Gratitude

By: Mandy

"My tongue has had a razor edge and my eyes have rolled haughty and my neck has been stiff and graceless and I have lived the filth ugly, an idolater, a glutton, and a grace thief who hasn't had time for the thanks."

Many people in "my circles" have read or at least heard of "One Thousand Gifts" by Ann Voskamp. My friend, Erika, is letting me borrow her copy and I have to say (although I'm only through half of it) this book is going to be life-changing. I mean, I hope so. Basically Ann chronicles her ordinary, routine-filled life of laundry, wiping kids' noses, meal prep and clean-up, etc and has that whole "is there something more?" moment. Can it be exciting to be a child of God in "regular life?" Do we have to see 1000 places before we die? Do we have to complete a bucket list? Or can we revel in an extraordinary God in the ordinary? She comes to the conclusion that she lacks gratitude...thankfulness...eucharisteo.

So, what does she do? (And I love this) She makes lists. She starts listing things she is thankful for. An open window in springtime. The leaves swaying in the breeze. A child's laugh. Etc...to a thousand little things the first year! As she does this she realizes her heart is changing, growing more humble, more alert to God orchestrating everything, and more in love with Him.

Now, I'm no Mennonite farmer's wife with six kids (as Ann is) but I do struggle so much with pride, thanklessness, purposeless-going-through-the-day. What if I made lists? I started one today. I do not intend to blog it every week (as some of my friends do); it might just camp in my journal for now. But I do hope the Holy Spirit uses a little list to help me to see gifts all around me...and more importantly, the Giver of Good, Life, Salvation, and Joy Everlasting.

Here are my first 10:
1. Territorial bumblebees in our backyard
2. Lydia's thighs
3. The way my friend Jen laughs at her husband's jokes with love in her eyes
4. Our support goal: exceeded!
5. Tilled soil
6. "May-men!" in church
7. Erika bringing me this book
8. Sarah cooking pancakes on the griddle
9. Chris reading a book to Lydia
10. 3-year-old Halle pulling 3-year-old Ellie in a wagon