One Thousand Gifts (920-931)

Continuing toward my journey of one thousand gifts....

Last week I went to a local Christian bookstore/gift shop with a specific purchasing goal in mind.

I almost always leave a store disappointed when I go shopping and look for something specific. Does that happen to you?

While reading the book One Perfect Word (by Debbie Macomber) she suggested having a visual reminder of my word.

In 2010 my word was "hope."

In 2011 my word was "grace."

I have these small engraved metal bits and a couple other art pieces for Hope and Grace.

My word for 2012 is "fellowship," and I couldn't find anything at the store with the word printed, engraved, or scribbled on it.

My mind raced around and I thought about buying Christmas ornaments from the local craft store, painting my words from the past three years....and then I started thinking about how I am not that artistic.

I could probably paint the words "hope" and "grace" pretty well, but what about "fellowship"? That's an awfully long word and on a round object, well my mind pictured the worst.

I used to cross-stitch before children and then when I had one very young child. Now my two children are adults. (Read: It's been many years since I cross-stitched.)

I found a piece of graph paper in my desk. Who knew that I hadn't already tossed it? But then if you could see my desk drawers still filled with notebook paper and bright orange and green construction paper, you wouldn't be all that surprised. I worked myself almost cross-eyed "designing" the words and now want to find some dark cross-stitch fabric and use some light colored floss for my project.

Wow!

I have a project!

And I am thinking a new tradition.

920 - 931 on my list of One Thousand Gifts. I'm thankful for:

920. Debbie Macomber's idea of a visual for my 2012 word

921. God planting a bit of creativity in me

922. restored internet and working telephones at work

923. lunch out with co-workers to celebrate Anne's birthday

924. my wise Wonderful Husband. God has blessed me abundantly with this man.

925. lovely yellow Monarch butterflies flitting by (almost daily) outside at my work

926. the Republican and Democrat conventions are over

927. our granddaughter falling asleep in my arms while Grandpop plays his guitar

928. a surprise weekend visit from our son, The Teacher

929. cooler temperatures and leaves falling from trees

930. hard eucharisteo: fall bringing a shorter amount of daylight each day

931. a telephone conversation with my mom

This post is linked to A Holy Experience: Multitudes on Mondays, One Thousand Gifts.

Do you suffer from shopping challenges like me?