Another Monday

Random Blessings. Because I like it that way.

46. An ecstatic congratulations from my department's academic advisor for making one of the highest scores on the PRAXIS at our school. Wow, I thought it wasn't a great score, but I must have been wrong. Only with God was that even possible!
47. Holding my dog safely in my arms after she gave me a scare--breaking out the door and running all over the neighborhood--from our home that is within sight of a VERY busy four-lane highway where animals lose their lives every day. I chased her, barefoot, almost in tears, for nearly 15 minutes and over a mile of zig-zagging and running. My feet are raw and I am cross with her, but in that moment I realized I love this dog so very much and it would kill me to lose her. I can't believe she did that! She's never run like that before! Perhaps being in heat had something to do with it. She also seemed to think it was a game. I could just see someone coming around a corner in the dark and hitting her--right in front of my eyes.
48. Finding a pocket folder this afternoon full of paintings, sketches, and collages my sister Rebecca and brother Christopher made for me over the years. It blessed my soul to look back at those and think of those kids, so sweet, innocent, and full of life when they created these little masterpieces. God can restore that sweetness in them--I have hope! And, regardless, I love them as much today as I did when they gave them to me.
49. Hearing a client (an adult client) say, "I don't want you to leave at the end of the semester. I will miss you" and enjoying a sweet conversation with her.
50. Finding out that my summer placement is...*drumroll please*... ... ... ... ... a nursing home! I wasn't too thrilled when I first read the name of the place because it is one of the bad ones in town, but then I got to thinking: I will come in contact with SO MANY people at this place, and in their situation, they need some sunshine. Well, God's giving me an opportunity here to be that sunshine for these folks. I can let Christ shine in me--Sonshine--and spread His joy, peace, and love to them. I've volunteered in nursing homes a lot in my lifetime, and I've done some SLP observations at these facilities. One thing I come away with every time is a heaviness and depression from the pain these guys go through--when their families ignore them, when they don't HAVE family, when they feel helpless and completely dependent on others, when they just can't really live like they used to. So many have lost the will to live. Can God use me to bring purpose back to their lives? Please pray with me on this one. It's a blessing and a prayer all rolled into one!
51. The Wycliffe bible translation ministry and the speaker from it who came Sunday night. I want to be a part of this ministry. Missions has been on my heart since I was a kid (ask my grandma if you don't believe me. She knows!) and bible translation/other languages have intrigued me and been something I've always wanted to do but didn't feel smart enough to attempt to do. Today, I was looking through some old notes I wrote as a teenager for a youth class. The notes were my "aspirations for the future." You know what I said I wanted to be doing in 10 years? "Teaching English or history, learning foreign languages, and translating the bible for languages without a bible of their own." That's what Wycliffe does! (well, minus the English and History part!). Who knew I'd be an SLP instead--a career choice with linguistics skills that could prove useful to learning a language? God has amazing ways of getting us where He wants us, doesn't He?! We'll see where this path goes...
52. A nice, new, ginormous air conditioner. Thank you, landlord, for installing it before the heat hit! I've been pampered.
53. The confirmation I feel about the decision to keep renting this house, even if I did do travel therapy. Also for this feeling that I won't travel but instead find a very good job around here. I don't know why that makes me feel kind of excited, but it does. I also don't know why the idea has crept into my mind. God can see around the corner. Maybe He's just hinting to me that He's got a plan bigger than I can see.
54. Thankful for God's prodding me in love through His word. He daily shows me a limb in my heart and/or life that needs trimmed back, pruned to keep from blocking His glory from shining through. I am grateful for His chastening, even for the times when it hurts so bad I can't breathe for the tears and disgust at my own sin. It is those times when God has been able to speak to me the clearest. Humbled, broken, and knowing He loves me enough to show me where I fall short rather than leave me to my own to fall into satan's snare.
55. A new day. A morning to open my eyes and say, "Thank you, Lord, for waking me up! Thank you for another day!"