Know-Love-Obey God

[I]n everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. (1 Thessalonians 5:18)

Gratitude in community is gratitude amplified.

My “Endless Gifts” list:

1001. Eight-year-old who prompted five-year-old to recite Psalm 23.
1002. Hearing sons’ voices reciting Scripture.
1003. Hearing sons pray.
1004. God’s overwhelming generosity.
1005. We had enough eggs for the coffee cake.
1006. Leftovers, and the freezer to keep them.
1007. Husband’s hard work for our family.
1008. Cuddle mornings in a “cave” (under flannel sheets) with five-year-old.
1009. Friend’s ultra-sensitivity to my emotional state.
1010. Phone conversations.
1011. Sweet wisdom. Subtle but strong support.
1012. Five-year-old cracking up and rolling in laughter.
1013. Turkey leftovers, for soup.
1014. Coriander.
1015. The Holy Spirit’s conviction.
1016. Friend’s grace and forgiveness when I apologized over the phone.
1017. The story of their house-painting job.
1018. The story of the difference the book made.
1019. She spoke with Don!
1020. Watching boys through the window as they play in the snow.
1021. “New” (used) car, and new snow tires!
1022. That “Please, celebrate me home” song.
1023. Pleasant dreams that have me waking in a great mood.
1024. Great 4:30 a.m. moments to start my day.
1025. Lights to see at night.
1026. Full-moon views at 3:00 a.m.
1027. The weight of my child’s head on my shoulder.
1028. Time to read while waiting for my child to finish playing in the bathtub.
1029. We were not out of ground cloves, after all.
1030. Husband making gingerbread cookies and wall/roof pieces for gingerbread houses.
1031. Gift-wrapping books. Oh, I hope they’ll read them!
1032. Planning how to cook the turkey.
1033. Seattle-style chili in the freezer.
1034. Easy corn bread recipe.
1035. Making cupcakes for Jesus’s birthday party!
1036. Advent candles and singing time.
1037. The way a candle drips down over itself.
1038. Friendships that have lasted.
1039. Friendships that were deep and refreshing, while they lasted.
1040. Marriage vows.
1041. Late-night talks.
1042. Late-night reading.
1043. Son’s invitation to the “huge feast” at “Byron’s Bargain Bistro.”
1044. Sunny day on the day my brother is travelling.
1045. Wrapping the Curious George book for Aiden.
1046. Cranberries and oranges.
1047. Cupcake recipe containing a cup of heavy cream.
1048. Ganache.
1049. God’s help with weight loss / not overeating.
1050. Husband who is a motivation for weight loss.
1051. Hammocks.
1052. Rocks.
1053. Clean clothes hot out of the dryer.
1054. The post-bathroom-cleaning rush and satisfaction.
1055. Clear kitchen counters.
1056. Sitting in the sun at the window seat.
1057. The warm spot on the kitchen floor.
1058. Clean kitchen towels.
1059. Bookbinding.
1060. The paper selection at the art store downtown.
1061. Kneaded erasers.
1062. Paper stumps.
1063. Good sketching pencils.
1064. Speedy cleaning with vacuum cleaners.
1065. Toast with butter (okay, Smart Balance).
1066. Ice cream maker.
1067. Deciding which ice cream recipe to make for Jesus’s birthday party.
1068. Being on worship team for Christmas Eve services.
1069. Mrs. Sorensen.
1070. The very first Bible study I attended.
1071. Coming to Christ while reading Romans 8.
1072. Being on the receiving end of discipleship.
1073. Opportunities to be on the giving end of discipleship.
1074. Discipleship being inherently mutually beneficial.
1075. God’s great ideas.
1076. Looking forward to good books I plan to read.
1077. Looking back at good books I’ve already read.
1078. The authors who write these good books.
1079. Husband’s dinner table stories.
1080. Light.
1081. Five-year-old’s compliments: “This tastes great, Mommy!”
1082. Barely enough snow for sledding.
1083. Turkey leftovers.
1084. Husband’s cinnamon rolls hot out of the oven at 8 a.m. on Christmas morning.
1085. Eleven-year-old’s Christmas carol accompaniment.
1086. My collection of “death-to-self verses.”
1087. My collection of “Love God first” verses.
1088. Bananagrams and Appletters.
1089. The many benefits of reading and writing poetry.
1090. Reading the same line over and over.
1091. Agave nectar.
1092. Peppermint tea. On sale.
1093. Working furnace and warm home.
1094. Good water from the tap.
1095. I haven’t had a headache in weeks!
1096. Friends in faraway places.
1097. Inter-library loans.
1098. The holds waiting for us at the library.
1099. The library’s 100-book maximum (which we have actually reached once).
1100. Good reading ahead.
1101. Planned down-time after stress.
1102. Black satin sleep mask.
1103. Omelettes.
1104. Ricotta cheese.
1105. Spontaneous fun.
1106. Being there to hear a friend’s quick wit.
1107. The Body of Christ.
1108. Suportive people.
1109. Legos, K’Nex, toys in general. (It’s the Toymaker’s wife in me.)
1110. Brain scientists.
1111. Past sufferings which help me be a present comforter.
1112. Five-year-old voice.
1113. Thoughtful conversations with eleven-year-old.
1114. Eight-year-old’s newspaper, The Sharman Times.
1115. Comfort over the telephone.
1116. Church potluck yesterday.
1117. Mike Treener’s sermon.
1118. Indian samosas, especially the spinach-filled ones.
1119. Mexican atole, and the fact that I have the recipe.
1120. Thermos for cocoa on sledding and ski trips.
1121. Packages in the mail.
1122. Christmas card photos.
1123. My (really nice!) hand-me-down boots.
1124. Fried rice—easy to make large amounts (like for church potlucks).
1125. Bible study with my son.
1126. Starting a study on 2 Kings.
1127. Helping my five-year-old clean his room.
1128. Teaching my eleven-year-old how to cook.
1129. Biscuits and eggs for breakfast.
1130. Neighborhood women’s Bible study.
1131. Whiteboards.
1132. Scratch paper.
1133. Leche flan.
1134. Champorrado.
1135. Brown rice, even brown glutinous rice.
1136. Azuki ice cream.
1137. Paper from Japan.
1138. The trip to Korea.
1139. Planning to visit Granddad and Aunt Ann.
1140. Our second east coast “education vacation.”
1141. The Air and Space Museum.
1142. The National Gallery of Art (this time I’ll spend more than 15 minutes in there). Plus, they’re older now and can appreciate it more.
1143. Vermeer.
1144. The Udvar-Hazy Musuem.
1145. Wright Brothers history.
1146. Cheap, good cheesecake.
1147. The farmer’s market near Granddad and Aunt Ann’s.
1148. Hearing our boys sing.
1149. Our ladder.
1150. Snow shovels.
1151. “Warmer” this week (even in the 40s).
1152. Piano lessons.
1153. Singing in choir.
1154. Headsets, for simultaneous drumming and singing.
1155. The great feeling after a haircut.
1156. Flax oil gelcaps, and Mary P. who recommended them.
1157. Great conversation with and advice from Mary K. (on daily tracking and emotional life).
1158. Seeing the college kids home with their families for Christmas break.
1159. Co-teaching 5th graders with my husband.
1160. Good-morning hugs.
1161. Bedtime read-alouds.
1162. Time to read quietly.
1163. Laughter, unrestrained!
1164. Sit-ups and push-ups.
1165. Vacations and the benefits of rest.
1166. Children’s literature.
1167. Kate DiCamillo’s journal.
1168. Husband’s book and its impact on families.
1169. Temperatures in the 50s, after such a cooooold week.
1170. Pastrami with cheese and mustard. (So much food in this list…)
1171. Street hockey without rollerblades.
1172. Annie’s incredible, selfless, generous help to me. Over and over.
1173. Monster photocopy machines.
1174. CCEL.org
1175. The gigantic scrub oak in the backyard.
1176. Green belt behind the house, and across the street, too.
1177. No one was hurt at the quarry rock slide.
1178. (Barely) enough snow for cross-country skiing last Saturday.
1179. No insomnia.
1180. Flannel sheets.
1181. Sun on cold days.
1182. New motivation to go running.
1183. Mae Ploy sweet chili sauce.
1184. Digital camera.
1185. Canon AE-1.
1186. Five-year-old piggyback rides.
1187. Happy boy noises.
1188. Hearing them play piano.
1189. Unexpected opportunity to play drums last Sunday.
1190. God-given endurance.
1191. Enthusiastic good-morning hugs and greetings.
1192. Good health.
1193. Good snow tires.
1194. My new thinning shears.
1195. Cross-country skiing at the Black Canyon (twice in 3 days!).
1196. Ginger cookies and impromptu story games.
1197. Mexican Train (finally learned the rules).
1198. Flash drives and floppies.
1199. New determination to write more frequently.
1200. Experimenting with brownie recipes.
1201. The ice cream freezer bowl wasn’t cold enough, so we had chocolate custard instead of chocolate ice cream.
1202. Cooking, without having to do dishes.
1203. Sons’ relationship with their grandparents.
1204. Memorable words from the boys.
1205. “Mom, this bread tastes great!”
1206. Tonight’s Home Bible Teaching Forum, and the families who are presenting.
1207. Anonymous encouragement cards for the children’s Sunday School teachers.
1208. New Nike trail runners (and my knee doesn’t hurt anymore).
1209. The results of running every day.
1210. Unfiltered apple cider vinegar.
1211. That really good green tea from Mighty Teas.
1212. Loose tea leaf holders.
1213. Honey.
1214. Child-size snow shovels.
1215. Husband’s 6th grade earth science course.
1216. My white journal.
1217. Kathleen, who taught me artistic bookbinding.
1218. Rocks of unusual shapes.
1219. Dried flowers.
1220. Time to re-evaluate during our vacation.
1221. God-guided, husband-assisted decision-making.
1223. Peace after hard decisions.
1224. Seeing a friend after 9 years.
1225. The funeral in a castle.
1226. Too many cookies (instead of not enough).
1227. The USPS flat-rate boxes.
1228. White-chocolate brownies.
1229. Taking the boys to pick out their Valentine’s chocolates.
1230. Discounted prices on chocolates.
1231. The baby shower today, and the story behind the baby’s name.
1232. MOPS.
1233. The ladies in the Nehemiah study.
1234. Desire to grow in relationships with neighbors.
1235. The God-given uniqueness of each individual.
1236. The meanings of my name.
1237. Others’ persistent encouragement.
1238. Pikes Peak.
1239. Waiting for mangos to ripen.
1240. A son who likes avocados.
1241. A new hockey stick for my husband.
1242. Lots of people showing up for hockey this week.
1243. Piano lessons.
1244. We were the only ones invited to the birthday party.
1245. Dinner with college friends.
1246. Learning from those who have spent much time living abroad.
1247. My own experience living abroad.
1248. Poetry prompts.
1249. The library has lots of Pablo Neruda books.
1250. The privilege of praying for others.
1251. The excitement of waiting on God on who He wants me to spend my time with.
1252. Three great boys.
1253. Friend who always asks, “How are the boys?”
1254. Bumping into a friend I haven’t seen in years. We’re having tea soon.
1255. God’s desire for my fruitfulness and His glory.
1256. The refining trials and growth spurts of marriage.
1257. John 14.
1258. People who motivate me by their actions.
1259. The awesome “Home Bible Teaching Forum” last night.
1260. Learning from other parents.
1261. Solomon’s creativity and breadth of knowledge.
1262. The road conditions weren’t that bad for her 40th birthday party.
1263. The snow cleared off the roads in time for me to go running.
1264. From my in-laws’ house to the end of the road and back is exactly 1 mile.
1265. God giving me more than I ever imagined.
1266. How there were gobs of leftovers after Jesus fed the 5,000.
1267. Forgiveness.
1268. God’s great, great mercy.
1269. Being a mommy.
1270. Gratitude and great encouragement from the table: “Thanks for lunch, mom.” and “The bread is really good, honey.”
1271. The woman who wept on Jesus’s feet.
1272. The heavy snowstorm suddenly stopped, even letting sun through, just long enough for me to take my daily run. After I got home, it started again.
1273. My new trail runners.
1274. My second attempt at making bagels was much better than the first.
1275. Dried cranberries.
1276. Practical advice.
1277. Reminders to repent, and the Holy Spirit’s conviction.
1278. Sons who love to read.
1279. More snow for cross-country skiing.
1280. The conference tomorrow, and the anticipation of meeting new people.
1281. Planning for our 3rd annual family Bible weekend retreat.
1282. Memorizing John 14.
1283. Weekly accountability, edification and encouragement.
1284. Date nights with Charles.
1285. Reading Beowulf aloud with my eleven-year-old.
1286. Ken Libbrecht’s snowflake books, photos and research.
1287. A faster internet browser, and my husband who installed it.
1288. Excitement ramping up over this toy.
1289. Five-year-old’s vote of confidence, while watching me marinate fish: “I know dinner will be good tonight!”
1290. Five-year-old’s gratitude, even when the dinner did not turn out so good.
1291. Their inventiveness in making up that magnet fishing game.
1292. They know Robin Hood stories well enough to re-enact them.
1293. Same with American Revolution history scenes, like Washington’s Delaware crossing.
1294. Cross-country skiing plans for tomorrow!
1295. A self-made writing getaway sometime soon.
1296. Comfort for the grieving.
1297. The way the Body of Christ really comes together.
1298. Being in touch with siblings, nieces and nephews.
1299. Three birthdays in the 5th grade Sunday school class this week.
1300. Eating birthday cake in Sunday school class.
1301. New poetry.
1302. Old poetry, like Pablo Neruda’s.
1303. Meeting Lois Lowry’s Anastasia Krupnik.
1304. Sunny winter days!
1305. I get to be on worship team on Palm Sunday!
1306. Poems written as gifts.
1307. The easy sour-cream-chocolate frosting recipe.
1308. Sunny days and clear roads/paths for running.
1309. I fit into the smaller jeans (or, the not-as-big jeans).
1310. Writing fiction.
1311. The poetry jams.
1312. Lentil leftovers in the freezer, ready for the next busy day.
1313. The people in the James and John drama at church today.
1314. Our 5th grade Sunday school students.
1315. The people on the Guatemala trip.
1316. My current study in 1 Kings.
1317. Solitude. Ahhh . . . solitude.
1318. Cross-country skiing at Mueller yesterday.
1319. Skiing in solitude to the end of the trail, and the sounds I listened for there.
1320. Hearing snow melt.
1321. My prayer time on skis.
1322. My confession time on skis.
1323. Friend’s protective honesty.
1324. Husband’s discovery of Monarch Park Road, a great place for cross-country skiing.
1325. Spending the night in Salida.
1326. The boys’ excitement over a rare hotel stay.
1327. Our sunburned lips are healing.
1328. One-on-one time with my eldest son.
1329. Five-year-old’s tough and strong efforts. He skiied up Old Monarch Pass!
1330. The amazing Maundy Thursday service.
1331. Trying to make the sherry-cream potatoes that they serve at Adam’s.
1332. The granola bar recipe I found.
1333. Snack time every day at 10:30.
1334. Grocery shopping for Easter dinner.
1335. I found the lost coconut-cream pie recipe.
1336. Whole-wheat bagels.
1337. The zip of gliding cross-country skis.
1338. My sons’ agility on cross-country skis.
1339. Untouched snow. And lots of it.
1340. A reliable car.
1341. Our good snow tires.
1342. Finding a mountain bike for a great deal (birthday gift for 9-year-old).
1343. Giving away our tiniest bike to an extremely excited nephew.
1344. The custom-made cards sent by Mariel.
1345. Watercolor lessons from Mariel.
1346. Deciding what to get from their wedding gift registry list.
1347. Good cross-country ski poles to replace my forty-year-old wooden ones with broken straps.
1348. It was not at all crowded at the Monarch Ski area.
1349. Great weather on our once-a-year day at Monarch.
1350. The grandparents joined us for the ski trip.
1351. Looking forward to seeing college friends in NJ.
1352. Five-year-old echoing my own words, “Mom, keep your elbows off the dinner table!”
1353. Five-year-old who sings while he skis.
1354. Repentance and forgiveness.
1355. Holy Spirit’s conviction of sin.
1356. James 5:16. It’s really true.
1357. Almost done memorizing John 14.
1358. My flute.
1359. The friend who bought another flute and sold hers to me.
1360. Hula.
1361. Michael Card songs.
1362. The free lead-sheet PDF downloads at Sovereign Grace Music.
1363. Suzuki piano lessons.
1364. Friendly, compassionate, encouraging, easy-going piano teacher.
1365. The music store’s 20%-off coupons.
1366. I didn’t eat too much during vacation.
1367. Running every day.
1368. My downhill ski boots fit better this year.
1369. Finding my ski boots for $5, back when we lived in CA.
1370. The Gene Taylor’s in Gunnison.
1371. Supportive community.
1372. New friends.
1373. Marriage.
1374. She went Home peacefully, and her suffering is over.
1375. Standardized testing.
1376. Practice tests for the standardized testing.
1377. The recent poem my twelve-year-old wrote.
1378. The boys’ amazing creativity and imagination.
1379. Chocolate soy milk.
1380. That really good green tea I had in February.
1381. Ranch dressing.
1382. Playing with my camera.
1383. Ability to listen to sermons on a computer.
1384. The three-day head pain went away!
1385. Strength in my arms and legs.
1386. Thirty-minute recipes.
1387. He started throwing up before the hour-long drive.
1388. A perfect first-ever writing getaway.
1389. The one scheduled for standardized testing is not the one who got sick.
1390. Safe travel, alone, over 480 miles.
1391. Monarch Pass was closed on the day between the two days I had to cross it.
1392. Sesame oil.
1393. Hummus and veggie sandwich.
1394. Liking raisins again.
1395. Coming home safe to my guys.
1396. I got a lot of writing done during my writing getaway.
1397. Paths that are exactly one mile long.
1398. Jeans that fit again.
1399. The new way I’m thinking about self-control.
1400. PhotoPlay at High Calling Blogs.
1401. Our digital camera.
1402. Big clouds.
1403. Making and mailing cookies.
1404. Spam filters, so I don’t have to see all that junk.
1405. Raging hail at 1:00 p.m., then blue skies and sun at 2:30 p.m.
1406. I got to go running that afternoon after all.
1407. Sesame oil on stir-fry veggies.
1408. Bethy, who taught me to make California Rolls.
1409. Making meals.
1410. My white hairs.
1411. Those peanut butter cookies with a Hershey Kiss on top.
1412. Anticipating our train trip.
1413. Jerry, Lucia, Elise, and Peter.
1414. The National Gallery of Art.
1415. Big windows.
1416. The color of morning.
1417. Preparing for our 2-week east coast “education vacation.”
1418. Spaghetti dinners.
1419. Granola bar recipe.
1420. Snack time every mid-morning.
1421. Snow in Colorado on May 24.
1422. The Great Sand Dunes.
1423. Dramamine.
1424. Two weddings coming up.
1425. Shopping for wedding gifts.
1426. Making note cards.
1427. Using the Sierra Club calendar for gift wrap.
1428. The Jill Ireland calendar my sister sent me.
1429. Oranges.
1430. Old train stations, like Denver’s Union Station.
1431. The railroad museum in Golden.
1432. The railroad museum in Strasburg.
1433. Hershey’s Chocolate Word.
1434. The free Hershey bar they give you at the end of the tour.
1435. Surprise visits.
1436. Elise and Peter.
1437. Hacklebarney State Park.
1438. The farmer’s market in Reading.
1439. The raisin bread at the Reading farmer’s market.
1440. Crab.
1441. Money to buy crab.
1442. Making Emma’s birthday cake.
1443. Caleb hugs.
1444. Giving Byron’s old bike to Michael.
1445. Soccer drills and improving skills.
1446. Washington, D.C.
1447. The National Gallery of Art.
1448. Being reunited with “A Girl with a Broom” at the Gallery and spending 40 minutes with her.
1449. The Asian market less than a mile from our motel.
1450. Public transportation.
1451. The National Air and Space Museum.
1452. The Wright Brothers’ story.
1453. Milton Hershey failed twice before his business took off.
1454. Perseverance.
1455. The Sharman Times written and published by my sons.
1456. Their daily travel diaries.
1457. Staying at Granddad and Aunt Ann’s.
1458. Playing Yahtzee and Rummikub with Granddad and Aunt Ann.
1459. Playing Dutch Blitz with the family.
1460. Seeing Valley Forge again.
1461. Rainy day when we were indoors at a museum.
1462. Hot, sunny day when we were indoors at a museum.
1463. Cloudy, overcast day when we were spending all day outside at the memorials and monuments.
1464. Learning how money is printed.
1465. Seeing Lincoln’s top hat.
1466. God’s help when I asked, “How do You want me to change?”
1467. The best husband ever.
1468. Grace.
1469. The time I responded well to a disappointing situation.
1470. Entering the High Calling Blogs community.
1471. Swim lessons. (They learn to swim; I read.)
1472. Swimming in Maui waters.
1473. The memory of plumeria scent.
1474. Dancing hula.
1475. Making the sherry-cream potato recipe.
1476. Marcel Desaulnier’s cookbooks.
1477. Making ice cream.
1478. Melted chocolate.
1479. Running every day.
1480. Fitting into the smaller jeans.
1481. Working to fit into the smallest jeans.
1482. Pleasant conversation.
1483. Seeing Kelly at the book fair.
1484. The tarp her friend loaned to her (and me).
1485. Anticipation.
1486. God’s grace and help.
1487. Reminders of godly living in the Bible.
1488. Spiritual growth in myself and others.
1489. Being a co-laborer with God (!).
1490. The discipleship God provides for me.
1491. Good books.
1492. Emily Dickinson poems.
1493. The two Ogden Nash poems I heard today (made me laugh).
1494. My husband’s insights.
1495. Watching my husband invent.
1496. Our car was still in the parking lot.
1497. Our rental car worked out well.
1498. Physical safety and health.
1499. Friends’ physical safety and health.
1500. Those really good, crisp grapes.
1501. Pineapples on sale.
1502. Maple syrup in the squash dish.
1503. Nine-year-old diligent in researching cameras before buying.
1504. Twelve-year-old’s interest in special relativity.
1505. Graduating from Caltech.
1506. Dean Barbara Green who encouraged me that I can actually graduate.
1507. The tennis team.
1508. Free books.
1509. Summer reading programs.
1510. Writing contests.
1511. Encouragement from others.
1512. Finding old pictures.
1513. Good-tasting tap water.
1514. Coffee from Sunflower Market.
1515. Sushi Katsu restaurant.
1516. Paper.
1517. Oil pastels.
1518. The county fair.
1519. I didn’t forget the county fair entry form deadline this year.
1520. Titus’s test scores.
1521. Reading about Elijah and Elisha.
1522. Fun friends.
1523. Eating salad prepared by someone else.
1524. Sharing favorite books, poems, stories.
1525. Summer plans.
1526. My summer reading list.
1527. Preparing Derek’s history for next year.
1528. Eggplant.
1529. Dealing with problems creatively.
1530. God didn’t let me sulk too long.
1531. A great Sunday at church.
1532. Our car works well.
1533. Keeping track of the project’s progress. Two years now.
1534. He liked it! No, he loved it!
1535. Emulating restaurant recipes.
1536. Emulating ice cream parlor recipes.
1537. Derek’s acceptance into piano camp.
1538. We were only four minutes late to swim lessons.
1539. Forty minutes of free time during swim lessons.
1540. A wonderful piano teacher.
1541. Father’s Day traditions.
1542. Homemade pasta.
1543. Spinach and peach salad.
1544. Ice cream maker.
1545. Trip to Grandma and Grandpa’s soon.
1546. Grandma and Grandpa’s trip here, even sooner.
1547. Singing a duet with Pam.
1548. Open, honest, loving communication.
1549. Our women’s ministry team.
1550. Learning from the pastor search team.
1551. All Bob’s work.
1552. Conference call capabilities.
1553. KTLF 90.5 FM
1554. Watermark CDs.
1555. Flat-rate Priority Mail boxes.
1556. The privilege of praying for others.
1557. My study in 2 Kings.
1558. My blue pen ran out. Time for a new pen!
1559. The county fair entries.
1560. An incredibly innovative husband.
1561. Adam’s Mountain Cafe.
1562. Our stereo, a wedding gift.
1563. Our stereo still works just fine.
1564. We weren’t late for piano lessons.
1565. Hymn arrangements.
1566. Hobbies.
1567. Summer, and time for hobbies.
1568. Jogging.
1569. Warm summer weather.
1570. Tennis rackets supplied by Dad.
1571. Rechargable batteries.
1572. Friends who challenge me.
1573. Fifteen-year college reunion (though we’re not going).
1574. Flan.
1575. Celery.
1576. My chef’s knife.
1577. My cleaver.
1578. Running water.
1579. Working pipes.
1580. Good neighbors.
1581. The opportunity for us to walk the neighbor’s dog. (Finally, we’re doing something for him!)
1582. Baroque music.
1583. Son’s opportunity to play on a harpsichord!
1584. My knife sharpener.
1585. Older sons going to camp.
1586. Charles and I going camping with just the youngest one!
1587. Homemade ice cream.
1588. Having Glenn and Michele and boys over.
1589. Croutons, once in a while.
1590. Karen’s spinach-mushroom enchilada recipe.
1591. Jogging uphill now.
1592. Working up to three miles a day.
1593. God’s changes in me.
1594. God’s guidance, leading me to this relationship or that.
1595. Church hallway conversations getting deep.
1596. Ultimate frisbee.
1597. The County Fair tomorrow, and grandparents going with us.
1598. Husband’s example of level-headedness.
1599. Husband’s wisdom.
1600. Community.
1601. Prayer.
1602. God’s Word. Ohhhh, sw-eet honey!
1603. Campus by the Sea IVCF camp at Catalina Island.
1604. Susan and the neighborhood ladies.
1605. Little girl recovered from the rattlesnake bite.
1606. Wheelchairs.
1607. Growing my hair out for Locks for Love.
1608. Contact lenses.
1609. Sunglasses.
1610. My fishing license.
1611. Eleven-Mile Canyon.
1612. Mepps and Blue Fox and Panther Martin lures.
1613. Books on writing.
1614. Carol’s amazing, relentless encouragement.
1615. Summer cooking.
1616. Finding (and trying) old recipes.
1617. Maui memories.
1618. Nieces and nephews.
1619. Being called “Auntie Monica.”
1620. Advanced origami books.
1621. Watching the boys grow up.
1622. Lake City, Colorado.
1623. Seeing the Barksdales every year.
1624. Berry-picking in Oregon.
1625. Fireworks and their reflections in the pond.
1626. The fireworks mode on my camera.
1627. Nine-year-old son who told me about the fireworks mode.
1628. Sophia’s “Endless Gifts” list.
1629. Completing the origami orchid and koi.
1630. The library’s summer reading party.
1631. Police officer who let the kids run the siren (all five different kinds).
1632. Watching the medical helicopter land (and take off!) at the summer reading party.
1633. Face painting.
1634. Rubber duckies.
1635. Empty yogurt containers.
1636. Plain yogurt.
1637. Growing cilantro from seeds!
1638. Montrose trips.
1639. Planning others’ birthday gifts.
1640. The Colorado City Creamery.
1641. Immediately seeing the wolves at the zoo.
1642. Christ Haven Lodge.
1643. The women’s retreat last year.
1644. The great tour at Patsy’s Candies.
1645. Local, non-chain merchants and restaurants.
1646. Being a toymaker’s wife.
1647. “Stone Age” board game.
1648. Wooden toys.
1649. Losing to my nine-year-old at checkers.
1650. Dutch Blitz card game.
1651. The Sharman Times.
1652. Sons’ creativity.
1653. Playing catch with the boys.
1654. Hiking to Blue Lakes.
1655. The amazing piano camp at First Pres.
1656. My wedding ring.
1657. Conversations with my husband.
1658. My grown brother owning toy light sabers.
1659. Light-saber chopsticks from my brother.
1660. The Lake City Bakery.
1661. Lake San Cristobal.
1662. Waldo Canyon.
1663. Trout City Berth and Breakfast.
1664. Tennis.
1665. He didn’t lose a tooth when he got smacked by a baseball bat.
1666. Swim lessons.
1667. Summer rest and play.
1668. …and then mid-summer excitement for school to start.
1669. The NPR interview of Alex Bellos.
1670. Recycling.
1671. Lightning shows.
1672. Teva sandals.
1673. Getting to play drums this Sunday.
1674. Getting to sing last Sunday.
1675. Old clothes that motivate me to get smaller.
1676. Rechargable batteries.
1677. Meeting Yasuko and family.
1678. Genmaicha.
1679. Macadamia nuts.
1680. Free chocolate samples.
1681. Jogging.
1682. Good running shoes.
1683. Sister and brother-in-law’s trip to Hawaii.
1684. We always have food on the table.
1685. We have good shelter.
1686. God is sovereign.
1687. God loves me.
1688. My eternal inheritance.
1689. Calling God my Father.
1690. Good sermons.
1691. Fresh fruit and veggies.
1692. Fingernail clippers.
1693. Working pipes and running water.
1694. Dishwasher.
1695. Finding milk on sale.
1696. Pineapples for a buck each.
1697. My knees work.
1698. Good-tasting tap water. No need to filter.
1699. It’s always cool in the evenings, no matter how hot the day.

(#500-1000 here)