One Thousand Gifts

I was thrilled when my mom gave me a copy of Ann Voskamp's book, One Thousand Gifts.  I have been wanting to read it, and hadn't sprung for it yet.  I have read less than two chapters so far, and am purposely reading slowly.  Why?  Because I can tell already...this is a book to be savored.  Like a rich piece of dark chocolate you let melt slowly in your mouth, I want Ann's words to soak slowly into my soul.  This is a beautiful book that is destined to be a classic.

Now, I have a confession.  I joined Ann's online gratitude community many months ago--pledging to document 1000 gifts in my life.  I did it for a while and posted some of my gifts here on theGoodlife.  Then I let it go.  I'm not sure why.

My mother in law gave me this beautiful journal for Christmas, and I quickly decided it would be my new 1000 gifts journal.  I started again at #1 in January.  And then, before long,  it sat waiting for me again...

Ann's book, which makes a case for living fully and gratefully, has challenged me to pick up that journal and start documenting my daily gifts again.  I will try to do it nightly.  I will try to post gifts again here on Mondays as a form of accountability.

Here a few of the most recent gifts listed:

62.  the privilege of disciplining my daughter:  I know that sounds weird, but when her actions deserve consequences, it is a privilege to be part of training her to be the woman God has called her to be.  She knows that, and although doesn't like the consequences, she settles into them, secure.

63.  girl's night at becca's:  I was invited to spend the night with some dear girlfriends.  We ate yummy food--cheeses, jams, berries, olives, bread--talked about our food journeys, laughed and delved into an art project they planned.  God is challenging me in the area of faith--so I made this collage.

the girls:  Carly, Becky (several days overdue!), Cathy and Becca

65.  the freedom I have from God to let go:  I don't have to be in charge, to make things happen, to manage.  He's already doing that.  I'm often getting in the way.  What joy it is to let go.

66. pickle wrote her first song with her guitar:  how I love to hear her sing and play...even if her first song was a tribute to Justin Beiber.  Really.  {smile}

Enjoy your day, bloggies.  Look for the gifts in your day!

Thankful Monday.

I am continuing to work my way to documenting 1000 gifts and sharing some of them with you on Mondays.

253.  12 baptisms.  We had the joy of celebrating baptism with 12 kids and adults at our church on Palm Sunday.  I get to teach the baptism class, and hear their stories, and it brings me great joy when I see them taking this step in their faith.  My favorite part of all the testimonies was when one little guy (pictured below) said he is "tight with God" and that "every time he prays his relationship with God gets bigger and bigger".  Music to this Children's Ministries Director's ears.

255. Laughing 'til you cry.  That's what my mom and sisters do when we get together.  When my sister Kim visited last weekend there was much laughing and several times it turned to the inevitable tears.  Cracks me up.  I'd post a picture, but it's not pretty.

265.  Hearing from God.  He has been talking to me, encouraging me, in the midst of some discouragement.  I am always amazed when He uses a Bible Study curriculum or book written for many and says something directly to my individual heart.  Isn't God cool?

269.  It's a GIRL!!! (no, I'm not pregnant--yikes!).  My sister Kerry (who you may remember lost her sweet Sadie a year ago) just found out that the child she is carrying is a little girl!  We are ecstatic that it's a she and that she looks great.  Can't wait to hold her.

270.  Good Friday service...taking time to focus on the work Jesus did on the Cross.  My hubby and three other guys from small group sang a beautiful song from Isaiah 53.  I was so proud of them...they sounded awesome.  We all confessed our sin by writing on red slips of paper that we all took turns nailing to cross as we went to communion.  The sound of the nails echoed through the room...over and over again.  And the cross ended up covered in red...

277.  Coloring eggs with my kids and my 3 year old nephew who was trying it for the first time.  He loved it, and it was fun to have the little guy with us so we could see it all through his eyes.

What are you thanking God for this week?

Thankful on Monday.

It's Monday, and time for my thankful post--you know, the one where I list some of the 1000 gifts I'm committed to documenting.  Only I must confess that my pace is slowing down--I'm forgetting to document  as much lately.  I think it's cause I'm in a busy season...but isn't that the time it is most crucial?  When we are busy, the habit to intentionally slow down and notice and be grateful is most important.  Or else we'll miss it all.   So, I'm pressing on.  I hope you do too.

Here's a few from my list this week:

#206   My new office configuration.  I work at our church, and my "office" is really just a desk in the church office.  For the last three years it has been configured in such a way that it is very easy for me to see the whole office, and anybody who comes in can see me.  I'm friendly.  I'm chatty. There are lots of visitors.  You can do the math--my desk was distracto-land for me.  For a long while, I've wanted to switch the whole thing around, but it was fairly involved and had a domino affect on the rest of the office space.  But this week we went for it--and now I have my own little hole.  (I like to call it my "office").  I really like it--it helps me focus more.  And since this is a busy time of year...focus is good.

Here is the whole thing in process--boy I can cause a mess!

Here is it done...yes, we need to do a little somethin' with that green wall.  Can you tell I sit behind there?

From the inside of my hole--excuse the mess, I'm working hard!  Notice at the top of the picture the door to the whole office.  Notice the wall between me and the door.  This = good.

#207   Sudoku.  Really, it's on my list.  (Although, I do have a mental block and call it Soduko sometimes.)  Do you like these little puzzles?   I have a little book on my nightstand and when I'm awake and need to be asleep, I do a few.  I'm getting sleepy and fighting altzeimer's at the same time!  Who says multi-tasking doesn't work?

#222.   Heat.  I was awake in the middle of the night.  I snuggled under my warm covers and heard the furnace kick on.  I knew that meant heat was now pumping through our home.  I'm thankful for a warm home, and heat that comes on automatically to keep it that way.  The fact that I thought of that in the middle of the night makes me think this grateful habit is working...

As always, I'd love to know what you are grateful for...

Thankful.

I continue my quest to document 1000 gifts.  Won't you join me?

181.  Sore muscles.  I'm choosing to be thankful for some sore muscles I have had this week--due to simple things like yoga and the wii fit.  (I know, Pathetic with a capital P!) Those achy muscles made life slightly uncomfortable for a few days, and they reminded me of how out of shape and old my body is--but they are evidence of a body that can move and stretch.  A body that can push itself (even when it doesn't have the slightest clue that these simple things were pushing it!).  I'm thankful I can move.

183.  Spring-like weather.  We have had it for a few days, and although not warm exactly--it felt great.  It came complete with open windows and birds singing (I love birds singing!!).

185.  A short visit with my mom.  She came by to drop off some dresses she had found super cheap for Pickle to try on...but she sat and visited with me for about an hour.  We caught up a bit.  It's a gift to have mom in town, but we don't get to hang out as much as everyone seems to think we do.  I work most days, and the days I don't I'm catching up around the house, or with errands.  She also watches my nephew four days a week...so she is doing the same on her days "off".  We go to the same church--so we see each other at church and church functions, sometimes lunch on Sundays.  She and my dad are great about coming to the kids' things.  We talk on the phone less than we see each other.  We do email (I know that sounds silly when  we live 10 minutes apart).  But email is not the same as grabbing a few minutes face to face.  So I am thankful for our impromptu one hour visit this week.

mom, dad, dave and pickle at bubba's b-ball game on Saturday

192.  Saturday breakfast dates with my hubby.  We recently started a weekly coffee or breakfast date on Saturday mornings.  We are in the season that we can leave the kids at home (if you aren't there yet, it WILL happen one day--hang in there!).  So we get up and get out, sometimes before they are both awake and enjoy some time together.  It's worked well to help us coordinate our weekend, to talk about practical important stuff, and to share whatever has been on our mind.  We are finding as we get older--the time after the kids go to bed is not so good for meaningful discussions.  We are too beat.  So this is working and it's fun!

195.  Seeds planted.  Sounds spiritual, huh?  Yeah, but this time I mean actual seeds.  Pickle and I used these little peat pellets to try to force some seeds early--we are growing our own annuals to plant out front come spring.  Our last frost in CO is late--I usually wait until late May to plant outdoors...so we brought a little spring in.  It will be fun to watch these little things sprout.  Somehow they represent hope and new life--even if outside gets snow a few more times this season.

What are you thankful for?  I'd love to hear!

Monday's Thankful Post

 I decided to document 1000 gifts.  A few a day--with the hopes of reaching 1000 within a year or so.  On Mondays, I post a few of the gifts I've documented in my journal.  I've not been posting every Monday, but I'm happy to be able to post a few of my gifts today.

111.  An easy-bake valentine. A cookie with a chocolate heart of frosting dusted with red sprinkles.  It was given to me on valentines day by a sweet 4 year old at church.  She was dressed in a red dress with her hair curled and pretty.  She made it in her easy-bake oven.  On a lightbulb!  Does it get better than that??  She gave me a heart and stole mine.

112. After giving me my valentine, the red-dressed girl said, (with some coaxing from her mom) "Miss Dawn, I asked Jesus into my heart this week."  My stolen heart filled with joy.  What a lovely valentine's day present.

123.  Glasses.  Not the kind you drink out of--the kind that help you see.  I've always had decent vision, but recently, my eyes have declined to the point where my glasses actually help.  I went from not wearing glasses much at all to wearing bifocals this year.  (hello, old much?)

this is a little scary...

142.  Hoarfrost. (did you know it was called that?)  We had a few days where winter looked like this:

Everything was covered in this pointed frost.  It was so beautiful.  It made me so happy that Pickle took the camera and captured great pictures of it before it was gone.

I hope you are finding things to be thankful for each day...166 and counting over here!

Gifts Galore

(Today is the last day to enter my 100th post giveaway for your choice of a super - cute pendant from Cathy Walters! Click here to enter!)

There are gifts everywhere. Once I look for them they are easy to find. Most days. That's what I'm learning on my 1000 Gifts journey. Every now and then there are nights when I climb into bed, ready to write in my gifts journal, and my mind goes blank. Surely there were gifts that day...and I think with more effort. And remember. And I find a few. Other days they flow out of my pen easily.

What's the difference between the days? I don't know. Fatigue? Discouragement? Or just a different day? I don't know. But I do know the exercise of finding the gifts--even just one--on those days is a good discipline. And those days are few and far between right now. I'm thankful for them and the practice they give.

Some gifts from this week:

83. A kiss from this guy after lunch at McDonalds with he and his mommy.

my nephew riding a reindeer (why not?) 
on his third birthday this summer

You see, he can be a little stingy with the kisses. Sometimes I think he is just messin' with me. This day, I bent over to tell him goodbye and he planted a messy one--right on my lips. Made the unhealthy lunch worth it.

89. Free DVDs checked out from the library. A pile of never-seens to choose from for our family movie night. (We watched Stardust--it was a hit!)

91. Pickle and Bubba getting along really well this weekend. Speaking kindly to each other. Laughing together. Wrestling. Hanging out in each other's rooms. Made me smile many times.

Pickle and Bubba during the SuperBowl

96. Humbling. Yes, humbling.  It's hard to think of being humbled as a gift, but without the humbling, I'm not sure change would come. And being humbled sends me to my knees...

a good place to be thankful.

Grace--why do I forget?

I often forget. Forget to give grace to myself. I give it to others (most of the time). I know God gives it to us all. But to cut myself some slack? It goes against my grain.

Last night I had just posted my 100th blog post (there's a giveaway--check it out!) and it was time to at least think about hitting the sack. Hubby asked me if I was ready for bed and what I said was..."But I haven't done my thankful post yet!!"

You see, I recently made a commitment to myself and all of blogland that I was joining Ann Voskamp in documenting 1000 gifts, and would post some of those gifts each Monday. It was Monday. I needed to post my thankful post!

Hubby wisely said, "Be thankful for grace. Grace says you can do your thankful post tomorrow." He was right. Thanks, honey.

So here are a few of my 1000 gifts from this week:

52. An unexpected kiss and "I love you" from my 13 year old Pickle.

61. An unexpected visit with Betsy. Betsy was one of my RAs in the 90s when I worked as a Residence Director. I'm not supposed to have favorites, but Betsy was a favorite. Since leaving college she has married and adopted two beautiful kids from China. Betsy and her family were in Colorado for the weekend from California and Betsy and her daughter found a few hours to spend with us! What a delight to see this friend after many years.

68. A peek at my new niece or nephew! My sister Kerry is pregnant again after the devastating loss of sweet Sadie in April. Kerry is due in early August and I couldn't be happier for this first glimpse of the little wiggle worm!

69. I'm off the hook! I had been subpoenaed to testify in court tomorrow against my neighbor. (yuck!) It was awkward and I was dreading it. The lawyer called today and said they weren't going to need me after all! Happy Dance!!

Well, there. I feel better. I've shared a few of my 1000 gifts. It's OK that I did it on Tuesday.

And today I am unwrapping the everyday gift of a hubby who is able to set me straight sometimes. And the reminder he is of Grace.

getting my gratitude on

Last week, I told you about my decision to document One Thousand Gifts--as a deliberate focus on being thankful.

I'm writing them and numbering them in my journal, and on Mondays, I will post a few gifts from the past week. I'd love you to join me by either posting a few of your gifts in my comments, or linking to your blog post in my comments.

Here are a few from this week:

#9 A little bloggie award.

Thank you to my bloggie friend Dawn at Beyond Grace for awarding me with the VERY prestigious Lemonade Stand Blog Award . That's right. Those comments you read from Dawn on my blog are not me talking to myself--she is a real woman with a great blog and a lot in common with me besides our name. Check her blog out here.

I don't know the bloggie award rules, but I do think I'm supposed to pass this award on to other bloggers who have "a great attitude and gratitude". I am going to pass this award to Beth at Like a Day Off. Beth is a fairly new blogger too...and I love reading her thoughts on life from her perspective. Plus, she's my real-life, in the flesh, friend and I love her. Go check out her blog!

#16 Ice cream. Can I hear an amen??

Blue Bunny's Bordeaux Cherry Chocolate--our favorite these days. YUM.

#25. A new book to read.

#32 Bubba asked if I'd like to snuggle. I mean...how much longer will my boy want to snuggle?

Love this pic of Bubba with an unintentional lip print from me on his forehead. And man, do I love those freckles.

#40 The comforting embrace of my husband. This man is who I run home to after a day that has made me weary.

What are you thankful for?

One Thousand Gifts

I love reading Ann Voskamp's writing at Holy Experience. It's not a blog I try to keep up on...cause it's not the newsy kind of blog. It's one I read when I want to read slowly, savoring the beautiful words she writes and taking time to reflect. So, I just stumbled on her One Thousand Gifts community, and decided that since "giving thanks in all circumstances" is a life - target for me...I'd like to hop onboard.

I will try to post some of my gifts on Mondays, but will be numbering them in my journal. If I did my math right (I actually used to be a math major in college-ha!) then I think if I note 3-4 things a day, then I will be at 1000 within a year or so. I think that it will be easy in the beginning, but that it will get harder as the days go on and so many ongoing gifts will have been mentioned...it will be fun to see what effect being a person of intentional gratitude will have on my life.
Please join the challenge and let me know you are--if I have enough of my readers interested, maybe we could all link up. Or you could leave me your gratitude list in my comments each Monday. Get your gratitude on!!