Nov 09 2006
thoughts of thanksgiving
Earlier this month, as November began, I was inspired, and I had N and T each write a list of 10 things that they're thankful for (neatly, in cursive ;P). As she was carefully writing her list, T said to me, "You have to make a list too, right Momma?" I smiled, half to her, half to myself and entirely to the Lord... "Yes, of course I do. I will." And, so I will, I am. I have been composing it for days, seeing His fingerprint in every day things, a myriad of reasons to rejoice are all around me.
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
~ James 1:17.
And so, earlier this week, as I opened up my latest Shmooze (Yiddish for chatting with a friend) letter and read of Mr. Sam Nadler's encouragment to take an entire month for thanksgiving, I agreed wholeheartedly within myself. Yes, I've determined that this entire month I shall purpose to have a heart of thanksgiving towards my Lord, and towards those around me, as truly I/we should always. As a special offering though, this month I will meditate specifically upon His many blessings towards me, and write them down. Mr. Nadler writes,
Since the Scriptures are permeated with the theme of thanksgiving, our lives are to be permeated with thanksgiving as well. For “He who offers a sacrifice of thanksgiving honors Me” (Psalm 50:23).
The Hebrew word for thanksgiving is todah. Todah means more than just showing appreciation, it also means praise and confession: “Now therefore, make confession (todah) to the Lord” (Ezra 10:11, see also Psalm 32:5). Here we see giving thanks as a confession of faith in the righteousness and justice of God.
Then, today I found this most inspired post of Ann's, which so resonated with where I am, where I want to remain, and thus I have decided to join her in listing the thousand gifts that the Lord has given to me during this season of my life. As I'd mentioned, this list has been in the making for some time, but today I shall write it out, a confession of my faith in Him, and His provision towards me. Lord, I thank you, once again. I thank you that even when we've been there 10,000 years, we've no less days to sing your praise...
A List of 1000 Perfect Gifts From Above
1. Sight, to see...
2. Light, to see by.
3. Colors, so many colors.
4. Creation, all around me... which teaches me of Your Truths of Eternity...
5. Leaves, golden browns, reds, oranges and yellows... hanging, letting go, falling, piling, crunching, pressing.
6. My life, that I was born 33 years ago, tomorrow.
7. Babies, sleeping and gurgling, cooing and burping. Growing.
8. Change, thank you that this is not a stagnant, predictable existence.
9. A country road, winding up the hill, dappled with sunlight and the shade of strong trees hunching over them.
10. Trees, I love them... so rich in analogy, so huge with life, history, with poetic forms stark against the sky, branches reaching ever heavenward, roots digging down deep, searching for water.
11. My husband, strong and rugged, like a tree to me.
12. Our children, innocence turning, changing, growing, teaching me, challenging me... to be innocent, again.
13. Laundry to fold.
14. Time to spend...
15. Children to spend it with.
16. Friends that love and help me, inspire and challenge me.
17. Stationary to write real, hand-written letters on...
18. Penpals who love to receive and read them.
19. the smell of home-made raspberry and orange spice tea brewing.
20. the simple pleasure of sharing a cuppa with my son, hearing his exclamation of enjoyment.
21. a family to cook and clean for...
22. a home to tidy, and work on.
23. a life-time of memories, my eternal soul.
24. my brothers and sister.
25. my mothers (yes, I've two)
26. my father, now gone
27. solitude, which I'm now enjoying
28. familiarity of the refrigerator kicking on its humming, in tune with the MAC
29. electricity
30. information
31. books
32. the Book
33. music
34. my health
35. legs and arms to dance with, walk, run, jump and hug with.
36. leaves fluttering past my window here
37. Chris working hard to provide for us, his family, right now.
38. paintbrushes and watercolors
39. my Grandmothers
40. and Grandfathers
41. My big, gentle, loving and black as midnight German Shepherd doggie, who's content to be beside me always.
42. a little three year old boy's voice shrieking with delight that "Samson gives kisses! Oooooh, kisses, kisses, kisses..."
43. copywork papers, with loops and lines drawn with lead, extravagantly decorated with crayon and glitter glue, proudly hanging on our dining room wall... a joy to read.
44. words. stories to hear, and to tell.
45. birds, chattering, twittering, hopping and flying. busily living.
46. Exquisite little nests adorning our entryway, collected and displayed by enamored little hands.
47. eggs, warm to the touch, fresh from our hens bosoms.
48. Our chickens, they're beautiful with their fullness of sheeny feathers, and hilarious with their bow-legged sprints.
49. Our land, I love the land Lord.
50. Dirt, it's a good thing.
51. Laughing over Curious George's antics with a little one who's meeting him for the first time.
52. Little voices.
53. The thought to pray for comfort with a little one who especially missed his Mommy today.
54. Your obvious touch, as he later became more jubilant and assured of himself than usual today.
55. Money to pay all of our bills.
56. Almost being out of debt, and the resolve to live simply, free of debt.
57. Freshly milled wheat, fresh-from the oven, warm baked bread.
58. Butter to melt over fresh bread.
59. Herbs for tea, cooking, smelling...
60. coffee, love me some good, stout coffee... and ahhhhh, the smell of it brewing.
61. Dear friends to share it with.
62. Photography... how many times I've wondered over how it must have been before people could have pictures of their loved ones... how many memories I've retrieved via a picture. Moments in time, forever captured...
63. That gets back to the sight concept... having recently read a novel whose story is told from the perspective a blind man, later given sight, I've been particularly aware of this most treasured gift, my eyesight. What wonders to behold all around me...
Click here to read my next post: 1000 Gifts, #64-500
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What a beautiful post!
Lovely thoughts!
Each year for Thanksgiving, we do a “thankful tree” and share all that we are thankful for in the days leading up to Thanksgiving day. This year, our little folks started asking about it in September! Apparently, this is THE most important part of Thanksgiving to them. I did manage to hold them off until the beginning of this month, but we now have our daily gratitude to our Lord posted on the largest available wall we could find and I don’t really believe we are going to have enough space!
Thank you Steph, it’s been a joy to write!
hi Birdie!
What a lovely idea! I’ll have to add something like that to our own traditions, thank you for the idea.
Happy Belated Birthday, dear friend. Your b-day is 3 days before mine ~ cool! Have a blessed Thanksgiving.
thanks Dawn! Happy Belated Birthday to you too! I hope that you and yours had a wonderful Thanksgiving, we did, thank you.