::thoughts on firsts::

:photo:

i love firsts.
beginnings.
fresh starts.
a new year. a new month. a new day.
feels like a clean slate.
the busyness of last month is gone.
new goals have been set.
refocus.
the month of thankfulness.
my One Word celebrated by all.
thankful.
thankful for the blank pages i have been given to fill. i can write beauty and love and grace. i can write justice and forgiveness and simplicity.
these are my pages to fill.
my days to live.
my legacy to leave.

will it point them to Him?


*linking up with heather for just write

::what leads to deepest happiness?::

"we are in deepest happiness in the posture of the grateful worship"

-ann voskamp

eyes open as light peeks through the window.
morning brings a new wave of responsibility. a new list of things to do.
a late start never helps slow the day.
throwing back the covers making my way to the shower while my mind fills with all that will have to be accomplished- followed by the overwhelming urge to sleep more.

shower, make-up, ironing, dressing, all to the soothing sound of ocean waves through the monitor. babies sleeping restfully. content. safe with not a care in the world.

then i remember the one i carry.
i sit- thankful.
the to-do list no longer in the forefront of my mind. gratitude takes over.
i count each blessing. each precious gift.
happiness takes over.
i begin my day in grateful worship.


how about you sweet friend? how do you get into grateful worship?

{pain leads to transformation}

"practice is the hardest part of learning and training is the essence of transformation"

ann voskamp

::one thousand gifts::

::photo::

the coach leaned over her and pulled so hard that felt pain from one hundred yards away.
stretching.
followed by pain.
leads to transformation.
eventually... the perfect form of a gymnast.
long and lean and beautiful for all to see.
only learned through painful practice.

can i hope for this?
transformation?
a thankful heart?
one day might i have perfect form?
maybe.
first...i must practice.

{one word::2011::the journey begins}

i can already feel it.
chapter one.
challenged.
encouraged.

one thousand gifts by ann voskamp

{photo}

[gift]::something given volunarily without payment in return, as to show favor towards someone

there are more than a thousand i'm certain.
but i will start this journey of recognition today.
one thousand gifts.
one thousand blessings.
one thousand instances to bring things into perspective.
to take my mind off of the {foxes that ruin the vineyard of love}


#1 baby giggles: they echo from wall to wall in our home and make my heart leap for joy.

#2 eyelashes that tickle my nose with each goodnight kiss.

#3 a little girl that is beginning to understand living like jesus.

#4 a hot cup of coffee

#5 a place of worship...so welcoming

#6 date night filled with hand holding and stolen kisses

#7 a four year olds bed covered with minnie mouse's and dinosaurs and a little tot found right in the middle

#8 this season

#9 warm feet that touch mine through the night

#10 books that bring encouragement and new perspective

you cannot complain and be thankful at the same time.
i will choose to be thankful.
minute by minute.
hour by hour.
daily.

{thankful}

{psst....i've got a secret....}

{photo}

they sat together over a dinner prepared in celebration of a great accomplishment. 41 years together. when 1 out of every 2 couples will part ways at some point during their journey together...that's amazing.

{41 years}

but they cried.
nostalgia?
she was missing a dear friend...her mother.
she asked why he was crying.
his response..."we won't have 41 more."

true love and sincere heartache for the years that won't be shared. not because of divorce or discord but because their time on this earth...in those bodies....is fleeting.

she said it with a sparkle in her navy blue eyes.
words like honey...sweet to my soul.
i asked..."what makes your marriage so sweet?"

{praise, my friend. praise.}

those words immediately took me to words i heard earlier in the week:

"it's easy to appreciate what we once had."
-shane hipps

the lesson that echoed in my mind:

{appreciate. be thankful. praise.}

what are you appreciating?
thankful for?
how can you praise those your love today?

grace and peace sweet friends,

{one word::2011}

i love the {new year}.
i love the whole clean slate, start over, all-things-are-new feeling of a brand new year.
i am a big fan of alece over at {grit and glory}.
alece has decided, instead of making new year resolutions that will likely be found incomplete or even forgotten, she will choose {one word} to represent each year.
{one word} to focus her life on.
i've given this some thought and have decided to join in the {one word 2011} challenge.

{my one word:::thankful}

[thangk-fuhl]:adjective::feeling or expressing gratitude; appreciative.

"gratitude is a magnet attracting filings of goodness out of the expanse of the past"

-ann voskamp

"gratitude is what makes the past a grace, here holy and tomorrow a gift"

-ann voskamp

we always talk about what we are thankful for, but tonight it was different. laying in her bed, snuggled up with minnie mouse and her pillow pet, taggie in hand, i started...

"i'm thankful for our snuggle time. tag you're it!" her turn, "i'm thankful for you mommy! tag you're it!"

{giggle*giggle*giggle}

back and forth we swelled with gratitude. each itching for our que "tag you're it!" to share what fell on our hearts. gratitude made all the grumpiness from the day disappear, leaving only precious memories and a full heart behind.

i will choose to be {thankful}in 2011.
what is your one word?

{small things with great *LOVE*}

this season brings attention to the fact that we are blessed.
we have plenty.
sunday night we studied genesis 12.
abram was blessed.
why?
so he could bless others.

"i will make you into a great nation and i will bless you. i will make your name great and you will be a blessing." genesis 12:2

we are seeking ways to bless and encourage and meet the needs of others. i found this little clip of shane claiborne, author of irresistible revolution. he speaks very powerful words....

"we can do no great things, only small things with great love"
-mother teresa

**check out this video of shane reading a few lines from his book**

"today, small things with great love, or don't open the door"
-shane claiborne

grace and peace friends,