On the way to school in the mornings, one son leads us in the 23 Psalm, on the Lords’ Prayer, one chooses a psalm – and then I pray – they that they let others know about the love of Jesus either through their words or prayer, that they have relationship with the Father through the day.
I’ve been challenging them to find 3 people to pray for throughout the day – maybe not in words but in their hearts, not just the bullied but the bullies.
Finding God while sitting in hard chairs, learning dry knowledge in books, eating lunch food that leaves a bad taste in your mouth – teaching my boys to find God in a school that says He is not allowed – that’s a tough gig.
Last year, I started counting 1000 Gifts along with Ann at A Holy Experience. That counting has been life changing, relationship-changing.
The counting released the Father from the box I had place Him in. Quite a few years ago, I took Him out of one box – the Sunday, church day and evening prayer box. By expanding prayer and bible time, I only put Him in another box – a bigger box granted.
Counting 1000 Gifts has taken Him out of any box. I meet Him everywhere. I’ve found love letters He’s written me on nature hikes. He’s sent me gifts, like swirling leaves in the autumn sun, to make me smile. He sends cardinals and squirrels across my path to let me know He is there – in a year, in a 1,000 ways, He sends me messages in these gifts He leaves in my path.
I struggled this week with these gifts – 10 more to go to reach 1000 – and I wanted them to be a culminating, crescendo –
Nothing seemed worthy of a crescendo, the blessings didn’t seem good enough – and, He was there, in the butter and the oysters I made this afternoon – reminding me of what this 1000 gift journaling has been about – to vintage the little blessings that change the everyday.
The simple gifts He gives aren’t about crescendo – it’s about relationship, one-on-one time, seeing Him everywhere, finding His messages to me everywhere, opening and reading them – in a walk where our heads are bent together in conversation, in the tree-top squirrel nests, in the memory of my grandmother’s milk box, in a yellow lemon. . . . .
Intentional looking uncovered gifts He placed in my path daily – everywhere – that is something I want to teach my sons – how to find His gifts while they sit in hard chairs, learning dry knowledge, eating lunches that leave a bad taste in their mouths.
1036) purple tulips tucked in my grocery cart Friday after work
1037) fixed shower handles that work (meaning – a house full of boys no longer are using my bathroom)
1038) little hands helping fold laundry with a good attitude
1039) listening to my boys doing math with their dad
1040) a Reuben sandwich with my Valentine at a restaurant where they know your name
1041) an afternoon playing with grandbaby girl
1042) snow flurries
1043) cardinals calling outside my window
1044) oysters, butter, sautéed onion and cream for Sunday stew
1045) white cloud wisps in a robin’s egg blue sky
1046) my bedroom window cracked to let in cold air for a rare afternoon nap, wrapped in my down blanket – not so much sleeping as savoring that snuggled up, refreshing quiet.
Why more than 1,000? Because I make mistakes. How appropriate that there are more blessings than we realize!
Isn’t it amazing what opening our eyes to God’s blessings everywhere can do for the confines of our mind and heart? He really does richly bless us and we blindly go through life not noticing until we make gratitude the inhalation of our soul. Inspiring words here. And I love how you are discipling your children! You go, mom! 😉
“I’ve been challenging them to find 3 people to pray for throughout the day – maybe not in words but in their hearts, not just the bullied but the bullies.”
Beautiful!
I’m close to reaching 1000 gifts in my counting, too, and I feel like the final few need to be such BIG things. But you’re right–the little blessings change the everyday.
Just what I needed to read today. Thanks!
What a wonderful way for your children to start their day. You may never know how their prayers changed another child’s life. Beautiful!
Years ago, I started praising God and getting rid of any complaining, out loud or in my heart. It’s amazing how praise changes things. Always love reading your precious words. Love you!
Beautiful and love this. It is hard to pray for the bullies isn’t? Praying for others can be so hard but yet by God’s grace He blesses us when we pray. Love how you want to teach your kids to look for blessings even in the hard times!
I love how you are encouraging your kiddos to be spiritually minded! 🙂
beautiful and true
I love you, sweet Maryleigh.
I like how your family begins the day with active worship on the way to school. I have never heard of 1000 Little Blessings, but I relate it to “An Attitude of Gratitude”, and I think that I will begin writing down my own list.
I am visiting you from over at Pamela’s blog.
God bless,
Kathy M.
Loved your post and finding your blog for the first time. I too am keeping a Gratitude/ 1000 Blessings List and sharing it at the end of each of my posts. It’s nice to meet you! I actually found your blog through my sister who shared this post link on her facebook page.
Lee Ann