A few years ago, after reading, One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are, by Ann Voscamp, I, and many others, started journaling the things we were thankful for. Bloggers dedicated a day each week to share their lists. I was one. Like me, some have stopped sharing their lists and possibly writing them in private too.

Others, like Terri Groh, author and blogger, continues her list of things to be thankful. As I look at this past week and reflect on where we were five years ago and praying for where we might be five years into the future I realized I've lost touch with being thankful each day then sharing this list with others.

I think I'm still a positive person and focus on the positive yet there is always room for growth. I started to type, "I'm not sure why or how" this realization came to me" THEN I chuckled to myself when I realized I know exactly why and who is responsible...the Holy Spirit came me a nudge, tap on the shoulder, a kiss from the king, or a Godstop...or whatever you call these moments of God working in your life. 

This is the first thing I'll chose to be thankful for. I used to share my list on Wednesdays as a participant of Ann VosCamps challenge but with my new Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday blog schedule...I'll dedicate Saturdays as my day of thanks. It will be a way to reflect on the previous week and move forward with more joy. 

My goal is to make a written list through the week, hence, start a gratitude journal again, then share the highlights on Saturdays. 

Without Further Ado...let me share my list of thanks and praise:

1. Thankful for my faith and a God who loves me even when I act like a toddler
2. For my husband who remains calm in the midst of financial stress when I struggle not to puddle
3. For wonderful friends who listen and lift me up
4. For the ladies at Bible Study and their excitement and energy to delve into their Bibles and learn what God has for them
5. For my podcast, a new way to reach more people and share hope, inspiration, and encouragement. 
6. For my husband who has electrical training and might be able to fix our heater using parts from my parents old Monitor that doesn't work any longer (prayers it works are appreciated)
7. For my Dad who remembered he had their old Monitor in the garage and suggested we check it for similar parts
8. To God for having the same exact model Monitor in the garage for my husband to work off to possibly fix our heater
9. For family visiting from out of state
10. For a family birthday party celebrating an aunt's 80th birthday that brings family from across the United States
11. To have our daughter home for the weekend, first time since she she had a few days off over the summer (which we spent traveling), enjoying our time with her
12. For the necessities that so many don't have: a roof over our head, food in the cupboards, multiple cars with gasoline for transportation, running water, and electricity
13. For Wifi...
14. For the desire and inspiration to write again
15. For all of you because you continue to encourage and support me as I venture forward

This might be a short list for a week but these are the ones that stand out this morning. Have a great day and remember to be thankful, each day is a blessing and tomorrow is not a guarantee. 

It is time to celebrate on the podcast, tomorrow, September 19, 2018, I will air my 100th podcast episode!

To make this exciting podcast even more fun, I'll be recording the podcast while doing a LIVE FACEBOOK event too!

You'll be able to message on the live feed, you can call in to the podcast via anchor, and comment via the website. 

I hope to "meet" you tomorrow on Facebook, on my "Livin' with Lisa: Keeping It Real" Facebook page as I record my 100th episode. If you haven't liked my podcast FB page, be sure to do it today so you are notified when I go live.

While I remained snuggled in with no chance of an alarm going off, modern technology posted this blog for you. I wrote this draft last weekend in anticipation of the exhaustion of the first week back to school. I set a goal to blog three times a week, on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. I know myself after this week so I chose a pro-active method of blogging. It's a comforting thing to know I'll accomplish my blogging goal this week while making a healthy choice and getting a good night's sleep. It's a win-win!

I'm pleased to report there is nothing on my schedule that requires me to leave the house today so I might spend some time writing after sleeping in, sipping coffee, reading, quiet time, and being a bum until Noon or so. The best part about this previous statement, I'll probably wake up at 6 a.m. and clean the house. Time will tell.

I hope everyone has a great weekend and takes time to make memories with your families. Let me know how it goes? Are there any Fall Festivals or Fairs in your area you'd like to share? If so, leave them in a post below so others know about them.

Have a great day! I'll catch you on Tuesday!

May 2012 blog - http://www.lisambuske.com/blog/once-shattered-now-healed-in-his-strength 

I left the original sub heading about when no one is watching, God still is yet I want to expand or suggest an additional thought to ponder. 

As we accept our faith and relationship with God, we should be striving to do what is right and best because it's the right thing to do not because anyone is watching and most importantly because God is watching. 


Four years later I tend to think that when we are truly focused on and trusting God in a situation and decision, we aren't thinking about if God, or anyone else for that matter is watching. Instead we are striving to be the best we can be because this is the call we have on our life. 

Don't you agree?I find it encouraging to find this post and its outline saved as a draft because I probably wouldn't have recognized growth in myself. If we are living our faith as a verb, we are always learning, challenging, and growing. This is something I am thankful for today. I can't say I do everything right all of the time but I will let you know I do my best most of the time and strive all the time. To be a Christian doesn't mean we are perfect, it means we are a work in progress and recognize this. To do what is right because someone is watching might be the baby steps we need at times to stay the course and then down the road, it becomes habit.

Since 2013 when When the Waves Subside: There is Hope and Where's Heidi? One Sister's Journey released, I've kept my book cost at an affordable price so more people can have the chance to purchase my books. 

This past week I received a couple emails from my publisher and due to a change with their publication partnerships, the cost to authors was increasing. In order to balance this increase, we, the authors, have to go in and adjust our distribution venues and prices as the cost of publication is going up considerably, according to these emails. 

On Saturday I logged on and as I went to make necessary changes for where my books would and could be sold and adjusting pricing I was shocked. Some of my books were selling for less than the publication cost to my publisher. Due to this increase, I have increased the cost of my books slightly to cover the increased cost on my end. Thank you for your understanding and continued support as a reader, blog follower, podcast listener, and prayer partner.