A gift on paper, in a person, in a picture

   Hello! I know I haven't posted in a week or so, and I do need to apologise for that. Things have been a little crazy of late in Laura-land but I am BACK! Three gifts a day for the rest of the year! I am choosing to make identifying God's gifts a priority in my life, not just because I think it's a nice thing to do, not just because it will be good for my relationship with Him, but because I need to do this to keep me sane. To keep me grounded. To keep me mentally and emotionally well. Life is a little hard at the moment and I know that doing positive things will help keep me positive. So I am counting gifts. To grow in faith, in love, and in stability.


   I have decided to just pick up from today and not backdate gifts. So, without further ado, the January 31, 2012 Joy Dare!


   "A gift on paper"


#0025 My gift on paper today is this set of planner pages from Ann Voskamp's website (click on "About the Joy Dare" in the sidebar to learn more about Ann). They have spaces for everything I need to write down in order to have a beautifully planned day, helping keep me on track, under control, and de-stressed. They are by far the best planner pages I have ever used.


   "A gift in a person"


#0026 Tonight I got to go and have a dinner and movie night with two very dear friends, who to me are like family. I haven't got to spend quality time with Evan and Hannah in quite a while so it was very refreshing and fun to get to catch up with them again. Love you guys a tonne :-)


   "A gift in a picture"


#0027 Yesterday, my new skins for my computer and phone came from GelaSkins. The cover on my phone is now a print of Monet's "The Artist's Garden at Giverny", this picture:

I find it a very relaxing, peaceful image to look at, and it refreshes me when I see it. I can just picture myself in that garden, wandering down the lanes between flower beds, or perhaps sitting beneath a tree in the sunshine with a good book.

   I hope you all have a tremendously blessed day! We'll talk tomorrow.


P.S. For those of you who are joining in with the Joy Dare, Ann has posted the February list on her blog. It is available to print here.

Pursuing Loveliness: Where To Begin?

   Not long after I got up this morning, my mother handed me a book to read.

   The book was One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp.

   Mama challenged me to join her and my sister, Emma in completing Ann's Joy Dare - a challenge to give thanks to God for three things each day he has blessed us with, one thousand gifts throughout the year. Each month, Ann posts a calendar on her blog of things to look out for each day. As this month's dares began on January 1st, I'll be doing double time for the rest of January. 

   So now, I dare you. I dare you to give thanks to our Creator this year, every day, for even the smallest of graces. Join me in completing the 2012 Joy Dare. To God be the glory.