Dang, You're Good: My First 104 Reasons To Be Grateful

I'm still being changed by this quote: "Gratitude bestows reverence, allowing us to encounter everyday epiphanies, those transcendent moments of awe that change forever how we experience life and the world" Sarah Ban Breathnach
The most beautiful thing about this is that I can be loving orphans on a mountain in Jamaica to understand it or I can be in my living room dancing with my son. Epiphanies are everywhere. It's our hearts and senses that have to be willing to see, hear, touch, smell, and be open to realizing them and, not only that, but really allowing them to sink in and mold you into something new.
I'm turning 30 this weekend! People keep asking me how it makes me feel and I keep saying, "I'm so excited! I'm so much more confident going into my 30's than I was going into my 20's". Which is truly beautiful, because I was tighter and a perkier going into my 20's...so guess what that also means? That being tight and perky has NOTHING to do with real confidence. Yay! Epiphany!! There's so much to learn and see and do. I am thankful for and respect my 20's, but I welcome the 30's in with joy and wonder.
I'm reading a book right now by Ann Voskamp titled "1 Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are". Isn't that title beautiful? She's a little overly poetic in her writing, for me. Like, "OK! I get that the sunlight on your pillow was awesome, but do we need 2 pages and 103 adjectives to describe it?" I'm overly critical, not appreciative enough of the poetic, and a little too literal...so it's good for me to read her writing (shout out: Thanks, Momma K. for giving it to me for Christmas)! Anyway, brother bear Charles and I have been intentionally writing down the good we see in the world...in hopes that doing so brings us closer to The Creator of everything good. And, maybe even a little more addicted to the good and less to the other junk this world offers. So, here's my list. It's called "Dang, You're Good: Reasons to Be Grateful":

1. Snow that makes you feel like you're in a snowglobe
2. Laughing so hard you pee
3. Dancing with Beck
4. Blueberry muffins
5. Health
6. Cooking a delicious meal with Jeremy
7. Honesty
8. Plump lips for kissing
9. Contacts so my eyeballs can see better
10. Fireplaces with real, crackling wood
11. Friendly dogs
12. Music with a good beat
13. Thoughts to chew on
14. Conviction
15. Worship music that is beautiful and not cheesy
16. Strength to do something hard
17. People to balance being poured into and pouring into
18. Affirmation for a job well done
19. Comfort in sorrow
20. Feather pillows
21. Nail polish
22. Children's giggles
23. Hot pink and red lipstick
24. Friends with similar senses of humor
25. A conversation that either changes you for the better or changes someone else for the better
26. A tasty steak
27. Being woken up by enough rest
28. Beck's smacking lips when he's eating something he likes
29. Generosity
30. Surrendering control of our future
31. Letting go of regret
32. Trust in those who care for my son
33. A great workout that doesn't feel like a workout
34. Innocent fun
35. Being satisfied with what we have
36. Fasting from things with Jeremy
37. Heart blessings
38. Kingdom thoughts
39. When my heart gives credit to The Man and not myself
40. Discipline
41. Mentorship
42. Seeing a tough guy buy a puppy
43. When Beck nods his head to the beat
44. When Seth nails a sermon
45. Beck's animal noises
46. The sound/smell/taste/everything of coffee
47. When all the laundry is done
48. Watching Jeremy fall deeper and deeper in love with Beck
49. A great mug
50. Putting a new outfit together out of the clothes I already own
51. Having my own style
52. Equestrian boots
53. Changing seasons
54. Sending out Thank You notes or snail mail to people you love
55. Having a balanced diet
56. Busting a move with friends
57. The promise of adventure
58. Friendships so strong you know they'll sustain life and distance
59. The entire birth experience (yes, I mean it)
60. A warm, clean bed
61. Reading 5 books at a time and being able to remember which is which
62. Jeremy's passionate pursuit of everything he loves
63. A great movie
64. A creative outlet
65. Making something new with something I already have
66. Going into a store and NOT buying something
67. Hot showers
68. Genuinely loving my in-laws
69. Wall Drug maple donuts
70. My VW camper van, Stella
71. Seeing Gus run on the ranch
72. Breaking rules that don't make sense to me
73. Making people uncomfortable with my honesty
74. Finding power in the silly
75. A great photo
76. Working hard at something and seeing fruition
77. Changing people's perceptions of Christians
78. My job
79. When I see women around me finding more confidence
80. Seeing men around me challenging themselves to be better
81. Funny YouTube videos
82. Picking up new catch phrases and making them my own. Example: Calling college kids "street youths" because of a quote from Schmidt from The New Girl or saying, "My ACHING BALLS" after staring at a computer screen for hours because my mom always said, "I'm going to take my eyeballs out" when she took her contacts out at night. I have FULLY convinced myself that I'm hilarious.
84. Beck's sparkly, innocent eyes
85. Music
86. When I'm "busy doing" and get distracted by things that are more important
87. The consistant constant pride and encouragement my dad pours into me
88. Talking future babies' names with Jeremy
89. Jeremy never trying to prove he's something he's not
90. Finding a great bargain
91. Rallying people around me to be outrageous
92. My sister's ability to be equally innocent and nonjudgmental
93. When Gus is chasing something good in his dreams and he's growling and twitching
94. Driving around with B and jamming
95. My love/hate relationship with Target
96. How raw, beautiful, honest, and precious my best friends are
97. A juicy nap
98. Adjectives
99. Rocking a shameless bikini + sun + sunscreen + the sound of water lapping against the shore + a magazine
100. That Jeremy and I got to make my parents "Papa and Gramma Zoom"
101. Beck crawling into my lap with a book in hand
102. Being motivated by Christ's love and not guilt
103. Meeting someone new and feeling like your souls are old friends
104. When you can feel God smiling
Tomorrow, I'm having a day of running around and loving on people because you can't have this many things to be grateful for and not do something about it. I'll have another post after the big day...which shall be called: "30: NAILED IT!"
Stay tuned.

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