One Thousand Gifts

I have had a lot going on lately.....the latest of which was a surgery yesterday that I did not tell many people about. I am doing fine. The surgery went well, but we will not know the pathology results until after the weekend. I welcome your prayers. I had a number of reasons for keeping this latest bit of news fairly "secret." I am simply tired of drama in my life.

Over the past year, I have been learning a lot from God....about blooming where I am planted and being joyful in spite of very very difficult circumstances. There are moments in my life when I realize how I am still working through some spiritual and emotional issues....very strong ones. I, like most everyone I know, am still a work in progress. We won't fully be wholly who God wants us to be until we are in heaven with Him!

Yesterday a mentor mom whom I do not know very well yet, came over to my house and brought us dinner and a gift for me. She said that it simply spoke to her heart to give it to me.

After my surgery yesterday I had plenty of time to sit in my favorite recliner, take my pain meds, drink hot tea, wish my mom was there to take care of me :), watch TV, sleep and read. That part was not all bad, let me tell you. As a stay-at-home mom of 3, I never EVER get down, relaxing days like that! So, in spite of the fact that I felt like I had been run over by a large truck, I had a relaxing and good day....plus I married the best guy in the world who not only took care of my kids and the house, but me too!

This is the book she gave me with a wonderful hand-written note inside.

In this book, Ann Voskamp, a farmer's wife with 6 children and countless tragedy in her own life, comes to grips with God and what He is truly doing in and through her life. She began to make a list of 1000 gifts that God gives her daily.....from sunbeams warming the wood floors, to a milk mustache on her child. In doing this list, she began to truly worship the Savior who gives abundantly.

Sometimes I live fully in the moment, rejoicing in God's many gifts......but many times I live with utter confusion with a God who does wonderful things but allows things in His children's lives that are utterly unfathomable.....from abuse, losing children, countless pain and tragedy. It is hard to wrap our human minds around and I have struggled with the knowledge that God does truly love me, yet has allowed much tragedy in my own life of 31 years.

So yesterday in the comfort of my bedroom recliner, I began a "1000 gifts" journal of my own. I am excited to see what God does with it. I am excited to begin noticing all the gifts instead of the tragedies in a hope that it will continue to help me work through some difficult issues I have held onto for so long.

Feel free to do it along with me. It is amazing. By the way, I only got up for #45 yesterday, but all the things from my yesterday's list happened only yesterday. I am excited to write the additional 955 items!