November JOY DARE

It's amazing how many THANKSGIVINGS I have written over the past several months. And now we reach the month were we celebrate this nation and give THANKS for ALL we have.

#916 - 918:: Gifts Eaten: Apple Chips, Pumpkin pie, God's Word as we study the book of Ruth.
#919-921:: Gifts Worn: My pink sweater, a down vest and, of course, my baseball cap.

#922-924:: Gifts that start within: Forgiveness, Kindness, Trust.
#925-927:: Gifts Gathered: The last tomatoes; Given: Time to a grieving friend;  Good: God's promise to never leave us nor forsake us.

#928-930:: Gifts Acorn-small: A pinch of salt to season sliced tomatoes, Taste Buds, ability to see out of my good eye.

931-933:: Gifts Government: Right to VOTE! FEMA helping NY and NJ after Hurricane Sandy; We the people are the most important part of government.

934-936:: Gifts from my window: A quilt pattern in the fields of greens to browns, clumps of cattails, Amish farms.
937-939:: Gifts Sweet: Home made ginger cookies; Salty: Fresh Auntie Ann's soft pretzel; Sipped: A hot cup of tea when the piercing cold wind whips past our windows.

940-942:: Gifts of Harvest: Clean fields for miles; Fresh corn and apples and tomatoes; A pallet of color.

943-945:: Gifts found in bible reading: Isaiah 41:10 "Do not fear for I am with you; do not anxiously look about you for I am your God." Psalm 34:8 "Taste and see that the Lord is good; how blessed is the one who takes refuge in him."  Hebrews 2:18 "For since He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted."

946-948:: Gifts of remembrance:: Our Veterans; Stories from WWII and Vietnam; Remember what Pres. Kennedy said: "Ask NOT what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country."

949-951:: Gifts at noon: Lunch with hubby, warmer weather, tuna sandwiches.
952-954:: Gifts behind a door: A wreath waiting to move to the front of the door in December; A closet full of clothes; A pantry full of food.

955-957:: Gifts silent: Thick Cumulus Clouds billowing in the sky; a slight frost on our rose bushes; Bright red berries peaking out behind dormant bushes.
958-960:: Gifts Golden: Fallen leaves laid carefully on still-green grass; My yellow chairs, still outside; treasured moments of conversation with Christ in the midst.

961-963:: Hard Eucharisteos: Sharing 'dad-care' ideas with numerous family members; Extended quiet time awaiting the revival of a sick hubby; Juggling a schedule to meet family needs.
964-966:: Gifts of Laughter: A hubby-joke; a gaggle of women laughing after bible study; little ones playing together.

967-969:: Gifts Made: Molasses Bread; Shared: A delightful dinner with a couple in their 90s; Passed On: Reminders of our 'worth' as women through my blog: womenofworthmin.com
970-972:: Gifts Autumn: Crisp breezes; golds and reds; shuffling through leaves.

973-975:: Gifts of Traditions: Preparing our cranberry relish ahead of the big dinner; Decorating the door with festive colors; Giving thanks, daily, for our abundance and good health.
976-978:: Gifts Family: Brothers and sisters who are eager to communicate; A 97 year old Father who is determined to overcome a setback; A hubby who daily says, "I Love You."


979:: GIFT GRATEFUL: THANKS GIVING to God for ALL we have.

980-982:: Gifts only in Christ: Salvation, Eternal Life, Holy Living
983-985:: Gifts Humble: Stepping back from leadership; Choosing simplicity; More quiet, alone time.

986-988:: Gifts Ugly-Beautiful:: Tobacco drying in our neighbor's barn; Parched meadow grasses; leafless trees.
989-991:: Gifts Preparing:: Stringing outdoor lights to pierce dark days; Hanging greens to welcome visitors; Baking cookies for company.

992-994::Gifts Handmade: Apple chips; Held: A neighbor's new grandchild; Happy: Moments with hubby.
995-997:: Gifts in Community: Decorating the community entrance; Sipping cider together; Studying God's Word together.

998-1000:: Gifts Red: Patches on my favorite wool pillow; Holly Berries; My little bush that still bears bright red peppers.

1001 - 1003:: Three Gifts Astonishing!
I reached 1000 THANKS! The best time to give thinks is TODAY! Each day has a new JOY of its own.

OCTOBER JOY DARE

I will post this month's JOYs periodically throughout the month: #823 - #915

823-825:: Gifts Orange: tiny pumpkins, setting sun on a sultry day, Maple leaves just beginning to turn vibrant colors

826-828:: Gifts Falling: Leaves, Rain, Apples from full trees.
829-831:: Gifts Caught: Sun's reflection in the birdbath water; Let go: A small fish after it was caught; Mid-Way: Our home between two 'sister' churches.
832-834:: Gifts Reaped: Our farmer neighbor's dried up corn; Soybeans; A bounty of tomatoes and green peppers and herbs from my garden.

835-837:: Gifts Returned: Cuttings from the garden back into the earth; Time to listen, as was given to me when I needed it; A phone call after hearing her message.
838-840:: Gifts Redeemed: My life by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ who paid for my sin-filled life; A coupon for a free cup of coffee as a gift from Panara Bread; My preparation time, redeemed by the appreciation of gracious people who listened to my reflections.

841-843:: Gifts Baked: Apples served after the church service;  Stirred: My heart during Eucharist;   Eaten: The Bread of Life . . . God's Word.

844-846:: Gifts Prayed for:: God's hand on several young people stepping into the nether-world; God's healing hand on several with cancer; renewed life in hearts of those who need to come closer to Christ Jesus.

847-849:: Gifts Praised for:: Our gorgeous weather even with the rain; Our health; The bounty we have with the Fall harvest around us.

850-852:: Hard Eucharisteo:: Encouragement for a friend who found out her cancer is back; Thanksgiving for a new life set before me that is not in 'my' plans; A friend who is now 'alone' after being with her husband every day for three years as he was dying of Alzheimer's.

853-855:: Gifts of Change: Maple leaves turning red and gold, Shorter days so dark mornings, Frost and chilly days so lingering time outdoors is changing.

856-858:: Gifts Small: Green Peppers that did not have enough time to grow before the frost, Tiny Green Tomatoes that I picked before the frost, Flower seeds for planting in Spring.

859-861:: Gifts Read: 'One Thousand Gifts' by Ann Voskamp, Selections from 25 Spiritual Classics by Foster; The Path to Life (Renovare).

862-864:: Gifts Said: Please, Thank You, You are Welcome.

865-867:: Gifts Re-Read: The Book of Ruth, Hebrews, Scripture Passages on Women of Worth in the Bible.

868-870:: Gifts Burning: Logs in the fireplace; Smoke House at farm behind us; Gas stove cooking soup.

871-873:: Gifts Ugly-Beautiful: Drying Hydrangeas; piles of leaves; bags of refuse after cleaning the garden of rotted debris.
874-876:: Gifts Shared: A story from scripture to one who is too sick to read; Saved: A fond memory of my aunt's birthday; Surrendered: Time to write so I can visit with one who has not been well for years.

877-879:: Gifts Unexpected: A huge storm that ripped through the county but spared us of any damage;   Clear skies for the moments I needed to be outside; A long wait for the car to be fixed which gave me extra time to catch up on reading.
880-882:: Gifts Unconventional: A little one helping me to cut pies; Odd conversations that were heartwarming; Feeding spaghetti to hundreds so the volunteer fire department could receive extra funds.

883-885:: Gifts Undervalued: The death of Jesus Christ on the Cross for our sins; The millisecond of time we give back to God on Sundays; God's Word that heals the soul.
886-888:: Gifts Silent: morning fog; Gifts Still: early morning hours; Gifts Strong: My Faith

889-891:: Gifts Begun: A new day; Garden cleaning; My hubby's cross stitch he tried 24 years ago as  three letters of his name still sit on the coffee table waiting for his finishing touches.
892-894:: Gifts Accomplished: A difficult blog post lingerlongerwithgail.blogspot.com ; cleaning up the messy shed; good exercise of body and soul.

895-897:: Gifts Enjoying: Early morning fog; A spider's web; Golds and Reds and Rusts of Fall.
898-900:: Gifts Extravagant: God's never ending Grace; My imagination as I linger with my wondering thoughts; Endless promises I read in scripture.


901-903:: Gifts Humbling: Seeing so many of my failures that I still cling to that Jesus already dissolved through grace; Gifts Honoring: Thank-you notes sent to me 'just because'; Gifts Happy: Sun peaking out of vast clouds in morning fog.

904-906:: Gifts in Christ: Resurrected life; JOY through difficult challenges; Promise that He will be with me always, no matter the situation.
907-909:: Gifts in Time: Finite space to use the best I can; Sleep time which enables me to use the rest of the time each day; Parameters: 24-7-365-X years and then eternity in God's 'forever' space and time.

910-912:: Gifts Overjoyed! The results of my herb garden surpassed my expectations for the first year; Big bunches of dried lavender; God's protection in the middle of very severe storms and flooding.
913-915:: Gifts Hallowed: All the Saints who lived and died; The Lord thy God; The awesome works of Apostles, Prophets, Pastors, Teachers, Evangelists and All who live according to the precepts in Holy Scripture.

SEPTEMBER Joy Dare

I will post the September Joy Dare Gifts of Thanksgiving periodically throughout the month.  #733- 822.
 
#733-735:: Gifts Summer: bare feet, flip flops, profuse blooms.
736-738:: Gifts cut: Zinnias, herbs, grass.

739-741:: Gifts Yellow: Finches, Flowers, French's Classic Mustard.


742-744:: Gifts Cool: Water from the pitcher in the refrigerator; Warm: Summer days; Sun Soaked: My garden, blooming and re-blooming all summer.

745-747:: Gifts Autumn: Green leaves turning slightly red; cooler nights; Sedum, Autumn Joy turning pink.

748-750:: Gifts Growing: Nasturtiums; Grass; my curiosity.
751-753:: Gifts Given: Life at conception; God's Grace; Salvation.

754-756:: Gifts Made: Delicious dinner for hubby; Masked: Frustration when I need to be polite to an impolite neighbor; Marveled: My continued curiosity and love of life.

757-759:: Gifts Framed: Mirror from my friend when we moved away; Botanical arts from my sister; my Cross Stitch work.

760-762:: Gifts Moving: Dragon flies, Pine branches in the breeze, our feet as hubby and I take a walk.

763-765:: Hard Eucharisteos: Thanks to God for having me right where I am; Thanks for being out of work so I have more time for more important things; Thanks for the internet that connects me to dear friends in far away places even though I want to be with them, face to face.

766-768:: Gifts in His Word: "I AM" is always present; God's assurance that His plans are right and true; Encouragement that our triune God: Father, Son, Holy Spirit, is alive and active through Word.
769-771:: Gifts Scented: lavender and lemon verbena in the garden; Scrawled:   A wonderful quote I wrote on a paper scrap; Started: each day with the Lord.

772-774:: Gifts Drawn: My sister's botanical art; my own doodles; insights gained when I read God's Word.
775-777:: Gifts Paired: Matching socks! Me and hubby; Peanut butter and jelly.

778-780:: Gifts Shared: A meal at a church we visited; Conversation with friends I have not seen in decades; Too-short moments with cousins.
781-783:: Gifts Ugly-Beautiful: Twisted plants after a huge storm; mounds of dirty laundry we accumulated while on vacation; thoughts of loss turned to hope.
784-786:: Gifts Fixed: Our eyes on tall pines; Folded: clothing packed neatly in the suitcase; Freckled: a little tyke in the row in front of us on the plane.

787-789:: Gifts in Conversation: Sharing memories with my aunt who turned 100 Sept. 15; Sharing life-changes over two decades with my dear friend; Affirming one another as hubby and I explore a place we had not seen in 20+ years.
790-792:: Gifts in Salvation: Firm faith in Christ; Trust in our omnipotent God; Compassion for those who are hard to love.

793-795:: Gifts in Information:: Bible Scripture so that I might enhance my personal relationship with Jesus Christ; Web sites so that I might learn more as I research theological issues; Friends so that I can listen and learn about their lives and 'wander' with them in prayer.

796-798:: Gifts Rattling: My dishes in the china cabinet when I walk by; Receding: Water in our wilderness gully below our house after a huge storm; Reclaiming: Returning wild flowers that got smashed by machines when drainage ditches were added to our wilderness gully.

799-801:: Gifts Quiet: Our home with farms behind us; Early morning hours before many are awake; God's Spirit within me . . . sometimes too quiet to hear well.
802-804:: Gifts Funny: Hubby's story telling; Watching the little ones as they become excited about a new discovery; Comics in the newspaper.

805-807:: Gifts Finished: The sting of death when Jesus died on the Cross; A good breakfast each morning; My Bunad after ten years. . . all wool embroidery is done.  I should had make a blouse but we will see about that.

808-810:: Gifts Flourishing:: My Rose bushes . . .  still, and more to come; Life around us, in us, with us; stink bugs!
811-813:: Gifts Unexpected: Sun and warmth when it's suppose to rain all day;  Uneven: Cobbles on the walking path; Unpopular: the Truth.

814-816:: Gifts Shy: Our friend's two year old; my introverted self; many of my friends.
817-819:: Gifts Shelved: Groceries; the Book I've been writing for years; plans that take second place to saying farewell to a dear friend who just died.
820-822:: Gifts Shining: Sun's rays through clean windows; Clean car; My husband's example of caring for others.

AUGUST JOY DARE

This Joy Dare continues to grow as I give triple-thanks daily.  This month I will be bold enough to publish my responses daily instead of at the end of the month.
 #640- #733   out of 1000.

#640-642:: Three Gifts White: Fluffy clouds, journal pages before I write on them with my purple ink, the purity of One without sin, Jesus Christ.

643-645:: Gifts eaten: fresh vegetables from the garden, my morning yogurt, morsels of God's presence as I chew on His Word.
646-648::Gifts at 10AM: Second breakfast with hubby; 1PM: Studying God's Word   10PM Cheering on Olympic finalists.

649-651::Gifts sitting: Morning prayer, Bible study preparation, Sitting on my garden bench on a beautiful day.
652-654:: Gifts outside: Beautiful days in the garden;  Inside: Worshipping the Lord in Community;  Upside down: God's Word... we must first die to self in order to live freely in Him ... and it works!

Fresh from the garden.

655-657:: Gifts in water: Cut flowers in pretty vases; Birds splashing in the birdbath; fish and frogs in the pond.
658-660:: Gifts in His Word: Our salvation history, The Bread of life, Promise of eternal life for those who believe that Jesus is God.

661-663:: Gifts in Summer: Evenings on the back porch, warm days, a beautiful garden with fresh vegetables.

My most favorite summer place

664-666:: Gifts Hole:dug for the post that will hold the new bird feeder;  Whole: Eating a juicy peach without slicing it;  Half:Uneaten part of watermelon in the fridge.

667-669:: Hard Eucharistios: Saying 'yes' when God asks for a hard journey to feed His flock; giving thanks when I feel like crying; knowing God is carving out a path for me that I do not yet see.
670-672:: Gifts of metal: Our lovely porch chairs; Rose pruners; tooth fillings.
673-675:: Gifts half hidden: My future; the amish farm behind blooming trees; God's presence when I am not seeing clearly.

Just a few of my badges.
I was surprised to find this.

676-678:: Gifts in Green: Thick grass; Autumn Joy Sedem before it turns pink; My Girl Scout badge sash that I found in a box.
679-681:: Gifts in a Ring: A sign of life-commitment between a husband and wife;  in a Curve: my body shape that is what it is, all me; in a Sphere: My influence.  Each of us has a circle of friends and neighbors which might be called a 'sphere of influence.'

Ugly-beautiful AND useful!

682-684:: Gifts Ugly-beautiful: Heirloom tomatoes that have ugly cracks with  blotches but they have a beautiful taste; Bright blue and purple drooping bachelor buttons after a very hard rain; Amish made 'dainties' hanger. It is ugly but does a beautiful job with hand washables.

685-687:: Gifts of family: Hubby and siblings and extended family are pillars of support 24/7/365; church friends; my women's group.
688-690:: Gifts in the morning: Sun melting the dew off the roses; A big orange ball on the horizon; bug, frog and bird noises filling a 'quiet' space.

Cloth 'skin' on doll.
Cloth on paper for clothes.

20 cards for 60 cents!
This box is really old!

 691-693:: Gift Red: An old box filled with a doll and clothes made by my aunt who turns 100 next month;
Gift Read: Ann Voskamp's "A Holy Experience" blog (see sidebar for blog site); Gift Written: My own blog (see sidebar).
694-696:: Gifts in church: A safe place to worship and praise the Lord; A moment to receive the true Bread of life, the holy sacrament of the Eucharist; dear people who have become family to us.

Our little church

697-699:: Gifts of serving: Sharing God's Holy Word as a Bible study leader; Helping others eat better by helping at the food bank; giving daily thanks to the Lord, thy God so that I may be a better servant.
700-702:: Gift Straight: Prov. 3:6 God's path for me as I walk in circles; Gift Turned: My head toward God when I truly want to listen;  Gift Curved: My garden as it winds down the house and curves around the back yard.

703-705:: Gifts in Light: Dancing colors as the sun penetrates our stained glass window at church; My rose bush filled with tissue-thin red blooms; Extra moments to read when the evening darkness comes too soon.

I have installed this in four homes

706-708:: Gifts Old: Most of my furniture, antiques, which I have lugged all over the U.S. with each move; My precious aunt who turns 100 next month; My dad who is 97 and still goes to the office daily.

The roses are translucent.

709-711:: Gifts Moving: The industrial size lawn mower that trims the weeds around the meadow below us; ME after an incredible day stocking shelves at the food bank!  A car instead of the horse and buggy our neighbors use.
712-714:: Gifts Fragile: Glass goblets inherited from my husband's mother; Life - especially if we do not care for our bodies as we should; Rose petals.

715-717:: Gifts Cut: Potatoes from the garden for a dreamy salad;   Sewn: Curtains I made; Buttoned:The "Sunday" shirt my husband wears to church.
718-720:: Gifts New: Re-blooming roses after a July lull; each morning I wake up; fun socks.
721-723:: Gifts Long Awaited: A maturing garden after three years; A new location and more volunteers for our town's food pantry; Cleaned and fixed mail box pods in our small community.

Send bloom.  The roses stopped for a month,
regrouped and bloomed better than ever!

724-726:: Gift One: Blue moon (we've had five this year) ; Gifts Two: Hubby spontaneously dancing with me in the kitchen; Gifts Three (in one): God: Father, Son, Holy Spirit.

My 'point'n shoot' camera captured this moon
in spite of darkness and cloud cover.

727-729:: Gifts very small: Tiny bees swarming our Sedum, Autumn Joy; Flower seeds I'm saving for next year; ants eating a tomato that fell to the ground.
730-732:: Miracles: My birth in the U.S.A; Life; Living a fruitful life.

JULY JOY DARE

JULY Joy Dare invites us to pass the half-way mark for giving daily thanks.
I continue with daily graces #547 to #639 out of 1000.

547-549:: Gifts Loved: Hubby, The Lord, thy God, Life lived daily.
550-552:: Gifts Read:

553-555:: Gifts in Faith: freely giving my life to God; Family: strong community living miles apart;
Freedom: to worship as I choose.

556-558:: Gifts Red: Blood shed for our freedom to worship; White: Purity of Saints who have gone before me; Blue: The vast expanse above me.
Red, White and Blue: Our Flag that reminds us of this great country, the USA.

559-561:: Gifts of Persistence: in Prayer, in seeking God's best for me, in claiming God's promises for my life . . . daily.
562-564:: Gifts of Enthusiasm: Kids running through the sprinkler, Teens conquering a rope course, my choice of positive gifts of JOY each day.

565-567:: Gifts of Challenge: seeing life beyond difficulties; Conflict: choosing  affirming words;  Change: seeing a fresh start with something different.
568-570:: Gifts of water: digging new wells in Haiti and Africa; rain that quenches persistent fires; a stream trickling through parched land.

571-573:: Gifts of Rhythm: flow of a good day;  Rhyme: writing a poem like "Two Chairs" lingerlongerwithgail.blogspot.com  Reason: Ravi Zacharias' International Ministries.
574-576:: Gifts in weakness: Reliance on God to give me strength; realization that when I am weak, He is strong; affirmation that I am a mere mortal.

577-579:: Gifts in jars: Olives; spices; our stash of oatmeal.
580-582:: Gifts in life: daily challenges; Growth: resilience;  Decline: Realization that when the body is weak the spirit is strong.

583-585:: Gifts Curled: clean hair; toes when squishing sand; dried herbs.
586-588:: Gifts Yellow: Black-eyed Susans, Day Lilies, my favorite t-shirt.

589-591:: Gifts of Stone: statues in big cities, my garden path, the wall that holds back dirt and provides a quiet niche in our yard.
592-594:: Gifts Hanging Down: Flower baskets, drying herbs, porch curtains.

595-597:: Gifts Learned: Contemplative prayer, silence, computer skills.
598-600:: Gifts Musical: Singing hymns, Taize, listening to my husband sing (off key but with gusto).

601-603:: Gifts Baked: Apples, 1-2-3 cakes, Chicken.
604-606:: Gifts in Light: A splendid garden;  Dark: Amazing sounds; Shadow: Paths leading to what is yet to come.

607-609:: Gifts of Story: Wonder, Imagination, Journey away from self.
610-612:: Gifts understated: God's Grace, God's Forgiveness, God's Promises.

613-615:: Gifts High: Flight,  Low: schools of fish;  Far Away: Intriguing Lands.
616-618:: Gifts of Sand: Gulf beach; child's sandbox; desert.


619-621:: Gifts of Endings: quenched thirst; quelled pain; Frustrations overcome.
622-624:: Gifts Fresh: Eggs; Vegetables; Morning dew.

625-627:: Gifts on vacation: no housework;
 at home: my back porch; in relaxation: drinking in God's wondrous beauty.

628-630:: Gifts of Beginnings: Anticipation; Excitement; Wonder.
631-633:: Gifts Together: Holding hands with hubby; enjoying conversation with friends; Worshipping the Lord.

634-636:: Gifts Heard: Laughter, Music, Chirping Birds.
637-639:: Gifts Difficult: Waiting for God's clear voice saying, "Go Girl"; Forgiving humanness; Seeing clearly through a filmy frame of life.

JUNE JOY DARE

JUNE is here!  OH JOY!  Ninety more gifts to share . . .  #457 -  #546

457-459:: Gifts orange - morning sun today; apricots for breakfast; wild poppies swaying in the breeze.

460-462:: Gifts funny - conversation with neighbors at our garage sale event; things for sale that make me giggle; response to hubby as we walked and talked on our city visit.

463-465:: Today's conversation - We chatted with a retired pastor at coffee hour; discussed the endless circle of Trinity: Father, Son and Holy Spirit; learned about a visitor's Christ-walk as she shared her journey.

466-468:: Gifts found in Christ - Salvation, eternal life, promise of His advocate, the Holy Spirit, to live in us eternally if we call upon the name of the Lord.
469-471:: Gift of Peace - inner tranquility from contemplative prayer; Hope - Jesus, our only Hope, the I AM;  Love - unconditional from God, always and forever.

472-474:: Gifts 'ugly-beautiful' - Dead flowers repurposed, mud after our first deep soaking rain in ages, raindrops clinging to porch screens.
475-477:: Gifts read - reread One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp; One of 25 Books every Christian should read, selected by Renovare ministries; 1 & 2 Timothy.

478-480:: Gifts empty - water jug, bags of dirt that went into my potted plants, my brain when I sit quietly and empty it  in silence.
481-483:: Gifts that made me smile - conversation with a friend at a conference, walking around a university town, laughing with my husband.

484-486:: A gift at 8am: Visiting a small church;  Noon: Lunch at a tiny restaurant in the mountains;  2pm: Discoveries in small towns as we drive home.

487-489:: Gifts painted: Our anniversary card; design on a flower pot; a fresh coat on my outdoor yellow chairs.

490-492:: Gifts full: our lives as we minister to others; my tummy after a healthy breakfast of yogurt, oatmeal, nuts and banana; my brain when I choose to be creative.

493-495:: Gifts smelled: farm soil as it rains (we are getting use to it); cinnamon as I fill the shaker; a scented geranium I am repotting.

496-498:: Gift unexpected: time to linger with my writing; unwanted: a husband who is too sick to get out of bed; unlikely: a windless day.
499-501:: Gifts in God's Word: Matthew 11:28 . . . "Come onto me all you who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest.' Prov. 3:5 "Trust in the Lord with all your Heart"...  and :8 "I will be healing to your body and refreshment to your bones."

502-504:: Gifts moving: This list of eucharisteos - thanksgivings- as I am half way to one thousand!  Birds flitting about in the garden; Time that continues to spin forward.
505-507:: Gifts in Dad: Stamina, wisdom, longevity (he's 97 and going strong!)

508-510:: Gifts from my Abba in heaven: Everlasting love, the promise that He will never leave me nor forsake me, eternal trust.
511-513:: Gifts I attained today in serving: servant's heart, humility, great JOY in giving myself to others.

514-516:: Gifts Bent: the sun's rays as they float through beveled glass;
Beautiful: my garden as the blooms exceed all expectation;
Loved: lazy summer days filled with warmth and sweet flower smells.

517-519:: Gifts found in light: ability to read at night, better vision in the dark, sparkles that flicker from beveled glass.
520-522:: Gifts difficult: My walk with God in Christ; seeing JOY in dark days;  sharing God's Word in ways that others remember.

523-525:: Gifts found around a table: family members, crazy conversation, energy!
526-528:: Gifts in Water: hydration on a hot day; Words: encouragement to remain focused on Christ Jesus; White: St. Francis in the garden.

529-531:: Gifts in someone older than me: Wisdom from a long life lived; faith through experience; poise in adversity.
532-534:: Gifts in fabric: The apron I'm wearing; porch curtain flowing in the breeze; fun pillows.

535-537:: Gifts framed in a frame: My sister's botanical arts, our wedding photos; special quotes.
538-540:: Gifts eaten: Nectarines, Apples, home made hummus.


541-543:: Gifts Small: my wedding ring;  Big: my hubby;
Just right: God's grace.

 544-546:: Gifts I gave today: A smile, a servant's heart, time to help another.

MAY JOY DARE

Three Gifts/Thanksgivings each day continues through the month of May!
              # 364 - #456

364-366: Gifts Tasted: yogurt, Hummus, early 'hothouse' tomatoes.
367-369: Gifts Flat: My journal, books, my laptop computer.


370-372: Gifts found in difficult people: Opportunity to listen, reflection on my own life, yearning to be more godly in thought, word and deed.
373-375: Gifts before 9AM: Contemplative prayer, exercise, breakfast.


376-378: A gift in a sign: ENTER; A Smile: a child's trust; A Snack: Almonds
379-381: Gifts found in Christ: Eternal life, unconditional love, Grace
382-384: Gifts about home: Haven of rest, Cozy, A view of endless beauty

385-387: Gifts inside a closet: Cotton for summer, Wool for winter, A variety of colors to choose from each day.
388-390: Gifts found in the dark: Greater sense of touch, sensitive to subtle smells, soft sounds become loud.

391-393: Gifts Outside: My garden,  Inside: Cozy habitat,   Upside-down: My crazy circumstances as I continue to seek God's direction.
394-396: Gifts about my parents: Love of music, Creativity, Curious mind

397-399: Gifts held in my hand today: Food served at a women's luncheon, Aged bodies as I hugged those who attended, dirty dishes as we cleaned up.
400-402: Gifts found in my mother: A love of life, Ability to create beautiful spaces, gracious hospitality.

403-405: Gifts Picked up: my spirit; Put away: Clean laundry;
   Put back: Piles of books after a research project
406-408: Gifts about ME: JOY of study, JOY of gardening, JOY of discovery

409-411:  Gifts found in God's Word: Hope, Assurance, Direction
412-414:  Gifts in a Box: Girl Scout cooks that are still being sold!
Bag: Groceries   Book: Insights to share with others.

415-417:  Gifts unexpected: Five different kinds of lavender to plant, A new mini-rake to use in tight spots, a wonder of plants not seen before.
418-420:  Gifts from my childhood: memories of creative play with siblings and friends, bold sense of discovery, determination to overcome challenges.

421-423:  Gifts Sweet: The Spirit in worship;    Sour: Wine for Holy Eucharist;    Salty: God's call to be the 'salt of the earth' as we spread the Gospel.
424-426:  Gifts found in little people: Perseverance, Courage, Can-do spirit.

427-429:  Gifts that made me laugh: My husband's story, an encouraging email, conversation in our women's formation group.
430-432: Gifts found in community: A listening ear, gracious hospitality, words of encouragement.

433-435: Gifts on a Plate: Fresh Fruit;   in a Pot: Oatmeal;

    in a Package: Postage stamps
436-438: Hard thanksgivings -  Meetings that accomplish little; Encouraging another in the midst of great suffering; knowing we must replace our heater and AC because the wrong system was installed three years ago.

439-441: Gifts Worn: few clothes on this hot day;  White: Porch Curtains   Whispered: God's word's of assurance in my heart.

442-444: Gifts found in church: Many in RED!, Celebration of Life, Empowerment of Holy Spirit in community as we celebrate PENTECOST.

445-447: Gifts in today's day of Remembrance: Wearing Red, White and blue; Crosses on military graves; Memories of those who died fighting for our FREEDOM.

448-450: Gifts at 8 AM: digging in the garden    NOON : lunch at a restaurant with hubby     8PM: Clear skies after a harsh hail and rain storm.

451-453:  Gifts Blue: Church doors that always welcome; my favorite porch chair; clear skies.
454-456:  Thanks I gave today: Freedom to fly the FLAG every day of the week, flowers bursting like fireworks, cool breezes with a cloudless sky.