One Thousand Gifts.

So I have been reading this book called One Thousand Gifts, by Ann Voskamp.   The tag line on the cover is ...a dare to live fully right where you are...don't you just love that??  Isn't it beautiful?

On the inside flap it says..."Like most readers, Ann Voskamp hungers to live her one life well.  Forget the bucket lists about once-in-a-lifetime experiences.  How do we find joy in the midst of deadlines, debt, drama and daily duties?  What does a life of gratitude look like when your days are gritty, long, and sometimes dark?  What is God providing here and now? A beautifully practical guide to living a life of joy, One Thousand Gifts, invites you to wake up to God's everyday blessings.  As Voskamp discovered, in giving thanks for the life she already had, she found the life she'd always wanted. Along the way, you will discover a way of seeing that opens your eyes to gratitude, a way of living so you are not afraid to die, and a way of becoming present to God's presence that brings deep and lasting happiness."

Gosh I am in the midst of reading this book right now.  And it is so very humbling!  I mean the author challenges herself to write down 1,000 things she is thankful for - not all in one go..but day by day the journal grows.  One thousand gifts...not just one but one thousand.  Sounds like a lot right??  But once you start thinking about it...one thousand doesn't seem like enough!

I mean if you keep it simple you could go on...and on ...and on right?

1.  lawnmowers and the smell of cut grass
2.  the sound of laughter
3.  the smell of freshly popped popcorn
4.  the smell of brownies fresh out of the oven
5.  Freshly washed clothes
6.  a good book is a gift for me

So some of my favorite One Thousand thoughts...

How do we live fully so we are fully ready to die?   - I love that she poses this question because no one really has an answer right??  But it is such a beautiful reminder that we shouldn't take a single day for granted.


I want to learn how to be grateful and happy, whether hands full or hands empty - that is a secret worth spending a life on learning - p. 47


"We, who are made in the image of God, being formed into Christ's likeness, our happiness comes not in the having but in the handing over.  Give your life away in exchange for many lives, give away your blessings to multiply blessings, give away so that many might increase, and do it all for the love of God.  I can bless, pour out, be broken and give in our home and the larger world and never fear that there won't be enough to give."


So I dare you to live fully right where you are so you are fully ready to die...

Check out Ann's blog - A Holy Experience.