31 pages.
Fronts and backs of 31 small 5×7 pages that hold my scribble, my love, my heart, and my journey.
31 pages that hold evidence of my kids wanting to do what I’m doing, so they colored over and through the words on the pages as I wrote them.
At least 31 pages of ripped out drawings and notes that are art and I don’t want to write over it as I move on to my next 31 pages.
31 pages is what it took for me to number to 1000. To write out 1000 gifts. To see 1000 gifts in blessings in the mundane and completely miraculous life that I lead.
31 pages of the same and the completely different things that I witness and am thankful for.
My heart poured out into short phrases, incomplete sentences expressing a magnitude of feelings.
Watching blessings increase through the simple act and discipline of paying attention to them, acknowledging them, choosing to see something to be thankful for in them.
31 pages that I thumb through and see time.
And growth. And pain. And joy. And courage.
I see where I’ve been and where I am now and where I’m going.
31 pages and 1000 gifts over the course of 10 months. Not a race, but a marathon.
A discipline. Much like running a marathon. Like I’d know.
But the building of momentum. And getting in easy and obvious things to be thankful for before tackling the harder things.
Before choosing to look past the surface of the hard thing and instead see resounding things to be thankful for.
Choosing to see and acknowledge thankfulness with jobs that I didn’t get, sleep that I didn’t get, pain that I had to go through.
Remembering to be thankful. For all things. And in all things.
Big things, small things. All of the things.
Because it’s not just about 31 pages. Or 1000 gifts.
It’s how the 31 pages and the realization that I forget to be thankful for more than I remember to write down is changing and shaping my heart, how I choose to see things. How my heart feels in all things.
It’s choosing to open my hands and say ‘thank you’ for what lands in them.
It’s the 31 pages that will grow into 310 pages and more as I continue to choose to see things to be thankful for.
Have you thought about starting a gifts/thankfulness journal? Would you do it online on instagram or twitter? Or would you grab a pen and paper journal? I’d love to hear your thoughts on this!
Last week, I wrote a post on finding things to be thankful for, even on the hard days. I linked this post to this link up.
I heard about the book 1,000 gifts and set out to be thankful everyday for SOMETHING, for EVERYTHING. it’s the beginning of my daily quiet time in the morning. In the evening I also add what things have happened during the day. I had this calculation: if I continue to average at least 12 a day I would be “done” in X months. Well, now I’ve passed that date and lost count anyway. I realize that I have an abundant amount of gifts, blessings from God. Practicing thankfulness has made me so much more happier, hopeful, peaceful and confident in God’s care for me and my family.
Sandra, YAY! Something, everything, YES!! At first I wanted to finish in year (which is just over 3 a day) and then when I would sit down and do it I would do 10 or more. I lost some time with the move and we’re in a new season but I was excited to finish it up. I’m glad you’ve found this to be true too.
When I was single and working more hours than is healthy for anything I used to do this thing where I would crawl into bed at whatever o clock in the morning having just got home from the office and would list in my head all the reasons I was thankful. It helped me to wind down from the day and also was a great way of reminding myself that despite exhaustion and stress and whatever else, God had truly blessed me. This post yesterday reminded me of that and made me wonder why I don’t do it anymore and then the baby woke at 6 after we didn’t manage to get to bed until 12.30 and as I gave him his morning milk, I listed my thankful reasons and it helped me stop being cross with life and grumpy with my husband. So thank you for reminding me of a great discipline at the perfect moment.
Eleanor, I am so excited to hear this story. Yay and yay and praise the Lord.
Beautiful! Great idea! I’m on it!
Kris, yay! I’m so excited for you! Will you come back and give us a report as you.do it?