"The King was in his counting house, counting out his money...

3 GIFTS READ...

Talking to my 21 yr-old daughter about her day, to discover we'd both been working with accounts. She in her government job working with electronic records for company finances... and me at home paying the phone bill, etc.

Honestly, I don't much care for this job! My enthusiasm was apparently showing...

"Mother, do you remember when I was little and was starting to read. The whole page was filled with gobbledygook. But with some help, and patience on your part, I began to recognise one word and then another until the whole page came alive. From the day I can remember you had us reading everything...even "Robinson Crusoe" at age 11, which I hated! You told me I had to understand it, even if I didn't like it or make a life career with it.
Well, it's the same with accounts. Some people never put in the discipline to understand money and so they are always in money-trouble. Others love it so much they make career choices and become accountants & financial planners. You may not have made a career choice for accounts, Mother, but you are empowered by the understanding you have.
...You know where you've been.
...You know where you are going.
...You know where you are right now.
And with that knowledge you can start micro businesses in Africa with a little money, sponsor children, or become a world famous architect and do something much greater for the African children.
Oh dear!...I think all the dreams of my heart just tumbled out!"

My heart swells... love that girl!
She standing on the threshold of making those dreams a reality
Me smiling as I listen to myself falling out of her mouth, ...bills all paid.

Grateful that I will not receive any automated calls saying I forgot to pay... a gift to myself!

~~~~~

"1000 Gifts"...

#109  A phone call from my darling at lunchtime
#110 A florist walking up to my door
#111  Help from a kind daughter with my IT issues
#112 Kids dropping by the supermarket for me
#113  New slippers just in time for this cold snap
#114  My '1000 gifts' list on the fridge reminding me
#115  The Chronological Bible Reading Programme we've joined
#116  A new more-positive approach to the accounts :)

3 GIFTS IN FABRIC

Unhurried  shopping with three generations ... enjoying the beauty of pretty things ... visiting shops for each other that we might not normally venture into ... chatting about this and that as we meander ... admiring creativity in each other ... delighting in bargains found ...

Home again, we interrupted the 'boys' afternoon with delighted cries of "Look what I found".  They all stopped to listen as we each showed off what we'd purchased. They admired... pleased that their girls had had fun ... pleased that we were happy with our finds ... quietly pleased that they had been able to stay home.

Cutting off labels...

I rubbed my hands over my new blanket... 100% cotton. I have lots of woolen blankets in the linen closet, but I now live in the tropics. Woolen blankets are way too warm, yet in the evening I often want to keep the cooler night air away. God knows... and cares. It had been a bargain at less than half price and exactly the colour I was after. I laid it over the arm of the couch ready for the evening.

Wriggling my toes, I savoured the fluffy slippers. Cotton again, rather than the wool I had grown up with. Perfect for here. I'd been disappointed that the slipper sale had not had much left in my size. I'd wondered about settling for a pair I didn't really like... tried to convince myself that they are only slippers, but, instead had decided to wait until I found something I really liked. As I'd walked away I felt Him tell me to look in the children's section. I've learnt to recognise His voice, but can't say I was convinced. Shame on me for not having more faith in His desire to bless me, for right in the front of the little kid's slippers was a large pair ... just my size ... and I liked them. God knows... and cares.

       
Finally, I folded away a new bra. Ahhhh, the joys of middle age... the changes of each new season. He knows exactly what I need TODAY. He knows just how to support me.

Changing countries, changing climates, changing seasons...
3 gifts in fabric
God knows... and cares!


I am grateful.

3 GIFTS FOUND TODAY IN SOMEONE OLDER THAN YOU

Today was Mum's opportunity for a massage.

It's a special time for us. Just the two of us for an hour and a half, while I relax and lengthen, effleurage and stretch...

And we talk unhurried... about all the deeper things. We listen... with caring ears. We take our time and wander from one subject to another, completing each before moving on. A mother and her daughter - two women each with a family intertwined - two hearts committed to each other.

As we talk we share ideas, thoughts, plans. Once she taught me how to walk - now two separate paths with the same destination. She's further down her path than I am. Wisdom is one of the garments she wears gracefully. She shares it with me often. I am grateful.

I continue to work systematically up her body and over...exploring, finding, working, releasing...
As a grand finale I apply a hot towel for a facial massage... a little bit of heaven... and that's where we go. Time stands still as we pray for us and our's. She goes here often for me and mine, but today is special.  Together time.

Gift #1 -  A friend

Gift #2 -  Wisdom

Gift #3 -  Prayer support.

3 GIFTS MOVING

Today we moved. Not house or country, though we've done that a few times!

We moved cameras!

Creative daughter has been wanting to move into the capacities brought about with a bigger and fancier camera. Today she bought her new toy and so Father bought daughter's present camera as a gift for me. He is sure that I, too, can enjoy the wonders of this creative medium.

Delighted as I am with my new gift, there is a part of me that is scared. What if I am not good at this? What if I just don't get this medium? What if I don't have that stroke of genius, or the ability to think outside the box for that something special? What if...? What if...? What if...?

Unbeknown to creative daughter, when I was exactly her age, I too, wanted to do photography. There were no fancy digital cameras back in the dark ages...film only. So, I bought myself the best camera at the time. I was even offered a job with a photographer, but I turned it down...scared that I might fail. Today I find myself having come full-circle back to the same spot.

Today, I see my fear for what it is instead of being crippled by it's powerful emotion. That is not to say I don't feel it, but I have learnt that my fear only becomes a reality when I allow it to have power over me. Fear cripples creativity. Fear cripples thought. Fear cripples all forward movement.

Creative daughter, however, is brimming with creativity, joy and pure infectious delight. Click! Click! Click! I watch with green-tinged eyes. Could I? I won't be as good as her? She sees things that I just don't. But then I realise that I'm letting that fear control. All my excuses are just that...excuses! Fear crippling. Because I don't know anything until I have a go, until I try.

Eyes laughing, creative daughter asks if I want to go out on a photo shoot with her. Feeling her enthusiasm, feeling her warm love I take the plunge. "Sure. Would you mind giving me some help?" "Absolutely, Mum!" I feel fear begin to subside. "...Perfect love casts out all fear..." 1John 4:18. Baby steps, but I am moving!



So, today I've
   ...  moved cameras...
          ...moved away from fear..
                ....moved towards love.