Counting to 1000 (continued)

A great habit for a Monday (even though this Monday has only got a few hours left!!) is to keep a list of gratitudes. Doing so has really changed me and I've seen it change others. I didn't come up with this idea; I'm just copying her.

Last Monday I came into my Spanish class of 5th and 6th graders and was greeted with this warning: "Preciosa is grumpy!"

Preciosa, if you must know, has QUITE OFTEN been grumpy this year in Spanish. She has struggled. She has wept. She has felt discouraged, despite my and other teachers' best efforts to bring her along, to encourage her, to build her up.

In the last month or so, her attitude has really turned around. All of her teachers have seen great improvement. But, as happens to the best of us, Monday mornings can sneak right up and make you REAL skellery (this is a word made up by Lucy that means scowling, grumpy, with a sour countenance).

So last Monday, as skellery Preciosa came into class and slumped her tiny frame into her desk, I came up and knelt beside her. The rest of the class was busy with their work.

"Here's what I want you to do," I whispered. "You can write this in English. Write down five things you're thankful for. Then let me know when you're done."

I went on with class as usual and circled back around to her after about 10 minutes. To my wonder, she had written her list IN SPANISH and she had included SIX things. And her attitude has suddenly and remarkably turned. She smiled with shy pride as she showed me her list. And the rest of class, she wasn't skellery at all.

My friends, this can happen to YOU! Think about joining me by starting your own list.

0566 only four more days of teaching!
0567 flowers are blooming all around
0568 two days in a ROW of running!
0569 Theo's profession of faith and God's grace in his life
0570 infant baptism (it's okay if you don't agree!)
0571 sweeping up crumbs
0572 finding peace in my everyday work (this is a struggle for me)
0573 drinking water
0574 the boys' room is CLEANED OUT!!! (quick, come over, it'll never look this good again!

0575 paying bills
0576 being able to pay bills
0577 Lucy's first recital; she had a really great class of little girls and fun moms!

0578 making prayer cards
0579 painting with Lucy
0580 getting our family bike-riding ready!
0581 John leading in the discipline arena
0582 community
0583 the sweet girls from my small group at last weekend's retreat
0584 I'm actually getting much better at making dinner (has been my nemesis for years)
0585 letter from a friend
0586 restoring order
0587 looking forward to dinner with a friend this week!
0588 when the boys want to hold my hand
0589 singing SUPER loud in church - ha ha!
0590 flowers in the median on an ugly stretch of road
0591 God's faithfulness to His church; He never lets go - of you or me either!