Gifts in Pictures
>> Friday, May 27, 2011 –
1000 gifts
Jotting, jotting into that cheap Walgreen's notebook that sits on the kitchen counter. Sometimes a line or two from one of the kids or Brad -- "sweet lime popsickle," "cardinal sitting on her nest" -- but mostly it's gifts I list from one day to the next, eyes always on God and this holy ground.
My list in pictures this week...just for fun (and because it's the last day of school, and it's crazy with kindergarten graduation, ice cream parties, music performances, teacher gift buying, card-making, field-day-playing, zoo-trip-taking galore!):
360 Pollen-dusted noses
361 Scent of peony blowing in through the car window
362 Five four-leaf clovers found by Noah [I've never even found one in my life...but maybe it's because I've never really looked?]
363 Husband bringing cup of coffee to me upstairs while I put on my makeup
364 Sharpened pencils
365 Sleepy boy snuggles
366 Kindergarteners singing their hearts out and a music teacher with more energy than any other human being on Earth
367 Mrs. Lammers: the best kindergartener teacher ever, hands-down
368 Baking cookies and washing potatoes with our church group
369 Weeding [yes, it is too a gift -- especially when the kids help!]
370 Front porch chats
371 Hand-me-downs from the Shoe Fairy
372 A surprise gift tucked into the mailbox
May you look and really see his hand and heart this weekend. He is with us. He is everywhere.
* A couple of these pictures are from 2010 [I know, I'm cheatin' a little]
Posts
NEVER apologize for a photo post, especially when it is filled with your beautiful photos. love the pollen dusted (and freckle dusted) nose... and oh, those luscious peonies!!!
Love those red curls!!
And the peonies.
Spirit *is* everywhere--what a lovely post! : ) Thank you!
Oh, Michelle - this is simply GORGEOUS. Thank you so much for each and every photo, each and every word. This is one of the sweetest and may I carefully use this loaded word - sentimental - posts you've ever done. And I LOVE IT. I don't think you are really as bummed about summer as you think you are (although I loved that post, too. I remember some years so looking forward to summer, enjoying it for about 3 weeks and then really, really looking forward to school starting again - so I'm with you on that one.)
But this one - just grand. Thank you so much. This is the one post of all those gratitude ones I've read through that just might inspire me to join in with this crowd over there at Ann's place. The photos absolutely make it real and tangible. Just terrific.
Whether cheating or not, each photo tells a lovely story. And vibrant stories at that! Thank you for sharing, and happy springtime to you.
i love this little peek in to your life...beautiful photos.
looking..always...for his hand and heart...
xo
Love those hand-me-down shoes! Your pictures just made me smile, Michelle. Thanks!
Beautiful! Happy graduation and beginning of summer! God really has blessed us with so much. :)
I am glad I meandered over here via another blogger...can't recall the who right now. But I am ready to sit on that front porch of yours under those ferns.
God is good, filling us with His many blessings.
Caring through Christ, ~ linda
And thanks right back at you, Michelle, for your kind words on my 5 minute Friday reflection.
I've followed Ann's blog longer than any other, have used at least one of her posts in leading a solitude retreat, ordered her son's beautiful Advent/Lent wreath and used it with your good Lent devotional this year. And I have read her book, parts of which i loved and parts of which I really struggled with. She and I have a somewhat different theology of suffering, I think - which is way too complicated to get into in a comment!
I am a bit of a rebel at heart, I fear - and when too many people jump on one bandwagon, I get a little hesitant. Daily gratitude has been a part of my spiritual journey for many years, usually done in a 'praying backwards' time just before sleep. So I have resisted the writing-the-list-thing...well, just because I'm stubborn like that, I guess. But your list today, with photos - which really helped me catch glimpses of you - was very different somehow. It felt real and not manufactured in the least. And it was briefer than some I've seen and yet still specific and personal.
Guess this one just struck a happy nerve for me today. And you're right, you cannot know ahead of time which post will do that. Just like I could never tell which sermon would reach people. I think that's a Holy Spirit thing and is always a reminder that when we're faithful with our calling - writing, in this case - even when we feel 'lazy' as you so wrongly labeled yourself!! - then God honors that and God works through that to reach others. Thanks for being willing to do that today.
oh... the vivid colors in these photos make me feel so grateful, dear michelle. life is brimming with wonder, isn't it? love to you friend.
As the old saying goes, "A picture is worth a thousand words." I concur.
Beautiful photos! I am wondering if the man of the house gave out his most delicious cookie recipe to the church group... OR if those are some other run of the mill variety. I still salivate when I even THINK of those cookies. I crave the recipe - or just the cookies. Will he make, market and sell direct to me!?!! ;) My taste buds will thank... my hips, not so much.
Yes, even weeding can be wonderful when it's with the ones you love.
P.S. I'm glad you saved the four leaf clovers.
Is that your porch? It looks tranquil. Your pics are beautiful. Congrats on Kinder graduation.
Is that your porch? It looks tranquil. Your pics are beautiful. Congrats on Kinder graduation.
Yes, even weeding can be wonderful when it's with the ones you love.
P.S. I'm glad you saved the four leaf clovers.
I am glad I meandered over here via another blogger...can't recall the who right now. But I am ready to sit on that front porch of yours under those ferns.
God is good, filling us with His many blessings.
Caring through Christ, ~ linda
i love this little peek in to your life...beautiful photos.
looking..always...for his hand and heart...
xo
sell coach knock off purses , just clicks away