3 Gifts Loud, 3 Gifts Carved, 3 Gifts In Christ

I am blessed.

Here is why.

On March 1st I started counting my gifts and writing about these gifts here at "Visioneering Prosperity, A Journal of Gratitude."

I started counting my gifts because I was so moved by reading  Ann Voskamp  on Facebook and Twitter and her book One Thousand Gifts ; her encouraging words to count your blessing, your daily gifts, and how writing these blessings and gifts down on paper (or on a blog) you change your life.

I am writing about the past three days and Ann's prompts for each day.

March 8. Three Gifts Loud.

Everyone morning, soon after I wake, and before my dog, cat and wife wake, I open the shutters in our office and look up at a pine tree in our backyard and I always see, and then hear, the Blue Jay. His LOUD trumpet call (You can hear it here) seems to say "Watch out. Get out of my way. I am arriving."

And there the Bluejay sits. On the garden arbor. Looking left. Looking right. Looking up. Looking down. Before he takes flight again and soon alights on the feeder.

Then the Cardinal arrives. The male. His voice--his song a LOUD whistle (You can hear it here). A song that is a gift each and every morning. And I Thank God for this.

Sometimes I see, (and hear) the Female Cardinal, too.

The Red-bellied Woodpecker comes, too. He first sings high above in the tree and then lands. (You can hear his loud songs here) But he often seems so skittish, sensing me at my window camera in hand, and flies away before I can photograph him.

And ONE more thing LOUD:

The Sock Monkey sitting on my desk; Look at those colors!!!

 
March 9. Three Gifts Carved.

There are the carved crossed throughout our home. Here our two which sit on our desk in our home office:

There are the numerous pieces of framed art throughout our home, each with a beautifully carved framed. Here is a work of art that hangs in our kitchen:

And here is a gift of a carved turkey cooking in water with onions, carrots, celery, bay leafs, peppercorn, slowly turning into turkey stock. A gift from one of my sisters who had a family get-tether on Saturday and asked it I would like this gift to take home:

I know it looks rather frightening but look at the Turkey Soup with Okra, Peas, Corn, Celery, Carrots, Leeks that it was turned into some 24 hours later:

YUM! One more item carved. Susan's collection of carved elephants.

March 10. Three Gifts In Christ.


The gift of Grace. A treasure hidden in a field. Acres of Diamonds. To know his love is to know his grace. Revealing the grace of a good God who loves us. Our father who are in Heaven. He came to bring us good news of great joy that is for all people.

The gift of light. I so love this verse: 

"When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."

The gift of ministry. 

The gift of being called to share Jesus' mission in word and deed. Affirming our own mission. Evaluating our part in God's Kingdom. Give me strength to say "You will be done."