February Joy Dare Prompts (think of 3 gifts for each day - use prompts if you want!):
1. 3 Gifts Red
2. 3 Gifts on Paper
3. 3 Gifts Found in Writing
4. 3 Gifts Found When Bent Down
5. A Gift Hammered, Stitched, Woven
6. 3 Gifts Found Outside
7. A Gift at 11:30am, 2:30pm, 6:30pm
My list (picking up from the last list):
494. R.'s red blankie, which is actually a scrap of her mama's tshirt and always makes me smile.
495. Little red cell phone that has a headphone jack so I can use it like a music player!
496. Little red roo case for my tablet
497. Printed photos to hang on my wall
498. That moment of challenge and excitement when you first look at a blank page
499. Those little notes Vespera and I used to pass back and forth in a box in her room
500. Letters from T in a box under my bed from when we were children
501. Letters from Mango, filled with his love for me
502. The space in my own head I find when I write
503. The way a person's face calms when you bend down and get lower than them in order to talk or explain something
504. The room looks bigger when you get down low
505. You capture the warmth of the fire best when you stoop down in front of it
506. My kitchen table, built by my dad
507. The blanket C made for me
508. The coasters woven for me by Mane
509. Animal tracks in the snow
510. Miles of rolling, snow-covered hills in southern MN
511. The sunset when it's cloudy\
512. Often this is when T comes over!
513. Mane has swim practice!
514. Mango will be home!
Tuesday, February 11, 2014
Tuesday, February 04, 2014
Joy Dare - Things old and found, reused and rediscovered...
January Joy Dare Prompts (think of 3 gifts for each day - use prompts if you want!):
22. A Gift Wrinkled, Smooth, Unfolded
23. 3 Gifts Found in Christ
24. 3 Things Blue
25. A Grace Borrowed, Found, Inherited
26. A Gift Before Dawn, At Noon, After Dark
27. 3 Gifts in the Kitchen
28. 3 Graces Found in Friends
29. A Song Heard, A Soft Word, A Light Seen
30. 3 Old Things Seen New
31. A Gift on Paper, In a Person, In a Picture
My list (picking up from the last list):
464. Mane's stash of tissue paper that saved me at Christmas time!
465. The smooth stones under our feet at Lake Superior
466. The big blue beanbag that unfolds into a bed!
467. Grace...the ability to receive it and to give it
468. Light...being able to see...insight
469. Humility - this is so often lacking in the church. We presume to know so much. But Yeshua was humble, born in a humble place to a humble woman and living an unadorned life.
470. Fuzzy blue sweatshirt with the celtic lion
471. Blue stoneware Bethel mug
472. Blue stone in my class ring. We were looking at rings with Mane the other day...exclaiming over all the old things.
473. The big old red truck that is always there when one of ours breaks down. Mango's parents let us borrow it whenever we need!
474. So many things I've found...enamel dishes, that big glass vase, little wooden table in the sunroom...
475. The rocking chair in the sunroom that my parents gave me when I got married
476. Pillows! Lots of soft pillows! I remember Mango's parents buying us a bunch when I was pregnant. LOVE pillows!
477. Pickles and Olives with the little peeps!
478. A dream about camping
479. I actually really love the water heater in the corner. It's so old-timey.
480. Cast iron pans we got at the camping store when we were first married
481. Mason jars - lots and lots of mason jars
482. Listening ears when I feel like I'm talking too much
483. The soups that T. brings over
484. Book Club!
485. Just listened to Dragon Fire again the other day. It's a kid's song. So fierce and true. Brought tears to both Mango and I.
486. Mane leans her head on my shoulder and says, "I love you."
487. Light?! There's actually sunlight breaking through the trees right this moment. Feels like we haven't seen sunlight in ages!
488. Ha! That high school trip to Mexico. I read my mom's journal about that trip. Talk about seeing an old thing new. My mom. That trip.
489. Those old jeans turned into a quilt on my bed! I don't know that I'll ever do a project like that again. But, wow, we had some crazy old jeans from the 80's and 90's.
490. Old teachings and doctrines seen new through my Bible Study series this year.
491. My mom's old recipes
492. Dr. Steve Holland listening so carefully to us at Mayo
493. The awesome snow picture that Niteo just posted on facebook of our Christmas trip to Brainerd
22. A Gift Wrinkled, Smooth, Unfolded
23. 3 Gifts Found in Christ
24. 3 Things Blue
25. A Grace Borrowed, Found, Inherited
26. A Gift Before Dawn, At Noon, After Dark
27. 3 Gifts in the Kitchen
28. 3 Graces Found in Friends
29. A Song Heard, A Soft Word, A Light Seen
30. 3 Old Things Seen New
31. A Gift on Paper, In a Person, In a Picture
My list (picking up from the last list):
464. Mane's stash of tissue paper that saved me at Christmas time!
465. The smooth stones under our feet at Lake Superior
466. The big blue beanbag that unfolds into a bed!
467. Grace...the ability to receive it and to give it
468. Light...being able to see...insight
469. Humility - this is so often lacking in the church. We presume to know so much. But Yeshua was humble, born in a humble place to a humble woman and living an unadorned life.
470. Fuzzy blue sweatshirt with the celtic lion
471. Blue stoneware Bethel mug
472. Blue stone in my class ring. We were looking at rings with Mane the other day...exclaiming over all the old things.
473. The big old red truck that is always there when one of ours breaks down. Mango's parents let us borrow it whenever we need!
474. So many things I've found...enamel dishes, that big glass vase, little wooden table in the sunroom...
475. The rocking chair in the sunroom that my parents gave me when I got married
476. Pillows! Lots of soft pillows! I remember Mango's parents buying us a bunch when I was pregnant. LOVE pillows!
477. Pickles and Olives with the little peeps!
478. A dream about camping
479. I actually really love the water heater in the corner. It's so old-timey.
480. Cast iron pans we got at the camping store when we were first married
481. Mason jars - lots and lots of mason jars
482. Listening ears when I feel like I'm talking too much
483. The soups that T. brings over
484. Book Club!
485. Just listened to Dragon Fire again the other day. It's a kid's song. So fierce and true. Brought tears to both Mango and I.
486. Mane leans her head on my shoulder and says, "I love you."
487. Light?! There's actually sunlight breaking through the trees right this moment. Feels like we haven't seen sunlight in ages!
488. Ha! That high school trip to Mexico. I read my mom's journal about that trip. Talk about seeing an old thing new. My mom. That trip.
489. Those old jeans turned into a quilt on my bed! I don't know that I'll ever do a project like that again. But, wow, we had some crazy old jeans from the 80's and 90's.
490. Old teachings and doctrines seen new through my Bible Study series this year.
491. My mom's old recipes
492. Dr. Steve Holland listening so carefully to us at Mayo
493. The awesome snow picture that Niteo just posted on facebook of our Christmas trip to Brainerd
Thursday, January 30, 2014
Joy Dare - Snowing Today
January Joy Dare Prompts (think of 3 gifts for each day - use prompts if you want!):
17. A Gift Bringing Laughter, Prayer, Quiet
18. 3 Gifts From God's Word
19. 3 Gifts That Might Never Have Been
20. 3 Gifts Only Seen Up Close
21. A Gift in Sky, Water, Memory
My list (picking up from the last list):
449. Baby boy long johns!
450. Being the "leader" of my Bible Study group, which gives me a lot of pause, but I find I am enjoying it
451.The still of the house in the early morning when everyone is asleep
452. The many layers of the Torah
453. Seeing that the people, who were used by God, were anything but perfect
454. Those beautiful passages in Isaiah
455. If Gabe had chosen a different career, we would never have Vespera
456. If we had not had Vespera, we would have never moved into this house and been 3 generations in one house!
457. If we had never moved to this house, we would never have had a space for Vespera and Niteo to be so close!
458. The dark chocolate brown of Mane's eyes
459. My mom's rings
460. The unique finger prints of every single person on earth
461. SNOW! I love snow so much better than cold.
462. Aurora loves the water, loves to swim, will work hard to swim.
463. Taking Vespera, Niteo & Mane out to walk on frozen Lake Sylvan over Christmas break.
17. A Gift Bringing Laughter, Prayer, Quiet
18. 3 Gifts From God's Word
19. 3 Gifts That Might Never Have Been
20. 3 Gifts Only Seen Up Close
21. A Gift in Sky, Water, Memory
My list (picking up from the last list):
449. Baby boy long johns!
450. Being the "leader" of my Bible Study group, which gives me a lot of pause, but I find I am enjoying it
451.The still of the house in the early morning when everyone is asleep
452. The many layers of the Torah
453. Seeing that the people, who were used by God, were anything but perfect
454. Those beautiful passages in Isaiah
455. If Gabe had chosen a different career, we would never have Vespera
456. If we had not had Vespera, we would have never moved into this house and been 3 generations in one house!
457. If we had never moved to this house, we would never have had a space for Vespera and Niteo to be so close!
458. The dark chocolate brown of Mane's eyes
459. My mom's rings
460. The unique finger prints of every single person on earth
461. SNOW! I love snow so much better than cold.
462. Aurora loves the water, loves to swim, will work hard to swim.
463. Taking Vespera, Niteo & Mane out to walk on frozen Lake Sylvan over Christmas break.
Monday, January 27, 2014
Joy Dare - Other Familes in Action!
January Joy Dare Prompts (think of 3 gifts for each day - use prompts if you want!):
15. A Gift Worn, Given Away, Shared
16. 3 Witnessed Blessings
My list (picking up from the last list):
443. Mango's old soft shirts
444. copies of Anne Lamott books
445. Cake!
446. We all SAW that guy out for a run in the middle of the windy-bizzard-conditions street last night.
447. The way one of my co-workers talks to clients at the salon. Wow. She's awesome. I have a lot to learn from her.
448. Sweet family at the salon yesterday that has clearly taken in an international college student. They have so much fun and love to go around, that she's been sucked in! She stayed with them over Christmas while her roommate went home for the year. The dad's name was Dan. I happened to glance down at the mom's phone when he texted her after taking the kids out for a walk. She has him listed in her phone as "My Danny." (not his actual name, but the point is made). The kids were teasing dad earlier in the day because mom was watching him snowblow the driveway out the window and talking about how sweet & handsome he was. International student was clearly so well attached...had gottten lice from the kiddos because she read books in bed with them at night! Good to see other families in action!
15. A Gift Worn, Given Away, Shared
16. 3 Witnessed Blessings
My list (picking up from the last list):
443. Mango's old soft shirts
444. copies of Anne Lamott books
445. Cake!
446. We all SAW that guy out for a run in the middle of the windy-bizzard-conditions street last night.
447. The way one of my co-workers talks to clients at the salon. Wow. She's awesome. I have a lot to learn from her.
448. Sweet family at the salon yesterday that has clearly taken in an international college student. They have so much fun and love to go around, that she's been sucked in! She stayed with them over Christmas while her roommate went home for the year. The dad's name was Dan. I happened to glance down at the mom's phone when he texted her after taking the kids out for a walk. She has him listed in her phone as "My Danny." (not his actual name, but the point is made). The kids were teasing dad earlier in the day because mom was watching him snowblow the driveway out the window and talking about how sweet & handsome he was. International student was clearly so well attached...had gottten lice from the kiddos because she read books in bed with them at night! Good to see other families in action!
Saturday, January 25, 2014
Celebration Cake
On Wednesday I made a cake, celebrating that my bone marrow is fine. It's like a birthday to know I won't be having a bone marrow transplant any time soon. The day before Christmas Eve I found out that I have the genetic mutation that runs in my family and predisposes people to myelodysplastic sydrome and acute myeloid leukemia (one or the other or both have affected 7 of my family members so far). On Janaury 17th, I had a bone marrow biopsy to see if there was any sign of either. Any significant trouble with my bone marrow would have indicated the need for a bone marrow transplant. On January 20th, I found out that my bone marrow is healthy (with the small caveat that some of my blood tests - not bone marrow - show some impaired immune functioning).
So, I made a celebration cake - the gluten free, sugar free kind with whipped cream on the top!
And when I broke the eggs over the bowl, into the flour and salt and butter, there was an egg with a double yolk. Follow the link to fall down the rabbit hole of the double yolks...
So, I made a celebration cake - the gluten free, sugar free kind with whipped cream on the top!
And when I broke the eggs over the bowl, into the flour and salt and butter, there was an egg with a double yolk. Follow the link to fall down the rabbit hole of the double yolks...
Sabbath Joy Dare
January Joy Dare Prompts (think of 3 gifts for each day - use prompts if you want!):
8. Dusky light, Surprising Reflection, Lovely Shadow
9. A Gift Held, Passed By, Sat With
10. A Gift Sour, Sweet, Just Right
11. 3 Yellow Gifts of Fresh Mercy
12. Something Above, Below, Beside
13. 3 Things About Yourself you are grateful for
14. 3 Startling Graces of God
My list (picking up from the last list):
422. Shabbat Candles in the evening as the sun is going down
423. Finding a scripture that says we are the CANDLES of God. Mmmm... Going to have to reflect more on that one.
424. I always love the shadow of the dried flowers on the wall.
425. Holding Mango's hand through the hospital
426. The beautiful glass blown artwork at Mayo - just like the piece at MIA
427. Jo-Jo snuggling in my lap
428. TWO bags of grapefruit on the counter when you're trying to keep everyone from getting sick in the MN winter!
429. Chocolate wine for Shabbat
430. Crockpot chili simmering all day
431. Ha! Yellow! Remembering how Mane used to call herself "Yellow" when she was little.
432. Again, a memory: Of the yellow bridesmaid dress I wore for a delightful wedding! Mercy. What a mercy that marriage has been.
433. Yellow. The color of the walls in my kitchen, which I know I've mentioned in this list before...but how cozy on a winter morning!
434. The patterned ceiling of my kitchen. I don't know anyone else with such sweet old ceiling panels.
435. Hardwood floors. Nothing says peace, and earth, and grounded like the real wood floors of an old house.
436. The window beside me that looks out on my messy porch...with all the funny little do-dads, finger puppets, trinkets on the sill.
437. I'm pretty at home in my own mind. I love to think, reflect, puzzle through, sort...
438. I'm grateful for small feet that carry me everywhere and still do the job, even though they're small!
439. Freckles. Because Mango likes them.
440. That peace can still be found in such a torn up world.
441. Twins! That God made people to sometimes have twins! That the egg I broke for the celebration cake the other day had a double yolk!
442. That snowflakes are beautiful, albeit cold.
8. Dusky light, Surprising Reflection, Lovely Shadow
9. A Gift Held, Passed By, Sat With
10. A Gift Sour, Sweet, Just Right
11. 3 Yellow Gifts of Fresh Mercy
12. Something Above, Below, Beside
13. 3 Things About Yourself you are grateful for
14. 3 Startling Graces of God
My list (picking up from the last list):
422. Shabbat Candles in the evening as the sun is going down
423. Finding a scripture that says we are the CANDLES of God. Mmmm... Going to have to reflect more on that one.
424. I always love the shadow of the dried flowers on the wall.
425. Holding Mango's hand through the hospital
426. The beautiful glass blown artwork at Mayo - just like the piece at MIA
427. Jo-Jo snuggling in my lap
428. TWO bags of grapefruit on the counter when you're trying to keep everyone from getting sick in the MN winter!
429. Chocolate wine for Shabbat
430. Crockpot chili simmering all day
431. Ha! Yellow! Remembering how Mane used to call herself "Yellow" when she was little.
432. Again, a memory: Of the yellow bridesmaid dress I wore for a delightful wedding! Mercy. What a mercy that marriage has been.
433. Yellow. The color of the walls in my kitchen, which I know I've mentioned in this list before...but how cozy on a winter morning!
434. The patterned ceiling of my kitchen. I don't know anyone else with such sweet old ceiling panels.
435. Hardwood floors. Nothing says peace, and earth, and grounded like the real wood floors of an old house.
436. The window beside me that looks out on my messy porch...with all the funny little do-dads, finger puppets, trinkets on the sill.
437. I'm pretty at home in my own mind. I love to think, reflect, puzzle through, sort...
438. I'm grateful for small feet that carry me everywhere and still do the job, even though they're small!
439. Freckles. Because Mango likes them.
440. That peace can still be found in such a torn up world.
441. Twins! That God made people to sometimes have twins! That the egg I broke for the celebration cake the other day had a double yolk!
442. That snowflakes are beautiful, albeit cold.
Thursday, January 23, 2014
Joy Dare
I've been working on this 1000 Gifts list for a long time now, and I find myself constantly amazed by the gifts of every day. If I wrote here every day, I would totally be to 1000 by now...way past 1000. Every day is a gift, every sunrise, every sunset, every visit from a friend, every meal, every cup of tea...
I started keeping this list when I found that someone else on my mom-ing message board was keeping a list. Then I found my way over to Ann Voskamp's blog and discovered who she is and where the idea of 1000 Gifts comes from. This fall I read parts of the book. (Then I had to return it to the library.) And now this winter, my Bible study group is going to use the DVD small group study produced by Ann Voskamp.
I am still keeping a list. And, for now, I think I'll use the prompts suggested by the Joy Dare that Voskamp created last year to push me to broaden the scope, to notice things previously unnoticed. I may even pull Mane into the project (I see a craft book on the horizon). But, first, I need to get started myself.
I want to begin with the beginning of January. Each day has a prompt for 3 gifts. Today is the 23rd. So, I'll play catch-up for a while.
Anybody want to join me? Here's the way I roll: There are no rules. Nobody says you have to do the days in order, that you have to do it every day, that you have to follow the prompts, that you can't forget or have life get in the way. Those things get in the way of gratitude. It's called guilt...or shame...or perfectionism... But, the feeling that you have to do this in a certain way at a certain time or else it doesn't count is a distraction. It gets in the way of actually doing anything. So, do Something. One Thing. Anything. Whenever you can. It's better than No Thing.
January Prompts:
1. 3 Gifts Heard
2. A Gift Inside, Outisde, On a Plate
3. Graces You Overheard
4. A Gifts Old, New, Blue
5. Something you're Reading, Making, Seeing
6. One Thing in your Bag, your Fridge, your Heart
7. 3 Graces from People You Love
Those are the prompts. Here's my list (adding to my current list):
401. Fire in the fireplace
402. Humming heater in the kitchen to keep our feet warm on these cold, cold days
403. Those beautiful windchimes can be heard, even in the house, even in the winter, even with the door closed.
404. The stained glass window over the couch in the living room
405. Snow blowing off Lake Calhoun on the way to the salon...This got Mane all excited. It looked like a crazy blizzard, but it wasn't even snowing.
406. Enchiladas. I still remember learning to make them with Vespera and her story of how when the tortilla separates into layers in the hot oil it means that you'll have company for dinner.
407. Mane singing in the shower
408. Axel in the back seat of the car
409. The women of my Bible study catching up with each other and really working toward building a community of care and support.
410. My mom's rings
411. Mango's new video venture
412. Levi's hats
413. Pastrix
414. Cabbage Patch Hat for Mane
415. The red house across the snow...Thanks to my mother-in-law, there are some houses in the neighborhood with some COLOR!
416. Arnica
417. Spinach Dip
418. poor sick, sleeping family members - Mane and Mango. I love them to pieces.
419. Those words that Mango always says, that come so easily now from Mane because he led by example, "Is there anything I can do to help you?" What an amazing thing to teach our children. And I am spoiled that they are always trying to help me!
420. Photo books from my friend...so we can always remember.
421. Facebook messages from Vespera in Oaxaca.
I started keeping this list when I found that someone else on my mom-ing message board was keeping a list. Then I found my way over to Ann Voskamp's blog and discovered who she is and where the idea of 1000 Gifts comes from. This fall I read parts of the book. (Then I had to return it to the library.) And now this winter, my Bible study group is going to use the DVD small group study produced by Ann Voskamp.
I am still keeping a list. And, for now, I think I'll use the prompts suggested by the Joy Dare that Voskamp created last year to push me to broaden the scope, to notice things previously unnoticed. I may even pull Mane into the project (I see a craft book on the horizon). But, first, I need to get started myself.
I want to begin with the beginning of January. Each day has a prompt for 3 gifts. Today is the 23rd. So, I'll play catch-up for a while.
Anybody want to join me? Here's the way I roll: There are no rules. Nobody says you have to do the days in order, that you have to do it every day, that you have to follow the prompts, that you can't forget or have life get in the way. Those things get in the way of gratitude. It's called guilt...or shame...or perfectionism... But, the feeling that you have to do this in a certain way at a certain time or else it doesn't count is a distraction. It gets in the way of actually doing anything. So, do Something. One Thing. Anything. Whenever you can. It's better than No Thing.
January Prompts:
1. 3 Gifts Heard
2. A Gift Inside, Outisde, On a Plate
3. Graces You Overheard
4. A Gifts Old, New, Blue
5. Something you're Reading, Making, Seeing
6. One Thing in your Bag, your Fridge, your Heart
7. 3 Graces from People You Love
Those are the prompts. Here's my list (adding to my current list):
401. Fire in the fireplace
402. Humming heater in the kitchen to keep our feet warm on these cold, cold days
403. Those beautiful windchimes can be heard, even in the house, even in the winter, even with the door closed.
404. The stained glass window over the couch in the living room
405. Snow blowing off Lake Calhoun on the way to the salon...This got Mane all excited. It looked like a crazy blizzard, but it wasn't even snowing.
406. Enchiladas. I still remember learning to make them with Vespera and her story of how when the tortilla separates into layers in the hot oil it means that you'll have company for dinner.
407. Mane singing in the shower
408. Axel in the back seat of the car
409. The women of my Bible study catching up with each other and really working toward building a community of care and support.
410. My mom's rings
411. Mango's new video venture
412. Levi's hats
413. Pastrix
414. Cabbage Patch Hat for Mane
415. The red house across the snow...Thanks to my mother-in-law, there are some houses in the neighborhood with some COLOR!
416. Arnica
417. Spinach Dip
418. poor sick, sleeping family members - Mane and Mango. I love them to pieces.
419. Those words that Mango always says, that come so easily now from Mane because he led by example, "Is there anything I can do to help you?" What an amazing thing to teach our children. And I am spoiled that they are always trying to help me!
420. Photo books from my friend...so we can always remember.
421. Facebook messages from Vespera in Oaxaca.
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