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Do you ever feel STUCK? In 2000, I began looking for answers to some tough questions in my life. I'd searched high & low and finally conceded to search the promises found in the Bible. Those promises have sustained & guided me through the loss of a parent, the struggle with anxiety & depression, the loss of a valued relationship and so much more! I've found joy amid the pain. And, I want to share it with you!

02 September 2012

September 2012 ONE THOUSAND GIFTS #JoyDare



SEPTEMBER 2012

DONE - Woohoo :)
One Thousand Gifts (by Ann Voskamp)
#1000Gifts #JoyDare


Buy book here...      

I've taken the 1,000 Gifts Dare for 2012... here we go for... 

September 2012
Today I find JOY in...

Sat 9/13 gifts summer: 1. Our little yellow pear shaped tomatoes that look like light bulbs. 2. Fireflies over the corn & soybean fields. 3. Eating watermelon & cantaloupe before I even get them inside the house :)
715. a safe trip TO the softball tournament
for daughter & dad :)
Jim @ 3rd; Greg @ shortstop; Bear behind 2nd base
716. sister "outlaws" who are like sisters!

717. a yummy salad - but, too late

Sun, 9/2
3 gifts cut: 1. the grass on Fri - that's now long again  2. garden veggies for munching  3. time i spent worrying back in my 20's & 30's
718. quietly spending quality time with God in prayer
719. chick flick on a rainy day
720. praying thru the night for my driving husband & daughter
(knowing that they are in the Hands of God!)

Mon 9/3
3 gifts yellow: 1. footprints on the car mat  2. water in the sink after washing up  3. our solo sunflower
721. 8am the LOML & daughter home safely from softball tournament
(hubby's team winning their bracket)

722. sleeping half the day away beside the LOML
723. FaceTime with my son

Tues 9/4
3 gifts... cool, warm, sun-soaked:  1. cranberry juice early in the morning  2. my heart when the LOML send me a silly text  3. the floor of the sun room when the clouds broke for a few minutes today
724. friends who love my kids like they are their own
725. finally figuring out how to post a BUTTON
726. Sam's Club rotisserie chicken for dinner :)

Wed 9/5
3 gifts autumn: 1. the hint of coolness in the evenings  2. pumpkin everything being advertised  3. crops soon to be harvested
727. cows in the pasture next door

728. showing love to someone who doesn't really want it
729. the smile my husband puts in my heart

Thurs 9/6 
3 gifts growing: 1. my to-do list  2. my #JoyDare list  3. my faith in the promise that He who began a good work... will be faithful to complete it
730. devotional about procrastination - that i really needed TODAY!
731. getting lots of projects done around the house
732. a silly romantic comedy w/hubby & a pizza party day at home

Fri 9/7
3 gifts given:  1. promises to my husband when we were married  2. the crocheted table cloth given to my mom on her wedding day & then given to me on my wedding day  3. His life for my sin
733. cow chairs (blog post to come!)
734. productive time around the house
735. a hard rain preparing the ground for tomorrow

Sat 9/8
3 gifts made, masked, marveled: 1. tuna salad for lunch by my hubby  2. what my face looked like after working in the gardens all day  3. the satisfaction of a full day
736. pulling weeds, trimming shrubs, replanting flowers
in my polka-dot boots :)

737. tuna salad sandwiches w/the LOML
738. working outside until after dark

Sun 9/9
3 gifts framed: 3 pics on my headboard shelf - 1. a wedding picture  2. picture from our honeymoon  3. picture of our children when they were little 
739. lots of conversation with God through a sleep-deprived night
740. pruning, clearing - seeing results!
741. first bike ride since breaking my foot twice in one year!

Mon 9/10
3 gifts moving:  1. sun getting lower in the southern sky each day  2. the Holy Spirit within me  3. baby steps - but, in the right direction
742. having the LOML home for the morning
743. to/from Fort Wayne w/him for an afternoon business appointment
744. dinner at Fletcher's in Atlanta, IN -- not :/
(they apparently closed 5 years ago!)

Tues 9/11
3 gifts hard Eucharisteo:  1. the future of a new life  2. forgiveness when pattern stays the same  3. depression
745. walking w/Ruthanne & Koko -- talking about "grocery getters"

746. dinner at local Diner (aka Bonge's)
747. bonfire w/the LOML

Wed 9/12 
3 gifts in His Word: 1. abundant life  2. fulfilled promises  3. we win 
748. a constant companion (well, 2nd to the Holy Spirit)
749. a good book
750. girlfriends who love & support me

Thurs 9/13
3 gifts scented, scrawled, started: 1. wallflowers that smell like autumn  2. notes in all the books I'm reading  3. fall housecleaning!
751. work accomplished before 7am :O
752. Finders Keepers (House Laundry Rule)

753. funny coincidence as i looked at my iPad pictures
(2 pictures of Shrek?)
Fri 9/14
3 gifts drawn: 1. pictures kids did when they were young that were published in calendars 2. my father's first painting (at the age of 64)  3. water from the well that will never run dry! (John 4:10)
754.  gentle rain & a cool start to the day

755. a room made NEW for house guests :)
and a COW out the window :)
756. a day that didn't end until after 2am (Sat morning)

Sat 9/15
3 gifts paired: 1. blueberry muffins w/milk 2. bacon & eggs w/OJ  3. Saturday night church & diner at the Lemon Drop
757. hours of music in the house


 758. Saturday night church & the Lemon Drop
759. my talented hubby - the LOML!

Sun 9/16
3 gifts shared: 1. stories around the breakfast table  2. jokes around the dinner table  3. hostess gift from my house guests :)
760. brunch outside

761. dinner outside
our weekend guests after dinner
762. my hostess gift from our house guests

Mon 9/17
3 gifts ugly-beautiful:  1. gray day - good for resting & reflecting  2. getting caught in the rain & having a good laugh over it  3. mounds of laundry from a fun & full weekend 
763. weather that waited so we could have a good weekend
764. not learning from the cows!
and therefore getting SOAKED on the afternoon walk

765. simple supper after a full weekend

Tues 9/18
3 gifts fixed, folded, freckled: 1. warmed up egg casserole - easy!  2. beach towels after the weekend  3. residue from bonfire on the chairs - makes me smile
766. gray, cool morning - very refreshing
767. killer gorgeous clouds & no rain for the afternoon walk

768. corn on the cob :)

Wed 9/19
3 gifts conversation: 1. pc w/my BFFHeiter  2. texting & talking w/Kimberly Majeski  3. new vocabulary due to walks & talks w/neighbor lady (becoming a friend!)
769. fuzzy socks on a cool morning
770. lunch w/my "little" girl
771. the crops turning due to the cooler temps

Thurs 9/20
3 gifts salvation: 1. my parents & their example  2. my in-laws & their examples  3. mine & what I am striving to do with it!
772. sunning kitty cat

773. diet Coke, Triscuits & cheese by the pool
774. honest cries of broken hearts

Fri 9/21
3 gifts information: 1. crop talk w/neighbor  2. becomes valuable only when in line w/God's book  3. sometimes painful but often needed!
775. cold, cold morning & outside devotions

776. falling asleep outside while reading under mounds of blankets
777. my husband letting me know we need more sweetener in the sugar bowl



Sat 9/22
3 gifts rattling, receding, reclaiming: 1. the kitty toy rolling across the floor  2. thankfully NOT my husband's hairline  3. reclaiming my joy - by the moments!
778. working in the garage finally (oh my!)
779. making a huge pile of branches for the fire pit
780. drop dead gorgeous day!

Sun 9/23
3 gifts quiet:  1. time w/the LORD  2. just sitting beside the LOML - no talking :)  3. living miles from the city
781. writing a tearful blog post
782. lazy morning followed by busy day!
783. 

Mon 9/24
3 gifts finished: 1. devotions (early in the day)  2. walk (early in the day)  3. laundry (early in the day) 
784. devotions on the swing lookin' like a gangsta - HA HA!!

785. great quotes which ALWAYS remind me of God
"The most glorious moments in your life are not the so-called days of success, but rather those days when out of dejection and despair you feel rise in you a challenge to life, and the promise of future accomplishments." ~ Gustave Flaubert
786. 

Tues 9/25
3 gifts funny:  1. my husband  2. me (well, I think so)  3. my kids!
787. taking pics of leaves for my Florida nieces

788. incredible clouds today

789. getting excited about Doing Something!

Wed 9/26
3 gifts flourishing: 1. friendship w/Ruthann  2. relationship w/Jessica  3. love for my LORD
790. BUSY, BUSY day - but, got my reading done!
791. book club HAPPY - chocolate from Deanna
792. being totally relaxed & happy with the LOML

Thurs 9/27
3 gifts unexpected, uneven, unpopular:  1. tearful call from a loved one  2. my bangs!  3. the way I dress to work out
793. unexpected drive to see my daughter
794. walking around a pond where I used to walk regularly
795. songs in the night

Fri 9/28 - drove to CCM for Kelsey's concert :)
3 gifts shy: 1. 6 year old neighbor boy  2. new friends often  3. not me!



796. wonderfully productive day beginning w/early morning walk
797. blessings from volunteering
798. 100% GOD CONVERSATION with my mom about our "new reality"

Sat 9/29
3 gifts shelved: 1. winter clothes  2. canned foods in pantry  3. my worries! 
799. coffee & banana bread & devotions...

800. country roads on a lovely autumn-feeling day
801. sitting in a local cemetery with my favorite artist

Sun 9/30
3 gifts shining: 1. faces at church  2. sun peeking through the clouds of autumn  3. clean dishes
802. ORCHESTRA SUNDAY & a favorite song based on Ephesians 3:14-21
803. bike ride on country roads - no spills, dogs or rain :)
804. a local artist stopping by to paint
(and for a dinner of roast, potatoes & veggies)



AND THUS CONCLUDES SEPTEMBER 2012 #1000Gifts #JoyDare 


I've taken the 1,000 Gifts Dare for 2012... click on the name of each month below for each one...
January 2012... I find joy
February 2012... I find joy
March 2012... I find joy
April 2012... I find joy
May 2012... I find joy
June 2012... I find joy
July 2012... I find joy
August 2012... I find joy

2 comments:

  1. Hello Stuck in Indiana,

    Whew, what an extensive list! I am hopping over here from Ann's link up to count gifts with you. I was smiling at your bike rides, romantic movies and pizza date with your man, your mention of special friends and book finds, etc.

    Have a great week.

    Jennifer Dougan
    www.jenniferdougan.com

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks Jennifer :)

    There's not a day that goes by that I don't have to pare down the list :) So many blessings when we just look for them!

    Had a little bike accident today... flesh wound. But, the LOML is now calling me "Crash". That'll be on today's list!

    ReplyDelete