One Thousand Gifts in 2012

Last year, I had a friend that started sharing her One Thousand Gifts and today I was reminded of it by Emily over at chatting at the sky. I was hesitant to jump in last year. Last year was a very difficult year for me and I will admit, I was not very thankful... Sometimes I think we can get so focused on "surviving" when we are going through difficult circumstances, but in that "surviving" we so often miss the little things, those things that so easily slip right past us without our even realizing it. Those things we don't see because we are so busy doing a million and a half things that we forget to slow down, to remember to look for those small gifts that our Father God has so lovingly left in our paths, to help us, to encourage us, to remind us of His presence and His undying love for us.


So... this year, I think I'll take the challenge.  If I really believe Romans 8:28, then I have everything in the world to be thankful for, even the {seemingly} bad stuff. If you'd like to give thanks to your creator this year for all he's done, you can find more info at A Holy Experience.

Today's Joy Dare is "a gift in your hand, a gift you walked by, a gift you sat with."

"a gift in your hand" - my Starbucks grande skim latte


"a gift you walked by" - the beautiful bouquet of yellow roses that sits on my dining room table, cheerfully greeting me each time I walk by


"a gift you sat with" - my husband, who so sweetly gets up in the morning and makes us breakfast because he knows how rough mornings are for me.... and who sits next to me on the couch as he eats his breakfast, drinks his coffee and reads the holy Word of God.