I'm tired. Today was weird, and i just wasn't feeling work at all. Ah well, somedays are just like that. :)

For today.....I've spent most of my day trying to come up with a topic of gratitude. I mean, honestly, there are a million and one reasons I'm grateful, and that's the truth, but it's been hard to peg one down. Finally, this is the best I came up with...so enjoy this week's thankful post.

The unthankful heart... discovers no mercies;
But let the thankful heart sweep through the day and,
As the magnet finds the iron,
So it will find, in every hour, some heavenly blessings! 
~Henry Ward Beecher~

This week, my prayer partner and I were initially praying over a specific situation in Austria, but when we heard about the devastating earthquake in China, that has just created so much chaos and death and destruction there, we added a second topic of prayer for the week. It was appropriate.

Something struck me as I considered what to pray for China, for the people connected to this disaster and beyond. But something that just kept coming to mind were the missionaries.

See, China is a Communist country. It's still considered a closed country. Missionaries and people sharing their faith in China are criminals and if are present, they are there undercover and the church there thrives in the underground. In fact, with a death toll as high as the early predictions are saying, I cannot imagine how many missionaries, believers and workers in the faith were killed and/or buried in the rubble. And no one will know anything about it. Sad.

What does this have to do with gratitude? I know that's what my dad is thinking right now. But see, this week's theme is gratitude for freedom to speak freely, love freely and profess freely of our faith. Tuesday night, my brother's small group met here at this house, we spoke openly of our faith. We talked, worshipped, prayed, shared Christ with each other and not once did we fear for our lives. Not once  did we worry about being arrested for praying together.

As we prayed on Tuesday, even more impactful is the prayer that Marie shared. She prayed that so many people in China shared their faith with so much on the line, and here, we have nothing on the line and we dont' share our faith because we are afraid to be ridiculed. There is such irony. In places where sharing your faith is a life and death matter, there is no fear. But in our society, the greatest fear is sharing our faith for so much more shallow a reason.

This week, as you worship together in a freely built, freely owned building alongside hundreds of other believers who have the freedom to profess what they believe, and have no jail time facing them. Where you can go to church unafraid of a police raid, and you can sings songs a praise without reservation.....be grateful.

Christ held back not even the life blood of his own vitality. He deserves no less than that.

I am grateful to be free to worship....but also grateful for the millions of believers around the world who worship boldy in a place where their very lives are threatened.

This week....
Worship with gratitude.
Pray fervently.
Speak of your faith boldy.
Sing Loudly.
Hold nothing back.

• Eisley's newest cd, "Combinations" is just as cool and whimiscal as the first one. It's growing on me...even after just one listen.
• God totally took control of my day, and it ROCKED. -- more to come.
• Y'all - my readers - totally rock my socks off and knock me out. The comments on the last post are incredible. I intend to respond to them all tomorrow, or maybe just compile them....there are some amazing answers that I totally am right in line with.
• I made a new friend today named Laura. We laughed so hard, I thought I was going to fall off the 10 foot ladder I was standing on....
• Hence it became dubbed the "Tower of Maiming and Injury" -- because I had already dubbed the other one (a six foot ladder) the "Tower of Death"
• Little Caesar's has pizza's for 5 bucks. Really...it cannot get better than that.
• I'm still watching "There Will Be Blood"....for some reason, it's taking me forever to finish. Sorry, Cdubbs.
• It's time for some more Flight of the Conchords. I am far far behind.
• American Idol was STUPID tonight. Can I just say that I am sickened at the fawning over D. Archuleta.
• Randy was DEAD ON...in his assessment that little archie singing "I miss you Boo" was.....awkward...and his dancing (if you wanna call it that) was vomit inducing.
• My man, David Cook, was beautiful. But...seemed ill-at ease....and still managed to cause a bigger reaction than anyone else in the perfoming half.
• Sheetz is amazing. I need say no more, for those of you who know what that is.
• I crave Italian food...good Italian food.
• Did I tell y'all that Micah gave me a card on Mother's Day? It was so sweet. It's got his scrawling on it.....which I love.
• Tomorrow is Laundry day.
• So today I went to prayer at church at noon and wound up staying until 6.
• I was painting and helping make a faux brick wall. I painted five million fake bricks, I'll get a pic up soon.
• It's how I met my new friend....and had too much fun for my own good.
• At small group tonight, someone in the group just took a little bit of time and prayed for me, for my life and....I cried. Yes I did.
• Maybe the stone heart is softening up a bit.
• Almond Snickers are...favorite.
• I love comments on xanga, on myspace, and on facebook. They feed my narcissism.
• There is an imminent need to change cell phone companies.
• The new schedule is released tomorrow. I should be officially moved to 3rd shift then. SWEET! :)
• My prayer times lately have been sweet and tender, as well as meaningful and full of hope.
• Lately I've been clinging pretty tightly to Jeremiah 29:11 - I know His plans are good. I trust His plans.
• I trust.
• In the mean time, I am going to get busy doing His work. :)
• That's all for tonight y'all!
• Consider the Lilies....they dont' toil. We shouldn't either. We're beautifully arrayed without any effort of our own. ;)

....is amazing.

I know I told y'all already this week, but it's true.

Words are not sufficient.

I miss her like....well I can't think of a good analogy. I'm tired and I have to get up at 6am. Know it's desperate.

I can't wait to see her nexxt month. It cannot come nearly soon enough.

Someday, I'll have enough money to not have to worry about ridiculous plane ticket costs. :(

If you're a mom today....Happy Day. I hope God hugged you especially well today. :)