2013 - A New Year of Gifts

2013

A New Year of Gifts

When "Thanks-giving" has given way to "giving up"...

When my eyes no longer see gifts as blessings ...

but instead see only the heavy load of responsibility ...

It is time once again to lift my eyes to the giver of all good things ...

to meditate on the works of His Hand ...

to trust that every good and perfect gift comes from above ...

that all His plans for me are good...

and to take note of every gift from the lover of my soul, and so, 

I Begin Again to count my gifts ... 

1. New Mercy every day
2. Morning sunrise glowing like fire against the cold blues and whites of winter
3. January Thaw: the promise of spring
4. Income just when I needed a "little extra to tide me over"
5. The warmth and intensity of winter sunshine
6. Birdsong returning 
7. Wood stacked almost to the roof outside front door
8. Warm wood fires on cold mornings and evenings
9. The softness and comfort of my bed
10. Calming aqua/blues
11. Candles burning
12. Scented waxes
13. Sunlight through cut glass window pane casting prisms of light 
14. Joy springing up in my heart
15. When time, energy, motivation, opportunity and weather converge
16. Recognizing that past difficulties have made present possibilities
17. Peaceful sleep
18. Waking refreshed and rested
19. Morning quiet
20. Rain ... in January
21. Jasmine blooming white and sweet and fragrant ... in January
22. Those mornings that he wakes up early, excited for school
23. When he actually wants to talk during our daily commute
24. Snow-globe Days
25. Waking at 4:33 a.m. ... awake!
26. Wood, ready to burn, by stove
27. Orange glow of warmth
28. This moment ... here ... now
29. Her words - poetry
30. Eyes to see
31. PB&J that he made
32. "Baby Steps"
33. Glimpses of Hope
34. Love and prayers crocheted 
35. Dog alarms
36. Visions of truth
37. L-0-V-E drives out F-E-A-R
38. Fresh, fluffy snow lying on branches
39. Sky glory
40. Sun halo
41. Cloud "mountains" (storm front on horizon)
42. EXACTLY enough Half-n-Half left for morning coffee
43. Snowy Sundays
44. Candlelight flickers on wall
45. Hot bath ... by candlelight ... at NOON!
46. Healing retreats - free, healing, self-directed, at home!
47. When almost-grown son offers to pay for snow-plowing
48. Bright red of cardinal on snow-covered branch
49. Eagle on branch 
50. Hawk soaring above
51. Swans on semi-frozen river
52. Sparkles on new snow
53. Blue shadows lying long on snow scene
54. Friends to play phone games with
55. Tea, toast and Trust
56. Testing of faith
57. Reminder to trust
58. Looking for manna (my daily bread)
59. Icicles on roof
60. Pair of swans flying overhead
61. Beautiful, glorious detour
62. Forty extra minutes in car to enjoy glorious views
63. Listening to Ann Voskamp's chapter on falling in love with God on Valentine's Day!
64. When today's devotional is echoed in the chapter of the book I'm listening to!
65. Thickly snow-frosted world
66. When a glance reminds "he's gone" and I choose to find GIFT in the unexpected memory ... and I smile.
67. "Bride-nails" chosen on Valentine's Day (without thought of the significance) remind me that I am His bride now ... and I smile ... again.
68. Morning sun streaming rainbows
69. Four red blooms on a cold, winter morning ... FOUR!
70. My face ... smiling JOY
71. JOY ... REAL joy bubbling up in me ... this well of life!