Joy Dare 2012

Counting 1000 gifts changed my life, changed the woman I am becoming--and now Ann Voskamp has dared us all to do it again, count another 1000 gifts in 2012.  I'm taking the Joy Dare.  Will you join me?


1119.  Full day of work after all the holiday slow days
1120.  Little blue bird perched in a friend's home, a symbol of hope
1121.  Amaryllis buds growing tall in January
1122.  Unexpected post-Christmas gift of tea
1123.  Dutch apple cheese muffins for breakfast
1124.  New calendars arriving in the mail - new year finally seeming real
1125.  Pictures of children I love from afar coming in the mail
1126.  Thank you notes all filled out and ready to whisper blessings
1127.  Reminder to do a long-forgotten task before it's too late
1128.  Money to pay unexpected bills--always, always this
1129.  Late-night reading of Anne of Green Gables
1130.  Always going to sleep with a bit of laughter in my heart
1131.  Cat racing wild as the household goes to sleep
1132.  "Talking tea" over email with a friend
1133.  Friend who counts it a privilege to advise on hard questions
1134.  Wise words to make hard decisions easier
1135.  God who's near when the answers aren't
1136.  Baby amaryllis plants poking buds above the soil at long last
1137.  First steps towards making peace with the past I've stored in boxes
1138.  Dear friend by my side all afternoon
1139.  Rows and rows of stitches finally nearing completion
1140.  Eager anticipation of giving the handmade gift to a friend
1141.  Cat who sleeps on the desktop while I work, just wanting to be near me
1142.  Candles burning on cold January days
1143.  Flock of birds flying straight across this road I'm on
1144.  Glancing at the sky just in time to see them fly by
1145.  Winter sunrise over frosted rooftops
1146.  Amaryllis buds breaking open while the snow falls
1147.  Last stitches in place, gift of beauty finally done
1148.  Pumpkin cheesecake baking in the oven on a Saturday afternoon
1149.  Courage to try a new skill in the late hours of night
1150.  Cat nestling in for bed while I struggle to "cast on"
1151.  God waking me early to see fresh snowfall
1152.  Road covered in white, unmarred by travelers
1153.  Standing at the window in PJs and bare feet, watching snowflakes lit up by street lamps
1154.  Going to bed frustrated by the learning curve, waking up ready to try again
1155.  Snow falling down all day long
1156.  Trip to the yarn store on a snowy day
1157.  Hands that can't wait to begin a new project
1158.  Snow boots with fuzzy fur tops
1159.  Snow flurries against the windshield, roads clear enough to drive
1160.  Meeting up with a friend, bag of new projects in hand
1161.  Telling stories from the week, laughing so hard the tears run free
1162.  Friend who advises on the things I'm still learning
1163.  Birds playing in the gutter while new snow falls
1164.  Mastering the purl stitch at last
1165.  Finally believing I might become a knitter yet
1166.  Resigning myself to no more snow, then waking up to the world all white again
1167.  Amaryllis blooms the color of summer, open wide right in the middle of winter
1168.  World quiet under it's frozen blanket
1169.  Dad helping in the kitchen because I'm tired and there are things that need doing
1170.  Chai topped with marshmallows to end the day
1171.  Standing at the window before bed, trying to memorize the winter's beauty
1172.  One lone gull flying overhead while the freezing rain falls.
1173.  First Hope Seed of the new year planted deep, Joy Dare undertaken.
1174.  Whole list of chores checked off, nothing avoided or saved for later
1175.  Three hours of progress in "letting go"
1176.  Storage unit a mess but slowly coming together
1177.  Knitting mistakes that turns out to be a gift
1178.  Everyone noticing that I'm learning a new skill...
1179.  ...and encouraging me to keep going
1180.  Hours with a friend, hot drink in hand, knitting projects coming along
1181.  Plans made for overdue visit with another friend
1182.  Brown bag full of happy socks coming home to be loved
1183.  Sun making a long appearance after a whole week without
1184.  God who listens to prayers when the sleepless hours stretch long
1185.  Friend calling me a kindred spirit
1186.  Broken amaryllis bud in a vase, still growing
1187.  Another friend calling me Gift
1188.  Clear skies on a January morning
1189.  Steam rising off frozen rooftops
1190.  Casting off at last -- half of first knitting project finished
1191.  Unpacking boxes of grandmother's glassware, mom recounting stories from the past
1192.  Choosing pieces of history to carry into my future
1193.  Sun on my face in the middle of winter
1194.  Two cats sound asleep in the warm light
1195.  Long overdue catch-up session with a dear friend
1196.  Handing over the gift made with hands and hours and love
1197.  Color of the gift suited perfectly for the one who now wears it
1198.  Unexpected good news
1199.  Strength to press on in the long, hard task of letting go
1200.  God near when the grief brings me to my knees again
1201.  Him picking me up and breathing courage when I just want to turn and run
1202.  A few forgotten treasures found among the ruins of an old life
1203.  Eight gees flying in formation over the freeway
1204.  Friend who says Yes to something out of the routine
1205.  Smelling endless jars of tea, choosing an armload to bring home
1206.  Long walk by the river with a dear companion
1207.  Days of angst loosening their grip a bit
1208.  God who loves enough to break us
1209.  First morning light dappling the housetops
1210.  Salve to mend the cracked hands
1211.  Happy scent of lavender, rosemary, and eucalyptus
1212.  Amaryllis still growing in a vase, petals popping open one by one
1213.  Sunlight silhouetting blooms against purple curtain
1214.  Navy-blue horizon at day's end
1215.  February days of sun
1216.  Long-feared task tackled and finished at long last
1217.  Strength for letting go--can there be enough "thank you's" for this one thing?
1218.  First morning light landing on the Hope Bird

1219.  Cat who purrs at the sound of my voice
1220.  Twenty seagulls lined up on the grocery store roof
1221.  Me sitting in the car laughing as I count all those birds
1222.  Two trips to the arboretum in one weekend
1223.  February days feeling strangely like spring
1224.  Breathing in the scent of witch hazel, daphne, wintersweet, jasmine...
1225.  Chasing sun all over a forest
1226.  Bending low, stretching high, craning my neck to frame glimpses of His beauty
1227.  The way I'm laughing and crying all at the same time because He's near and He's beautiful and I can hardly breathe it all in
1228.  Filling up every last page of the very first gratitude journal
1229.  Choosing a new book to hold the pieces of His love
1230.  Knowing there'll never be enough pages to write down all the Grace
1231.  Sitting in the sun all afternoon
1232.  Sharing life with a friend, us both stitching away at projects in the making
1233.  Kitty snuggling with her catnip mouse
1234.  Beading party around the dining room table
1235.  Coffeecake baking up beautiful, straight from the freezer
1236.  The sound of escaped beads tip-tapping on hardwood floors
1237.  Brother eating spaghetti, making a mess of everything, and all of us just laughing
1238.  One finished art project inspiring ideas for more
1239.  Prayers for strangers
1240.  God Who knows us all by name
1241.  New friends found, us connecting through words on the screen
1242.  Writing poetry that feels unrefined, everyone telling me it's what they needed
1243.  The One Who fills the gaping, aching emptiness
1244.  Homemade cinnamon rolls baking in the oven
1245.  Us eating them all because we can and who wants to let them grow cold?
1246.  Staying up late because the book's too near the end
1247.  Two cats choosing my lap while three other laps are empty
1248.  Heat in the storage unit--getting to work without coat, scarf, ear muffs
1249.  Only 6 boxes remaining in the first phase of letting go
1250.  Forgotten childhood treasures discovered by accident
1251.  Grey-haired couple holding hands while they cross the street
1252.  All those flowers overflowing the grocery store, waiting for Valentine's Day
1253.  Heart-shaped balloons in the passenger seat of the car parked beside me
1254.  One tiny daffodil open wide in February's garden
1255.  Me running out to see this glimpse of spring in the middle of winter
1256.  Friend who lives many miles from here but never forgets to say I Love You on Valentine's Day
1257.  Waking up to "Your Grace Is Enough," singing those words all through the morning routine
1258.  Late night prayers for a friend in great need
1259.  Buddy cat resting his head in the palm of my hand
1260.  Mended pants made wearable again
1261.  Mom who does the mending for this sewing-challenged daughter of hers
1262.  New winter coats in happy, bright colors
1263.  The family bargain hunter who knows all our sizes
1264.  Email from a far-away friend, all her words echoing with the sound of His healing
1265.  Waking up to the sound of wind and rain
1266.  Plans made for a tea party, friends responding with excitement
1267.  New music arriving in the mail
1268.  Floors freshly swept and vacuumed
1269.  The mess of a week put back in place
1270.  Last hours of work at the "letting-go place"
1271.  Unearthing new books to read, pulling out memories along with them
1272.  Flipping through photo albums from a lifetime ago
1273.  Laughing through tears over the years that can't be forgotten
1274.  Remembering friends, fiascoes, and sweet grace moments from the growing-up years
1275.  First phase complete in the long road of "letting go"
1276.  Last boxes taped up, labeled, stacked
1277.  First knitting project finished
1278.  Making plans to wear my handmade leg warmers
1279.  The doctor who's ready to take charge of my care
1280.  That mark on my arm where the blood's been taken
1281.  The only One Who gives strength for the hard road
1282.  The hard road.  Yes.  This one.
1283.  Day that begins with rain, turns to sun by lunchtime
1284.  Dinner in the crockpot, already cooking away by 9 am
1285.  All those happy smells filling the house the whole day through
1286.  Date with a friend, even when she forgets and I eat alone
1287.  Her walking through the door, me so happy to see her that it doesn't matter how long I've waited
1288.  All this laughter, love, life shared right across a table
1289.  Strength for all those chores
1290.  Money for all those bills
1291.  Hanging the birthday banner across fireplace bricks
1292.  Cooking dinner for Dad's birthday, all of us gathered around for the meal
1293.  That one song lyric we can't get out of our heads
1294.  Us laughing every. single. time. someone breaks out in that song
1295.  Loading a whole van full of piece of the past
1296.  Letting it all go and finding myself still breathing after all
1297.  Hours of clothes shopping with Mom, us trying on every jacket in sight
1298.  Coming home with that bag full of needed things
1299.  Two days of unexpected sun
1300.  Tiniest purple crocuses poking up beside this busy road I'm driving on
1301.  Bundled up with hot drinks in hand so we can sit outside in the winter sun
1302.  Him singing to me on the drive home, reminding that Grace is sufficient
1303.  Bird's nest in the tree by the highway, silhouetted against evening's sky
1304.  Haze around the crescent moon on this cold, cold night
1305.  Those two planets gleaming bright beside the moon, just for this brief space in time
1306.  God Who fills up all the spaces of time with Himself
1307.  The frost glazing the rooftop shingles on a morning in March
1308.  And the seagulls circling, soaring as the day's breaking open
1309.  The tinge of pink spreading across the Eastern sky
1310.  And those snow-covered peaks all aglow, pointing straight to Him
1311.  Late-night readings of a hobbit's tale
1312.  And a morning full of baking, baking, baking
1313.  All the dirty dishes lining counters, filling sinks
1314.  And that moment when the kitchen's finally clean again
1315.  Those rows and rows of scones and muffins
1315.  And how the hard labor really seems worth it somehow
1316.  The snow falling in huge flakes while we're warm inside
1317.  And the friend who lends hands, heart for a task that needs doing
1318.  Someone I've never met, offering to share burdens, carry me to the Throne

1319.  And those words she writes, the ones I need to hear:  You are not too much
1320.  Her sharing the pieces of her story, trusting me to pray
1321.  And the God Who orchestrates this whole dance of love and relationship
1322.  The counting down of days until news from the doctor
1322.  And the breathing in and out through all the days of exhaustion
1323.  A Smart Phone that's actually smart, gets me safely to unfamiliar places
1324.  A trip to the tea cafe on a rainy, rainy day
1325.  That one house painted blue amidst all the browns and greys
1326.  And those daffodils beside the road, still dancing in the rain
1327.  Making it to the bottom of the mending pile
1328.  And wearing a favorite sweater that's been out of commission for weeks
1329.  Staying up late when the story's too good to put down
1330.  And whispering late-night prayers to the God Who knows what I can't say
1331.  Knitting round and round on the waiting room couch
1332.  And the way busy hands keep the heart from running away
1333.  Hearing the hoped-for news straight from the doctor's mouth
1334.  And one more piece of the long mystery finding it's place
1335.  The walk to the car in a downpour of snow
1336.  And me laughing giddy over the unexpected white
1337.  Driving straight to the pharmacy to pick up a bottle full of hope
1338.  And all those tears stinging the back of my eyes because God's always faithful on the long, long road
1339.  Driving home under sunshine and blue skies, promise of spring, new life, redemption
1340.  Sipping new teas on rainy afternoons
1341.  Pondering just the right tea for a party with friends
1342.  Unpacking teacups, teapots, tea linens, tea decor
1343.  Laying everything out to say, "Welcome!  Would you care for tea?"
1344.  Friends arriving one by one for a tea party
1345.  Everyone eagerly accepting my offering of tea, my offering of myself
1346.  That one fruity tea brewing up in the loveliest shade of pink
1347.  Everything looking beautiful, happy, perfect
1348.  Talking tea, laughing, connecting
1349.  Drinking life down, one sip at a time
1350.  The ones who stay behind to cleanup the mess
1351.  That moment, late in the evening, when everything's done
1352.  Saying in PJs until 3 pm--and climbing back into them by 8
1353.  A day to rest, breathe, find my feet again
1354.  Drinking leftover tea and munching on cookies made by friends
1355.  Dress dreams and colors that inspire
1356.  The way you have to give up the search sometimes to find what you're looking for
1357.  Counting down the days of treatment
1358.  Waiting, hoping, praying, believing Him for a miracle
1359.  When misspoken words turn into a family joke
1360.  Us all left breathless from the laughing
1361.  Learning to knit cables
1362.  Rescuing that lost stitch from wherever it's wandered
1363.  That moment when an art project finally takes shapes, lets you see its beauty
1364.  Homemade tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches
1365.  Comfort food for grownups
1366.  The way winter whips fierce at the dawn of Spring
1367.  All of us waiting on Him for the rebirth we crave
1368.  The tiniest pair of birds perched on the power line down the alley
1369.  The fourth day of spring dawning blue and clear
1370.  Afternoon warm enough for wandering
1371.  Garden all aflutter with the birth pangs of spring
1372.  Me with camera in hand and the coat laid aside
1373.  The crouching and the reaching just to catch a glimpse of the new new life coming
1374.  Tiny daffodil trumpets shouting, "Praise Him!"
1375.  Oak leaf hydrangea leaves surviving every last day of winter
1376.  That start magnolia with its buds all a-fuzz
1377.  Finding the very first blossoms opening at the top of the tree
1378.  Me clattering over rocks and plants, trying to reach that beauty unfolding right here and now
1379.  Feeling the joy thrilling in my chest, standing here on a rock in the middle of a garden
1380.  Hunting around for every little sign that winter's letting go and He's waking up the world
1381.  Cat on a leash, us both soaking up the sun
1382.  Him hiding under the rhododendron and that tail swishing back and forth
1383.  Me just laughing, letting the wind whisper across my face
1384.  Spending the evening writing words to a friend--prayers, hopes, fears all laid out for the heart that's open
1385.  Strength for the work that's standing before me
1386.  And strength left still for the afternoon of birthday baking
1387.  Cardamon carrot cake in the oven, me licking batter off spoons, fingers, bowls
1388.  Dishes and cake finally finished, nap time here at last
1389.  Steak dinner on the grill on an evening in March
1390.  All of us so happy-full when the birthday dinner's done
1391.  Extra work hours cut in half, much-needed time for catching up on chores
1392.  All the details coming together for an evening of heart expression
1393.  All these people glorifying God in the most surprising and beautiful ways
1394.  One friend's words echoing my heart thoughts, me all teary-eyed with the way she reveals God to us all
1395.  Emmanual, the God Who is with us, the God Who knows us, the God Who carries the burdens we can't share with anyone else.
1396.  Taxes done at last!
1397.  Strength to step out of the comfort zone, trust Him with my whole heart
1398.  Courage to be myself when I'd much rather hide
1399.  Long walk around a lake, sun shining and wind whispering
1400.  All the light-starved people traipsing happy with kids and dogs in tow
1401.  Memories of long-ago days spent on this very path
1402.  Tiniest bouquet of flowers making their accidental way to my house
1403.  The happy wonder when I find how the Grape Hyacinth's been named with truth
1404.  Me bending low, breathing deep the fragrance of spring when the day gets hard
1405.  God's answer loud and clear, even when the answer's not the one hoped for
1406.  How the sun shines warm on a day when the heart needs mending
1407.  Those choked out email lines to a friend who prays hard
1408.  The arms of another friend holding tight when I come undone
1409.  Afternoon in the sun, iced tea in hand
1410.  Night of sleep after hardest day
1411.  Long-awaited word from the friend who's been busy, us making plans to reconnect
1412.  That happenstance glance at morning's sky, clouds burning magenta in just one place
1413.  How the grey hides the sun all the rest of the day and I hold that one moment of beauty as sacred grace
1414.  Direction from the doctor when the path's unclear
1415.  All the friends praying faithful for the healing and the hope
1416.  God who steadies when the load road stretches endless
1417.  The long road.  Yes.  The hard eucharisteo.  All is grace.
1418.  Cutting off the curls again, not afraid to change

1419.  Everyone noticing the cutting
1420.  Surprise envelop in the mail from my kindred spirit in Texas
1421.  That tiny, beautiful handwriting of hers, speaking love and hope right into my soul
1422.  Tea bags tucked inside, friendship across the miles
1423.  And that verse-engraved bookmark, lyrics for a life
1424.  The way she knows my heart , even when we've never met
1425.  Saturday afternoon full of cats on leashes and books read in the sun
1426.  Easter morning dawning with clear skies
1427.  Roast in the oven, happy smells filling the house
1428.  Me making deviled eggs while still in pajamas
1429.  Us all sitting down to dinner, too much good food on the table
1430.  White chocolate bunny that hops into my brother's shopping basket, finds its way to me
1431.  Cat wandering the house with bunny ears perched on her back
1432.  Feeling the joy of Him way down deep on this Resurrection Day
1433.  The Resurrected Christ.  Yes.  Always Him.
1434.  Long talk with the doctor who's leading
1435.  Me finally saying what needs to be said, asking the hard questions
1436.  Making sense of this long road and choosing to walk it still
1437.  Fourth day of sun in a row
1438.  Driving with the sun roof open and the windows down and, yes, the music loud
1439.  The way this day feels more like summer than spring
1440.  Whole afternoon of sitting outside beside the sister of my heart
1441.  Chai frappaccino in hand, joy in a cup
1442.  April sun leaving its mark on my skin
1443.  Me laughing sheepish when I see it in the mirror
1444.  Looking back over a week that's been hard and finding there's too much joy to count
1445.  God Who pours out Grace, pours out Himself when the heart needs filling
1446.  Hope.  Yes.  This.
1447.  Hearing bird songs loud when I first wake up
1448.  Peeking out the window to see one lone bird perched on the tip of the neighbor's roof
1449.  Me unable to tear myself away from this window, this bird song, this hope
1450.  Him restoring my joy day by day, after all the hard losses
1451.  Reading about Frodo and friends before sleep
1452.  Getting so lost in the story that I miss bedtime entirely
1453.  Those recipe-laden magazines that find their way into my shopping cart
1454.  Happy inspiration for baking and cooking filling every page
1455.  That faint half of a moon still high in the sky at 8 am
1456.  Day's first light landing on snow-covered mountain
1457.  Long-overdue date with a friend
1458.  Her 20-week baby bump and her radiant smile
1459.  Us making plans for the dress I'm dreaming of
1460.  Postcard in the mail--from Italy!
1461.  This friend across the world, writing Grace into my life
1462.  A family who gives Grace when dinner plans fail
1463.  Sketching out ideas for an art project in the works
1464.  Saying "yes" to the idea, even when it's 8 feet tall and 6 feet wide
1465.  One more bottle of hope in hand
1466.  The bitter taste as I swallow it down.  Because sometimes hope is hard and we have to choose it anyway.
1467.  Another Saturday afternoon spent reading in the sun
1468.  Cat flopped in the grass, all these birds talking up a storm
1469.  Dad and I leaving the house early, driving long to see fields of tulips
1470.  Clouds lightening, breaking up as we drive North
1471.  That country song on the radio, making us laugh and roll our eyes
1472.  One hour of perfect light in the garden, all this beauty still awakening
1473.  Air heavy with the scent of hyacinths in full bloom
1474.  Rivers of muscari running in the midst of tulips and daffodils
1475.  All this beauty of His covering the ground, us here to breath it deep
1476.  God Who fills up the whole earth with His Glory
1477.  Bags packed at last, vacation finally here
1478.  Everything loaded in the car, us three women and all our gear
1479.  Memories of last year's adventure drifting back, weather uncannily the same
1480.  All of us keeping eyes peeled for a rainbow since that's the gift He gave last time
1481.  Seeing it at last--that enormous piece of rainbow stretched from the river's edge, 4 hours into the journey
1482.  Me giddy in the backseat, eyes glued to His gift in the sky
1483.  Belly laughs at the rest stop, all of us refreshed for the last leg of the journey
1484.  Sun setting while we drive through the hills
1485.  Those wisps of cloud radiating vertical from the horizon
486.  Clear view of snow-laden peak, day's last light landing soft
1487.  Bank of fluffy clouds forming a mountain range all their own
1488.  Those two deer treading on the hillside at dusk
1489.  Reaching our destination as the day finally fade and one star appears
1490.  Grandma waiting for us, house full of warmth and light
1491.  Car unloaded, us settling in to being here
1492.  Talking late into the night
1493.  That one goose honking when I lay down for sleep
1494.  And the whole flock letting me know when it's morning
1495.  Us all sitting around in pajamas, waking up slow
1496.  Eating breakfast with the lake in full view, right out the window
1497.  Knitting rounds at the kitchen table, Mom and Grandma prepping dinner for the crock pot
1498.  All of us heading into town to the House of Treasures
1499.  Wandering every last room of that Cottage by the Stream, choosing things to love
1500.  Forgotten spices found at the General Store, saving dinner plans from disappointment
1501.  Crocheting rounds all afternoon, then ripping them out when the blanket won't lay right
1502.  Finally figuring out the solution on the third try, project coming along at last
1503.  Grandma crocheting snowflakes in the rocking chair, sliding beads and counting stitches to herself
1504.  Mom sitting at the table, pondering beads and beauty
1505.  All of us sitting right in the middle of our creative messes to eat dinner
1506.  Evening full of tea and ice cream, laughter and projects
1507.  That one goose honking again when I go to bed.  Silly bird and me on the same schedule
1508.  Grandma saying "Boo!" when I leave my room in the morning, her face all lit up with that smile
1509.  Beading projects begun after breakfast
1510.  Wrapping wire around beads again and again, little nests of beauty taking shape
1511.  Grandma pinning out snowflakes at the kitchen table, starching them stiff and straight
1512.  Sun finally breaking out, sky all blue and empty
1513.  Wandering the yard, snapping pictures of blooms and beauty
1514.  Afternoon walk with Grandma and Mom
1515.  Meandering over gravel roads full of vague memories and that sweet feeling of familiarity
1516.  Wind so arm I'm in short sleeves in April
1517.  Fish dinner fresh from the lake
1518.  Evening of crochet and movies and ice cream and rest

1519.  Late-night laughter and beading at the table
1520.  Slipping into bed at long last, chorus of frogs lulling to sleep
1521.  Waking up reluctantly at morning's edge, then peeking out the window to find His Glory shining all over the lake
1522.  Throwing on warm clothes over pajamas, rushing outside with sleep still in my eyes
1523.  Camera in hand, me all giddy with this beauty weighing down
1524.  Reflections of skin in the lake so still
1525.  Geese honking loud from every corner of the water
1526.  Sun rising behind the trees, dock bobbing up and down with every step
1527.  Snapping the shutter again and again--because I can't stop trying to memorize this
1528.  Geese flying, ducks swimming, fishermen's boats floating quiet
1529.  Me smiling from ear to ear, so happy full of Him before the day's hardly begun
1530.  Plans made for a road trip adventure
1531.  Those three snowy peaks in full view on that one stretch of highway
1532.  Sun high in the sky while I crochet rounds of color in the backseat
1533.  Wandering country roads line with orchards in bloom
1534.  Sack lunch in the car, parked in a grassy field in the town called Odell
1535.  Making our way through the Blossom Festival, tables laden with art and food
1536.  Choosing gifts for loved ones, bags of treasures in hand
1537.  Those three flowered headbands for our three generation of women
1538.  Walking through a barn full of quilted beauty, birds singing in the rafters and us in awe of all the colors
1539.  Heading back to our resting place after long day of travel and sun
1540.  Evening on the cough beside Mom, pouring over quilting magazines and talking out ideas
1541.  A few more stitches crocheted before bed, hours of progress measured
1542.  Rising early on the last full day here
1543.  Hurrying outside to memorize all the sounds of morning by the lake
1544.  Birds flitting overhead, all this music thrilling my soul
1545.  Spending the morning combing through photographs of tulips, daffodils, and hyacinth
1546.  Mom and Grandma at the dining room table once more, laboring over beads and laughing over the learning
1547.  Sun climbing higher, us unable to sit inside any longer
1548.  Hauling out chairs and tables and supplies to the yard
1549.  Whole afternoon in the sun crocheting, watching teenage geese bob and swim
1550.  Last dinner together, buffalo burgers and that oh-so-yummy salad
1551.  Packing begun, preparing us all for tomorrow's departure
1552.  Watching the sunset sky over the lake, clouds all decked out in pink
1553.  Running outside to stand at the water's edge and listen to the frogs and the geese filling up the night air
1554.  Lightning and thunder coming up from the South
1555.  Me standing on the back deck in the pitch dark, recording this glory in the sky
1556.  Coming inside at last and that downpour of rain starting minutes later
1557.  Running back out into the night just to feel the rain coming down
1558.  All of us laughing in surprise at this day of wild weather
1559.  Staying up late again, our last evening together
1560.  Bittersweet song of the frogs as I lay down to sleep, wishing vacation didn't have to end
1561.  That one goose God sends to my window to wake me up in the morning
1562.  Last-minute photo shoot, three generations of women wearing flowers in their hair
1563.  Goodbye hugs
1564.  Talk of "next time"
1565.  Sunny skies as we head for home at last
1566.  Safe travels back to our home state
1567.  Dairy Queen "rest stop" to get us through the last hour of driving
1568.  Home.  Home.  HOME!
1569.  Bags unloaded, everything finally unpacked
1570.  First night back in my own bed
1571.  Cat curled up beside me, so happy to see me that she won't stop purring
1572.  Going to sleep with love under my arm
1573.  Cousin and me crammed into the backseat, not one iota of space to spare
1574.  That flat of raspberries we "have to" hold on our laps
1575.  Downing raspberries like the best kind of candy
1576.  Our backseat dinner of rotisserie chicken
1577.  No forks, no plates, and only one napkin while we chow down on a messy meal
1578.  That funny movie we watch on the drive--and the way we quote lines from it all weekend
1579.  Rain shower as we climb the mountain highway
1580.  The way the sun glints off everything washed by the rain
1581.  Dusk settling as we near our destination
1582.  Pulling into camp at last, cousin and me tumbling out of the backseat
1583.  My parents already there and my tent already set up
1584.  Finding a makeshift bed when mine goes flat
1585.  Raiding the snack bins before bed
1586.  Waking up that first morning to the infamous crows
1587.  Laughing to myself because I know my cousin's cursing the birds from her tent
1588.  Lazy morning around camp before everyone else arrives
1589.  Knitting and purling in a camp chair, trying to keep the yarn from finding the dirt
1590.  Hugs and jokes when more family pulls in
1591.  Afternoon rest in my little tent
1592.  Watching hemlock branches waving their shadows across the ceiling
1593.  First campfire of the weekend
1594.  Uncle who tends the fire like an eager boyscout
1595.  All of us making jokes at his expense
1596.  Late-night laughter in the open air
1597.  Waking up to a symphony of chaos--babies crying down the road, crows swooping and hollering overhead, and those squirrels chattering loud and long right beside someone's tent
1598.  Smothering my laughter at the cacophony around me
1599.  Morning fire thanks to the uncle who brings the woodpile and the dad who gets up early
1600.  That first hour after sunrise when the world's still asleep and the day's still opening
1601.  Round of miniature golf with Dad
1602.  The way he insists I start over when I hit the ball off course--which is most of the time
1603.  Failed attempts at shuffleboard in the hot sun
1604.  The biggest "one scoop" ice cream cone I've ever seen
1605.  Trying to eat it all down before it melts
1606.  Being too full of ice cream to eat dinner
1607.  Grazing off everyone else's food instead
1608.  Sitting around the campfire roasting marshmallows and laughing late--again
1609.  Waking up before sunrise on the last day of the weekend
1610.  Sitting at the pond's edge, waiting for light to break forth
1611.  All those birds flitting back and forth overhead
1612.  Blue heron strolling right down the road at the far end of the pond
1613.  Me craning my neck to see where the heron will go next
1614.  That moment when the sun finally breaks right over the mountains
1615.  How it never gets old to watch a day being born
1616.  The way God feels near at sunrise
1617.  Hope for better days ahead
1618.  My desktop buddy, sleeping right in front of me while I work the hours away

1619.  Amaryllis blooms in August
1620.  Walking into a room and finding Annabelle in her happy pose
1621.  Root beer float ice cream sandwiches!
1622.  Summer haircut
1623.  Chai and marshmallows in a strawberry-covered mug
1624.  When the cats sleep side by side, give up their quarrels in favor of sunbathing
1625.  That accidentally heart-shaped scone, one side all ragged like me
1626.  Happy new curtains in bright green
1627.  The mom who sews them
1628.  Open windows all summer long
1629.  Buddy Cat making his home in one of them
1630.  That one bright spot in the sky and how it looks like a heart to me
1631.  The way I keep seeing hearts because I'm looking for Him
1632.  Breakfast food for lunch--fried eggs and potatoes!
1633.  Wearing sandals for three straight months--best NW summer in years
1634.  Those crisscrossing tan lines that make me laugh every time I look down
1635.  Pile of inspiration from the Library shelves
1636.  Musing over stitch patterns and dreaming up things to make
1637.  Week of "staycation"--housemates out of town and all this peace and quiet to enjoy
1638.  Celebrating the occasion with a piece of piece every. single. night.
1639.  The turning of the calendar page, new month full of fresh starts
1640.  Postcard coming unexpectedly from across the world
1641.  Friend who thinks of me even though we've never met, wants me to see all the beauty
1642.  The way it feels like God's dropped an  "I love you" in the mail
1643.  How the long hours turn into 5 feet of blue lace
1644.  The excitement over nearing the end of a complicated project
1645.  Imaging the joy in a friend's face when she finally holds this gift right up next to her cheek
1646.  First pumpkin spice steamer of the season
1647.  And that piece of berry coffeecake that brings a little sweetness to a hard day
1648.  The best of friends sitting by my side while we sip and stitch and hold this life close
1649.  The last piece of blackberry dessert
1650.  Childhood memories of eating this very thing every summer
1651.  Crochet baby blanket being given as a gift at long last
1652.  Baby Cora coming into the world safe and healthy, only 11 days late
1653.  Listening to this song on repeat, because when it feels like God's missing in action, sometimes you just have to sing the truth loud and drown everything else out
1654.  Amazing grace.  Always this.
1655.  The way music can break down all my resistance, send the truth straight in
1656.  Grace leading me Home
1657.  The tearing down of who I am and who I've been
1658.  All this empty, ploughed-up soul ground
1659.  Hope for the Home He'll build to fill up the broken spaces
1660.  Coming out of the dark called Fear
1661.  Finding Love holding out a hand when I finally leave the dark
1662.  Sister-Friends and Brother-Friends
1663.  And the way they pray and hope and send Fear packing its bags
1664.  The choice to believe when all seems lost
1665.  The One Who isn't lost, even when we are
1666.  The last week of summer
1667.  The way it lingers warm
1668.  Watering the garden at sunset
1669.  Finding one last cluster of jasmine still blooming
1670.  Fall coming in with a grey chill
1671.  Spice cookies baking in the oven
1672.  And the way the Kisses melt all over and we laugh long
1673.  Psalm 27
1674.  Especially verses 13 and 14
1675.  And the way they hold me up when the burdens press me down
1676.  For being held up
1677.  For the One Who does the holding
1678.  Cats who curl up with books
1679.  Tiny piece of moon and that beautiful horizon at dusk
1680.  Bowl full of watermelon in late September
1681.  First fall day wearing boots
1682.  Blue heart hanging around my neck
1683.  When the car that won't start finally does
1684.  Not being stranded in a random parking lot
1685.  Knowing who I would've called if I'd been stranded
1686.  But mostly this--knowing that he'd have come for me
1687.  Baby Cole arriving safely in the world--and for the way his mama has always loved me strong
1688.  Days of sun lingering long into October
1689.  Trees lit up with color and glory
1690.  Waking up to fog
1691.  The day it finally feels like Autumn
1692.  Bag full of homegrown cherry tomatoes
1693.  Friend who grows them and generously shares the bounty
1694.  Turning on the heat after all the months of sun-warmth
1695.  That dusty smell from long-dormant heaters that reminds us all of the season's change
1696.  Leg warmers
1697.  Pulling sweaters out of storage
1698.  Putting soups and chilies back on the dinner menu
1699.  Making food for a new mama
1700.  Holding Baby Cora for the first time
1701.  The way she feels against my heart
1702.  God Who entrusts tiny souls to all of us broken ones
1703.  When the days without work turn into days with more than enough
1704.  Still having a job after the company's been "restructured."
1705.  Reconnecting with an old friend, the two of us finally on the same team in this great big company
1706.  Finding the lost hard-drive
1707.  Digging in the closet for a wool blanket and turning the bed into a warm cocoon
1708.  Finding the boots I need at a price I can afford
1709.  Coming home from a clothing sale with bags of needed things
1710.  My dad didn't died today -- 10/12/12
1711.  For a God Who intervenes, staves off the Death Angel
1712.  For being spared
1713.  All the day's of my dad's life that came before this one
1714.  All the days that will come after this one--days with my dad
1715.  For THIS day, the almost-dying day
1716.  For the God Who gives us days to live
1717.  For the God Who gives us people to love and be loved by
1718.  How I'm finally figuring it out that every day is Gift and Grace and God

1719.  That one song that's carried me through all the weeks of waiting and wondering, Sara Groves' "Mystery"
1720.  Feeling God rising up to meet me, even in the darkness of "I don't understand"
1721.  Realizing that all the "letting go" is leading me Home
1722.  Friend who's walking the letting go road, too, and holding out a hand across the mountains
1723.  How she and I have let go of the past and He's led us right into each others' hearts
1724.  For unexpected days off
1725.  Long un-done tasks finally begun--and finished!
1726.  God opening up the Word to me, showing me how scripture can speak to the seasons of a life
1727.  Psalm 27:14 --be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord
1728.  Knowing that it won't always be winter for me

1729.  The way being sick reminds me how glorious it is to NOT be sick
1730.  When the excruciating pain lets up after only 24 hours
1731.  Cough drops, chicken broth, and hot tea
1732.  A dad who cooks dinner when I'm too ill to do so
1733.  That first real night of sleep in endless months
1734.  And the second one that follows right after
1735.  How the first signs of progress revive hopes for healing and health
1736.  Doctor who's never at a loss for what to do
1737.  His patience, kindness, and sure-footed persistence
1738.  Far fewer pills to swallow
1739.  For those last 10 hours spent binding off the blue lace
1740.  How the edges ripple in the sweetest border
1741.  When the last loose end has been woven in and four months of labor come to an end
1742.  Knitting guru calling the finished piece "stunning"
1743.  Packaging up the shawl, sending my love to Montana
1744.  Dear Bernadette holding it up to the light, crying over the beauty and the love
1745.  Her wrapped up in my love beside a lighted tree on a snow Montana day
1746.  The way she's blessed my whole year, taken me by surprise
1747.  God Who made us soul sisters from the start, finally let us find each other in the world
1748.  The hope of one day hugging her neck and seeing her smile in person
1749.  That song she sends me late one night to call me Beloved, remind me that Grace is my home
1750.  For being loved
1751.  For *believing* that I am loved--it's taken a whole lifetime to get to this one thing
1752.  New yarn arriving in the mail
1753.  New project ideas in the works
1754.  Finding the needles I need at 60% off
1755.  Strength for hard days
1756.  Strength for hard weeks
1757.  Strength for hard months
1758.  The realization that hold on to what I have because I know it's not enough--and letting go might just mean having nothing
1759.  Remembering that the only One Who makes the "not enough" into "more than enough" is God.
1760.  Friends who wrestle with God, help me through my own struggles with Him
1761.  The Carpenters' Christmas album and the way I smile every single time I heart it
1762.  Cutting off the hair again.
1763.  Having a stylist I can trust with my curls--Gift!
1764.  Ending the day in the recliner with a cup of Pumpkin Spice tea
1765.  Going to bed early when the day's been long
1766.  Money in the savings account to cover all the unplanned expenses
1767.  God Who provides years in advance, knowing how great the need will be one day
1768.  Dad making the long drive to the vet with me
1769.  Me finally asking all the hard questions, finding out what the options are
1770.  Cat who still loves me after all the months of poking and prodding
1771.  Dad covering some of the expense unasked, easing a bit of this great burden
1772.  Home at long last, all three of us tired but in one piece
1773.  Sunday-morning decluttering
1774.  The way it feels to have everything back in place at the end of a week
1775.  Antibiotics for the sick kitty--even when it takes three tries just to get one pill down
1776.  Working Christmas puzzles on the dining room table
1777.  Peppermint ice cream
1778.  Clean laundry
1779.  Us all pushing the brother's car that won't start, late on a Saturday night
1780.  Thanksgiving menu finally planned, grocery list in order
1781.  Morning snuggles with Annabelle
1782.  Dad teaching me how to make the best hashbrowns
1783.  The sound of heavy rains falling on the roof
1784.  Bernadette pointing me to this one truth:  It's the holes that can make something beautiful, let all the Light shine through.
1785.  Safe travels on a very stormy day
1786.  Dad and Brother fixing what's wrong with my car, stopping all that rain flooding right in
1787.  For heaters and shammy cloths and a dry garage to soak up all the water from the car
1788.  Not having to buy a new car today
1789.  New knitting project beginning to take shape in the loveliest shades of red and burgundy
1790.  Learning a new stitch
1791.  Finding the perfect pattern for the next project--more leg warmers!  with buttons!
1792.  Every last errand checked off the list
1793.  One last medicine that might heal my sick cat
1794.  For the seven years of having my sweet Annabelle by my side
1795.  The way she purrs more than any cat I've ever known
1796.  Her million-and-one nicknames (Anna-Belly, Boo, Whine-y Pants, Baldy Pants, Annabelle-Bananabelle...)
1797.  The way she responds to my voice--I call her my "voice-activated kitty."
1798.  Homemade heating pad accompanying me to be every night
1799.  Season's first cup of steamed eggnog
1800.  Choosing a few Christmas mugs to bring out of hiding
1801.  Talking out the hard, hard week with the friend who listens with her heart and loves with her whole life
1802.  Beautiful morning after a day with torrential rain
1803.  Capturing that one moment of sun before the day turns stormy again
1804.  No serious damage when the basement starts to flood
1805.  Buckets for catching water from leaking roofs
1806.  Brother bringing home more heaters and drying supplies to get my car back in order
1807.  Dad and me hauling the family Christmas tree upstairs early because the basement is wet
1808.  Annabelle taking her pill on the first try--and not throwing it up afterwards!
1809.  Enough work to fill up a whole shift without stopping
1810.  Possibility of new work to fill the coming days
1811.  Sweet potato soup to warm us all up on a cold November day
1812.  First mug of chai in the Christmas cups
1813.  Day with less rain and a bit of sun
1814.  Learning a new account, brain tired from all the figuring out
1815.  Pie crust made without any struggle
1816.  Batch of pumpkin white hot chocolate cooking on the stove
1817.  The smell of squash baking in the oven
1818.  Out-of-the-blue email from a friend from the past

1819.  Her asking forgiveness after all these years for what hurt me deep
1820.  Counting up the number of reconciliations God's given me, this woman with a broken past
1821.  How God heals the un-healable
1822.  Second chances and new beginnings
1823.  Making peace with the hard things from the past
1824.  Realizing that God's knitting me together with the needles of adversity and loss
1825.  Seeing the way I'm becoming His Lace--not ragged and worn through but intricately knitted into beauty
1826.  Love note from Bernadette in my inbox
1827.  The way her love opens my soul, wrings out the tears of relief
1828.  Not being alone on the hard road
1829.  Early morning walk in cold November air
1830.  Brother's car starting with one well-directed hammer blow
1831.  Dad and I laughing as we follow the car home on foot
1832.  Pumpkin pie baking in the oven
1833.  Stirring cranberries on the stove, listening to them pop
1834.  Putting a new spin on an old family dessert
1835.  Counting down the hours until we can taste how the experiment turned out
1836.  Roasting my first turkey--all 17-1/2 pounds
1837.  That beautifully browned skin when we pull the bird out of the oven
1838.  Dad carving the turkey--because I'm not quite ready for that
1839.  Christmas music playing in the background through all our Thanksgiving preparations
1840.  Two-hour nap after all the hours in the kitchen
1841.  Ending the day with a movie, a bowl of popcorn, and two cats on my lap
1842.  Day without rain
1843.  Pumpkin waffles for dinner
1844.  Finding music bargains online--more songs to inspire, encourage, and comfort
1845.  Putting up the family Christmas tree while the Thanksgiving meal finishes cooking
1846.  Mom and me holding up branches while Dad's flat on his back, trying to fix what's broken
1847.  Sitting down to Thanksgiving dinner on a Friday
1848.  Table full of food
1849.  The four of us together, sharing a meal
1850.  Knowing we are blessed beyond measure
1851.  cutting into the pumpkin pie while we're still full
1852.  Afternoon nap--again!
1853.  Turkey and dessert for dinner because who really needs to eat a meal again today?
1854.  New cranberry creation a success
1855.  Fridge full to the brim with leftovers
1856.  God Who provides more than we need
1857.  Fixing a mug of pumpkin white hot chocolate to go
1858.  Heading to church on a Saturday morning with Christmas music and hot drink in hand
1859.  Hauling out decorations, Mom and me struggling to get the tree up the stairs
1860.  Dad and me on ladders at different ends of the sanctuary, both of us singing lout to Christmas music
1861.  Ornaments falling to the floor but me not falling off the ladder
1862.  Mom picking up the broken pieces
1863.  All of us working away on a piece of this big project, singing and humming as we go
1864.  Halls all decked at last, everything shouting, "Rejoice!"
1865.  Stopping by the storage room to dig out my own Christmas boxes
1866.  All the boxes neatly labeled and easily located--hard work paying off
1867.  Mom and Dad hauling the boxes up two flights of stairs to my place
1868.  Leftovers for lunch after a hard morning's work
1869.  Dad and me traipsing all over the grocery store in search of peppermint pudding
1870.  Calling Brother on a cell phone, finding out the pudding's in the most unlikely place
1871.  Dad taking me to the Christmas tree lot down the road
1872.  Wandering through rows of trees, this glorious smell surrounding us
1873.  Helpful worker at the lot, telling us what we need to know and finding us the perfect tree
1874.  Tree trimmed, shaken, and all wrapped up for the drive home
1875.  Setting up the tree in the place I've cleared for it
1876.  Catching the scent of fresh-cut fir every time I start to climb the stairs
1877.  A little rest time after a busy day
1878.  More leftovers for dinner--followed by "leftover" dessert
1879.  Movie and popcorn and two cats on my lap--always this!
1880.  Waking up to fog
1881.  Annabelle's pill going down easy five days in a row--even if the sixth day's not so lucky
1882.  The chance to forgive
1883.  Letting go of old wounds
1884.  Sharing all the burdens with a soul sister across the miles
1885.  How we've carried each other with love and prayers without ever meeting face to face
1886.  Day of quiet after all the busy ones
1887.  Glowing orange horizon at dusk, mountains in full view
1888.  Gift of recipe and needed ingredients from a friend
1889.  Buddy Cat nestled in the crook of my arm at the end of a day
1890.  Sunshine to start the day--third day without rain!
1891.  Chores finished, grocery list made
1892.  Only a few stops on the errand list
1893.  Car nearly dried out after a week of heaters
1894.  Elderly woman asking me to help her reach items on the grocery store shelves
1895.  shedding coat and scarf because the sun's warm and the sky's clear
1896.  A week of groceries tucked into pantry and fridge
1897.  Gingerbread steamer, spicy and warm
1898.  Sitting in the comfy chairs at Starbucks, afternoon sun streaming in
1899.  Friend sitting across from me, knitting in hand
1900.  This weekly date with the dearest of friends, making life better and sweeter
1901.  Finding my feet again on the gratitude journey
1902.  Another dry day--always a gift this time of year
1903.  Enough work to fill a whole shift after too many days without
1904.  Annabelle Cat begging for turkey every time the container comes out of the fridge
1905.  Eating dinner by the fire with the family tree lit up and the Christmas music playing
1906.  Drinking tea from a mug engraved with "Jolly"
1907.  Piece of cranberry dessert alongside my Christmas mug
1908.  Wrestling strings of lights, laboring to light up my little tree
1909.  Figuring it out at last, not giving up in despair
1910.  Having just enough lights to cover the last row of branches
1911.  Pile of needles covering the carpet, evidence of the long labor
1912.  Heater vents and hot showers on cold morning
1913.  More work!  Two days in a row!
1914.  Digging the star out of storage, setting it atop the tree
1915.  Brother asking me if I've named my tree
1916.  Me pondering what I'd call it if I did name this tree
1917.  Friend thinking of me, making plans for my birthday
1918.  Annabelle Cat smuggled on my lap, purring loud

1919.  Buddy Cat attacking the tree, jumping up to swat at lights
1920.  Root beer.  Yes.  I really do love root beer.
1921.  Sitting by the light of my tree, counting up the day's Grace
1922.  Buddy Cat making himself at home underneath the branches
1923.  Hard decisions made and tasks done
1924.  Discovering Annabelle Cat's secret for spitting out pills
1925.  Loaning Santa slippers to Mom
1926.  Smell of chili drifting through the house all day while it cooks in the crock pot
1927.  Only light rain--no heavy downpours to fill up the leak-catching buckets
1928.  Work to fill up a day--gift, gift, GIFT
1929.  Licking cornbread batter off bowl, fingers, spoon
1930.  Flour all down the front of me--twice!
1931.  Hanging Grandma's snowflakes on my tree
1932.  Buddy Cat "helping" by climbing in the box right on top of all the snowflakes
1933.  Opening up the box of brightly colored ornaments
1934.  Finding Dad's handwriting scrawled across the cardboard, everything coded with letters and numbers so I can fit it all back in the box again.
1935.  Me laughing because I don't know how to read the code
1936.  Holding up glass balls, looking for just the right place on the tree
1937.  Buddy thinking I'm holding up a toy for him, jumping up to bat at the ornament in my hand
1938.  Finishing the evening with a cup of pumpkin white hot chocolate and a few rows of knitting
1939.  Hanging more ornaments on the tree before breakfast
1940.  Work to fill up another day, making up for lost hours
1941.  Putting icicles on the tree at last, watching them sway and shimmer on the branch tips
1942.  Getting out the tree skirt, Mom's long long labor of love
1943.  Buddy Cat making it impossible to put out the skirt, trying to lay down and roll around on it
1944.  Vacuuming up a million tree needles, the smell of fir wafting up from the carpet
1945.  Tree decorating finished at last!
1946.  Ideas for making the whole room a celebration of the season
1947.  Digging catalogs out of the recycle bin, getting started on a project
1948.  Cutting snowflakes out of catalog pages, all these scraps of paper flying everywhere
1949.  Safe travels for Dad, coming home across the mountains
1950.  First day of December!
1951.  The turning of the calendar page--always this
1952.  Another day of work--a full week and enough to make up for recent losses
1953.  Big orange Shutterfly box arriving two days early
1954.  Christmas project coming out beautifully and without mistakes
1955.  Clean laundry
1956.  Clean carpets
1957.  Finding the long-searched for ingredient for making my chai
1958.  Perusing the Christmas section at Target, finding a few treasures to bring home
1959.  Peppermint white chocolate M & M's
1960.  Finding supplies to "deck the halls" of my little abode
1961.  Stack of knitting magazines found at the thrift store
1962.  Sky lit up with the pink clouds of day's end when we walk out of the store
1963.  Long list of chores being checked off one by one
1964.  Photographing art projects before sending them off as gifts
1965.  Finding the needed gift boxes at the first store I stop at
1966.  Nine handmade ornaments all wrapped up in little boxes and ready to ship
1967.  Making plans for the upcoming birthday week celebrations
1968.  Enough voice to sing for worship, even if it cracks and scratches a bit
1969.  Ending the day with a Christmas mug filled with pumpkin-pie ice cream
1970.  Getting Annabelle's pill down on the first try--6 more days to go!
1971.  New Christmas puzzle found at the thrift store
1972.  Packages mailed off at the post office, one big task finally complete
1973.  New flavor of holiday tea found unexpectedly at the grocery store
1974.  Picking out goodies to hide in stockings
1975.  Humming a Christmas worship song while I shop
1976.  Groceries unloaded and put away, all this food filling our cupboards
1977.  Dad making stew in our new dutch oven
1978.  The way it smells up the house so gloriously
1979.  Gingerbread steamer to warm up the afternoon
1980.  Knitting mistakes undone, project on its way again
1981.  Friend across the table, us both stitching away while we talk
1982.  Coming home to stew and biscuits
1983.  The "magical" flavor even the cook can't identify
1984.  Work to fill another day
1985.  The friend who's weak and wondering, and my privilege of holding her up in prayer
1986.  Email from a friend across the world, hearing a bit of his life in the lines
1987.  Newest knitting project finally taking shape, becoming beautiful
1988.  Acorn squash baking in the oven
1989.  Opening the new Christmas puzzles and laying out all the pieces
1990.  Everyone else joining in to work on the puzzle
1991.  Pulling out all the ornaments that didn't fit on the tree, finding a place for them elsewhere
1992.  Cutting ribbons and strings, tying knots, hanging all this beauty in the window
1993.  Brightly colored garland of glass beads, draped across the window valance
1994.  How the whole thing is so happy that I can't bear to shut the curtains on it
1995.  More work to fill a shift--He's providing and I'm giving thanks, again and again
1996.  Annabelle's pill going down easy--only 4 more days to go!
1997.  Cutting out paper snowflakes all afternoon
1998.  And then covering the wall with them
1999.  How the simple things can make a life beautiful
2000.  Seeing once again that it's the holes that let the light shine through, make things beautiful
2001.  For 2000 gifts counted--how many times did I wonder if I'd ever get this far?
2002.  For Grace.  Every day.  Every minute.
2003.  God Who loves fierce and for always
2004.  For all the hard days to get here to this one
2005.  Dinner in the crock pot by mid morning
2006.  Day's work coming easier than the last two
2007.  Snowflake project finally complete at long last
2008.  White walls transformed with color and pattern
2009.  How this one room, all decked out with joy, means I've healed a bit this year
2010.  For healing, every last aching piece of it
2011.  For the Healer most of all
2012.  Bacon-wrapped apple-BBQ chicken--so good and so easy to make
2013.  Annabelle playing spontaneously, her feeling good for this one space of time
2014.  Most productive workday of the week, a few more lost hours made up
2015.  Short email from a friend that makes me laugh out loud twice
2016.  Loose ends tied up, miscellaneous things checked off the to-do list
2017.  Long afternoon nap for a body still fighting a virus after long weeks
2018.  Prayers whispered throughout the day for a friend in need

2019.  Leftover stew for dinner, just enough for all of us
2020.  Dad and me finishing the Christmas puzzle together, him holding back the last piece like always
2021.  Annabelle curled against my leg, buddy burrowed in the crook of my arm--our now-classic movie-watching pose
2022.  Digging the Hope Blanket out of the closet because the nights have been cold
2023.  For Hope.  This gift can never be counted enough.
2024.  For the last day of the work week--always this
2025.  More than enough fork to fill the day, the whole week productive
2026.  More lost hours regained, God covering the losses with his provision
2027.  Mom, Dad, and Buddy Cat working a puzzle at the dining room table
2028.  Annabelle racing around, then trying to burrow under the Christmas tree skirt
2029.  Annabelle's pill going down on the second try--only 1 more day to go!
2030.  Dad and me making a holiday shopping trip to Trader Joe's
2031. Walking side by side with my dad on a brisk December afternoon
2032.  Bringing home holiday treats--Salted Caramel Chai!
2033.  Strength to tackle chores when all I really want is a nap
2034.  Checkbook balanced, pills paid, money still left in the bank
2035.  Dad making peppermint pudding "salad"
2036.  Ending the day with a Christmas movie and popcorn
2037.  Chores done before breakfast
2038.  Hashbrowns and eggs--the weekend breakfast treat
2039.  A cup of salted caramel chai to warm up the morning
2040.  Sitting down to write for the first time in many weeks
2041.  Words finding their way onto the page in spite of my reluctance
2042.  God telling the real story, me listening in
2043.  Annabelle settling on my lap to keep me company while I wrestle through the writing
2044.  Sipping ginger-pear white tea in the afternoon
2045.  Listening to Over the Rhine's Christmas album, this one line sticking my head:  "snow falling like forgiveness"
2046.  A memorial service for one who's left us behind--a wise, long-suffering, God-fearing man
2047.  All these memories from 10 years of life together
2048.  Friends sharing about the beautiful heart and godly character of the one we've lost
2049.  Victory over death
2050.  Looking ahead to reunions with the ones we've lost
2051.  First day in a month that I didn't have to give Annabelle a pill
2052.  First day of the birthday week!
2053.  Waffles and bacon for breakfast
2054.  Flock of birds taking flight over the grocery store parking lot, then settling right back down on the roof again
2055.  Lunch date with the best-est of best friends
2056.  Her paying my way unexpectedly
2057.  Cup of chowder so full of good things I can barely fit the spoon in
2058.  Afternoon spent chatting about life, yarn projects in hand
2059.  Wrestling the knotted yarn while we wrestle the events of a week
2060.  Beautiful ruffled, sparkling purple scarf she give to me
2061.  Her smiling big and saying it's perfectly *me*
2063.  Me smiling happy whenever I look down, see all this joy wrapped around my neck
2063.  Driving home to the Toby Mac Christmas CD, because sometimes I really do like it loud
2064.  Pear cinnamon cider before bed
2065.  Plenty of work to start off the week
2066.  Second day of the birthday week!
2067.  Tea and crochet date with another friend
2068.  Me left standing outside when the buzzer fails to buzz me in
2069.  Friend hurrying down the hall to open the door for me
2070.  How warm and cozy her place feels as soon as I walk in the door
2071.  Steeping our tea and settling in for a chat at the table
2072.  Her surprising me with a gift--I have the best of friends!
2073.  Her artwork adorning the packaging, me marveling at the beauty
2074.  Knitted scarf inside the bag--in purple, of course!
2075.  Her sweetness and generosity, the true gift
2076.  Us pulling out yarn and patterns and crochet hooks
2077.  Both of us laboring long to learn how to crochet a snowflake
2078.  Laughing, making mistakes, trying again, both of us successful at last
2079.  Geraldine the Cat talking away while she wander the house
2080.  Discovering cookies in the cookie jar right before I leave for home
2081.  That "pig chef" cookie jar and my friend translating the French for me--"cookies," of course!
2082.  Goodbye hugs and talk of "next time"
2083.  How the last page of the second gratitude journal sneaks up on me
2084.  Knowing that there is no end to the Grace, to the Love, to the God Who holds this life together.
2085.  How the second thousand has taught me this:  If I want to live, really live, I've got to keep counting for always
2086.  For change and growth and figuring things out--no matter how long or how hard the path to get there.
2087.  Third day of the birthday week!
2088.  Too much work--even this is a gift
2089.  Strength to work extra when the hours are hard
2090.  Dinner date with the ones I've named Second Parents
2091.  Trading shoes for slippers as soon as I get to their house
2092.  Sitting by the Christmas tree while we wait for dinner to finish
2093.  Having to ask if their tree is real because it looks so natural and beautiful (it's not real!)
2094.  Homemade chicken and veggie lasagna!
2095.  The unceremonious way my Second Mom dishes up the food, us all laughing out loud
2096.  My Second Dad praying blessings over me and asking for my kitty's healing
2097.  After-dinner tea
2098.  My Second Mom hurrying me to open my gift because she can't wait any more
2099.  Handmade earrings with little silver teapots dangling at the ends--LOVE
2100.  Generous gift of Teavana gift card--because you can never really have enough tea.
2101.  My Second Mom lighting candles on the cake, my Second Dad telling her how she should do it.
2102.  Me just watching them both and laughing
2103.  Blowing out all the candles with one breath
2104.  Sneaking another piece of cake because the first one is so good
2105.  After-dessert tea
2106.  The three of us in the kitchen, me on the floor with Barney the Cat, my Second Dad sitting on the counter, and my Second Mom the only one of us in a chair
2107.  Settling back into the living room with our tea, watching the cats eye the Christmas tree
2108.  Barney climbing the tree twice--and knocking it over twice
2109.  Only one ornament breaking from the fiasco, my Second Mom shaking her finger at the naughty cat
2110.  My Second Mom sending me home with a plate full of cake
2111.  Goodbye hugs and talk of "why don't we do this more often?"
2112.  The gift of having Second Parents
2113.  The way they've loved me strong for these last two decades of a life.
2114.  Better day of work than the one before
2115.  Quick nap in the afternoon to rest up for a full evening ahead
2116.  Mom walking across the parking lot to meet me with reindeer antlers perched on her head
2117.  Wandering the gift shop at Swanson's Nursery with Mom and Cousin, a cup of chai in hand
2118.  Trying on hats and marveling over all the beauty here in one building

2119.  Two reindeer and a camel named Curly
2120.  How the camel doesn't bother to stand up to eat, just lies there and buries his head in food, grabbing mouthfuls to chew
2121.  Blitzen the Reindeer bellowing at me when I try to talk his picture
2122.  Walking into the Christmas tree building and that wave of evergreen scent washing right over us
2123.  Wandering rows of trees, breathing deep and running hands over branches
2124.  Cousin driving the three of us to our dinner, me listening to Christmas music in the backseat
2125.  That parking spot waiting for us right across the street from the restaurant, us hardly daring to believe we can park there
2126.  Peeling off all our layers, settling in for dinner, and pondering the menu
2127.  Us all deciding on chowder--it *is* a chowder house after all--and the waitress answering all our questions so cheerfully.
2128.  Sipping tea and telling stories across the table while we wait for our food
2129.  My sampler plate arriving at last--all five kinds of chowder!
2130.  Tasting chowders one at a time, deciding on a favorite and then changing my mind
2131.  That basket of bread that keeps getting refilled
2132.  Mom dropping her glasses in her soup--really?!--and us all laughing while she tries to wipe them clean
2133.  Leaving the restaurant happy and full--but still walking around the corner to the cupcake place.
2134.  Picking out the snickerdoodle cupcake because it's got the tiniest heart nestled right on top and I can't pass it by
2135.  The three of us settled on the couch in the corner, sampling cupcakes and sipping eggnog steamers
2136.  Taking the heart off the cupcake and setting it atop the eggnog foam
2137.  How the heart gets swallowed right up and we all joke that I've lost my heart
2138.  Last sip of eggnog revealing my heart right there on the bottom of the cup
2139.  How God's teaching me again and again that what feels like loss and heartache (a lost heart) might just reveal the greatest beauty of all
2140.  Climbing back in the car for the last event of the night.
2141.  Cousin driving us to a neighborhood we've never seen, all these houses decked out in lights
2142.  Driving up one street and down another real slow, pointing out all the beauty
2143.  That one house towards the end, three enormous letters filling the front window:  J O Y
2144.  How the Joy Dare of 2012 is completed right here in the midst of this week filled to the brim with Joy
2145.  The way God keep teaching as long as I keep counting.
2146.  Day 4 of the birthday week coming to an end, me so full of happiness and hope.
2147.  Day 5 of the birthday week and that funny email I get from a friend, her asking me to bring doilies with me to our lunch date
2148.  Me digging through Mom's bins in the basement after work, in search of doilies
2149.  Welcome hugs at my friend's house, her telling me that the doilies are for a "project"
2150.  Homemade chicken curry pot pie coming out of the oven
2151.  Us enjoying a cup of tea before lunch
2152.  Sitting down to a delicious meal, Baby Cora "talking" to us while we eat
2153.  My friend revealing the mysterious project at last and me a little giddy with excitement
2154.  Rolling out porcelain clay until it's smooth and flat
2155.  Pressing pieces of crocheted lace right into the porcelain, us thinking we know what it's going to look like in the end
2156.  Holding our breath a bit while we peel up the lace, reveal beauty we never saw coming
2157.  How we're both learning it right here that the beauty of lace is only revealed after it's been pressed down hard into the ground
2158.  Life lessons learned in the kitchen beside a sister-friend, us marveling and pondering together
2159.  Heading out to our next adventure, Baby Cora in tow
2160.  Making good time on the roads and finding a parking place nearby
2161.  Walking up the path to the Bellevue Botanical Gardens with all these glorious lights on display, us already oohing and ahhing over the beauty
2162.  Wandering a whole garden made of lights on a cold, cold evening in December
2163.  Us taking turns guessing the types of flowers, ever single bloom made out of lights
2164.  How beauty can light up a whole night of darkness
2165.  Warming up with a cup of hot cider held in the hands
2166.  Going through the garden a second time, because really, how could once be enough?
2167.  Heading back to the house for hot soup and cake
2168.  Friend and her husband singing happy birthday to me, that one candle flickering bright and Baby Cora just watching us all
2169.  Early Christmas present opened, those home-canned peaches and that jar of chai mix weighing the bag right down
2170.  My beautiful curly-haired friend and her new baby and her incredibly kind husband--and me welcomed right into this life
2171.  Day 6 of the birthday week--my actual birthday here at last!
2172.  Mom the first to wish me happy birthday, her hair still asunder from sleep
2173.  Enough work to fill the whole shift--on a Saturday.  Gift, Gift, Gift!
2174.  Dad and me pouring over the Snappy Dragon menu, picking out the birthday dinner (takeout Chinese!)
2175.  Dad making cranberry-apple cobbler and the way it fills the whole house with this delicious scent
2176.  All these friends writing birthday messages on my Facebook wall, me having a hard time keeping up
2177.  That package that comes in the mail and me completely taken by surprise
2178.  Butterfly wrapping paper adorning the gift inside, a telltale sign of the one who sent it
2179.  Tearing off the paper because I can't wait any longer, book of crochet patterns nestled inside
2180.  For friends I've never met
2181.  And how they become dear companions on the long road, no matter how many miles separate us
2182.  For the God Who lets us find each other in the most unlikely ways and binds our hearts in the way only He can
2183.  Sitting down to the birthday dinner, Chinese takeout covering the table
2184.  Good food and family to share it with
2185.  Movie night at home to finish off the birthday week
2186.  Blowing out candles after the traditional off-tune, out-of-sync rendition of Happy Birthday by my family
2187.  Eating cobbler and ice cream, fighting off the kitties who want to lick the bowl
2188.  Handmade scarves from Mom, in purple of course
2189.  That enormous package that appears on the table at the end of the night, covered in purple pansies
2190.  New griddle that will actually *cook* pancakes, not just burn them or leave them pale
2191.  For 31 years
2192.  For finally figuring out how to celebrate life in a way that honors the person God's created me to be
2193.  God never giving up on me, always stretching and pulling and turning me right into something else--someone else--the someone He always knew I could be
2194.  For growth.
2195.  But mostly for God
2196.  Catch-up days.  A lot of them
2197.  To-do lists to sort out all the things on my mind
2198.  Wearing glittery green reindeer antlers--with bells--to the church Christmas gathering
2199.  Struggling through Christmas carols on the piano, then finding this one phrase buried in the last verse of "O Little Town of Bethlehem":  Be born in us
2200.  Friend who teaches me with her life and her writing what it means to ask for Christ to be born in us
2201.  Strength to keep tackling the long list of tasks, one thing at a time
2202.  Thirteen gifts wrapped at long last
2203.  Eight packages ready for mailing
2204.  Praying for a friend all day long as she travels far in search of hope and health
2205.  Her finding a doctor who calls her a textbook case, offers a bit of good news
2206.  For us walking hard roads together without ever meeting face to face
2207.  Getting in and out of the post office in 30 minutes, just a week before Christmas
2208.  Finding a stock of Salted Carmel Chai at the third Trader Joe's we check
2209.  Traffic and weather giving me a break, letting me get through a little more of the task list
2210.  Waking up to snow on a Wednesday in December
2211.  Snow all melted away before afternoon doctor appointments
2212.  Doctor who answers theoretical questions and gives tentative timelines because he knows it helps me find strength for the road ahead
2213.  Medications and supplements holding steady for the first time in 10 months
2214.  How the long, slow road to healing will make it all the more beautiful and glorious when health finally comes
2215.  Coming home from appointments exhausted and findings two surprise packages in the mail.
2216.  Peeking inside to see who they're from without ruining the surprise of the gifts
2217.  Friend from England sending joy all the way to me
2218.  How the friends we haven't yet met face to face can bring a whole heap of Grace into a life

2219.  God Who orchestrates it all, holds us together with His own Hand
2220.  For the task list getting smaller every day
2221.  First night of good sleep in almost two weeks
2222.  Finding the amaryllis bud peaking out of the soil at long last
2223.  Pulling out a fancy dress from the back of the closet, dressing up for the Christmas Eve Eve service just because
2224.  Practicing one song on the piano all afternoon, trying to decide if I'm brave enough
2225.  Deciding to be brave
2226.  Walking into a candlelit auditorium on the eve of Christmas Eve
2227.  Practicing the worship set before anyone else arrives and finding our groove at last with all the hard songs
2228.  Slipping Christmas gifts onto friends' chairs when they're not looking
2229.  Facing fears, climbing the stage steps alone, and singing loud for a silent audience
2230.  My voice shaking softly the whole way through but my hands playing steady and my mind clear and sure
2231.  Birth of Grace
2232.  Redemption coming at long last
2233.  Believing that He can heal us all
2234.  How this one song, Babe In the Straw, expresses my deep longings and hopes for Advent
2235.  Ending the service with O Holy Night sung loud and beautiful
2236.  Wishing "Merry Christmas" to this church family of mine
2237.  Baking pumpkin pie on Christmas Eve Day
2238.  Mom mixing up a big batch of Russian tea for us all
2239.  How the kitchen smells like cloves and oranges afterwards
2240.  Spending much of the day writing, finding words for what this Joy Journey is teaching me
2241.  Oh!  I forgot this--eggnog bread pudding for breakfast on Christmas Eve morning!
2242.  Dad making his homemade spinach dip and all of us just happy-grateful
2243.  Brother bringing home a whole heap of holiday snacks from the store
2244.  Tucking surprises into stockings on Christmas Eve
2245.  How the stockings get so full that they can't hand any more and have to go under the tree
2246.  Opening the kitties' presents early, letting them snuggle with new blankets
2247.  Good night of sleep after four more nights without
2248.  Waking up early on Christmas morning because I might have to work
2249.  Mom getting up early, too, and baking coffeecake muffins in a jumbo pan
2250.  Digging into a hot muffin and all that gooey streusel as soon as it comes out of the oven
2251.  Clocking in for work--and finding there isn't any.  Hooray!
2252.  How an unpaid and unplanned day off can be a gift
2253.  Playing Christmas music in the background all day long
2254.  Dad taking charge of the Christmas meal because he's got new pans and baking dishes he can't wait to try
2255.  Him and me prepping scalloped potatoes for the oven
2256.  How those potatoes start smelling amazing as soon as they're in the oven
2257.  Ham glazed in spiced cider, green beans roasted in lemon, and all this good food coming together without too much work
2258.  Pulling out surprises from our Christmas stockings while the meal finishes cooking
2259.  Laughing out loud when I open that one little box from Cousin Patty
2260.  How the "Easy" button becomes the happy joke of the day and we use it for everything
2261.  Sampling each others' edible goodies, deciding on the favorites
2262.  First Christmas without any big gifts under the tree and how it feels perfectly okay to all of us
2263.  Sitting down to Christmas dinner together, giving thanks for food and family and a whole year of Him--and Redemption most of all
2264.  Potatoes so good that one on can resist a second helping
2265.  Being full--how often do I forget that this is a privilege many never have?
2266.  Annabelle Cat chasing and tackling her new catnip mouse with abandon
2267.  Pumpkin pie for supper because we're still full but who wants to resist dessert
2268.  Opening gifts from England and finding the perfects things to encourage a heart and a life
2269.  Grandma calling at day's end to tell us she's sick and doesn't know what to do, her braving all the fears of being a burden and just asking for help
2270.  Ambulance on its way to get Grandma because she's 5 hours away from us and we're afraid for her safety
2271.  Praying for mercy with just one word:  Jesus!  Jesus!  Jesus!
2272.  For every one of the 83 years my Grandma's been given so far
2273.  The joy she brings into my life
2274.  Her showing me what it means to live with eyes on Him and counting all the blessings no matter the circumstances
2275.  Ambulance able to get to her snow-bound house
2276.  Her getting to the hospital safely and in time
2277.  Only diagnosis being severe dehydration from a viral infection
2278.  Aunt keeping us all updated by email throughout the ordeal
2279.  Grandma recovering enough to go home after a day in the hospital
2280.  This heart-stopping reminder that life's short and every day's a gift and let's not wast any more of them
2281.  Slow routine of routine on the day after Christmas
2282.  A bit of work, even if it's not enough to fill a whole shift
2283.  Quiet afternoon hours to rest and recover from a busy month of days
2284.  Sleep better, body finally finding a rhythm again
2285.  Strength for long hours spent waiting for work
2286.  Piece of pumpkin pie to end the day
2287.  Enough work to fill up a shift at last
2288.  Sunny skies on a day at the end of December--always a gift here
2289.  Three cats and me playing wild with toys and tents and a whole lot of silliness
2290.  Finding out that a friend's daughter was born on my 31st birthday--birthday sisters!!
2291.  Strength to tackle the chore list
2292.  Freshly vacuumed carpet
2293.  Clothes washes, folded, and put away
2294.  Bills paid--and enough money in the bank to pay them with