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The Intangible Gifts

February 13, 2012 in 1000 Gifts with 11 Comments

This past Wednesday as I waited for my right turn at a stop light I saw a woman pulling a red wagon with her daughter and two refillable 5 gallon water jugs.  I felt for her.  Seeing her reminded me of the women in Africa and all over the impoverished world that walk miles upon miles every day for clean water.  My heart broke for them.  I looked at this woman in the few seconds it took for her to cross to the center of the road legally allowing me to make my right turn, and while I felt for her burden I whispered to her that she’s lucky.  That she probably doesn’t daily face the risk of rape when she goes to get water.  That she has ease with her little red wagon.

I get so wrapped up in my decaying possessions.  And if I’m honest, I know I allow them to rule me.  I forget about the things that are decaying with each moment – and this I find heart breaking.

My gifts shouldn’t necessarily be the tangible things.  Yes, oh yes they are gifts from a gracious God, but more are the gifts that we can’t place in a box with fancy packaging & a clever ad campaign.

So today I want to count the things that are intangible.  The gifts that reach deeper into my soul & heart than a box of chocolates or red roses ever could.

0090  A miss you from a friend
0091  Friends who allow you to dump ALL your cares on them
0092  A husband who wants me to dream & hope
0093  A brave journey
0094  A husband who tries his darndest to work with my INFP brain
0095  Encouragement in hope
0096  A friend’s words that speak of kindred spirits
0097  The moments on the couch – him & I.
0098  This next breath
0099  The sun’s arising & descending

Holding On

February 6, 2012 in 1000 Gifts, Hope with 6 Comments

I apologize for the single post last week.  It has been month end, in addition to being swamped.  It’s been a hard day (and a half) in the arena of hope.  And words that I should search for to place here, I frankly don’t have the motivation to search for them.  Last night I explained to Shawn that this is all just part of the process my heart is having to go through.

Sometimes easy isn’t an option.

So I leave you today with some of my favorite images from this past week and my gifts that I’m doing my best to hold onto.

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0080  Celebrating 15 years of Us
0081  Warm cinnamon sugar mini donuts
0082  Creating a quiet place of refuge and sanctuary for myself
0083  Finding a lovely chair and a very inexpensive price
0084  Hard conversations
0085  A friend turning in hopefully her last edits of her first novel
0086  Future dreaming
0087  Holy Promises, even when they’re difficult to believe
0088  Secret Messages of hope sent while my sleep and I are still courting each other
0089  A good book & a hot cup of tea

A Day for Simple Gifts

January 30, 2012 in 1000 Gifts with 8 Comments

My weekend started Thursday evening rather than Friday evening.  I loved this.  If I could work a 32 week and get paid for 40, I’d be a happy camper.  Of course then I’d long for a 24 hour week with the pay of 40, and so on.

Thursday night we went to see The Civil Wars.  They’ve been on my Before 40 list since its creation.  This was our first time seeing them.  They didn’t disappoint.  Every expectation I may have had, was met and exceeded.  The only down side is the venue is standing only.  I spent the whole of their portion of the concert unsticking my shoes from the floor where adult beverages had been spilled.  I honestly cannot wait to see them again.

Friday I spent some quiet moments at a coffee shop enjoying a banana chocolate chip walnut scone and a raspberry mocha.  I think Jesus touched that scone because it was heavenly.  Not dry like most US scones.

Sunday I was little Miss Suzy Homemaker.  Chocolate Chip cookies.  Oatmeal chocolate chip cookies (same dough just added oats to part of it).  Shawn’s scrambled eggs for the week.  Enchilada casserole.  Banana bread also sounded good, but I really don’t need another baked good on the counter.

These random thoughts remind me I have so much to be grateful for.  Little things.  Big things.

0070  Chocolate chip cookies
0071  Chocolate chips straight out of the bag
0072  Distrails
0073  Daffodils
0074  Marbled skies
0075  Secret Messages that come in cookies
0076  A rose from my beloved
0077  Hearing a song that is most dear to my heart live
0078  Hope framed with wishing, trusting, & expecting
0079  Words dancing in my head.

Now it’s YOUR turn.  Give me at least one thing you consider a gift from over the weekend.

I am failing as a giverawayer…Without further ado….the winners of Elora’s eBook are Kristi and Nicole.  I will email you your books today. :)

Painted Skies

January 23, 2012 in 1000 Gifts with 6 Comments

The sky glowed pink the other morning.  So bright, I could see the intensity though the privacy clouded bathroom window, and through the seams between plush burgundy drapes.

Breath giving life to a new day.

Grace draped across clouded skies.

A new morning with new mercies after a day when giving up seemed easier than pursuing intentionality.

And last night the same sky glowed a pale golden pink.  I wished that the houses would disappear and that I could behold this sight unencumbered.

A promise painted by a masterful hand, that hope does arise.

0060 Pink glowing mornings
0061 Snuggles for even a few minutes
0062 18 Compassion kids sponsored
0063 Challenging, encouraging words from a friend
0064 Peppermint scented body wash & lavender/peppermint conditioner
0065 Yellow flowers in the median
0066 Friends who unknowingly miraculously speak into your life
0067 Salted caramel hot cocoa
0068 Free lunch
0069 Creating my first art journal page

What are you counting among your gifts today & this week?

The Gift of Mail Call

January 16, 2012 in 1000 Gifts, Community with 4 Comments

Saturday was a good mail day.  We’d checked it after a morning movie/lunch date and only one piece of junk mail had littered the cold, dark box.

So imagine my glee when I decided to check it a second time late that night after grocery shopping to find sweet words from women I’ve never met in person, that touched my heart to its most deepest core.  Love tucked into an envelope with sprinkles of extra love (confetti).

I literally jumped up & down numerous amounts of times in the street.

And photos.  Square photos that hold secret messages to my soul.  I’m learning to journal.  Learning to put the hidden words of my heart onto paper.  Learning that putting them on paper allows me to deal with them more easily.

So these photos, will work their way into my journal.  With words written in silver and messages of hope.  And these words from these brave warrior women, also tucked into these pages.

I think about these women and their kind words to me, and about these pictures and what they mean to me………and I count them among my gifts.

0050 Dancing in the rain & jumping in puddles barefoot.
0051 Sweet, encouraging words from my fellow rebels.
0052 Red leather bound journal & what I’m learning by writing in it.
0053 Secret messages in pictures.
0054 Waking up to rain.
0055 Finding red skinny pants that fit.
0056 Sunset on the Pacific.
0057 DisneyLand with my beloved.
0058 Beach treasures.
0059 Starbucks Via on a bad coffee day.

The Gift of Monday Morning

October 24, 2011 in 1000 Gifts, Family with 14 Comments

Monday morning, and I’m nursing a latte.  Making the goodness last more than just a handful of minutes.  Florescent lights buzz overhead and the aroma of my orange clove candle perfumes the wide open expanse of my work area.

A friend’s daily morning email exclaims her determination that she will start the week off with an attitude adjustment, and choose not to be in a bad mood.  And I applaud her.

This past weekend was the last of our crazy busy month of October……….and I feel physically drained.  I’m looking forward with great anticipation of a few weeks silence before Christmas begins to take hold of my life.

Another friend says she can see can see the breaking of day, and together we rejoice that there is hope there.

….and so I write them out – the gifts, the graces – because seeing them in ink makes them more tangible.

0041 Choosing to forgive.
0042 Meeting my first niece.

0043 Baby girl smiles & kisses.
0044 Hugging my grandpa.


0045 Sister “in-law” hugs.

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0046 Sabbathing
0047 Nephews playing with uncles.
0048 Unexpected encouragement from an unexpected source.
0049 Seeing the dreams of God become my dreams.

When The Heart is Tender

September 26, 2011 in 1000 Gifts, Grace with 15 Comments

My heart is tender this morning.  A rough night of sleep (or lack there of) coupled with the hard hallelujah of a friend no longer in pain and a few other held-tight-against-my-heart situations, leaves me not wanting to face the world.

Coming off a hard week last week where choosing joy and finding God’s gifts in my life seemed more difficult than wringing water from a stone.

Today (Sunday) is a new day and the beginning of a new week.  I write upon this tender heart of mine, the truth that His mercies are new every morning.  I remember to celebrate the breath that He, moment-by-moment, fills my lungs with, because today…and tomorrow…and the next…are a gift.

removing the veil from my eyes and looking for His graces & gifts…..

0031 The morning drive cool enough to drive with the window down.
0032 Getting a free upgrade on coffee size.
0033 My beloved swinging by my work because he wanted a kiss.
0034 A vanilla latte.
0035 Snuggling with my husband before he has to leave for work.
0036 Blessing a friend with a small token of love.
0037 An unexpected instant message that sends the broadest smile across my face.
0038 Knowing that in God’s plan hope never dies & never gives up.
0039 That, while marriage is the hardest thing I’ve ever done, it’s without a doubt one of the best things I’ve ever experienced.
0040 Irish voices singing hymns & upward exaltations.

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Shouts For Joy in The Dark

September 5, 2011 in 1000 Gifts, Grace with 4 Comments

I will sing for joy at the mercy of my Lord.  The one who opened Heaven’s gates to a sinner like me.  In the dark I will shout the amazement that bursts out of my heart regarding the grace of my Jesus.  In the quiet moments I will whisper of His goodness to every generation, remembering His graces in my life…

0021  Coffee pressed.
0022  Saturday afternoon naps on the couch.
0023  Conversations with my best friend.
0024  A couple hours of quietness, when life was pressing in.
0025  Lengthy kisses from my beloved.
0026  Yellow daisies in a green vase.
0027  Being appreciated.
0028  Reminders that not only does LOVE cover sin, but it also casts out fear.
0029  The feel of onion skin pages between my fingers.
0030  Forgiveness.
..

Breath of Grace

August 16, 2011 in 1000 Gifts, Family, Grace with 6 Comments

His grace dawns with muted pinks and yellows and vibrant reds.  It pours over me like waves.  It reaches to the very depths of me and renews.  With each inhale of breath, His graces are new.

Counting His graces and gifts in my life.

0011  Forgiveness and understanding when I’ve yelled & cursed, as my hormones make me feel as though I’ve lost my mind.
0012  Laughter late into night.
0013  Sharing a pretzel & conversation with my best friend.
0014  His hand on me when he knows I need it.
0015  Pancakes at midnight.
0016  The tears that fell when He overwhelmed me with His never ending faithfulness.
0017  Emails that bring tears of joy and gratitude.
0018  Extra days off with my beloved.
0019  The hope that when goodbyes are said, hello will follow soon.
0020  An email from a friend that shows God’s amazing grace in the friendship He created.

1000 Gifts: Looking Through the Lens of Grace

August 1, 2011 in 1000 Gifts, Grace, OneWord with 9 Comments

“i think it’s too easy to rush through life packing and moving and working and sleeping and forget about the importance of breathing in His grace. it’s all around us, you know.” – Elora

I’m not sure why it took me so long to think of this.  I’ve been trying to inundate myself in grace and its concepts.  Pulling it over my face like a veil and wrapping it around my body and heart like a a shawl.  Living and breathing it.

If I want to steep myself in grace, it makes sense that I keep record of them.  My only regret is I didn’t start the beginning of the year.

0001  His head on my arm in the mornings before he has to leave for work.
0002  The continuous desire and need to read through the Bible.
0003  Chatting with friends online who “get” us.
0004  His thinking I’m beautiful when I’m not feeling it.
0005  Feeling rain on my hand as I drive with my arm out the window.
0006  Anticipation of what God is doing.
0007  Husband’s calm to my storms.  His balance to my imbalance.
0008  Reveling in the power of thunder and finding hope in it.
0009  Getting lost in a story, whether a book or movie.
0010  God whisper to you elements of grace in the most unexpected places.