*arrested by wonder

It was a cold January day of this year that the book arrived in our new  Florida home rural mail box. A book that has a lovely cover, one that almost drew me to the book all on its own. In addition, blogs I have read mentioned this book, this idea, this new (lost) way of living. Practicing life daily in a way that will rearrange the way you live and see things.

I often looked at the book's pretty cover but simply couldn't find the quietness in my soul to start the read.  During this past spring my older sister was visiting with her daughter (Kierstyn) and we were laying out by the pool.  Lori was reading a book on her beloved Nook.  I started to tell her of this beautiful little book and how wonderful it must be, how I had ordered it and that I was going to read a few chapters out loud at that very moment. I ran in to get the book. I proceeded to get comfy in a lawn chair and slowly start the read. I did not get too far before I felt like I best not read out loud anymore because my niece was listening too and the line I was about to read told of a tragic accident which was what I thought too much for Kierstyn.  It probably would have been fine to have read out loud, but I stopped at that point and decided to just encourage Lori to buy the book on her Nook to read for herself.  I find it funny that I was encouraging her so strongly to purchase and read this book without even having read it myself.   Since that warm spring day out by the pool, I had picked the book up only on two short occasions to continue the read but I simply couldn't get "into" the book at all.

It  has now been 6 months since this beautiful book arrived in our rural mail box.  Six months. I mean, yes I have been busy with things here, but I wish I had stopped to really get into what Ann was trying to convey in her book, One Thousand Gifts. You see, she is a very artistic writer and in the beginning I just wasn't following her style of writing. I wasn't getting it. I just wanted the facts Jack. Just the facts. Too much fluff in the writing for me (at that time).  When I picked the book up again this past month, I have been savoring it, each word.  A lovely book indeed, both by cover and contents. The book has done a beautiful job of helping me desire more of Him. To desire that my eyes are open wide to things that are hidden in plain sight!  Lord help me to be arrested by wonder!

I have now developed the habit of recording my grace moments, my gifts, my eucharisteo!  I carry a little notebook in my purse, there is one in the kitchen and one by my bedside as well as in my sewing room.  I started my first journal entry out with a number, 1 of course, but I am not numbering from there on out, because I should live life full of eucharisteo - fully until my days are no more. To number is pointless (to me). 

To live full of eucharisteo, is to live fully.

I know this is going to be a new way of living to me. I am by no means new to Godly living, to living with Godly princeaples but to seek out Him, to give thanks for such things as the squirrels frisking around in the tops of the trees, my son misbehaving in a particular situation (so we could later get to the heart of things), for the potential offer on our home that brought hope.  It helps me to focus on Him and not me. It helps me to remember that God ordains all my steps and He has attended to each detail and when I notice and give thanks that is when a miracle comes.

I am forever grateful to Ann Voskamp for sharing this part of her story thus far with me (anyone who reads her book or blog).   So, on my list a few days ago, you would see this if you looked at it : Ann Voskamp's willingness to be used by You.

I do not believe that we have a particular pattern or set list of things we need to do in order to live a successful Christian life. However, for me, this book has come at His timing in my life, to reposition me. To turn me around and point me in the direction that I need to proceed in.  I don't know about you, but I sometimes get off track a bit and am grateful for the turn about. It is my hope that I will learn to be full of joy in all things. That I, like Paul, will learn - learn- to be content in all things, whether it is much or little; pain or happiness overflowing, in the good and bad things that come our way, I want to embrace each of them with eucharisteo - that is my desire.  I want to see the things that so often pass my eyes by.

Lord, arrest my eyes by the wonder of Your hands in this life story that You are writing in and through my life!

One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp and her willingness to be used by God in the way of writing her story, her struggle and experience has been the inspiration of this post. I recommend this book to you. You can find more information out about Ann and her book, her blog by going here.

(the different fungus that you see in the pic's above are a few of the ones I began to take note of all around our property during a wet spot in our weather a few weeks ago. I was arrested with wonder.)