Sunday, April 22, 2012

Three years later, one journal full to overflowing and a new one begun..

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It’s been almost three years I’ve been gathering gratitude, counting my thanks.

The little green journal is full to overflowing and tucked away for safe keeping,

and a new little journal traveled to Ghana with me and back home again.

Two weeks worth of thanks to share with you this week,

since I wasn’t able to post from Ghana last Monday.

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I’ve taken the Joy Dare.

I’m counting one thousand thanks in one year.

I hunt for thanksgiving using the prompts Ann gives us each month.

If you are interested in joining in, click the link above or at the bottom of this post.

I continue to count my thanks

piling up gratitude day by day

in my little black journal…

#1827-#1868

a gift hiding-

-Ghanaian pastors in little villages

a gift held-

-my granddaughter and grandson

a gift heard-

-Ghanaian children singing “You are great, You do miracles so great…”

185

3 gifts opened up-

-coming to Ghana, even though I was reluctant at first

-bottles and plastic bags of clean drinking water

045

-Ghanaian grown watermelon

3 gifts budding/blooming-

-African forget me nots

321

-fushia colored flowers

318

-cocoa trees

377

3 gifts worn-

-men and women in traditional Ghanaian dress

168

174

-cool cotton clothes in hot, humid Ghanaian weather

-good shoes to protect my feet, (though not exactly fashionable!)

271

3 gifts bright-

-my granddaughter’s smile

170

-the Ghanaian children

499

-the Ghanaian sun

3 gifts found looking-

-enormous mahogany trees

337

-the same blue sky as at home

-Father God, My Abba

a gift in a bag-

-Fan Ice (ice cream in a bag)

071

a gift in a box-

-Hob Nobs, a cookie from England found in stores in Ghana

a gift in a book-

-Ephesians, God seems to be taking me deeper and deeper in this book

3 hard eucharisteos-

-poverty

392

066

-little feet with no shoes

490

-saying goodbye to my daughter, son-in-law, granddaughter and grandson

3 gifts woven together-

-my Ghanaian market basket

-colorful Ghanaian clothes

097

-the family of God, all of us woven together from every tribe and tongue

3 gifts inherited-

-my brown eyes

-every spiritual blessing through Jesus (Ephesians 1:3)

-I am God’s portion and He gives me an inheritance through Jesus (Ephesians 1:11)

3 gifts square-

-delicious milk chocolate with hazelnuts bought at the airport in Amsterdam

-turkey, avocado, tomato sandwich on my favorite multigrain bread-so good after two weeks of unfamiliar food

-post-its with favorite verses written on them

a gift stacked-

-clean white dishes

a gift stashed-

-more than enough food in our freezer and pantry

a gift stilled-

-home alone, the house all quiet except for my favorite worship music playing

3 gifts found in Christ-

-help to pray when I don’t have the right words

-“friendship with Jesus, fellowship divine, oh what blessed sweet communion, Jesus is a friend of mine”

-unshakeable Love

3 gifts close-

-Jesus

-my husband

-my oldest daughter, son-in-law and and two granddaughters that live nearby

 

Gratefully yours,

Elizabeth

 

 

 

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14 comments:

  1. I just read this post and the previous one, and they both made my heart very full. I had a lot of conflicting emotions in my heart as I read them. I'm sure you understand exactly what I mean. I loved what you said about how blessed we are to live in a time when we can actually jet across the world and visit our missionaries.

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  2. I just read this post and the previous one, and they both made my heart very full. I had a lot of conflicting emotions in my heart as I read them. I'm sure you understand exactly what I mean. I loved what you said about how blessed we are to live in a time when we can actually jet across the world and visit our missionaries.

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  3. I am so glad that you are back safe and sound. Happy for your experiences and that you were able to see your family in their new setting. What a blessing to have children that grew up to serve their Lord.

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    1. It's good to be home! I'd appreciate continued prayers for our children in Ghana.

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  4. Beautiful! Touches my heart today.
    ~Adrienne~

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  5. what a beautiful list....and gorgeous pictures! thank you for sharing pieces of your trip! so glad you were able to share time with your family in Ghana. welcome home!

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  6. looks like a perfect trip! love the african colors. makes me feel right at home :) blessings to you

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  7. Oh...i love your pictures and your list...the hard eucharisteos-....saying good-bye...oh my heart feels the ache...counting does transform our moments. blessings to you~

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    Replies
    1. Thanks so much. Yes, saying goodbye was hard. We're hoping and praying they can come home for Christmas.

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  8. LOVE your gratitudes. Thank you for sharing more of your trip. You are softening my heart for Africa.

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    Replies
    1. My heart was definitely softened by this trip. The Ghanaians are so loving and kind.

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  9. Oh, Elizabeth, I am praying so much for you. What tender mercies and blessings.

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