30 Things I'm Thankful For - First Ten

At one of our church Bible studies, a woman who fought off cancer nearly a decade ago told me how she got through it.

"One thing I did was to count my blessings," she said. This sounded like a cliché to me until she elaborated. "I woke up afraid in the middle of the night all the time," she said. "So instead of thinking about the cancer, I'd tell God what I was thankful for. That's what got me through. Even though I had cancer, I still had a lot of blessings in my life, too."

You may have picked up on a slightly cranky tone on this blog as of late. It's hard not to be a little bit grumpy now that I'm 9 months pregnant and our hot, hot, hot summer has just started to abate. I now understand the plight of all heavily pregnant women whose mantra becomes, "BABY. OUT. NOW."

Yet I've been reminded often this week that a heart of gratitude should not be dependent upon circumstances, discomfort, or an achy back. It's a state of grace and thanksgiving before God; an acknowledgement that I am his and that I can trust him with all things.

Truly, I have much to be thankful for. I'm thankful for the reminder.

So, in honor of my recent 30th birthday, here are 30 things I am thankful for today. This minute.

1. A Healthy Baby
Our midwife says that all is well and everything is on track. Baby is strong and kicks often. Baby's heartbeat is good and baby was, by last estimate, 7 pounds, 12 ounces. I am thankful for a healthy baby, even if he/she is still on the inside!

2. A World Class Husband
My husband has been incredible throughout this pregnancy. He doesn't complain about having to sleep in a pillow fort (at last count we had eight pillows on the bed, including two full body pillows...). He rubs my feet and my back and practices labor techniques without complaint. He cooks. And he reminds me when I am down that this is all for something - that there is a baby at the end of all this struggle!

3. Two Fat Cats
They are dear, dear monsters.

4. A Garden Full of Goodies
We've had zucchini, peppers, peas, and watermelon all summer long. It's tomato-picking season now. If you want some, come on over. They are sweet and tender and utterly delicious.

5. A Wonderful House
We live in the "manse" (the church parsonage) and it looks like something out of Little Women. It's a beautiful, beautiful old house with all the modern things needed to make it comfortable. I love our home.

6. Friends
The majority of our close friends live far away ("far" being between two hours and half a globe). Yet every time we get together, I'm reminded of why we're friends. Distance and time have nothing on a good friendship - we just pick up where we left off. I treasure each visit, and am so thankful for Christian friends who hold us in prayer even from far away.

6a. Mom Friends
I'm particularly thankful for my friends out there who are moms. Those who have borne the weight of pregnancy with grace, and now offer me helpful words of encouragement like, "Don't worry - every baby comes out!" Those who have helped me navigate everything from finding maternity clothes that fit (one even sat in a Gap dressing room for an hour and put everything back on hangers for me!) to navigating work and family, to deciding between a midwife and a doctor, to which breast pump to buy. I rely on these women now more than ever, and I am so incredibly thankful for each one of them.

7. An Incredible Church
Our church has been so supportive of me during this pregnancy. Heck, they've been supportive of me since day one. It was a leap of faith for them to hire a fresh-from-seminary woman to fill their pastorate, and they have never once made me feel out of place. I love my church. Love, love, love them.

8. Gatorade
See previous post.

9. Pretty toenails
I can't paint my toenails anymore. There just aren't enough gymnastics in the world for me to be able to get down to my feet with a nail brush. So my husband, God bless him, helped me get the cherry-red toes that I wanted. He literally knelt at my feet on the bathroom floor and painted my nails. There was something so beautifully Jesus-like about it. I didn't need my feet washed like all those weary travelers did in biblical times, but my toes make me happy each time I see them. Now that's love.

10. Our local library
Books have been a haven for me. When I read, I stop feeling the aches of pregnancy. I've been on a light reading kick lately, having downed Lisa See's Flower Net (okay, not great), David Sedaris's When You Are Engulfed in Flames (made me giggle out loud), and the young adult novel The Maze Runner (a bit dark, but plenty engaging). Our library supplies me well. When I walk out of there with an armful of books, I feel rich as a queen.

11 - 20 coming tomorrow... unless the beh-beh comes first! 

What are you thankful for?