Last week I began my new book, One Thousand Gifts.
And last week I took the dare to live fully right where I am.
I bought a new journal to record the gifts…and recorded 100 on day 1.
I am just a beginner, but before I ever found this book or A Holy Experience, I gave my Savior the gift of gratitude for Christmas. And gratitude is what I worked on through January and February, progress was minimal but concerted none the less. But on March 1st when I found the book, and read the first chapter online, and found the blog, gratitude every day seemed no more like drudgery, but salvation. And not only this, but attainable, within my reach, like a star falling right into my cupped hands.
A goal for Gratitude has become a year of Eucharisteo.
Now I am on gift #217 and I’m still a beginner, yet aren’t we all? Beginners at truly coming to know Christ? and His goodness? and mercy?
But I am starting to see, clearly, and finding joy in the process, in the journey, in the moments.
It seems that now my test is to endure the hard eucharisteo, and the things like rain and snowy trials that don’t look like grace. But they are. Because all is grace, even this. And all is well, because everywhere there is a well to drink the living waters, we just must search and seek to find.
Some days He showers down sunshine unending and we feel and taste of His love so abundantly.
Other days He showers down sleet and hail and we feel and taste of bitterness if we choose, or grace if we have eyes to see that storms grow the trees and plants just as much as the sunshine.
And we are the trees….needing the sunshine…and the storms.
#1. Awakening to home all quiet and peaceful.
#2. Knowing I have a Savior.
#4. A new notebook with its promise of fresh pages.
#44. First somersaults
#48. Small tick of clock inviting me to slow and savor.
#60. Light sparkle in the cracks of blinds
#67. Kisses “left on.”
#85. New spices wrapped in glass bottles.
#88. Laughing–really and truly with my sweeetie.
#96. The love-knowing that comes from 5 years of marriage.
#99. Aching hand from a day of gift-chronicling
#129. The joy of the unknown future and the adventure it will be.
#136. Red velvety cupcakes with cream cheese icing
#141. Little Bear telling me my fresh blow-dried hair was so beautiful.
#142. Burnt orange weeds all aflame with the fire of God.
#143. Warm home-baked bread with creamy honey or chunky peanut butter and raspberry jam
#145. Practicing Eucharisteo when it’s hard.
#149. Mid-afternoon napping in my sweetheart’s arms.
#151. Still hoping…
#162. Feeling the peace of being so close to nature and God…
