One Thousand Gifts

A few years ago, I kept a journal of gratitude. This was when I lived in Eastworks and opened a photography studio and art gallery. I was thankful. I am thankful.

Inspired recently by Ann Voskamp, author of One Thousand Gifts, I am starting a new journal. Here.

Visioneering. Prosperity through spirituality. Gratitude.

Ann writes: "All research concludes that writing down just 3 things you are grateful for, you increase your happiness by 25%! Who doesn't want that!? And giving thanks in all things is a God-command for our joy. Let's DO this thing!"

"Hang on the fridge for the whole family to take the #JOYDARE too! Print the March Joy Dare here: https://s3.amazonaws.com/a.voskamp/BlogFiles/MarchJoyDare.pdf 

And again: "Want to live the good of gratitude? maybe start with this journal & a pen & thanking God for just 3 gifts/day? http://amzn.to/1h50wHn]

I printed her "March Joy Dare" and made a commitment to do this!

 
Ann's prompt for March 1: "3 Things at Three."

Susan and I had a friend over for a mid-afternoon brunch. 

Thankful I am for the Fennel Parmesan Biscotti:

Thankful I am for the Chicken Orzo Arugula Salad:

Thankful I am for the Mushroom Mozzarella Spinach Pizza (Whole wheat dough by yours truly!):

"Give us this day our daily bread." Matthew 6:11

March 2. "Gifts Green."

I was delighted to see the pachysandra appearing where there had once been so much snow.

Thankful I am for the green beans which I roasted and served with our dinner:

Thankful I am for the parsley which I added to our meatloaf:

Thankful I am for our green salad (mixed greens and arugula):

Thankful I am for the gift, the poem, that hangs on our kitchen wall:

March 3. "Gifts Wore."

Today I am wearing my father's dark blue lambswool cardigan sweater and plaid shirt. Thankful I am.

The cuffs on the shirt are worn:

I do not know why they are worn but the cuffs, the shirt, the sweater remind me of my dad who passed away unexpectedly in 2006. 

Thankful I am for always being reminded of him.



As I write tonight it is cold. A record, I hear, could be set tonight. When I wake tomorrow and walk Freddy the temperature will be around --5. Thankful I am for the sweatpants I own to wear beneath my jeans.

From a book I am reading, "What are you?" by Imelda Octavia Shanklin, Unity Classic Library Series:

"If you worship God in nature, you worship Him in weather, in cold that numbs your flesh and in desert blast that drives the stinging sand against your parched cheek; in prolonged rains, in droughts that sear the landscape, in lashing blizzards that obscure your path and push you into unknown regions...If you resist, resent, grumblingly flinch before any of these, you do not worship God in nature..."

Thankful I am.