Today I am Thankful for: Perspective

Things are all about perspective. How are you viewing things? Through God's eyes, or sinful man's eyes? This really hit me between the eyes today. And I was feeling sorry for myself and completely self-centered, and put this list on Buzz on gmail to help me put things back in perspective. So, I am going to put it up here for you all to read. I hope it helps you as much as it helps me. And, the next time you're feeling sorry for yourself, make a list of all the things you have to be thankful for. It goes on and on and on. There are TONS of things that I didn't put on that list. So, what are you guys thankful for that isn't on my list?

Does your priority list look like this?

I'm writing a list of things I'm thankful for because I need to put things back in perspective. Here it is:
1. Friends that listen
2. Friends in general
3. A mom who makes me do what I need to do even if I don't know I need to do it
4. Letters from Aaron even though they are scarce
5. A free dance lesson that I'm going to take on Thursday morning
6. The ability to drive myself places, and the fact that I got to today
7. Air conditioning
8. My fish
9. My super adorable doggy
10. Crafts and the ability to craft
11. The USA channel and all the fun shows they put on
12. Prayer
13. My Bible
14. My awesome God who listens to my completely self-centered prayers then gently directs me back towards where I need to be and gives me peace
15. 2 Corinthians 7:10 For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death. - the verse I'm trying to remember when I'm sorrowful and helps me to know whether my sorrow is worldly or Godly
16. The memory of my last hug from Aaron that helps me when I desperately need another one but know I can't get one for another 2 months
What things do you guys think about to help you put things back in perspective?

Today I am Thankful for: Busy Days!

I love busy days. I love being able to have flexibility with my schedule and yet have no excuse to be bored. I've been up since around 7 and I've been working since then. I had to do today's and tomorrow school work because tomorrow I am going to go get my driver's license!! YAY! And since it may take quite a while, I didn't want to fall behind, so I did most of tomorrow's school today as well. I also cleaned my fish's tank. And he is much happier now that he's clean and I took care of puppies and unloaded and put away groceries and all that good stuff, but I've also had time to email my dear friend Lenita quite a few times back and forth and to play a game. So, it's been really nice not to be bored, but still have enough time to do some fun things as well. :) So, I wanted to take some time to blog about my day. Do any of you enjoy days like I had today as well? It's so fulfilling to me to have a to-do list and be able to scratch off all the things I needed to do that day. Any of you feel that way? Or am I some eccentric odd-ball? Heehee!

Yay!! A Letter!

Well, I got a letter from Aaron today. This is letter number 4 for me! I was all prepared when I went and got the mail to not get a letter, and I waited until I got into the house to rifle through the mail, which is unusual for me. And then I rifled through it and I got through almost the whole big pile and then, there was a letter! I was so excited. He didn't mention much. He said morale was high, which made me giggle a little bit, and he mention the food again. That's the 3rd time he's mentioned the "chow" as they call it there, so he must really like it. He also mentioned that he learned what the date was on the 24, and that made him happy as he had lost track. He says supplies are limited, so I'm assuming he hasn't gotten my envelopes that I sent him yet. I'll have to get the standard letter size to include with my personal letters. Maybe I'll drive myself to get some tomorrow. :) Hahaha! Oh, he also said he went to the dentist and he gets a haircut once a week. That was all he wrote, so, I'll write more once I get another letter. :)
Ecclesiastes 5:19-20 "As for every man to whom God has given riches and wealth, and given him power to eat of it, to receive his heritage and rejoice in his labor - this is the gift of God. For he will not dwell unduly on the days of his life, because God keeps him busy with the joy of his heart."
How is God keeping you busy with the joy of your heart? What are the joys of your heart?

Today I am Thankful for: The Mail!

Well, this really is a long story, and I'm sure I could tell it better in person, but I'll give it my best shot. :)

Aren't the envelopes they get cool?

I got a letter from Aaron yesterday, two actually, and he mentioned not having very many envelopes. Well, I got on a forum, and you are allowed to send them stamps and envelopes apparently, so I included stamps with my personal letters this morning, but the envelopes I have are too big for the envelope that my personal letters to him were in. So, I put a bunch of empty envelopes in a bigger manila envelope. I didn't pack it too bulky, so he should still receive it. And I went back to ask my mom how many stamps I should put on it, and she said I would have to take it to the post office to get it weighed. Well, I was kinda bummed about that because I wanted to send it to him today so he could get it sooner. So, I decided that if I was around when the postman got here, that I would ask him if I could send it today. Well, I saw him pull up to our house, and he's super fast, so I grabbed the envelope and by the time I did he was already gone. So, I shot out the door and ran through two of my neighbors yards and caught up with him. He said if I put three stamps on it, it should be fine, and he could take it today! So, I thanked him profusely and told him I was going to run back to my house to grab the stamps. Well, my super nice mailman said he would drive back to my house. So, he did! And he took it for me. Wasn't that nice? I got my feet nice and muddy running around barefoot, and I looked like a lunatic I'm sure, but I'm glad I got to send Aaron those envelopes today! Hopefully his DI's won't take it. They shouldn't, but I guess you never know for sure. :)

My letter notebook. 

Also, yesterday, I got two letters from Aaron! Hooray! I had only gotten one so far, and that was to be expected because he hasn't been gone too long, and the first one I got was really short, and I was a bit disappointed, so I was really excited to get the two yesterday! He said that his DI's are firm, but fair, the food is really good, and that he did bayonet stuff that he really enjoyed. They've also done some MCMAP but, he didn't say anything about that except that they had done it. He also mentioned that some of the guys aren't good at taking orders so that's causing the platoon a bit of grief and punishment, but he sounded in good spirits, so that was encouraging! I'm so thankful that I got some letters from him yesterday, and I'm so thankful that my postman could take that manila envelope today! :)

The 3 letters I've received so far.

The lime green binder you see is the binder that I keep all my stamps, envelopes, and a notebook specifically for writing to Aaron in. I also keep copies of all the letters I've written in it and the letters I've received from him in it.
Romans 7:6 "But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter."

Today I am Thankful For: Guitars!

My electric guitar, albeit sideways....

I usually vacillate between loving and hating guitar. These days, I love it. Most of the time I love it actually. I have recently acquired and amp for my electric from my brother, Jonathan. The electric guitar is his too, which he is letting me borrow long term. The acoustic is mine, bought with my own money. Oh yes. I love acoustic guitar. I love electric too though! I have no idea which one I prefer playing. Depends on my mood and what kind of music I've been listening to that day I suppose. The two songs I'm working on most in the guitar world right now are both acoustic. I am currently learning "I Will Glory in My Redeemer." (which is a gorgeous sovereign grace song I highly recommend you all listening to) Lauren and I are singing it as a duet for church sometime in the near future, and she asked me to play guitar, and I said yes. It's a very fun challenge to sing and play at the same time. I am also currently in the very slow process of writing my very own arrangement of "Blessed Assurance" for my senior recital which will be in the spring. Hopefully I'll have it down by then. It has been a very difficult thing to write an arrangement of "Blessed Assurance" that is both beautiful and a challenge for me to play. I always love me a good challenge though. Also, I have recently learned how to play "Blackbird" by The Beatles on my guitar. That song is SO much fun, and to all you guitar players out there, I highly suggest learning this song. All those I play on my acoustic. I haven't really played much on my electric because I haven't had the amp until recently, but, I do play some Francesca Battistelli songs on there, along with just playing around on it when I feel like it. So, to wrap up my post, I am thankful for guitars for the challenge that practicing gives me and for the beauty they produce when I play correctly.

My acoustic guitar, once again, sideways....

Psalm 98:4-6 "Shout joyfully to the Lord, all the earth; break forth in song, rejoice, and sing praises. Sing to the Lord with the harp, with the harp and the sound of a psalm, with trumpets and the sound of a horn; shout joyfully before the Lord, the King.

Today I am Thankful for: New Shoes!

This is what the shoes actually look like.

This is the pouch, unopened.

Yes, today I am writing about new shoes. Why? Because I asked Maddy what I should write about today, and she said "Your Kangaroos" (which is the brand of my new shoes.) So, I'm going to. Call me silly. Go ahead. Say it. .... Ok, now that you've all laughed at my post, I'll get to my shoes. They are super awesome. They're bright yellow, and their brand, is as I've already stated, is Kangaroo. The Kangaroo brand is cool because they have a pouch on the side for your keys, ID, cash, or whatever. It's awesome. Now, Maddy told me that some guy in New York City invented them because he got mugged after his run and then couldn't get back to his apartment except by walking because he had no bus pass or money for a cab. So, he invented the pouch on the side of the shoe for his bus pass or his keys and stuff. It's pretty cool actually. So, the other day, Thursday to be exact, I was at Shoe Carnival shopping for my mom's b-day present with Maddy, and these were on SUPER sale. How awesome is that? I got them for a little less than 15 bucks and originally they are like at least 50 bucks, so that's a super good deal. I am going to wear them today for the first time and I'm uber excited. :) So, I didn't really need new tennis shoes, but I'm thankful that I had some spending money and that I found these super cool shoes on super sale. And I'm thankful that they're my favorite color, yellow! Here's some pictures of them! Proverbs 4:26 "Ponder the path of your feet, and let all your ways be established."

This is the pouch, opened.

Another picture of the pouch.

Today I am Thanful for: Best Friends

Best friends are officially the best. They let you vent at them, are nice to you when you're not nice to be around, they hug you when you're sad and jump up and down with you when you're excited, the sit companionably with you, they give you hugs no matter the occasion, they listen to you rant, they sympathize and empathize, they are loving when you need some love directed your way, and, last but definitely not least, they pray for you. I'm sure I only listed a few of the amazing qualities a good best friend has. My best friend does all of these! She's the best and she is...*drum roll please*... REBECCA!

Rebecca!

I love her dearly and, all in one day, today, she has displayed these wonderful qualities towards me. What would we all do without a best friend? Whoever your best friend is, next time you see them, give them a hug and tell them thanks for being the best. :)
Romans 12:15 "Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep."

Today I am Thankful for: Rascal Flatts!

I've been listening to a lot of country music these days. You know, Brad Paisley, Joe Nichols, and Rascal Flatts. I officially love country music. As long as there aren't swear words in the songs... But, my favorite song, at least for the moment, is "Bless the Broken Road" by Rascal Flatts. It's really pretty, and the guitar in it is super amazing, so that's a plus! Not all people like Rascal Flatts, but I do, so, if you disagree, you may just keep your opinion to yourself! ;) So, I am thankful for Rascal Flatts because he wrote this amazing song!
For those of you who go and listen to Rascal Flatts on youtube after this (which I highly suggest doing!) some good songs of his are: "My Wish," "Words I Couldn't Say," "Here Comes Goodbye," "Everyday," and "Stand."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZp6pmgbZyU - this is the link to "Bless the Broken Road"
Revelation 21:21b "And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass."

Today I am Thankful for: Blogs!

It only seemed fitting as my first post on a blog about thankfulness that I write about being thankful for blogs!
I was chatting with my friend Lauren on gmail, and she told me that I should do a blog. Well, I've thought about doing a blog multiple times, but never could really think about what to write about. I didn't want to just write about random stuff whenever the urge hit me. Well, Lauren gave me some really good ideas, but as always happens with me, people give me advice, and I promptly disregard it and do something different. But, I did think of an idea for a blog! So, I'm thankful that I thought of something to write about, and I'm thankful that Lauren helped me to finally put my musings about  a blog into fruition. Thanks Lauren!
So, I shall end this post with one of my favorite verses ever.
Romans 8:18 "For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us."