One Thousand Gifts

I recently read One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp and it has inspired me to slow down and find God’s hand in the little things. The book is like poetry, it is written so beautifully. She writes about how we can find joy in the midst of cruelty, chaos and despair. Just hours before Jesus was executed, he took bread and gave thanks. I decided to follow her challenge and write down the little things that bring me joy (trying to write as poetically as her is hard!). It’s usually something so meaningless that happens every day but at certain times it will take me off guard for just a split second, and instead of forgetting it a minute later, I write it down with the date. It’s an easy way that I can remember God’s grace through gratitude and I’m hoping it helps me live fully right where I am. I recommend reading her book and joining in on the challenge with me!

#37

January 03 —

The graceful flight of geese across a winter wonderland

#36

December 23 —

An outstretched hand running to catch up to Mom’s hand

#35

November 27 —

The purest love in a toddler’s eyes staring up in a crib

#34

November 04 —

Floppy arms in water wings

#33

October 30 —

The soft caress of newborn baby hair on a cheek

#32

October 28 —

Extra long cuddles from a sick toddler

#31

October 25 —

The weight of a baby ball curled on your chest

#30

October 01 —

The quiet stillness of independent play

#29

August 20 —

Little dimpled hands curled around a swing

#28

July 25 —

Purple flowers pushing through concrete, growth in an unlikely place

#27

May 29 —

Large fields of long grass moving like ocean waves

#26

April 08 —

The yellow-green color of sun-filtered leaves

#25

February 17 —

The soft heavy breathing of a focused child

#24

November 14 —

Muted colors that whirl you to a memory of a grandparent’s backyard

#23

November 05 —

A perfectly, tiny symmetrical face in the rear-view mirror

#22

October 28 —

Tiny leaves endlessly falling as snow

#21

October 09 —

The flash of a swinging child’s head over a fence

#20

September 01 —

Little pools of water in baby knuckle dimples

#19

February 09 —

Holding your child for the first time

#18

December 06 —

A good night’s sleep on a pregnancy pillow

#17

August 30 —

When the light and shadows on a face create yellow and blue.

#16

August 26 —

The kicks and dances of a baby in the belly

#15

May 14 —

A well fitted dress

#14

May 12 —

The evening sun behind green trees

#13

April 27 —

Spinning in a long dress

#12

April 19 —

Perfectly shaped swirl down a drain

#11

April 18 —

Big flurries of snowflakes falling slowly

#10

April 17 —

Smallest sliver of a moon

#9

April 15 —

Jolt of energy at a usual draining place

#8

April 09 —

A sincere random compliment of beauty

#7

April 07 —

Holding hands down a busy street

#6

January 08 —

Loving soft hands on my cheek

#5

December 12 —

Bright moon on a clear morning

#4

November 05 —

Birds in a row on a freeway ledge

#3

October 28 —

Light shining down through our little kitchen window

#2

October 01 —

Sun peeking through misty mountains

#1

April 13 —

Trees morphing into climbing giants on a mountainside