Gifts Found in April 2015 - Part 2

I am continuing with the second week of "My Gifts Found in April", following Ann Voskamp's book "One Thousand Gifts".  Read those found the first week of April in Part 1 ...

April 8th

3 Gifts Rising Up

1.   The Gift of Rest:  Rising up, waking up, getting up after a fairly good night's rest!

2.  The Gift of Song:  The birds singing outside my window, melodies rising up to the heavens.

3.  The Gift of Prayer:  Friends praying for each other, those known personally or not; prayers rising up to God.

April 9th

A Gift Hidden, Held, or Heard

The Gift of God's Promise

A recent study in our Christian Women's Fellowship was from Exodus and Deuteronomy, about the promises God made to those heading into the wilderness.

The good news of Exodus and Deuteronomy promise that "while we may give up on God from time to time, God never gives up on us.  We are never abandoned, never unloved, never forgotten."

{The study, titled "God's Abiding Presence", is lesson nine in the Spring 2014 issue of Just Women - Embracing Life, a magazine published by the International Disciples' Women's Ministries of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).}

April 10th

3 Gifts Opened Up

1.  The Gift of Caring:  "Opened up" an e-mail to find a note from a friend (one whom I have never met - yet!); she was just checking in to make sure I was OK...something in one of my posts had her a bit concerned.

2.  The Gift of Welcome:  Coming home from being away for a few hours, "opening up" the front door, and my cat comes running out to welcome me home!  Well, it was a welcome home!!
3.  The Gift of Sharing:  "Opening up" my heart, my life, through blogging, talking, sharing, encouraging, praying for one another.

April 11th

3 Gifts Budding/Blooming

1.  The Gift of Nature:  little white flowers budding on the tree outside my window where I sit to read the Bible and do my daily devotions.

2.  The Gift of Friends:  Friends new, budding into a special bond; blooming into caring, sharing friendships.

3.  The Gift of Growth:  Six beautiful grandchildren, each a person of their own personality and likes and views...budding into strong independent - yet, still dependent - children of God.

April 12th

3 Gifts Worn

1.  The Gift of Time:  A watch belonging to my mother, found in her things after she passed; I have worn it every day since...and when we did our church budget campaign recently, I placed the watch in a basket on the Communion Table signifying the time I was pledging to give in the new year.

2.  The Gift of "Something Old":  A beautiful diamond and ruby necklace that belonged to my sister-in-law who died of cancer, given to my daughter to wear at her wedding..

3.  The Gift of Treasure:  A Floating Opal necklace, given to my grandmother by my grandfather; passed down to me, still in the original case.

April 13th

3 Gifts Bright

1.  The Gift of Light:  A reminder from Colleen on her post What Easter Means for Your Grieving Heart - 

"Even in the darkness, you can hold on to the knowledge that the light shines undimmed, waiting for you."

2.  The Gift of Sunshine:  The bright, beautiful sun warms our days, our hearts, our bodies; though hiding behind the grey clouds and rain, we know it is there, waiting to share its bright warmth.
3.  The Gift of Art:  A bright young girl with severe autism shares her "bright-colored flowers and balloons, radiant suns, and etheric angels" on her Facebook page; I stumbled across her artwork and was amazed at what she does with color and canvas!

Found on Facebook

Candy Waters Autism Artist

April 14th

3 Gifts Found Looking Up

1.  The Gift of Freedom:  The red, white and blue of the American flag, reminding me of our freedom; yet, real freedom comes from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
2.  The Gift of Renewed Strength:  Watching the birds flying - soaring - in the sky reminds me that God will renew our strength, and we will soar high on wings like eagles.

  
3.  The Gift of Guidance:  Looking up at the lighthouse, standing strong on the shore, I know my God shines His Light to guide my path.

April 15th

A Gift in a Bag, in a Box, in a Book

The Gift of Insight

Today's Gift leads me back to why I am doing this "scavenger hunt' in the first place - 

the book "One-Thousand Gifts" by Ann Voskamp, is spurring a hunt of my own...

for the gifts that God so graciously gives to each of us.

And at the point of discovery, a book...

and an author...

and the words she shares with her readers.

The Gift of Insight - for surely Ann Voskamp has been given the insight and the words to share with us all!

Thank you, Ann; and thank you God!


TO BE CONTINUED...