Only a month since I began my journey to One Thousand Gifts.
In this one short month I have counted my way to 75. I feel like my eyes have been opened. I am abundantly blessed. In the daily moments of life, in the here and now, in moments I have counted these gifts and given thanks.
That is really what it comes down to...giving thanks. Thanking Jesus for the gifts. Recognizing that even the small things are a gift of His love!
Creamer for coffee
Family snuggles in our bed giving extra minutes of sleep
Hand holding on the couch
Dinner with my sister & our boys
We only enter into the full life if our faith gives thanks.
Thanksgiving is necessary to live well, whole, fullest life.
(One Thousand Gifts...p.39)
Afternoon dates with Jason
Boy whispers of "your the best mommy"
Spring weather in the middle of February
Hearing Jake sing God's word from the back seat
Gratitude in the small things will help to appreciate each day and moment. Look to find the joy. (One Thousand Gifts)
Now that I see all these gifts around me it is hard to turn off. I am always looking, always listening, and searching. Keeping notes of what I am seeing and silently giving thanks as I note each gift. Looking at these moments as a "gift" is joy itself.
To feel the joy. You can't help but be joyful when you are counting so many gifts along the way.
Find the grace, give thanks, and joy will follow...
It may seem finding the gift is difficult. We can feel so overwhelmed with life and can't imagine where we would see these things. And even more times we wonder where the joy will come from. It really is a simple formula. All you have to do is take the Dare just begin writing down what you see throughout your day. By writing it down we are giving thanks to Him and before you know it joy will follow.
Ann says she writes her list in a normal spiral notebook and others use pretty journals. Whatever you use it should be small and portable. Take it with you so you can jot down no matter where you are...trust me once you start you will see these gifts everywhere. I am using my phone to keep my list. It is almost always with me. I have the cozi calendar app on my phone which has a journal section. It is so easy for me to pull it out no matter where I am and easily type in what I see. I tried earlier to use a notebook. But I found if it was open on my counter I would forget to grab it on my way out the door. Then I would see something and forget to write it when I got home. Or I would scribble it on a scrap piece of paper, but my scraps never made it to one list. I am sure most of us take our phone with us everywhere...this has worked for me.
Running outside
Talking dreams with Jason
Rocks becoming Dino teeth
Fresh scent of a little boy after bath
Spinach in eggs to make them green
Sunny yellow of fresh blooms glistening in the rain
The proof is in the list 75 and still counting to One Thousand Gifts.
The Joy is the hunt. His list of love toward me. (Ann Voskamp)
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