1000 Gifts - Pausing to Notice

So in the video I posted a couple of days ago, the author, Ann Voskamp, began this project in 2006, to write down 1000 Gifts of things she has in her life. You can read more about it by clicking here.  What I love about this is that she pauses to cherishes the moments.  Last I checked, she was at #2197.   This simple act allows gratitude to permeate her life. God gives us gifts every day, if we just slow down and notice them.  Below is the beginning of my list, in totally random order. I am just keeping the file open on my computer and I am writing them as they come to me.

1. Sarah’s contagious laughter that always makes me smile
2. A husband who spends his day off with me
3. Morgan using her money to buy Apples to Apples Jr. so we can play it as a family.
4. The gift of an ordinary day
5. Friends that think of me
6. My laptop computer
7. The internet
8. Honesty and authenticity of North Point Church
9. My Warm Fuzzy Blanket
10. DQ Blizzards for dinner
11. 3 more home improvement projects done, thanks to Mike
12. Instant streaming of movies to our blu-ray player
13. The release that tears give
14. Never knowing who is going to answer the phone at my sister’s house – I love my bro-in-laws impersonations. Tonight I was offered “pickled pigs feet” by some kindly old woman!
15. My dog’s big brown eyes and floppy ears.
16. The quiet moans of sleepy girls waking up in the morning
17. Sarah’s gentle hug for me before she even opens her eyelids
18. Warmth that pours through my house from the heater
19. My eyes to read the beautiful words written by others
20. The gift of encouragement I received this morning
21. Mike’s job that sustains us
22. The convenience of online banking
23. Hearing a friend smile through the other end of the phone
24. Neighbors who offer to watch your kids while you run to walmart
25. Garbage man that takes my trash and recycling away
26. A thing called ‘margin’ in my life
27. A husband to take lunch to.
28. Girls that run home from school, screaming, happy and full of energy.
29. My daughter’s cute pigtails.
30. Words from the page flowing out of my daughter’s voice as she reads to me.
31. The way Sarah’s eyes light up when she has something funny to tell.
32. The ability to say ‘no’!
33. The opportunities to say ‘yes’!
34. Facebook posts that make me smile. And laugh out loud.
35. Country songs that stir something deep in my soul and makes the tears spill out.
36. A husband that pauses to work the knots out of my lower back.
37. A beagle that enjoys snuggling.
38. Waking up to the misty glow of the streetlights bouncing off the snow.
39. Snow day with my girls!
40. The softness of my girls cheeks, as I touch them to awake them in the morning

p.s. Today is our first snow day of the year!! Yes!!