Time again to be thankful…

I’m making some adjustments, making space, and in doing so remembering this list I started a long time ago that kind of petered out. Not that I’m not thankful, but my listing of said things was set aside. Inspired by a book by Anne Voskamp called “One Thousand Gifts” in which she encourages the paying attention to and listing of things that are often passing, elusive, overlooked and momentary, but reasons too to give thanks to God for his goodness and provision. For me not always so easy to do. Which is why the idea of spiritual “practice”… because it takes time to become natural and woven into one’s life fabric. Practice…

So, back then I began to list things, I blogged them here at Buddy Breathing, and you may recall seeing some of them before. It was a lovely practice that led to to thoughts, to heart attitudes, and to poetry. It was good. And then I stopped right HERE. I don’t know why, I just did. Busy, distracted, priorities shifted… I don’t know. But today I remembered.

Today I continue…

477. in the midst of anger there is often healing and growth

478. that it is OK to be wrong and make mistakes and be honest about it

479. that revealing how I feel isn’t as scarey as I thought it might be

480. twilight on the lake, lights going on across the expanse

481. dog on log leaning into my body and watching the water

482. the strength to log out, shut it down, take back some space

483. knowing it’s not fair to ask any one person to meet all your needs

484. knowing it’s perfectly healthy to have needs and hunger for them to be met

485. crispy minis in sweet chili

486. all the laundry done, folded, ready for when it is needed

487. family dinner, later but together

488. remembering this list

489. mental clarity and allowing time for thinking

490. friends, how they know and love you anyway

491. future plans, future poems

492. asking for wisdom

493. that the tree didn’t fall on the house or on a car

494. good and honest jobs for the guys

495. a great soccer game for her

496. healthy bodies, well minds

497. rain

498. bed

499. good books to read in bed

500. revisiting things if required

501. potential

502. forgiveness

503. rest

504. restart buttons

505. ends of days, new mercies every morning

506. the lavish world around us and entirely mysterious nature of life

507. taking note of things

508. yes…remembering this list…

 

 

 

For me, myself and I…

Some days I just need to hear myself repeat out loud and in ink the things that are good, so that I can actually believe it. And maybe the more I speak the truth, the more it is absorbed into my heart, mind and soul, to take the place of the sadness, the weight of living. Today is such a day.

422. His ankle is sprained, not broken.

423. He is almost home… hang on just a few more hours.

424. The game was cancelled. I don’t have to drive in the dark and the snow tonight.

425. The man with the crutch who was there early and offered him the crutch… divine appointment.

426. They care so much for our kids at the school. So, so much.

427. He made us lunch. He made chicken noodle soup. It was so good.

428. There is blue out there… enough to make a shirt.

429. Hugs… nothing like them.

430. A gift under her tree for me.

431. Looking in your eyes. Seeing you looking back.

432. Christmas choral music… Messiah… sigh…

433. Twinkle lights.

434. I love you to infinity and beyond!

435. He tells me he is thankful for my baking and my cooking.

436. The apples clinging to the orchard trees in the dead of winter.

437. Silly movies… very silly movies. Laughter…

438. Realizing it’s about me listening, obeying, not the outcome.

439. Sharing the crosswalk with a sweet older lady… a brief conversation.

440. Saying sorry… getting nothing in return. Being OK with that.

441. Rest. Allowing myself rest.

442. Everything matters.

443. Everything is grace.

444. Thank you, Anne Voskamp, for getting me started. For lifting up my chin, whispering into my heart, affirming the need to speak thanks into being, for the miracles that happen. Thank you, dear Anne.  Perhaps one day we will cross paths this side of heaven?

445. A cup of tea as darkness falls…

Soli Deo Gloria,

Lesley-Anne

Evidence of grace…

Full Moon view from earth In Belgium (Hamois). Français : Pleine Lune vue de la Terre en Belgique à Hamois. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

401. hot water enough

402. the gentle pursuit of our father God

403. that there is always evidence

404. sun warmth permeating thick clothing

405. flannel sheets

406. decking the halls with a friend

407. twinkle of Christmas lights when dark arrives early

408. internet radio on all day Christmas tunes

409. full moon sky glow

410. the miracle of man standing on moon

411. our necks tilted back looking at stars

412. communion

413. choice

414. having something to give, always

415. chewing on tasty ideas

416. good laughs and friendly competition around the pool table

417. husband, sons, daughter

418. soft good morning kiss and kind first words

419. my life

420. that I don’t miss Facebook yet

421. not always knowing

It’s beautiful out here…

324. kisses on the eyelids, so tender

325. the little bird that finds me in a parking lot, drinks water from the lid of my water bottle when I bend down to answer his question

unless (Photo credit: Dean Terry)

326. dog napping at my feet

327. the first writing morning in a long number of days

328. returning to gratitude

329. summer birthdays

330. wine and sweetheart cherries in the candle lit garden

331. friends around the table

332. teenagers sleeping in late

333. teenagers who are gainfully employed

334. husband rising for work

335. healthy bodies

336. the possible

337. “Unless” by Carol Shields

338. remembering Port Townsend tribe

339. opportunities presenting when eyes and hands are open

340. friends who are patient and kind

341. morning sounds

342. finding poems where you least expect

343. considering laundry

344. God who never grows tired, never gives up, waits while I do both

345. wrinkles that prove living

346. a face held by hands, top of head kissed and life words spoken

347. directors of my spirit, soul friends

348. anticipating solitude

349. family holiday plans

350. blueberry waffle plans for tomorrows breakfast

351. photography and captured moments

352. children who pull away, grow strong, test wings

353. young adult son full license success

354. reminders of those with less that teach me more

355. reminders that intentions are not enough

356. reminders to act, phone, speak, write, touch, walk, move…

357. harvest… always

Different kinds of cherries (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Related articles

• I forgot… (buddybreathing.wordpress.com)

I forgot…

Poetry (Photo credit: Kimli)

Such a simple excuse reason, and it happened so easily, so quickly, so sneakily, that it almost went undetected. Until I realized upon a slightly closer examination of my inner/outer attitude and my focus that I had completely LOST IT! I mean I stopped keeping track, I stopped counting and naming and writing down the things that I am thankful for. And guess what happened then, I FORGOT TO BE THANKFUL.

My life is often plagued with forgetfulness. What appears as a life changing idea one week becomes a vague recollection the next. I’m full of good intentions, full of them. And I am such a good starter and such a bad finisher. How about you?

So, after taking a week out for Centrum Port Townsend Writers Conference, and having limited my writing to poetry and to editing poetry and to learning about writing better poetry, my “one thousand gifts” list became a must-do -later-but-can’t-do-right-now kind of thing until I got home. Home again, I post once full of the fullness of my experience and gratitude for all of it and then… yesterday… I realized I’d stopped altogether. One week after being back home with my beloved ones and not one addition to the list of gifts. NOT ONE!

I’m telling you this because I want to be entirely up front with who I am and what I am capable of. And not capable of.

Anyway, I’m going to start again. Or should I say, re-start.

295. a memory that works often but not always

296. a new idea that is still a good idea

297. family around the dinner table

298. friends who drop off cookies to my kids when I am away

299. friends who drop of banana bread to my kids when I am away

300. a husband that supports my creative growth as a writer

301. brown dog swimming in the pool

302. decorating plans with my best girl

303. friends on the porch, wine in the glass

304. watching my girl treat my boy to a clean truck

305. pentunia party of colour

306. huddled under the porch in pouring rain

307. a novel based on facts I know nothing about until now

308. worship hands up voice open heart wide

309. reading a magazine in the shade

310. the grace to re-start

Dragging my feet, lifting up my eyes, sometimes in a fog,

Lesley-Anne

Port Townsend’s downtown waterfront in the fog (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Graces, gifts and gratitude

Barrack Building 225, Fort Worden State Park, Port Townsend, Washington

For those who have just joined me in this experience of seeing gifts in every moment, along the way, as we wait, as we struggle suddenly overcome with blind eyes, I thought it might be helpful to share what began with a single step. It was a book. Ann Voskamp’s book, “One Thousand Gifts” that I picked up one day at Chapters, and then a confirmed thought process, a prompting, a nudging of the spirit, and then the journey beginning and spreading out before me this eucharisteo, this thankfulness for what is set before me when I have eyes to see.

So please consider how the naming of life’s gifts might be something worthy of time and space in each of our lives, and might carry within it the potential to change us from beggars into those overwhelmed by a feast of grace. Here is the blog post where it all began for me… my naming one thousand gifts. That was my start, and although I can’t always document each gift as it happens, I’ve chosen to name many of the gifts here on this blog as a reminder… mostly to me. I hope you join me… and if you do, please let me know… share your list. You are most welcome to do that.

And, if you have the opportunity to pick up and read Ann’s extraordinary book, please do it!

Journeying,

Lesley-Anne

So my list continues:

263. a long journey with a new friend

264. finding your tribe

265. expressing what is risky and beautiful

266. healing through creative expression of a thought, or two, or three

267. fog over sea, first light

268. the long call of a fog horn for safe passage

269. being on the water

270. historic buildings and used book stores

271. a phonecall home, the sound of voices you love

272. scars

273. a bench of your own in a quiet place

274. patriotism

275. listening and learning

276. new ideas

277. new people

278. the sense of place unique to every place

279 – 294. gifts captured in photographs

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