Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Counting 1000 Gifts, #127-147

Let a grateful heart say so. Inspired again by Ann Voskamp , here I go again.

Considering this past week, I had many, many, MANY things to be thankful for. The beautiful thing is, the more you practice giving thanks in the midst of difficulty, the easier it gets to see the gifts, and the more joy you find in the looking.


3 Hard Eucharisteos:

127.  getting a call from my son that my husband might have had a heart attack or stroke at work,
and I needed to get to the emergency room
128.  putting my dog to sleep without a family member present
129.  watching our daughter move out

3 Gifts Behind a Door:

130.  my husband, alive, in the emergency room
131.  the vet who comforted me like a father
132.  my dad, who showed up on my porch when I least expected, bearing Valentine cards and     chocolates for Sarah and me

3 Ways You Feel the Love of God

133.  in people being there, in person, in a crisis
134.  knowing I'm being prayed for
135.  in words expressed verbally and in writing

A Gift in Losing, Finding, Making Something

136.  peace from doing the right thing for our dog
137.  finding that the diagnosis was neither heart nor brain-related, and treatable
138.  making the bed, thankful I have still have my husband to share it with

3 Gifts in Shadows

139.  sleep
140.  bright signs and paint on the highway at night
141.  an encouraging text message on my phone at midnight, from my husband

3 Gifts Found Giving/Serving

142.  my parents keeping Joel overnight when his dad was in the hospital
143.  my daughter fixing a birthday cake for Joel's Valentine birthday party at school after visiting her dad in the ER and before going to bed
144.  my friend Ashley who made Joel a lunch and delivered it, along with his backpack, strumstick and cake to school  while I had a meltdown alone at home, deciding what to do with my dog

3 Gifts on Paper

145.   Valentine cards from my husband and father
146.   a check made out to Joel, from his grandparents, as a birthday present  (just what he wanted!)
147.   prescriptions instead of a death certificate




2 comments:

Lea @ CiCis Corner said...

Wow! what a list! So, so glad that things have calmed down for you. Not sure you could take too many weeks like last week without you being the one having a heart attack. Have a great week as you continue to count your blessings.

Beth Zimmerman said...

Is daughter (Sarah) moving out unexpected? Either way ... I know it's not easy! Especially when you are close.

So thrilled for you that brain and heart issues were (easily) ruled out! My husband has had multiple mini-strokes (the last one did permanent damage to his speech - mild but it bugs him) and they have been utterly unable to explain why or how to prevent it in the future. In some ways I think that those trials prepared me for the recent insecurities and fears in other parts of my life. Anyway ... I'm happy for you!