Missing the QC...

Last weekend we had the privilege of visiting some lovely friends in the Quad Cities. I have realized how much I missed them all and I think Will realized how much he missed being around all his little buddies again. Don't get me wrong we do love living in Des Moines again, but of course anytime you leave a place behind there are things that are missed. :( We are so very thankful to have each of these in our lives. Here are my top 10...

10. Leaves and acorns! Living in a really old neighborhood with really large trees makes for lots of leaf and acorn collecting. Will would fill a whole jar and sort them out when we got home.

9. the Family Museum in Bettendorf. Will LOVED this place! So much to do and explore!

8.Vintage Baby; the best consignment store I have found yet. It is huge and has everything from baby clothes to maternity and women's and men's clothes, to toys and home and furniture. We would always bring our unwanted items and always seemed to have a little store credit. love it.

7. Troxel Intern Program- although it made Thad super busy and was not home all the time I do miss all the people involved who made it feel like one big family...and free adjustments by an awesome doc.

6.Watching the seasons in our neighborhood as we walked the block everyday. Seeing and learning which flowers die out at which part of the season and watching the new ones bloom.

5. the local Hy-Vee; we would be greeted by the same faces every time we went and they always had everything we needed. :)

4. My La Leche League gals; sharing common interests, struggles, and joys.

3. Vanderveer Park that we walked to every week at least once to feed the ducks and look at it's beautifulness.

2. Heritage Church and Heartstrings...I can not say enough great things about this place. :)

1. All the cute little guys in that top picture and their parents. (and other friends not pictured.) We are so thankful to have such wonderful friends, going through the same stage of life together, having babies....all you guys are truly missed.

To see more pics of our day visiting click here.

True Freedom-Part 2

photo credit- josephpetepickle

"But what is the nature of our freedom? It is not release from all constraint. It is not license to indulge our sinful nature. Our freedom is the freedom to "serve one another in love." It is possible to do so, because the Holy Spirit enables us to act in ways that are contrary to that natural impulses of sinful nature. Walking by the Spirit, we are released from the old master that produces hatred, jealousy, fits of rage, envy, and such. We are released to be loving, patient, kind, faithful, and good."-Lawrence O. Richards

In our culture how often do we categorize freedom as a "run away" or "do what we want, when we want" type of thing? I cannot love God and the world; I cannot run freely if I'm hanging on to the things of this life. The Truth is that Christ died for us so that we can rid ourselves of the sin that enslaves us. It is the truth that sets us free!

"Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us." Hebrews 12:1

Below is a list of the things I have decided to throw off. I am letting you know so you can keep me accountable. I want this blog to be a place of vulnerability and honesty. Call me out. Disucuss. Encourage. Commune. Pray.

1-The burden of carrying life myself. I am a control freak! I tend to run a busy life not including Christ at times. I notice when I have days like this I am more scatterbrained, irritated, I get nothing accomplished for the day, and I eat poorly. The Lord is my strength.

2-Bitterness. I realize that I am going to have to live with the consequences of others sin no matter what...but I could choose to live with it in bitterness or in the freedom of forgiveness. Forgiveness really has nothing to do with the other person's behavior. I don't really forgive them for their sake, but for my own. It's between me and God.

3-Anxiety and Fretting. When I worry about things I realize that it is usually a determination to get my own way. Christ never worried or was anxious in any way because he was not focused on his own ideas, he was out to realize God's ideas. Paul says in Phillippians 4 that we should pray and ask with thanksgiving- then the peace of God will follow. Being grateful about my life changes the focus to HIM and not me which amazingly makes it easier to not worry about life.

4-Discouragement. Freedom is not seeking approval from others, but doing everything for God's glory and not mine. Like I talked about before; people pleasing is definately not from God. I am learning what true fellowship with people looks like.

I feel that doing this is so important in order to see what God has planned for my life. It will take time and I will struggle, but if I struggle in God's way then I know the result will be peace. I need something to remind me of this freedom that is always there for me....humm...perhaps a tattoo....I dunno. :)

"True freedom exists only where the Holy Spirit works in a man, becoming the principle of his life, and where man does not block his working." - J. Blunck

He took it all in Silence

photo by db*photography

Who believes what we've heard and seen? Who would have thought God's saving power would look like this?

The servant grew up before God—a scrawny seedling,

a scrubby plant in a parched field.

There was nothing attractive about him,

nothing to cause us to take a second look.

He was looked down on and passed over,

a man who suffered, who knew pain firsthand.

One look at him and people turned away.

We looked down on him, thought he was scum.

But the fact is, it was our pains he carried—

our disfigurements, all the things wrong with us.

We thought he brought it on himself,

that God was punishing him for his own failures.

But it was our sins that did that to him,

that ripped and tore and crushed him—our sins!

He took the punishment, and that made us whole.

Through his bruises we get healed.

We're all like sheep who've wandered off and gotten lost.

We've all done our own thing, gone our own way.

And God has piled all our sins, everything we've done wrong,

on him, on him.

He was beaten, he was tortured,

but he didn't say a word.

Like a lamb taken to be slaughtered

and like a sheep being sheared,

he took it all in silence.

Justice miscarried, and he was led off—

and did anyone really know what was happening?

He died without a thought for his own welfare,

beaten bloody for the sins of my people.

They buried him with the wicked,

threw him in a grave with a rich man,

Even though he'd never hurt a soul

or said one word that wasn't true.

Still, it's what God had in mind all along,

to crush him with pain.

The plan was that he give himself as an offering for sin

so that he'd see life come from it—life, life, and more life.

And God's plan will deeply prosper through him.

Out of that terrible travail of soul,

he'll see that it's worth it and be glad he did it.

Through what he experienced, my righteous one, my servant,

will make many "righteous ones,"

as he himself carries the burden of their sins.

Therefore I'll reward him extravagantly—

the best of everything, the highest honors—

Because he looked death in the face and didn't flinch,

because he embraced the company of the lowest.

He took on his own shoulders the sin of the many,

he took up the cause of all the black sheep.

-Isaiah 53

I am a Disciple of Jesus {Pep talk}

image by Mel B.

Below is a quoted letter that was written in the office of a young pastor in Zimbabwe, Africa following his martyrdom for his faith in Jesus. If this is not an encouraging pep talk for starting off the year rght, then I don't know what would be...

"I'm part of the fellowship of the unashamed. I have the holy spirit power. The die has cast. I have stepped over the line. The decision has been made-I'm a disciple of his. I won't look back, let up, slow down, back away, or be still. My past is redeemed, my present makes sense, my future is secure. I'm finished and done with low living, sight walking, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tamed visions, worldly talking, cheap giving, and dwarfed goals. I no longer need preeminence, prosperity, position, promotions, plaudits, or popularity. I don't have to be right, first, tops, recognized, praised, regarded, or rewarded. I now live by faith, lean in his presence, walk by patience, am uplifted by prayer and I labor with power. My face is set, my gait is fast, my goal is heaven, my road is narrow, my way rough, my companions are few, my Guide reliable, my mission clear. I cannot be bought, compromised, detoured, lured away, turned back, deluded, or delayed. I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of the enemy, pander at the pool of popularity, or meander in the maze of mediocrity. I won't give up, shut up, let up, until I have stayed up, stored up, prayed up, paid up, preached up for the cause of Christ. I am a disciple of Jesus. I must go till he comes, give till I drop, preach till all know, and work till he stops me. And, when he comes for his own, he will have no problem recognizing me...my banner will be clear."

Creative Christmas Day 5- Relax.

picture by SashaW

As we speak I am soaking my feet. I can not tell you how wonderfully relaxing it is having my feet in warm water while looking out at the snow and eating some chocolate of course. :) I have realized after putting a lot of my time in to making gifts and preparing for Christmas I have not been taking much time to relax...and with a 1 year old this time is short and precious! As women we are made to be the nurturers and to put others first. It is hard to remember to take time for solitude and relaxation. No one wants to be stressed, especially this time of year when we are supposed to be celebrating the birth of Christ. Stopping each day to remember why I am doing the things I am doing and redirecting myself if necessary. How often do you pause to be present and really enjoy the beauty of a moment or place? I remember as a child the times I would be the most present, reflective and aware of my surroundings was while I was waiting for a ride. I would look out the window, sometimes draw pictures on the window if it was cold outside and fogged over, tap to a beat in my head, watch the squirrels outside, and just be. Being is just as important as doing.

"Slowing Down the speed of Life", a book written by Richard Carlson states 5 consequences from being busy-minded:

1- Become reactive instead of responsive.

2-Take negative behavior personally rather than seeing the innocence.

3-You miss out on the good times.

4-Loose sight of compassion.

5-You expect too much from others.

I am guilty of all of these at times and I have realized that life is too short to spend your time and energy doing what drains you. Yes there are chores that need to be done even though we don't want to do them, but they might not need to get done just that minute. Here are a few ideas I came up with to stop today and relax and reflect, followed by a foot bath recipe. :)

***stretch.

***breathe deeply.

***take a gratitude walk: alone or with your family. Start walking outside and while looking at the trees, sky, etc. share out loud what you are thankful for. If it is cold, then bundle up! Fresh air is always a good thing. (It just might be a shorter walk)

***say no if you have to.

***make a rice sock for your shoulders...or maybe make one as a gift for a friend.

***sip some hot tea.

***enjoy a foot bath. :)

-1 gallon of warm water

-3 drops of lavender essential oil.(use peppermint if you have a stuffy nose)

-1 cup of Epsom salts

*oh it feels so nice on a cold night. :) Did you know that your feet have the largest pores of any area on your body. Foot baths could help improve your circulation, ease fatigue, and relieve stress and illnesses.

Take care of yourself so you can care for others.

Creative Christmas Day 4- Charity

Did you know that approximately 40% of the world's population survives on less than $2 per day?...and that worldwide, 2.6 billion people do not have access to basic sanitation, and more than one billion people lack clean and safe water. I am so thankful for how and where I came into the world and for what I do have. It is hard to imagine living in those type of conditions all the time. It is easy for me to believe that I need to give. I have been commanded to give.

While looking for charity options this holiday season I thought to myself...Why do we give to charity? Is it really for them? Is it for me? Is it for God? Is it for a tax break?..hum, maybe for some people. What does the bible have to say about it? It may sound funny but as I researched I realized I still had a lot to research about this topic. I did come across a website I thought was very interesting that I wanted to share with you. I do not agree with all of the doctrine of this specific church, but what the writer is talking about on this page about charity I felt was very factual.

The Greek word 'agape' is translated as both charity and love in many places in the new testament. (mainly just in the KJV) Many people just think of charity as nothing more than giving money or donating something for a good cause. In this article the author says...

Charity specifically refers to the love that we have toward other men. Paul stresses that we are to walk "charitably" toward our weaker brothers (Romans 14:13-15). He praised the Thessalonians because "the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth" (2 Thessalonians 1:3). In 1 Peter 4:8-9, Peter told the believers, "And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins. Use hospitality one to another without grudging."

I think his point was that the new testament talks about charity as a specific kind of love. So I redirected my thoughts about how I can give charity....how I can give love. It may not be writing a check to sponsor a child, or it may. My point being that you should not limit yourself to making charity only about money. Get a group of friends together and cook a meal for a specific group of people. Feed the homeless at your local shelter. Smile at the person in the car next to you at the stoplight. Get creative! Show love!

...and of course I have a list of links for specific organizations that need some love. :)

*Uthandoproject.org- an organization where you crafters can make dolls to send to children in South Africa's Kwazulu-Natal province.

*globalgiving.com-$50 will pay an orphans tuition for an entire year!

*humankindness-a Kentucky gal raising money to buy school supplies and etc. for a K-5 school in India.

*bloodwatermission.com-help work against the HIV/AIDS and water crisis in Africa.

*Compassion International-Learn about sponsoring a child in need.

Go Share the love,

Etsy Finds-Autumn and Thanksgiving.

The point of Thanksgiving is to remember all the things we are grateful for, and not just for the obvious, but the tiny moments too. I have been trying to focus on being thankful for the little blessings like the sunny day in November where I didn't have to wear my coat and the extra hour of sleep I got this morning. The random giggles from Will and when he smiles and runs toward me when I walk into a room. Focusing on these daily blessings has really helped me change my perspective on life and to live more positively. Abundantly. If you like, come visit my previous posts from gratitude week last year. There are lots of ideas to challenge yourself to think more positively including making your own gratitude journal. Here are a few fun handmade goods that I wanted to share with you in celebrating the holiday. I hope everyone has a fantastic thanksgiving! I am truly thankful for all of you and all your encouraging comments. :)

"I am thankful for you" cards set of 6 by blue bicicletta

"The Giving Tree" fine art print by maggieblanchett

"little fall acorns" 8x10 photograph by honeyandjamphotos

pumpkin pie slice-made of felt by catzillacrafts

"so thankful tags- set of 3" by Align With Design

Simple Woman's Daybook

So, I have come across 4-5 bloggers lately that I noticed have participated in and have links back to the Simple Woman's Daybook. It is so inspiring to hear the simple moments in their day...so I figured it would help ease my mind; to just clear it for a moment, and recognise and enjoy the simple things. (since I have a million things filling up on my list in my head.) 

Outside my window...

A sunny monday morning with the sound of a lawn mower and the smell of freshly cut grass.

I am thinking...

about everything I need to clean up from the weekend.

I am thankful for...

sunny, cool morning walks.

From the kitchen...

I made homemade Kansas City BBQ sauce for our grilled chicken tonight.

I am wearing...

black Nike shorts and a UNI t-shirt

I am creating...

humm...well I am always creating a million things at one time, but for the moment being I have a quilt in progress laying on the dining room table.

I am going...

to the post-office after Will wakes up to mail the invitations to my sisters baby shower.

I am reading...

"The No-Cry Sleep Solution" by Elizabeth Pantley

I am hoping...

That Will does okay with the babysitter on Saturday (only his second time)

I am hearing...

...well, the lawn mower stopped, so now I just hear the fan through the baby monitor and every once in a while a squeak or a snore. :)

Around the house...

There is way too much to do around the house right now, but to keep it simple and more pleasant- it is nice to turn the air off  and open the windows for a few days.

One of my favorite things...

watching Will explore and play with his toys.

A few plans for this week...

At some point we all need adjustments, so I will be calling the chiro today...to the post-office and the park today, the rest of the week is pretty open for spontaneity, and this weekend is the half-way formal with Thad's class...also Bix Fest yay!

Here is a picture thought to share...

I have been watching a community garden grow and noticed that a mama duck had layed her eggs right in the middle of the lettuce...

...Will and I went back to visit a week later, and saw these little cuties!!! :)

Have a fabulous monday!

Sewing Seeds

"Sow the good seeds of righteousness, and you will harvest a crop of my love. Plow up the hard ground of your hearts, for now is the time to seek the Lord, that he may come and shower righteousness upon you."---Hosea 10:12

Sewing Seeds started 2 years ago when Randi's oldest daughter went on a missions trip to Africa. Bloggers across the country sewed 118 skirts for her to bring to the children! How wonderful is that!....only this time her friend Kimmie has a daughter who is traveling to Costa Rica for 2 weeks this summer. Would you be interested in sewing a skirt or two for these lovely children? Think of how excited and grateful their faces will be when they receive something of their own. They need all sizes for childen 13 years and younger. If sewing is not your thing but you want to participate, I believe they are accepting shorts for litte boys as well. Check out Randi's post here for more details and tutorials for a few simple skirts. Leave her a comment and she will give you the address to mail them to. Below are a few pictures of Bella's previous mission trips and a photo of the town they will be visiting this summer.

Please be praying about this. All skirts should be mailed by June 29th, so Kimmie's daughter Bella can get them ready to go. 

April 22-Heart the Earth Day...

Tomorrow is April 22nd...Earth Day! Yay! What a perfect time of year for this. Plants are growing, lots of spring cleaning happening, and everyone is much more motivated this time of year. Everyone has a right to live in a healthy and sustainable environment. That is why I think this day is so important. Having a day dedicated to this helps people to become more aware with information, new ideas and how to make more informed decisions. For those that want to be more "green" or so they call it; just knowing what is helpful and what is harmful toward the environment is key. Even just doing little things like driving less, taking shorter showers, or avoiding access packaging in the things we buy. I remember learning in school as a kid that even the simple act of turning off the lights when leaving the room can be a huge help...so I always did from that day and it is now a habit.

Being "green" has become such a trend these days. That can be a wonderful thing so that it helps more people to be aware, but unfortunately because of it's popularity there are so many "green" products or eco-friendly gear. Most of these things are great!..although it can give you the gimmies. There comes a time when we have to choose whether we are still helping the environment or are we harming it with too much consumerism. There is nothing wrong with buying a fun fashionable reusable grocery bag, or an organic t-shirt. But when we already have 12 of them and we are buying because everyone else is, then it may be a problem. So I encourage you with earth day coming up tomorrow to rethink about what you have, what you want, and what you probably don't need. I know I will be thinking about this. I am also hesitant bringing up this topic because I do not want to sound hypocritical..being American, or even just being human makes it hard to not want when I do not need, but I do know that I can try by simply being more aware of the things I buy and why I buy them. Here is an article on consumerism in America.(just the top part of the page)... it is very blunt, but will make you really think. After reading this I wondered if what people call the "American Dream" is even acheivable anymore? Interesting article.

So in summary one of the easiest ways and best ways to "go green" is to stop consuming so much stuff!...not to say that it is bad to shop because I love shopping, but to be more happy and resourceful with what you have. Below are some other great new links that I came across.

-check here for ways to recycle just about anything.

-check out an old post of mine here on how to make your own household cleaners.

-click here for guide to think more eco in just about any situation; at home, work,weddings, holidays, dorm rooms, cars, food, beauty, gift guides, and lots more.

-borrow or buy used; go to libraries, consider craigslist or freecycle.

-...and of course I talked about consuming too much in our country, but if it would truly help you waste less think about getting your own bags for grocery shopping. I have made one that is for sale in my etsy shop with the hope to make lots more. I have really got into hand embroidery so there will be lots more of that coming soon as well. Check it out here.

Have a splendid day!

Gratitude Week Day 7 "Praise"

I wanted to wrap up Gratitude Week with part of David's psalm of thanks...of Praise!...yes, I know it is now monday, but I ended up going out of town saturday so I did not get to post this, but it is too important. 

Praise is declaring God's character; worshiping and honoring Him. It is so important to show appreciation to those around us, but giving thanks to the one who saved us is essential in our lives. I found a piece of paper in my bible that must have been from a study or a sermon, but it says... Happy moments, Praise God. Difficult moments, seek God. Quiet moments, Worship God. Painful moments, Trust God. EVERY MOMENT, THANK GOD. What isn't there to thank God for? The list could go on and on...the key is to remember, to be aware, and to not forget.

I Chronicles 16:23-36

                                    ...Sing to the Lord, all the earth; proclaim his salvation day after day.

		Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples.
		For great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; he is to be feared above all gods.
		For all the gods of the nations are idols, but the Lord made the heavens.
		Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and joy in his dwelling place.
		Ascribe to the Lord, O families of nations, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength,
		ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name. Bring an offering and come before him; worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness.
		Tremble before him, all the earth! The world is firmly established; it cannot be moved.
		Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let them say among the nations, "The Lord reigns!"
		Let the sea resound, and all that is in it; let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them!
		Then the trees of the forest will sing, they will sing for joy before the Lord, for he comes to judge the earth.
		Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.
		Cry out, "Save us, O God our Savior; gather us and deliver us from the nations, that we may give thanks to your holy name, that we may glory in your praise."
		Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting.  Then all the people said "Amen" and "Praise the Lord." I hope you all enjoyed Gratitude Week. If anything it helped me to be more aware of my attitude and more appreciative of the simple things in life. Have a super monday.

Gratitude Week-Day 6 "God's Gifts"

Numbers 11:4-9
		...The rabble with them began to crave other food, and again the Israelites started wailing and said, "If only we had meat to eat!
		We remember the fish we ate in Egypt at no cost--also the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic.
		But now we have lost our appetite; we never see anything but this manna!"
		The manna was like coriander seed and looked like resin.
		The people went around gathering it, and then ground it in a handmill or crushed it in a mortar. They cooked it in a pot or made it into cakes. And it tasted like something made with olive oil.
		When the dew settled on the camp at night, the manna also came down..... Every morning the Isrealites woke up to a ground filled with manna (food), but soon it was not enough for them. They were demanding more; they had forgotten and were not thankful for what they already had been given from God. Dissatisfaction comes when we start to focus on what we don't have instead of what we already have. The people of Isreal did not seem to notice what God was doing for them...first if all(if you read back a little) setting them free, giving them a nation and land...and now they could only focus on what good food they had left behind in Egypt. This made me think hard about what occupies my attention most of the time. Am I grateful for what God has given me, or am I always thinking about what I would like to have? I have learned that we should not allow our unfulfilled desires to cause us to forget about God's gifts of life...for example...food, health, family, friends, our jobs, our home, etc. So Simple, but yet so difficult today in a world filled of self-fulfilling commercials and STUFF. My prayer for you today is that you can focus and be thankful for the simple gifts that God has already and continues to give you, to stop having an attitude of.."when I have this or that then I will be satisfied." SMiles. :)

Gratitude Week- Day 5 " My Gratitude Journal"

One way to remember to give thanks everyday or to just focus on having a more positive outlook on life is to start writing in a gratitude journal. Set aside time everyday or once at the end of the week, whichever you prefer, and list 3-5 things you were thankful for that day. It could maybe be someone that did something nice for you, a simple object that made you happy, the weather, great decisions you have made, list of highlights, or maybe even the ways that God revealed himself to you that day. Pick a time of day when you can be consistant...before you go to bed is a great time so you can fall alseep thinking about the positive parts of your day. Those are all ideas, but this is something that obviously can be done any way. So get creative! Studies show that keeping a gratitude journal raises peoples satisfaction with life, improves health, increases energy, and promotes good sleep.

It seems like forgetfulness and lack of awareness are the reasons we are not grateful, so maybe recording what we are thankful for down on paper will help us to become more aware and to remember these simple important parts of our day. By writing in a journal we also have the option to look back on it weeks, months, or even years later and remember those things...or when you are having a bad day you can just open your journal and hopefuly it will help change your attitude. 

I decided to make my own journal so that it is a little bit more personal. You could just pick up any type of notebook at the store or if you are more of a computer person you could record your thoughts by, well you know creating a blog. :) Here is a picture of my journal I made with scraps of felt, drawing paper, string, and a scrap of one of my favorite fabrics.

You can find a tutorial on how to sew the binding of the book here. It is super simple; only taking about 10 minutes. It would even be a fun project for a child to do.

Here and here are also fun ideas to help get you started.

Happy Journaling!

Gratitude Week-Day 4 "Challenges"

"Life is 10 percent what happens to us and 90 percent how we respond to it."-Chuck Swindoll

How do we keep our minds tuned toward all that is good and beautiful and bright? There is so much we are missing out on...Here is a list of ideas/challenges that I have come up with, please feel free to comment on any other creative ideas you can think of.

1-Make decisions about how much TV you watch, what magazines you read, or the music you are listening to. Click here for a great TV turn off challenge. This post is old, she may be having a 3rd annual soon, but you could make up your own challenge too.

2-Put away negative thoughts. It is hard to stop certain thoughts from coming in our minds, but we do not have to dwell on them.

3- Memorize positive scripture; try the James Challenge over at Sara's blog.

4- Get yourself around positive people; quit participating in negative talk, gossip, etc.

5-Look at uplifting pictures...here is a great place to start...or here is a great photoblog.

6-Make a gratitude journal- stay tuned for tomorrow...:)

7-Put up post-it notes in places you will look often (bathroom mirrior, door to walk outside, etc.) filled with positive quotes/verses.

8-Use an alarm, maybe on your phone, or a computer memo to remind you to be grateful at that time each day.

9-You could try the 7 Days of Gratitude Challenge over at LifeCoachesBlog.com.

10-Write letters to friends or family to show them how much you appreciate them. Check out this gratitude wrap made by Amanda Blake Soule to store your stationary.

11-Think of 5 ways you are thankful for your spouse or friend before seeing them or having a conversation with them.

Being grateful in even the hard parts of life shows who is in control of my life. (God)

Gratitude Week-Day 3 "I am Thankful for..."

I am thankful for...

adventure and Autumn and air and blankets andBeauty and baths and community and children andCreativity and Daisys and daddys and energy andEnthusiasm and family and Friends and God and gentleness and husbands and hugs and Health and hands and Ice cream and intelligence and Joy and jeans and Kindness and laughter and love and Leaves and Mothers and music and memories and Nature and neighbors and Oranges and oceans and Peace and prayer and pajamas and questions and Quality time and rest and Rain and romance and sunshine and Strawberries and smiles and stars and Trees and talent and tomatoes and Uniqueness and unity and vacations and Vision and water and Wisdom and eXpression and Youth and yellow and Zeal.

What simple daily things are you thankful for?