"I hold on to You for dear life, and you hold me steady as a post..." Psalm 63

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

One Thousand Gifts...

What if
Instead of consuming our minds with what is not good in our lives
We began to see that the small trinkets of blessings in our lives
added up together 
are BIG gifts from the 
heart of God?

What if
Instead of dwelling on the pain that is ever present
or the loved one who is NOT ever present
the loneliness
the illness
or the money that never stretches far enough
We began to see that all around us, 
just past all of these things that stop us cold
there is a storehouse of good things
and treasures of plenty
that are ours already...
but what if 
we miss them.

What if
 we stopped dwelling on the huge inconveniences that overwhelm our lives
and push them aside so we can see these
 tiny 
but
IMMENSE 
moments 
that God places in front of us all day long.

And what if 
we began today to practice being THANKFUL for those things.

We would probably have to 
slow life down

We would probably have to 
open our eyes

And then we would probably have to 
CHOOSE
to give THANKS to God 
for the immeasurable ways He lavishes His
LOVE
on us

And in this process
we might start to see a new heart emerging from inside of us
A thank-filled heart

We might also begin to see the difficult things in a new light

I told you about this book before

and I'll tell you again,
  if you haven't read it
you should

The author has not come up with a new concept
she's not someone to be idolized
She is you
and me
{albeit with an incredible "OTHER world" perspective that is simply not found everyday}

She shares her story of discovery
The discovery of the small and simple
That is really the VAST and MIGHTY

The challenge 
is to lift the chin and gaze 
to what is right in front of you
today
this moment
And find the blessings of God 
right there beside you

It is a challenge to name 1000 Gifts 
that are found in the 
ordinary...
EXTRAordinary
 all around you

To find God's eye is on you 
To live a THANKFUL life
A JOYFUL life
A NEW life

So, here's my plan.  I'm on this journey too.  And in some Bi-Polar-ish way, I have been for some time... yet with an unfocused heart of thankfulnesss.  But, this concept of always looking and intentionally SEEing and WRITING down what I see in the form of a list,this is a new challenge.  
I'm not a consistent list-maker, but I'm up for it. 
 I'll share some, and keep some...just for me.

Here we go...
One Thousand God Gifts
{"The naming of Grace moments"}
1. The first breath of the morning
2.  Children sleeping down the hallway
3. Sun streaming in the window of a quiet house
4. A hot cup of coffee
5. The sound of my washing machine running...
water coming from somewhere outside -soap, cleaning





6. Chapstick found at the bottom of the washer
 that may or may not have put greasy stains on the whole load
a reminder of a young woman emerging 

7. The sound of the wind, the breathe of God, 
blowing outside my window

8. Handmade pottery
9. Healthy hands of the boy who shaped the clay
10. Food on our table 
every
single
day
11. The Bread of Life that we share at our table
12. The reminder of the cross around every corner 
of our home today
13. Words whispered quietly for the one who is absent


"What will a life magnify? 
The world's stress cracks,
 the grubbiness of a day,
 all that is wholly wrong 
and terribly busted?
Or God?"
Ann Voskamp

"In every thing give thanks"
I Thess. 5:18

3 comments:

Deanna Rabe - Creekside Cottage Blog said...

Beautiful list!

It does take being intentional doesn't it, to notice the unfathomable riches we have in Christ Jesus....

LemonyRenee' said...

This is a beautiful post.

Ronda said...

Hello,

Your "WORDS" are beautiful, thought provoking, and spirit stirring.

I will deffinately be back regularly.

Love & Prayers,
Ronda
Have A Peachy Keen Day!!!

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