Better Is One Day
"Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere," writes the Psalmist (Psalm 84:10). One day better than one thousand? That's something to think about. . .
and that's what this blogging experience is going to be about. . .all those things I want to think about someday. . . one day. . .when I have the time.
One thousand brings to mind a book I was introduced to last night by a friend's exuberant Facebook statuses. Her gratitude was contagious and so I had to check out for myself one thousand gifts-- a book by poet/mystic/homeschooling mother/pig farmer's wife, Ann Voskamp. I've only read the first chapter, but what a fascinating, provocative challenge, a dare really, to live a life of gratitude.
Voskamp's take on "original sin" is not that it's a misogynist slam against knowledge-seeking, but that really what it was all about was that our first parents were not content. They knew everything, saw everything, had everything. . .saw and walked with God in His glory, had the choicest of foods given them, experienced a peace with other creatures and a harmony with nature that we can only dream about. . .yet they thought it was not enough. They thought one day they could know more, see more, experience more. They tasted of the fruit and now we do see more, know more and experience more: pain, heartache, suffering, strife, things that had no place in the original created order of things.
But don't take my word for it. Read the book for yourself. You can read the first chapter here: http://onethousandgifts.com/about I'd like to hear what you think--maybe we can go down this road toward a gratitude-filled life together--counting our blessings, not one day, but right away.
Oh and by the way, 1,000 also reminds me of a song by one of my favorite voices, Jason Mraz: "1,000 Things":
http://youtu.be/0DJDlLVTzyI
And one more thing, I'm going to start listing my 1,000 gifts here:
1. Beth Bazemore Fuhrman, a sweet college friend, who introduced me to Voskamp
2. the way Knox, my middle son, sings "Pay attention" with the growl of Scar on the Lion King soundtrack.
3. that my youngest, Ben, calls granola bars "gorilla bars."
4. that my eldest, Dee, has more patience with me than I do with him
5. that my husband is a morning person and helps us ALL to get out of the door on time!
What are some of the things in this moment, right now, today, or even thinking about one day that fill you with gratitude?
and that's what this blogging experience is going to be about. . .all those things I want to think about someday. . . one day. . .when I have the time.
One thousand brings to mind a book I was introduced to last night by a friend's exuberant Facebook statuses. Her gratitude was contagious and so I had to check out for myself one thousand gifts-- a book by poet/mystic/homeschooling mother/pig farmer's wife, Ann Voskamp. I've only read the first chapter, but what a fascinating, provocative challenge, a dare really, to live a life of gratitude.
Voskamp's take on "original sin" is not that it's a misogynist slam against knowledge-seeking, but that really what it was all about was that our first parents were not content. They knew everything, saw everything, had everything. . .saw and walked with God in His glory, had the choicest of foods given them, experienced a peace with other creatures and a harmony with nature that we can only dream about. . .yet they thought it was not enough. They thought one day they could know more, see more, experience more. They tasted of the fruit and now we do see more, know more and experience more: pain, heartache, suffering, strife, things that had no place in the original created order of things.
But don't take my word for it. Read the book for yourself. You can read the first chapter here: http://onethousandgifts.com/about I'd like to hear what you think--maybe we can go down this road toward a gratitude-filled life together--counting our blessings, not one day, but right away.
Oh and by the way, 1,000 also reminds me of a song by one of my favorite voices, Jason Mraz: "1,000 Things":
http://youtu.be/0DJDlLVTzyI
And one more thing, I'm going to start listing my 1,000 gifts here:
1. Beth Bazemore Fuhrman, a sweet college friend, who introduced me to Voskamp
2. the way Knox, my middle son, sings "Pay attention" with the growl of Scar on the Lion King soundtrack.
3. that my youngest, Ben, calls granola bars "gorilla bars."
4. that my eldest, Dee, has more patience with me than I do with him
5. that my husband is a morning person and helps us ALL to get out of the door on time!
What are some of the things in this moment, right now, today, or even thinking about one day that fill you with gratitude?
I love your first five of a thousand, especially the last. It's amazing how our differences can be the very things that glue us together in marriage.
ReplyDeleteSo true, Shawna!
DeleteOh how I miss my beautiful, talented, transparent cousin! I have so much to tell you-there is many a day that I sit down to email you and catch you up, then succumb to my jumbled "where to start" thoughts and give up. Your blog gets a thumbs up from me- keep 'em coming- going to 1,000.... right now. Love you much and I promise you will hear from me soon:)
ReplyDeleteKathy
Miss you too, Kathy! I'd love a jumbled email or better yet, call me next time you are in Mobile! I'd love to see you and meet your new daughter(s)!!! :)
ReplyDeleteRight now I am grateful to have found your blog!
ReplyDeleteI feel bad for all of you for the loss of your dog. What a great one he was, it sounds like! But you are so right to look at what you have done well and to the best of your ability. It's hard to cover everything all the time in all ways...but it sounds like you are covering the most important bases.
I just realized I'm responding to both your blog posts in this comment - forgive me! I read them both at once, somehow.
Anyway....this reminds me of the 10 commandments on Alexandra's blog and the one you pointed out "want what you have"...the true key to contentment.
Thanks, Anne Katherine! So glad you are here--yes, about the commandments on Alexandra's blog, contentment is on my mind as of late, but how "wanting what you have" translates to creativity is curious to me? How exactly is it different from not being jealous (or celebrating accomplishments-- another of the commandments)?
ReplyDeleteTonight, I am thankful for enduring friends whose words encourage me....
ReplyDeleteThanks, Blair. So glad you found me here; your words encourage me. . .
ReplyDelete