O-Other things

I couldn't come up with anything else for O so I decided to use the letter to write about some things that I didn't for previous letters.

A- Adventure - I am thankful for the adventurous spirit that God has given me. I love to climb rocks, swim, hike, backpack etc. I have a huge list of stuff I want to do including hang gliding, scuba diving, sky diving, dirt biking and others. I have flown an airplane, ridden in an ultra-lite plane (basically a motorcycle with wings), snorkeled, and other fun stuff. I don't want to be unsafe but I am grateful for the thirst for life and adventure that God has given me.

C - Cards - One of the things I love to do is make cards. It is expensive at times to buy the supplies but cheaper in the long run. I also think that it is so much more meaningful to not only get a card that was made just for you but to be able to make a card specifically for someone. I am thankful that I have the money to be able to do this. I am thankful that I have a husband who supports this habit and encourages me to make things to de-stress and thinks they are beautiful. I am thankful that I have a great space in my house just for my craft stuff. I love it!

M- Missions - I debated about making this A for Africa but I decided that in the end, while I love Africa, it's not just Africa. I grew up with a heart for missions and have wanted to be a missionary since I was about 8. I married a youth minister so that passion and dream have changed a little but the fire is still there. I also strongly believe that you should not go overseas to teach people if you aren't doing it where you live first. Before sending me on one of my trips to Africa the head of Westover Hills' Missions Committee asked me what I was doing currently to spread the gospel because if I wasn't doing it now then I wouldn't really do it there. Missions, all kinds of missions, and service is something that gets me excited. It's a huge part of me and I love to share it with others. I am thankful that God has given me the opportunity to experience trips to other parts of the world to share His love and I am thankful that He continues to teach me how to do that in my daily life.

E-Exercise - I love, love, love to work out. It's not like I have to wear a size 4 (which I don't think I ever have in my life) or weight a certain amount. It's about feeling good, being strong, pushing myself, being healthy and a positive self esteem. I admit, I like when I am in shape and my skinny jeans fit. But, I also like the way I feel after a hard work out, an intense yoga class or a long hike. I like pushing my muscles to do more. I have noticed huge improvements in my asthma since I started doing yoga regularly. I am not super skinny. My stomach is way more flabby than I like. My arms jiggle more than I am comfortable with. But, I know that I am also strong. I know that I am flexible and have good muscle tone. I am so thankful that God has given me the physical strength and ability to be able to exercise my body. I am thankful that he has given me the passion for sports and activity. I am thankful for the lessons that it has taught me. I hope that I am able to pass this on to my daughter. I don't want her to criticize the way she looks or want to be as thin as a model but I want her to take pride in her body and desire to be healthy.

So, that's it I guess. There are probably more things but I don't want this to be forever long!