Monday, December 20, 2010

one thousand gifts

One of my dear friends Diane started doing this, after getting the idea from another blog, and I thought it was a great idea, and a great way to stay focused on thankfulness and daily grace and God sightings rather than on my tendency toward negativity and pessimism.  So I'm starting my list of a thousand gifts.

#1. An amazing, supportive, funny family at home that's always there for me
#2. Hair that can go a couple days without needing to be washed and still look halfway decent
#3. Skype
#4. Megapaca (Goodwill/TJ Maxx type of store), an entire day of shopping and awesome women to share it with
#5. A new pair of jeans that fit just right, found where I thought you could never find a decent pair of pants--a secondhand store.
#6. The community of believers, near and far, and lessons of giving and receiving and supporting each other. Yesterday I had the privilege of having a great conversation with one of my boys, who feels angry all the time because of the situation he's in, his abusive past, and feels ashamed because of the help he and his family receive from the church.  We talked about how as a community of believers we all need to join together and help one another, giving where we can, and receiving when we need it.
#7. Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.
#8. A plastic candy cane filled with M&M's like we used to get in our stockings that I found at the grocery store.  I got so excited when I saw it strung across the aisle, and then my eyes welled up with tears!  It will be worth every penny when I put it in a sock and open it up on Christmas morning!
#9. Pablito's prayer "gracias por la lavadora" (thank you for the washing machine) because he absolutely loves it!  It's hilarious, but it also reminded me to be grateful for the little things. Many people here don't have a washing machine, and have to wash their clothing by hand.  So, thank you God for the washing machine and how it makes life a bit easier! 

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