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Ugly Into Beauty

For years I've kept a gratitude journal.  Looking back upon the inked words I know they have been the light my heart needed on some very dark days.  Keeping perspective is hard when all of life comes crashing down but if we stop for just a moment...think for just a moment...we see we've been blessed with so much.

Ann Voskamp, author of One Thousand Gifts has challenged each of us to give thanks.  Asking us to remember our blessings even in the midst of the storm.  Sounds easy enough.  Right?  Yet it's not.  To do this we must make a choice.  I must make a choice.  It must be done with intentionality.  I must pursue the search, actively seek beyond the ugliness of this world to the beauty God showers upon me each and every day.

Over time, a truly grateful heart is formed.  Thankfulness becomes a habit and the lens I view the world through becomes brighter, happier, content.  If you want your children to love well...be happy despite their circumstances...trust God in all things...teach them to be grateful. It will be one of the greatest gifts you can give them but it must be caught by example not just taught through words.

All of us will go through trials.  Pain will be felt.  Loss will visit. At times the heavens silent to our questions.  These things we can not change...they just are.  We can't control circumstances but we can choose our response, our attitude.  A spirit of complaint or a heart filled with joy and gratefulness...what will you choose?

Ann, has given us a challenge for September.  Three gifts each day.  If you would like to join me in penning these down I would love that.  It would be so encouraging to me as well as many others.  Perhaps, it will encourage you too. =)

You can do this a few different ways:
Every Monday I'll post my gifts for the week.  You can join me by leaving yours in my comments section (I'm having technical difficulty which keeps you from seeing comments but I can still see them).
Comment on my Rise and Swine FaceBook page.  AND while you're there go ahead and click that like button ;)
Write a blog post and link back to me 
Join the One Thousand Gifts community 

Please be sure to share your gifts with Ann on Twitter or her FaceBook page.  I know she would LOVE to hear from you.
 

3 Gifts Summer:
Creaking of the porch swing
Dragonflies swooning about
Hearts shared while strolling around the lake


3 Gifts Cut :
His boyish grin as he hands me cattails
Old-fashioned Rhubarb pie
His white weeds sitting by the windowsill given to me with love


Until then...
Jessie
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