One Thousand Gifts

Quite some time ago I had picked up Ann Voskamp's, "one thousand gifts." And as quickly as I picked it up, I put it down. I had begun reading it and yet it seemed to be a difficult read for the season of life I was in. Recently, a friend loaned me her copy and along with beginning to read it, I also found a devotional from our church library. It seemed that now was the time for me to read this book.

The idea, it seems, behind this book, is that the author was challenged to begin a list of one thousand things she loved - one thousand gifts - one thousand graces. As Ann began this journey through her blog she found a thankfulness that completely changed her. How can it not? When you are focused on the positive everyday rather than the difficult, then how could you not be completely full of gratitude and Christ's abundant love and grace?

"A grateful heart is one that finds the countless blessings in the seemingly mundane everyday life."

This fall, our family has made a pointed effort to simplify.  From activities for the kids to what we decide to say "yes" to.  It has helped us to slow down and enjoy more of the simple things in life and yet for some reason, life still seems busy. When I stopped to reflect on this I realize it is busy with lots of small things in helping to build responsibility and independence in my children. But this takes time, effort and energy. But a job I am most grateful for. And so even when we are busy unpacking backpacks, sorting through school work, doing homework, and making lunches...I have to stop and appreciate these gifts. The gift of time with my children. The gift of working alongside them to help them in their studies. The gift of teaching them how to be responsible to unpack and then repack so that they are ready to learn the following day. And on the way to school when Kirra prays about being thankful for the opportunity to go to school to learn and to grow in her relationship with Jesus as she learns about God, I smile and my heart is overflowing with joy.

I am learning that in this journey of life, God's grace is real and there is always one more grace offering for all the times when I feel that I have not measured up or when it has just been one of those days. I will live and hold myself to a standard of grace and not perfection - a constant battle in my life.

I believe that God has blessed me with my children who remind me of His grace each and every day. And that at bedtime when they call for tucks and I call up (again), "One more minute..." that they are gracious and appreciative when I arrive, even if it has been more than one more minute. And as I tuck them and hear of their lowlight and highlight, and we pray, I am reminded that God is to be praised not just in the highlights but even the lowlights for the lessons learned and the grace bestowed. It has been said that God's grace is given to each of us according to the measure of Christ's gift. How beautiful and what an incredible reminder of His sacrifice. And as I pray and God opens my heart and my eyes to his gifts each day, I become more receptive to the gifts and see Him in the grand gifts to the smallest of gifts that almost seem unnoticeable except for the fact that I am being led by the Spirit, led to see God in even the tiniest of details. So in the greatest gifts to the smallest, praise is evident on my lips...and I smile, even when life is hectic or things don't go quite as planned, I smile. I smile knowing that God is in control and that He is leading me on an incredible journey. A journey in which I learn to live in praise and to live a lifestyle that makes gratitude and joy my everyday habit.