I don’t know what time of year our local writers’ group began, or how many months I attended before guilt made me write something: just a short letter to the editor of our local newspaper.
The group, bless their hearts, praised me as if I’d written a feature article. I started listening to my thoughts—and to God—a little better and writing inspirational and personal experience essays.
Got my first rejection letter—and a positive one at that—on my birthday one May.
When a novel started brewing, I resisted for a year before giving in. My earliest dated notes for that manuscript are from March 1994. That means I’ve lived with some of these characters for 17 years now, ignoring the long gestation period. No wonder we have cake every March!
Three years ago, again in March, God nudged me into this blog. It’s been a great way to meet some new friends in the faith, and I need to publicly say that not once has He not provided the input for a weekly devotional. He is faithful.
Since March seems to be the month for significant writing beginnings for me (not that I’d turn one down in, say, September) it feels appropriate to choose now to join the Christians keeping gratitude journals.
Not lists of positive things, but lists acknowledging that those things are gifts from God who loves us. Lists that accept the gifts and thank the Giver.
I’ll add a thank-you to Ann Voskamp, whose lyrical book, One Thousand Gifts, convinced me to give this gratitude journal idea a try.
I won’t post a weekly list, but here are the first gifts I’ve recorded (resisting the urge to play catch-up for the ones in my memory):
- Bright, white seagull in a clear blue sky.
- Spring sunshine.
- Dancing candle flames—and the little girl who shared them with me.
- Expansive stillness moment in my spirit.
- Michael Tait singing “Glorious”.
- Sparkles on my journal cover—and that it was waiting on my shelf for this purpose.
- Fluffy black cat nestled on the back deck.
- Sun stripe bright on green moss on the willow branch.
- Small brown sparrow in the bare, brown hedge branches.
10. White-gold sun disc behind translucent clouds.
Thank You, God!
