#762. The invitation extended from hubby to travel with him. Gives me warm fuzzies!

#763. Hot spa...warm water enveloping my body, hot water waterfall cascading over my head...too wonderful!

#764. The anticipation of returning *home* after a trip. There really is no place like home.

#757. That God is here, "even" in Las Vegas (something I wondered about the only other time I have been here many years ago...true confessions).

#758. My body surrendered to sleep. What a wonderful surprise!

#759. Smooth traveling mercies yesterday.

#760. Conversations with my daughter about the things she has been learning at Wheaton in her Old Testament Archeology class. God is faithful!

#761. Clear skies and the promise of a beautiful day.

#751. Traveling with hubby on his business trip.

#752. That while I am traveling with hubby, I get to play tennis with one of my favorite peeps for hitting with...one of his associates from another state. What a delightful surprise!

#753. Stars glimmer brightly in the winter night as we are warmed by our out-door propane heater.

#754. The joy in my husband as he enjoyed track day at Infineon on Friday.

#755. That I finished the final "rough" draft (does that make sense?) of two more sample chapters in From Fear to Faith on the Path of Praise. Now, an editor will make them shine (I hope!).

#756. That I get to coach clients in applying the Thin Within principles. What JOY there is in encouraging others!

Pizza from Round Table :-)

#748. Pizza. Wow...last night, the pizza was THE best. Maybe it is because I haven't had pizza in WEEKS! (I think.) No matter. The textures and tastes in pizza are just awesome!

#749. Hearing my husband laugh.

#750. Jokes shared with someone you have loved for 30 years.

#745. Spring has a smell. Even though it is February, I smell spring in the early mornings.

#746. The way smells are connected with memories so powerfully. The smell outside in the early mornings is associated for me with early morning horseback rides from years back. Makes me smile every time.

#747. The evening was warm last night. Perfect for sitting out on the deck. Even had my dinner out there while hubby smoked his cigar. We watched LOST under the stars!

Hand of God - Image Courtesy of NASA

#741. Brainstorming session with my special friend (who I met at Rock N Water last Spring) at lunch yesterday. We both have a passion to share the awesomeness of God's creation (environmental education) with the Church. Ooooh! We have so many ideas! We could be partners in crime! Quite dangerous together! LOL!

#742. The truth of this song: "Your love never fails, never gives up, never runs out on me...." This is the true Good News that I will celebrate today, Valentines Day. I am so glad that I know this truth and experience it daily.

#743. A surprise tennis get-together yesterday. The weather was wonderful and the tennis was fun. I loved being able to "sub" for a sick friend at the last minute!

#744. That gratitude given ignites joy in my heart. How backwards that is. But even as I find myself melancholy I can, with an act of my will, open my eyes to God's gifts bestowed, the blessings that he has placed in my life...and be changed. That is cool.

#736. Laughter, good food, sweet time with hubby last night in between his trips out of town.

#737. Second, third, fourth...etc.... chances, do-overs.

#738. Hooded sweatshirts. I love having the hood on over my ears and neck. There is such a feeling of wonderful security that comes just from the feeling of my head being "cradled" by fleece! LOL!

#739. No matter what man does to me, I am soooo thankful that I ultimately trust in the sovereignty of God. There is nothing that can happen to me that He isn't ultimately responsible for. I can rest knowing that if he allows it, it is for my good and His glory and what better comfort could I receive than to know this truth deep down into the marrow of my bones?

#740. Lunch out with a friend today. I get to anticipate it all morning! YAY! I am so glad that God directed me to build my friendships. What special ladies He has brought into my life.

#733. Thankful for a date with a certain blonde young man 30 years ago tonight. That is when it all began "officially." Although each day hasn't been perfect, we have had soooo many laughs and enjoyed one another--and life together--so much. We have really lived. We have really loved. And we have done it well by the grace of God and, I think, for His glory. Here is to the next 30!

#734. For the anticipation all day of rendezvousing with the same "young" man tonight at our favorite restaurant to celebrate.

#735 Clarity. Clarity is such a gift. It makes things so much simpler, even when the clear instruction isn't easy.

#731. A hard choice made yesterday, in faith...and seeing in retrospect that it was the right choice. What a blessing that is!

#732. The hugs of a friend at an unexpected moment (on the tennis court, no less!).

#728. Smoky conversations on the back deck in the winter sun. God is at work even in the haze (both figurative and literal!).

#729. A moment in time when I look upon a sea of people (this time at a tennis club) and capture a glimpse of God's heart. He sees each and every one of them. He knows them intimately and he loves them all so very much. What a joy to have my eyes opened ever-so briefly.

#730. The purification work of a trial--even when that trial is caused by the sin of another. God uses it to show me that there is so much room yet for much needed growth. It is painful to see, but so necessary.

#724. Being awakened by a snore, a jerking leg, a turning in the night...it means I am next to the one I love. I will be thankful for this moment now.

#725. Beautiful synthesizer and vocal music from Bob Kilpatrick that can play even as I have my quiet time, offering an atmosphere of holy worship and stillness.

#726. Anticipation of breakfast out with the one I love.

#727. How purposing to love stirs love, causing it to grow.

#721. Magnetized refrigerator - perfect place for memories that can be seen and relished frequently.

#722. A wonderful first session with my very first client for life/TW coaching!

#723. I was lonely and crying my eyes out, even in the darkness before dawn in the horse corral ...doing horse chores with a headlamp. A friend called to pray with me. Just out of the blue...I felt so incredibly loved and "singled out" by God! Thank you, Lord!

#718. God makes me an optimist. I know I can't manage my life, but I also know that HE can. I am feeling so weary today and in a strange way, I guess I am grateful for that because now I get to see what HE is going to do with that. And I know that HE is the God of miracles. When I am backed up against a wall, when I see no way out, when there is nothing left and I am a mess, that is when I am most desperate and I have a chance to see him most clearly. So, today ought to be a day when I get to see the Lord at work in an amazing way! He has a LOT to work with today!

#719. Sweatshirts, freshly laundered. Softness, warmth. I love having a hood of my favorite "hoodie" on over my neck and ears. There is something strangely comforting about it!

#720. Snoring dogs.

Photo Courtesy of iStockPhoto.com

#710. The clothes dryer, an acoustic percussion machine, clanging, banging...zippers and buttons of clothes. This is such abundance in a world where so many people don't have clothes and don't have dryers. Such wealth that I take for granted. Thank you, Lord.

#711. The light,, reflections, and shadows play on the wall and the dog tries to capture them. Such whimsical, happy, silliness.

#712. Late night hand holding while watching Net Flix with hubby.

#713. Words of reassurance. I will choose to believe that this is God at work and not a temporary "mood" or whim offered by the one my heart loves.

#714. Clarity that comes through disappointments. Sometimes, God's will is made clearer by the closed doors along the way. Whether closed door or open, clarity is a sweet gift.

#715. Daily phone calls from the girl baby.

#716. Man-child's post on Facebook: "50 likes and my Mom has to visit me for spring break!" Love it. I love that he *wants* me to visit.

#717. Phone call mid-day yesterday from a relatively new friend on the same tennis team as me. How did she know I needed reassurance before playing my first match for her team? That sure touched my heart. Thank you, Lord.

#707. That this is true:

There is a depth of intimacy with God that can only be known through suffering.  There is a reliance on Him that can only be experienced when everything else around my soul seems to give way.

From Laura Story's book, "What if Your Blessings Come Through Raindrops"

I choose today to thank God for my latest trial. I know that it is causing deeper intimacy with Him, even as I must cling to him for all I am worth--at times, it feels like my strength will totally give way and I will be lost into a maelstrom of dark emotion. Yet, like Matt Redman sings "Oh no, you never let go." Which leads me to another blessing...

#708. That God never ever lets go of me. He will never forsake me.

#709. For the drama that is played out before me each morning, acting as a prophecy of sorts for life...the shroud of darkness that is over the world, can't withstand the breaking of the dawn. Light will come. Darkness will have to flee and light will be victorious. Daily, this gives hope. As faithful as God has been each day with a new sunrise, he has been faithful in bringing the dawn in my life when I have faced dark trials. Just as I sit here knowing that there will be light in the world today (even as it is pitch black outside), I can know that there will be a moment in my life when the darkness has passed and I will live in light again.

#701. The cleansing freedom of tears, the relief that comes from just letting it all out, the knowing that my Father sees my tears and that, one day, there will be no more tears. There will be no need for that cleansing and that relief.

#702. The heart connection with my sister....two people with vastly different views of life, yet there is a deep abiding love that blows my mind.

#703. For friends who walked with me yesterday. Thank you, Sally and Barb!

#704. The horseback riding memories of Omstead, rushing back through my mind as I walked the path yesterday with my own two feet instead of astride the back of a four-legged.

#705. The cleansing (there's that word again) of being outside in a beautiful place.

#706. I get to live in one of the most amazing places on earth. The canyon road is filled with tourists and people hiking, biking and even kayaking. They have to drive (some of them a long way) to be here and I live here. What a blessing!

#695. My wonderful chair... I have long wanted a chair and ottoman like the one I am sitting in now. Since last summer, I have enjoyed having my quiet times in this chair, savored moments cuddling my kids and husband in this chair (it is a "double wide" LOL!), and relished communing with God here. I love my chair.

#696. Seeing light bulb moments happen for a child. Yesterday, it was Emelia on the tennis court as she hit one backhand after another, just right. 18...20...24 in a row! The joy that sparkled behind her eyes, the grin that overtook her face...it was a precious treasure for me.

#697. When I have something on my "To Do" list and get to mark through it... DONE! WOOT!

#698. This is huge: That my joy isn't dependent on my circumstances. This joy that I have...the world didn't give it to me. The world didn't give it and the world can't take it away!

#699. Reading together with "the guys" at worship team practice on Thursday nights. It is one of the highlights of my week. I love hanging with these folks that love God and are passionate worshipers on a quest to love God more. Guys, you inspire me to seek Him all the more! I am thankful for you!

#700. Waking up during the night and seeing that it is only 12:30...YAY! I get another five hours of sleep! That is always a happy moment!