You Count Fish

A reminder from where this "being thankful" thing all began--aholyexperiece.com...and an article I've read before too.  Ann...sometimes I love your stuff. Sometimes not so much :o), but this one IS really good--highly recommended: How to Live Through Anything:  The Fish Principle.

“You pull in your life and you see that though you felt ripped open —- the net actually didn’t tear."


I feel ripped open, but I have survived...so now, I count the fish.

1. Willing and able teaching partners last week.
2. Presenters with FAR more experience and Far better activities than I could have pulled off.
3. Vulnerability, that made the way for vulnerability.
4. Awareness--that course IS now transferable.
5. Students' growth:
6. -->courage to speak in front of others
7. -->words on a page--the pain of 'no man's affirmation in my life' (after dad died)
8. -->acknowledging struggle
9. a place to rest
10. air conditioning
11. quiet
12. novels
13. tears
14. tissue
15. Promises:
16. -->broken but not crushed
17. -->this too shall pass
18. -->Pursued by His goodness and unfailing love
19. -->He renews my strength
20. -->He restores my soul
21. -->I will never leave you, nor forsake you, will walk close beside you
22. Always enough:
23. -->Money
24. -->energy
25. -->staff
26. -->ideas
27. -->grace
28. Long-term colleagues
29. So much learned in the struggle
30. Those so patient with me
31. Trust from so many--their stories and deep pain shared
32. Those that didn't kill themselves
33. Some that have taken to heart, and applied to their lives
34. Storms that strengthened
35. Sun through the clouds, rays right now shining on the bars of my 'cage'
36. Rays breaking through, demanding more and more space
37. Hope, always hope
38. You--my Refuge and Strength
39. Others to think of and comfort, rather than just think of my own pain
40. Others ahead...giving hope for the journey, calling back over hard paths
41. Friends that share the journey:
42. -->M.A.
43. -->A&L
44. -->G.Z.
45. -->L.C.
46. -->M&D
47. 17 years, when I didn't know if I could do 1
48. visas, every year
49. a beautiful language
50. a life shaped
51. people I wish I'd never met--I would never have learned lessons otherwise
52. many people I'm thankful to have met
53. books
54. students
55. insight
56. a heart that feels
57. eyes that can weep
58. grief groups
59. team
60. learning my gifts, strengths
61. if and when I go, still with You
62. protection, again and again, from:
63. -->the snake
64. -->the centipede
65. -->the fall--head & back hit...
66. -->the guy by the river
67. -->on buses
68. -->those who would say 'no'
69. -->fear
70. -->lonliness
71. -->routine :o)
72. Shower Meditation breaking through last Friday
73. story of an orphan given a home, prayers for fatherless and motherless to know Father
74. family
75. technology--inspiration

...and that's all I can think of for now.