On Giving Thanks

My dear friend Kirsty tagged me in this the other day.  She's basically the coolest person ever, and anyone interested in writing or being awesome should read her blog.  Because she's great.  And has an agent.  And I secretly want her life sometimes.

rules: list ten things you are thankful for, five of which must be writing-related.

1. Church: it's pretty much my favorite.  I love being in this big room, so filled with the Spirit of God, surrounded by people I know, people I recognize, and complete strangers.  Knowing that we've all had such different lives, but we're still all here, eager to worship the same great God is inspiring to me.

2. Rain: I love my city for so many reasons, but one of them must be the weather.  I love rain: it's cold, it's fresh, it smells good, it makes everything feel like new, it's beautiful.  And the sun is really just too hot.  Give me a fifty degree day with rain, and I'll be happy for always.

3. SPU: I adore this place.  I am so thankful that God tipped the scales to keep me here in Seattle, instead of jetting off all the way to Spokane (I mean, that's practically in another state...).  I've grown more here than I ever thought could be possible, and met some of the greatest people who I've ever come into contact with.

4. Walks: Within these moments outdoors, staring up at the sky, my sanity is found.

5: Pie:  Hey, it's not that random; Thanksgiving just happened, and pie is great.  There are so many different varities, and you can eat it with whip cream, or ice cream, or coffee, or plain.  It's always a good time for pie.  I think this is a very valid thing to be thankful for.

6: My Creative Writing Group:  Starting junior year of high school, Joey, Clarissa, Bekah, Alex, and I have been sharing life and sharing writing together.  Even though we only meet up about twice a year, being able to talk about writing in conjecture with life is such a blessing.

7. Eighth Grade English: Combine classical music with creative writing prompts at the start of class, and you get a happy Anna.  My most favorite prompts were the ones with the black and white illustrations that had the opening line of a story, and you had to write the rest.  It was in that year, it was in that class, when this whole insanity started.

8. NaNoWriMo: National Novel Writing Month is the reason I have two completed novels.  A crazy, word filled thirty days.  It's self imposed torture and so much fun at the same time.  And my project this year (just finished on Sunday night, exactly fifty thousand words) forced me to dive into the Bible, and into my own mind.  I loved writing these scenes.  This was the first time that I really came into contact with God through my writing: it was no longer just a way to worship, but I way to learn and to grow in the Word, and in my understanding of who God is.  Thanks Nano: you're great.

9: Ali Morgan: Writing parties, pretzels, ranting about characters with dirty mouths, swapping ideas, keeping each other motivated, pep talks, inumerable cups of tea, walking to and from small group, laughter.  Love.

10. Books: Ok, this one might seem a little bit vague and impersonal, but seriously: I love books.  I've loved them since before I could read.  Take me into a bookstore, and I can be lost in bliss for hours.  It is through these bound pages that authors reveal the world.  It's through these playful words on paper that I've met Heathcliff, Ponyboy, Hand, and Harry Potter.  I am blown away by the messages writers have to say, and reading their words only makes me want to write more; to throw out these thoughts onto paper, to see if (just maybe) there's something important enough to be shared.