I'm thankful for an easily entertained child.

I don't know what it is about almost-empty water bottles, but Photobaby loves them. Loves waving them around and shaking them and just holding them, squishing the thin plastic and making it creak and squeak.

She also loves spoons of any variety - large, small, plastic, silver. She just loves sticking a spoon in her mouth. When she was going through a slightly more difficult phase a few months ago, I carried a ziploc bag of plastic spoons from Chipotle in my purse - just in case. I've got to tell you - they prevented more than one meltdown at HyVee!

These days, her non-traditional toy of choice is my set of keys. If she spots them as I get her out of the car, if she even hears them jangling as I put her in a cart, she's on a mission to find "her" keys. I'm sure it's not sanitary in the least, and I should probably clean them before handing them over. But really, let's be honest, I'm not that kind of mom. I just let her chew on them until it's time to unlock the car.

Then I push the unlock button, plop her in her car seat, buckle her in, tell her to say, "Bye-bye," to the keys, snatch them away and run to the other side of the car. She usually cries a bit when it's time to say goodbye to the keys, but by the time we're backing out of the parking lot, she's found another great toy: her socks.

I'm so thankful for an easily entertained child.

Do your kids or pets or nieces/nephews or students play with any unusual toys?

I'm thankful for a sweet baby.

My daughter, Annalyn - or Photobaby, as she's known around here - is the sweetest, smartest, cutest baby I know.

Is it possible I'm a little biased?!

Seriously, I cannot even express how thankful I am for this sweet little girl who has more personality than I could have imagined and who is more healthy than anyone ever expected. Praise God for this baby!

I'm thankful for my daughter. Who are you thankful for today?

A Free Song for You

I'm thankful for music.

I love music. I've been playing piano since second grade, and I've sung in choirs since middle school. I am a compulsive radio flipper, switching from one station to the next in my search for my favorite songs or a new song or any song, really. I sing to Photobaby about as much as I talk to her. And I have a song attached to almost every memory tucked away in my brain.

I enjoy all types of music, including some contemporary Christian music. So I'm also thankful for our CCM radio stations here in Kansas City. We have a local station courtesy of a seminary, as well as a K-LOVE station.


When I worked for a particularly negative company a few years ago, I listened to the Christian radio station every morning during my commute. It kept me grounded and focused on what's important and true. And I can't count the number of times I've been encouraged or convicted or inspired or entertained or comforted by something I heard on the radio. No matter the genre or what station it's on, or CD, or iTunes, music impacts my heart, my mind, my soul. I'm thankful for music.

And especially when it's free. Up above, that's a free song for you. Click on the button for Shaun Groves' song, Kingdom Coming.

What kind of music do you like? Does music play a part in your life?

I'm thankful for enough to eat.

When I was growing up, my parents didn't have much money. Sometimes, I think, they didn't have enough money. But we always had plenty to eat.

My entire adult life, I've struggled with money, struggled to pay my bills, struggled to manage my finances, to be a good steward. But I've always had plenty to eat.

So much so that as long as I can remember, I've been overweight. Clearly, I'm not starving. Despite my mistakes with money, God has continued to bless me and provide for me.

Not everyone has been so fortunate. So many - in this country and around the world - live in poverty. They don't worry about fitting into skinny jeans. They worry about finding enough food to feed their families just one meal a day.

This week, as I look into my fully stocked fridge and wonder how I'm going to make it through 5 days with no more Flex points left, a group of people is touring the Dominican Republic to raise awareness of poverty and the work being done by Compassion International. I encourage you to read about their experiences here; it's pretty incredible stuff.

Reading about Compassion has really made me think about how little I do for those living in poverty. I'm thinking and praying about how I can start doing something to help. What about you? Do you do anything to help the least of these?

I'm thankful for my husband.

I'm going to assume that you've noticed I'm not necessarily doing this list of gratitude in order. Because if I were, my husband would be a lot closer to the top than #5.

Mark and I don't have a perfect relationship. We rarely go a day without arguing, and we often find long car rides to be a great opportunity for an all-out fight. We've had days, weeks, even months when we weren't sure we could stand each other, weren't sure we could make our marriage work. We've thrown things (rarely and not at each other), we've slammed doors, and we've shouted things that I won't repeat here. And Lord knows I've said many things I wish I could take back.

But somehow - by God's grace - we still manage to make it work. And, with the exception of the last couple of weeks, the last year of our marriage has been better than ever.

Mark is my best friend, the one person I can truly be myself around and the one person I can tell anything. He listens to all my ideas and tells me anything is possible. He stands beside me and puts up with my crazy family and agrees with me when I say they're crazy. He's quick to apologize and quick to forgive. He makes me laugh and doesn't let me take life - or myself - too seriously. Well, at least he tries. He works his tail off to provide for Photobaby and me. And there's not enough room on this blog to list all the ways he's a good dad! He is honest and loyal and laidback, and well, cute!

So today - and every day - I'm thankful for my husband.

I'm thankful for the right to vote.

I'm thankful for the right to vote. But, I'll be honest, I'm also thankful that the election business will be over today. Politics stress me out and depress me, and no matter what happens today, I'm just glad we've seen the last of the signs, debates, buttons and polls. Well, at least for a couple of years!

It is inaccurate to say that I hate everything. I am strongly in favor of common sense, common honesty, and common decency. This makes me forever ineligible for public office.

~ H. L. Mencken

Today, I'm thankful for the right to vote. Have you voted yet?

UPDATE: Regardless of who you voted for, I think this post by Michael Hyatt, CEO of Thomas Nelson, is worth reading and considering.

I'm thankful for low gas prices.

Today, I'm thankful for low gas prices. For as long as it lasts, for whatever reason, I appreciate paying a reasonable amount to fill up my car.

When prices first started falling and everyone got so excited, just to see gas costing less than $4 a gallon, I was reluctant to share their joy. I thought that being happy with so little was giving in to The Man. (Whoever The Gas Man is...after this political season, I'm really not even sure about that anymore.) So I said that I wouldn't get excited about gas prices until it was $2 a gallon, just like it should be.

Cynical? Maybe. I like to call it realistic. (Not as cynical as whoever made this sign that we saw in Nashville!)

But here we are in November. And gas costs less than $2 a gallon in my neck of the woods. Despite my cynicism. Despite our overconsumption. Despite this crazy economic and political climate.

So, I'm excited. I have been since I saw gas hit $2.30 and keep falling. Every time I pass a gas station, as a matter of fact, I thank God. I know it may not last. As a matter of fact, I suspect prices will shoot up again after the election. But for now, for as long as it lasts, I'm thankful for low gas prices.

What are you thankful for today?

I'm thankful for pets.

This is my cat, Maggie.

She's the first cat I've owned as an adult but not my first cat. My parents always had cats when I was growing up. I think we even have a picture somewhere of me as a toddler, in my crib...with our cat, Winky. (Of course my grandma was convinced the cat would kill me, but my mom thought it was cute - "Look at the kitty in the baby's bed!")

Winky got run over by a car, but she wasn't our last family pet. I remember many nights as a teenager, crying to my cats, Hoover and Minnie. I'm not saying they knew why I was upset or agreed that my mom was the meanest mom EV-ER. But they knew I was sad. And they sat on my bed and let me pet them until I calmed down.

Mark got Maggie for me shortly after I graduated from college. He was traveling for work, and I was lonely. So he got me this tiny, abandoned kitten from the local shelter.

You've seen that picture of the ducks who follow around the dog? They imprinted on that dog, believing she's their mother. And that's kind of what happened to Maggie and me.

My cat really believes I'm her mama. It's true. She snuggles up to me in bed every night before Mark gets home - laying on my arm with her head on Mark's pillow. And most nights she climbs up on my lap and makes me hold her like a baby.

Now, in this picture, my baby is just yawning. But to be honest, she pretty much fears - and therefore hates - everyone except Mark and me. And she tolerates Annalyn. So, I'll admit that though she's the sweetest baby cat to me and she's never hurt anyone, Maggie may have shown this face at other times that did not involve yawning.

I know she's just a cat. But to me, she's my first baby. (Of course I love Annalyn more! But you know what I mean...!) So, today, I am thankful for pets.

Do you have a pet? What's your favorite animal?

Month of Thanksgiving

This month, in honor of Thanksgiving, I'm going to share something that I'm thankful for each day. My original plan was to just do it on Thursdays, but my list was too long! So, daily (or as close to it as I can) it is. I hope you'll share some things you're thankful for, too! Let's get started...

On November 1, I'm thankful for seasons. I love the changing weather and the different colors and even the different feelings that each season creates (Fall is a little bit fresh start, a little bit reminiscing; spring is hopeful and busy; summer is carefree and fun and hot; winter is Christmas and birthdays and family.).

As I've mentioned before, my favorite season is fall. I love the colors, the crisp air, the smell of burning wood. It reminds of me of the time in life when I met my husband. And now it's going to be Photobaby's season, too, with her October birthday!

So, today, as we enjoy brilliantly colored leaves and 75-degree temps, I am thankful for seasons.

What's your favorite season?