26

Today I am 26.

It’s a little overwhelming to write that, because things haven’t turned out the way I thought they would or how I wanted them too, but that’s ok because I’m learning and re-learning that that is just life with God.

I promised a good friend that I wouldn’t let those birds of sadness rest in my hair. I promised her I would enjoy my day and count my blessings. So to keep that promise & and start this day with a heart of gratitude, I am writing a post about 26 blessings from the last year-in no particular order.

“Let gratitude be the pillow upon which you kneel to say your nightly prayer.”—Maya Angelou

1.  My Mom-though we may not always see eye to eye on everything, she is always in my corner-cheering, encouraging, offering help & guidance and bailing me out of whatever pickle I’ve found myself in.

2.   My Sister-her tenacity & brutal honesty I’ve come to love and appreciate in recent years. I’ve enjoyed the immense growth in our relationship over the past year and hope it only continues.

3.  My Friends-hands down I have THE GREATEST friends on the face of planet earth.  They’re amazing & I love them immensely.

4.   Humility-Not having a car has been an interesting tool that God has used to increase my humility.

5.   Public Transportation-I love the people watching and the interesting conversations I get to sometimes have. It’s also a great teacher of patience.

6.   Biking-I love commuting by bike, it’s great exercise, a fantastic way to see a city and it has really helped me to think, de-stress and breathe.

7.  Gardening-who knew I had a green thumb? There’s something incredibly spiritual and comforting        about having your hands in the dirt & watching things grow.

8.   Preschoolers-I love their energy and curiosity about the world. Everything is new & exciting.

9.  Teaching-A gift and passion that God has blessed me with, both spiritually and practically.

10.  Bro Time-some of my favorite & funniest memories from this past year have been from just hanging out with the guys.

11.  Seasons-after living in place that has no seasons and then coming home, God has opened my eyes to the beauty of seasons & how they relate to life.

12.    Driving-I’ve gone from driving all the time and everyone to being a constant passenger. When I do get to drive it’s such a treat.

13.  Authenticity-this past year was crazy & hard. It was really nice to be able to call friends & honestly & openly talk about my struggles & frustration in a safe space.

14.   The Desert-while you’ll probably never hear anyone say they love being in a desert season everyone will tell you that you come out a better person

15.  Being Stripped-a rather miserable and painful process but part of the desert season and is rather freeing in a sense.

16.  Latino Food-Probably the best eating of my life (to date) occurred in the past year during my time in Los Angeles.

17.  Perspective-While in Los Angeles, I had the opportunity to meet, talk, & live with people from all walks of life. I had dialogues about all sorts of things that I may not have had otherwise.

18.  Experiences-this past year I was able to try all sorts of new things with all types of people, many of which I think will shape me for years to come.

19.  The Ocean-words can’t describe how nice it was to be so close and have such access to one of my favorite acts of creation.

20.  PCH/Hwy 1-miles and miles of highway laid out beside the ocean-absolutely breath-taking

21.  My time in Los Angeles-though it was definitely bittersweet, it taught me more than I ever thought I could learn and will continue to shape me.

22.  A God Who Pursues-there is nothing more beautiful than a God who pursues His prodigal children.

23.  Hospitality-the hospitality that was shown to me during my year away was staggering. The number of people who opened their homes and hearts to me is proof that there’s still hope for humanity.

24.   El Roi-“the God who sees me” My experiences from this past year have only re-iterated why that is my personal name for God.

25.  New beginnings-I’ve fallen in love with the city of Atlanta since moving here-it’s perfect for my new beginning. Here, I get a new beginning, while applying all that I’ve learned in Los Angeles.

26.  Dream Job-today I was offered a dream job. I’ll be the lead teacher of a 3’s & 4’s room for an up & coming preschool to underserved kids. All of my favorite things about what I did in Los Angeles but for kids who may otherwise not have access to such activities.

“God gave you a gift of 86,400 seconds today. Have you used one to say ‘thank you?’”

--William Arthur Ward