“I will be filled with joy because of you. I will sing praises to your name, O Most High.” Psalm 9:2
Gratitude gives life. Giving thanks speaks peace into our spirits. Disciplining ourselves to give thanks for each gift focuses our hearts and brings joy.
Too often I forget, though. It becomes an after thought. Amidst the noise it takes discipline to slow my mind and give thanks. Especially when days dawn with thundering rain and headaches bring you to a halt.
But I wonder if God uses these halting days when the to-do list is long and self-imposed pressure of shrinking the list overwhelms to remind us to slow down and give thanks.
Without giving thanks the pressures of our tasks and relationships can suck life away instead of giving it.
I wonder if it’s also this way with showing our gratitude to others as well. By giving thanks we encourage. Speaking life into another’s soul as we simply give appreciation. Our action, our words used to build up.
How easy it is to use them to tear down instead. Something I’m guilty of too often.
For me I find I need to silence the noise or at least change it. As I write I sit on my porch listening to the birds sing. It’s a different noise. A calming noise.
Listening to the birds sing their different songs I’m reminded they give thanks with each note.
Such a simple lesson they teach.
Where do you find yourself able to silence the distracting noises of life?
Continuing to Count the Gifts
965. For focus and motivation. (5.21.12)
966. For lunch with Sarah Beth. (5.22.12)
967. For time with Chris on his birthday. (5.24.12)
968. For the young man Douglas has become as he graduates from high school. (5.24.12)
969. For early morning quiet. (5.25.12)
970. For a productive morning. (5.28.12)
971. For an afternoon boat ride. (5.28.12)
972. For time to paint. (5.29.12)
973. For the ability to exercise. (5.30.12)
975. For a house to clean. (5.30.12)
976. For a place to exercise. (5.30.12)
977. For a phone call from a headmaster & official acceptance. (5.31.12)
978. For finding social graces. (6.1.12)
979. For 8 hours of sleep. (6.2.12)
980. For Sam moving up to youth group. (6.3.12)
981. For a safe drive. (6.4.12)
982. For waves crashing. (6.4.12)
983. For an unexpected sunset amidst the clouds. (6.5.12)
984. For time to explore. (6.6.12)
985. For watching the storm clouds roll out to shore. (6.7.12)
986. For birds singing in my yard. (6.9.12)
987. For sunshine through a break in the clouds after two and a half days of rain. (6.11.12)
988. For a blue jay on a tree limb. (6.11.12)
989. For a headache easing. (6.11.12)
For the past eighteen months I’ve shared my counting of the gifts most Mondays here. I began this habit after reading Ann Voskamp’s One Thousand Gifts. I’m almost to one thousand. Eleven more to go and I will share here until I reach one thousand. I know I will continue to count gifts far past that as it is a discipline I need to maintain, but I am unsure how often I will share them here. Of course I will continue writing. Sharing my reflections on faith, photography and art.
