Gratitude Community

I've been checking out a lot of different blogs lately, and probably the most favorite one I've found is A Holy Experience. Do click on the site name to see the blog for yourself. Her words and photos are simple and amazing.

This blogger started something several years ago called A 1,000 gifts. Every Monday she and others post things they're grateful for until they reach 1,000 (or more).

At first I rolled my eyes at such a project, clearly my mind and heart are not in the mood to count the things for which I'm grateful. If I'm grateful, that is.

And then I remembered something Ron Frost said to me almost 15 years ago. He looked me in the eye and with such strong conviction said: Don't ever stop being thankful, April.

My next thought was: I do want to cultivate gratitude in my heart, in my life. Even though it feels sorta hard right now- even though it feels like the antithesis of where I am.

The antithesis being that I don't have what I want, what I desire, what I long for and so I don't feel grateful or thankful.

And being as honest as that last sentence is, now I feel pretty lame.

Because here is still what I know to be true: my God hears, my God sees, my God gives. I've seen this in my own life ~ I can testify to it.

And so, I think, that in order to remember what is true, I need to cultivate gratefulness.

1. I'm grateful that after 37 years of singleness, I'm married.
2. I'm grateful that I'm married to Bela.
3. I'm thankful for really amazing family and friends.
4. I'm so glad I'm an aunt.
5. I'm thankful for spring.
6. I'm thankful for vision that gets me up in the morning.
7. I'm thankful for my washing machine and tiny fridge.
8. I'm grateful for food.
9. I'm glad to be growing some herbs and flowers.
10. And after so many years of being single, I'm thankful to be able to try for babies.

I'm feeling a little vulnerable after laying all that out there. But, my heart shifted a bit, too, and is finding itself humbled by what I've been given.

Maybe you'd like to join me in counting 1,000 gifts? Or maybe in the comment section here you'd just like to say a couple things you're grateful for today...either way, and even if you don't want to, please say hi.

Also, don't forget our contest!!! Become a follower of Learning and the 25th follower wins a little piece of Romanian pottery...if you already are a follower and refer the 25th follower, you'll receive a little gift, too!