Each day is a precious gift from My Father.  How ridiculous to grasp for future gifts when today’s is set before you! Receive today’s gift gratefully, unwrapping it tenderly and delving into its depths.  As you savor this gift, you find Me.

Sarah Young, Jesus Calling, p 36

Why do I {heart} the Joy Dare? It is a treasure hunt that not only reminds me of the gifts I already have been given, but it keeps me presently looking for the source of those gifts moment by moment.

:::

91.  Women joining in and writing chosen, forgiven, blameless, redeemed, and lavished with grace and posting on Facebook.

92.  A sweet friend who ordered me dinner for delivery.

93.  Photo 365, a way to journal my year with a picture each day.

94.  She took initiative to do her own school work without me asking.

95.  Girls who giggle.

96. He is in the business of making dead things come alive. {Ephesians 2}

97. Fried chicken, mashed potatoes and cornbread.  It tastes like home!

98. How being from a small town is stamped on your soul forever.

99.  A clear word from The Lord about what I need to focus on.

100. A new community of sisters and friends.

101. Lunch with a Gretchen.

102. Pinkberry Chocolate Carmel Frozen Yogurt is just like a Rolo.

103. My crazy energetic 2 year old who keeps me running after her.

104.  My 2 girls who knew more about birds than anyone else in their class – something they did not learn from me.

105.  The gift of grace and understanding from friends who see me and know my heart.

106. A perfect day for a walk.

107. Singing Jesus Loves Me to my baby girl in the dark and she sings along.

108. A pan of fresh brownies made by my girls.

109.  A soldier coming home to his family!

110.  A watercolor sunset sky.

111.  Sunday dinner.

Want to join me in the hunt? It is not too late to start counting.  I dare you to find 3 gifts each day that bring Joy.   For more information on the Joy Dare, go to A Holy Experience.

{come back tomorrow for day 2}

The Joy Dare

70. The blue light on my new coffee pot telling me it is ready.

71.  The blue in her eyes match his.

72.  Baby blue chipped nail polish on the sweetest hands.

73.  A book about writing from my local library I just happened upon.

74.  A sweet note left beside my bed.

75.  Perseverance.

76.  Good Morning Girls with her and her – what a blessing!

77.  School work at every table.

78.  Family dinner.

79. Warm January days.

80. Being part of an amazing “home school” school.

81.  Friends who send texts at just the exact right moment telling me they are praying for me.

82.  When she tells a table full of ladies I was a good friend.

83.  Friends who have turned into sisters. For real.

84.  Blogging sister girlfriends who share my passion.  Like her, her, and her.

85. “How Great Thou Art”

86. My 2 year old slept all night for the first time in I don’t know how long.

87. God’s Word illuminated in my heart.

89.  A Chessie System Railroad Car that reminds me of my papaw.

90.  Pictures from 20 years ago on Facebook from friends who knew me then.

91. Praising God, when things are hard because He is good, and that is enough.

For more on the Joy Dare, visit A Holy Experience each Monday.

The Joy Dare
“looking for the glorious in the mundane…” (from Christy Nockels)

49. My husbands quick and witty humor.
50. Friends who need strength.
51. Chosen. Blessed. Decreed from eternity. Humbled. (Eph 1:1-6).
52. He is my redeemer…
53. He forgives and releases the effects of sin upon me.
54. He abounds in grace.
55.  God conversations in my kitchen.
56. 70 degrees in January with the bluest skies.
57. How God uses our trials to make us like Him.
58. Teaching my 3rd daughter to read.
59. Watching Downton Abbey with my husband on Friday night.
60. Whispering with a friend during a movie.
61. Feathery clouds.
62. How God makes paths out of the wilderness.
63. Forgiveness from my girls when I blow it big time.
64. Mentors.
65. I’m sorry between sisters.
66. A chicken ministry.
67. Wonderful
68. Marvelous
69. Savior.

—counting 1000 gifts in 2012 was inspired by Ann Voskamp. You can read about it here.

Jesus Calling, January 7

Thankfulness is a royal road to draw near to me.  A thankful heart has plenty of room for Me.

Psalm 22:3 (New Living Translation)

Yet you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel.

–something I wrote last year over here.

“The word thanks here means ‘to throw, like stones.’  I love this word picture. Have you ever cast stones into a lake? You pick up a small round pebble.  It feels smooth in your hand. You launch it. It splashes and sends out ripples all around.  You toss another.  And another. It feels good. You find yourself looking for the perfect rock to make the best splash.

What if, thanksgiving were like that? You toss one, by faith.  And then another. And another.  The next thing you know you are looking for the perfect gratitude “stone” to cast back to God.  He is the one who gave you the gifts in the first place.  Thanking Him is itself a gift.  It feels good.  And this gift has a ripple effect not only in your life, but your girl’s life as well.”

from Ann @ A Holy Experience

“This crazy Joy Dare to do it all over again because I need it, to make this the habit before all the other habits — the joy habit — and count a full 1000 gifts in 2012. He deserves all my thanks and it’s impossible to give thanks and simultaneously feel fear. Woman with the soul amnesia — she keeps remembering and needing to remember again.

Just three gifts a day.

The whole earth is full of His glory.”

Not that I need a reason, but I’ve been missing the counting and and the nudges they just kept coming. All of these (above) came in one day.  So 9 days into 2012 I’m joining in on the Joy Dare with thousands others.  The last time I counted it took me longer than 1 year.  I’m excited to see 1,000 fit nicely into 2012.

Care to join me?

{Ann has a lovely resource with even specific things to look for each day in January.  You can download it here.}

1,000 Gifts in 2012:

1.  Discovering my writer girl.

2. Being called teacher.

3.  Hope is stirring in my heart.

4. Seeing a doe and her baby outside my suburban window.

5.  Warm blankets.

6.  My favorite soup filling bowls and tummies at my table.

7.  “You cover me with the blood you shed”

8.  “There has never been or will there ever be a love like that in which, You cover me”

9.  “I want to be near You, I want to be where you are, Oh Lord.”

10.  My old chair time chair.

11.  My new coffee maker.

12.  The blue polka dots on her sweet new dress that is bouncing up and down right this minute.

13.  Reading Jesus Calling for the 100th time never gets old.

14.  Learning to knit so I can teach her.

15.  Seeing God do a work He is clearly in – and just holding on for the ride.

16.  Receipts from date nights while my parents were here to love on grandchildren.

17. Praying for the Antaimaro people of Madagascar.

18.  The healing of a pruned place and the fresh growth of something new.

19.  “I love you, too.” from my 2 year old.

20.  “Thank you” from another Weary Mom.

21.  “Thanks for making dinner mommy.”

22.  “If we tell our story, we will be a light for Him..”  from Pastor Danny, Sunday’s Word for me.

23.  Tired eyes mean I have a sweet toddler to comfort in the middle of the night.

24.  Sun going down in a blaze of pink with dinner spread on the table.

25.  A reminder to love like Jesus.

26.  Letting her read to me.

27.  The nightly walk to bed, listening to the sounds of quiet.