Heart wide open...and my eyes too!

I'm not sure where I've been for the last 8 months, but apparently, I haven't really felt like writing about it! Not much has changed with the health issues, but I'm still alive and kickin'. In fact, I'm still so alive that my mind keeps running 100mph even when I wish it would go to sleep.

Last night, I was so tired of tossing and turning that I decided to open up my iPad and do a little reading. On my way to the Kindle App I managed to take a quick peek at Facebook. A friend of mine from high school had posted something intriguing so I followed her Facebook to her Instagram and finally to her blog. After reading just a few minutes I was almost overwhelmed by her story and more profoundly by her purposeful pursuit of joy. She had over a thousand acknowledgements of daily "gifts" from God in her life. She was living with her heart wide open to what God was doing in her, around her, and through her.

I knew that this hashtag, #1000gifts, was in reference to the book, One Thousand Gifts, A Dare to LIVE FULLY Right Where You Are by Ann Voskamp, because it was a book I had partialy read a couple years ago. But, it wasn't until I read my friend's story that I really "got it." I spent the next hour, at least, reading lots of random people's gifts and I felt the tug to start my own journey towards recognizing all the ways God is blessing me in my everyday life.

So, I'm choosing to live with my heart wide open to the goodness that God is giving me and to purposely pursue JOY! Let the gifts begin...

1. encouraged by an old friend's story and inspired by their joy, all via social media...thanks Katie @cardiganway #1000gifts #joydare

2. working for a school that embraces/encourages outside the box thinking & teaching #1000gifts 

3. loving the people I work with and their sweet families #1000gifts

4. being a part of an authentic, Jesus-loving home group at the village church #1000gifts

5. wireless printers - AMAZING! #1000gifts

It's gonna take awhile to get to a 1000, but it's gonna be an amazing journey!