Here’s the prompt from KathrynZJ over at Revgals for the Friday Five:

At my church we’re in the midst of a new thing – the Narrative Lectionary. So far, so good… I think. It’s so hard to tell right in the middle of something new if it’s going well or not, isn’t it? We’re still too early in the process to do a survey or really dive into the classic reflections: What worked? What didn’t? What should we change? What should stay the same?

So in an attempt to remind myself that sometimes these things take time and that I have, in fact, been involved in other triumphant things, I’ve decided to list five of my triumphs.

How ’bout it?

Care to join me?

List five triumphs – they can be professional (grew a youth program from 0 to 60 in 2 years) or they can be personal (she said yes). You can do a quick list or you can elaborate. They can be little (I avoided the office candy jar this week) or HUGE (I had to grind it out, but eventually I passed all of my ordination exams).  It’s totally up to you.

This is a challenging one for me. I have a friend who does a lot of what I call “facebragging” that makes me want to scream. And I’m sure some of my posts can be seen that way by other people. (I’m sorry!)

I want to be a thankful person and take note of my blessings. But not in a way that makes other people feel inadequate and sucky.

I tend to facebrag more about my kids than about myself. But I recognize the perils there too.

So let’s see if I can do this without being a jerk.

Five Triumphs

1. I now own a pair of red cowboy boots.

This one has been many years in the making. My life is complete.

2. I woke up in the middle of the night and realized a cat was sleeping on my head. Actually curled up on the top of my head.

How is this a triumph, you ask?

I am choosing to see this as a sign that I am such a kind and loving person that woodland creatures can sense it and want to get as close to me as they possibly can.

3. My house is not a disaster and a wreck.

While this may be an easy claim for many to make, my husband has been out of town all week. (Facebrag–he’s in Haiti being a doctor on a medical mission trip. Let’s all agree I married up.) And he is the one who keeps our life organized around here usually.

But since he’s been gone, I’ve hosted a party, worked a full week, saw the Avett Brothers in concert, attended 4 soccer games and a cross country meet, gotten Elliott to a band thing, washed the dishes, paid the bills, remembered to get the trash to the street yesterday, edited college application essays for Alden, and the house is actually clean.

Granted, I still have more than 24 hours before he returns, so anything could happen. But at this moment, I’m winning. (Come home soon, babe!)

4. I serve a great congregation.

Really and truly. They like to laugh. They enjoy each other’s company. They are enthusiastically willing to make sure our work and play match up with our vision for seeking God’s Kingdom. They don’t take themselves too seriously. They care for each other and for me. They will let me preach in my red cowboy boots.  And when someone donates cool turquoise jewelry to the Presbyterian Women’s sale, the jewelry ladies know to offer me first option to buy.

5. I’m still taking dance classes.

Seven months later, I’m still taking belly dance classes and  am ready to sign up for the next session when it goes online. I’ve written about it before (here and here) but it is both rewarding and difficult work. And every week when I return to class after the difficulties of the class the week before, I recognize the triumph.