Alphabet of Gratitude

A-Autumn. Omigosh it's beautiful. I am grateful deep in my soul for the amazingness of crisp air and changing leaves, and wanting to do nothing but be outside and stare at the brilliant manifestations of God's love.

B-Books. I don't read them nearly as often as I once did, but there are few things more satisfying than curling up with a many-paged friend and getting caught up in the story.

C-My best friend. I can't even say enough about her, not if I wrote pages and pages. She is so joyful and so wise, and always ready to share that with me.

D-My sister. She's brilliant and beautiful and she teaches me to be both more honest and more sensitive to others.

E-Eating. OK, so I have a confession. I am a girl in my twenties, with a family history of being overweight, and in fact was once so myself. Therefore, I tend to waver between paranoia and apathy, and so more often than not, I tend to find the whole concept of eating really, really annoying. I shouldn't, though. There's never been a time in my life that I haven't had enough; eating doesn't make me, you know, writhe in pain; and hey, having the perfect sandwich is a really, really good feeling. So here's to counter-culture: down with anorexia!

F-Family. My parents are wonderful, and try so hard to give me what I need in order to be successful. They've always believed that I can do anything I want to do, and that means so very much to me!

G-God. 100%. That He exists, that He knows I exist, that He loves me as His child and wants the very best for me. That He created so much beauty and goodness for me to experience, and even hard things for me to learn from.

H-Happiness, large and small. The happiness that comes from a perfect morning, the funny and heartwarming sound of my brother singing to himself with headphones on, dreams about snowflakes. And then there's the happiness of having a best friend, the kind of wonderful person who will be my best friend for my whole life; the happiness of knowing God loves me and will bless me in the perfect way at the perfect time, and will help me to grow into the person I want to be. It's a wonderful thing.

I-Internet. So I realize I'm probably more dependent on it than I should be, but considering I am not a big phone person, and none of my friends live down the street (or, for many of them, in the same 1000 mile radius) I am just so grateful to have the means to connect to them, even if it's not in person.

J- My little brother. I think he makes me younger and older at the same time...young to laugh with him, and old to love him each and every moment.

K- Kindergarten. Yep, that magical place where you fingerpaint and learn everything you'll ever need to know about life, the universe, and everything. You can't tell me that if everyone took a nap after cookies every afternoon, the world would not be a better place.

L-Laughter. Life is so dull and empty without it! I really enjoy making people laugh, too.

M-Money. I know, ugh. But really -- I don't know how, but I always seem to have just enough, even when I don't think I will.

N- Naps! Today this is particularly appropriate; since I'm trying my very best to not be sick this weekend, I haven't been useful for anything else but napping. Even on days when I'm not ill, power naps are things to swear by.

O- Obedience. This is something I am struggling with lately -- being more perfectly obedient -- but it is the appointed way for us to express our love to God, and to be happy! What's not to be grateful for in that?

P-Poetry. As part of a celebration of National Poetry Month, I started writing a list of 100 poems on the 21st of January -- so that I would be done with the 100 at the end of April. I haven't come up with anything stellar so far, but it's kind of a fun mental exercise, and surely I'll come up with at least one that I really like. Assuming of course that I stick with it; either way, it's great fun.

Q- Quiet. I've actually been thoroughly enjoying it all day. A well-placed silent moment is beautiful. It is action without activity, an important notion in my book. It's so important to find time to be still!

R- Radio. I could have done M for music, and maybe should have, but lately I am particularly grateful for the radio. It helps to fill in the empty spaces and to satisfy my need for gentle stimulation.

S- Sundays. It's always been a challenge for me to make this a day of rest in the way it should be, but each time I manage to, this day has been such a blessing.

T- Talking. Yeah, I may be introverted, but it's days like today and yesterday when I sound like a frog that reminds me that conversation is fun!

U- I was going to say umbrellas for this, except that I'm much more grateful for the fact that I never feel the need to use them! Precipitation is meant to be enjoyed, not hidden from! (Now you can tell I am from a state with very mild weather. Haha.)

V- Variety! (I thought of doing vanilla, and then thought of variety and started making all kinds of dumb jokes in my head about the spice of life.)

W- Water. I've drank enough of it lately to appreciate it, that's for sure. It's also beautiful, and life-giving, and just wonderful all around. (Please rain!!!!)

X- My chromosomes. That's right, I'm grateful to be a woman. Not to diss guys or anything, but there are things I am capable of, that I love, that I would never be able to do if I were an XY.

Y-You! Yes, you. You read all the way to the end of the list (unless you started from the bottom; if that's the case then I'm grateful for you because you make me laugh -- I start from the bottom sometimes too.)

Z- The zoo. As you probably read in a previous post, I have only been once, but I just love the concept. It's as close as many of us will ever be to come of God's coolest creations until the "lion lies down with the lamb." (Speaking of -- OMG CRAZY! http://www.naturescornermagazine.com/lion_lamb.html )