Let's Try That Again ...

Oh man, it's almost midnight again. I will get through this tonight though. 
(I tried last night, but couldn't do it. If you don't know what I'm going on about, go back here.)

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So where was I?

Dumb as bricks.
Things I'm thankful for.
Steve asked me a question...

Right. 



Steve asked me if I've read or am a fan of A Thousand Gifts.
I'd never heard of it, so I told Steve I'd google it and get back to him. 
(Clearly I'm not a reader or a fan. But now I was interested.)


And while I'm off googling, Steve adds this to our conversation: 

"Jane - I am sending you a copy of A Thousand Gifts...

I think she's been stealing ideas from you...

you will love her"

...which was intriguing.

So take a sec, if you want, to check out her site.

I allowed myself 3 minutes to quickly glance through the site, and from what I could tell, Ann, the writer, has written a book filled with a list of 1,000 things she's been thankful for. 

"Hmmm", I thought to myself. "Interesting. She's managed to get her list of Things She's Thankful For, published. Good for her."

I quickly glanced at 'A Letter from Ann' where she shares how the whole project gets started. 
And then?
Then I read this ONE LINE FROM A REVIEWER and I was struck. 
It was my ah hah moment, and I felt like God was gently getting my attention. 

It is a love letter between Jesus and a woman he has been wooing for a lifetime.

Say WHAT?

Her list of 1,000 things she's thankful for is a LOVE LETTER FROM JESUS? IT IS EVIDENCE THAT HE HAS BEEN WOOING HER? 

Oh my goodness. 



I've been writing down the Three Things I'm Thankful For a couple times a week - FOR ME. Because it's about ME ending the day on a positive note. It's me being brave and appreciative for the stuff that's happened during the day, regardless of how I really feel. It's me, doing an attitude adjustment. For myself.

I HAVE NEVER THOUGHT OF MY LIST AS BEING A LOVE LETTER FROM JESUS TO ME.


So I wrote back to Steve: 

I love this comment regarding her book:
"It is a love letter between Jesus and a woman he has been wooing for a lifetime."

I make my list of 3 three things I'm thankful for FOR ME. To change MY attitude from being sad/down/discouraged/negative to looking at what I can be thankful for. Acknowledging the things I'm thankful for is a better way to end the day, than listing all the things that've gone wrong.

But I've never made the leap of seeing that list/those things as a very personal love letter from Jesus. To me.

.
.
.
.
.
WHOA, mind blown.

.
.
.
.

Guess what will be on my list tonight?
Hahahaha.

So thankful for you, Steve B.

And he replied: 

So glad to make this connect for you! My spiritual director recently asked me about the wooing thing - How has God been wooing you in 2012? I said "wooing?" - he said..."wooing". Makes total sense but I had missed it. Big miss but more tuned in now.


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So. How had God been wooing you this year?

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Three things I'm thankful for:

1. Steve. And my years at Arrow. Rich, full, amazing years of growth. 
2. My coffee date tonight. Such deep, inspiring conversation. I love that 50 isn't too old to make new friends. 
3. Unexpectedly Drew and Danica were here when I got home. THIS IS THE BEST FEELING EVER - coming home to a house that has lights on and love inside.
4. This sermon on Daniel. My take-away from it? 
Your actions in the quiet prepare you for action in the storm.
So good.