2011 things for which to be grateful in the year 2011
...so I wrapped 5 composition books like these and put them under the tree...
and on Christmas morning I shared my brilliant idea and gave my family the challenge of finding 2011 things for which to be grateful in the year 2011... much to the thrill of some and the chagrin of others.
...soon after Christmas, Ann's book was released...
and I couldn't stop reading it. I devoured it cover to cover... and started over. I've given away my copy several times and ordered more. In the process, I'm learning more about gifts... grace... gratitude. And, I've embraced Ann's challenge... discover 1000 gifts... dare to live fully right where you are discovering that all is grace and it's all grace... and that joy comes in the recognizing of gifts and in the giving thanks.
... I've also learned that you can't mandate thanksgiving. Gratitude comes from a heart that gives thanks not one that is required to say "thank you". The girls embraced my idea... the boys... not so much.
...so on a day with a very snowy forecast, we crafted.... gluing, decorating, ribboning our journals to make them our own... to make the special... to make them more appealing.
and I began to write it all down...
...so now my gratitude journal exceeds my blog count of 1000 Gifts... because ALL of it... all the stuff of life... the good, the bad, the ugly... are all gifts.... because of One who gives me the very gift of breath. It's all gifts... it's all grace... and I'll I can do is be grateful.... and keep counting!
...so I'm counting it all... and skipping ahead here to catch my blog up with my gratitude journal...
and the family count as of Saturday night was 1172 and I, personally, am counting to ONE MILLION... one million gifts and beyond because I am counting it all.
...catching up to #767...
... spiritual struggles
... friends who speak truth
... seeing the hand of God in my struggles
... the journey of marriage
... the journey of motherhood
... the journey of homeschooling
... the smell of clean sheets
... snow clinging to trees
... conquering Mt. Washmore, yet again!
Hi Heidi,
ReplyDeleteI think it is cute for the one written in red that Jesus ranks just above bathrooms :-)
Marti
nice...what a great idea!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful, Heidi! I started my boys this summer with gratitude journals. One has all but forgotten it and the other picks it up and writes when he sees it. It's a beautiful practice to start young though- giving thanks in all circumstances. Counting my gifts along with you (and Ann, of course :)
ReplyDelete