one thousand gifts // chapter two. | THE KLACKNERS

3.22.2013

one thousand gifts // chapter two.

welcome back for round two! i'm so glad you're here.
if you missed out on chapter one, be sure to check it out.
feel free to link up with elizabeth and me this week, even if you weren't able to last time!
share with us your lists, stories, hearts.


"thinking on the beginning of this year, who does He call to come Home? it is me, Lord? 
may i be ready. or us. whoever." 
-page 28-

it was funny reading this chapter this week because the content spoke to what i've been pondering the past few months. and that ain't a coincidence! the world we live in tells us we have to have more, do more, be more in order to be fulfilled. in order to have fully lived. but is that really true? sure, i would love to travel overseas, have big adventures, get married, have kids…but if jesus calls me home before then or if that's just not in his plan for me, is that okay? can my life be complete without all that? definitely.

i still live in the same town i grew up in. i've been other places. i've had other adventures. i've even tried to leave this city for real. but jesus still keeps me here. i'm not saying he always will, but what if he does? how will my heart react?

"all my eyes can seem to fixate on are the splatters of disappointment across here and me." 
-page 31-

some days it's a battle to feel thankful for what i have here. for a job. for a place to live. for a family that loves me. some days i can only see my disappointed hopes stretching out in front of me and i get angry with the Lord for not giving me what i want and what i've prayed for. then i take a step back and realize how blessed i really am. i have been given more than i could ever need. and for that i give thanks.  so many times we sit around waiting to be blessed when so many wonderful blessings are right in front of us. we've just blinded ourselves with our own ungratefulness. open up your eyes and give thanks for what you have been given. stop waiting and start living. we are living in this fairytale land called earth. there is so much wonder and beauty and joy here, so stop looking elsewhere! your God, the God of the entire universe created this world and placed you here, where you are, for a reason. rejoice in that and give thanks! [giving thanks seems to be the theme here]

eucharisteo. "he gave thanks." luke 22:19
this word and its meaning will change how you live your life.
root word: charis, which means grace
greek word: chara, which means joy

"charis. grace. eucharisteo. thanksgiving. chara. joy." 
-page 33-

"the greatest thing is to give thanks for everything. 
he who has learned this knows what it means to live."
-page 33-

gratitude is one of the essential guardians of your soul. it produces joy. and joy will change your life. it's not always easy, but in the good times and the bad, give thanks.
begin your journey to a fuller life here. now. today. 



one thousand gifts. see the whole list.
22. sunrises that greet me on my drive to work
23. country music
24. contagious laughter
25. sunny afternoons on the back porch
26. handwritten letters
27. weekends that allow me to slow down
28. free starbucks! thank you, gold card
29. coffee date with the seester
30. cool breezes
31. flowers blooming and trees budding
32. a car to drive and money to fill it up with gas
33. a spontaneous dinner date with a friend
34. clean water to drink
35. instagram. for real.
36. my core group girls
37. rain to make the flowers grow
38. the les mis soundtrack. on repeat.
39. heartfelt conversations
40. trips planned for april
41. babies. two of my friends are preggs!
42. friends who see me and love me for who i am
43. stories shared around the kitchen table


ThistleAshD said...

love the part we you talked about how we sit around waiting to be blessed instead of seeing the blessing here- now. Such truth! I am so thankful that you and Elizabeth have done this bookclub. Even though I'm not reading it, I am so blessed by your reflections on it!

Kiki said...

LOVED this post, girl! Remembering to open up my eyes to all of the beauty and blessings He has is so hard for me to remember. Thank you for reminding me of all that I should be more thankful for. :)

And I love your list, too. Hooray for handwritten letters and contagious laughter. And babies. Babies are a-dorable.

Katherine Elizabeth said...

Hey Megan,

I just nominated you for a Liebster Award. You can check out more information here: http://confessionsofanartmajor.blogspot.com/2013/03/liebster-award.html

Elizabeth said...

"so many times we sit around waiting to be blessed when so many wonderful blessings are right in front of us."

OMG

i love that part. so convicting! and so encouraging.


i love you meg