Give Thanks

This is something I've been meaning to do for a long time. Starting things can sometimes be a battle for me. I want it to be the perfect time, the perfect beginning, to have time to write perfect, meaningful words. But the search for perfection often keeps us from accomplishing the good. This is something God and my wonderful husband both continue to teach me.

So, inspired by the woman who has had probably the greatest influence on my life of any, I make an imperfect beginning. My life has been so full of gifts lately I cannot remotely hope to list even a small portion of them. But I will simply dive in and begin this list of 1000 gifts, a tiny fraction of the innumerable gifts I receive daily.

1. Love. "For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, neither angels, nor demons, neither the present, nor the future, nor any powers, neither height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:38-39)

2. A pastor who is willing to bare his own soul and reveal his weaknesses that we might better understand the love of God and what it means to show this love to others.

3. Prayers. Both of thanksgiving and of compassion for a sister who is mourning.

4. A godly husband, so undeserved, who loves me tenderly, passionately, completely, through thick and thin, good and bad, in sorrow and in joy, who shows me each day more of the love of Christ.

5. A beautiful daughter, true miracle, sweet gift from heaven. God is already teaching me much through her.

6. A greater understanding of the depth of love than I ever knew was possible.

7. Waking up each morning to smiles from the two people I love most in this world. Each of their smiles are precious and beautiful in different ways.

8. A little girl who smiles when I sing to her, who already has a love for music and sometimes even tries to sing along. :)

9. The gift of music and reasons to sing more in the past few weeks than I have in a long time.

10. A warm woodstove and the gift of wood from a friend to keep us cozy on cold falls mornings (and all winter long!).

11. The brilliance of a beautiful fall day in New England - crisp air, glorious leaves, warm sunshine.

12. Watching my little one sleep peacefully in her sling.

13. Seeing the expressions she makes as she wakes up.

14. Baby cries - communication from a daughter who is healthy and thriving.

15. Learning lessons about dependance and receiving from one so small and precious.