I have been reading Ann Voskamp's exquisite prose , A Holy Experience for quite sometime. I have gone and come - and back again. I've read her book, One Thousand Gifts, with mixed feelings of awe - and concerns (or misunderstandings). But, as I've continued to read her poetic works of art she shares at A Holy Experience, her gift to speak Truth in love, is beauty redeemed. Her words are a table of thanksgiving. A holy gift.
At the beginning of the year when I decided to forgo a 52 Gratitude's project for 2016 like other years (2013) (2014) (2015) I knew I was making a mistake. While it is true these projects were part creative exercises (I made a mini album of my gratitude's), they also served as accountability to acknowledge, weekly, what my God has done, acknowledge just one gift a week how He has blessed me.
I have missed out.
He has blessed. No doubt about it.
Occasionally I have acknowledged Him for these gifts.
Now, I will sit down at His table and offer my thanksgiving.
One Thousand Gifts.
That is why I've come today. To offer my gifts at the table of thanksgiving.
One Thousand Gifts | gifts 0001-0025
0001 After a couple years of difficult, hard, pressed down, shaken up, sad, we are in a different place. Better. Different...and for God.
0002 Facebook. Photos of my grandkids posted to Facebook. My grandkids.
0003 The intense joy and happiness I experience when I hand deliver scrapbook page-photos I have lovingly created over to Maggie made for her of her twins. It is more of a blessing to give then to receive - Acts 20:35 Truly, it is.
0004 My nineteen year old sons giving me goodnight kisses - or kisses when I come home from work.
0005 Rays of the sun bursting through a broken deck of stratus clouds
0006 The glider in our front yard under our burgeoning oak tree beckoning us to take a breath - and rest
0007 That pungent smell and sharp spicy taste of garlic.
0008 Nursing a 30-ounce Yeti thermos filled to the brim with coffee and French vanilla creamer
0009 Words, painful and to the quick, finally said; better for having said them.
0010 Spending hours digging deep in the Word of God
0011 Books. And more books.
0012 Books arranged by color.
0013 The hurricane fan at the foot of my side of the bed blowing cool air directly on me
0014 Texts from Hoosier Man of Good Morning, Gorgeous!
0015 Taco (with Parent sauce) nights
0016 Warm, homemade chocolate brownies fresh out of the oven
0017 the gold band that was my dad's that I wear on my right hand as a reminder of him
0018 the widest-acclaimed dessert of small group: Aunt Shirley's Carrot cake recipe
0019 Emoji's, especially the sneaky monkey
0020 a growing collection of mugs
0021 coffee ready to be poured when I awake
0022 French vanilla creamer
0023 The front porch steps lovingly built by my husband's hand that say, "I care. I don't want you to struggle when you climb the steps to our home."
0024 Awaiting the raft of ducks are the cattails and pond rushes and lily pads gracing the pond and marshlands; the first signs of the flock appear in the early fall as they make their way for my visual delight at the end of the north runway
0025 work that provides, meets our needs, and gives us fulfillment.