Gift List

One of the books I'm currently reading is Ann Voskamp's One Thousand Gifts.  In her attempt to get out of life's darkness, she's challenging herself to complete a list of 1000 things she loves, 1000 things she's thankful for and to view the world in a new brightness. To have a heart of gratitude. Always. In everything.  So I'm taking on this challenge for myself. 1000 is a lot of things. 10 lists of 100! But so I begin.  I begin a life of looking for the beauty in the everyday things we typically pass by without a thought. This is just a beginning. May I never stop looking for these treasures in life...

1. The peeking of the sun as it rises up and gives hope and promise of a new day.

2. A cup of hot tea giving warmth to my soul.

3. A splash of cool, fresh water on my tired face.

4. Wild flowers lining the side of the road.

5. The soft glow of a lamp in the quiet of the evening.

6. Stealing secret kisses in the kitchen.

7. Sleeping children snuggled into their plush blankies.

"And I see it now for what it really is, this dare to write down one thousand things I love. It really is a dare to name all the ways that God loves me. The true Love Dare. To move into His presence and listen to His love unending and know the grace uncontainable. This is the vault of the miracles. The only thing that can change us, the world, is this -- all His love." (59)

8. Bright stars lighting up the night sky.

9. The smell of coffee.

10. The intoxicating scent of men's cologne.

11. The sacred moments of quiet when the house is yet asleep.

12. A soft blanket of warmth resting upon my skin.

13. Passionate desires fulfilled.

14. A glass of wine at the day's end.

15. Lazy, sleepy mornings in cozy pajamas.

16. Warm, homemade bread soggy bread soggy with melted butter.

17. New socks that are so wonderfully soft on my feet it actually makes me moan.

18. Surprise mail from a friend.

19. Waking up to the smell of sizzling bacon.

20. A soft towel warming on the radiator.

21. The fresh smell of clean linen.

22. The brief moment around a table when all heads are bowed.

"Life change comes when we receive life with thanks 
and ask for nothing to change." (61)

23. The gentle rustling of leaves in the autumn breeze.

24. The crackling and popping of a campfire

25. And the firelight dancing across a circle of faces.

26. The deafening sound of summer bugs in the evening.

27. The soothing rhythm of a gentle rain as each droplet meets the ground.

28. A country sunset cascading over golden fields.

29. Feathery soft clouds wisped across a bright blue sky.

30. Sun rays bursting through the clouds, allowing me to see a real touch of God's glory.

31. The soft padding of a child's footsteps coming down the stairs in the morning.

"What if tomorrow you only had the things you thanked God for today?" - Ken Blanchard

To be continued....