Thursday Thanks Tank #76

My mind is blurry with everything that is going on in my life right now. I am being stretched in some very real ways. I am thankful. Here is a glimpse of what is filling up my Thanks Tank this week (and a couple of prayer requests):

1. Friends. I could write a book on this one! I am thankful for all of my friends- both near and far, both related and not related to me. I am constantly touched by caring friends. I am also working on being a better friend and I am thankful for the examples of great friendship I have.

2. Comments on yesterday's post. I didn't expect so many comments on a post saying I was taking a blog break. If you missed that post, I am only going to be posting my Thanks Tank for a few weeks. Thank you for leaving such sweet comments. It was encouraging and each comment made me smile.

3. Date Night: I am thankful that we were able to go out with some friends from my MOPS group this past weekend. What a special treat to be out with adults and be able to carry a (somewhat) intelligent converstation during dinner.

4. Creativity. Yesterday I gave my kids modeling clay to play with. I am thankful for their creativity. I love watching them use their imagination.

5. Great 1 year-old pictures. After numerous plans to get my daughter's picture made (had to cancel because of a cold and scheduling conflicts) and one not-so-good photo shoot, I got some wonderful pictures made this past weekend. I cannot wait to get them back! I ordered the CD so I will have to share some of them with you.

6. Motivation. I am being motivated in several areas of my life right now. I am thankful for the words -from friends and books- that have motivated me. I am thankful that God has used those things to prompt me to action.

7. Opportunities to give back. I am thankful that I am going to have an opportunity to give to someone in the same way other people have given to me. I used to think, I have no way to repay all of the wonderful things people have done for me (when my husband was deployed to Iraq). I never imagined that I would be in a place to "pay-it-forward". Please pray for my sweet friend, Desiree, and her husband, Chris, who is getting ready to deploy to the middle east.

8. Peace. Yesterday someone accessed our online bank accounts and emptied them. They left about $200 in checking, presumably so we wouldn't notice right away. (This was all done online!) My husband and I have been blown away by this -it's unbelieveable. We keep commenting to each other that we cannot believe we feel such peace. I cannot explain the peace I feel. This past year and a half - transitioning out of the military- has been much more financially challenging than we anticipated. And, yet, this is beyond our control. I am thankful for the peace that surpasses all understanding. Please pray this gets worked out quickly. I am nervous about that.

9. Humor. This comic represents a constant exchange between me and my kids. I love this little bit of humor. In fact, I think about this little comic quite often when my kids are hounding me to find one of their missing toys.


Take time today to be thankful. It is worth your time.

**Afternoon Update: I wrote this post this morning and I felt just fine then. As the day has worn on, though, both my husband and I are feeling a bit discouraged. Keep us in your prayers. I'd really appreciate that.