MARCH Joy Dare

I continue to copy gifts, gratitudes and thanksgivings from my personal journal
on the way toward one thousand gifts: #181 - #273.

#181-183:: Gifts at 3pm: Exploring with my husband, a visit with an owner of a tiny diner, inhaling foggy air.
184-186:: Gifts Green: Crocus leaves, green fields, thyme sprouts in pots.

187-189:: Gifts worn: A Norwegian sweater, my purple hat, my finished Bunad.
190-192:: Gifts hard to say thanks: our move north, too quiet days, less work.
193-195:: Gifts found: new insights, simple pleasures, renewed energy.

196-198:: A gift . . . Bent: colors of refracted light;  Broken: a lie from a sly spirit;    Beautiful: God's forgiveness.
199-201:: Kitchen gifts: simmering soup, pungent onions, blue quartz counters.

202-204:: Gifts LOUD: honking geese, colors in my favorite quilt, God's voice when He wants me to hear.
205-207:: Gifts carved: A folk art bird, butter mold, time for myself.
208-210:: Gifts in Christ: Salvation, grace, eternal life.
211-213::  Gifts read: Blog notes from "A Holy Experience" by Ann Voskamp, the book of James, One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp.

214-216:: A gift in . . . Wind: unusual warmth; Water: a light rain; White: sheets on the clothesline.
217-219:: Gifts Round: Car wheels, my head, tomatoes.

220-222:: Gifts found in silence: thinking time, contemplative prayer, faint sounds of nature.
223-225:: Gifts given away: Love, Encouragement, currency.
226-228:: Hard Eucharisteos: giving of self without a thank you, acting in love when I don't feel like it,  stepping back as a leader.
229-231:: A gift . . .  Turned: our mattress;  Folded: a linen napkin;    Hung:clean laundry.
232-234:: Gifts Red: Holly Berries, patches on a little pillow, couch pillows.
235-237:: Gifts Eaten: coffee yogurt, home made pasta, a banana.

238-240:: Gifts that made me laugh: conversing with hubby, a joy-filled email, sharing with a friend.
241-243:: A gift . . .  Salty: local pretzels; Sweet: desserts at church I gave up for Lent;   Just right: Apple chips.

244-246:: Gifts found in God's Word: Salvation (John 3:16) Trust (Prov.3:5-6)
Clear direction: (Luke 10:27).
247-249:: Gifts found in women today: Confidence, Leadership, Purpose.
250-252:: Gifts spoken: Encouragement, exhortation, THANKS.

253-255:: A gift . . .  Sung: "As the Deer Pants for the Water" written by my friend, Marty Nystrom;  Written: a sweet note from a family member;  Painted: My sister's botanical art.
256-258:: Gifts almost gone: harsh winter weather, dark days, Christmas potpourri.

259-261:: Gifts redeemed: My life redeemed by Jesus Christ, wasted time redeemed for study time, insights learned redeemed for gifts of teaching.
262-264:: Gifts entwined: My life with Christ, my husband and I, years of overgrown ivy.

265-267:: Gifts of His promises: "I will never leave you nor forsake you," "Come to me all you who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest," "I am the resurrection and the life; no one comes to the Father except through me."
268-270:: Gifts uncovered: Tulip leaves piercing the dirt, a found red sock under white sheets, Sun rays peaking through dark clouds.
271-273:: A gift . . . Heard: singing Meadow Lark  Held: Delicious apple;  Hoped for: renewed JOY.

February Joy Dare

I am moving these past Joy Dares from my personal files to this blog.
 February includes #94 - #180.

94 - 96:: A gift found at 11:30: An early lunch ;   2:30: Time to write and read ; 6:30: A lovely dinner with hubby as we are both home tonight.

97-99:: Gifts overheard: Women, speaking in English accent, from London, Loud rant on cell phone in airline waiting area, lots of people chatting quietly.

100-102:: Gifts found in writing: Ability to express myself, ink on paper in my journal, discovering good words on bad days.

103-105:: Gifts found when bent down: lint and dust under the cupboard, a pretty hair pin I'd lost, a lady bug in the porch floorboards, alive!

106-108:: A Gift . . . stitched: Chalice Vail    Hammered: Christ's body on the Cross   Woven:  Three generations at dad's 97th birthday celebration.





109-111:: Gifts found outside: Sunny and warm space in Florida, beach sand filled with shells, lungs filled with salty, humid air.

112-114:: Gifts RED: Red shade on an old lamp; paper hearts on the mantel; Jesus' blood shed for me.

115-117:: A gift broken: Porcelain candle stick; fixed: Hummel figures;  Thrifted: Most of our furniture.

118-120:: Unexpected graces: My journey south to visit dad, a visit with a long lost friend, renewal of the soul as I linger by the sea.

121-123:: Times of laughter today: sharing memories with friends, dad's joy over our adventure together, my gafaws so loud and unbecoming but fun.
124-126:: Gifts found in working: Satisfaction, fulfilling my purpose, task completion.
127-129:: Hard eucharisteos:: giving thanks to God for a time of waiting, living in the cold north when I'd do better in the South, claiming God's fullness in me when I feel empty.

130-132:: Gifts found behind a door: years of grimy hand prints, a cute iron door stop, an old radio system that dad still chooses to keep.
133-135:: Feeling God's Love: when reading scripture, praying, chatting with dad as we share memories.
136-138:: Gifts . . . losing something: weight after giving up desserts;  finding something: renewed JOY;  making something: good days out of sad times.

139-141:: Gifts in shadows: the past, potential future, my shadow in the bright sun . . . nice and thin if I stand just right.

142-144:: Gifts found in giving/serving: serving dad as best I could for a couple weeks, helping a fellow passenger find her seat, full attention to my husband who remained up north while I went south.
145-147:: Gifts on paper: A love note to my husband, my husbands 'to-do' lists for both of us, words of wonder and wisdom in my journal.

148-150:: Plan B gifts: grabbing a protein drink as we run late for church, adding an extra layer of clothing at the last minute, we opt to have a quiet lunch at home instead of joining our group for lunch.
151-153:: A gift . . . at breakfast: oatmeal with blueberries; lunch: light fare  dinner: late but elegant meal with candles.

154-156:: White gifts: Puffy clouds, fresh sheets on the bed, my favorite dishes with cracks and chips.
157-159:: Gifts that changed today: Ashes on my forehead changed my insight, litany of penitence changed my soul, leading the women's bible study fluttered my heart.

160-162:: Gifts of . . .  tin: hand made cookie cutter; glass: water goblets; wood: old cookie press.
163-165:: Gifts before 11 am: sunrise,  a hot cup of tea, exercising.
166-168:: Gifts  . . . nearly worn out: my patched up denim jumper;  new: slacks that fit me;  made do: our old furniture which I love.

169-171:: Gifts as reflections: God's creativity in the sunset, my rosy cheeked face in the mirror, my journal entries as they reflect my soul.
172-174:: Gifts of beauty in the ugly: a victorian lamp from dad's family, paint-stripped rocking chairs that wait to be refinished, Autumn Joy sedum left from winter.

175-177:: Gifts from the past that help my future: personal salvation in Christ Jesus; past mistakes; my aunt's encouragement years ago.
178-180:: Gifts . . . Dull: kitchen knives;  shimmering: an old mirror; cleaned: a copper heart mold.

JANUARY GIFTS, GRACES, GRATITUDES

We begin One Thousand Gifts: #1 - #93

1-3:: I am grateful: for my body, created by God and honored as His temple.  

    :: for my continuos yearning after more of the Lord as I grow into the image He created :: that I am ME, a unique personality that GOD created. 

4-6::I look out the window and see open fields as far as I can see.

                 Inside by the window is my favorite chair

                 On the plate is Pork and Sauerkraut, served today to crowds, instead of 

                     yesterday . . . Sunday.

7-9::  Three words of grace: Faith, Hope, Love 

10-12::Old gift: A low rocking chair from my mother. 
          New gift: TODAY!  
          Blue gift: Sponge painted bowl from my friend who moved at the same time we
                          moved from that town.


13-15:: Reading: "The Nearly Perfect Crime," on inner healing, by Francis Macnutt      
           Making:  Norwegian Bunad (costume) embroidery and creation   
            Seeing: Rugged farmland fertile with frost.


16-18  Gifts in a bag: potpourri      in the fridge: fresh hummus for my hubby  
                   in my heart: blessed assurance.


19-21  Graces from people I love: a blessing from my father, prayer with my husband,                                  affirmations from friends.


22-24  Caught light: sunlight peaking through clouds on a gray day . . .           Surprise reflection: my body in the lake . . .  Lovely shadow: A thin, elongated ME if I stand just right in against the sun.


25-27  Gift in hand:strength beyond the arthritis  
          Gift walked by: stacks of books waiting to be read
          A gift I sat with: A dear friend who stopped by for a chat.


28-30  A gift sour: Organic Vinegar I have each morning   A gift sweet: Honey in my tea  
A gift just right: Coffee yogurt mixed with plain.  YUM!


31-33  Yellow things as fresh mercy: Forsythia branches ready to bloom soon, golden rays of the sun, pages of old, books that nurture my soul.


34-36  Something above me:The roof over my head  
          Below me: wide planks that hold my weight
           Beside me: The Lord always.


37-39  Three sounds heard: screaming wind, washing machine spin cycle,
                                         tick-tock of the clock.


40-42   Startling grace of God: Ability to help at a neighbor church that needs our help, 
         words of appreciation from a long lost friend via email, my hubby's bubbling joy.


43-45   One thing worn: Nice clothes for the Lord  
                 Given away: A special offering   Shared: Conversation.


46-48   Sights of happiness: Watching crowds gather for Martin Luther King day, 
                                          Kids at the Mall, A smile.


49-51   Gifts that made me . . .  Laugh: My husband's storytelling  
                                                  Pray: Our abundance  Quiet: Time with God.


52-54   Gifts from God's Word: JOY, Psalm 100;    Salvation, John 3:16;  
                                               Faithfulness, Proverbs 3:5-6


55-57   A grace . . . in the kitchen: perfect counter height;     weather: no snow
           A grace that might never have been: finding our plumbing challenge to be minor.


58-60  Up-close gifts: Tiny words on a box, "May you celebrate Christmas all year"  
                                 Sock lint instead of a bug on the carpet; 
                                 Long roots of Paper White bulbs gnarled around tiny rocks.


61- 63  On thing . . .  in the sky:cloud-pillows;  
                   from my memory: all the lovely places we have lived
                      ugly-beautiful: laundry in piles waiting to be washed.


64-66   A Grace . . .  Wrinkled: A friend healing from surgery 
                               Smoothed: A temper quelled by prayer
                   Unfolded: Revelation from God's word as it is unpacked.


67-69   Gifts found in Christ: Salvation, Grace, Faith  


70-72   Gifts Blue:  Kitchen counters, my old denim skirt I wear everywhere, 
                              my tea mug.


73-75   Graces . . .  Borrowed: life on this earth   
                                  Found: I can be used by God in new ways
                              Inherited: God 'grafted' me in as another of His chosen people.


76-78   A gift . . .  Before 9am: my daily quiet time 
                          Before Noon: Sun stream in the kitchen
                              After dark: Electricity so I can turn on lights.


79-81   Gifts that might have never been:  my life on this earth, my salvation in Christ, 
                                                              marriage at a late age.


82-84   Graces found in friends: a listening ear, keeping in touch over decades, 
                                               exhortations to keep me on track.


85-87   A song heard: A communion hymn    A soft word: "Thank you"   
           Where I saw light: Sun streaming in though the stained glass window.


88-90   Old things seen new: Ancient furniture polished, My old face smiling back at me
                                           in the mirror, rotting bananas turned into a delicious bread.


91-93   A gift found . . .  On paper: The words, "I love you"   
                                  In a person: A chat-walk with my friend;  
                                  In a picture: My 99 yr old aunt at her birthday party miles away