Oh, do you not know what I mean by "wiring"?  I mean how my brain processes things like organization, how I am gifted to contribute to a business, how I interact with people, you know, how I'm "wired".  :)  In case you're wondering here's a snapshot of my "wiring" - ISFJ, Beaver, Type A, Introvert, etc, etc. (Depends on what "test" you take.  *grin*) It's taken me a few years to understand my "wiring" and to work through it's flaws, still working through some, and to understand how to best come alongside of others with how I am wired.  It's also taken me a few years to learn how to allow my strengths to be more visible than my weaknesses within my "wiring". What is our greatest strength can also be our greatest weakness.  It leaves us in a place of precarious footing at times. But today I was/am grateful for my "wiring" because it has provided me a natural way to serve others, to take the lo

Today I am grateful for the weekend of respite I just had.  Yes, it was kind of a forced respite because I was sick but it was respite nonetheless.  The word respite is defined as a temporary delay and/or an interval of rest or relief.  And this weekend I truly laid as low as I could, I delayed myself from doing too much, and I feel so much better.  To lay low and do basically nothing is not really in my "make-up" but I didn't find it at all hard this weekend, in fact I rather liked it.

Today I am super grateful for the wisdom that people have that they share and don't keep to themselves. Much as we want to think we are all that and more...we aren't.  And if we are open to it we can benefit greatly from other people's life experiences that can speak into our own.  Whether it is through seeing a counselor or reading a book or hearing a person I respect speak, or doing all of those, the wisdom that others generously share with me I am so grateful for.  I want to grow in wisdom myself and when I allow myself to be open to seeing the truth about myself so that I can grow and change and mature in life and wisdom then I'm guessing y'all will be grateful! (Kind of like the "whew, finally she's better" kind of grateful - ha!)

Day 32 was actually yesterday and my trend of struggling to get something posted daily continues.  Although this time it was due more to my sickness than anything else.  I've got a silly "little" cold that has knocked me flat.  Anyway. Day 32, yesterday, I found myself grateful for a great boss.  I've been REALLY blessed in that my last three jobs (including the present job) I have have had great bosses.  A few years ago I had a horrible boss, if you know my story then you just "amened" me.  Horrible.  Working from home for a couple of years for some amazing women was great for rebounding from the horrible experience I had.  When I went to Young Life I was relieved that my direct boss was a woman, I was clearly NOT ready for a male boss again.  She was amazing and to this day I count her as a good friend.  I love her so much.  Then when I made the switch I needed to make for our family and headed over to WAY-FM my boss was...male.  Hesitations abounded.  I

I know.  Generally OTC meds are considered to be of the devil, especially to people who prefer more natural methods and things like that.  But sometimes you just need the fake, but potent, stuff.  Sometimes you just need the stuff created in a lab that is going to knock the sickness literally out of your body.  That's what I resorted to today.  And so today I am grateful for the meds from the devil. :) I needed them and I think the OTC ones I took were just strong enough to save me from a Doctor's trip.  Yes, I try to employ natural remedies when I get sick and I try to do things in a way that doesn't support the pharmaceutical companies of this nation but today I was grateful for what I had in my medicine cabinet that is definitely helping me feel better. * Today's Gratitude Attitude is a bit of a stretch for me but all I did today, literally, was lay around either sleeping or watching truly mindless TV.   And I felt it was way too shallow to be grateful for mindless

Today I am grateful for timing.  Sometimes timing seems "off" until I think through things and realize the timing is perfect.  Of course, sometimes the timing isn't great but today I'm grateful for the times that the timing is good. Here's what I mean.  I have a cold.  I'm kind of wimpy and miserable and I took a sick day because I was no good to my job today with the slight fever I'm running, the headache, and the weird aches.  But the timing of this cold is perfect this time!  No the fever hasn't gotten to my brain.  It's perfect because I got it this week and not next.  Next week I'm going to visit a bestie in Seattle.  To have this cold next week in Seattle would have sucked...big time.  But I have it this week, perfect timing as far as I'm concerned.

Seriously. I am seriously grateful for this beautiful state in which I get to live.  Oh sure, I sometimes complain about the weather but then I see this... Backside of Pikes Peak seen from Woodland Park, CO Front side of Pikes Peak as seen in Colorado Springs, CO First snow cover of the 2013 Fall season! and I remember that other places in "Colorful Colorado" look like this... Top of Mt Evans - elevation 14135 ft.  Photo taken by Misty Huss Maroon Bells.  Photo taken by Misty Huss    and then I forget all about my weather complaints and I sigh a breath of gratitude for this amazingly beautiful state that I live in. Just like people who love the ocean never tire of looking at the ocean and being by it, so I never tire of being by the mountains, specifically Pikes Peak, and looking at them.  No matter what kind of day I am having the view of Pikes Peak settles me.   I am grateful for the beauty of Colorado, I can't imagine not living here. 

* This "daily" thing seems to have taken a downward turn.  Oy!   Today I am grateful for a job.  And to sweeten it up a little I actually like my job.  :) Some don't like their jobs but I'm going to go out on a limb and say this: be grateful for it.  Be grateful for your job, whether you like it or not, and see what could happen to your attitude about your job.  In today's economy and job market a job is like a rare find.  So be grateful for what you have, others haven't been so fortunate.  Find a way to be grateful for the tasks, the co-workers, the hours, etc.   Try to make some lemonade with the lemons of your job.   Allow gratefulness that you have a job sweeten your work ethic and your attitude during the days.  I get it.  I get that it isn't your dream job or the ideal situation perhaps or the dream organization to work for.  I SO GET THAT.  Be grateful anyway.  Find the things you can be grateful for about your job and let it be marked by that.  

Sleep is wonderful.  I appreciate it when I get enough of it and I miss it when I am not getting enough. What happens while we sleep is amazing.  Our bodies are designed to heal, revive, and replenish during sleep.  It is an important part of keeping healthy, both physically and emotionally.  Lack of sleep will impair our ability to function well and we can eventually become ill from not getting the proper amount of it.  I am so grateful for the wisdom that went into creating our bodies to need sleep so that we could function in optimal ways.

It's one thing to say that I am grateful for my favorite kind of beverage, pastry, etc.  But the reason I am thankful for those delicious-to-me things is because of taste buds.  I am so grateful for taste buds!  Taste buds bring delight to our mouths and also "warn" us when something isn't good or right in our mouths.  My Grandpa, years ago, had mumps and one of the lasting side effects of his sickness was he lost his sense of smell which affected his taste buds (they are connected).  Since then he can't taste anything (or smell anything).  I always feel sad for him that he can't taste the yummy foods he is partaking of.  (Sidenote: When I was a little girl and didn't know this about him yet I would watch him eat Raisin Bran with Cranberry juice and think "ew!" and then I found out he couldn't taste it.  Well no wonder he ate it then!) But I have slightly digressed.  The next time you taste something delicious take a moment to be grateful for

Have you heard? My parents are 'da bomb diggity.  Seriously! And if you know my parents you know I speak truth. So they aren't the bomb just because they fund sweet trips for the familia to take (although those are pretty cool) but they are awesome because they are present in our lives.  And not just the "in town" family - which is only me and my family btw - but they are as present as they can be for the "out-of-town" family too.  Yes, Skype helps, A LOT, but they also take trips to NYC to take care of grandkids and see my brothers run in marathons and just do some life with them also.  The streets of NYC have become my Mom's second home and my Dad doesn't do too bad getting around the city as well. Locally my parents play taxi cab for my children willingly, take them shopping, to the movies, have them spend the night, etc.  My children LOVE their grandparents, they think they have the best ones ever and they are right. I love that my kids are

If you know me well you know how much I love to read and how much I read! In fact, if you didn't know, I post my bookshelf once a month and what I thought of the books I read for that month.  You can check that out here . Anyway. *Today* (a day late on the whole daily thing but yesterday I was WIPED out, no energy to even get online) I am so grateful for not just my literacy but the literacy of others. What a true gift to yourself to be able to write and read. When I think of those who have been denied this privilege I feel sad for them because it's not just for pleasure that one should know how to write and read but it is fro a future. In fact, as I thought more about it I decided that instead of just feel sad for those who can't write and read why not help them?  Why not share my gratitude and help someone else learn?  So I'm pursuing volunteering in my area to help introduce someone else to literacy. What can you do with your gratefulness today? Is there a way y

This morning when I woke up my youngest redhead she cracked open her eyes and in the dark, with no contacts in yet, she peeks up at me still half asleep and says, "You're pretty."  I chuckled and rubbed her back and said, "You are in the dark without your eyeballs in yet, how do you know?"  And she says, "Mama, you are pretty." My oldest redhead tells me the same thing quite often, as does my husband.   Huh. They must have different eyes than I do.  They must see me in a different way than I do.  When I see me that's not what I say (thus I have also now revealed an insecurity of mine - be gentle with me okay?). Sometimes I study myself trying to see what my children and husband see.  I still haven't received their eyesight.  But this morning I feel grateful for the eyesight of my husband and children, I think they see what might be more true than what I see.  My eyes are obscured by past hurts regarding my looks and body image, by my own unre

WHAT?!  Go ahead.  Rub your eyes, shake your head, and read that again.  Yes, it says affliction for today's Gratitude Attitude. I know, it sounds crazy.  Seems crazy.  Probably is crazy but bear with me. Today I chose affliction, it didn't choose me.  That kind of affliction, the kind that is my choice, I am grateful for but upon further reflection I am also glad for the affliction I haven't chosen in the past.  In affliction, my choice or thrust upon me, I learn a lot about myself, about God, and about others.  I grow, I hope, in grace and Godliness.  I discover a strength in me that I either didn't know I had or forgot was within me.  I get new visions from God in the time of my affliction, whether it was my choice or not. He is gracious that way. Today I came out of my chosen time of affliction with much to think through, a new word picture from God, and gratefulness that in my times of affliction, chosen or not, God is there waiting for me.

Every morning I drive our redheads to school.  We bicker over the radio stations, discuss homework, I get to hear about this person or that person and the most recent drama, sometimes I have to lay down a "law", I stop and get them treats every so often if we leave on time, and we sing along to the Disney station when nothing else is on.  For 30 minutes every day the redheads and I are captive to one another - some days we are all quiet, other days we are all clamoring to be heard above the other.  On these drives I have had some great discussions with them - individually and all together.  Some days I groan, we all do actually, about the drive but really every day I am more than happy to have this time in the car with my teenage redheads. These years are scary and wonderful for all of us and these morning drives give us all a measure of comfort I think.

When I was getting ready to go on my first trip overseas my Doctor told me to keep my mouth closed in the shower, as well as my eyes.  I had never thought about it before.  But getting dirty or unsafe water in my mouth or eyes through showering, or brushing my teeth, is a form of ingesting it - just like drinking it would be.  Today I was thinking about water (there's so much rain coming down in Colorado now that I am pretty sure I am not the only one thinking about water!) and feeling so grateful that if I got it in my eyes or mouth in my shower I didn't need to be concerned. It's something those of us who live in developed countries take for granted and don't really give much thought to.  But you would give thought to it if you had to hoof it a mile or so away and draw your own water that you knew would make you sick but you had no way to treat it.  You would give thought to it if you watched people you love retching because of ingesting disease ridden water. You woul

Once a month my home church makes and serves dinner at a homeless shelter here in town.  We even have our kiddos serving food and (hopefully) engaging with the people who pass through the line.  This night never fails to prompt gratefulness in me.  The gratefulness doesn't come necessarily in the ways one might think.  Of course, I am grateful that our family doesn't need to utilize the services of this particular shelter but gratefulness always comes upon observing/interacting with some of the residents there.  Sometimes I run across one, or more, who challenge me in my Gratitude Attitude and you know what?  I need that.  I need the refocus their outlook provides.  I need to be reminded that we have a lot to be grateful for.  Hearing their stories, watching them do the best they can to find a job or work toward getting back on their feet always provides me the reminder that every single one of us is always "one paycheck" away and we ought not take anything for grante

I'm grateful for my husband, who is a dedicated Dad.  He said something to me tonight that shows the depths of his dedication to our children and to being present in their lives.  He said that right now things are all about them, he didn't have parents who paid attention to him while growing up, who were available to him, etc and he wants to be available to our girls and pay attention to them so they know he cares and that he loves them and is invested in their lives.  How grateful I am for a man who wants to be invested in the lives of his children and is.  It already has and will continue to make all the difference for them.

I love the Library.  It's one of my happy places.  The smell of books is equal to the smell of my favorite flower in my world.  All those books stored in one place just waiting for someone like me to pick them up and enjoy, or not, their contents.  When I put a book on hold and then the Library emails me to let me know it's ready for pick up?  I do a little happy dance.  I love the Library.  I am also extremely grateful for the Library as it is FREE!  Free books!  Free books that I don't have to pay anything for (unless I lose them, which I never do.)  I am grateful for however the system works that gives me, and anyone else, the opportunity to read books for fun, for personal growth, for learning, etc.  That's another reason I am grateful for the Library, it doesn't close its doors to anyone.  It is open and available to all.  If you don't have a Library card for your local Library I highly recommend getting one and enjoying what they have to offer.

I'm not the only one feeling like a Gratitude Attitude kick in the pants! I ran across this today from Audrey Assad. She's taking a 21 day journey of gratitude. No doubt she will eloquently and beautifully phrase things better than I ever could (she is after all not just a writer but also a songwriter) but she can prompt me, and you, to even further gratefulness as we walk along the road together.  I'm grateful for others who want to let gratefulness mark their lives as well. (This is like a bonus grateful moment! *wink*)

I suppose it seems a bit obvious that today of all days I might be grateful for freedom but so what?  I am.  I am grateful for many kinds of freedom in my life.  Not just the freedom I am afforded by living in a country that allows freedoms not known to other countries, not just the freedom I have because of others willing to fight for it and protect it.  I am so grateful for those freedoms.  But beyond those freedoms I have a greater one that I am grateful for .  It is, of course, the freedom I have because I have put Christ as the authority over my life. Because I have allowed the One who knit me together and gave my life a purpose to have reign in my life.  And because of that freedom in and through him I have freedom to be in relationship with him .  And through that relationship from him I get to experience freedom from fear of others, freedom from fear of circumstances, freedom from things that try to drag me down and keep me from who I really am, I can achieve freedom from thin

It's really a love/hate relationship I have with technology but today I am grateful for it. Because of it I can get pictures of my nephew and niece within the same minute the pic is snapped.  I can communicate immediately with people I love.  I can stay in touch with people miles away.  I can witness the daily life, in a limited way, of friends and family.  While I think we need to draw some boundaries around the use of technology there is no doubt that it does help me stay connected to the people I love.

Today I was grateful for my ability to multi-task.  Some days it serves me really well, other days it can actually be a hindrance.  But today?  I was super grateful for it and it served me well.  I walked into a day thinking I was going to be bogged down by a particular project and instead I got not only the project done but some other things accomplished as well!  It was a total win for me today and all thanks to multi-tasking well.  :)

I'm serious! I am so grateful for bread.  I'm grateful for how delicious it is, how filling it is, how I have so many varieties and options when it comes to bread.  I'm grateful for bread that gives hope to a person experiencing hunger pains and for the Bread of Life that gives hope to the person experiencing spiritual hunger pains.

Today my home church community will be celebrating/observing  Yom Teruah  (that link will give you a little background on this holiday) and throughout this month we are actually in celebration mode for the majority of it.  After Yom Teruah comes Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, and then we enter into Sukkot - otherwise known as The Feast of the Tabernacles (sidenote: it is widely believed that Jesus was actually born during the Feast of the Tabernacles, i.e. "the indwelling").  It's a lot of celebration with repentance and atonement mixed in for good measure. I can HEAR you scratching your head in confusion and going, "WHAT?" Yes, I believe in Jesus as the Messiah.  No I am not, nor is anyone in my home church, a Jewish convert. Yes, I am a Torah observant Christian.  No, I am not going to hell.  :) In the past few years I've been studying God's word in deeper and more intentional ways.  As I have he has challenged me on how I express my faith and

Today I was reminded of my days in MOPS.  (If you are scratching your head and wondering what that is there are two possibilities for that. 1)  You are a dude or 2) You are a Mom who hasn't yet been exposed to MOPS. In either case click here to see what it's about!)  And being reminded of my days in MOPS prompted a gratefulness in me for all the ministries and organizations over the years that I have had the honor and privilege to be a part of - whether I still am or not each has played a big part in helping my worldview expand, enlarging my borders so to speak, and providing some amazing friendships and support in my life just when I needed it. I realized also that I have gotten some really cool opportunities to partner with some really awesome people and visions.  What a gift that has been to my life! Here's a list of a few of the ministries/organizations that I am grateful for having been a part of or are still a part of! Check 'em out! MOPS Awana Young Life

Another day in which I wasn't ungrateful yet apparently I wasn't grateful either.  My day passed without complaint from me but also without an awareness to what was potentially happening around me that was Gratitude Attitude disguised.  I'm sitting here tonight reviewing my day and wondering, "Where's the Gratitude Attitude?"  I'm also wondering, "Is today the day I pull out a really lame one just to say I was grateful for something today?" Since I'm stalling I might as well ask you.  How you doin'? No really, how are you doing on your Gratitude Attitude?  I meant it when I said I would love to hear from *you* about what you are finding yourself grateful for these days. Okay, enough stalling. Today I'm grateful for the freckles that are sprinkled across the noses and elbows of my redheads.  I love their freckles.  And I love the story behind their freckles.  When they both were born they had zero freckles, very unusual for r

Oops! :)  I went to bed last night feeling like I had forgotten to do something but I couldn't remember no matter how hard I searched my memory.  So I shrugged my shoulders and went to bed.  I remembered when I woke up this morning.  I forgot to post my Gratitude Attitude for yesterday! So here goes for yesterday... Today I am grateful for words.  Words to express feeling.  Words to explain.  Words to convey thoughts. Words to describe...people, situations, theories, landscapes, etc.  But with words comes great responsibility. We can speak words of life or words of death, the choice is ours.  Words can help us out or get us into trouble.  Words come from deep within us.   Out of the depths of our hearts our mouths speak .  Sometimes my words do get me in trouble, more often when I speak them rather than write them.  It's why I prefer writing to speaking.  :)  Without words we would find another way to communicate all of the things, and more, that I listed above but I am perso

Tonight I went to my youngest redhead's school for Back To School Night and as I sat and listened to the Principle and her teacher team I was overwhelmed with gratitude for this school that she is in.  It is a great school, not just for her but for any kid.  The staff at this school is outstanding, the administration is top notch. Within this excellent school is a specialized school called the Academic Arts Academy, they teach core curriculum through arts and it is P.E.R.F.E.C.T. for the youngest redhead.  She is really growing up and learning and thriving in this school and I couldn't help it, my eyes filled with tears.  I am just so incredibly grateful for this opportunity for her and her future.  

A while back my husband took a couple days off and during his puttering around he decided to clean all of our windows, inside and out.  We hadn't realized how dirty they really were until he cleaned them and we could see out of them again!  They sparkle and shine like they haven't in about 10 years (not a word and no judgement!).  Today I was looking out the window at the sun setting and I, once again, was so grateful for our clean windows.  It gives me a clear view to the mountain I love (Pikes Peak) and everything has a lot more clarity.  I'm grateful for them, I'm grateful that my husband looked at them and decided it was (way past) time.

Today is one of those days where I'm having a hard time coming up with something specific.  It's not that I am ungrateful today, I'm just...tired.  And when I'm tired I have a hard time being aware and alert to life around me. Earlier today I organized our calendar for the month of September.  I think it might have been the final nail in the coffin of tired.  We are B.U.S.Y. in September!  Wow.  But I look at it all and I can see where there are opportunities for relationship building, community building, life lessons in perseverance, furthering developing gifts the redheads have, etc and so while I am exhausted looking at it I am grateful for what is to come in the month of September.  I am grateful that we have a life outside our four walls and that life is full of moments and memories with people.  Maybe I'm putting too much stock in the filled days to come this month but maybe I'm also willing to have the eyes of my heart and mind wide open so as to not mis