Thankful Tuesday ....

.... and yes, I was supposed to post this yesterday to link it to Ann's blog, but I was too busy cheering, running errands, and purging and organizing to write a post (though not too busy to be thankful!).

I wasn't scheduled to play in our tennis match yesterday but I went anyway (cuz I'm SUCH a great team member that I just love getting up early and meeting at 7:45 a.m. to drive across town!).  Really, though .... I needed a break from all of the purging and knew that I'd just start it up again if I stayed home.  It was a beautiful day and it was great to watch all four doubles games going on.  They all played really, really well (it took some a set to warm up) but we took all four lines!!!  Of course, I attributed it to the power of the cheerleader, but that's just my opinion.  :)
Winning three of the four lines meant that we got enough points to stay at our level this season .... and we still have 3 matches left for extra points!  So the pressure is off.  If you don't know what I'm talking about, when you play in a league your team plays at a certain level, depending on the skill level of the team.  Our Houston League starts out at B4 and moves up like this .... B3, B2, B1, A3 .... and so on.  After A1 is Championship level .... a level to which I will never attain, nor want to attain (the higher you get, the more hardcore it gets ..... I do this for fun, exercise and to hang out with some of my favorite people.  Oh, and to go to lunch afterwards!   Some women act like they do this for a living, rather than in their free time .... sheesh).
When I first started playing Son #3 was about 2.  I started at the bottom level with a newly formed team. One of my team mates then is still a team mate .... in fact, she's the captain of our team, which plays at the A3 level.
Anyway, you have to make a certain amount/percentage of points to stay at your level or you get moved down.  If you make the most points at your level you get to move up.
We're ok with not moving up quite yet  (we just formed our team last year) .... but no one ever wants to move down.  Thus, our lunch after the match yesterday was a very happy and joyous one.  It's such a great feeling to have that pressure removed, especially before the very last match of the season (which has happened to us before!).
So I'm very thankful that I tagged along and got to enjoy their wins with them.  :)

After lunch I ran a few errands then came home and ..... you guessed it ..... started purging again.
I started with my linen closet in my bathroom and then did all of the cabinets and drawers.  Wow!  I had a lot of stuff to go through .... and purge (and trash and donate!).
Then I went to the upstairs black-hole-linen closet and purged like crazy in there.  In fact, there's hardly anything left.  I hope we don't have any visitors soon because I might have to go out and buy some sheets!
I worked until 6:30, when I finally quit and made dinner for Son #3 and myself.  Then I went into the study for some quiet time and devotions.  Yes,  I'd rather start my day that way, but when I have to race out of the house at 7:30 a.m. it's hard to be awake enough before that to get much out of it.
It was still a great time with God .... thanking Him for all of the ways He shows me that He loves me .... every day.
Here are just a few:

#21.  Feeling the adrenaline rush of a zip line when you first "let go" (which sometimes takes several minutes!).
#22.  Lying on the cold hood of a car, wrapped in "Jim's" quilt (made of his t shirts) and watching the lights of shooting stars streaking across the inky black sky.
#24.  The faces of a room full of believers/strangers as they listen to, and support, one another.
#25.  Tiny bubbles in a flower vase, catching light, holding on to the stems and the glass.  Hundreds of bubbles, delicate .... some alone, some bigger because they've combined with others.
#27.  Smiles that shine through the eyes.

Well, I'm off to spend some time with God ..... and then start purging again!  The urge to purge is starting to wear off a bit so I have to move quickly, before it's gone!

Happy Tuesday, Peeps.
:)