Thursday, February 7, 2013

Day 1: a crude beginning

As I said yesterday, I am a thinker.  Sometimes I get on my own nerves when I analyze the mess outta something.  

I am also a reader - whenever {and I do mean, WHEN EVER} I have a chance, I have something to read with me.  LOVE, love, love having the Kindle app on my phone for those moments of unexpected waiting.

Today, however, as I drove to the elementary school to pick up my daughter and wait in the car pool line, I thought.

And in that short time, I realized how many gifts God has given me that make me, ME.  In the same vein as yesterday's post about KNOWING He loves me and trying to translate that into a deep-in-the-heart feeling and belief, I KNOW He made me different.  Sometimes, though, the realization has to hit you on a different level; in a different time, and for a different reason.

Yes, I knew that there is no one else in the world exactly like me.  I know the verse about how He knew me before I was formed in my Mother's womb.  I like this passage in Romans 12 too:
so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your[a]faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead,[b] do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.

But when I start to list them - these gifts - I can count so many that are just attributes and personality traits without even moving to nature and my husband, kids and family.

So I think today is going to be the start of a new journey for me.
A while back, I was challenged by my friend, Lori*, who published her own 31 Days of Grace.  I loved what she did with it; I appreciated the challenge and her encouragement to take it.  I just shook my head and thought, "no, not for me. I don't need to tell my story to chase Grace."

After all, I write this blog anonymously.  My fear was that journal-like entries might be read by people whose feelings could get hurt if they recognized themselves.

All the while, both in real life and my blog posts, my personal life and my public life, my down time at home and my business life at my parties, I have made a a point to be as REAL as possible.  Even when it was uncomfortable; even when it was embarrassing; even when I felt it made me "less likeable" rather than more likeable.

So today is going to make the first of my 31 days of Grace.  I can't promise to write everyday for 31 days, but I can promise you 31 posts (or more, if thats what it takes).  

Today's post is going to be a simple beginning, but we all have to start somewhere.  My "somewhere" is a list of everything God granted me to make me who I am (and this is just what I can think of off the top of my head). To be sure, there are things I haven't discovered yet, and likely some I take for granted...


  • a good memory
  • talent to sing
  • talent for drama (I tell my 8 year old daughter this is NOT a talent, BTW)
  • to cook and like to cook
  • to craft and make things with my hands
  • a love of music
  • a love of others talents for singing, dancing, acting
  • a love of reading
  • a tender, compassionate heart (that, sometimes, ok - often, gets me in trouble)
  • a love of learning
  • a persistent (translation: stubborn) nature
  • I know it sounds silly, but I have always had the ability to find things in the dark or without looking just by using my senses of hearing and touch (hey, I'm grateful for this gift!)
  • to think on my feet and come up with a new solution when things don't go as planned
Thank you, Lord for these things and so many more!

We've been working on this song in church choir practice and I love it so much I wanted to share!









*I hope it's ok that I am calling her a friend.  She has no idea how much she inspires me; although we know each other from waaay back, we don't KNOW each other in day to day life now - just online. Doesn't matter; she has a larger effect on me than some people I see everyday :-)

1 comment:

  1. And I call you a friend, too!=) Proud of you for doing 31 days! Life changing and humbling and all grace! <3

    ReplyDelete