“I will give you thanks in the great assembly; among throngs of people I will praise you.”
–Psalm 35:18
Happy 4th of July! Let’s thank God today, not just for the freedoms we enjoy here in the U.S., but also for our freedom from sin. Because of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross, we are no longer captives to sin. What freedom!
Continuing my list of one thousand gifts this week — #645 is the best gift so far!
645. her meeting with the pastor about her upcoming baptism (Oh! What joy for those whose hope is in the name of the Lord!)
646. the two free books earned from Barnes & Noble — because they love to read
647. new friends at swim camp
648. a picnic lunch on the patio at the Arboretum
649. sunny, 70-degree weather
650. water lilies and tadpoles
651. how she longs for her sketchbook and colored pencils
652. catching the rose garden at peak bloom
653. girls in white dresses
654. her fascination with finding sticks
655. the smooth, curved edges of the oak leaves
656. the mighty oak that stretches its branches so far and wide, giving us shade
657. just breathing the sweet, intoxicating smell of the roses
658. roses, roses and more roses
659. little girls in the rose garden
660. a second, same-day trip to the rose garden, with camera and sketchbooks in tow
661. how wild they run in the lush grass
662. the sunlight that turns hair and grass and everything golden
662. watching and learning from sisterly love as it blooms
663. a short wait and a wise doctor at urgent care
664. medicine and insurance and the healing that comes from Jehovah Rophe, the Lord Who Heals and Restores
665. the little one who diligently prays for her big sister to recover
666. air conditioning on a hot, humid day
667. news of Annie’s birth
668. God’s faithful protection over him as he launches the sailboat
669. shelter from the severe wind storm that brings in cooler weather
670. how the clouds glow after the storm passes over
671. the first sail of the season
672. a 5-year-old’s prayer for wisdom
673. captivating clouds at sunset
674. lessons in contentment and God’s provision
675. reading John 4:7 after giving water and popsicles to the men working hard in the heat
676. hydrangeas blooming on the patio
Starlight Writer 
Beautiful photoraphs my gifts from you.
Thank you, Bev. Your sweet comment was your gift to me. 🙂 Diana
Dear Diana,
I stopped over here from Ann’s. You posted right before me today and I try every Monday to meet the person who posts before and after me. This way I get to know the Multitudes a bit. I am amazed to see these wonderful summer pictures of Minnesota. I was there in the winter once and it was bitter cold and it left me with the impression that Minnesota is always at least a bit cool. By the looks of your daughters’ sun dresses and the beautiful roses you must get some lovely summer weather there.
It was good dropping by here. Many of the things on the list describing yourself are passions of mine, as well. As I went down the bullets, I kept saying yes, yes, check!
God bless you,
Dawn
Thank you for stopping by, Dawn. Yes, it does get hot here! We had a very unusual 103 degrees F last month, which is quite a range when you think about the -25 we had in February. My daughters always announce the temperature followed by “above zero” — even in the summer. God bless you! -Diana
A beautiful list! Your pictures of your “girls in white dresses” are lovely!
Oh, thank you for your kind words! -Diana
it’s such an advantage that you are giving your daughters – to know the one true God – to not have to figure it out on their own. I know – I just know that they can see the faith in you – and they will – THEY WILL copy their mama. From your thank you list – my fave? The one about air-conditioning. As a child I grew up in Brooklyn New York – in a brownstone apartment – with one fan. The pace of every single day was determined by the heat. Air-conditioning evens things out – it’s a blessing that we have that we always take for granted until it’s not there. I’m sure there’s a spiritual analogy in there somewhere 🙂 thank you for this Diana – and God bless and keep you and your roses and your sailboat captain this Sunday.