One Thousand Gifts: Living with Gratitude - and being real about it.

There are so many bloggers who are already talking about the new book, One Thousand Gifts.   Already a bestseller and climbing in sales daily, it's no surprise people are buzzing about this!  I ordered the book online and received it the other day.  It's in my pile of titles to read in May.

Funny thing is, long before this craze began, my Dad-in-law showed me his "List of Things to Thank God For", and I honestly thought it was super cheesy.  (Sorry, Dad!)  Although I understood the over-all idea, I thought the act of listing random things to thank God for was weird.  Its become a bit of a fad, I guess you could say.  I mean, some people's lists have things like "Cheese-Whiz" and "Hair-dryers" on them.  Seriously?

I don't want to be critical of others' passions and growth - everyone is different.  But for me, to truly savor the blessings and really express my gratitude, I need to be real.  Be real with myself and be real with what is in the heart of God. 

I want to be free in my thankfulness, but I also want to be meaningful.  Anyone can make a list a mile long of 'randoms'.  After a while you can start saying things like "Mickey Mouse", "Sweater Vests", and "Money".  I think the soul of One Thousand Gifts is about finding the much more precious gifts.  The blessed moments in our every day.  The blessed moments that directly affect us and those around us - the kind we can snap a shot of with a camera or candidly write about in our journal.  Not just whatever catchy phrase or silly item we can pull out of the sky and jot down on a numbered page. 

I plan to start a daily Gratitude Journal - one that is heart-felt and meaningful, not just scribbled down to get to a certain 'number' of 'things'.  It is a bit tempting to just jot down a list, so I can post it and say, "There, look.  I'm THANKFUL."  Ha.  I want to endeavor to find the little blessings daily... something new every day... but something particular and directly related to me, my walk, our family, our growth - God's provision.  Something I can take time and meditate on, and truly whisper prayers of thanks and awe to the One who gives all good things.

I love that in One Thousand Gifts, Ann Voskamp combines her list of things to be thankful for with very specific moments and interesting stories in her life and the lives of others.  This is what makes living fully truly possible - it's not only counting our blessings, but relating them to the heartbeat of God.

Can't wait to read more, and having fun reading all the other lists of blessings and precious moments.  I trust this book will profoundly affect me - and I trust too that it will propel me forward to a genuine heart of gratitude.

On the journey...

xoxo
-Cass