Watching for the Morning Candace D

1,000 Gifts

February 28th, 2009

1000gifts

Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good;
         For His lovingkindness is everlasting.

Psalm 118:1

1,000 Gifts from the Father

This beautiful idea came from Ann V.  Around Christmas time, she challenged her blog readers to make a “gift list”, not a “wish list”, but a list of 1,000 daily gifts the Father bestows upon us! What a creative way to spark gratitude in any heart!

Following in the footsteps of an older godly lady out there in blog-land, I would like to also extend a warm invitation for all the WFTM readers to begin their own 1,000 Gift List. It’s almost Spring time- my favorite season of all! And Passover is not far away! What a lovely time to reflect on all of God’s wonderful gifts! For if not for His gift of Jesus, the Final Passover Lamb, we would not have a reason to live, much less enjoy His daily blessings!
Let’s go back, for a moment to one of my favorite Passover songs…. DAYENU, which means “It would have been enough for us” or “It would have sufficed”. I get so incredibly excited every time I hear this beautiful Hebrew word, because there is so much power behind it, so much potential for praise and worship to our God. The song is over 1,000 years old and usually has about 4 or 5 lines in addition to the chorus, but one could make the song last forever! It would have been enough had God spared the Israelites from Pharoh, but HOW MUCH MORE HAS HE DONE!! He sent Jesus, the spotless, holy Lamb to be our Sacrifice. Oh, dear ones, that would have been ENOUGH! But look around you! He did not stop with Jesus! That was only the beginning! He has drenched us in one blessing after another! Gift upon gift. Mercy upon mercy. Oh, it would have been enough for us had Jesus died and rose again, purchasing our salvation and never given us another thing… but He is a God of “So much more than enough”! So, get a pen and paper, or have a seat at your keyboard. It won’t take long for you to begin writing your own Dayenu song, or “1,000 Gift List”.
This list will be individual to each individual lady. That’s what makes each one beautiful and unique. I would encourage you to keep them in a special journal. I have written some in my own journal, and will try to share mine here as I continue. You are welcome to post yours as comments here, daily, or in “clumps”. There are no rules as to what the gifts may be. You may write as many as you want to in a day. The goal is to reach 1,000 EACH, but it would be wonderful to go over that! Large or small, reflecting on the gifts that the Lord daily pours out on us can’t help but make us more joyful and keep our eyes on Him! It will be so wonderful to see everyone’s “list” for those who decide to post them here. As your list grows longer, perhaps you will want to post it on your own blog and provide a link. We’ll see how it goes.

As a side note, even if you do not choose to post your lists here, I would encourage you to start one in your own journal. You could also post here and let us know that you are keeping a 1,000 Gift list so we’ll know how many are taking part publically on the blog, or on their own in this gratitude “event”!

Blessings to you as you serve the Lord with a GRATEFUL heart!

Posted in WFTM Info & Updates | 167 Comments »

167 Responses to “1,000 Gifts”

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  1. candace93 says:
    August 6, 2011 at 12:37 am

    780. A dessert of SWEET, JUICY concord grapes straight off the vine. Your sunshine and rain made them taste like little globes bursting Heaven in my mouth, Lord!

  2. candace93 says:
    August 6, 2011 at 12:39 am

    781. Anticipating a DEAR FRIEND coming for a visit soon!

    782. Hiking on “Gorge Trail” when a deer runs out of the woods.

    783. Seeing multiple little souls enjoy something I haven’t touched in years. “Strings that are broken will vibrate once more”.

  3. candace93 says:
    August 15, 2011 at 11:53 pm

    784. A group of ducks waddling peacefully in the shadows on my late summer evening walk.

  4. candace93 says:
    August 21, 2011 at 12:55 am

    785. Drinking ice water from a canning jar. :)

    786. The look of tenderness and grace that overcomes a face when served the Body and the Blood.

  5. candace93 says:
    October 14, 2011 at 11:58 pm

    787. The kitchen light glowing through a foggy window, spotted from the road. It’s warmth says “Come in from the cold. Mama is feeling well and cooking supper”.

    788. Crispy leave underneath my feet. A new year of brilliant color all over the mountain trees.

    789. A dream last night that gave sprinkles of new hope.

    790. A God who loves me enough to make me wait…and wait…and wait some more. And all the while, I cannot see what He is doing. It looks ugly and desolate and ridiculous to my human eyes. But His eyes…they something out of this world To Him, it is beautiful. And I know that everything He does (or does not do), it is done in Love.

    791. Tears on my keyboard

    792. Getting to speak truth and healing into a precious hear I love so dearly.

    793. Flocks of geese on my walking trail

    794. Ducks perched in the riverside trail like chunks of snow.

    795. The smile of a little chocolate boy, so wide and alive and in love with the life God gives.

    796. “Miss Davidson, I love you” for a little blondie, only 4.

    797. The news that a dear, dear sister in Jesus is getting to come for a visit (while God is writing her own love story).

    798. Memories of my dad sprinkled spontaneously through the days causing laughter, smiles and tears all at once. How I wish you were here, “Poppy”.

    799. A text from a friend with encouraging words from the Lord.

    800. The honor, the grace, the humbling gift of getting to follow Jesus and love Him when He makes no sense to me. To say He’s enough all by Himself, even if everything is taken and nothing is ever granted.

  6. candace93 says:
    October 15, 2011 at 12:03 am

    801. Almost frozen droplets of clear hanging gingerly off the near-barren branches of the tree at school. Little crystal globes of liquid beauty.

    802. “Suddenly” and unknown pizza joints and casual moments with DESTINY peering just behind…

  7. candace93 says:
    October 24, 2011 at 8:57 pm

    803. 4:50 pm sunlight kissing my face as I run in crunchy, fallen leaves after picking a bucket of peppers from an otherwise desolate garden. It’s October somehow, already. How I miss summer so much already! How God’s sweetness kisses me with little moments making it feel not so lost. Oh the pricelessness of Your every day graces, Lord!

  8. candace93 says:
    November 4, 2011 at 12:16 am

    804. Sitting in the floor of an “upper room”, surrounded by sweet girls that I love, listening to testimonies about their big God, sprinkled with hair fixing, rock-paper-scissors and confetti cookie sandwiches ;)

    805. My cute little Momma enjoying the peace of Jesus in a very real way. :)

    806. Getting to pass under the chuppah (wedding canopy) with Jesus, my First Love.

    807. Glare of street lights on glassy wet streets with rain pitter-patting on windshield as I wait in a driveway. Wait, wait, waiting… it’s in patience that we possess our souls.

  9. candace93 says:
    November 4, 2011 at 12:18 am

    808. The exhilerating kiss of an autumn morning as I run out coatless to defrost the windshield :)

    809. The kind of laughter that makes your cheeks tight and your belly ache…the good medicine. :)

    810. Seeing the glory of God rest on the faces of little ones I love as He touches, heals and fills His lambs.

  10. candace93 says:
    November 4, 2011 at 12:21 am

    811. Leah, MY Leah, my precious little sister, Leah…coming to VA…HERE…in only a bit more than 2 weeks! A face I haven’t seen in 1.5 years! A face I’ve missed and prayed for lots! A sister I can’t wait to embrace at the airport!! Thank You Jesus!

  11. candace93 says:
    November 25, 2011 at 2:20 am

    812. A moment…worthy of capturing inside a snow globe to keep forever. Standing on the wood floors of a light wrapped cabin in the mountains holding a warm cup of apple cider comfort in my hands, Kaylee strumming Leah’s guitar, Leah and Meggie eating leftover Thanksgiving turkey while lights twinkle through the windows….oh the BEAUTY of a God who drowns us in PRECIOUS MOMENTS!

  12. candace93 says:
    November 25, 2011 at 4:14 am

    813. Watching “Furious Love” on an air mattress while my precious sister, Leah gives me the most amazing back massage!

  13. candace93 says:
    December 2, 2011 at 3:52 am

    814. Walking the drive-through trail at Camp Bethel with Leah, enjoying the Christmas lights, the “floating trees” and posing for pictures in the gazebo and dining hall porch…coversations of beauty, freedom and a few almost-tears on frozen faces.

    815. Leah modeling all of her cute new outfits at Rue 21 :)

    816. Me…in a shopping cart with Leah pushing it…captured in a picture in Wal-Mart!! A day to be more childlike indeed ;)

    817. Following Leah on a “treasure hunt” in Norton Wal-Mart where a stranger lady was blessed by the love of Jesus Leah shared. Wow…God! :)

    818. Building a fire in our sweet, little cabin! Just us girls! And the cabin did not burn down! ;) And actually, I had nothing to do with it. Leah is the hero here :)

    819. My precious local friends who worked so hard to help make the visit and retreat a beautiful victory! :)

    820. A retreat night filled with beautiful girls and my dear sister from across the miles…snacks and lights, barefeet and paint, skits and giggles, Jesus worship and words of power, pizza & spaghetti dinner, girls playing keyboards, the smell of rose oil, tissues, a floor made into altar, tears of pain merged into tears of freedom…the Body and the Blood…the basin and sweet feet washed by Jesus love…and some who said “no” had hearts washed still yet…and Jesus speaking straight to hearts…Truth…Identity…Healing…Beauty, bedrooms filled with yet more prayers of freedom, and prayer languages established, and everyone leaving forever changed…and more paintings filled with much more LIFE this time, and church van rocking from VICTORY bound girls jumping in…girls who will LAUGH in the faec of fear from this day forward! And the van drives away and we walk the lights…and their faces beam with light and our hearts burst with love…and we savor the moment and give thanks for tomorrow morning when we’ll all be together one last time before the long ride to the airport…and it’s true- the next morning, their faces shown even brighter! And two hop into the vehicle as little , darling stow-aways, and then lunch and the ride and the head cushion coming off the seat and they play with hair and ooooohhhh the beauty!!

  14. candace93 says:
    December 2, 2011 at 4:00 am

    821. Bright Lights…and we’re all missing Leah, but Jesus shows up and stirs up spontaneous worship and beautiful, little Love Rain sits beside me and helps me lead and it is so beautiful! The freedom of worshipping Him un-rehearsed is so amazing!

  15. candace93 says:
    December 11, 2011 at 2:23 pm

    822. My sweet Momma interceding for me at the dinner table. I don’t always realize what a mighty, prayer warrior she is! What a gift to me!

    823. The first burst of cold splashing over my sleepy eyes in a liquid “Good morning!”

  16. candace93 says:
    March 4, 2012 at 3:45 am

    824. The faint song of the frogs in February!

    825. Heart shaped mud puddles that scream His love written all over the planet.

    826. Watching the loev of Jesus transform and set free…giving wings for chains.

    827. Beautiful girls, hungry for Him…keep coming back for more…

    828. Celebrating sweet ones and their victories…such a big deal to God!

    829. Beautiful songs from a beautiful heart, that tell a story of God’s healing and grace.

    830. Those moments when He opens your eyes to see beauty that only He normally sees…when He really lets you have His eyes for people in a moment and you are blown away.

    831. Marshmallow-y popcorn balls

    832. Mrs. Rollins kind, gentle, encouraging words.

    833. Early mornings…in a cool living room with only the light of the almost-risen sun peering through blinds…and my first words, “Good morning, Jesus” awaken my heart to brand new mercies, fresh words of truth and songs from my Savior’s hea

  17. candace93 says:
    May 12, 2012 at 7:41 pm

    834. Sitting in porch rocking chairs with 5 little beauties, playing their instruments, as we sang “You make beautiful things out of dust…” over a street that needs to know the beauty of Jesus. And littlest beauty holds tight to my arm and hums like she’s been singing this song for years. :)

    835. Sitting behind an abandoned barn under cloudy skies with a Bible. Birds flying, landing to search for food, bumping into each other and squawking. Breeze blows the pages, and His Word comes so ALIVE, wrecking my heart again. Oh, His Kingdom is so beautiful!

    836. The fellowship of His sufferings.

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