The Past Week's Graces

Happy Monday, everyone!  Here are this past week's graces... also shared over at the Gratitude Community of A Holy Experience.  I hope you will hop over there and read other people's 1000 gifts too... it has helped me to see many more beauty instead of ashes moments in my everyday!

79. a short work week... kids were off school on Friday!
80. Christmas music.
81. new layout in my home office... hubby helped me re-arrange it!
82. Monday night dinners at my sister's home.
83. eBay... great deals for Christmas gifts!
84. little children's Christmas lists... I love the challenge of looking for those hard-to-find items on my nephews' and niece's wish lists.
85. arnica gel and castor oil --- for my sore muscles.
86. a cup of hot tea after dinner.
87. being able to pay bills...
88. my work-from-home arrangement.
89. Val and Katia didn't get eliminated on Battle of the Blades.  Hoping they win the finale tonight... Val is skating to win a $50,000 donation for Compassion Canada.
90. hubby and I volunteering together at my kids' school.
91. snacks shopping for UrbanPromise.
92. supporting a worthwhile and amazing organization, Habitat for Humanity Toronto.  Our family bought a brick this past week to help build the House of Hope!  On it will be engraved the words... Here I am.  Lord, send me!
93. connecting with friends from the past through Facebook.
94. the power of The Cross!
95. buying groceries for a sick friend...
96. my children participating in the school choir... with my daughter on the piano!
97. my children brought home awesome report cards this week!
98. my chat with the school principal regarding how the Operation Christmas Child project went at the school this year.
99. grateful for his 150% support of the project... even with the possibility of "protest" from some in the school community (publicly-funded school) who do not support Samaritan's Purse.
100. thankful that no "protest" ever came to be...
101. very grateful that we were able to do this project... even if it's going to be just for this one time... as awareness has been raised with over 190 families participating!
102. for the challenge of coming up with a similar project to do at the school next year... I need God's wisdom on this.  Here I am.  Lord, send me!
103. visiting a sick friend at the hospital and marveling at how strangely God works sometimes... then visiting her at home the next day... her new life that will include dialysis everyday has started...
104. quiet drive up to Svetec Farms to buy grass-fed beef.
105. putting up our Christmas decorations and tree!
106. awesome parent/teacher interviews!  I am one proud mama!!!
107. blogging on a quiet Saturday morning.
108. Chris Tomlin's Christmas CD.
109. encouraging message from the teaching pastor.
110. my boy's fresh haircut.

'Til next week, my dear blog readers... look out for those every-day graces!

Here I am.  Lord, send me!