operation nice

Shannon Bittmann may be one of the nicest people on the planet and I am lucky enough to be her friend. She recently posted a list of things she loves as a part of her daily assignment from Operation Nice and I had so much fun reading hers that I thought I'd follow her lead and throw some nice out into the world on this dreary Tuesday (more dreary to come next week as Ike swarms up towards Dallas after slamming south TX). Below are the instructions and the list – enjoy! And feel free to write your own list.

*I challenge you to make your own list. The only catch? You can't include a single person you know on your list. No "I love the way my husband laughs" or "I love hearing my little girl call for me." It'll be tough, I know. But this particular little exercise is about stripping away everyone who defines you and figuring out what you (not his partner; not their mother/daughter/sister/friend) love.

• I love lying by a quiet pool with water, friends, and a good book.
  
• I love to see the trees change in the Fall – imagine how great it must be in a state that actually experiences Fall.
  
• I love traveling to foreign places and discovering the cities, culture, history, and language.
  
• I love languages.
  
• I love school.
  
• I love meeting smart people who also like to learn.
  
• I love the feeling that God has His arms wrapped around me and is keeping me safe or protecting me from loneliness.
  
• I love fútbol.
  
• I love running with friends – talking or not talking it's nice not to be alone.
  
• I love hot tea.
  
• I love s'mores and getting messy when you eat them.
  
• I love skiing and falling down.
  
• I love scars that tell a story and show that you've lived life.
  
• I love painting my fingernails.
  
• I love giving my friends manicures and pedicures.
  
• I love being needed.
  
• I love macaroni and cheese (old school Kraft style).
  
• I love peanut butter – on a cracker, on bread, on an apple, or on a spoon.
  
• I love wearing colors that make my eyes stand out.
  
• I love movies.
  
• I love having assurance in Christ. Assurance that He is in control of my life. Assurance that He wants it to be abundant. And Assurance that He loves me just as I am.
  
• I love mushrooms, especially with pepperoni on pizza.
  
• I love the post-hard-workout feeling of exhilaration and exhaustion.
  
• I love Oklahoma State Football – Bullet and Pistol Pete.
  
• I love singing.
  
• I love playing the piano.
  
• I love the World Cup.
  
• I love the Euro Cup.
  
• I love watching soccer in a bar with crazy soccer fans, lots of yelling, and a cold beer.
  
• I love feeling empowered at my job.
  
• I love musicals and playing the part of different characters in my car whilst listening to the soundtrack.
  
• I love Barbara Streisand.
  
• I love the feel of Washington DC – the charge in the air, the public transportation, the patriotism, and the people.
  
• I love the first snow of winter (when I used to live somewhere where it snows).
  
• I love art.
  
• I love visiting historical places.
  
• I love wine.
  
• I love baking.
  
• I love coloring.
  
• I love feeling beautiful.
  
• I love the ocean.
  
• I love the mountains.
  
• I love birthdays.
  
• I love hearing stories of others who have picked up and moved to where their heart is be it for a cause, person, or job.
  
• I love flowers.
  
• I love tan lines.
  
• I love reading and becoming completely engrossed in a riveting book and staying up late to finish it.
  
• I love public transportation.
  
• I love the east coast.
  
• I love planning for an event, an evening, or just the future.
  
• I guess I must love being me.