1000 Gifts

My lovely friend Renee from iMMERGENT brought a copy of 1000 Gift to church one saturday night. How wonderful, that the book, was a gift in itself.

I had a whole lot to read and another book seemed a little overwhelming. Yet, as a battled with the fatigue and challenges of having a young family, the tag line leaped from the book cover every time I saw the book on the end table. 'A dare to LIVE FULLY right where you are'.

I knew I wasn't living fully. I was discontent. I was complaining about little things. I knew this wasn't how I was meant to be living because I had lived fully in my life and it was clear to me that I had left that path. Something in my heart was holding me back now. I knew I wanted to live fully right where I was once again. To embrace the small things now. To be content. To break free from the depression, the ungratefulness that was permeating through every thought.

I am about 5 chapters in so far. Ann Voskamp knows what it's like to be a busy mom. To have more to do than time. To be giving emotionally continually and to feel drained. To be un-thankful.

She embarks on a journey to find God's gifts and grace in the ordinary everyday workings of life.

She has reminded me, that when you change your heart, to look for the good, for God's goodness, you will see it in everything. From the big things... an answered prayer, a new child to the small, a cool breeze on a hot day, colors reflected in soap bubbles.

Living life fully, is to be Thankful, and give God praise in ALL things. So, I accepted the challenge, to list 1000 gifts. To once again, give praise in all circumstances. To see the beauty in the gray, until the gray fades away and my heart looks for the rainbow, does not focus in on the clouds.

1. Friends, like Renee, sharing books.
2. Flowers. Mrs Leslie gave me the flowers to take home. I don't think she know how much I love flowers. I am not exaggerating when I say, my day is brightened and filled with emotion every time I see them on my table.
3. Little girl dancing to music, care free, twirling, skipping

Conversations with Rachel.

Rachel. Oh my Rachel, our middle child. She makes me laugh so much everyday. She is our monkey, our clown. She is always into mischief. Yesterday she painted her whole hands with nail polish. The day before that, she scatter newly washed and folded clothes everywhere. She climbs bookshelves. She puts toothpaste in her hair. She intentional puts her foot in an ant pile to see what happens. She leaps from great heights before you can stop her and then laughs when she lands even if its with a hard thump. She also lavishes affection on her family and cares so much for her siblings. Here is a conversation I had with her this morning.

I am in the Kitchen cleaning. Rachel walks in and I pick her up.

Rachel: I'm a bug
Mommy: What kind of bug?
Rachel: A something bug.
Mommy: Do you bite?
Rachel: Yup (leans forward and bites my shirt)
Mommy: Do you sting?
Rachel: Yup (pokes me with sound effect)
Mommy: Are you a cute bug or the ugly kind? Cute I think?
Rachel: Nope. I'm an ugly, scary bug (Said in funny voice and comical mean facial expression)

She makes me smile.