One Thousand Gifts

Once in a while, a book completely knocks me off my feet.  Oh, I've read many books (not as many as I'd like) and some of my more recent reads have impacted me greatly, but this one sticks with me.  It gnaws at my soul and rips apart notions I've long held tight.  I mull the beautiful words over and over throughout the day.  I pray these words impart change that's long overdue. 

Ann Voskamp may be one of the most gifted writers of our time.  Her blog has been on top of my feed reader for a while now, so I was very excited to get her book and read more of her words.  The book is called One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are.  And I just cannot say enough about it.  And I'm only on chapter five.  The book came out of a dare from a friend of Ann's to write down one thousand things that made her happy.  Things she loved.  The result of such a dare was a life changed.  A life lived more fully.  A life closer to the heart of God.  A thankful life.  Oh, how I want that kind of life! 

So I begin my list.  And I dare you to begin one, too.  Let's go on a treasure hunt together.  Finding the gifts God gives us in the day-to-day. 

#1 ~ The life of Yancy Spencer, who lived for Christ and died doing what he loved.
#2 ~ Sound of children laughing and playing across the street.
#3 ~ Ladybug dancing across my windshield yesterday, trying to take flight.
#4 ~ Rays of beautiful sunshine beaming down on my way to work.
#5 ~ Warmer weather that makes me think of spring and new beginnings.
#6 ~ A husband who recently committed to making dinners so his poor wife could have time to exercise! (thank you!)
#7 ~ Plethora of school choices for my daughter.  Many parents have no choice.
#8 ~ A skater who inspired me to boldness.
#9 ~ Sport and dance programs led by godly men and women whose goal is to win the hearts of the kids...not the game.
#10 ~ An old microwave I've kept for unknown reasons....until we needed a spare....on Valentine's Day.

This list is going to be on-going.  I'm not going to designate a certain day for posting my list, like Thankful Thursday, because I need to be about this thankful journey every single day.  Please join me in the journey.  Here are some links to help you along the way:

** The Bloom book club from (in) courage is discussing the book, HERE.
** Here's a new website and place where you can list your gifts:  One Thousand Gifts.
** Ann Voskamp's blog is such a blessing.  Trust me, you will get caught up in her words at A Holy Experience.

~ Note:  I bought this book on my own and have not been contacted to write a review!  :)  ~

Wuv, Twue Wuv, Foweveh!

This was the day I had waited for all my life.  I had found a man who had swept me off my feet.  A man who would sing to me if I asked, take me to musicals even if it meant missing the World Series, and leave sweet poems on my windshield.  A man who loved me enough to let me be myself.  With him, my walls dropped.  He made me a better person.  I had found love.  True, pure love.

The church was beautiful.  Exactly as I had envisioned it.  The flowers, the candles, the music.  All perfect.  It was a dream come true.  Everything was going as planned.  The day of the wedding, I was cool and confident.  At peace. 

As my groom awaited my entrance into the sanctuary, joy filled my soul.  It was the perfect moment.  The doors opened, the music played, and I prepared myself to take that long walk. 

What happened next startled me out of my sweet dream. 

My precious little ring bearer was urgently tugging on my Dad's sleeve, stating the very obvious fact that he had to go to the bathroom. right. at. that. very. moment!!!!  I flashbacked to a time when babysitting him that he had gotten himself so upset, he said he was going to throw up.  Paul and I didn't believe him, just thought it was a tactic to get out of going to bed, but sure enough...there it was.  And, now, here I was, in this very important moment, trying to decide whether or not he was serious.  Because, after all, they were playing MY song.  THE song.  But, before I could even say a word, I turned around and my dad was gone.  To the bathroom.  The father of the bride - the one who was supposed to be walking me down the aisle RIGHT NOW - had disappeared with the ring bearer who was supposed to go down the aisle before me!    

Well, the calm, collected part of me came undone and the tears streaked down my perfectly made up face on my perfect day.  I was standing in the doorway, as people watched me expectedly, having a total nervous breakdown.  I mean, how on earth could this little boy ruin my day?  Fully involved in my little pity party, I hardly noticed my dad take my arm.  We took off flying as if we were racing the music to get to the alter on time.  Little did the people in the congregation know that these were not tears of joy.  They were tears of utter horror.

Though I may have been crying the most ugly cry ever, my groom still took my as his own.  He loved me.  He wanted me as his bride for the rest of his life.

You know what?  Though that scene will be forever etched in my mind, it was still a perfect day.  I still married the man on my dreams.  (And now I have a fun story to tell at parties!) 

A. W. Tozer jogged my memory of this day as I read his chapter on God's love in Volume 2 of The Attributes of God.  He speaks of the love God has for us.  For just as my earthly groom waited for me to join him in our life together, so awaits my heavenly Groom. 

Earthly love is imperfect.

The love of God is perfect. 

Human relationships are conditional.  With boundaries and limits.

God's love is unconditional.  Limitless.

Our love fades.  We die.  The love we have for each other cannot go on forever.

God's love for us endures forever.

When I first believed in this love, I forsook all others and walked down the aisle with my Father to meet my Groom, Jesus.  All my dreams came true.  I found the love I had been longing for.  A love that would never let me go.  And He looked on me, His bride, with such adoring lovingkindness and mercy, that He gave up His life to be with me for eternity. 

That was the perfect wedding.  That was the most important day of my life.  The day I married into God's family and accepted the beautiful love of God.

Though my Groom is not physically here with me on this earth (He sent His Helper, the Holy Spirit to stay with me here), one day He is returning for me.  He will once again sweep me off my feet, riding His beautiful white horse.  He will give me a gown of fine, clean linen to replace my rags of unrighteousness.  My Prince will forever slay the beast that has haunted me all my life.  Together, we will enjoy a wedding feast unlike any the world has ever seen.  Then, He will carry me off to the Holy City He has built just for me.  I will be His and He will be mine forevermore.  (Revelation 19-22)

That is what I call "Wuv, Twue Wuv, Foweveh!!"**  Amen! 

Do you know the most wonderful part of this story God has written?  He longs to make each and every one of us His "bride".  All those who come to Him and believe on His Name will have their own love story with the Savior of the world.

Forget romance novels, try reading the Bible!  It contains the sweeping romance of God towards those who follow Him.  He loves you.  Oh, how He loves you.  And He wants you to be a part of the best ending in history.    

**Note: In case you don't recognize it, this line is from The Princess Bride, one of my all-time favorite movies!** 

Music helps me relate to this great love God has for me:

Thankful Thursday ~ 11/11/10

"But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place. For we are a fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing; to the one an aroma from death to death, to the other an aroma from life to life. And who is adequate for these things? For we are not like many, peddling the word of God, but as from sincerity, but as from God, we speak in Christ in the sight of God."  2 Corinthians 2:14-17

My pastor preached on this passage recently and he challenged us to write down 10 things we are thankful for each day for 40 days.  I haven't been all that faithful in writing these down since his sermon last Sunday, but I have tried to have a more grateful attitude each day. 

Today, I am thankful for:

• Military personnel and their spouses and families who sacrifice so much to serve and protect this great country.
• A godly mother-in-law who taught me how to laugh louder, live harder, and love more deeply.  I can still smell the fragrance of Christ that she left behind.  She went to be with Jesus 4 years ago this week and I'm thankful she's at home with Him.  We miss her so much, but we hold dearly to the knowledge that we will see her again one day.
• A Sovereign, Faithful God.
• Not having to worry about how I might get my next meal.
• Having a closet bursting full of clothes.  So many clothes that I have to actually give some of them away. 
• Having a roof over my head and shelter from incoming storms.  Haiti has once again been on my heart and mind with the recent hurricane and cholera outbreak. 
• Brave, courageous families who give of their lives to care for orphans.  (Check out those 3 links to see 3 of those amazing families!)
• Pastor Traylor, who just celebrated 20 years with us at Olive Baptist Church.  I'm grateful for a man of integrity who preaches the Word of God and actually lives it out.
• A workplace where I can share Jesus any time the Spirit leads. 
• My husband, who works so very hard to provide for our family.  He puts in long hours, but still makes time for me and Ella.  She is going to remember all the breakfasts he's cooked for her, the soccer games he attended and the basketball games he coached.  He's a special man and I'm extremely thankful that God brought the two of us together.

I wanted to also share Ella's list.  So sweet.  And, she made her list before I made mine!

• My cousin, Lucas.
• The Bible.
• My friends.
• My family.
• That Jesus died on the cross for us.
• Food to eat.
• A house to live in.
• My school.
• Animals.
• A beautiful day.

Father God, we come to You with grateful hearts, knowing that we do not deserve any of these gifts.  We pray that we will live a life that pleases and honors You, the giver of all good things.  Amen.

Thankful That He's Unshakable!

**This post is part of my "Thankful Thursday" series, but it's being posted a bit late! Sorry to those of you (like me) who can be anal about such things!**

"Let us therefore, receiving a kingdom that is firm and stable and cannot be shaken, offer to God pleasing service and acceptable worship, with modesty and pious care and godly fear and awe."  Hebrews 12:28 (Amplified Bible)

After dealing with a sick child for a few days, my thankfulness seems to have flown out the window!  Of course, today I am thankful that she seems to be feeling better and her little body is on the mend.  Just know that it wasn't easy to set my heart toward gratitude when I was covered in vomit, watching endless episodes of "The Flintstones", sitting in the pediatrician's waiting room for 2 hours late Tuesday afternoon, or almost being washed away by a sudden storm as I tried to get prescriptions filled!  Can I get an "Amen" from all the parents out there?!   

So, this morning, in order to set my heart right, I decided to do a word search for "thankful" at Biblios.com, which is one of my favorite online Bible resources.  The first verse to pop up was Hebrews 12:28.  The New International Version states it this way, "Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe."  Today, I am so very thankful for the unwavering kingdom, created by a Sovereign, Almighty God!

After doing a quick word study on the phrase "let us be thankful" (from the NIV), I found that the Greek words used here are "echōmen charin", meaning "to have or to hold grace (graciousness) or favor".  In trying to use the Greek more literally, I would paraphrase this verse like so: "Since [through the blood of Christ], we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be moved or shaken, let us therefore hold an attitude of graciousness towards God, whereby we may worship Him the way He ought to be worshipped - with reverence and awe." 

When we consider that this world is not our own and that we are part of an immovable, unshakable kingdom, we can put things in proper perspective. 

We are free to be gracious. 

We are free to worship. 

We are free from this world.

As I dug further, I came across this great commentary by Albert Barnes, taken from his Notes on the Bible. 

Let us have grace, whereby we may serve God - Margin, "let us hold fast." The Greek is, literally, let us have grace; the meaning is, "let us hold fast the grace or favor which we have received in being admitted to the privileges of that kingdom." The object of the apostle is, to keep them in the reverent fear and service of God. The "argument" which he presents is, that this kingdom is permanent. There is no danger of its being overthrown. It is to continue on earth to the end of time; it is to be established in heaven forever. If it were temporary, changeable, liable to be overthrown at any moment, there would be much less encouragement to perseverance. But in a kingdom like this there is every encouragement, for there is the assurance:

(1) that all our interests there are safe;

(2) that all our exertions will be crowned with ultimate success,

(3) that the efforts which we make to do good will have a permanent influence on mankind, and will bless future ages; and

(4) that the reward is certain.

A man subject to a government about whose continuance there would be the utmost uncertainty, would have little encouragement to labor with a view to any permanent interest. In a government where nothing is settled; where all policy is changing, and where there are constantly vacillating plans, there is no inducement to enter on any enterprise demanding time and risk. But where the policy is settled; where the principles and the laws are firm; where there is evidence of permanency, there is the highest encouragement. The highest possible encouragement of this kind is in the permanent and established kingdom of God. All other governments may be revolutionized; this never will be - all others may have a changeful policy; this has none - all others will be overthrown; this never will.

What a great reminder this week as we elected new leaders across the country, that no matter the political atmosphere of our great nation, God is in control!  His Kingdom is UNSHAKABLE!  It cannot be moved.  That is reason enough to fill our hearts with overflowing gratitude in such an uncertain time.  I hope this word encourages your heart as it has mine.  

Thankful Thursday ~ 10/28/10

Though I know it's a bit cliche and has become a little worn out across the blog world, I am going to continue to do Thankful Thursday for a while.  In this crazy world, I think it helps to remind ourselves that we do have a lot to be thankful for!

There has been a lot of tragedy lately.  Not just in the world news, but also in the lives of people I know personally.  When you watch others suffer, you immediately realize the things you so often take for granted.

I thank God for:

• My beautiful daughter who is healthy and safe and happy.  It's so easy to slip into a griping mode with her, but then I remember that I am not guaranteed a tomorrow with my sweet girl.  As I heard word of yet another precious child, not even a month old, being taken on to heaven this week, I held my girl a little closer and snuggled a little longer.
• A baby named Matthew who has forever changed my perspective on life.  I had the privilege of spending some time with him and his mommy while he was still in her belly last September.  He was only here on this earth for a few hours, but he has had an enormous impact on so many people.  He was born this very day, just 11 months ago. 
• His baby brother, Luke, who will be born in just a couple of months.  I'm so thankful for the way he has helped to restore his mother's joy.
• Lori, mom of these 2 sweet boys, and one of my best friends.  I'm also thankful for the chance to see her in December and meet Luke while he's still in her belly.  ;)  Though Lori would deny it, she is the strongest woman I know.  Not in her own strength, but in the strength of her great God, has she come through some of the most devastating circumstances any of us could ever imagine.
• Three more of my dearest sister-friends who I will also get to see in December.  I can't wait!!
• My brothers.  Though I don't tell them nearly enough, I love them and am so glad to have them in my life.  One of my online friends lost her sister tragically and unexpectedly this week.  I can't imagine what she's going through because I don't know what I'd do without my brothers.
• The fact that I have a house to do housework in and my body is able to do the work!  Though I may have complained a lot about doing the dirty work in my post yesterday, I am truly grateful for my home and I certainly do not take for granted the fact that I can actually get up out of bed and clean my own home.  (I just wish I didn't have to do it so often!)

I read this on Beth Moore's blog the other day and it just really sums up my thoughts in this post. 

"I often ask God to spare my dear family of tragedy but not to spare us of His glory. Tragedies do sometimes come but we must never think for a moment that they’ve come lightly. We must steady our reeling selves to the anchor beyond the veil and know, when we know nothing else, that somehow, some way, glory must have been at stake."

Though I would not choose for any of my friends or family members to suffer, I would not want to forsake the glory that God may want to bring to Himself through our trials and afflictions.  Above all, today, I am thankful for a God Who has shown Himself to be real and has carried me through the darkest days of my life and I know He will do the same for you.