So we're almost halfway through the month and I've joined in Ann's Joy Dare: naming one thousand gifts in 2012. Three graces a day for a whole year. It's been, well, a joy. She gave prompts for each day in January.
I've been smiling, laughing and loving this counting. My boys and I count in our red journals, their's all leather and tough, mine all pretty with cherry blossoms on each page. So here they are: more of the counting that never ends...
3 things about me I'm grateful for
1. My imperfect love of God and his reckless love for me
2. How I love to learn (although I'd rather never be in a classroom again)
3. how I love words and His Word
a gift inside, a gift outside, a gift on a plate
4. bare trees outlined by blue
5. our pretty Christmas~tree all dressed up
6. perfect pumpkin pie under tall white whipped cream
3 lines overheard that were graces
7. "Mom, but I just love you" (my Nate)
8. "I can do everything better when you're close by" (my Noah)
9. "It's better now" (my husband said with a smile, after he's asked how his day was)
Something old, new and blue
10. pictures of my babies
11. my pretty new bag
12. this blue sky peeking around the gray
Something I'm reading, making and seeing
13. our bible history read side by side
14. photo albums that tell our story
15. these brothers behaving like best friends
One thing in your bag, the fridge, your heart
16. the good book I've just started
17. hard boiled eggs~my oldest's new favorite snack
18. all these memories of this time together
3 graces from people you love
19. "goodnight" hugs early in the morning
20. pitzels brought by surprise by a dear aunt
21. piano notes played by small hands
Light that caught me, a reflection that surprised me, a shadow that fell lovely
22. twinkling Jesse Tree lights
23. the reflection of me snuggled between two boys as we read on my bed
24. shadows scattered on the kitchen floor by our grateful-post-it-notes that are stuck to the window
a gift in hand, a gift walked by, a gift sat with
25. my pretty travel mug filled with warm tea and honey
26. room after room filled with children sick or broken, in this hospital built just for them, each of them of gift from Him
27. this baby boy belonging to my dear friend, how he slept for hours in my arms, how he still smells so new
a gift sour, a gift that's sweet, one that's Just. Right.
28. a boy so frustrated, in tears, and he doesn't know why
29. how he just needs me close when he feels like this
30. this reminder that I so often feel a mess and just need to feel my Father close
3 yellow things that strike me as fresh mercy
31. yellow post-its with my children's thanks scrawled out: "my famly" "my mommy" "Jeses" "Lollee pops" " beds"
32. our to-do list all highlighted in yellow~checking off our day's work
33. lemon kitchen soap~so happy
Something above me, below me, beside me
34. my roof keeping me warm and dry
35. the cozy rug so I can be barefoot even in winter
36. my husband sitting beside me and walking this life beside me~as hard and crazy as it can be
3 sounds I hear
37. all my boys laughing
38. these mama voices laughing and talking after a long break away~we so missed each other
39. steam slipping through the tea kettle, whistling, it so makes me smile
3 ways I've glimpsed the startling grace of God
40. for reasons I can't explain, God reached down into my destructive craziness and He pulled me out
41. looking into each of the faces that first formed inside of me, those deep brown eyes, each a gift, a grace cradled in my arms
42. the scraps of my life, my measly little efforts being used for good
one thing I wore, one thing I gave away, one thing I shared
43. my favorite necklace
44. this book, to my friends, my book club, my mom
45. the last Christmas, pitzel split in half and shared with my boy (after his daddy saved it for me :)
I've been smiling, laughing and loving this counting. My boys and I count in our red journals, their's all leather and tough, mine all pretty with cherry blossoms on each page. So here they are: more of the counting that never ends...
3 things about me I'm grateful for
1. My imperfect love of God and his reckless love for me
2. How I love to learn (although I'd rather never be in a classroom again)
3. how I love words and His Word
a gift inside, a gift outside, a gift on a plate
4. bare trees outlined by blue
5. our pretty Christmas~tree all dressed up
6. perfect pumpkin pie under tall white whipped cream
3 lines overheard that were graces
7. "Mom, but I just love you" (my Nate)
8. "I can do everything better when you're close by" (my Noah)
9. "It's better now" (my husband said with a smile, after he's asked how his day was)
Something old, new and blue
10. pictures of my babies
11. my pretty new bag
12. this blue sky peeking around the gray
Something I'm reading, making and seeing
13. our bible history read side by side
14. photo albums that tell our story
15. these brothers behaving like best friends
One thing in your bag, the fridge, your heart
16. the good book I've just started
17. hard boiled eggs~my oldest's new favorite snack
18. all these memories of this time together
3 graces from people you love
19. "goodnight" hugs early in the morning
20. pitzels brought by surprise by a dear aunt
21. piano notes played by small hands
Light that caught me, a reflection that surprised me, a shadow that fell lovely
22. twinkling Jesse Tree lights
23. the reflection of me snuggled between two boys as we read on my bed
24. shadows scattered on the kitchen floor by our grateful-post-it-notes that are stuck to the window
a gift in hand, a gift walked by, a gift sat with
25. my pretty travel mug filled with warm tea and honey
26. room after room filled with children sick or broken, in this hospital built just for them, each of them of gift from Him
27. this baby boy belonging to my dear friend, how he slept for hours in my arms, how he still smells so new
a gift sour, a gift that's sweet, one that's Just. Right.
28. a boy so frustrated, in tears, and he doesn't know why
29. how he just needs me close when he feels like this
30. this reminder that I so often feel a mess and just need to feel my Father close
3 yellow things that strike me as fresh mercy
31. yellow post-its with my children's thanks scrawled out: "my famly" "my mommy" "Jeses" "Lollee pops" " beds"
32. our to-do list all highlighted in yellow~checking off our day's work
33. lemon kitchen soap~so happy
Something above me, below me, beside me
34. my roof keeping me warm and dry
35. the cozy rug so I can be barefoot even in winter
36. my husband sitting beside me and walking this life beside me~as hard and crazy as it can be
3 sounds I hear
37. all my boys laughing
38. these mama voices laughing and talking after a long break away~we so missed each other
39. steam slipping through the tea kettle, whistling, it so makes me smile
3 ways I've glimpsed the startling grace of God
40. for reasons I can't explain, God reached down into my destructive craziness and He pulled me out
41. looking into each of the faces that first formed inside of me, those deep brown eyes, each a gift, a grace cradled in my arms
42. the scraps of my life, my measly little efforts being used for good
one thing I wore, one thing I gave away, one thing I shared
43. my favorite necklace
44. this book, to my friends, my book club, my mom
45. the last Christmas, pitzel split in half and shared with my boy (after his daddy saved it for me :)
Hi Melinda,
ReplyDeleteI love the way you are doing this counting, I had been considering taking up Ann's challenge this year and I think you have convinced me to use her prompts! Thanks, Mike
tea and honey. a sound roof. such a gift. blessings to you!
ReplyDelete