Psalm 84

1 How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord Almighty!
2 My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh cry out for the Living God.
3 Even the sparrow has found a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may have her young - a place near your altar, O Lord Almighty, my King and my God.
4 Blessed are those who dwell in your house; they are ever praising you.
5 Blessed are those whose strength is in you, who have set their hearts on pilgrimage.
6 As they pass through the Valley of Baca, they make it a place of springs; the autumn rains also cover it with pools.
7 They go from strength to strength, till each appears before God in Zion.
8 Hear my prayer, O Lord God Almighty; listen to me, O God of Jacob.
9 Look upon our shield, O God; look with favor on your anointed one.
10 Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked.
11 For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless.
12 O Lord Almighty, blessed is the man who trusts in you.

God's Grace is Sufficient

787. The laughter and conversations shared around the table at Jim and Susan's house
788. Seeing Uncle Jim persevere and laugh with joy though silently
789. Watching my kids interact with Jim and falling in love with his kindness, gentleness, and jovial spirit
790. Spending the day seeing the sights, such as:
791. Pike Place Market
792. The Space Needle
793. Elliott Bay Book Company
794. Having extra money to buy books -- three! -- at Elliott Bay Book Company
795. Sunday brunch at a restaurant on the water and playing on the beach after
796. Beginning the Sunday at Susan and Jim's church
797. Watching the kids frolic in the heated swimming pool at the hotel
798. Made-to-order breakfast every morning
799. Watching the Oscars at Susan and Jim's house
800. Looking at all the Seattle pictures when we got home
801. Experiencing God Bible study
802. Daniel Bible study - wow!
803. Working puzzles with Erin
804. Checking out books from the library
805. bookclubclassics.com book reviews
806. 31 Days in the Arena of Prayer - leading up to the Beth Moore conference - April 3-4, 2009
807. Seeing God answer prayers
808. Seeing people praise God and give Him glory when He answers
809. Fresh juicy pears
810. Pot stickers!
811. Seeing the body of Christ fellowship and share one another's burdens - thank you, Amber and Liz!
812. Resting in the knowledge that nothing surprises my God - He is aware of and involved in every aspect of our lives!

Giving Thanks and Praise!

768. Doctors and nurses
769. Pharmacists
770. Drugs when we're sick
771. Money for doctors and drugs
772. Starbucks skinny latte, extra foam
773. Lunch with new friends
774. Corporate prayer and praise
775. 2 Corinthians 4:16-18
776. Daniel Bible study by Beth Moore
777. My Bible study group
778. The vastness of God's love for me
779. Flying in an airplane - the sun, the clouds, the vastness of the universe, the stars at night
780. Aunt Susan and Uncle Jim
781. Seattle and the beautiful scenery
782. Driving from Seattle to Snoqualmie Pass - the mountains and the snow were gorgeous!
783. Watching the kids play in the snow -- snowball fights, running, the sound of their joyful laughter
784. Driving to Snoqualmie Falls and seeing the water rushing down the side of the mountain
785. Joy and beauty even in fog, rain and cloudy skies -- because of HIM in my heart
786. Home-cooked meals around the table with Jim, Susan, Joe, Margaret and all of us

Books I Read in 2008

1. Unashamed - Francine Rivers
2. Just Beyond the Clouds - Karen Kingsbury
3. 74 Seaside Avenue - Debbie Macomber
4. Shirley, Goodness and Mercy - Debbie Macomber
5. Bad Luck and Trouble - Lee Child
6. The Land of Mango Sunsets - Dorothea Benton Frank
7. Leota's Garden - Francine Rivers
8. Tex - S.E. Hinton
9. The Legacy of Sovereign Joy - John Piper
10. The Secret Life of Bees - Sue Monk Kidd
11. Sunrise - Karen Kingsbury
12. The Train to Estelline - Jane Roberts Wood
13. The Passion of Jesus Christ - John Piper
14. Dark Harbor - Stuart Woods
15. The Short Forever - Stuart Woods
16. Looking for Salvation at the Dairy Queen - Susan Gregg Gilmore
17. Don't Waste Your Life - John Piper
18. The Case for Christ - Lee Strobel
19. Hundred-Dollar Baby - Robert B. Parker
20. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn - Betty Smith
21. Maisie Dobbs - Jacqueline Winspear
22. The Edge of Winter - Luanne Rice
23. Birds of a Feather - Jacqueline Winspear
24. Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict - Laurie Viera Rigler
25. Pardonable Lies - Jacqueline Winspear
26. Messenger of Truth - Jacqueline Winspear
27. The Duchess and the Dragon - Jamie Carie
28. Look to the Lady - Margery Allingham
29. Obsession - Jonathan Kellerman
30. a long way gone-Memoirs of a Boy Soldier - Ishmael Beah
31. Little Women - Louisa May Alcott
32. Sisterchicks Go Brit! - Robin Jones Gunn
33. The Last Jihad - Joel C. Rosenberg
34. Twenty Wishes - Debbie Macomber
35. Freefall - Kristen Heitzmann
36. An Incomplete Revenge - Jacqueline Winspear
37. Running Blind - Lee Child
38. The Faithful Spy - Alex Berenson
39. Tripwire - Lee Child
40. My Louisiana Sky - Kimberly Willis Holt
41. Nineteen Minutes - Jodi Piccoult
42. Joan of Arc - Kathleen Kudlinski
43. Sundays at Tiffany's - James Patterson
44. Change of Heart - Jodi Piccoult
45. Suck Your Stomach In & Put Some Color On! What Southern Mamas Tell Their Daughters That the Rest of Ya'll Should Know Too - Shellie Rushing Tomlinson
46. Just Hand Over the Chocolate and No One Will Get Hurt - Karen Scalf Linamen
47. Stone Creek - Victoria Lustbader
48. The Knitting Circle - Ann Hood
49. Stone Crossings - L.L. Barkat
50. Washington's Lady - Nancy Moser
51. Nothing to Lose - Lee Child
52. The Marketing of Evil - David Kupelian
53. One of Those Malibu Nights - Elizabeth Adler
54. Blue Like Jazz - Donald Miller
55. The Shack - William P. Young
56. Back Story - Robert B. Parker
57. Swimming to Catalina - Stuart Woods
58. Hold Tight - Harlan Coben
59. 8 Sandpiper Way - Debbie Macomber
60. A Cedar Cove Christmas - Debbie Macomber
61. Sabrina - Lori Wick
62. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone - J.K. Rowling
63. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets - J.K. Rowling
64. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban - J.K. Rowling
65. Table for Five - Susan Wiggs
66. The Persuader - Lee Child
67. Deal Breaker - Harlan Coben
68. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire - J.K. Rowling
69. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - J.K. Rowling
70. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince - J.K. Rowling
71. The Company Man - Joseph Finder
72. A Long Obedience in the Same Direction - Eugene Peterson
73. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - J.K. Rowling
74. The Pact - Jodi Piccoult
75. Gods & Kings - Lynn Austin
76. Song of Redemption - Lynn Austin

Continued Thankfulness in 2009

718. Pike's dark roast coffee from Starbucks
719. A phone call from hubby "just to talk"
720. The privilege of praying for friends
721. God's faithfulness brings unspeakable joy
722. Buttermilk Pie
723. David Crowder Band
724. Brandon Heath's "Give Me Your Eyes"
725. God's truth > my truth
726. He provides the way of escape
727. Prayer changes passions
728. Gatlinburg and the Great Smoky Mountains
729. Stomp!
730. Breaking Free live taping with Beth Moore
731. I love because He first loved me
732. He trades my ashes for beauty
733. "Come to me all who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest."
734. Freedom from the captivity of activity
735. Franklin Avenue Baptist Church
736. My God loves me and thinks I'm beautiful -- He initiates relationship with me
737. God is on His throne and does as He pleases
738. Cold, windy mornings
739. The sound of 1,000 women lifting their voices in prayer and praise
740. Snow in NOLA 12-11-08!
741. Sharing snow pictures via Facebook
742. My kids squealing with joy over the snow
743. Listening to my kids play piano
744. Christmas 2008: fewer presents, but more meaning to the season
745. Two movies in one weekend: The Tales of Despereaux with Abby & Erin; The Curious Case of Benjamin Button with Neil
746. Raisin Bran muffins, scrambled eggs, sausage links, grape juice and coffee with sweetened condensed milk on Christmas morning
747. Watching my kids laugh and play with their NC cousins
748. Pork roast, cabbage, black-eyed peas and cornbread for New Year's Day lunch
749. Crawfish and corn bisque for New Year's Day dinner
750. A clean house after all the decorations are put away until next year
751. Out with the old: 2008
752. In with the new: 2009
753. A chance to memorize Scripture in 2009 with a couple thousand other sisters in Christ
754. Psalms 121:1-2 I lift up my eyes to the hills -- where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth
755. Habakkuk 3:17-18 Though the fig tree does not bud and there is no fruit on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will triumph in the LORD; I will rejoice in the God of my salvation!
756. Chronicles of the Kings series by Lynn Austin: 1) Gods and Kings; 2) Song of Redemption; 3) The Strength of His Hand; 4) Faith of My Fathers; and 5) Among the Gods
757. Runts candy
758. A new puzzle for a new year
759. A clip-on book light so I can read in bed without waking hubby
760. Dark chocolate Hershey's kisses
761. Ferrero Rocher candy
762. "Five Conversations You Must Have With Your Daughter" by Vicki Courtney
763. A job that allows me to stay involved with and be available for my kids
764. Chapstick
765. Arbonne hand and nail products
766. My Blackjack
767. James 1:25 But the truly happy people are those who carefully study God's perfect law that makes people free, and they continue to study it. They do not forget what they heard, but they obey what God's teaching says. Those who do this will be made happy. [NCV]

Gratefulness

697. Chocolate and hazelnuts
698. Long weekend at the beach
699. The roar of the ocean
700. The feel of cold sand between my toes
701. My happy, cozy home
702. Enough money to fix a broken-down minivan
703. Soft serve ice cream
704. Used books from Paperback Palace
705. Harry Potter books
706. Pomegranates: fresh, in juice, in tea
707. Raspberry peach tea
708. A cabin in the woods
709. College football, good food, good friends
710. Annual holiday seminars at church
711. The golden leaves on a tree outside my church
712. Losing weight (the sense of accomplishment)
713. New recipes
714. Old recipes
715. Submission equals freedom
716. God is trustworthy
717. My obedience brings Him glory

Praising God for...

676. Fall festivals
677. Fall colors and decorations
678. My Blackjack
679. Snickers Pie
680. Spiritual mentors
681. Prayer partners
682. "Ring the Bells" CD by Travis Cottrell
683. Knitting
684. Ministry friends who serve alongside me, encouraging me, holding me up
685. Friends of my heart
686. Making holiday preparations
687. Pumpkin spice latte
688. "What Not to Wear"
689. WOM Meetings
690. Pumpkins
691. Scarves
692. Colorful fall leaves
693. Oswald Chambers
694. Middle of the night prayers -- and --
695. God never sleeps!
696. Cranberries