Name Them One by One

I started reading this book a couple days ago.  I have seen it on reading lists, Kindle's favorites, and pinned by many.  Into, always, at least 5 other books, I refrained from purchasing it until now.

I am only about one third of the way into it...speechless.  Guilty.  Truly feeling how unthankful I have really been.  A time for much prayer.  A time, time that is priceless, that is given to me, to name the blessings all one by one.  Deep in my heart I see the complete vanity of the words, "Dear Lord thank you for all of my blessings."  And the reality of never completely stopping to see the blessings, ceasing the moment to record the blessings to my memory, and drawing attention to the smallest details He created and BLESSED me with.  He blessed me with Time to see them, and I am just like this author described it, "a slave to time."  She couldn't have been more right.  I am a slave to time.  I run against time.  I wait on time.  I rush against time.  I fight with time...time that God has given me.  Time he has given me to be thankful in all things.  

"Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." ~ 1 Thes 5:18 

How ashamed I am to say that I have not taken the time to see the blessings in everything and everywhere.  Because they truly are everywhere, because God is everywhere.  This morning after my study, all I could hear was...

I want to see the smallest things, some of the most beautiful things, things that are right in front of me, if I just looked and named them one by one.  Ann Voskamp pens a challenge that I should already be living, a challenge to name all the blessings "One by One."  In the rush of life I have not seen the blessings, the gifts.  I have not named them, I have simply thanked him for my blessings.  What are those blessings?  

So, today I start naming them one by one.  I want to see the thousands and thousands of Gifts that he has bestowed to me, to all of us.  I want to record them in my heart, in my mind.  I will journal them, I will photo them, and I will record the beauty of their sounds...all one by one.  The challenge is a year...1,000 gifts, but I can do this for a lifetime, because his gifts are innumerable.  

Gifts Heard

1. the choir of birds singing after the rain 

2. giggles of children playing 

3. the beauty of instrumental music

ONE BY ONE