Day 5 A Friday Prayer

Day 5 A Friday Prayer
A Year of Always Giving Thanks (AYOAGT)
April 11, 2014, Friday, 946 a.m.

Lord, thank You for five days of trying to always give thanks. Help me to be more and more open to seeing all of the blessings in my life AND in the lives of those around me. The blessings of those around me I can claim as well because I know what a blessing is, Lord. It's seeing You at work, recognizing it, and realizing it's Your glory.

Lord, I want to learn to see the small blessings, not just the big. After all, the big blessings are large enough I can't miss seeing. They are obvious. Anyone can see those. I want to see the small blessings that are all around me, right in front of my face. They are all around. At all times. I want to fine-tune my blessing seeing ability. I bet if I were to actually see all of my blessings throughout my day, and add them up, I bet their totality would be many big blessings--in a day.

Lord, why do I want to see and count my blessings? Because they are tangible ways I see You, God, and know You.
I just got goosebumps. Abba, You just taught me a great deal about thanksgiving, gratitude, and counting my blessings. How awesome. How beautiful. Thank You.

To You be the glory!

My new main blog, where I will update it daily is at:

http://ayoagt.blogspot.com/

A Year of Always Giving Thanks will be my daily blog and this will be my weekly blog.

However, once a week or so, I will post on this blog all, or most, of the blog posts from the previous week. They will all be posted per day. This is still my main writing blog. It will just be a weekly thing rather than a daily blog.

This is to simplify things. Keeping things simple is important.

AYOAGT Day 4, Part 1

AYOAGT Day 4, Part 1

MAINSTREAM AND CHRISTIAN JOURNALING SECTION:

I am thankful for (blessings counted):

101 I spoke with a couple loved ones yesterday (family members and friends)
102 Hubby's back to "normal" hours again
103 A new day. A clean slate. An opportunity
104 Weather seems better this morning than it was last night here
105 Critters are doing well
106 A day of giving thanks
107 AHA moments yesterday  and the previous night

108 That it's Spring

THE OPPORTUNITY OF A NEW DAY

I mentioned earlier how I am grateful for the blessing of a new day. After all, it's a clean slate I get to do whatever I choose to do with it and I get to control what I choose to do with the day, in spite of the scenarios that happen. In the midst of chaos or challenges, I can still find a sanctuary and give thanks. 

Each day is a new opportunity t count my blessings and give thanks. I just have to watch and search for them. 

NOTE

I will not include all of my counting of blessings, and saying all that I am thankful for on this blog and will include more in the final printed version. Therefore, if the numbering you see on the blog doesn't quite add up, that's why. 

ANOTHER NOTE

I will sometimes repeat what I am thankful for; after all, if it's something that strikes me at the moment as something to count, you bet I will again. We can never be too thankful for anything. Even if I repeat it every day for the rest of my life, it's okay. It means I'm very grateful. However, I will also try to add original blessings as well each day.  

CHRISTIAN JOURNALING SECTION:

THE OPPORTUNITY OF A NEW DAY

Today is the Lord's day. It is not mine. God has allowed me to continue living this earthly life for a reason. I have a choice. I can live in His purpose--or just mine. Again, even in the midst of chaos and situations I cannot control, I can still choose, even in the middle of them, to give thanks and count my blessings. 

AYOAGT Day 3, Part 3

AYOAGT Day 3, Part 3
April 09, 2014, Wednesday, 4:26 p.m.

I am thankful for:
72 CHRISTIAN JOURNALING: I decided to turn this afternoon into a time of praise and worship. For a couple of hours, I had a short quiet time or Bible reading, reflection, journaling, etc.--feeling, needing more. But, I had to stop and share this with you and why it's a thanks. So, one of my favorite songs, for years now, came on the radio: "REVELATION SONG." So, sitting my desk, in front of an open window. Open curtains. Closed window. I sat in my study, with beagle sleeping on one of his two dog beds in my study and two turtles doing the swimming thing. I closed my eyes and sang the song at the top of my lungs. You know what I mean. Ladies in particular. 
Sometimes the louder you sing, the better you feel. You work through the emotion. You get it out and you find God in the process. At any rate, when I was done, I felt six sets of eyes on me. No joke. I opened my eyes and saw cat to my left, sitting on the ladder I use to reach the top shelves of my book cases, underneath the open window. Both turtles had their heads sticking up out of water, necks stretched, looking at me and looking up. None made the 'you-are-so-weird" look. Instead, it was as though they joined me in worship. How incredible of a moment. I am thankful for that. God was present. Id on't think ? I will ever forget it. I think angels joined in the chorus of praise and worship. What a moment. (Thank God. To you be all glory, honor and praise.)

CHRISTIAN AND MAINSTREAM JOURNALING: 
That moment only reminded me of something I wanted to share earlier in the day... I just hadn't. 
Do you know what makes always giving thanks so powerful? If you keep giving thanks, even in the yuck and mess of life, even during the life-changing-on-a-dime moments, even when you don't want to and certainly don't feel like it, something unexplainable happens. You will start to feel--joy. 
And, joy is something deeper than happiness. Happiness is fleeting. Happiness ebbs and flows with emotions, weather, choice, wants, needs, etc. Joy doesn't depend on anything or anyone. Joy is long-lasting and is deeper and far more meaningful. For Christians, joy comes from God. For the mainstream, joy comes from a deeper life. 
Always giving thanksgiving + no matter what + at all times = joy.

I am thankful for:
73 Joy.
74 Chinese food leftovers, which I'm about to get. 

75 Making time for stillness.

76 Making time for quiet.

77 Enjoying the moment. 

536 p.m. 

Warmed up my leftovers, ate them, emailed with hubby as he did the work thing, and now I am back here. As I warmed up my food a thought came to mind:

How much have I missed because I haven't paid attention to the small stuff? 

How many blessings? I've been so busy, so sidetracked. Excuses. (Pathetic really.) So, how many have I missed? 

Huh. Talk about an eye-opener. 

I am thank for:

78 Microwaves

79 Coffee pots

80 AHA Moments!!!

Duh! I never got back to my AHA Moment from last night. With what happened in Pittsburgh, I forgot. (See part 1 from today if you forget what I'm talking about: http://ayoagt.blogspot.com/2014/04/ayoagt-day-3.html

AHA Moment #1 was realizing I am hurting--and I didn't realize it. The hurt stems form a succession of life-changing-on-a-dime moments (no joke) over the past year, but particularly since one month before Thanksgiving 2013 was the second latest round. The latest round of painful, life-changing-on-a-dime moment is stemmed to the ones from the last year. There have been five painful events that have changed my husband's and my lives forever. We hope to make it in the best way possible change, though. But, then, came round six. That was last week (Or was it the week before? I'm not sure.). I think I've been trying to go on, pretending that life was normal, that I was tough, that I had faith, that I was strong, that I could handle this. As of last night, I realized I wasn't handling it. I was denying it. I was ignoring it. I refused to deal with it. 

Now, I have to ask myself this: Have I said thank you about those six things? Have I counted each as a blessing? 

As a matter of fact, I think I have. 

If I have, did I really mean it? Really, really? If I did, the pain wouldn't still be so raw. Saying thanks, in all things and for all things (1 Thessalonians 5:18) doesn't have any exclusions. So, these six things... If I was relaly thankful for each of them, I would not feel this pain. 

Now, what can I do to really mean the thanks? 

I'll be honest. At this point, I have no idea whatsoever how to really mean the thanks for the hurts. 

I think that's what I need to pursue. 

THE BEAUTY OF A FOREST FIRE ANALOGY FOR THOSE IN PAIN: THOUGHT TO PONDER AND BE THANKFUL FOR

AYOAGT Day 3, Part 3 

THE BEAUTY OF A FOREST FIRE ANALOGY FOR THOSE IN PAIN:

THOUGHT TO PONDER AND BE THANKFUL FOR

A forest fire is destructive. It rages and ravages. It claims life. It destroys. It scars.

But, do you want to know the secret beauty of a forest fire? Most of the trees seeds require fire to burst their seed so they can grow. A fire brings forth life. And, the trees and vegetation come back fuller, stronger, more beautiful.

That's the beauty of a forest fire. True beauty. Scorching fire and burning, combined with the loss of life, brings new, stronger more beautiful life. 

That's the way it is supposed to be with the life-changing-on-a-dime moments of our lives. They are the fire. We can then have stronger, fuller, more beautiful lives that burst forth because of the burn. If we choose it. 

AYOAGT Day 3, Part 2

AYOAGT Day 3, Part 2

1241 p.m. I write this paragraph after I wrote the rest of this blog post and journaling entry. It’s a heavy one, like the previous blog post. Let me warn you of that. My first inclination when I got home was to not even publish this one and share it with you. I don’t want to be a downer. Too many heavy thoughts at the beginning of this thanksgiving blog might be a turn-off for you. But, isn’t this entire year and blog about learning to offer thanks always in and and for all things? Even the ugly, messy? Needless to say, I quickly realized the error of that thinking. Life is messy. When we deny it, we live only a quarter of real life. We then live only with the small sunshine-happy-go-lucky thoughts, where we deny most of life. Life is messy and at times ugly. It has pain. Life isn’t always pretty. However, it’s the storms that bring the rain, which blossoms and blooms the flowers. So, here is this blog post. Tough. Painful. Messy. These are the thoughts of a fool (me):

April 09, 2014, Wednesday, 918 a.m.

MAINSTREAM AND CHRISTIAN JOURNALING

Okay... So, I need some time to process what just happened, in the midst of my breakthrough and already heavy heart. Shower time it is. I need to breathe... and pray... and think...

1016 a.m.

Found out I know someone whose family lives right there. Waiting to hear...

Decided to get out of the house again, but this time with no rush. I'm at my favorite American food place, where a couple friends work. It's a place I can write and enjoy some coffee and food. Granted, I really hoped to see E and chat with her about what all is going on. I can get personal with her. She is Christian and knows more of the spiritual side of things. There is a reason.

1034 a.m.

I keep checking the news from my cell to see the latest in Pittsburgh.

I am thankful for:

65 The person who did the stabbing is in custody.

66 A 10th grade girl had the wise insight to pull the fire alarm--and was able to do so.

67 As bad as this sounds... that only 20ish were injured. Could have been much worse. But, that is one too many!!!

68 Four have sustained life-threatening injuries, but WILL make it.

69 The female who applied pressure to one of the wounds... doctor told her later she saved the person's life.

70 It's over... well... the incident is over. (But... For those there... and those who know someone there... the time of grief and healing has just begun...)

71 The opportunity for each family, the school, and community to unite, grow closer, to lean on one another, to build up one another. They are not alone. No! They are not alone. And never have to be.

I pray they lean on the families from Columbine, Sandy Hook Elementary (Newtown), Virginia Tech, Arapahoe High School, Aurora movie theatre, Boston Marathon, 9-11... etc... and all the others I didn't list. They have brothers and sisters who have similar experiences. All of us are here if they need a shoulder, ear, advice, even someone to vent to, etc. Each can say what worked for them, what didn't, what they wish they could have done differently in the healing process, etc. All are counts of experience and knowledge. Sages.

My other thoughts:

Not again, Lord.

More innocence lost.

Lives changed on a dime.

Lives that will never be the same.

Pain.

Memories.

Grief.

For those of us who are not nearby... who know no one there, we feel for Pittsburgh. Deeply. Not like you there. Yet, we still have been still touched by it. We feel. We wish we could hug you. Know this. We are thinking of you and praying for you. We will not forget. We will mark this as a permanent calendar reminder and remember you every year and will honor your experience. We will help by thinking and praying of and for you throughout the day for the next few months. We will be intentional about this. You are not alone. We are your family... all of us alive today... all of us Americans in particular. And families of other stabbings, shootings, bombings. We will not forget.We choose not to do so--ever.

Those of the Boston Marathon Bombing on 13 April 2013... This week is tough. And that was before… Memories flood back as you hear of Pittsburgh. You were in our thoughts and prayers as it was, now even more so now. And, we know you'll reach out to Pittsburgh.

Stabbings, shootings, bombings all mean lives changing on a dime. Each are horrendous and senseless. A brotherhood and sisterhood are formed--even if those who have never met, but have experienced this.

As a normal, everyday gal, who as of last night, had a painful breakthrough because of another life changing on a dime experience, I am humbled. I have new perspective. I ache for you. But, I have to admit. I cannot wait to see how you use your pain for the good and how you become a better person because you choose it.

Let me be honest here. It is a LIE that time heals all wounds. Whoever says that either has never experienced that kind of pain, or has never dealt with it and has avoided their grief work. They have allowed pain to control them and their lives. (Sad. Understandable.)

But, let me tell you about time and pain. The wound eventually turns into a scar. Scar tissue makes the area injured stronger than before and it takes more to injure that site again. This is true of mental scars, too.

Pain can become a companion instead of an enemy. This is when you have dealt with your grief and pain and refuse to allow it to control you or your life. It's where you feel pain, sure, but it pushes you forward and makes you strive for the better. This pain companion makes you stronger and makes you an overcomer. It makes you strive even harder for excellence and the best life possible. This pain companion is then something beautiful and becomes a blessing.

But, it takes time. It takes... Healing. Intentionality. Choice.

Hearing about Pittsburgh makes my life-changing-on-a-dime-experience seem small. I feel ashamed for feeling the pain. What I'm going through, and have gone through, is NOTHING compared to Pittsburgh. Nothing.

Then, I remember what I've told others. I've said,a s a chaplain and counselor, to people who have said that about their pain: "This is your pain and is unique to you. You've never experienced this before. It does not make your pain greater or lesser. It makes it yours."

Oh, yeah. That's right.

I will take all of the old pain and new pain from today and allow it to make me stronger. It will make me better. I choose it. I will not allow the pain to control me. I will deal with the pain and not allow it to deal with me.

And, I hope the same with you. Your pain from today--and yesterday.

~ Stacy Duplease

Christian, Patriot, Writer, Journalkeeper

Main Writing Blog:

http://WritingsOfSD.blogspot.com

AYOAGT (A Year of Always Giving Thanks) Blog:

http://ayoagt.blogspot.com

AYOAGT Day 3

AYOAGT Day 3
April 09, 2014, Wednesday, 813 a.m.

I am thankful for:
57 A new day. It's the Lord's Day. Not mine. I am to allow Him to use me and I am to enjoy him. He wanted to be with me all day and night long and wants me to rely on Him and intentionally seek Him all day and night.
58 Beagles, the breed. They are special dogs.
59 My beagle in particular.
60 Sinan cat
61 Shelly turtle
62 Harry turtle
63 A comfy bed
64 Ikea coffee mugs

MAINSTREAM AND CHRISTIAN JOURNALING
I'm trying to figure out what to say about what happened with me yesterday. I had a breakthrough, you might say, but it has left me feeling rather sad and edgy. But, it also freed me at the same time.
What happened is quieter personal. Here, you reader and I, have barely known each other for a couple of days. How personal do I want to get? How personal should I get right now and in general? This is a blog the entire world can see and I don't want to expose myself too much, nor my family. I'm protective.
However, if I don't, am I being genuine with you?
Do you see my hesitancy and how I feel pulled?
What to do... What to do?
So, here is what I just have decided. I will get quite personal with you in stages. But, I need to convey the truth and what breakthrough I've had, through my heavy heart, but freed mind. Here it is:
Yesterday, I had an AHA moment and it woke me up and shook me. I've been going around in shock since I had the revelation. I'm trying to figure out what to do with it. (What should I? I will think on this some more.) Maybe through me telling you about it, I will arrive I've with some conclusions and action steps.
I start this A YEAR OF ALWAYS GIVING THANKS: THE JOURNAL OF MY JOURNEY, PART 1 as a broken rundown woman... in some ways... and I am honest with myself.
Funny. I had no idea that was the case. This was AHA and revelation moment number one.
How and why is this the case? See. This is where it gets tricky. I will open up some. Just enough to convey why this breakthrough is important enough to share with you, but not enough to get too personal... yet. That will come in time.
Please add comments at the end of any blog post or send me emails. Help me get to know you. Are you going on this journey, too? Do you want to live AYOAGT? Or do you just want to see if it does anything for me before you decide? Let me know. This will help me open up some more.
Have you ever experienced firsthand a kind of moment where you learned loud and clear the cliche of how life changes on a dime? Where you realize life as you knew it would never be the same again?
September Eleventh, 2001 was that way for me, for example.
When Columbine happened. (I knew someone there and help support her in the healing thereafter.)
I drove by the Aurora movie theater three times a week before that shooting ing happened--and knew people who almost went.
Those are moments where life changes on a dime.
Now, let's talk about more personal moments:
When a friend committed suicide when I was a young teenager.
When my cousin was shot... murdered... just before Columbine and my family became front page news, statewide and nationally... and again the incident was mentioned in Colorado news when Columbine happened.
The life changes on a dime moments are big, life-transforming, nothing can ever be the same again moments.
They are the moments we change and become different parts of the same person. We alter. We transform. These moments either change us for the good... or the worse...
These are the moments where we walk around numb, and in a fog, for a while until we see the light.
This is what B and I experienced a month before Thanksgiving 2013. It was a moment which strengthened our marriage, and as undivided, sure. Without doubt. But, it was...
STOP!
BREAKING NEWS.
No joke.
Look: http://kdvr.com/2014/04/09/at-least-eight-stabbed-at-pittsburgh-suburb-high-school/
There's been a school stabbing in Pittsburgh. At least twenty high school students injured.
Okay. Ironic. I was just writing the life changes on a dime moment.
More in next blog post.

-- Stacy Duplease, Writer
Sent from Amazon Kindle Fire HDX
A Year of Always Giving Thanks Blog:
http://ayoagt.blogspot.com
My Official Writing Blog:
http://WritingsOfSD.blogspot.com

Day 2 AYOAGT Personal Journaling, Part 2

Day 2 AYOAGT Personal Journaling, Part 2
April 08, 2014, Tuesday, 531 p.m.

Bible Reading Plan for Today April 08, 2014:
Leviticus 11-12, Psalm 13-14, Prov 26, 1 Thes. 5
1 Thess 5:18 was in the Bible reading I did today. Funny! How not ironic at all. It's a Jesus thing.

545 p.m.
I am thankful for:
54 My new "THE STUDY BIBLE FOR WOMEN,"  HCSB Bible is on the way. It looks like one I will devour--in a good way. I also ordered a new Bible cover. I will devote myself to the next several years to enjoying it.  (See this link: http://smile.amazon.com/The-Study-Bible-Women-Hardcover/dp/1586400983/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1396993514&sr=8-4&keywords=women%27s+study+bible)

55 The Bible
56 Being able to read and study the Bible.

-- Stacy Duplease, Writer
Sent from Amazon Kindle Fire HDX
A Year of Always Giving Thanks Blog:
http://ayoagt.blogspot.com
My Official Writing Blog:
http://WritingsOfSD.blogspot.com

Day 2 of AYOAGT: April 08, 2014

Day 2 of AYOAGT: April 08, 2014, Tuesday, 932 a.m.

READER

Thank you so much for reading this blog and, in turn, joining me on a year of always giving thanks. I hope it inspires you to do the same.

And, for the record, I hope to practice this for the rest of my life. I just want to be as intention as I can be every day for a year so that it becomes a well-lived habit.

*~*~*~*~*  MAINSTREAM THANKSGIVING JOURNALING:

MY MORNING: SETTING THE SCENE AND OFFERING SOME BACKSTORY

I realize I'm supposed to be giving thanks. I am and will. But, I need to set the scene so you know what's happened this morning already. (Ugh and argh.)

I can always tell when I'm on the right track. Everything starts to go wrong. They seem to go hand-in-hand. I think there is an equation which depicts this phenomenon:

On track = trouble + challenges + anything to get me sidetracked + anything to get me frustrated + anything to make me want to stop what I'm doing

Well, I started this: "A YEAR OF ALWAYS GIVING THANKS: THE JOURNAL OF MY JOURNEY" project and WHAM! Here we go. The equation is alive and working. Now, I need to give a little backstory so you know where this is coming from. So, please bear with me. It's necessary.

Yesterday, I mentioned a very important member of our family and household. It's my beagle, Zack. He's an elder. We (my husband, B, and me) call him the bald-faced beagle since it's mostly white.  He's 14 years old. He suffers from canine dementia (canine cognitive disorder). What that looks like in a dog is they might start shaking for no reason, then they dart and start to run for no apparent reason. They forget their name and any order you give them (sit, stay, etc.) and you can tell they do not recognize you. They are confused. This isn't an all-day thing. It comes and goes.

Zack has far more good moments of the day than the bad at this point. Of course when that changes... (Fill in the blank. I don't want to write it.)

But, that isn't what's going on with Zack today. Nope. Rather, he has this thing that he does off and on where he'll wake up in the morning with a growling stomach. He is so hungry he refuses to eat. He's doing this now.

Of course I will start feeding him a little more to see if this avoids the situation. But, that doesn't help Zack now. He won't eat. He's too hungry. It's been hours since we woke. His stomach is making more and more noise. He's really hungry. But, he's so hungry he won't eat. Sigh. I've tried everything. Hopefully I will figure something else to try to get him to eat. He's acting fine other than that. I wish I could reason with him.  (It's not time to take him to the vet. I know what it is. It's the too hungry he doesn't feel like eating thing, plus maybe a little dementia. But, if he's like this until tomorrow, I will. Until then, I will try making food I know he likes and getting the house to smell good. Maybe that will bring on his sense he wants to eat.

1140 a.m.

The moment I finished writing the last sentence, I decided to see, once again, if I could persuade him to eat. Thank the Lord, he did!

11 Zack ate after not wanting to do so

Then, B called. (He's working a different schedule at the moment.)

Since then, I had to run to Target and am now sitting at my favorite Chinese Restaurant with a delightful wife and husband team who own it and cook and serve. Hence, now that I can sit and breathe, in a change of scenery, I will count some of my blessings and what I am thankful for:

12 Cell phones to be able to speak with loved ones

13 Speaking with my best friend, B

14 That there wasn't an active shooter at Portsmouth Naval Medical Center

15 Cars to ride in and get places faster

16 Target, the store. Love that place.

17 Chinese food

18 The Chinese restaurant I frequent, the business and the husband and wife who own it

19 Timeout of the house for a bit after being cooped up for two days

20 Ann Voskamp, 21 One Thousand Gifts Book, 22 One Thousand Gifts Devotional, 22 One Thousand Gifts Gift and Photo Book, 23 One Thousand Gifts Study Book, 24 One Thousand Gifts Study Videos, 25 Ann Voskamp allowing God to use her

25 Shrimp Kung Pao

26 Wanton Soup

27 Crab Cheese Wantons

28 Rice

29 That I have teeth to eat with

30 Egg rolls

31 Rain to help flowers, grass, trees, and bushes bloom and grow

32 Romans 5

It's nice to get out of the house for a while--and as I drive, I keep the radio off and soak in the quiet. There is so much noise in our lives. All of the noise means we cannot hear ourselves think. We focus on the noise, on the radio, then be quiet and think. Sometimes thinking can be painful. But, if we gave thanks, as our minds wandered to painful things, we would experience contentment. We wouldn't feel upset because we focus our thoughts on giving thanks instead.

1251 p.m.

33 Home--a refuge, safe place, a haven

34 Critters meeting me at the door when I've been gone

35 Good friends

36 Books--to read, enjoy looking at as they sit on the shelves, imagining are sitting on the shelves but really are in/on e-reader, and imagining where the words on the page will take you when you pick one of them up

37 Coffee! The smell. The taste. (I drink mostly decaf.)

38 A pretty coffee mug

39 A coffee mug bought to mark and memorialize a memory

40 The warmth of a mug of coffee held between the hands

41 The warm coffee as it trickles down the throat

42 Spring flowers

43 Cameras to take pictures, capture memories, and capture beauty

HOW HAS THIS "A YEAR OF ALWAYS GIVING THANKS (AYOAGT): THE JOURNAL OF MY JOURNEY, PART 1" IMPACTED ME SO FAR?

In other words, what do I think of my AYOAGT so far?

Would you believe I already feel a difference in me and in my life? The shoulds-coulds-woulds and must-do's, the busyness of life, the busyness of mind, the stresses, the high expectations, all of it is--easier. I've slowed down. I'm trying to live intentionally and on purpose. I'm trying to focus my thoughts on what I'm thankful for and why. Also, I'm trying to find thanks even when there is stress (need I mention Zack not eating) and busyness.

*~*~*~*~* CHRISTIAN THANKSGIVING JOURNALING:

1256 p.m.

I'm thankful for:

44 A good Bible study--one that challenges me and isn't a feel-good one

45 A good pastor--one that challenges me and isn't a feel-good one

46 A good sermon--one that challenges me and isn't a feel-good one

47 http://www.youversion.com/and https://www.bible.com/ for easy daily Bible reading on cell, Kindle, and PC

311 p.m.

My girlfriend stopped by for a few.

I am thankful for:

48 The girlfriend I'll call B2 I have in my life and her two kiddos.

49 Fortune cookies

50 My faith

51 Jesus Christ and what He did for me. What did He do for me? He lived, so he could die (be murdered actually), and because of that, I have eternal life--meaning, I get to go to heaven! He died so my wrongdoings (sins) could be forgiven. He died so I may have grace. Wow. (Wonder of Wonders.)

52 Romans 5, the chapter I'm going to start memorizing.

53 The quiet time I hope to have now of reading the Bible, prayer journaling, and then coming back here to write more things I'm thankful for.  (Funny. I just wrote: 'thanksful' for.) Also, I want to start to re-read this book:

"ONE THOUSAND GIFTS: A DARE TO FULLY LIVE RIGHT WHERE YOU ARE" by Ann Voskamp

http://smile.amazon.com/One-Thousand-Gifts-Fully-Right/dp/0310321913/ref=tmm_hrd_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1396985317&sr=8-1

"ONE THOUSAND GIFTS: A DARE TO FULLY LIVE RIGHT WHERE YOU ARE"

By Ann Voskamp  

I give full credit to Ann Voskamp and every book, and study she has associated with "ONE THOUSAND GIFTS," as my muse for my year of always giving thanks (AYOAGT). Thank God she has allowed God to use her and her writing.

I recommend, even if you're the type who actually prefers e-books to buy her book, devotional book, study book, and selections book in the paper version. They're ones you'll want to re-read over and over. you'll want them in your hand. You'll want to highlight them, write in the margins, etc. In fact, buy several devotionals so you can keep using it every year for the rest of your life.

I cannot recommend these enough.

See these two blogs of hers:

1 A Holy Experience

2 One Thousand Gifts

Also check out this link:

http://www.aholyexperience.com/one-thousand-gifts-book/

Get her newsletter from "A Holy Experience" sight. Trust me. You want her gems every day.

She writes in the most lyrical, musical way. She's a poet and phrases things in the most incredible way. What a gift.

The next time I teach a Bible study, I will teach this material. With B (my hubby) and his job, we move every two to four years and I will teach this material everywhere we go until I cannot teach any longer. I will teach this for decades. It's powerful, life-transforming, moving, eye-opening stuff.

HOW IS THIS JOURNEY AND WRITING DIFFERENT FROM "ONE THOUSAND GIFTS"?

1 I am only 1%, if that, of a writer she is.

2 I want to write to both the mainstream and Christian audience.

3 I'm writing my story and journey to my year of living a life of always giving thanks.

Now, let me try that quiet time thing. I got a little sidetracked.

~ Stacy Duplease

Christian, Patriot, Writer, Journalkeeper

Main Writing Blog:

http://WritingsOfSD.blogspot.com

AYOAGT (A Year of Always Giving Thanks) Blog:

http://ayoagt.blogspot.com