July Joy Dare #4

"Enter the password: 'Thank you!" . . . Thank Him. Worship Him!

--Psalm 100:4

July 24th -- 3 gifts of sand

1. like sand in an hourglass --

time alone with my son

2. feeling "sand" in my eyes I'm so tired

3. looking forward to a sandy beach

July 25th -- 3 gifts of endings

1. this last summer before they're both in college

2. my two weeks of extreme busyness

3. sleep deprivation

July 26th -- 3 gifts fresh

1. an unexpected fresh (new) car

2. a fresh start on time with the hubs

3. a new feeling of tranquility

July 27th -- a gift on vacation, at home, in relaxation

1. scuba diving at the rock quarry

2. alone time in the house with the hubs

3. milkshakes in the new convertible

July 28th -- 3 gifts of beginnings

1. the beginning of the last month before college starts

2. recognizing myself as a writer -- not just a would-be writer

3. watching the summer Olympics

July 29th -- 3 gifts together

1. pulling together to straighten the home

2. lunch with the kids

3. helping the neighbors

July 30th -- 3 gifts heard

1. birds chirping as my alarm clock this morning

2. my son playing guitar just for me

3. Olympic commentary --
all of these athletes are inspiring

Share at: a holy experience, one thousand gifts, Facebook, #joydare, #onethousandgifts

July Joy Dare #3

"Enter the password: 'Thank you!" . . . Thank Him. Worship Him!

--Psalm 100:4

July 17th -- 3 gifts learned

1. forgiveness listening to my husband

ask for it from our children for being 

angry sometimes

2. patience as I deal with my own issues

and my daughter's

3. that no one's life is perfect

as watch so many others

struggle around me

July 18th -- 3 gifts musical

1. the joy of live music from

the James Taylor concert

last week

2. my iPod summer playlist

3. the soundtrack from
"City of Ember"

July 19th -- 3 gifts baked

1. apricot oat bran muffins

2. the frozen pizza my son made for lunch
that I can't eat because I'm getting ready for 
a colonoscopy!

3. 

July 20th -- a gift in light, dark, shadow

1. sunrise

2. sleep through the procedure

3. relieved exhaustion

July 21st -- 3 gifts of story

1. finishing a good book

2. watching a fun movie with my husband

3. writing about my experience

July 22nd -- 3 gifts understated

1. God's grace

2. My husband's love

3. afternoon naps

July 23rd -- 3 gifts high, low, far away

1. exciting plans

2. bittersweet plans

3. taking my son to register for college

Share at: a holy experience, one thousand gifts, Facebook, #joydare, #onethousandgifts

July Joy Dare #2

"Enter the password: 'Thank you!" . . . Thank Him. Worship Him!

--Psalm 100:4

July 10th -- 3 gifts in weakness

1. sleeping late because of bad dreams

2. too much chocolate

3. recognition that eating right/exercising
DOES make a difference

July 11th -- 3 gifts in jars

1. demerara sugar for my tea

2. A Jar of Summer

3. mayonnaise for my tomato and cheese
sandwich on rosemary/olive oil bread

July 12th -- a gift of life, growth, decline

1. a lovely steady rain

2. plants returning to the land of the living

3. exhaustion after a 1 mile swim

July 13th -- 3 gifts curled

1. my fingers around my morning

mug of tea

2. the vacuum cleaner cord as

my daughter completes the cleaning

3. my legs as I curl up on the sofa

chatting with old friends

July 14th -- 3 gifts yellow

1. the sunflowers at Whole Foods

2. one of the colors in my new

Blessing Basket

3. the circles in my tie dyed shirt

July 15th -- 3 gifts of stone

1. my Jizo statue

2. a zebra stone inadvertently broken

3. stepping stones made years
ago by my children

July 16th -- 3 gifts hanging down

1. my curly hair

2. wind chimes on my front patio

3. a ribbon on my magic wand

Share at: a holy experience, one thousand gifts, Facebook, #joydare, #onethousandgifts

July Joy Dare #1

"Enter the password: 'Thank you!" . . . Thank Him. Worship Him!

--Psalm 100:4

July 1st -- 3 gifts loved

1. experiencing compassion

2. sacrificial love given and received

3. new friends connected

July 2nd -- 3 gifts read

1. Ron Howard once said that Andy [Griffith]was exactly like how he was on TV. Howard would not have turned out as well as he did without being raised by Griffith.

2. "Only Reynie felt unsurprised by Kate's report, 
for he retained the feeling -- 
Mr. Benedict's argument against it -- 
that wickedness was something to be expected."
-- The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey

3. "I never want my kids to think that I’ll stop loving them. 
I never want them to be afraid to tell me anything. 
I try to tell them every day that I love them no matter what."
-- A Deeper Story

July 3rd -- a gift in faith, family, freedom

1. praying at random moments and in random
ways, knowing I will be heard and understood

2. resting my head on my husband's chest

3. talking with others about beliefs

July 4th -- a gift in red, white, and blue

1. the Adirondack chair in my back yard

2. my sweet Yaya

3. blue plastic cups filled with iced tea

July 5th -- 3 gifts of persistence

1. pressing on with growth in marriage

2. exercising and eating well, even 

when the scales don't show it

3. reading and praying and writing

July 6th -- 3 gifts of enthusiasm

1. joy from swimming a mile

2. my husband's excitement over marriage ministry

3. tennis enthusiasm
Federer and Murray = joy

July 7th -- a gift of challenge, conflict, and change

1. recognition of value in my desires

2. my son's growth in conflict

3. improved mood with a change in attitude

July 8th -- 3 gifts in water

1. pouring, soaking rain!!!!

2. cool water to drink in the 
nearly 100 degree heat

3. a dip in the pool for refreshing exercise

July 9th-- a gift in rhythm, rhyme, and reason

1. another year with my son
Happy Birthday!

2. Sam I Am!
my son's favorite book

3. recognition of the man
he is becoming as I continue
to give him back to God

Share at: a holy experience, one thousand gifts, Facebook, #joydare, #onethousandgifts