I am so sorry that I was not able to post this but we don't have internet connection at the lakehouse and I have no idea how to post from my phone!
But alas, I don't... and so my little man drew a name for me and...
I so encourage you, if you have not read "One Thousand Gifts," by Ann Voskamp, to order it and give it a go. You can find a used on Amazon.com for little cash and I promise to let you know if it goes on sale again... like way on sale.
It is really amazing how having a heart/mindset for gratitude can change your perspective. Like just like last night... my sweet husband was snoring. Bless his heart. And I could NOT go to sleep. I tried shaking the bed to get him to roll over, closing his mouth with my hand (LOL) and counting sheep in my head. Nothing worked. I was so begging for quiet and so I got my pillow and a quilt and went into Marc's room to sleep on the extra bed in his room.
Awww- QUIET. I snuggled in and was just about to doze off into blissful rest when the heater came on. For some odd reason, when the air blows through the vent in Marc's room, it sounds like a car horn... the entire time the heater runs. It never changes pitch... just a constant car horn noise!
After about 2 minutes of "Ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww" I thought I was going to bang my head in the wall! Ughhh. " I HATE this heater!" I screamed in my head. As I buried my head further beneath the covers a little whisper came through the noise... "But aren't you blessed to have a heater"? Aw. Yes. Gratitude.
And so while that "car horn" blasted for another 2 to 3 minutes, I thanked the Lord for a heater that still worked, a house that was warm and dry, the provision to pay for that heat and this house, a spare bed to climb into, a house full of sleeping family members I love, and the sweet gentle reminder to be thankful. The heater turned off, quiet returned and fell asleep with thankfulness on my heart instead of frustration.
That is what Ann's book has done for me. And that is why I am reading it again. I want more of that... more of gratitude and joy!
Be blessed sweet friends.
Much love, Dawn
Oh yay!!!! Thanks Dawn, I'm just now reading the blog! Like I mentioned, I know EXACTLY who it's going to. How awesome. I love one of the things that Ann writes... just when you think you can't handle something, it might just be God handing you a gift. And really, what is beyond the thanksgiving of God?!!! Sometimes it's difficult to choose thanksgiving, but choosing to be grateful and finding the blessings always produces most fruit. ~Kim
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