Buckle Down Thanksgiving List

I keep forgetting to keep my thanksgiving list going.
And it's important, you know.
Not only will Danielle treat me to frozen yogurt if I reach a thousand thanks by the beginning of July, but it also helps me to be thankful.
I mean, I am helped when I am thankful. It changes my perspective
and perspective is just about everything.
I mean, it's all about me, you know.

But, I also think that God appreciates being thanked.
I know I appreciate it when my children thank me.
Especially for the little things that take noticing in order to be grateful for them.
So, this is my final list.

I have spent too much time looking back to see what number I have reached.
This is the final hurrah and then I probably will begin again,
but I don't think I'll number them this time.
So, 220 more thanks until I reach 1,000.

#781-790
A night at home, alone.
Wild Baby Turkeys scurrying about in the pen Dave Plank built us.
Cleansing Stream and the feeling that this is 'home' for us.
Hummingbirds buzzing like fighter jets over my head.
Lucy.
Angel's patience. Lucy barks at her face and pulls at her tail. Back and forth.
Love at home.
Coyotes that haven't attacked our cattle. Heard a pack of them just down the lane, howling, the other night. Makes us uneasy.
Michael's video of the bear he just saw over at HV.
#790-800
-The beautiful rain throughout last night.
-yellow squash beginnings.
-Chicken's and their silliness.
-Dishwashers
-Air conditioning
-Big bathtubs
-Uncle Ed and Aunt Rhoda and their RV and the re-ignition of our travel dreams.
-Sherri's beautiful big house and the way they share their porch and property.
-That if 'those people' keep calling our number and don't leave a message, I'm going to push 'talk' and give them my Aborigines Holler. It worked before...
The last two pages in 'Jesus+Nothing=Everything.' I read it to the fam this morning.
801-810
-When we were down at the river, Sunday eve. I grasped the roasting fork at it's tip, wanting to pull it up, but Phil had just pulled it out of the fire, which I found out soon enough. He offered his cup of cold tea and said, "Put your finger in that," which I did but it still hurt like crazy. I thought I'd have to come up to the house for burn ointment. Michelle's friend, Miriam, was there. She said that her mother always told her to rub a burn on her hair. So. I took my hand and ran it through my hair and the pain stopped immediately. I kid you not. And it never blistered nor did it hurt ever again. God is amazing. There is some kind of oil in our hair that even helps with burns. He thought of everything, didn't He.
-Lucy, running to me, because of the big fighter jets flying terribly noisily overhead. She hides in my lap.
-Lucy's hiccups. I say "Boo" but it doesn't work. Giving her a treat does, though.
-Lucy, very interested in the tap-tap-tapping of the keyboard. She pushed something and now everything is very small. Time to sign out tonight.
-a tournament quality volleyball net being put to use in our back yard by Philip and his Sasquatch
-Lori's help with pricing homeschool books
-everyone's kindness in Appomattox
-Susan's clean room
-Phil catching up on rest
-the joy of seeing someone else's vacation pics on fb. Feels like I'm there.
811-833
-Philip's joy about future fishing dates
-D's good news phone call
-Phil's ingenuity-his pants tore down the front and he used duct tape to fix them because he was going into the 'nun' area with Brother N., who thought that the nuns shouldn't see so much leg. haha!!!
-Alli's rippling laugh
-Michael's car fixed/passed inspection
-Susan helping someone to make up their mind to buy a lawn mower
-electricity
-Sweet Frog
-Matt's tears
-Beautiful storm
-teenage girls
-Amy H. sitting beside me during grad.
-Travis wanted to sit beside his 'mama'-(me)
-Phil is back home
-Pastor Betty's sermon-the kids wanted her to be their speaker
-a class that had come through fire without the scent of smoke
-that I should just trust God and those close to me, and also trust that if there is anything that needs to be revealed, He will show it to me.
-Sat. afternoon nap with Lucy.
-Jenny L.
-Michael thanking us for buying a farm...'...we eat our own eggs and sausage...' etc.
-That having a farm has taught us to fix things ourselves. And Michael was able to help Rich G. by fixing his tractor
-beautiful cooler day
-Susan's 'Your flower garden is so pretty, Mom.'
834-845
-river thoughts and verses I found. 1 Chron. 23:5-'...and 4,000 praise the LORD with musical instruments, 'which I made,' said David, 'for giving praise.' David made the musical instruments for the many instrumentalists! That's amazing!
-11 Chron. 3:6-'And he decorated the house with precious stones for beauty...' Solomon went beyond making the temple functional and made it beautiful. We, too, are the temple of God.
-11 Chron. 20:31-33-'So Jehosaphat, 35, was king over Israel for 25 years. He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD. Nevertheless, the high places were not taken away, for as yet the people had not directed their hearts to the God of their fathers.'OK. How does this work? We can do what is right but if our hearts are not directed towards God we won't destroy the things in our lives that set themselves high against Him? I don't understand this because it says that they did right in the eyes of the LORD. Maybe the point is the comparison between doing the right things and having our heart long for God and what happens as a result of that longing.
-For the words, 'I will live and not die...'
-tears
-ministry to the strong
-that Christ is our Rock; nobody else can be.
-Phil's dresser top organized with baskets, blue jars, etc. It's as good as its going to get and he's happy with it
-Jasmine plant reminder of my mother and of other's sympathy and love
-cheerful family
-ok. 11 Chron... The king himself did what was right in the eyes of the LORD but the people did not direct their hearts towards God and so he did not tear down the high places because they still wanted to worship their gods. Was it fear of man?
846-860-
-Rosalee's newsy e-mail
-Freeman's post on face book this morning. I read it and Susan said, "Don't Cry Mom!"
"Do your best, don't be stupid, be on time, and live by faith."-Phil Hertzler after getting a flat tire on the trailer ten minutes into our commute to work. Rather than getting upset at the serious setback to a time constructed day, he thanked God for the timing and protection. Thanks for that example dad."
-Last night's rainy campfire experience with the KNIT girls.
-for rain
-for sunshine after rain
-for Lucy helping Susan understand how I feel about her
-a vacation for Dianna
-the book of Job
-that Nate hugs Danielle and says,'You've hugged Annette, haven't you?"
-the girls asked, 'What kind of perfume do you wear?' and I said, "Egyptian Goddess" and Teresa said, "Of COURSE you do."
-that I look pretty good by the light of the alarm clock
-that nobody is really reading this long list of thank you's
-Susan's whistling
-Susan packed a big lunch for the guys from last night's supper
-flower garden in full bloom-white lilies, orange lilies, and soon pink lilies
861-871
-Everytime I think about Mother, I see her painting at an easel outside with beauty all around her. Jesus sits nearby and they talk and are quiet, like the dear old friends they are.
-the motivation of the pig roast to clean and organize even my bedroom!
-feeling better, eating healthier, exercising-thankful.
-Philip's Annabelle had 10 piglets and one of them is orange with black spots and another is a red and white oreo and the others are just white
-for Susan's adopted brothers
-the story about how the guys moved the 6,000 pound marble slab altar from one area of the abbey to another. It was resting on an olive tree stump that had been sent from Jerusalem from a tree from the Garden of Gethsemane. I said I wanted to sleep on top of that stump. That maybe Jesus had prayed with his elbows on that stump. They slowly diffused my weepy bubble saying that the tree was only a hundred to three hundred years old. I said that maybe Jesus planted it and Phil said that 300 years and 2,000 years has quite a few years between them. I still held on and said that maybe Jesus thought about the tree, and he agreed to that.
-Lucy, asleep for the night, snoring, in my arms as I write.
-the possibility of getting to bed before 10 tonight.
-the words I read today that connection to Christ, not perfection, is what is needed.
-these cool summer days
-that I remembered the bathtub's running water in time
872-885
-an exhaustion that comes from much hard work
-little by little, our place is getting cleaned up
-the Pig Roast next week and how it helps us get more organized
-Sheila's bragging about Alli last night
-Sheila's verbal understanding that our group needed extended time together
-chicken's laying again and only one is a cannibal
-Alli and Freeman's cheerfulness
-the Word of God
-electricity
-running water
-a good bed
-a Sabbath rest to look forward to
-joy
886-897
-Pig Roast 2012-our 11th year total; 2 in Pa. 9 here
-that the Pig Roast brings out the best in us
-that the Pig Roast brings out the worst in us-not truly thankful for this but it's a learning experience
-hard work
-Plan B's
-that if Cleansing Stream is one of God's ideas for New Life, He will make it happen.
-that I saw Lucy's poop on the floor before I stepped on it
-that He keeps whispering, "Be thankful." And when I am, it changes me.
-that the toilet is no longer clogged-Oh, the things we take for granted!
-that the fire at the haybarn site is intentional
-and that my heart doesn't race as badly as it used to when I see the smoke
-that Derek K., mountain bike destroyer, face smasher, is going to be okay. They popped his face back into place by going through his mouth, nose, and eyelid? to 'pop' things back in place. No stitches on his face!
898-920
-that on these days that I feel too sick and tired to move, that there is nothing that requires me to move.
-rest for the weary
-the best pig roast ever
-pure singing voices
-the Pink Panther movies-old ones
-sleep
-friends
-that M and M's murderer was apprehended
-that Jesus is the comforter of those who mourn
-leftovers
-morning rain
-Susan's giggle
-Michael's gentle explanations
-hard-working men
-a son who loves and adores his wife
-his wife who loves and honors him
-for Michael's private enjoyment of playing the guitar. He has no idea how good he is for how little he has played.
-incubator hatching chickens this time around
-George and Martha Washington living next door for a week and a half
-their effort to bring the entourage of costumes along on the plane from California
-nervous giggles of friends as they greeted the Washington's at the pig roast
-perfect weather/perfect time of day for pig roast
921-930
-for the way my sister keeps in touch
-honest friendships
-the way God hovers and still creates
-Susan's cheerful voice waking up with Lucy every morning
-a shopping day in Richmond with the Lapps for Susan
-banana split funeral plans-humor with sorrow-and the promise to see it through
-Phil's willingness to pick up Susan after a meeting tonight
-Susan's stern voice to Lucy, "No pee in the house!"
-perhaps today, I'll finish reading the underlined parts of my Mother's Bible (no)
931-940
-that real friends don't mind if I do the following while I'm on the phone with them: swallow vitamins, talk to Susan, put them on speaker phone while I make supper or put on make-up, pull weeds, scold the puppy, clean up the puppy's mess, clean the tub, take a bath, wash dishes, flush the toilet, cry, laugh too loud, read them what I've written, etc. Thank you dear friends, for putting up with me!
-the rotten pork rinds are out of sight and out of mind thanks to Philip and Mike!
-the tent is put away!
-Susan's happy day.
-time to talk to Lindsay on the way to Rice
-Freeman's cheerful, 'Hi, Mom.'
-the boys admitting that there ability to shock me isn't working anymore
-Phil calling just to check on me
-Angel insisting on coming in to the cool house. She follows me around and lays down near me. I said cheerfully, after the sun had gone down, "Do you want to go outside?" and she looked at me as if I had four heads.
-the story about banana splits on face book. I sent it to Judy.
-941-954
-Judy and the answers she is getting
-Pastor Dan and his help and direction with Cleansing Stream
-CS in California-leaders getting our church down on their 'radar' and praying for us all as we go through this transition.
-Susan's loud laugh as she talks to Makenzie
-Lapp family kindness
-Naomi understanding this year
-Naomi asking about my mom and how I am in regards to missing her
-Dianna spending time talking with me while she drives to Laurel's
-that even though Phil and I have been like two ships passing in the night, we are ships that kiss as we pass
-the rain and that it came back in full force right after I asked God for more
-Mom's phone call
-for His dear voice telling me not to worry
-for His dear voice telling me to be thankful
-for an email that signed off with these words, "May the Lamb that was slain receive the reward of His suffering."
955-963
-for Susan's words, "I trust Pastor Frank. Pastor Frank would lay down his life for me."
-Zephaniah and the other minor prophets
-for this lovely day with Susan even though she felt miserable with a bad headache all day
-for Lisa's kind words back to Susan on face book and that another young girl intercepted the kind words and received a blessing too.
-bacon burgers-50% bacon-50% beef-WOW!
-Goodwill-book buy-"The Search for Significance"
-for the hope of a night of sleep and if not, then a night of prayer.
-Steve R.'s long-windedness-a miracle!
-PJ's reluctant roasting of PF which was really humorous and humorously real.
964-974
-a day of real rest...
-after a night of real sleep
-time to write
-thoughts to write about. I've been flat-lined for so long.
-Freeman teaching Susan how to grill and the delicious results
-for a glimpse of the big picture
-and that is so much bigger than what I can see
-God making a way of escape for a friend
-Monk, and Susan's, and I quote, "We should have Frank and Lisa over to watch it with us."
-All of the offers to help Janelle with her flat tire on 460
-this beautiful farm
975-990
-the book, "The Prophet" by Frank Peretti. I'm reading it for the third time.
-this precious family that I call 'mine'
-the friend who refused to hang up until I shared the burden on my heart
-the friend who moved quickly when I shared my burden
-that He restoreth my soul
-and anointeth my head with oil
-my cup runneth over
-Lucy
-and that I finally let myself fall in love with her today, even though it made me really cry
-for Philip's kisses and I love you's
-and Michael's hugs and I love you's
-and Susan conversations and I love you's
-and Alli's gentle hugs and I love you's
-and Freeman's 'Hey Ma!' and I love you's
-and Phil's daily smiles, hugs, kisses, and I love you's-
-and for God's lifting me up to His face and holding me close and for
His I love you's too.
991-997
-Lindsay's reassurance
-Lindsay's opportunities to build a greenhouse, change an old ministry, and rewrite some great books
-Ginger, Worth, Ryder, and their kind ways
-playing pretend restaurant with boats of sand with sticks in them...steak, mashed potatoes, green beans, and then delicious flavors of ice cream
-Ryder echoing Worth
-that we really can approach the throne of grace in our time of need and get help
-Susan's chance to go to King's Dominion and Casting Crowns with her friends
998-1001
-for our funny chickens who watched the volleyball game in process. Their heads went back and forth with the ball as it traveled.
-peacemakers
-that the way people treat us has more to do with what they are going through than how they feel about us.
-that I just reached 1,000 THANKS!!!!