30 Days of Gratitude 1.15
Good Morning, dear reader! I promised I'd be back to writing daily again! And back again, am I. Writing on this blog is one of my favorite activities. I hope that you have enjoyed reading as much as I enjoy writing. If not, I know it's good therapy for my heart to write. Moving right along in my 30 days of gratitude....
Here are things that I found myself pondering and being thankful for yesterday:
...poetry...
Someone once told me I had 'a poet's soul.' I never fully understood that, even though I write poetry as a means of coping, pouring out my heart and just generally to get my emotions out. I don't structure poems, I just write what comes to mind. It's often free verse and rarely makes sense to anyone but me. Yesterday I started the 90 day Bible reading plan and in the first 16 chapters of Genesis, I found that God is a poet. In this book of history, there is poetry steeped on every page. Genesis 2:23-24, God uses the terminology "Flesh of my flesh and bone of my bone." - That was poetry enough to steal my very breath right out of my lungs. Genesis 8:22 - such a lovely little free verse of beauty for me. On every page of the sixteen chapters, I saw God as a beautifully creative poet. He breathes creativity and poetry. And I'm thankful for that.
...Cleaning...
Yesterday, once I finished with a few tasks early in the day, I spent some time organizing, cleaning and sort of getting things in place in my living room. I'm planning on tackling the bathroom and bedroom soon. It's going to be a long process as I am organizing. But it'll be long because I'm going to get rid of things I don't need, use or want anymore. It's a purge that I've needed to do for awhile and maybe it's good I finally have time to do it. I'm glad I have some downtime to get it done. Thankful for the opportunity to do this.
....Rainy Days....
Yesterday I woke up to a rainy, gloomy day. I'm so thankful for rainy days. They make me want to cuddle up on my comfy couch and relax with a good book, some beautiful music and just shut out the world. On rainy days, my inner introvert comes out, without a doubt. I don't want to do anything or talk to anyone. I'd rather sit in the silence of my own presence. But I'm also thankful that on days like that, I rarely get the opportunity to mull on my thoughts. Often life and tasks keep me busy on rainy days, and that's ok. I'm just thankful for the days that remind me to center myself, breathe in the moment and stop and watch the rain for a little while.
....Philippians 3:7-11...
This week, in Kids Stuff, this was a big part of the teach for the kids teaching this week. I challenged my girls to read this passage everyday this week and see what they learned, how God changes their perspective about what is important and not. I told them I'd accept that challenge too so I have been in it for two days thus far and every day, it's a crucible of laying down my desires, my heart, my wants in exchange for a much bigger gift of knowing Christ. Can I be nothing but thankful for the privilege of knowing Him, in Faith, not through any action of my own? Only to know in faith, His face? I don't think anything but gratitude can be there.
...my name...
My name is Amanda Grace. The middle name, is obvious. My first name, in Greek, is "agapetos" which means "Beloved" or "worthy of love." In the last few weeks, I've had so many people telling me what I "deserve", how I should be treated - which -- does not include lies, diminishment of the love I have to offer, being ignored, being made to wait for endless hours because it's inconvenient, being cut off like something or someone that is poison, being tossed aside for some new person, or anything of the kind. That this woman's heart should get someone who is willing to sacrifice if they genuinely care....It's hard to believe those things when it's what I've sat under those condemnations for so long. That that's all I'll get, seeing is it is how I was treated. It's hard to come out of that unscathed, and believe me, I have not been unscathed. But in all of it, my name....the gift my mom and dad gave to me...has become an anchor of truth, hope and reminder of who I am. I am beloved -- By so many people, the list grows endless but incredibly more poignantly, by God, Himself. Creator of the Universe, King of All things, Sovereign Lord, Savior and Rescuer of my soul...I am HIS beloved child. I am worthy of His love...the kind of love that would not just sacrifice time, money and effort to prove it...but His very life. This. leaves me speechless. And my name, the thing that is commonly used everyday....that people speak over me daily...it's a reminder of that gift, that identity of a Beloved daughter, Beloved child. Worthy of His Love.
I'm thankful for that. I'm thankful that it's not just mine, but yours too.
What common thing in your life reminds you of God's grace and something you are thankful for?
Here are things that I found myself pondering and being thankful for yesterday:
...poetry...
Someone once told me I had 'a poet's soul.' I never fully understood that, even though I write poetry as a means of coping, pouring out my heart and just generally to get my emotions out. I don't structure poems, I just write what comes to mind. It's often free verse and rarely makes sense to anyone but me. Yesterday I started the 90 day Bible reading plan and in the first 16 chapters of Genesis, I found that God is a poet. In this book of history, there is poetry steeped on every page. Genesis 2:23-24, God uses the terminology "Flesh of my flesh and bone of my bone." - That was poetry enough to steal my very breath right out of my lungs. Genesis 8:22 - such a lovely little free verse of beauty for me. On every page of the sixteen chapters, I saw God as a beautifully creative poet. He breathes creativity and poetry. And I'm thankful for that.
...Cleaning...
Yesterday, once I finished with a few tasks early in the day, I spent some time organizing, cleaning and sort of getting things in place in my living room. I'm planning on tackling the bathroom and bedroom soon. It's going to be a long process as I am organizing. But it'll be long because I'm going to get rid of things I don't need, use or want anymore. It's a purge that I've needed to do for awhile and maybe it's good I finally have time to do it. I'm glad I have some downtime to get it done. Thankful for the opportunity to do this.
....Rainy Days....
Yesterday I woke up to a rainy, gloomy day. I'm so thankful for rainy days. They make me want to cuddle up on my comfy couch and relax with a good book, some beautiful music and just shut out the world. On rainy days, my inner introvert comes out, without a doubt. I don't want to do anything or talk to anyone. I'd rather sit in the silence of my own presence. But I'm also thankful that on days like that, I rarely get the opportunity to mull on my thoughts. Often life and tasks keep me busy on rainy days, and that's ok. I'm just thankful for the days that remind me to center myself, breathe in the moment and stop and watch the rain for a little while.
....Philippians 3:7-11...
This week, in Kids Stuff, this was a big part of the teach for the kids teaching this week. I challenged my girls to read this passage everyday this week and see what they learned, how God changes their perspective about what is important and not. I told them I'd accept that challenge too so I have been in it for two days thus far and every day, it's a crucible of laying down my desires, my heart, my wants in exchange for a much bigger gift of knowing Christ. Can I be nothing but thankful for the privilege of knowing Him, in Faith, not through any action of my own? Only to know in faith, His face? I don't think anything but gratitude can be there.
...my name...
My name is Amanda Grace. The middle name, is obvious. My first name, in Greek, is "agapetos" which means "Beloved" or "worthy of love." In the last few weeks, I've had so many people telling me what I "deserve", how I should be treated - which -- does not include lies, diminishment of the love I have to offer, being ignored, being made to wait for endless hours because it's inconvenient, being cut off like something or someone that is poison, being tossed aside for some new person, or anything of the kind. That this woman's heart should get someone who is willing to sacrifice if they genuinely care....It's hard to believe those things when it's what I've sat under those condemnations for so long. That that's all I'll get, seeing is it is how I was treated. It's hard to come out of that unscathed, and believe me, I have not been unscathed. But in all of it, my name....the gift my mom and dad gave to me...has become an anchor of truth, hope and reminder of who I am. I am beloved -- By so many people, the list grows endless but incredibly more poignantly, by God, Himself. Creator of the Universe, King of All things, Sovereign Lord, Savior and Rescuer of my soul...I am HIS beloved child. I am worthy of His love...the kind of love that would not just sacrifice time, money and effort to prove it...but His very life. This. leaves me speechless. And my name, the thing that is commonly used everyday....that people speak over me daily...it's a reminder of that gift, that identity of a Beloved daughter, Beloved child. Worthy of His Love.
I'm thankful for that. I'm thankful that it's not just mine, but yours too.
What common thing in your life reminds you of God's grace and something you are thankful for?
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