In keeping with my goal to list "1000 gifts," the object of today's post is to list "three graces overheard."
The first two "graces" occurred at the post office.
1. There was a line of people waiting to be helped, and two young women ahead of me were engaged in "idle chatter." They were looking at a Victoria's Secret (swimsuit) catalog and discussing their fashion choices. It was obvious the two females knew each other quite well, and overhearing their conversation enabled me to witness the "grace of friendship."
2. Even though the line at the post office was long, there was no conversation among the patrons other than what the women directly in front of me were sharing. The customer who was being helped at the counter was talking to the postal clerk, but I was not close enough to make out the conversation. I did, however, hear the clerk laugh out loud in response to something the customer said, so I overheard the "grace of laughter."
3. The third grace for the day is difficult to define. My husband was listening to the television, which is something that is not always easy for me to tolerate. TV can distract me and even make me anxious at times, but it relaxes my spouse. And tonight, as I overheard the drone of "conversations" he was listening to in order to escape the stresses of his day, I was reminded how blessed I am to have a husband who comes home to be with me after a hard day of work. And in a roundabout way, the voices emanating from that electronic box caused me to be grateful for the "grace of covenant."
With gratitude for God's graces...
~Rebekah
Gratitude Glasses
I'm looking at the world through my gratitude glasses to see the good in life!
Friday, January 3, 2014
Thursday, January 2, 2014
A Gift Outside, Inside, On A Plate
The three gifts that I am especially grateful for today are...
Outside... I enjoy watching the snow as it falls gently from the heavens... floating slowly to the ground as though on a "magical" journey... and the earth's darkness is covered in a blanket of white. Snow. Pure and beautiful because it reminds me that God can cleanse us whiter than snow (Psalm 51:7).
Inside... the comfort of waking up in a warm bed... a warm room... a room with windows that allow me to see the beauty unfolding outside as the morning dawns... the ability to watch nature from the comfort of a space that protects me from the harsh forces of winter... and I know I am blessed.
On a plate... yummy goodness... baked potatoes with broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, and (vegan) sour cream... food that is pleasing both to the stomach and to the eye. God's abundance is amazing... and I am grateful.
In gratitude...
~Rebekah
Outside... I enjoy watching the snow as it falls gently from the heavens... floating slowly to the ground as though on a "magical" journey... and the earth's darkness is covered in a blanket of white. Snow. Pure and beautiful because it reminds me that God can cleanse us whiter than snow (Psalm 51:7).
Inside... the comfort of waking up in a warm bed... a warm room... a room with windows that allow me to see the beauty unfolding outside as the morning dawns... the ability to watch nature from the comfort of a space that protects me from the harsh forces of winter... and I know I am blessed.
On a plate... yummy goodness... baked potatoes with broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, and (vegan) sour cream... food that is pleasing both to the stomach and to the eye. God's abundance is amazing... and I am grateful.
In gratitude...
~Rebekah
Wednesday, January 1, 2014
Three Gifts Heard
In Ann Voskamp's book, "One Thousand Gifts," she challenges the reader to find blessings in everyday events. There is so much more to this, and I recommend the book to anyone who truly wants to embrace a life of gratitude. Ann's suggestion for the first day of January is to recognize "3 gifts heard." I am listing my "three gifts" below, along with something I saw today that made my heart smile. (I wish I could post photos to illustrate each point, but I'm having camera difficulties. I hope to be able to add photos later.)
1. Leaves rustling on the trees... small, brown sentries that refused to leave their posts despite the harsh winter winds that made victims of most of their comrades... and I am reminded to hold onto my Saviour no matter how hard the winds of life blow.
2. A canine's "song"... Harley is a dog who appeared out of nowhere one day and walked straight into my heart. His love is unconditional, and the excitement he feels when he sees me is illustrated through his happy sounds (song!) and body language. Again, I am reminded of my relationship with the Lord, and how I need to be "making a joyful noise unto Him" every day. Am I as excited about spending time with God as Harley is about spending time with me?
3. My husband's voice... as the new year arrived, and he wished me "happiness," I realized what a comfort his voice, his presence, is to me. I pray I will never take my husband for granted and that God will help me be the wife described in Proverbs 31.
Lastly, and as I stated at the beginning, I must share something I saw that truly did make my heart smile today. As I watched the birds at the feeders this afternoon, I noticed one feathered friend on the snow-covered windshield of our van, which was parked close to the feeders. As he scratched through the snow on the glass, he moved up and down as though he were dancing. His actions were entertaining, and his dance left little bird tracks all over the window. The combination of his movements and the trail he left behind was evidence to me of a God who loves me enough to provide reminders through the things He knows are dear to my heart.
I pray that 2014 is full of God's love and an abundance of things that make your heart smile.
In gratitude...
~Rebekah
My Three Gifts Heard
1. Leaves rustling on the trees... small, brown sentries that refused to leave their posts despite the harsh winter winds that made victims of most of their comrades... and I am reminded to hold onto my Saviour no matter how hard the winds of life blow.
2. A canine's "song"... Harley is a dog who appeared out of nowhere one day and walked straight into my heart. His love is unconditional, and the excitement he feels when he sees me is illustrated through his happy sounds (song!) and body language. Again, I am reminded of my relationship with the Lord, and how I need to be "making a joyful noise unto Him" every day. Am I as excited about spending time with God as Harley is about spending time with me?
3. My husband's voice... as the new year arrived, and he wished me "happiness," I realized what a comfort his voice, his presence, is to me. I pray I will never take my husband for granted and that God will help me be the wife described in Proverbs 31.
Lastly, and as I stated at the beginning, I must share something I saw that truly did make my heart smile today. As I watched the birds at the feeders this afternoon, I noticed one feathered friend on the snow-covered windshield of our van, which was parked close to the feeders. As he scratched through the snow on the glass, he moved up and down as though he were dancing. His actions were entertaining, and his dance left little bird tracks all over the window. The combination of his movements and the trail he left behind was evidence to me of a God who loves me enough to provide reminders through the things He knows are dear to my heart.
I pray that 2014 is full of God's love and an abundance of things that make your heart smile.
In gratitude...
~Rebekah
Thursday, December 19, 2013
Faith, Family, and Friends
As I continue on my "gratitude journey," I'm reminded of three things that are important to me. I am grateful for FAITH, FAMILY, and FRIENDS. This isn't a glib attempt to grasp at just anything in order to create a post; I am seriously grateful for these three things.
FAITH - Hebrews 11:1-2 provides a good description of the importance of faith - "The
fundamental fact of existence is that this trust in God, this faith, is
the firm foundation under everything that makes life worth living. It’s
our handle on what we can’t see. The act of faith is what distinguished
our ancestors, set them above the crowd...." I've listed faith first in this blog post for a reason... God is my Everything, and I am grateful for faith because it is the foundation of my relationship with Him. Faith gives me hope. Life is hard - plain and simple. Without God, I can do nothing; with Him, I can do all things (Philippians 4:13). Without faith in God and His ability to get me through (no matter what I face), I would have no hope; without hope, I would not have courage to face the world, and I could not survive. Sure, sometimes my faith falters... and when it does? I ask God to forgive me; I ask Him to increase my faith. My faith isn't perfect, but God is, and He's still working on me!
FAMILY - Erma Bombeck's description of family resonates with me - "We were a strange little band of characters trudging through life sharing diseases and toothpaste, coveting one another's desserts, hiding shampoo, borrowing money, locking each other out of our rooms, inflicting pain and kissing to heal it in the same instant, loving, laughing, defending, and trying to figure out the common thread that bound us all together." As I focus on these words in an attempt to identify with them, I search for my own words to explain why I am grateful for family. I find myself reminiscing over the common threads that draw the members of my family together in intimate ways. The love that exists between us is so very deep that it rises above the difficulties that sometimes threaten to destroy us. I realize I am grateful for my family because of the love we share, and I find it difficult to imagine how God's love for us could be even greater. But I know God's love is greater than anything shared between people because we, as humans, are not capable of loving unconditionally. And the thought of my family's imperfect love causes me to smile because it is the knowledge of that imperfection that allows me to glimpse a glimmer of His perfect love for me. My heart is full of gratitude.
FRIENDS - "But oh! the blessing it is to have a friend to whom one can speak fearlessly on any subject; with whom one's deepest as well as one's most foolish thoughts come out simply and safely. Oh, the comfort - the inexpressible comfort of feeling safe with a person - having neither to weigh thoughts nor measure words, but pouring them all right out, just as they are, chaff and grain together; certain that a faithful hand will take and sift them, keep what is worth keeping, and then with the breath of kindness blow the rest away" ~Dinah Craik. I believe it's important to have friends, and this quote sums up the reasons I appreciate sincere friends. Once again, I am reminded of the concept of God's unconditional love. When relatives are capable of being genuine friends, it is a double blessing. Outside of family, there are acquaintances, and there are friends; true friends are rare. I am grateful for bona fide friends because they allow me to share from my heart without fear of judgment, and friends who share my prayer concerns and praises are the best friends of all. Proverbs 18:24 provides some important insight on friendship - "A man that hath friends must show himself friendly, and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother." I pray God's love shines through me to allow me to be this sort of friend.
In gratitude...
~Rebekah
FAMILY - Erma Bombeck's description of family resonates with me - "We were a strange little band of characters trudging through life sharing diseases and toothpaste, coveting one another's desserts, hiding shampoo, borrowing money, locking each other out of our rooms, inflicting pain and kissing to heal it in the same instant, loving, laughing, defending, and trying to figure out the common thread that bound us all together." As I focus on these words in an attempt to identify with them, I search for my own words to explain why I am grateful for family. I find myself reminiscing over the common threads that draw the members of my family together in intimate ways. The love that exists between us is so very deep that it rises above the difficulties that sometimes threaten to destroy us. I realize I am grateful for my family because of the love we share, and I find it difficult to imagine how God's love for us could be even greater. But I know God's love is greater than anything shared between people because we, as humans, are not capable of loving unconditionally. And the thought of my family's imperfect love causes me to smile because it is the knowledge of that imperfection that allows me to glimpse a glimmer of His perfect love for me. My heart is full of gratitude.
FRIENDS - "But oh! the blessing it is to have a friend to whom one can speak fearlessly on any subject; with whom one's deepest as well as one's most foolish thoughts come out simply and safely. Oh, the comfort - the inexpressible comfort of feeling safe with a person - having neither to weigh thoughts nor measure words, but pouring them all right out, just as they are, chaff and grain together; certain that a faithful hand will take and sift them, keep what is worth keeping, and then with the breath of kindness blow the rest away" ~Dinah Craik. I believe it's important to have friends, and this quote sums up the reasons I appreciate sincere friends. Once again, I am reminded of the concept of God's unconditional love. When relatives are capable of being genuine friends, it is a double blessing. Outside of family, there are acquaintances, and there are friends; true friends are rare. I am grateful for bona fide friends because they allow me to share from my heart without fear of judgment, and friends who share my prayer concerns and praises are the best friends of all. Proverbs 18:24 provides some important insight on friendship - "A man that hath friends must show himself friendly, and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother." I pray God's love shines through me to allow me to be this sort of friend.
In gratitude...
~Rebekah
Wednesday, December 18, 2013
An Introduction to Gratitude Glasses
What are gratitude glasses? I'm glad you asked! ;-)
Gratitude glasses are a must-have when life gets a bit too overwhelming. When it's easy to forget life's blessings because it feels nothing is going right, gratitude glasses come to the rescue. When it seems there's a constant rush to "put out fires" just to survive, gratitude glasses can save the day once again. And when a friend or loved one is simply being unbearable, popping into view wearing gratitude glasses can bring laughs all around.
Gratitude is an attitude, and having a reminder to focus on the positives in life is sometimes necessary. That's what gratitude glasses do for me; they remind me to be intentional about finding the good in life. Whether I put them on or simply see them from afar, they bring a smile to my face and cause me to take a moment to reflect on things for which I am grateful.
So looking through my gratitude glasses at this moment (no kidding!)... I am reminded of three of the blessings that touched my heart today...
1. Gratitude glasses and what they represent - including the women's ministry group that brought this blessing into my life! (My husband noticed my glasses on the table when he got home from work today; he put them on as he greeted one of our cats. Who knows what the cat thought, but my spouse and I were both laughing - an unexpected blessing!)
2. Wild birds at my feeders outside - bringing music and happiness into my days... especially when my feathered friends trust me enough to approach the newly-filled feeders when I'm still standing close to them. And when birds in flight eat from my hands, it's as though God Himself has smiled on me.
3. Wet, snowy clothes piled near the front door - a reminder of my younger son who is home from college for Christmas break... and my heart is flooded with joy because he chooses to be here, and he chooses to share this space we call home with a friend who knows us and loves us like family despite our shortcomings... and they are still not too old to go sledding... giving this mother's heart a much-needed trip down memory lane. Albeit bittersweet, I am grateful for precious memories of yesteryear, the joy of the present moment, and the amazing young men connected to yesterday, today, and (by the grace of God) tomorrow. I am so proud of these maturing adults who will forever live and play as little boys in the hidden places of my heart... despite the passing of time.
So tonight I challenge you to get a pair of gratitude glasses, and use them to remind yourself (and those around you!) of the beauty life has to offer!
In gratitude...
~Rebekah
Gratitude glasses are a must-have when life gets a bit too overwhelming. When it's easy to forget life's blessings because it feels nothing is going right, gratitude glasses come to the rescue. When it seems there's a constant rush to "put out fires" just to survive, gratitude glasses can save the day once again. And when a friend or loved one is simply being unbearable, popping into view wearing gratitude glasses can bring laughs all around.
Gratitude is an attitude, and having a reminder to focus on the positives in life is sometimes necessary. That's what gratitude glasses do for me; they remind me to be intentional about finding the good in life. Whether I put them on or simply see them from afar, they bring a smile to my face and cause me to take a moment to reflect on things for which I am grateful.
So looking through my gratitude glasses at this moment (no kidding!)... I am reminded of three of the blessings that touched my heart today...
1. Gratitude glasses and what they represent - including the women's ministry group that brought this blessing into my life! (My husband noticed my glasses on the table when he got home from work today; he put them on as he greeted one of our cats. Who knows what the cat thought, but my spouse and I were both laughing - an unexpected blessing!)
2. Wild birds at my feeders outside - bringing music and happiness into my days... especially when my feathered friends trust me enough to approach the newly-filled feeders when I'm still standing close to them. And when birds in flight eat from my hands, it's as though God Himself has smiled on me.
3. Wet, snowy clothes piled near the front door - a reminder of my younger son who is home from college for Christmas break... and my heart is flooded with joy because he chooses to be here, and he chooses to share this space we call home with a friend who knows us and loves us like family despite our shortcomings... and they are still not too old to go sledding... giving this mother's heart a much-needed trip down memory lane. Albeit bittersweet, I am grateful for precious memories of yesteryear, the joy of the present moment, and the amazing young men connected to yesterday, today, and (by the grace of God) tomorrow. I am so proud of these maturing adults who will forever live and play as little boys in the hidden places of my heart... despite the passing of time.
So tonight I challenge you to get a pair of gratitude glasses, and use them to remind yourself (and those around you!) of the beauty life has to offer!
In gratitude...
~Rebekah
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