In this month-long series of praising God and counting gifts, I cannot neglect to include one of my favorite passages: Psalm 100.

Shout with joy to the LORD, all the earth!

Worship the LORD with gladness.

Come before Him, singing with joy.

Acknowledge that the LORD is God!

He made us, and we are His.

We are His people, the sheep of His pasture.

Enter His gates with thanksgiving;

go into His courts with praise.

Give thanks to Him and praise His name.

For the LORD is good.

His unfailing love continues forever,

and His faithfulness continues to each generation.

Friday’s theme: three unexpected gifts

1. a high school football story that brings tears:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HuxejhBOCOo

2. a dear friend’s voice on the other end of the phone line

3. the invitation to a first birthday party

Saturday’s theme: three unconventional gifts

1. a Saturday morning field trip to the horse barn

2. learning to ride Chevy while she trots and canters

3. watching my children shovel horse manure

Sunday’s theme: three undervalued gifts

1. a lazy afternoon spent with friends

2. long talks around the kitchen table

3. playtime for strategy games like Pente and Gobblet Gobblers

Today’s theme: a gift silent, a gift still and a gift strong

1. silent: 45 minutes in the afternoon

2. still: the 7-year-old reading on the couch

3. strong: the determination of my almost-10-year-old as she adjusts to the challenge of talking with a mouthful of new retainers

The theme for each day’s gifts comes from the Joy Dare calendar at A Holy Experience.