This list is finally being typed up a few days later than I had planned. Life is full and rich and beautiful. I have savored these thankful thoughts, recognizing each for the treasure that it is.
It is a long list because in the last year I have been learning about counting gifts. I have been so inspired by Ann Voskamp's words, "I discover that slapping a sloppy brush of Thanksgiving over everything in my life leaves me deeply thankful for few things in my life."
I totally agree with Ann. I have found that as I examine the minute reasons I have to be thankful, my life has become much more bountiful, my soul much more joyful, and my perspective much more positive.
My list is alphabetical, because for many years I have counted my blessings mid-run. It seems when I have run long and hard enough to slow my mind from my list of daily duties, PRAISE emerges. When my mind is clear, my heart sings praise. It is a beautiful thing, really. And because even my mid-run, oxygen deprived brain demands structure (sad but true), I tend to go through the alphabet naming gifts letter by letter as I run.
It is no wonder that I always feel more joyful after a run. Focusing on all that God has chosen to bless me with changes my whole perspective, every time.
And now, after much explanation, MY LIST!
A - ALL mighty God, Author of my life, abundance, appreciation, awe, adoption, Ashlee, Ann Voskamp
B- Bible, BCC, Brenna, boating, Bekelech, brothers, boys, beds, beauty, birthdays
C- chad, children, capabilities, clothing, camping, coffee, creativity, computers, Creative Construction
D- Dad, daughters, daily duties, doing, delight, delicious, dishwasher
E - Everlasting relationships, encouragement, eye-sight, emotions, eucharisteo, excitement, enthusiasm, Ethiopia
F- faith, faithfulness, family, friends, fun, fellowship, following, Flachs, food, fathers, flowers, future
G- God, grandparents, grace, gratitude, girls, growth, growing, goodness, giggles, groceries
H- husband of mine, happiness, health, hair, hands, home, heat, hugs, Holy Spirit, honesty, help
I- intelligence, insight, information, I-am, Isaiah, internet, IPod, in-laws
J- Jamison, JOshua, Jesus, jobs, joy
K- Krissy, King of Kings, Karri, Kristen, kindness, knowledge
L- love, life, listening, laughter, longings, Lindsey, Lunch Ladies, Lee's, laundry
M- mom, motherhood, miracles, money, mercy, music, mentors, memories, Mary, mission
N- now, newness
O- Omnipotent God, originality, opportunities
P- provision, perseverance, parents, parenthood, promises, presence, peace, presents, prayers, passion, providence
Q- quiet
R- running, Riley, righteousness, rainy-days, road-blocks, rest, relaxation, revelation
S- Sierra, sisters, salvation, sons, sunshine, singing, sleep, secrets, Sharlene, surprises, summer, snuggles
T- time, Teresa, tickles, tenderness, truth, trials, transitions, trust, toilet
U- understanding, uniqueness
V- vacation, van, vision, vacuum
W- water, wonder, wine, works, words, writing, worship
X- experience, excellence, excitement, expression, exercise
Y- You!
Z- Zephaniah 3:17 "The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing."
The really cool thing about that very long list is that it is just the very tip of the iceburg.
Thank you, GOd, thank you!
