Edouard Vuillard, Interieur a la Table à Ouvrage 1893It seems everywhere I go in the Blogiverse, everyone's reading it. One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp. I am too. I'm not too far in yet, but it's a book to read slowly. Slowly is mostly how I read anyway, so that's good. Somebody said, "Ever forward, but slowly," and I think it's a fine way to read or to live, even though I sometimes go forward fast, or should that be fast-forward? Anyway, the author challenges herself to be thankful, to take joy, to live fully in the moment, to see God's hand on all things. Throughout the pages, she lists simple joys -- actually writes them down in her journal, no matter how silly or trite they might seem to someone else. These, I am supposing, will be the One Thousand Gifts. Back when I was homeschooling a passel of children every day at our kitchen table, we would take turns reading a chapter of the Bible every day aloud. When we were done, we would always pray together. Each of us would choose one person to pray for and then give a *thankful.* A *thankful* was just that. A thankful. Whatever you happened to be thankful for at that very moment. It was the prayer that we all wanted to pray. Thousand Gifts is like that. And my list below is a list of simple joys or thankfuls, for to be thankful brings joy. Don't you think? Simple Joys Spring.... new bird arrivals daily, baby calves, warm days followed by snow and frost. Wild winds which will eventually bring more warm days to us. Edouard VuillardLack of sleep. Everyone takes their shift to check the first-calf heifers through the night. Sleep deprivation makes going to bed a joy and sleep comes easily. "O Bed! O Bed! Delicious Bed, that Heaven upon Earth to the weary head." ~Thomas Hood Cold cookies thawed perfectly from the freezer. A blend of cold, yet not frozen, and chewy, not crunchy. I love you's and thank you's and kisses on the cheek from the people I live with. (They are the best of people!) Spot and Big Boy just joined the bum lambs after their mother died. Big Boy has always sucked the bottle, but not Spot. Spot just started sucking yesterday and he is so happy to have milk now. Wet snow. I really don't want any more snow, but I know that snow is good. It makes grass grow and fills up our stock ponds with fresh water. There are so many folks in the USA who are drying up and blowing away and experiencing fires. I've been there. I don't want that, so I'll take the snow. Steak and eggs and toast for breakfast. All homegrown, homemade things. A little time to read in my bed with my cozy shawl wrapped around my shoulders and a cup of herb tea on my nightstand. Edouard Vuillard, The "Voiles de Gênes" Boudoir Art. I feel so blessed to be able to enjoy lovely art like Vuillard's on my computer. Deviled eggs. Wool-fleece lined slippers. There's nothing like them for comfort. Holding hands. What simple joys are you thankful for?
