My goal: to create a list of 1000 things I am grateful for. It’s a project based on the work of this writer and her amazing book by the same name (One Thousand Gifts), which has affected and changed me.
1) Jesus, and his numberless gifts
2) My amazing husband, Damien
3) Joshua, whose energy is unlimited
4) Jacob, whose sweetness is killer
5) Food every day
6) Clean water that comes out of my taps when I turn them on
7) A lovely home to live in, that we have the privilege of owning
8) My community in this neighbourhood, which has so much potential I don’t even know how to wrap my head around it
9) The freedom and democracy of this nation
10) The freedom to speak, pray, and honour as I choose
11) A private backyard, with its pretty impatiens and tiny lawn
12) Knowing (and enjoying) how to make bread
13) Seasons that change
14) The quiet hours after the children are in bed asleep
15) Public school
16) Wine
17) Spinning
18) The appliances that make life so much easier (stove, fridge, vacuum, food processors)
19) 
20) the way fall smells
21) St. Lawrence Market
22) A good cry
23) midwives
24) vegan cookbooks
25) my little ragamuffin church
26) the best apple crumble recipe
27) cloth diapers
28) computers
29) my son’s school and its amazing staff
30) urban gardens
31) pineapple
32) Sunday morning pancakes
33) yoga
34) hearing my baby coo as he wakes up in the morning
35) the way baking bread makes the house smell
36) the funny things Josh says
37) long overdue phone calls from old friends
38) sleeping in (rare, but especially awesome)
39) photographs
40) quick access to information whenever I need or want it
41) continuing education
42) poems
43) barbequed sausages
44) ethically and sustainably raised meat
45) long stretches with no distractions to read
46) the indulgence and luxury of a pedicure
47) the unspoken understanding between two really good friends
48) indoor plants
49) the collection of so many of the world’s cultures gathered up together in this one bright city
50) the way Joshua makes up songs to sing to God
51) CBC radio
52) thick socks on cold mornings
53) artwork on the fridge
54) pumpkin spice cookies
55) generous people who inspire others to greater generosity
56) the last “Good night, I love you” from my husband at the end of every day
57) the rain barrel to collect water for the garden
58) snow
59) Autoshare, which allows us to rent a car for a few hours at a time
60) butterflies and what their transformation teaches me
61) thick, rich hand cream that soothes the painful eczema on my fingers
62) almonds
63) the sun of each new morning
64) resilient friendships
65) hard lessons
66) new mercies every morning
67) exercise
68) Charlie and the Chocolate Factory audiobook
69) pancakes on Sunday mornings
70) new songs to sing
71) tea from a tea shop
72) new confidences
73) the warmth of my bed, especially when the temperature dips below zero
74) exciting new ideas
75) a full set of working limbs
76) my favourite shirt, a tunic handmade for my birthday by Kate
77) quilting
78) becoming who I truly am, and not shrinking back from it
79) embracing my emerging “old lady”
80) the ease of life in North America
81) fairly traded, shade grown coffee
82) organic produce
83) an excellent book to read
84) candles
85) stand up comedy
86) a well-made bra
87) the stories of others
88) my husband’s character
89) friends nearby
90) having friends nearby who are also skilled at things (e.g., Scott is a locksmith and our door knob stopped working yesterday)
91) CBC radio
92) books on CD and the way they hold a 6 year old’s attention for hours
93) the parent council at my son’s school
94) hope for the future
95) the gift of God’s care in turbulent times
96) flannel pajamas
