1000 Gifts

I am reading Ann Voskamp's One Thousand Gifts for the second time (I first read it in early January, after receiving it for Christmas from my husband.)  "One Thousand Gifts is a celebration of grace and a recognition of the power of gratitude."  This book is seriously changing my life!  It's like a love song from my awesome Creator God and sweet Savior Jesus.   I'm seeing new things.  I'm feeling new things. I'm finding myself eternally grateful for things before never noticed and/or taken for granted.  Gratitude that's causing joy and peace and love to swell in my heart.

"‎On the night when He was betrayed, Jesus took some bread and 'gave thanks' to God for it, then broke it in pieces... Jesus offers thanks to even that which will break Him and wound Him and yield a bounty of joy... all for our Joy."

"Satan’s sin becomes the first sin of all humanity: the sin of ingratitude."

"We only enter into the full life if our faith gives thanks. Thanksgiving is the manifestation of our YES! to his grace. Thanksgiving is inherent to a true salvation experience; thanksgiving is necessary to live the well, whole, fullest life."

"God is in the details; God is in the moment. God is in all that blurs by in a life — even hurts in a life. GOD!"

"Joy is the realest reality, the fullest life, and joy is always given, never grasped. God gives gifts and I give thanks and I unwrap the gift given: joy!"

"Thanksgiving creates abundance; and the miracle of multiplying happens when I give thanks–take the just one loaf, say it is enough, and give thanks– and He miraculously makes it more than enough."

"The brave who focus on all things good and all things beautiful and all things true, even in the small, who give thanks for it and discover joy even in the here and now, they are the change agents who bring fullest Light to all the world."

"The gift list is thinking upon His goodness–and this, this please him most."

So here's the small beginnings of a list of God's blessings in my "everyday" - everyday epiphanies... everywhere... gifts:

1. Birds chirping in the morning
2. The colors in a sunrise
3. Spring's 1st bloom
4. Watching babies learn and grow
5. Babies' soft, smooth skin
6. Grass on bare feet
7. Children's laughter
8. The purity of freshly fallen snow
9. The sound of Bible pages turned
10. The sun's warm rays on a chily day
11. A cool breeze on a hot day
12. A stranger's sincere smile

13. A world full of color

rainbow over Angkor Wat, Siem Reap, Cambodia

"...let us be thankful and please God by worshiping him with holy fear and awe." [Hebrews 12:28b]

Love love love, 
Jewel