Thankful Thursday #224

"For this reason we do not lose heart.  Even though our physical being is gradually decaying, yet our spiritual being is RENEWED day after day.  And this small and temporary trouble we suffer is producing for us an eternal glory that is greater than anything we can imagine." 

~2 Corinthians 4:16-17

Today, I am thankful for:

1.  Our weekly family dinners, and more specifically, celebrating the birthdays of Triston Michael (18 on 4-2) and Carter Lee (17 on 4-18) with the fam at Ted's on Tuesday!! ❤

2.  Jon Tyson, who I have now heard in an audiobook he cowrote + the AFD podcast and the Wild at Heart podcast... the sincerity of his obedience and his heart for Jesus has increased my desire to study God's Word and seek Him more diligently, and I'm thankful for that shift!

3.  This once-in-a-lifetime season of marathon training and all God is teaching me through it!! ❤  Grit, endurance, accepting support, pressing past fear, trusting the process, celebrating small milestones, encouraging myself when it's just me and Jesus out there, etc.

4.  An encouraging interview last Friday - hearing "You have the qualities that can't be taught as a therapist who genuinely connects with people, and we can help you with the knowledge and diagnostic tools" felt like a high compliment (with room/encouragement to keep growing).  *Prayers appreciated for God to give me wisdom and open the right doors at the right time for me in this job search.

5.  Supporting T-man at his new barista job at the Choctaw Starbucks - fun!  He was super busy running the drive-through line, but he traded with a friend to come make my drink and chat for a sec before getting back to it! ❤

6.  The Wilsons and Weatherfords, who kindly let me join their family dinner last Friday!  The kids were in playful moods, and we all had a good talk about my interview that morning, the January Disney trip, and Miss Parker Elizabeth's 4th birthday and Belle party later this month, which is sure to be the very cutest!!

7.  A successful impromptu shopping spree on my first real trip to the Tulsa Premier Outlets last Friday... six new shirts, a gold bracelet, a J. Crew necklace, a Vera Bradley travel bag, and a Coach purse - huzzah!  All things I'll enjoy and use well, but it's probably for the best that my shopping time was limited. lol

8.  From my FB post:  Happy National Sibling Day to my younger sister, Rachael LaJo! ❤  Thankful for our childhood memories, our adult friendship, our family dinners, and all the ways you've made my life more colorful and fun and exciting (including my awesome niece and nephews)!!  Also grateful that you've shared clothes with me and become my fashion consultant, and that you're willing/eager to spend hours gluing tiny crystals to my graduation cap.  Love you!!  

9.  A great 4-mile walk with Kristin Michelle last night... with background music by the massive church youth gathering at the outdoor amphitheater part of our Central Park! =)

10.  Reading through Abby's Autobiography (a Senior-year project for all CHA students)... she has overcome a lot in her first 18 years, and she wrote about it with admirable vulnerability and courage! ❤  I told her this will be a great keepsake to look back at later, which I know now from experience - there are so many little memories from childhood and adolescence that would be easy to forget if they were not written down and preserved! =)

11.  Getting to watch Kyndal Faith's team play in the Lone Star Classic tournament from the comfort of my own home last weekend... whoever is in charge of the videos for these tournaments deserves a raise!

12.  Janelle told me (and showed me) that she's seeing "lots of new growth" and baby hairs coming in, saying I'll just have to be patient as it continues to grow and become more noticeable.  #metaphorforlife  (Weight loss surgery and the initial rapid loss typically leads to some hair thinning, but I've been taking the pricey Nutrafol supplements Dr. Apel recommended, and I'm so glad to know they are actually helping!  And I'm grateful for Halo Couture in the meantime. lol)

13.  This Netflix movie being better than I'd expected -- it was in the "We think you'll love this" category from Netflix, and they were not wrong. lol  It made me think about finding true love (and where I've already found it), leaving nothing left unsaid, growing through grief, and how my childhood goals align with who I am today!

14.  “I believe deeply that God does His best work in our lives during times of great heartbreak and loss, and I believe that much of that rich work is done by the hands of people who love us, who dive into the wreckage with us and show us who God is, over and over and over."  ~Shauna Niequist  I'm thankful for Chet Lee and Karli Marie and the way their loyal friendship, steadfast support, timely words of wisdom, and well-stewarded gift for cultivating solid community have been part of "God's best work" in my life, showing me who He is, over and over and over!! ❤

15.  Today's jury trial being continued (YAY), a lunch workout at Planet Fitness, and the gift of coming home to a lovely, fresh and clean house when I leave in a few minutes!!  Ahhh, I have missed Alisa (my once-a-month house cleaner) over the past 3 months... I am extra thankful for the great work she does, and I am grateful she's feeling better and able to come back now!

I'm also thankful for you being here! =)  This is my first Thankful Thursday post since January, so it's a little longer than usual.  Happy Thursday!!

❤ ❤ ❤