i choose to be thankful.

Funny how fast life seems to happen.  I have not looked at this blog in almost a year and so much has changed, again. The boy I was dating is now my husband, I am living further South, but still happy to be near the coast and near work, still working as a nurse and happy. We have 2 cats, Lucy and London, and as much as we don't want to be "those people" we do love our cats very much and enjoy our time at home with them.

I have often thought of logging back onto here and blogging away what life has brought my way, but never seem to find the time.  Not sure what is different about today, I still have a long list of to-do's and am trying to beat some kind of virus that I am sure I picked up at work and as my grammy would say I still am "feeling punk".... probably my sister Amy has some influence on me starting anew with my blog as she has started blogging and has encouraged me to do the same.

But I think it's all the thankfulness in the air... yesterday I heard a sermon and the pastor said something that really stuck with me. What good is thankfulness or gratitude if it is only kept to yourself in your heart? Other than giving your heart the feeling of fullness, you don't do any good, and you miss out on the opportunity to glorify the Lord.  So I am not going to miss out on this perfect opportunity to get back to blogging and let my thanks be known (even if I'm the only one who ever reads this... hey! it can serve as my record of thankfulness, maybe a new tradition... hmmm)

I am thankful for....

yogi tea, especially the one that's helping my throat feel better right now.

Christmas music, and that I come from a family who's been known to start listening to Christmas music in October and have the house fully decorated in time for my birthday... on November 16.

being 26, I think it has a nice ring to it. twenty-six. it's gonna be a good year.

My great-grandpa who was a cowboy and established Lyall Enterprises, our families orange-growing ranch. He was a stud and our entire family is continually blessed because of his hard work.

electricity and my refrigerator. Could you imagine life without it?!? My grandparents can, and they try to tell me what it was like growing up, that would be rough!

Honey-crisp apples. No explanation needed here.

My sweet kitties... Lucy and London. They make life fun.

My access to all of God's word... I am so blessed to know Jesus personally and learn about Him through His word.  I especially love our Bible from my parents they gave us as a wedding gift.

My parents... They're the best. In the whole world. Ever.

Kate Spade. Where would fashion be without her?

My 12-year old Honda - Henrietta.  I inherited her and we've lived a lot of life together. She does good work getting me from one place to another.

My functioning body.  It has its days and I've had my health issues, but man I am so thankful I can walk, feed myself, express myself and take care of myself.  Something that should never be taken for granted.

My job. I love being a nurse. I love Scripps Memorial Hospital Encinitas and I love my unit. I get to take care of people and work for an organization that cares for me and its patients. So blessed.

My husband. He challenges me to be a better person, loves me unlike anyone ever has before, is my helpmate and best friend. Crazy to think one year ago today we had only been dating a month.  I can't imagine my life without him.

My kitchen.  It's pink and so great. From my adorable kitchen-aid mixer, anthro knick-knacks, blender that does it all to my pans that cook everything to perfection.  My kitchen is my favorite room in our little apartment.

Flushable litter. Do I even need to explain? Has made life with kitties quite heavenly.

Walt Disney.  Thanks to you I have experienced countless (literally) of wonderful trips to Disneyland, most of which in the last 3 years contributed to me getting to know my husband. Thank you for expanding my imagination and teaching me to believe in happily-ever-afters.

My sisters. Both so different and also so similar. Always there to give perspective and their advice... I think the best part is that I know them so well that I completely know they have my best interest in mind and will be honest with me, but will love me no matter what. Fun growing up and becoming closer... they're two of my best friends.

Water. Clean, drinkable and not running out any time soon...  what a blessing.

My curly hair. I do love it. I don't know how much women pay for it, probably a lot based on how often I am asked that question. And no, I no longer waste my time trying to straighten it so I can look like everyone else. Just grateful I can be my own uncontrollable-fro-headed self.

Snuggly things.  My kitties, Chris' chest when I get to snuggle up next to him and lay on it, my uggs, my worn out blue knit shrug, my velvet blanket from Dorrie Cook, my kitties when they jump in my lap and purr (like Lucy in my left arm right now, causing me to type very slow), my 24 year old pillow. I LOVE them all and am so thankful I get to snuggle up with them.

Ilene. My iPhone. She's a gem.  The ultimate know-it-all and assistant to little 'ol me.

My bike. She's the shade of celery, has a basket, a bell and unlike my bike she replaced she changes gears, making it possible to ride uphill too! I still have yet to name her... hmmm...

Daisies. Nothing is quite so happy as a daisy, and they last forever in a vase too! Take your roses... I want a fist-full of daisies.

Toilets. I have been places where they do not exist, I am very thankful for toilets and plumbing.

Abraham Lincoln.  For having and implementing the great idea of Thanksgiving, a day for everyone living in the United States to stop and think of all that we have to be thankful for.  Good idea President Lincoln... we should have a thanksgiving each season of the year.

That makes a list of 26 things I am thankful for, one for each year I have been alive.  I think that's a good place to start.  Don't forget to stop before the craziness of the holiday season takes you captive and tell someone what you're thankful for in 2012.

Happy Thanksgiving!

need for change.

I am thinking I need to get back into blogging. Life has changed drastically and I am ready for an outlet. I have moved to Encinitas, CA, gotten a job a hospital that is 1/8 the size of my last hospital, started working towards my masters, moved into an apartment with 2 complete strangers that I found on craigslist and got myself a boyfriend! Oh, and did I mention I lost 15 pounds and was diagnosed with gluten intolerance?!? Yeah, that too! Needless to say it has been a crazy a life-changing 4 months and I have a feeling 2012 is going to keep up the pace!

Why not add another new component to my life and start blogging again?? :)

more to come soon...

meaningless.

The wisest man who ever lived said:

"Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher,

vanity of vanities! All is vanity.

What does man gain by all the toil

at which he toils under the sun?

A generation goes, and a generation

comes,

but the earth remains forever....

...All things are full of weariness;

a man cannot utter it;

the eye is not satisfied with seeing,

nor the ear filled with hearing.

What has been is what will be,

and what has been done is what will

be done,

and there is nothing new under the

sun."

So often I find myself praying for wisdom and guidance, things that are valuable and should be strived for for sure. But then I am once again led to Ecclesiastes 1:16-18 where Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived says: "I said in my heart, "I have acquired great wisdom, surpassing all who were over Jerusalem before me, and my heart has had great experience of wisdom and knowledge. And I applied my heart to know wisdom and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also is but a striving after wind. For in much wisdom is much vexation, and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow."

Interesting thoughts from the wisest man who ever lived as I myself am asking for wisdom. Most recently I have been convicted while reading Forgotten God by Francis Chan. I have changed my prayer from asking for God's will, guidance and wisdom in my life to praying for the Spirit to make Himself alive in me and to work each and every day in my life and make Himself known. As a result I have had this overwhelming burden fill my heart for the country of Haiti and have been convicted of how selfish I am. This led me to the initial passage I shared from Ecclesiastes about "All is vanity" another word for vanity could be meaningless. When you look back at history and realize how short our time is here on earth all the small stuff really does become meaningless. The color of nail polish on my fingers & whether or not it's chipping, the brand of clothes that I am wearing, where I buy my coffee, and the phone I talk on, meaningless.

I want nothing more than to make the short span of my life here on earth count for the Lord, and in these past months as I have re-adjusted to life back in the states and have moved to LA to begin my career I have gotten lost in the rat race of life. I have forgotten the reward of helping others.

Proverbs 11:24 shares this: "One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want." I want to be a giver. It was a year ago this week that Haiti was hit with that horrible earthquake that took the lives of so many Haitians and left thousands of others homeless and without water. A nation that was already pathetic at best was now devastated beyond imagination. 12 short months ago all of our hearts were grabbed and everyone was on the brink of jumping into a plane to go help. Today Haiti is in the same condition and no one talks about the country anymore. How can a place with so much need that is just beyond our borders be so easily overlooked? How could I get so wrapped up in myself less than a year after returning from a life-changing trip around the world?

Unfortunately, our memory is short and we are all prone to worrying about today and miss out on life. A quote I love is this : "Any given moment can change your life, you just have to be there." Life is happening now. What have you been wanting to do out of the ordinary but have been putting off? What is the Lord laying on your heart or prompting you to do that you have been putting off? Have you asked Him lately?

I am excited to see what 2011 will bring, am thankful for the change in my prayer life and can't wait to see when I will be returning to Haiti! Let me know if you have heard of any ministries that are in need of a nurse!! :)