Gratitude: It Seeps into Every Little Thing

 

This counting gifts... this slowing down breath to slow down time - it works wonders and the longer you remember to pay attention, the deeper the work - the gift - of Gratitude will seep right on in.

Like rivers of living water, overflowing and overwhelming in all the best ways and sometimes-- sometimes it is simply a fresh K-cup placed in the Keurig - just waiting for my Monday morning, a gift from My Honey, or a full tank of gas that he pumped into my car in this non-polar vortex (but still oh so freezing cold!) weather... sometimes it is the ridiculously simple things that we used to take for granted that cause us to pause... to taste and see that the Lord is good. (and the coffee too! The coffee is really good!)

As I mentioned last week, this is my second January in writing these things down... in keeping a journal and numbering my blessings, one by one.  I look back over my life and I see that God has always gifted me with gratitude and a spirit of Thanksgiving.  I haven't always been a faith girl - as fear was a family friend... but I have always tried to look past him and find the good in every circumstance. So to be honest, when I first cracked open Ann's book on counting one thousand gifts - I thought I had this thing down. I do it daily already, but I don't always number them.

Here's where the magic happens though... it's in the writing them down, old school style - with pen and ink, that I see how many are counted again and again and again... I see what I am looking for and what I am finding and the things that I count and scribble down may seem so insignificant, or 'normal' but when we begin to see every little thing as a gift, we begin to see that we are blessed beyond measure and in turn, we get to go out and be a blessing! 

As I write down family members and little things they said to bless, or friends who have known me for all of my mothering years who come to mind, warm my heart, and enter into my prayers... I see how He shows up for me and through me and how He intends for all of us, each and every one of us, to be a gift to someone else! 

After all... Jesus is our Example, yes? 

He is the greatest Gift ever given... and His love; His sacrifice; His Blood and Willingness and Gratitude - yes, JOY set before Him - it just keeps seeping into every little thing!

Count with me, won't you?

#1833 - My Girlie - college-aged and studying in a field that she has been gifted in from the beginning... counseling friends with great support, love, and advice.

#1834 - Gorgeous Sunset - captured with my 'real' camera. (Oh yeah, I have one of those! I've been using my iphone so much, it was nice to hold my Nikon and focus a lens in my hand again!)

#1835 - GREAT tennis in tv... (which sadly resulted in not so much sleep this week - and yet, I am a fan so when the match starts at 12:30am my time - I am watching!)

#1836 - A non-bossy Monday that allows me a slower easing into the new week!

#1838 - The unexpected feelings that rose up and brought healing with my relationship with my Dad. (Yet another layer, anyway!)

#1839 - The gift of writing (which helps me process, which is like therapy for me!) and being able to share my story, in hopes that it will speak to others as well!

#1841 - #1843  Date night with My Honey... at The Orion Theater... seeing a good clean action movie!

#1844 - Stacks of books (uh oh - building up!)

#1845 - Dave going with me on the Anti-Human Trafficking Walk downtown

#1846 - Frosty mornings - frozen air, thick and beautiful!

#1847 - Hats, and Gloves, and Scarves - oh my!

#1848 - No Polar Vortex here! (#sorrynotsorry!)

#1849 - Sweet comments this week on my blog.

#1850 - Prep work for my Sole Hope Shoe Cutting Party this weekend!

#1854 - A Great turn out for the Walk/Event downtown, bringing awareness of sex and human trafficking that happens sadly right here at home!

 #1855 - Meeting some amazing women who are reaching out - pouring out - and making a difference locally to victims of trafficking (and being bold, handing them my card, and scheduling time to interview them for the blog!)

#1856 - 90% off Christmas Clearance at JoAnns Fabrics!

#1857 - Simply sitting next to a friend whose life has changed and routines of old ways of staying connected are no longer an option... we didn't get to talk much, but often, words are not always needed!

#1859 - Homemade Chicken Tortilla soup on a cold day- simmering on the stove, making the house smell divine... waiting for my Honey to walk through the door so we can eat!

...and we count on!  

Speak Life. Be Love. Shine On. 
~Karrilee~

Linking up with Ann Voskamp in Counting (beyond) one thousand gifts...

Are you counting too? What are some of the everyday things that you forget to count?  What are some gifts that you have peened down, once you began looking for them? I'd love to know!