Welcome to another week of our Everyday Jesus link-up. Be sure to link-up below this post, comment on your neighbor’s blog and share with your friends… Because Jesus is everywhere, every day!
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Four years ago on my birthday, my good friend and mentor Kelli gave me a book.
Based on the title of this post, you probably guessed which book it was: One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp.
I have ALWAYS been a list maker, and at my lowest of low point in life a couple of years before receiving this book, I had started a “Things that make me happy list.”
It had a few dozen items on it, but that was that.
Then I met Jesus. And got my mitts on this book.
And my “Official” One Thousand Gift list was born.
If you are unfamiliar with this particular piece of literature, let me catch you up. Ann Voskamp takes readers on a journey to make gratitude in our everyday, well, something we do in our everyday. It connects us to Christ and helps us to focus on the gifts He generously bestows on us.
Don’t get me wrong– this isn’t some formula for some hippy-dippy-happy-place-ignore-the-hard-stuff-of-life-and-live-in-pretendland.
It is REAL life. And real gratitude. And cultivates this attitude of giving thanks IN the ugly parts of life. (Notice I didn’t say FOR… there is a difference– read about it here.)
So my list has been going strong ever since. And I wanted to share some of my latest/greatest revelations from keeping this process going for nearly four years now. (To read some examples of my beginning list, check out this one or this one)
*I go through seasons. Sometimes, I will capture over one hundred gifts in a setting… Other times, it lays dormant for a few weeks at a time.
*It REALLY has changed my way of thinking. Years ago, it was sometimes VERY difficult for me to find anything to be grateful for… Now, it is a habit. I will see or experience something and I am like, “OH! I need to remember to write that down.”
*I am on my third journal and am on the verge of breaking through 6700 gifts! (I look forward to the day when I hit 10K… I bet it will happen in the next couple of years!)
*These aren’t just one-time gifts. Since is have the memory of an elephant (or maybe just that of a woman) I look back through my gift list and can usually remember where I was, what I was doing, what challenges or joys I was facing in life… And my heart flutters all over again!
*This whole process not only keeps me connected to God and makes me feel loved, but it helps me to find Jesus in my everyday… Literally.
And now, just because, I will share some of my more recent gift list additions:
- Team Synergy
- Newsies everything
- Resurrecting suspenders
- Divergent
- Successful Kickoff
- Securing Childcare
- More Journal Recon
- For the Love
- Do Over
- Yogurt Raisins
- Whole 30 Program Attempt
- Broadway dancing
- Sincere Apologies
- Practicing writing in a straight line
- Teachers raised up
- Squash forever
- Jamberrys arriving
- Barnes and Noble Solo date
- Good doctor’s report
- Newsboy hat collection
- Listening to Samuel
- Clayton’s garage
- 23 miles!
- “Christmas” Salsa
- Whole 30 Round #2
- EIB week #2 DONE
- Hubby Braunschwager sandwiches
- Skyping with Daisy for the first time
Friends, my list continues. What 5 things are on your “Gift List” as you find Jesus in your everyday? I would love to hear all about it. Jump in and leave a comment.
Here’s to counting his gifts EVERY. SINGLE. DAY.
In Gratitude,
“Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.” ~Colossians 3:16
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