A book that I soon plan to read is "One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are" by Ann Voskamp. In this book, Ann poses a challenge, one that I am going to take on myself.....making a list of one thousand gifts. It's a dare, really, to live FULLY — right where they are. Ann says, " I scratch it down; Gift List. I begin the list. Not of gifts I want but of gifts I already have." 'How,' Ann wondered, 'do we find joy in the midst of deadlines, debt, drama, and daily duties? What does the Christ-life, a life of gratitude, really look like when your days are gritty, long and sometimes even dark? How is God even here?'
"He who sacrifices thank offerings honors me, and he prepares the way so that I may show him the salvation of God." -Psalm 50:23
You can read more about this community of gratefulness on Ann's blog here and here.
So, here's to 1,000 gifts. Here's to living fully right where I am. I actually started my list via twitter back in May but at the time had not started this blog. My firsts two gifts are from a tweet on May 20th.
1. sleepy, snuggly baby with a full belly on my chest
So, here's to 1,000 gifts. Here's to living fully right where I am. I actually started my list via twitter back in May but at the time had not started this blog. My firsts two gifts are from a tweet on May 20th.
1. sleepy, snuggly baby with a full belly on my chest
2. yawns that fill up her whole face, coos, grunts...favorites
3. discussions around the table about cell church, good, authentic times
4. praying out loud for and with a sweet, dear friend
5. sights and sounds of a summer eve, lightning bugs, tree frogs
6. the way she smiles at her daddy
7. summertime rainstorms, hard downpours with rain falling on the tin roof
8. the length and beauty of her eyelashes
9. realizing the total trust and dependence my sweet girl has in us as parents is the total trust and dependence my Father wants me to have in Him
10. abundant laughter at my husband at the supper table regarding his analogies
11. my mama, she has always been and always will be a gift
12. surprise visits from my husband that show how much he loves us and really does miss us during this time of transition
13. just thinking of this: He knows my future to the last wee detail, He knows it by heart! so what do I gain if I keep guessing and worrying?
14. sweet times with my sister
15. the coolness of a summer morning
16. blue skies
17. moving help
18. dancing with my daughter in the kitchen in the midst of the mess of unpacking boxes
19. old friends and new friends
20. a friend showing up at our "new, old" house with supper
21. making a house a home
22. shy smiles as my fingers creep up her body as she nurses
23. watching her discover the world afresh and anew
24. hard working husband that allows me to be a wife and momma
25. contagious laughter
26. dirty dishes to wash, clean clothes to fold
27. sleeping in until 8:00am (that usually doesn't happen with a 5 month old)
28. bittersweet goodbyes to an end of a chapter in our lives
29. one chapter of life closing, another opening
30. talking to family on a Saturday morning
31. noises she makes when she nurses
32. quality time with my husband
3. discussions around the table about cell church, good, authentic times
4. praying out loud for and with a sweet, dear friend
5. sights and sounds of a summer eve, lightning bugs, tree frogs
6. the way she smiles at her daddy
7. summertime rainstorms, hard downpours with rain falling on the tin roof
8. the length and beauty of her eyelashes
9. realizing the total trust and dependence my sweet girl has in us as parents is the total trust and dependence my Father wants me to have in Him
10. abundant laughter at my husband at the supper table regarding his analogies
11. my mama, she has always been and always will be a gift
12. surprise visits from my husband that show how much he loves us and really does miss us during this time of transition
13. just thinking of this: He knows my future to the last wee detail, He knows it by heart! so what do I gain if I keep guessing and worrying?
14. sweet times with my sister
15. the coolness of a summer morning
16. blue skies
17. moving help
18. dancing with my daughter in the kitchen in the midst of the mess of unpacking boxes
19. old friends and new friends
20. a friend showing up at our "new, old" house with supper
21. making a house a home
22. shy smiles as my fingers creep up her body as she nurses
23. watching her discover the world afresh and anew
24. hard working husband that allows me to be a wife and momma
25. contagious laughter
26. dirty dishes to wash, clean clothes to fold
27. sleeping in until 8:00am (that usually doesn't happen with a 5 month old)
28. bittersweet goodbyes to an end of a chapter in our lives
29. one chapter of life closing, another opening
30. talking to family on a Saturday morning
31. noises she makes when she nurses
32. quality time with my husband
33. kind, affirming words spoken from my husband
34. afternoon coffee dates to local coffee shops with my little family of three
35. rediscovering the town we've moved back to
36. they way she has found her laugh and laughed out loud today (Saturday, 8/27/2011) at the silly noises and faces her momma makes
37. breathing in the smell of my little baby girl
38. giving her a bath, watching her kick and splash
39. a new song learned, really a prayer, "Set a Fire"
39. a new song learned, really a prayer, "Set a Fire"
40. this rich life I live; thankful for His grace,
41. for authentic relationships at house/cell church,
42. to be his wife
43. and her momma
44. cool September mornings
45. friends that love like family
46. the way she snuggles on my chest and puts her head on my shoulder in the early mornings
47. a thank you text to my husband that said, "thank you for letting me live my dream, i love you, so does she." and his response, "i am glad you get to. it's the way it should be! i love you too!" so, so thankful for this gift.
48. the first cup of coffee from the coffee pot in the dark of the morning before the day comes alive
49. daddy playing his guitar and singing to our girl as she sits in her bumbo seat gazing in awe at him, this is my heaven on earth
50. He knows me and knows what I need to hear, when I need to hear it...that's my personal Father
51. The arrival of October and with it being graced with incredible temperatures and beautiful blue skies, the sky is always more blue in the fall
52. a husband who is quick to forgive and not hold grudges or bring up my past mistakes
53. a handy husband, we now have a functioning ice maker!
54. pots of chili in the fall
55. football games
56. my husband saying he'd rather eat my leftovers than go out to eat, what a complement!
57. fall baking (pumpkin chocolate chip bread, ginger spice cookies)
58. high pitched squeals filtering through the house
59. leaves changing color
60. afternoon walks
61. babbling & lots of it
62. she's sitting up and rolling everywhere, front to back, back to front, and all across the room!!
63. good health for my little family of three
