One Thousand Gifts

331.  Spending a lovely weekend with my sisters in Christ

332.  Phone batteries that last longer than expected

333.  Red-breasted robins

334.  Lunch on the patio

335.  Coming home to a house that is cleaner than I left it!

336.  Finding a verse that applies to a current problem

337.  Gracious neighbors

338.  Planning a weekend getaway

339.  Observing and learning about sugar gliders

340.  Listening to her chatter while we rode the school bus

341.  Free coffee

342.  Watching her dance in the park

343.  The roar of 2 F-15's flying overhead

344.  Vitamins

345.  Lazy Sunday afternoons

Book Review: You're Already Amazing

Holley Gerth’s new book You’re Already Amazing never had a chance to collect any dust on my nightstand.  The day I got it, I tucked it in my bag on the way out the door to dropping my children off at AWANA.  I made my way to a local coffee shop, got my favorite cup of coffee and settled into a comfortable chair.  I had been looking forward to reading it ever since I heard about it last October.   I had to smile when in the first few pages of the book, she asks the reader to imagine sitting down to coffee with a close friend.  It is something that she enjoys doing, and I do to.  I felt like I already had something in common with her, and from that point on, it set the stage for the rest of the book.  Her writing style is casual, approachable, and conversational…much like it might be to sit across the table from her in a coffee shop.  As I read, I found myself laughing out loud, nodding in agreement, or just pausing to reflect.

This book is directed to the hearts of women.  Too often we are so painfully aware of our shortcomings and inner faults that we often forget who we are in Christ.  We get so entangled in our feelings of insecurity, inadequacy, and guilt that we begin to listen to the wrong voice and believe things about ourselves that aren’t true.  We forget that we were fearfully and wonderfully made by our Creator, and He loves us with a depth that is difficult to comprehend.    We forget that we are daughters of the King.  As you read through the book, the author reminds you of these biblical truths, poses thought-provoking questions, and offers practical tools to help focus your thoughts on where your strengths and giftings lie.  This book is excellent as an individual study, but would also be a wonderful tool in a mentoring relationship, or in a small group setting.

Recommended reading!

One Thousand Gifts

316.  Having tea with a table full of women that I love and admire

317.  The roar of the ocean

318.  The sound of water rippling over a bed of rocks

319.  Those two sounds together

320.  The Living Water

321.  A quiet room to study in

322.  Driving along the Oregon coastline

323.  When he told me he admired my persistence

324.  Meeting a friend in a parking lot on the way home and chatting for a few minutes

325.  My dear friend and sister in Christ, Marilyn

326.  The first evening walk of the year

327.  The scent of cherry blossoms in the breeze

328.  Christian retreat centers

329.  The power in His name

330.  Prayer warriors

One Thousand Gifts

301.  The way deer blend into the trees

302.  Viewing the mighty Mississippi River from a wooded hilltop

303.  Beautifully displayed fresh fruits and meats

304.  How certain scents can trigger memories

305.  Weather-beaten pioneer churches

306.  The crash and rumble of a classic Midwest thunderstorm

307.  The way lightning scribbles across the night sky

308.  Blackbirds, hawks, and pheasants (oh my!)

309.  The way the light changes when a storm approaches

310.  Four school girls running in a field with fists full of daffodils

311.  Having lunch with our friends from England

312.  His grace on the hard days

313.  Hearing stories of His provision in the lives of others

314.  Osprey

315.  Magnificent osprey nests

Five Minute Friday: Goodbye

Six years ago on a warm July evening, I wrote a goodbye letter to my husband, one to my (then) six year old son, and one to my three year old daughter.  I was leaving the next day for a mission trip to Peru with my church.  I felt confident that I would return safely to my family, but I also knew that there are no assurances in life.  I wanted them to know how much I loved them.  I remember writing through tears, and it feeling as though the words were coming from my heart and soul, not from my brain.  It was heart-wrenching to think about never seeing them again.

Writing such a letter forces you to slow down and consider what is important to you in life.  Each relationship that you have is unique and precious.  I had the luxury of time to consider each word and say everything that I wanted to say.  Tomorrow I could be hit by a bus and be gone in an instant, with no chance to say goodbye to those I hold dear.  Just like the phrase says, we need to live each day as if it were our last.  Living an intentional life is key and one of the best ways to let people know how we feel about them if we aren't given the opportunity to do it in person.  We need to speak love and truth into the lives of others, because that will be what our life echos when we're gone.

The letters I wrote remain sealed.  I cannot remember exactly what I wrote in each one, but I know they included things like:

Love God with all your heart, and above all else.
Find ways to bless others.
Serve with a happy heart.
Seek His comfort in the hard times.
Trust Him.
Never forget how much I love you.


    

One Thousand Gifts

286.  Free cookies from the hotel restaurant

287.  Reconnecting with my blogging girlfriends

288.  Touring a submarine

289.  Walking out to the lighthouse

290.  Sitting in a sunny garden

291.  Cough drops

292.  Jelly beans!

293.  Weeping willow trees reflecting in the lake

294.  Wisconsin cheese!

295.  Turtle mocha from Caribou Coffee

296.  A day at the waterpark

297.  A fresh veggie omelet

298.  Taking the back roads

299.  The way trees lean on a windswept prairie

300.  The roar of the wind in the treetops