A Month of Gratefulness: Part 1

What’s something that you’re looking forward to?

I’m looking forward to the future and what this next year will hold. That is not always an easy place for me to be because of how many unknowns the future brings BUT I am learning to wait expectantly before the Lord and I can’t wait to see all He has in store for me. The last two years have been a whirlwind of emotions and growth, absolutely scattered with overwhelming faith moments. I don’t want to fear what I can’t control in my story when I know the author.

What’s a simple pleasure that you’re grateful for?

I did an entire post ages ago about the trivial things I’m thankful for including raccoons, colors and German Shepherd Dog head tilts but recently I have been incredibly grateful for something that I often take for granted and that is that person or people in your life that you can just be with and enjoy. You know what I’m talking about, right? When you can just sit and chat or laugh and nothing amazing happens and yet you have an amazing time. While I appreciate that my squad and I can sit around in our PJs and just talk and laugh for hours, recently I realized I have this type of relationship with someone that I never would have expected in my life. There’s something so nice about being able to be yourself and being perfectly comfortable in that. For me, I am truly grateful for this unexpected but wonderful relationship.

What’s something that you are grateful to have today that you didn’t have a year ago?

This may sound like a strange response but I think my sense of self. The last few years have definitely been a season of growth mentally, emotionally and spiritually. I view the world and myself in a very different way to three years ago for which I am grateful. I hope I am never done growing and learning but I’m glad to be in a healthy place.

Write about someplace you’ve been that you’re grateful for.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again...the mountains feed my soul! The Great Smoky Mountains is one of my favorite places to go but It’s the Rocky Mountains that I’m grateful to have been. First, pictures CANNOT show 1/10th of the beauty. Second, I went way outside of my comfort zone by going overlanding while there, which I’m glad I did but which I never intend on doing again. Finally, I’m most grateful for my visit to the Rockies because I don’t think I truly appreciated the power we are told we have in Matthew 17:20 until I looked up 14,000ft. Like saying faith can move mountains is one thing but seeing these huge, overwhelming, unmovable mountains in person can make you reevaluate how you approach your faith.

What’s something about your body or health that you’re grateful for?

My fitness coach reminds me all the time that even if I hate certain aspects of working out I should be grateful that I can do it. For example, I HATE burpees with a fiery passion but the fact that my body can typically do them considering that if I sleep on the wrong pillow I require a day of recovery, is pretty stinking amazing. Also, there was a time in my life when I couldn’t do burpees or a full plank. When I started out at 5220 I could barely get through a five pound workout and now tens are my normal. Seeing that my body can still be strong is something I am thankful for especially because I feel young at heart. Did I tear something in my shoulder the last time I did a cartwheel? Yes, but at least I didn’t break a hip. I’m thankful that my body can do a lot that I forget about in the day to day.

What’s something you’re grateful for outside?

I am grateful for everything I can see outside my back door. Beautiful trees and flowers. Fat little birds and skittish squirrels. Gorgeous butterflies and dazzling fireflies. The older I get and the more my daily life seems to be a treadmill of hustle and bustle, I become increasingly grateful to live in an area with beautiful stretches of nature at your fingertips. Stars and sunsets and baby foxes and chunky raccoons all to remind me of God’s creativity and the amazing universe we live in.

What’s an accomplishment you’re proud of?

This is a hard question for me because I want to do everything to the best of my ability but I also don’t think I do a lot that would be considered an accomplishment. Some of my proudest personal moments come from internal growth which no one else can see or only those near and dear to me appreciate. Truthfully, I guess Converse and Crowns is an accomplishment I’m proud of because it started out as being far outside of my comfort zone. For years, there were ideas or topics I wanted to cover but thought others might think I was strange or weak. However, I realized that we started this blog because there was no one we could relate too when it came to many of those topics so why not lay it out there. C&C has become a place of growth and even conversation in the real world which is pretty cool.