Thanksgiving All Year: 391-420

Oh my. I'm not sure what happened over the past few weeks, but my poor blog has definitely been neglected! Three weeks behind on thanks-giving? SHEESH!

Today as I reflect on the past few weeks, I am thankful...

391. For opportunities to share a home-cooked dinner, a profoundly encouraging message by Louie Giglio, and good conversation with family and friends.

392. For a spontaneous adventure (a six-mile walk after dark) with two of my best besties.

CREATION CARE! (aka picking up trash along the way)

at our unintended destination, Jack in the Box, 2.5 hours later

393. For fish tacos (something I NEVER would have expected to enjoy) and similar dishes.

394. For a lovely Sunday afternoon downtown with Jessie Marie.

395. For cool community art projects.

Chalk was provided so anyone could add something to the board.

396. That "the heavens are telling of the glory of God," especially when we witness things like a solar eclipse.

See it in the clouds?

397. That Phillip Phillips won American Idol!!!! Thank you, America, for once again confirming my theory that we love guys with guitars.

398. For the final song Phillip performed on the show, "Home." Very Mumfordesque. I love it.

399. For the opportunity to house sit for one of my absolute favorite families to house sit for. I love their house, I love their back yard, and I love their dogs. I happen to love the family, too, they just naturally aren't a part of my house sitting experiences, haha!

looking down at the house from the top of their hill

looking up at the hill from the backyard ~ LOVE the waterfall!

 400. For a fun Saturday morning with Ashley ~ yummy breakfast at House of Bread, coffee from Purple Bean, and a spontaneous drive up to Donner in the snow. (Yes, I said snow. Welcome to Memorial Day weekend in Reno.)

Donner is SO beautiful!

401. For unbelievable encouragement from the Lord during my quiet time a couple Saturdays ago, and for His perfectly clear confirmation of recent direction in my life.

402. For Louie Giglio's Passion DVD series. I've watched Fruitcake and Ice Cream five times now, and I recently watched Indescribable for the first time... and the second time, both in the same day.

403. For the beauty of God's creations in nature.

404. For a ridiculously easy, and tasty, recipe for crock pot chicken tacos...

405. ...and for friends with whom to share them while sitting around the table talking and laughing.

Silly geese!

406. That I got to catch up with Alina over lunch a couple weeks ago.

407. For a productive day off on Memorial Day in which I cleaned out my car and got caught up on my finances.

408. For fun dinners with Krystal before fellowship group recently.

409. For new friends.

I've known Krystal (middle) for a long time but have only recently
started getting to know Patricia (right). Love them both!

410. For a fun time at U-Swirl with the 2012 graduates and the young adults group after Senior Recognition.

Beautiful ladies, goofy guys! Love 'em all!

411. That Cloe' is going to Santa Cruz with the youth group this year for the first time!!!

pizza and game night with Rebecca, Ash, and Cloe'

412. For the folks from our young adults group who showed up on just a few hours' notice to clean the Thompsons' house to help the family get ready for Pastor Eric to come home from nearly a week in the hospital.

413. For Cassidy and Erin's hospitality in having us over for pizza and a movie after our "cleaning party."

414. For a nice, relaxing lunch with the family while Erin's sister was in town last weekend.

415. For graduation parties.

celebrating Tia's graduation

416. For a gorgeous full moon last weekend.

417. That I serve a God who is in the business of restoration.

418. For the gift of spending every Wednesday with my precious nephew.

That one on the right is my new favorite!

419. For a new group that's meeting weekly this summer to go through How Now Shall We Live by Chuck Colson and to discuss Christianity as a worldview.

420. For John Malkovich's performance as Lucien Laurin in Secretariat.

Okay. Let's hope I don't go another three weeks before I do this again, because I really don't think anyone cares to read through a list that's thirty items long, haha! Have a great weekend, folks!