If you have been with me here at 7 Days Time since we started more than five years ago, you will know that I have been working on a “little” project.
It was inspired by Ann Voskamp’s book, “One Thousand Gifts.” The premise was beautiful, yet simple: To train our hearts and minds to look for God’s small gifts in everything we do, everywhere we go.
So, in November 2011, I started my “Gift List.” The more small, everyday gifts I captured, the easier I was able to find the gifts in my life. It was like seeing Jesus in every nook and cranny of my daily life.
And today, a little over five years later, I celebrate with hitting a new landmark with this little project. I’ve filled up three small journals and am working on my fourth. Just the other day, I reached a very exciting milestone.
I now have 10,000 reasons to be thankful. LITERALLY.
Yes, over the last half-decade, I have written down over TEN THOUSAND different ways I have seen Jesus in my life… Ways that He brings joy and gratitude, even in the mundane moments.
It’s almost hard for me to wrap my head around.
As I look back through the journals, it’s amazing how with many of the small “gifts,” I can remember when/where I was when I wrote them down.
Want a taste of that? Check out these blogs that talk about my gift-list journey to 10K:
Lifted by Being Gifted (Sept 2011)
A January Thanksgiving (Jan 2012)
Blowing Kisses (April 2013)
When Giving Thanks is Hard (Nov 2014)
One Thousand Gifts Update (Oct 2015)
As I wrote this, I took a few moments to look back at some of my journey to ten-thousand gifts… And I am not sure if it is the raging pregnancy hormones coursing through my veins or the overwhelming gratitude I have for God right now… or a combination of both, but my eyes are welling up.
Friends, it’s so hard to put into words how great our God really is. How His presence is constantly around us, blowing us kisses, encouraging us, reassuring us, loving on us in our best and worst moments, our miraculous and mundane.
My heart is overjoyed, not just because I have a really long, tangible list of little indications of God’s everyday goodness, but because His goodness is TRUE. It’s here. Now. Available to us.
He has been so good to me in our most wonderful moments and the most devastating. I have been able to see Him, experience Him, know Him more intimately with each small, seemingly minuscule item I added to my list.
Things like…
*Naptime Revelations
*Santimommy Jokes
*Not all meeting slots full-up
*Danilynn’s guacamole
*Driveway Tears and God’s comfort
*Canned New Potatoes
*Jenny and “Peer Voting”
*Roasted Beets for snack
*Dr. Quinn and Sully’s first kiss (finally)
*Valentine’s Day Jamberry wraps
*Wing-it Tuesday plans
*Handfuls of raisins
*First order of essential oils
*Executive board planning
*”There’s a booger on my chicken.” ~Charis
*My Radio voice
*Purple hat compliments
*Finding humor in the hard stuff
*One Day at a Time, Sweet Jesus
*Friend passing her glucose test
*Running stairs at the stadium
*Yankee Pot Roast
*IT’S NOT CANCER!
*Salsa parties
*Lindsey’s garage
*Life time-outs
*Talented ducks that catch food mid-air
*Clarifying church cry
*All files transferred successfully
*Thankful Zentangle Dangle
*Broken leg healed
*Lonesome Dove tally contest
And, as they say, the list (literally) goes on. And on and on and on. Mine will too. I’m not stopping at 10,000… because I know there are many more reasons out there to be thankful.
Readers, what are you grateful for today? It doesn’t have to be huge or profound… just from your Jesus heart. Won’t you share your joy with me and leave a comment below?
Now I need to go dry my (grateful) eyes and keep on seeking Him– and capturing His glorious gifts. Because I’ve got even more than 10K reasons to be thankful!
Finding Gratitude in Him,
“So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.” ~Colossians 2:6-8 NIV
