28 things 11-20

I've decided to write about 28 blessings since I'm turning 28 tomorrow.  Here are numbers 11-20.

11. Home - What a blessing to have a roof over my head! Oftentimes I look around my house and think, "Oh I wish I could change the cabinets or the flooring or the window treatments...."  But when it comes down to it, I have a roof over my head. I have plenty of room to live with my husband and two pooches.

12. Pictures - I often look back at pictures of me as child, or in high school and college or on my wedding day. Pictures are so valuable to help remind us of special moments. They also help us see ourselves in a different way than we may remember. I'm not the best photographer or scrapbooker, but I love that I can look back in time and refresh my memory with events, people or moments in time.

13. Water - I love the water. I love swimming. I love boating. I love tubing. I love all things water. Although I don't live on or near large bodies of water, I am fortunate to have experiences that make me thankful for them. I remember when I went to Hawaii. The water was so clear and beautiful. I remember swimming at Guion pool in Indianapolis in the summers.  The water was so frigid and cold. I hated every minute of it then, but look back and see how dedication made me a better person. I remember just a couple of weeks ago being in Michigan City for a wedding and swimming across a lake with two friends. The joy of that swim and experience in the water is indescribable. Water hits a spot with me. Love it and so thankful to get to experience it often.

14. Sunsets - Living in the country, we are very fortunate to see sunsets in an incredible way. I often find myself walking outside sometimes in the extreme heat or cold to be able to experience the sunset. God can truly paint a beautiful picture.  There is something so calming about the sunsets...with purples, pinks, yellows and oranges... I absolutely love it. I think God knows that all it takes after a stressful day is an incredible sunset to quite my busy heart and make me grateful for the air in my lungs.

15. Pastors/Church Family - I am incredibly grateful for teachers in my life. There are teachers all around us...all of the time.  My favorite teachers are the ones in my church family. There are multiple ones ranging from our lead teacher/pastor at church to many members of the church family. They see things from many different perspectives and provide insight in ways I normally wouldn't detect on my own. Learning is something I like in moderation and I love that on the weekend, when my mind is clear and open to rest, I still receive challenges and opportunities to grow. What a blessing.

16. Zoos - I. love. zoos. Seriously. If I could travel to every zoo in the country, I would be a happy camper. I don't know what it is. I love seeing all sorts of animals. And it doesn't matter how many times I've seen it, they still amaze me.  Creation is beautiful. Life is beautiful. Animals have a way of surprising me. Zoos bring me so much joy. I'm thankful there are these 'entertainment' avenues nearby.

17. Kind Strangers - Do you ever see a kind stranger? If you do, do you let their action affect you? I find fewer things make me happier than when I see a kind stranger. It doesn't even have to be kindness directed towards me. It's simply kindness. It's like the Liberty Mutual Commercials. There is something that warms me from the inside out when I see kind strangers. I am so thankful that I'm present enough to catch that glimpse of love from one person to another...and not just anyone...a  complete stranger.

18. The choice of forgiveness - Have you ever taken the high road? Sucked up your pride? Forgiven someone? There is something spiritually fulfilling when you do the right thing. More powerful is when you choose to forgive. We have been called to love others like Christ loved the church. In that love is forgiveness. We have been forgiven. We need to extend that forgiveness to others.  There have been times when someone owed me an apology. The easy road is to hold a grudge. The hard road is to forgive. I'm thankful that I've had opportunities and wisdom to forgive. I cannot explain the way it made me feel. You should try it.

19. Quotes - I'll often run across quotes that are the subtle reminders of how we should act or how we're loved. Quotes seem to 'magically' appear at the absolutely right times. I believe I'm a better person because of the quotes I stumble upon from time to time.

20. Starbucks - Since tomorrow is my birthday, I thought I'd end this post with one of my favorite indulgences that I can experience because I'm fortunate to be able to afford Starbucks from time to time.  Tomorrow's is on the house since I got my "free Starbucks birthday card" in the mail, but a "good cup o' joe" (as Adam likes to call it) makes the day feel right. A Pumpkin Spice Latte says Fall is here! Starbucks has a way of making my day better.  That may be sad, but it's true. I'm not hiding it, nor am I ashamed.