one thousand gifts

i am feeling quiet over here in my little corner of the world. maybe it is because i took the week off last week from blog land. or it could be the fact that my entire insides have been rearranged the last few days. and i am still recovering. food allergies and digestive problems stink. just sayin.

but i think i needed some quiet after working so hard last week. nothing like life forcing you to stop and breathe. and that is what i have been doing. stopping to breathe and take it all in. it is a blessing in disguise.

i feel like i needed some time to just let go. to step off the whirlwind and be still.

i started reading this book. it’s called one thousand gifts; a dare to live fully where you are. it has been transforming my heart from the inside out. a gift that was given to me at just the precise moment in time. don’t you love it when that happens?

it is a call to find the many gifts you have in your life. right here. right now. the seemingly insignificant. the ordinary. finding beauty in the small moments. because that is all we have in this life. this moment we are living in right now. giving thanks for what we do have and opening our hearts to the joy that follows being grateful.

it is a call to list the blessings or gifts bestowed upon us by our creator. because life is many times ugly. and hard. and unbearable.

but when we stop to give thanks for all of small gifts we have every day, a miracle happens. all of the beautiful moments start to outweigh the difficult ones.

i don’t care if you believe in a creator or not. i just bet you have seen the power of gratitude in your own life. because giving thanks is powerful and can change the world.

so today i am starting my own one thousand gifts list. not of gifts that i want, but gifts that i have. right now. in this moment.

one… scraps of sewn paper and fabric waiting to be collaged into my paintings.

two… the smell of spring.

three… a huge mug of steamy green tea.

four… a child’s love of unicorns.

five… a mischievous smile that stops me in my tracks.

six… chevron stripes and yellow hardware.

seven… peacock feathers.

eight… playing dress up with scarves. you 
look fabulous darling!

nine… letting my daughter help me unload the silverware from the dishwasher and seeing her sense of accomplishment.

oh and i almost forgot to mention a big shout out to jennifer from studio jru for introducing this book to me. thanks jennifer!