Thankful Thursday

I sat on my porch this afternoon watching my two girls ride their bikes up and down our street. I read back through some of the last pages of "One Thousand Gifts . . ." and sat there trying to take in the depth of Ann's words. In the ordinary moments of our lives, the routines, the typical, the simple occurences that are so simple that they are profound--God is whispering, "I did that just for you."


So, here I am on the first "Thankful Thursday" on my journey to a thousand or beyond and as I've tried to live with my eyes open and my ears attune I've sought to realize the gifts and graces of God if my life--sometimes in the simplest, the most ordinary. I realize I miss so many of God's gifts in my life. I'm so busy. I'm often so focused on what life is not that I miss what it is. I'm praying that God will open the eyes of my heart. That He will search my heart and cleanse me and break me with a heart of gratitude.

Every Good and Perfect Gift. . .

1. Watching my two girls lost in each other's company, walking through our backyard, making memories, and happy with the gift they have in each other.

2. Hearing the sweet voice of my sick daughter say "mommy, will you hold my hand", reminding me of the great blessing I've been given to hold them, to love them, to care for them

3. The faithfulness of a friend who would pray through the night for our sick daughter

4. Rejoicing with a friend as she announces that baby four will join their family, what a blessing!

5. The pure joy my 6 year old finds in the hand-written notes she received from her Sunday school class and then from two of her best friends and also from her cousins--a lost art in our day of technology, but truly a gift that blesses our hearts.

all from above!!!!