a movie

On Friday my beloved deacon (for those of you who didn't know, James became a deacon in the Orthodox Church on September 23rd, Glory to God for all things!)  and I took our 2 daughters (13 & 16) to see Les Miserables.   

This movie is beyond words. By far one of the most moving movies I have ever seen.  

My father-in-law has always been a fan of Les Miserables the production, and the deacon convinced his dad to go see the movie.  He wrote us after seeing it and said it was by far the best rendition of Les Mis he has ever seen and probably one of the best movies he's seen in his whole life.

You will not regret seeing this movie.

It was the first movie I have seen in a theater in about 10 years.  Despite being totally blown away by how much it cost to go to a dinner and movie with my girls, it was totally worth it!

"To love another person is to see the face of God."

I keep counting, counting towards 1,000. Each day I look for more. Hoping that as the days go by I will find deep gratitude on every level of every day.  Gratitude that will bring me salvation. Take me to God.

26. Fresh carrot/apple juice with a hint of ginger.  The smell of ginger is so alive. 
27. Joseph trying carrot juice. -CJ
28. Soft pillow for my head.
29. Wood to burn
30. Getting school done. -CJ
31. Food...lots of good.

32. Dishes being done by a 13yo at an odd time of the day & I only had to ask once!
33. A mommy who loves to help make dinner & watch boys for date night.
34. Dinner & a movie with 2 beautiful girls and an awesome hubby.
35. A glass of red wine.
36. The smell of coffee, fresh ground & brewing.
37. A Letter to All the World's Daughters.     
38. Les Miserables motion picture that evokes deep emotion and thought. 
39. Strong man brought to tears by the beauty of a movie.
40. Dishes being done by gracious daughter.
41. Digging in the earth in January, cleaning garden beds.
42. Fresh compost that I created!
43. Frugal grocery shopping.
44. Coyotes howling in the night...reminding us, as we sleep, that God's creation is alive and full and all around us.

I will endeavor to blog more often.  Adding to my list more often rather than such a long list every so often. 

I desire to write more.  I've been reading good things lately and the flow of words and the beauty all around have been inspiring me to want to put words on paper (even though it is virtual paper).  I do write in a journal so I guess I am putting words on paper, pen to pad.    



 

  
  

A Little Change in My Counting

When I started re-reading One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp I was just going to blog my list.  But it became slightly inconvenient since I wasn't writing anything down.  I'd see something I would want to add to my list only to forget about it when it came time to sit and blog. So it has become clear that I need to keep my journal active.
I'm going to keep my journal accessible all day long.  I think I might even encourage the children to write things down that they are grateful for or blessed by.  And then leave their initials after their entry.  

"The only way to keep in time with your Beloved--is to keep counting blessings." --Ann Voskamp

22. snow very gently and lightly falling on a crisp cold day
23. home after a full day of co-op to the smell of dinner hot and ready
24. stacks and stacks of clean laundry created by a mother who is truly going to spoil me
25. laughter and giggles coming from the backseat, albeit loud, is so much better than the alternative

Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!
    For His mercy endures forever.

Oh, give thanks to the God of gods!
    For His mercy endures forever. 

 Oh, give thanks to the Lord of lords!
    For His mercy endures forever:

Psalm 136: 1-3 

Gifts for today

16. New eggs from new hens who just turned 21 weeks.

17.  Enthusiasm from a 5-year old Alex who says, "They are moms now." And diligently helped me clean nests and get them into the new coop for the "new moms".

18. Crisp, cold sun shining BRIGHTLY all day long.

19. an early start to the school day

20. boys playing outside in the crisp air and then hauling wood to burn

21. frozen mud! 






  One Thousand Gifts by Anne Voskamp

Gifts 12-15

12. Singing stichera for Vespers 
13. a quiet car ride to school
14. clean folded laundry waiting for me when I got home from school--thanks mom!
15. Joseph's enthusiasm when the snow started falling. He bundled up as if there was a foot of snow and went to "play in the snow".  :)

Finding Joy

Can there be a good God? A God who graces with good gifts when a crib lies ampty through long nights, and bugs burrow through coffins? Where is God, really? How can He be good when babies die, and marriages, implode, and dreams blow away, dust in the wind? Where is grace bestowed when cancer gnaws and loneliness aches and nameless plcaes in us soudlessly die, break off withou reason, erode away. Where hides this joy of the Lord, this God who fills the earth with good things, and how do I fully live when life is full of hurt? How do I wake up to jo and grac and beauty and all that is the fullest life when I must stay numb to losses and crushed dreams and all that empties me out? My family--my dad, my mama, my brother and youngest sister--for years, we all silently ask these auestions. For years, we come up empty. And for years, we fill again--with estrangement.

Ann Voskamp chapter 1: A emptier, fuller life

One Thousand Gifts...

7. bedroom lights turned off without being asked!
8. little baby girls circling the nave, venerating icons over and over and over again.
9. a game of Xbox Bowling ( VERY active and true to bowling) for family night...sweet...I won!!
10. being able to help mom refinance car and retitle her car and feel a little more secure
11. no rain, for one day in January.

Gifts 4-6

Re-reading One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp could prove to be a life changer. God will be the life changer I'm sure.

4. Sweet 2 year olds falling asleep during the Great Blessing of Water
5. Conversations with an excited thirteen year old dear daughter about her afternoon away from home. 6. A sweet glass of wine at the end of a long day while gabbing with my awesome man.

Thankfulness

I've left this space behind for far too long.  My dear friend has inspired me to come back.  To record life. And what better way to do that than to record thanks. 

I read Ann Voskamps, One Thousand Gifts, before.  A long time ago. But I forgot.  Which happens when life takes over.  We forget. 

I don't want to forget any longer. I want to find thanks. To find joy. To move forward.

So I am rereading One Thousand Gifts.  I'm going to count my blessings, my gifts.  Found in the every day. Little things we miss constantly.  Like:

1. Little boys, warm and sleepy, crawling out of bed to cuddle against me as I type.
2. Bigger boys singing loudly, theme songs from The Hobbit.
3. Crisp, white frosty mornings.