a good driver
#1222 Getting H & S for the weekend
#1224 Simon is a great kid
#1225 Coming home to a perfectly manicured yard
#1226 Bunnies in our yard
#1227 Getting to church on time
#1228 Frozen pizzas and salad
#1229 Sonday afternoon
#1230 Long phone convo with Kris
#1231 Good movie on Sonday night
I don’t believe we can say “thank you” enough – and I know our Father in heaven loves to hear those words from a sincere heart.
I sing a song to give you thanks,
and I tell about all the wonderful things you have done. Psalm 26.7
You wanted me to praise you and not be silent.
Lord my God, I will praise you forever! Psalm 30.12
Today, I wanted to share with you, my friends, how grateful I am for the hundreds of blessings the Lord has bestowed upon me – will you take the time to share at least one gratefulness with me?
xo
Wednesday Linkups:
Only one for now, and it is also related to tires. In April, we discovered that there was a screw in the outside edge of a tire, and it had caused a slow leak for several months. Because of the location of the screw, no patch would work, so the tire had to be replaced. When we took it in a few days later (had to wait till we had the $$$), we discovered that it was still covered under the road hazard warranty we had purchased three years ago, so that tire cost us only half price! That was a HUGE blessing for us! Of course, there are many more, but I’ll not take the time to share them with you right now. Happy that you got those tires replaced and got down the mountain safely!
God’s grace toward His children never stops amazing me. ♥
I have two huge thanksgivings that come to mind immediately. The first is that we were able to move my mom into an assisted living facility one year ago. It is a place where she has been looked after in a safe environment 24 hours a day and MIRACULOUSLY seems content. The other is that my oldest grandson who will graduate from high school in two weeks chose a Christian College to attend in the Fall. He had other choices but thankfully chose the one where he can be challenged in his spiritual life and learn to serve the Lord. The daily small thanksgivings I record to keep me in a thankful frame of mine and the big ones are milestones that will always point me to the faithfulness of my Heavenly Father in the lives of those I love. Thanks Susan for this reminder.
The big milestones are those “anchor points” we talked about a couple of weeks ago! xo
Thankful for Susan and her encouragement each week!
And, thankful for YOU!
Oh, I had one of those moments last summer with my car. Just as I was turning into my work’s parking lot, my car emitted this LOUD screeching noise. My brakes were shot! Thanking God all the way, my co-worker’s daughter worked at a tire shop that also does brakes down the hill from my place of employment and she got me in immediately. I coasted down the hill in neutral and got there safely and friend’s daughter took me back to work. There have been so many times when I just know God protects us! I was surely grateful that day. Today I’m grateful for just another day of life!
He is so gracious!!!
Susan,
I have read 1000 Gifts 2 times and love it. I am going to start my list right now. I am thankful for the beautiful flowers in my yard, pots and window boxes. I am thankful for the peace and joy I feel when working in them. I am thankful for spring and good books. And I am thankful for your blog which always touches my heart.
Melonie, thank you so much for commenting! I think it is so beneficial to list our thanks – and of course any excuse to buy a new little journal always works for me!!!! After our very long winter, hasn’t Spring been a GIFT? xoxo
Ditto on Melonie’s response. My prayers begin with thank you Lord for your love and care. Yes, what joyful gift of Spring. I’m really thankful for our garden, I just love to go look at it and say thank you Lord, along with the blueberries, of course. I like the idea of a journal, thank you Susan.
Oh yes, Carol, you must write them down and NUMBER THEM!!! They add up quickly. xo
Oh,how I loved that book also. I’ve been trying to write down all my blessings again. I’m thanking our Precious Lord, that my car, which just stopped the other day and we thought it was the fuel pump, Thank you Lord, it was only a loose wire. Whew! Thank you, Thank you Lord, how can I ever thank you enough!
I believe Abba is pleased when we live with a spirit of thanksgiving.
Love this! My mantra is “Thank You Lord”! I’ve never actually written down my blessings each day…..not sure I have the time……but, I’m gonna try it!
Sandy, just keep a little memo book on your nightstand and at the end of the day, jot some grateful’s down and number them. You’ll be amazed!!! And they can be the simplest things like “my daddy’s peony bush blooming”!!! Love you woman!
Thank you so much for linking up with Coffee for Your Heart! I’m so grateful for your words. XO
Living gratefully! Thanks for stopping by, Holley.