Skip to main content

I'm struggling with the September joy dare because her gift topics are hard to find. Instead of feeling challenged to look even harder, I keep procrastinating writing out my gifts. I want to do the joy dare perfectly, but I can't. Instead of waiting for that magic moment when I will have a perfect answer for each 3 gifts each day, I have decided to just write out 3 gifts from each day and skip the categories.

September 6:

  • #351: Another crazy-busy day that I pray to make it through
  • #352: My quiet, reflective celebration as I replay the events of the day on my ride home from work
  • #353: Excited anticipation of a weekend away with mom, dad and extended family

September 7:

  • #354: Sharing ourselves through hours of conversation in the car
  • #355: Gathering with extended family to celebrate a marriage
  • #356: Excited hugs and smiles at our reunion
  • #357: Getting inside right before the rain starts pouring down
  • #358: Funny and engaging conversation about Meyers-Briggs and everyone's personality preferences

September 8:

  • #359: Breakfast at Peppermint's
  • #360: Restaurant coffee that actually tastes good
  • #361: Midday at The Old Toad
  • #362: British accents and laughing loud
  • #363: Megan and Chris' wedding
  • #364: A beautiful night of celebration and conversation with family

September 9:

  • #365: Sleeping in
  • #366: Brunch and more conversation
  • #367: Visiting Grandad and touring his home
  • #368: Pita pizza's
  • #369: French films with their bizarre story lines and stunning cinematography

September 10:

  • #370: Sleeping in the car and waking up in a new state
  • #371: Finally finding a starbucks!
  • #372: Coming home
  • #373: How the intensity of my week stretches before me and I find myself praying desperately

September 11:

  • #374: Welcoming visitors in my office
  • #375: Seeing 10 people in 1 day, 9 within a 7 hour period
  • #376: How God sustained me in what was impossible
  • #377: The quiet burn in my stomach that warns me I'm pushing it too much

September 12:

  • #378: New contacts
  • #379: Samples of face wash, an answer to a secret prayer
  • #380: Cancellations that feel welcome because it gives me time to breath, to pray, to read and to think
  • #381: Going out to eat
  • #382: When I can really share my heart
  • #383: A friend who really understands

September 13:

  • #384: Another long day of work
  • #385: Being surprised by time I didn't know I would have
  • #386: Watching TV with my mom to unwind at the end of the day

September 14:

  • #387: My first Rotary Academy meeting
  • #388: Feeling excited to work with students in a school setting again
  • #389: When I turn my office in a room of prayer
  • #390: The start of the Aglow retreat
  • #391: My mom and how I forget how absolutely amazing she is and then feel overwhelmed with gratitude and joy when I remember it again

September 15:

  • #392: When I prepare for one thing and something totally different happens
  • #393: When I feel uncomfortable by what God seems to be doing in other people
  • #394: When I realize that my heart is hard toward God
  • #395: The way it hurts when I choose to let me heart be tender again even though that makes it vulnerable
  • #396: Being able to teach what God is teaching me
  • #397: Praying for women
  • #398: Singing

September 16:

  • #399: Nespresso in the morning
  • #400: Fresh waffles
  • #401: Playing with Ava, Noah and Kingston
  • #402: Resting on the day of rest

September 17:

  • #403: Clean teeth
  • #404: Choosing to go to the HOP during the day since it's been hard to get there at night
  • #405: The way I feel close to God when I am there
  • #406: A quieter work week with time and space to enjoy God, take care of responsibilities and connect with people
  • #407: A new season of Bible study under my mom's gifted leadership

September 18:

  • #408: Being at the House of Prayer in the middle of the day, for the 2nd day in a row
  • #409: Getting to leave work early and feeling peaceful about it
  • #410: Babysitting and how excited those kids are to see me

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Transition

 It's snowing outside my window. It just started to stick a little bit. I can see it on the trees and covering the leaves. This is the first snow of the season. It means change is coming. Fall coats are no longer be sufficient. Hats, scarves and gloves become a part of my daily wardrobe. My car needs time to warm up and I should fill up with gas when it gets down to 1/4 tank. I really like this time of year. Fall is ending and winter is coming. I like snuggling in front of a fire and wearing sweaters. I like drinking hot chocolate, apple cider and spice tea, in addition to my usual coffee consumption. I like Thanksgiving, the holiday and the practice. While I welcome this change in season, I am so aware of how I am struggling in my own transition. I have spent several hours contacting insurance companies to change my name now that I am doing business as Jody Striker, LCPC. Ben is still collecting our things from the various places where we have been storing them. Th

My Arbonne Story - A journey of discovery

You guys, drum roll, please... I have become an Independent Consultant with Arbonne! This is a big change for me and I am SO, so excited for this opportunity. But, no one seems to be as surprised as I am by this development. Most of the people that I have told have said something like, "That makes sense." Or, "I can see you doing that."This has gotten me reflecting on what has been emerging in me that is facilitating this transition. And, how does what seems like such a discovery to me seem so logical to everyone else?! I have been an Arbonne groupie for several years now. I absolutely love their product! Every time they come out with something new and I get to try it, I end up wanting it. I have hosted several parties and I have thoroughly enjoyed introducing other people to all of the amazing products that I have been enjoying, but I never considered becoming a consultant. Recently, something shifted for me. I was at a party and I felt really stirred w

9 day of wedding anticipation

On the 9 th day before my wedding… I went to the mall. Again. I have been going to the mall once a week for about the past month. But this week, I went twice. I bought a going-away dress at Charlotte Russe and lots of shoes for the groomsmen at H&M. I have been to Macy’s to find one of those shapers that are impossible to get into, but make my curvy shape look nice and smooth under my fitted wedding dress. I literally broke out into a sweat trying these spandex suits on and it took me so long to get one off and another on that they were very hard to compare. Finally, I bought two and took them home to ask my mom for her recommendation. I have been to Charming Charlie’s to look at jewelry. Of course I couldn’t decide what to buy without my personal stylist Karyn, so I had to buy two separate sets. I figured that I would consult with Karyn and then return the set that she voted out. After all, I already knew that I would have to return with the rejected shaper. I als