Month: October 2012

On our fourth day of counting gifts, the theme is gifts reaped. Since I’m not a gardener or farmer, I’m going with three gifts we reaped in our homeschool today.

1. a flexible schedule that permits a tired child to sleep in when the crazy, noisy wind has kept her up at night

2. her freedom and creativity to invent her own crossword puzzles for 4th grade spelling words using Bananagrams and graph paper

3. enough downtime together to enjoy sipping steaming cups of hot tea during the lunch hour

The theme for the three gifts posted each day comes from the Joy Dare calendar at A Holy Experience). Head on over to read Ann Voskamp’s post “How to Make Joy in the Hard Places.”

Another day of counting gifts, and today’s challenge is threefold: a gift caught, a gift let go, and a gift mid-way.

1. the glimpse I caught of a chickadee at the finch feeder in the backyard

2. letting go of my laptop long enough to allow my almost-7-year-old continue writing a story about little girls named Zowe and Anna

3. the tired, mid-way-through-a-lap smile of my 9-year-old as she struggles to master the butterfly stroke in her swimming lessons

The ideas for the three gifts I post each day come from the Joy Dare calendar at A Holy Experience).  Please add your own gifts in the comment section and then jump over to read Ann Voskamp’s post “When You are Feeling a Bit Lost: How to Find Your Way Back to Joy.”

Today’s theme for counting gifts is three gifts falling:

1. the legs of my youngest, still six years old for a few more days yet, rising and falling as she kicks on the swing in the backyard

2. the fallen leaves we trace with oil pastels for art lessons this morning

3. our friends’ two-month-old baby boy falling asleep in my arms

Every day in October I’ll post three gifts using the Joy Dare calendar from A Holy Experience).  I invite you to add your own gifts in the comment section and then hop over to (in)Courage to read Ann Voskamp’s post “One of the Key Secrets about Joy.”

With our house on the market, somewhat excessive business travel, and a new homeschool schedule, life’s been a little more crazy than usual for our family.

That’s why I was quite excited to learn that this month Ann Voskamp, best-selling author of One Thousand Gifts, is inviting her readers to join in 31 Days of Crazy Joy. (Check out the video for an excellent introduction to Ann and her message.)

So it’s time to start counting gifts again, and won’t you come along, too? Let’s start with three gifts orange:

1. the fiery orange leaves on the neighbor’s maple tree

2. the little orange pumpkin she hid in the playhouse

3. the bright orange flame of the gas fireplace that warms the room on a cool October day

Right here every day I’ll post three gifts with a specific theme (from this wonderful Joy Dare calendar at A Holy Experience).  Feel free to add your gifts in the comment section.

Let’s discover crazy joy this month!