One Thousand Gifts (428-448)

Continuing my journey of counting toward one thousand gifts...

I carry a small notebook in my purse to write down my list of blessings while I'm away from home. I called my orthodontist on Monday morning and asked to come in to have some "donuts" placed on my back brackets because I was wearing blisters into my inner cheeks. (Very painful.) The woman at the front desk was wonderful because she slipped me in for a quick appointment before I went to work.

I arrived on the run into the office. Had the quick procedure and by the way it was Halloween and all the staff were in costumes. I felt a bit under-dressed and was also thankful that it wasn't my first visit since it would have startled me. Ha!

I was walking out the door and saw a woman with her arms filled with her purse, books, and balancing a cup of coffee above it all. I was going to say that I would get the door for her when she looked at me and asked, "Is this yours?" She was holding my small notebook! I said, "Yes," and she handed it to me. I thanked her and marveled to myself that I obviously had droppped it in the parking lot and I was the first person she saw upon entering and it was mine.

God's perfect timing!

#428 - 448 on my list of One Thousand Gifts. I'm thankful for:

428. the woman who returned my notebook

429. a well-timed orthodontist appointment that brought relief to my mouth

430. my braces. Five months down, five to seven months left to go!

431. my first business trip for work to Baltimore, MD

432. Wonderful Husband coming with me and sharing the drive

433. Wonderful Husband sightseeing: Historic Ships in Baltimore- USS Constellation, USS Torsk, Lightship Chesapeake; the Baltimore Aquarium; and the American Visionary Art Museum

434. friendly hotel personnel

435. God and my belief that every conversation I had on the trip was ordained by Him

436. a beautiful chandelier in the meeting room at the Sheraton Hotel

437. being open to new work relationships and sharing dinner out

438. assisting a nursing mom with privacy by letting her use our hotel room

439. having the same mom show me pictures of her child "that I was helping"

440. a 60 year old woman who was inspired to become a triathlete after seeing an 85 year old cross the finish line on TV

441. being told the secret to the automatic faucet in the restroom, instead of waving my hand like an idiot, there was a sensor in the center of the spigot. (Please note: After thinking I had the secret to wet hands, at the rest stop in Delaware I'm still waving my hand like an idiot since the sensor was located in the center of the barrel of the faucet.) Argh! And don't get me started on motion sensored paper towel dispensers!

442. assisting 40 people who took our two day course

443. watching them learn, ask questions, and earn 14 continuing education hours

444. two awesome speakers with approximately 40 years of clinical research experience between the two of them

445. Daylight Savings Time and receiving an extra hour of sleep

446. hard eucharisteo: less daylight and driving home from work in the dark

447. our daughter shopping online (for us) for my niece-in-law's (her cousin-in-law's) baby shower gifts

448. our daughter not going into labor while we've been traveling outside of PA. I know it's hard for her since she's soooo ready, yet I'm thankful that we are in town from here on out!

Please visit A Holy Experience: Multitudes On Mondays, One Thousand Gifts.