One Thousand Gifts

The author of a blog I stalk follow had a give-away during Lent for the book One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are by Ann Voskamp. (linked using my Amazon Affiliate link)

I’m a lucky girl, because I won!

This book is life changing. As I read (nope, I’m not done yet), I can feel my heart and soul stirring in a way I have not felt in a very long time. I’ve been struggling for a while to find all that is good, beautiful, and right with the world from the household bunkers of messy laundry, dirty dishes, and the clutter and clatter of 5 children.

Ann has a way with words! Her words, her expression of God’s words, are opening my eyes and my heart to the “little things”. “Little Things” are so important to me right now. They are the corner stones of the lives of two Catholic women I have been studying – Saint Therese of Lisieux and Blessed (Mother) Teresa of Calcutta. I’m still making all of the connections from this book to them to my life and faith as a Catholic Wife and Mother.

So, as a result, I’ve started my list. In the future, I will include photos or scrapbook pages when and where I can.

1. Able hands in substitution
2. bouncing giggles of tots
3. dark chocolate frozen dairy perfection
4. the unsteady reading of a child’s book
5. sleeping boys
6. health and wellness being restored
7. excited anticipation
8. willing risers
9. pig-tails in blonde hair
10. the smell of SPF 60
11. the hum and swoosh of a machine working
12. Three year old “magic”… TA-DA!
13. Two year old dressing self completely for the first time
14. Predictable lunch requests from youngest three children
15. Pineapple. YUM!
16. Gooey fingers after a cold treat on a hot summer afternoon
17. Skilled surgeons
18. Post-surgery telephone call from Dad, “Mom is doing fine.”
19. Math fact practice in the form of video game
20. Music in my ears

So you’re probably wondering where “big stuff” is from my list – like my house, my husband, and each of my children… they are all there in that list above, just in a small doses. Remember, I’m trying to appreciate the little things.

I’ll post these lists as often as I am inspired to do so. Not going to make a solid commitment to daily or weekly – it’s summer time and I need to “go with the flow.”