I truly am so grateful for nature. I grew up in the mountains of California, and there is just something about being in God’s creation that makes me feel like all is right. When I was taking pictures this past weekend, this little ladybug and I made friends. I think he/she (’cause how can you tell?) is just beautiful.

Two more friends have joined the challenge!

You can follow Amanda’s gratitude here: Amanda & Carrie in Vienna

You can follow Leslie’s gratitude here: Kidd’s Ring

I love the topic for today’s challenge. I am thankful and inspired by some amazing people in my life, but one of them has been on my mind daily as of late. My friend Jill has been such an inspiration to me as I watch her grow closer to the Lord and grow deeper in understanding His grace. She is learning to trust in new ways every day. While trials are, well, exactly that, trials, what we do in the midst of them shows our true and deep character. I couldn’t get a real picture of Jill because she’s in California and I’m in Austria. So I took a picture of her blog instead. It’s not the greatest picture, but it does show a little of a person that I think is pretty great. You can read a bit about Jill’s story on her blog Joy in the Small Things. You can check out her encouraging banners in her Etsy shop.

Every time someone asks me what my favorite color is, I tend to give a different answer. It kind of depends on my mood, and it kind of depends on what it is we’re talking about. However, I do always answer with one of these four colors: red, yellow, blue, or green. I love the brightness and happiness of these colors. Green pine trees against a bright blue sky? Love. The yellow and green of a sunflower? Love. The red of my couches? Love. The red, green, blue, and yellow of my Fiestaware dishes that are waiting for me in America? Love. Love.

This is my Spud Wars collection. I love it primarily because it makes me laugh.

Pictured from left to right: Spud Trooper, Darth Tater, Mashter Yoda, Luke Frywalker, C3-PO(tato), & R2-Potatoo with Princess Tater hologram.

I know I’m getting another one for Christmas, I’m just not sure which one. Will it be Chewy Chipbacca, Spuda Fett, Princess Tater, Yam Solo, or Darth Mash?

Its, true. I am grateful for books. I love books. But I was thinking about specific books I’m grateful for and why. This is my grandparents Bible. It was given to them by my great-grandmother on their second anniversary. At some point they passed this Bible down to my uncle who gave it to me when I got married. I love this Bible. I love that is the Word. I love that it has passed through the hands of four generations of my family. I love that it looks like a Bible should – totally worn around the edges. I love that it sits on my shelf as a daily reminder of all those things.

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