500 Posts! ...And Friday Fave Five - August 27th

Wow.  500 posts on a blog...  Never saw that comin'!  I started this just as a little place to write down thoughts and experiences...  and never thought I'd have people joining me along the way or that it would become a daily experience (most of the time).  How fun!

Today, my morning reading fit perfectly with celebrating a milestone!  Here are some of my favorite quotes:

"It's never too late - in fiction or in real life - to revise."
-Nancy Thayer

"Live so that when someday comes, you'll be able to say, as Mary C. Morrison does in her wonderful book about aging, 'Let Evening Come': "We have had our world as in our time, and if we relive it well in memory, it will bring us wisdom.  We will come, each of us, to see our life as the whole that it is.  Events that seemed random will show themselves to be parts of a coherent whole.  Decisions that we were hardly aware of making will reveal themselves as significant choices, and we can honestly and dispassionately regret the poor ones and rejoice in the good ones.  We can call up emotions that seemed devastating in their time, and recollect them in tranquillity, forgiving others and ourselves.  When we do this, we have truly had our world as in our time, and it is our possession from that time on, giving us its gifts of wisdom and wholeness."
--Sarah Ban Breathnach, from "Something More"

"It is only possible to live happily ever after on a day-to-day basis."
--Margaret Bonnano

So today I ponder the steps I can take today to increase the chances that I'll live my happily ever after...  What steps will you take?

And...  The Friday Fave Five!  Susanne hosts a chance for each of us to look back on our week and share five of our favorite blessings of the week...  If you'd like to join in, link up at her blog!  Here are mine:

1.  Last Friday night, the hubby and I took my parents out to a Jazz Club in Minneapolis to listen to some great music, have some great food, and enjoy a night out - celebrating Dad's birthday and their new "empty nest" status.  A very fun night!

2.  Last Saturday, our church council had a retreat to look back on the past year and forward to a new year of ministry together.  It was a time of learning, fellowship, and some deeper sharing than we've ever managed before!  I was so proud of the whole group and their willingness to be a little more vulnerable as they seek to move forward in faith.  Loved it.

3.  Saturday night the hubby and I went back downtown for a fun block party hosted by the Red Stag Supper Club.  We had the chance to see one of our favorite bands, "Cory Chisel and the Wandering Sons" - outside and free!  Later we met up with some other friends and got to hit a couple of other places in the city we've been meeting to check out.  A fun night!

4.  I was asked to share my faith story in church on Sunday...  A daunting task.  As I wrote it up, I started to get a little nervous and asked my hubby if I could run it by him first.  He said "sure."  As I was reading it to him, he started to tear up!  Ohmygoodness.  That was not the intent!  When I was done, I asked him why it made him teary - and he simply said, "You know who you are."  Awwww...  A sweet moment.

5.  It's been a quiet week...  Work is a little slow.  Nothing's been going on in the evenings.  I've gotten to do some cooking and cleaning, some reading and lounging.  It's been lovely - and I'm enjoying every minute before the busy-ness of the school year starts!

And... the things I am thankful for today:

1.  A playful dog.  Yes, even at 7am on my day off...
2.  A lazy morning.
3.  A yummy new banana bread recipe.  Watch for it next Wednesday!
4.  Another workout.  My knees have never been so sore!
5.  Lunch with the hubby before he left for the weekend.
6.  The hubby noticing my biceps!  Ha ha ha.  Yep, they're there somewhere!
7.  Cleaning out my closet.  Uffda.  Got another load for Goodwill.
8.  A lazy evening.
9.  Lemonade.
10.  My friend, Amanda, coming to visit tonight!