Well - we're only 1 week away from our family vacation. We are getting really excited. Jamie and I leave next Thursday (5/25) for Los Angeles, CA where we will spend 3 days with Josh & Kari in Pasadena before the rest of the Jackson clan arrive on Saturday. We will all leave on Sunday to drive up to Yosemite National Park for 5 days of camping, hiking, hanging out and enjoying the scenery... GOOD TIMES 'eh?

Other than that, we are still incredibly busy and overwhelmed with all that is happening and yet to come this summer. I am only 4 weeks away from leaving for Bosnia with our team of students from Eagle - and be assured there is much left to do for that.

As far as thoughts... recently I have just been thinking a lot about gratitude. I think that being grateful and thankful is really far more spiritual than I have ever realized before. Obviously it is the natural precursor to praise, but I have not really reflected on how much living with a continual attitude of gratitude can influence life. Choices, mood, perspective on life, and so much more are easily affected when we are simply grateful. All of a sudden it seems that stress, worries and anxiety decreases somewhat - not to mention that it helps to remind me again and again just how dependant I am upon God.

As I try to grow and increase my attitude of gratitude, I realize and recognize over and over that if it weren't for God, my life would be totally different. Not only that, but I am reminded that there is really no way that I could have orchestrated and planned my life as I know it - so, it helps to right-size my concerns, worries, anxieties to keep them in perspective. Always grateful that God has been involved and "at work" in my life previously and remaining grateful that He is far from done "working" on me yet...

Clint.