GRATITUDE 31 Eyes to See

1 Thessalonians 5:18  Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

On our ride to school the other day, Jack and I talked about how our eyes work and I taught him about peripheral vision.  As we were driving, I started giving thanks for eyes.  Since my venture into trying to name my gifts each day, giving thanks for things I would ordinarily take for granted has become more of a habit.  Lord, thank you for eyes.  For how complicated and perfect they are.  Thank you for peripheral vision.  Thank you that our family has five sets of eyes that work perfectly!  Thank you for how beautiful my family members eyes are.  

Thank you Lord, for the gift of being able to see!  It's a grace gift I don't deserve.

And as I end this first month of trying to live out 1 Thessalonians 5:18 I have thought a lot about the gift of seeing...By God's grace, this month I have been able to SEE more than ever before how much he loves me, how good he is, and how abundant and lavish his provision for me really is.  Not only are the gifts themselves a grace, but the ability to see them is a grace as well.   

God has given me gift upon gift....from a fridge full of food, colorful and healthy, to a relationships that encourage and refine, to my most eternal and lasting gifts, Christ himself...my life is so full...But my eyes have been closed to these gifts.  In some ways they are so ordinary and my heart is so full of greed and ungratefulness that I don't even SEE these gifts for what they are....lavish provisions from my heavenly Father who loves me dearly.  So by God's grace, he is opening my eyes to see more clearly.  

And the result?  Gratitude.  More confidence in his heart for me.  More contentment in what I already have.  (not to say I am perfect in this area, by any means)  MORE JOY in HIM!!  Which is exactly what I was praying for as I entered this year of naming my gifts!  

In wrapping up my first month of GRATITUDE I am thankful for the ways God is answering my prayers for joy in him.  I am thankful for the gift of EYES to SEE him and his gifts more clearly.  In my own nature, I am greedy, selfish, and discontent.  But by his grace, I can SEE, and be transformed.  Thankful Thankful for this month. 

Psalm 103:1-5

Bless the Lord, O my soul,
    and all that is within me,
    bless his holy name!
2 Bless the Lord, O my soul,
    and forget not all his benefits,
3 who forgives all your iniquity,
    who heals all your diseases,
4 who redeems your life from the pit,
    who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,
5 who satisfies you with good
    so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's

GRATITUDE 30 Grandparent Gardens

My Emma Grace loves gardening.  Loves it.  Always trying to plant seeds from peppers, oranges, apples or anything else she can find in my kitchen.  She actually grew a pepper plant from a seed she harvested and it has continued to produce!

Both my mom and Andy's Dad, Tim and really embraced and encouraged this passion in EG.  She has received many packs of seeds from my mom, a seed catalog from Tim (we're working on picking out seeds for the spring currently!) and she has a pizza garden on the way from Tim...lots of seeds to grow herbs and veggies for homemade pizza.  That will be fun!

Today I gave thanks for lots of things.  But one of them is grandparents who really love our children and encourage their passions and gifts.  What a blessing you are...to me and to my children!

Thankful Thankful for grandparents.

GRATITUDE 29 She did it!

Thankful for our little girl's big accomplishment today!  

GRATITUDE 28 Journal Entry

In my Gratitude Journal, I recorded these things for today:

My boys digging in sand together.
My boys!
Really fun family night last night.  Kids singing and dancing.
Time with Alex and Erin-deep, honest friendship
Beautiful sky
Quiet moment with birds singing, noises of children playing, a light breeze.

GRATITUDE 27 This moment

While most of America is enjoying snow, we enjoyed sprinkler fun this afternoon. The kids love to rig our hose so it shoots out into the cul de sac.  Then they run/bike/scooter through it.  We're supposed to have cold weather again this week, but this was a treat and I am thankful for this moment of childhood bliss!

GRATITUDE 26 A promise

Thankful for this promise today:

That he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. Philippians 1:6


1.  HE (God) began it.

2.  It's a good work.  The complete salvation of my soul.

3.  HE will bring it to completion....it doesn't rest on me.  He will purify me.  He make me into the image of his son!

4.  He WILL do it.  It's for certain.

5.  To completion on the day of Jesus Christ.  When I see him, I will be like him. Whole.  Restored.  Holy.  No spot or blemish.


What encouragement for me on this journey of becoming more like Christ.

GRATITUDE 25 Raking Venture

Thankful today for a big backyard

For a space for Judah to roam....he loves it out there!  

For a Dad who wants to teach our kiddos about money management: earning, saving, spending, and giving.

For two kids who eagerly took on this money making venture:  raking the WHOLE back yard, and bagging all the leaves!  They worked super hard!  

For a GORGEOUS day after a week of cold.

For time in the kitchen quietly cooking while all of these people worked outside.  

For potatoes. And celery and so many vegetables the Lord made.  

For they joy and excitement these kids had over spending part of their earnings on a treat.  

For a really fun family Saturday.