Breathe in..... Breathe out.... the gifts #596-618

Because it bears repeating, and because who can say it better than her?:

         " Counting the gifts, one thousand gifts, isn’t an Oprah kind of gratitude. It isn’t a new age kind of feel-good exercise. It isn’t trendy. It isn’t pop culture. And it definitely isn’t comfortable.

Counting one thousand gifts is to live the radical thanks of Christ. It’s about an exercise in the age to come coming now and finding comfort in the Comforter. It’s the culture of believers really believing, the culture of God and the Blood of the Lamb.  "       Ann Voskamp

a dream not yet lived

it's simplicity, and

living a life

beyond my wildest dreams

Softly and Tenderly in the wrong key

how it didn't matter

He can call in any key...

I can read His Word

sometimes I can understand it

how scrambled eggs and scraped salsa jar can be hospitality

That God chooses the foolish, weak, and base

so, I'm chosen

The basket on the table that holds our most vital Nourishment

how we feast here

daddy and kid built bed forts

the pup has more energy than we bargained for, and

it's good for us

how love believes the best, and yes....

love covers a multitude of wrong.....

mine,

his,

theirs,

yours.

Counting the gifts some more.... #567-595

snow falling softly through the trees
how everything quiets and stills at its falling

one cup of coffee from my french press
one spoonful of sugar
half and half

a new friend for our littlest one
a trip to the museum for her today

reading wise, wise words of people so much smarter than me

this blog, and
the limits of this blog

Him wooing me to the conscious choice to read more paper and less screen
words hard fought for and not easily published
how it's the road less traveled
and that's OK

How He softens my rough edges, and
some of me is filed away in the process
and there really is gain in pain

His blood

The Book of Romans
Watchman Knee's study help:  The Normal Christian Life

A man I know as 'Grandpa' Louis gets to be with our Jesus now
that I am better for having known him
that his going home reminds me of all I have to look forward to, and
the reminder is good

a puppy stretched out in sunshine
his simple pleasures and true devotion
that, yes, it is possible to learn from a dog

a morning for just my boy and me

how love really does believe the best

Multitude Monday the gifts of 537-566

 

"I will bless them and the places surrounding My hill.  I will send showers in season; 

there will be showers of blessing."

Ezekiel 34:26

This from Chris Tiegreen:

"Deep down inside, we're just sure that God would have us jump through certain hoops to obtain His blessings or overcome every hint of fallenness before we're worthy.  But those impressions are not from God; in fact, they're kind of arrogant.  They assume that the key variable in obtaining God's favor is us.  It isn't.  The key variable in receiving the goodness of God is the goodness of God."

And this, from Elizabeth Barret Browning:

"God's gifts put man's best dreams to shame"

Amen sister.

Here are a few of His gifts to me.....

time

grandparents that like being grandparents

the love my children have for them

to see "young at heart" personified in a really cool way

having my T take care of me and my kiddos for  a week

how I got a working (her working) knowledge of hospitality under her roof

how she's my hero and I wanna be like her, and 

how He says, "yes, that's a good mark"

 our girls in dress-up

how the big one carried the little one

the picture of servanthood I see in that

FUN

the boys with their legos

how they don't get bored

the girls and that bunny....

peaceable and fun nerf-gun fighting

a very special date-night...

how I love him, and

I don't get tired of him, and

almost 15 years in

he says things like, "because I'm in love with you"

the fun I had screaming for boy love and girl love at their b-ball games

the closeness I got to have with them for just a little while

touching arms

hugging

kissing

the feel of their hair in my fingers

the flight crew that delights in children

the house that sits on this hill, and 

His shower of blessings

Monday's coming...

I never thought I'd be one to wait for Monday.  Expectantly wait.

I've always been a weekend kind of girl.

Since meeting the Gratitude Community, Monday has taken on a whole new meaning.  One that is evolving for me still.

I'm reading One Thousand Gifts.  Her words transport me to a very quiet and still place.  And in her small and humble voice, I hear Him speak loudly.

Eucharisteo.  

I've only scratched the surface here.  I cannot yet speak of it intelligently.  I don't know if I'll ever be able to explain it.

My greatest hope is to practice it.