Thankful Thursday

Make new friends
But keep the old
One is silver and the other gold.

I don’t know that I’m the quickest to make friends or the best at keeping them. I tend to be very task-focused and forget I have friends. I have to continually remind myself that maintaining friendship requires investment.

I have to take the initiative, make the time for friends.

But despite my failings as a friend, I am thankful for the wonderful women I call friends.

This week I’m thankful…

…for like-minded companionship during state survey
One of my facilities was in survey last week and the beginning of this. It was, as it always is, busy and stressful. But the stress of survey was in a great way allayed by having plentiful opportunity to catch up with a fellow dietitian.

…for a quick stop-over from my folks
It was so nice to have my parents come to church with us and to go out to lunch with them after church on Sunday. They were on their way north for vacation and decided to stop in. So wonderful!

…for movies with my sister
After we successfully completed our survey (truly successfully-with only one tag for the entire building!) and after I’d celebrated with the team (erm, somewhat exhausting, actually, I’m not much of an after-work drinks person), I drove home and watched half of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone with Grace (who was on her day off). I got a bit too sleepy to make it through the whole thing, but it was fun to be nerds together, exclaiming and complaining in turn as the movie producers got something right or wrong.

…for a night with the girls
We’ve all been crazy busy this summer, so it’s been what seems like ages since the old Bible study crowd had a chance to talk. So when we did all go back to Wednesday night Bible Study to send Beth off to Greece for her short-term missions trip, we were talking up a storm. It was so good just to give and receive hugs, to catch up on life, to be silly and to be serious, to cry and to laugh, to just be with one another.

I am so blessed by these friendships, old and new and in-between.

Thank you, thank you, Lord.

Wanna hear a little story about my amazing Monday? I arrived at work to learn that one of my dietary managers had been in a serious car accident. I’ll need to take a more hands-on role in kitchen management. An hour later, I got a call from a second dietary manager that state surveyors were in the building. I left immediately for the surveyed building. Later that day, another phone call notified me that the third of my dietary managers would be taking two weeks of medical leave immediately. I’d be taking on all charting and some additional tasks at that facility as well.

So I’ve been a bit stressed. Things have been a bit hectic.

But not my life.

Because my circumstances are not my life.

Christ Jesus is my life.

This week I’m thankful…

…that God never gives us more than He can handle

“And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”
~Philippians 4:19

…that my life is hidden with Christ

“For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.”
~Colossians 3:3-4

…that this world is temporary

“And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.”
~1 John 2:17

…that I have an eternal hope

“But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”
~Titus 3:4-7

These circumstances are not my life.

Christ Jesus is my Life.

Thank you, Lord.

Truthfully, it’s never fun being sick. It stinks to be running to the bathroom and to have your nose forever dripping (Yes, I managed to have two separate but simultaneous maladies. My body really knows how to pile it on.)

But if I’ve got to be sick, this is the kind of sick I like. So long as I was near a bathroom and a handkerchief, I didn’t feel awful, and I could still do all sorts of the puttery stuff I like to do (as in, read.)

Today I’m thankful…

…for finishing books
It’s so lovely to stay in bed (okay, or spend time in the–but that’s TMI, isn’t it?) and read a book, knowing that you can do so until you’ve finished said book, if you should so choose.

…for a sister who cooks
Grace had today off work, so she got up rather late and started puttering around in the kitchen (well, she started puttering after several hours of internet activity). She made lunch and a cheesecake (which we have *not* yet eaten)–and, best of all, she cleaned the kitchen

…for Harry Potter on CD
Grace asked nicely if we could listen to The Sorcerer’s Stone on our way back from Lincoln on Sunday. Since she’d asked nicely (and since we were in her car), I said that would be fine. And then, of course, I couldn’t just not hear the rest of the story. So I’ve been listening during periods of unavoidable delay–and I’ve been enjoying it quite a bit.

…for Bible study in bed
Another activity which hasn’t included much leisure of late. I find myself spending all too little time in the word–and way too much of my time rushing through chapters and verses. It was wonderful to actually study today.

…for working from home (but not too much)
Sometimes it’s a drag that I can (and sometimes have to work from home–but other times it’s a real blessing. If I couldn’t have done some work today, I’d be uber-rushed and really stressed tomorrow. As it is, I was able to get a fair bit of busywork (but necessary busywork) done from home in between conversation with my little sis and perusing craft blogs.

…for only a 24(ish) hour bug
Honestly, I don’t know exactly when it started, or if it’s entirely ended–but it is certainly getting better. It’s handy when such things manage to wear themselves out in less than a day. Saves a lot of trouble.

But now, with my sick day behind me, it’s time for me to take my bath and go to bed. Tomorrow is a work day and I’ve got to be fully recovered in time for Saturday’s bash–we’re having a party to welcome my new sister-in-law to the family. It’ll be the first time most of the extended family (including my grandparents) has had a chance to meet her, since she and John have both been doing their Marine stuff for the last year and a half. So, yes, must be off to get myself rested.

G’night and God Bless!

If you haven’t figured it out yet, I’m a big fan of food. I love to cook it, I love to eat it, I love to talk about it.

Food is a gift from God

I am so thankful for food.

This week I’m thankful…

…for hamburgers grilled and beans baked
My company had our annual Friends and Family Picnic last Thursday. We invite the whole community to come over to eat, bounce in a bounce house, listen to music, and try to dunk somebody in the dunk tank. It’s always a fun time and this time was doubly-fun because my folks came up from Lincoln to spend the evening with Grace and I.

…for meals that keep on giving
I checked out a cookbook called Cooking for the Week from the library the last time I was there. I’ve prepared the first set of meals. The first “weekend” meal involves roasting two chickens and serving them with steamed broccoli and herbed biscuits. (There was also supposed to be a cheesecake–I ended up buying the stuff to make the cheesecake, but haven’t yet put it together.) Then, you eat off of that all week long. Some of the leftover chicken and some of the leftover biscuits becomes chicken pot pie (which was absolutely delicious). Some of the leftover broccoli and broth were used to make a linguine recipe. All this is great–but I expanded it a little further with chicken enchiladas one night and all the fixings for chicken noodle soup prepped and in the freezer for a rainy day.

…for a Father’s Day lunch with surrogates
Gracie had to work and I desperately needed down-time on Sunday, so we stayed in Columbus on Father’s Day (we’ll be celebrating our Daddy this Sunday instead). Erik was so good as to let us (and some others of the young adults in the church) intrude upon his Father’s Day lunch out with his own family. It was good food and even better company.

…for bracingly fresh hand-squeezed lemonade after a bicycle ride
Anna has plans for next Sunday, so she went to Lincoln for the real Father’s Day–which meant that I didn’t have a car to take me to my Mission’s Prayer meeting Sunday evening. Not a problem–I hopped on my bike and rode out. By the time I got there, I was parched, though, and Joy’s homemade lemonade hit the spot.

…for Wendy’s Apple Pecan Chicken Salad
This stuff is amazing. I never used to go to Wendy’s, so I wouldn’t have known about this salad except that Cathy mentioned it one day. I drove through the next time I was in GI late–and I was hooked. Mixed lettuce, dried cranberries, apple bits, candied walnuts, grilled chicken, and blue cheese topped with a pomegranate vinaigrette. The half size is just right and doesn’t break the bank either. This is my new go-to meal when I’m going crazy (like when I’ve been working collaboratively on weight losses all morning and have a training for new Dietetics Association officers all afternoon and failed to leave time to eat!)

…for tried and true recipes (that someone else made)
Truth be told, I prefer to make novel recipes. But I love eating the oldies but goodies. I’m so thankful that Anna prepared some tuna casserole Wednesday evening. It reminded me of when Dad used to cook–and how we kids would complain. But really, I love the stuff.

Food can be a feast for the eyes, for the taste buds, for the olfactory bulb, even for the ear. It can be fuel for my busy body, medicine to heal the pressure ulcers (read-blisters) I gave myself by walking too fast in ill-fitting shoes. It can be a medium for communication and fellowship.

But above all that, it is a gift from God.

Thank you, Lord, for this gift.

I’m not going to lie by pretending that I’m anything but a homebody.

One of my favorite places to be is in my own home–curled up on the couch hand-quilting, at my computer desk blogging, in the kitchen baking, on the dock reading.

One of the unfortunate consequences of having to work for a living, though, is that I’m not home nearly as much as I’d like. And when I am home, my time is rushed and the house a wreck.

Nonetheless, I’m thankful for home, such as it is.

Today I’m thankful…

…for a box of vintage patterns categorized by date, sitting in my computer room (still there from when I was searching online for the dates for those last elusive patterns)

…for the quilt that is progressing, sitting in the living room (still there from when I was working on it while watching movies with my sisters this weekend)

…for the antique serving dish in the dining room, bought for me at auction by a good friend (and not yet in its place because I haven’t had time to rearrange the china to showcase it)

…for the handcrafted shelf given to me by another good friend–and still sitting in the hall more than a year post gift

…for the almost clean countertops and full fridge in the kitchen. Now that my little sister’s living with us, I have more impetus to cook (or maybe I’ve just been eager to do so all along.)

…for the tools scattered throughout the garage, evidences that Beth and I are making progress with our birthday wall-hangers

…for the lawn mowed with love, proof of the W boys’ willingness to help me–and to help their sister fund her missions trip to Greece this summer

…for the dock out back and conversations with Ruth on that dock

…for the sister now sleeping in the guest room

I have a home packed with blessings, undeserved gifts from God.

Thank You, Lord, for my home. Thank you, Lord, for my friends. Thank you, Lord, for filling my home–and my heart–with oh so very much.

I didn’t grow up in a liturgical church, but my first pastor came from a liturgical tradition and he ended every service of my first ten or twelve years with the priestly blessing:

“The Lord bless you and keep you
The Lord make His face shine upon you
The Lord lift up His countenance upon you
and give you peace.”

To this day, whenever I hear those words spoken, I lift my heads towards heaven to catch the rays of God’s face shining upon me.

I’ve come to see something amazing about this blessing, the blessing God entreated His priests to bless His people with. When our heads are lifted up in joy, God makes His face shine down upon us. When our heads are bowed down in sorrow, His countenance is lifted up upon us. And amidst the ups and downs, He gives us His peace.

This week, I’m thankful…

…for peace when friends are hospitalized, close to death

…for peace when friends are celebrating, beginning a new life together

…for peace when I leave work at 4:30

…for peace when it seems I’ll never leave work

…for peace when there isn’t any food left on the line for me to eat

…for peace when I unexpectedly find a mulberry tree full of berries (in my own neighborhood!)

…for peace when I’m ecstatically joyful

…for peace when I’m frustrated and angry (is that a contradiction? except it’s true.)

I’m still working my way through Sarah Francis Martin’s Stress Point: Thriving Through Your Twenties in a Decade of Drama, and in one of the exercises, Sarah encourages her readers to read Jeremiah 29:11.

Since I’ve had Jeremiah 29:11 memorized for a couple decades (man, I’m old!), I was inclined to just recite it in my head and be done with it. But I didn’t, and I’m glad.

I read in the ESV: “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.”

Seeing the [a] behind “welfare”, I dropped my eyes to the bottom of the page for the explanation. “Or peace”, the footnote read.

In my childhood memorization, I’d learned the NIV: “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'”

Now, I’m not knocking the NIV, but I have to say that the two read completely differently to me.

When I think of prosperity, I have to force my mind to realize that this isn’t a material promise. I have to remind myself that this doesn’t mean God’s promising the American dream of a husband, kids, a home with a two car garage, and a chicken frying in a pan.

When I read the ESV, my mind travels of its own volition to the word that I quickly confirm is indeed there: shalom.

Completeness, soundness, tranquility, peace.

Shalom.

That life that can only be found when the face of God is shining down on you. That life that can only be found when the countenance of God is lifted up upon you.

Shalom. The thoughts God thinks as He gazes upon His children.

I am blessed to be one of His.

Blessed to experience shalom.

I’ve learned that if I don’t get the sleep I need, my body takes the sleep I need–most frequently when I’m behind the wheel.

As a result, I’ve learned to listen to the warning signs telling m it’s time to pull over for a nap.

I take quite a few of those naps since I’m now commuting three days a week–and more often than not have an added weekend trip too.

This week, I’m thankful for…

…cell phone alarms I can set for 20 minutes

…a seat that reclines almost horizontal

…a little pillow that hangs out in my trunk (except when it hangs out in my back seat

…a warm blanket that eases the unexpected Thursday night chill

…a convenient commute for pull-off parking

There’s a little town about every 10-15 minutes along my usual commute from Columbus to Grand Island and back. Which means I’m usually close enough to make it to one of them. Once inside town, I can pull off on any number of parking lots (or even just along a side street) for my nap.

Of course, I’m also VERY thankful that I have a cozy bed with pillows and blankets (even an electric one-useful for when Anna needs AC upstairs but it makes it too cold for me downstairs :-P).

Sleep. It’s good.

I’m thankful God has given me the grace to sleep off the road rather than on it–thankful that I and the many other drivers on Highway 30 are alive (and unharmed).

Maybe you haven’t recognized it from my blogging–or maybe you have–but I’ve needed an attitude adjustment for a good long while.

I’ve been busy at work and stressed and… I’ve been making excuses for having a downright rotten attitude.

I’ve dwelt on the worst in every situation, only bothering to be thankful when I sit down for my Thursday posts. I’ve whined and complained about my circumstances–and only given thanks despite my circumstances, rarely in my circumstances.

Then, by the grace of God, I received a review copy of Sarah Francis Martin’s Stress Point: Thriving Through Your 20s in a Decade of Drama. I started in on “Stress Point 1: Career”. And I read:

“By worshiping Him in our job situations, whether or not the circumstances are ideal, we run smack dab into happiness, blessings, and fulfillment. Dissatisfaction in our jobs is enveloped and overriden by insatiable satisfaction in El Elyon–our one and only Wish.”
~from page 18 of Stress Point

The author gives some tips for maintaining balance with regard to your career. None of them were particular earth-shattering, but the overall reminder was wonderful.

I needed an attitude adjustment-at work and in life.

This week, I’m thankful…

…for God speaking to me through this book

…for restful times of prayer during my commute

…for the ability to pray throughout the day

…that I can choose how I respond to circumstances

…for the truth of the Word of God which says:

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything through prayer and supplication let your requests be made known to God–and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your heart and mind in Christ Jesus.”
~Philippians 4:6-7

It’s amazing how the simple acts of surrendering in prayer and worshiping in work produce peace amidst chaos.

Have I had a less crazy week? Not necessarily. But I have certainly had a less stressful week. Because when my attitude is in line with Christ, my burden is light.

You’ve heard the saying “God never gives us more than we can bear”?

It’s not true.

My mom says, “God never gives us more than He can bear.”

So much better.

But here’s an even better promise–one straight from the pages of Scripture:

“A bruised reed he will not break,
and a faintly burning wick he will not quench;
he will faithfully bring forth justice.
He will not grow faint or be discouraged
till he has established justice in the earth;
and the coastlands wait for his law.”
~Isaiah 42:3-4 (ESV)

How often do we feel like bruised reeds, like smouldering wicks? How often do we grow faint or get discouraged?

For me, it’s pretty often.

But in Christ, I have an amazing promise. He will not overburden me–and He will not be faint or get discouraged in pursuing justice. Thus, I can rest, even under the load that bends my reed to its capacity.

This week, I’m thankful…

…that Jesus Christ bore a crushing load so that I would not be broken

“Surely he has borne our griefs
and carried our sorrows;
yet we esteemed him stricken,
smitten by God, and afflicted.
But he was pierced for our transgressions;
he was crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
and with his wounds we are healed…

it was the will of the Lord to crush him;
he has put him to grief;
when his soul makes an offering for guilt,
he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days;
the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.
Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied;
by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant,
make many to be accounted righteous,
and he shall bear their iniquities.”
~Isaiah 53:4-5, 10-11 (ESV)

“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me–watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”
~Matthew 11, from Eugene Petersen’s The Message

This week, I’m thankful…

…for a pillow and blanket in the car and for wisdom to know when to use them
I had a long day night at work last Thursday. I drove home as the sun rose. I napped in Clarks. By the grace of God, I arrived home intact.

…for a flexible boss
Can I just say that I really appreciate my boss?

…for the ability to work from home and for the wisdom to know when (and when not) to use it
It was good for me to check my e-mail on Friday, to do the two minutes of work to put my dietary manager on a better footing. It was also good for me to choose not to do any other work on Friday. It was good to get all my “prep work” done on Saturday from home so I could only spend a couple/three hours in the facility on Sunday. I don’t have a lot of internal balance when it comes to work–but I trust God is helping me learn some.

…for trying a Pinterest tip while watching a YouTube video
I haven’t done anything around the house for what seems like forever–so, while attempting to clean a bread pan with baking soda and hydrogen peroxide doesn’t seem like much, it went a long way towards making my life feel less unbalanced.

…for my little sister coming to stay
I took advantage of my weird weekend to move the loft from upstairs down into the spare bedroom, soon to be my little sister’s room. She’s staying with us for the summer and working at, er, a company which shall remain nameless but which I also happen to work at (wink, nod). Since I have three buildings and am only in that one two days a week and since Grace is a CNA and I’m a dietitian, I don’t imagine we’ll really see each other much at work–but it’ll be lovely to have her staying with us.

…for Scripture, Scripture, and more Scripture
I need it. I need to be steeped in it. I need for others to pour it over me, even beat me over the head with it. Lord, to whom shall I go? You have the words of life. So thankful for all those who point my eyes back to Christ and fill my ears with the words of Scripture.

…for running(?!?) with the girls
I signed up for a 5K, Color Me Rad in Council Bluffs. I don’t have any time to train, wasn’t (amn’t) sure that I *will* train. I might have to end up walking it. Which is fine. But Anna encouraged me to go running/walking with the girls who are planning on running the same race–and I found the mindlessness of it all (waiting for someone to signal that it was time for a running interval or a walking interval) to be rather soothing.

…for sleep
I got eight hours of sleep one night this week. I know. Amazing. Overwhelmingly so.

…for wonderful fellowship with my peeps
I’ve so missed the Bible study gals. Sitting around the fire with them (and Jon) last night was so very refreshing–even if I (yet again) stayed too late and robbed myself of sleep.

…for a scale by the copy machine
I don’t weigh myself often, but I stepped on the scale while waiting for the copy machine to warm up (yes, I have a weird life.) The numbers on the scale weren’t that unusual, but they did cause me to realize that I’m not taking care of my body as I should. I’ve known that for awhile, but I haven’t had the energy or will to do anything about it (how can I, I thought, as busy as I am right now?) That little bit was somehow enough to focus my mind and make me brainstorm for little changes to make to take care of this body I’ve been given (maybe like, eating breakfast and going to sleep at night?)

…for peacocks, a peahen and hymns
It was not a good day at work today. I was gearing up for a major headache on my drive home, jaw clenched with the stress of the day, frustrated and running my frustrations over and over inside–when a flash of bright blue off the side of the road made me think I was hallucinating. I looked again and found two peacocks, strutting along in the ditch, along with one peahen. Of course, I grabbed my notebook to record the incident as something to be thankful for–which reminded me that, even in days like these, I can give God praise–which prompted me to open the hymnal that I just happened to have in the car, to turn off the music that was playing, and to sing hymns for the duration of my drive home.

“Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

It is well
with my soul
It is well, it is well
with my soul”