Unwrapping Gifts

Great are the works of the Lord;
they are pondered by all who delight in them.
Psalm 111:2

I just unwrapped a piece of Ferrero Rocher and am currently enjoying it. It’s my favourite chocolate and since university, Eng used to get them for me as a gift. He hasn’t changed much in his gift giving and still gives them to me. I received a box from him for Christmas. I actually ended up with three boxes altogether over the holidays. The other two came from friends who visited separately. The Lord is so kind to ensure that even with my sons enjoying the treats with me; I’m still to have my fill of them. I am certainly relishing them. =) We are now (mostly me) consuming box number two.

Another gift I got over Christmas was a book by Ann Voskamp called “One Thousand Gifts”. It is amazing the wisdom I already gleaned from her book and I haven’t even finished it. I’m seriously dreading the day I finish reading it. It will feel like losing a friend if I am no longer able to reach out for it to read it some more. I highly recommend it as a must read. It’s probably available in your local bookstore since it is a New York Times Bestseller.

What spoke volumes to me is how she shared how to have joy all the time. She wrote:
“If I can give thanks for the good things, the hard things, the absolute everything, I can enter the gates to glory. Living in His presence is fullness of joy – and seeing shows the way in.
The art of deep seeing makes gratitude possible. And it is the art of gratitude that makes joy possible.”

It is the deep seeing that isn’t always easy for us. We go through a hard time and seeing the good in it is usually the last thing we do. She wrote about noting down what she sees that she’s thankful for and as she notices them, she compares it to unwrapping the Lord’s gifts. She started to list them, hence the title of her book. She got to a thousand gifts and now just keeps going indefinitely. Encouraged by her list, I started my own two weeks ago and intend to keep going, myself. Some of what’s in it are:

3. a New Year welcomed with words full of hope
13. a day of rest full of sunshine
18. my mother smiling and enjoying my touch
24. unwillingness of a son to just do without certainty and clear leading
39. five more months with undecided son at home
62. cold nose pressed on a warm cheek
91. kisses goodnight
107. a mission's committee happy to hear about what we do
108. the sun’s warmth on my cheeks
112. directions known
114. reading by candlelight
115. waking up to a song playing in my head

There’s always something to thank the Lord for. He is constantly blessing us with gifts. I am happily unwrapping mine daily. Please choose to see deeply and go unwrap yours.