“Taste and see that the Lord is good.” (Psalm 34:8)
Taste and see…
To taste: “to become acquainted with by experience”.
To see: “To receive, grasp…come to know”.
To grasp the goodness of God we have to experience the goodness of God.
That’s what writing my 1000 gifts is doing for me.
As I count gifts, I experience and come to know God’s goodness.
As I come to know God’s goodness I believe in His goodness.
*****
When I chose my one little word for 2011, Believe, here’s what I said…
I’m not talking about believing in a particular thing. I’m talking about a shift in perspective.
Less wrinkled brow.
Less suspicious eyes.
Less protecting my heart.
More vulnerability.
To my surprise perspective is indeed shifting as I’m tasting time and time again, God’s goodness.
I’m finding that believing is coming easier as my trust grows.
*****
The worry in me that caused wariness and anxiety dissolves in the presence of the goodness of God.
The non-stop negative verbiage that amplified self loathing has been rendered speechless as my mind sings the song of thanksgiving.
*****
My list is not rocket science nor is it poetry…
279-warm bath before bed.
283-waking to steady rain falling – God’s song over me this morning.
295-daffodils that bring the aroma of spring.
305-my precious friends and our virtual couch.
320-the sunset painting the sky…and the view of it outside my window.
No, certainly not rocket science or poetry…but it’s spoon-to-mouth.
And I’m tasting the goodness of God.
And it’s changing me.
***
Have you read One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are
? (It’s been on the New York Times Bestsellers List for 4 weeks…God may be up to something)
If so are you writing your list? Would you share a few and let maybe me know if you’re seeing a heart change because of the list…?
Oh my, why are Thursday’s becoming one of my favorite days? Heart day, I love it! Beautiful and shamefully I have not gotten the book yet!! BUT I AM going to get it. I was in Luke 15 this morning and came to “it is fitting to celebrate and be glad.” Indeed!
Love your heart and thank you for sharing. True celebration is God in everything isn’t it? The little things. Thanksgiving and rejoicing.
Tom…I’d so love for you to read it or listen to it…if you have an ipod consider downloading it from Audible.com, it’s easy and with Ann reading it…well, it’s pretty amazing. (The Husband has it on his iPad and listens to it on the way to work!!!)
Happy Thursday my dear friend…
Thank you for the beautiful, inspirational post! I’m in the middle of reading “One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are” and truly the shift that accompanies rejoicing in the simple everyday is astonishing. My heart is lighter and my days feel somehow more peaceful.
Besides the Bible, maybe the most insightful and thought provoking books
I have ever have ever read. Your review this morning, priceless.
“He who sacrifices thank offerings honors Me, and he prepares the way so
that I may show him the salvation of God” (Psalm 50:23 NIV).
I have read the book and now am creeping ever so slowly through it trying to digest each morsel. Just started my list this morning! 1. Birds happily welcoming the new day. (And so am I!) Thanks, “Dad” in comment above for Psalm 50:23. Perfect.
I’m with Tom. Love Thursdays! Thank you, thank you!
I am really enjoying this book, it’s taking me awhile to read. I left it at the doctor’s office one Friday and nearly panicked when I realized I’d have to wait until Monday to get it back. Over the weekend though I realized that if I never got it back it might be a blessing to someone else.
Thank you, Lord, for:
contentment
for rainy days that make the sunny days more beautiful
for easy days and good books and curious children in the lap
for our small home that is bursting at the seams with big love
a steady-loving, great-good man
the little monumental things
and….
your blog!
Thank you for the inspirations Robin!
Have a beautiful day!
;-D Kathleen
I have begun reading the book 1000 Gifts, but have not yet begun my list. What has struck me so far is again, I am affirmed not crazy, as I do take notice of the little things, but have failed in giving them their due in exchange for thinking that I was being childish with time wasting, meaningless thoughts and attentions. To have woken a shift in perceiving these gifts has brought gratitude and joy already. I am forward looking to my list with an easy believing that it will cause a transformation and a nearness to God that I am now missing. To live the day I do not exchange thankfulness and joy for childish, time wasting, meaningless thoughts and attentions is a day I pray God is keeping ready for me. To know that I keep God waiting has, at this moment, caused me to begin my list. 1. God’s patience with me 2. God’s directing to name one by one
When God restored our captive state, Joy was our song, and grace our theme; The grace beyond our hopes so great That joy appeared a painted dream. The scoffer owns thy hand, and pays Unwilling honors to thy name; While we with pleasure shout thy praise,
With cheerful notes thy love proclaim. When we review our dismal fears, ‘Twas hard to think they’d vanish so; With God we left our flowing tears, He makes our joys like rivers flow. The man that in his furrowed field His scattered seed with sadness leaves,
Will shout to see the harvest yield A welcome load of joyful sheaves. Psalm 126
Beautifully written! Loved it:) I am having a ball with my list and “tasting” the goodness!
picture drawn just for me by little boy
surprise birthday lunch with a table full of girls
cupcakes with mile high icing
encouragment
laughter in unexpected places
green showing up on ground after LONG winter
finding beautiful Psalms that fit the situations
beautiful new “sisters” in Christ
OH MY! I could go on and on and on. . .
Robin, I apologize, I did not give the full referenece…rather than Psalm 126 it is;
Psalms and Hymns of Isaac Watts…Psalm 126…Surprising Deliverance
You are piercing my heart with these delightful sweet somethings.
Here is a peek at mine,
hockey loving, manly boys asking the Principal’s permission for everyone to wear pink for 1 day in honor of me… (they’re decked out in hats, gloves, shirts and bracelets and I can’t wait to see.)
The extra hard hugs I get from people who have never hugged me before, and just how much they hang on to me.
The sight of Robins looking for the tiniest patch of grass to perch on- but oh to see my first Robin!
Laughter in trying on wigs with goofy friends who then take me to dinner and we laugh the night away.
is that the picture you took from the day we were together?
that time was #88.
receiving requested wisdom to leave something unsaid was #93
responding to a whisper from the Father to bless the lumberjacks who cleared our backyard of 6 trees with more money than they quoted, and to get to see the look of shock on the guy’s face and hear his thankful response #99
still slow going on rereading–WHERE to find the time of day to read without falling asleep after work!–but enjoying it nonetheless.
Jenn…yes it was! And that day was on my list too..xo
Great Post Robin.. I shared it on facebook. As we move throughout our day, we move so fast I think we miss God most of the time. At least I do! Thanks for the gentle reminder, He is up to something, it’s our job to taste and see it! Great Post!
What a beautiful post, Robin. I’m inspired to get-that-book. What better time for me, than Lent?
I started the book last week and one of the first things on my list was the way God sometimes lets us see the other side of the tapestry. About 3 weeks before I began Ann’s wonderful book, I had begun “Five Things Friday”, as a short post on my blog–Five Things I Love (and some days), other categories of “Five Things” as well.
A thread there, my “word” for 2011 chosen in December 2010 “My soul doth magnify the Lord”, another thread. Reading Ann’s book, yet more needlework done by God’s sure fingers. I’m so happy that sometimes, God tips His hand and we get to see how He is working all things to good for those who love Him.
Now that I am back home I can get this book. I wish I had something that I could download it but don’t. I thank God for you, your friendship but most of all your HEART, and wisdom, and insight and truthfulness, honesty and love. XO, Pinky
Pinky…I love you. You can download the book onto your computer! I listened to ch. 4 yesterday (3 times!) while I was sewing…I’m doing a chapter by chapter study of the book w/ a few ppl. It’s not a book to breeze through. I feel like I’m learning to speak another language…and I have to study and practice … and it’s bliss…xo
i’ve been talking to susie about the book… she hasn’t even read it yet and she finds herself keeping a list. i love this; i really think a simple act can start changing the way people see their lives and their faith.