Where is the gift today? It could be her voice, his hands, that book on your bedside table begging to tell you a story. Maybe it is clean sheets or a call from a dear friend or those trusting eyes you can’t get look into long enough.
Perhaps your day began wrong. Maybe her hair is sticking up so she won’t stop crying or his shoes are too tight but they’re all you’ve got. Maybe you were too tired to finish the dishes before going to bed so this morning, your kitchen smells like feet.
My dad says if you look for the good, you will find it. It’s there. If you’re looking for the bad then you’ll find that, too. Allow yourself a day to look for the good. Care to share what you’ve found?
1. Include a story or a photo documenting your messy, lovely, unexpected gifts of the small and ordinary nature.
2. Link up below to the permalink of your Unwrapped post. Don’t be scared. If you do it wrong, I’ll help you out.
3. Link back here so your peeps will know what it’s all about. Grab the pink button if you feel so inclined.
4. If you don’t have a blog, please feel free to unwrap your daily gift in the comments section! I forgot to say that last week, but comments totally count.
Tuesdays are fast becoming my favorite day of the week.
I linked to one from a few weeks ago…hope that’s ok. This was one of those moments were you realize how much the little things matter.
OK, Emily — your little baby hands (OK, toddler) have inspired me (and made me sad, all at the same time)…but I know I didn’t link correctly! So will you throw me back out so I can redo? Sorry! Thanks! Karin
Okey Doke! For a first timer, can I have a first timer’s pass? Sorry to cause you extra work while you’re busy unwrapping…I think my second attempt was correctorer than my first!
Love ya!
Karin
i hope i can use my sunday post for tuesday since you said it would work so well! plus my real tuesday post is going to be rather messy and smelly.
Emily, I can’t even tell you how much I love this project. I’m not usually the “carnival” type. But this little link-up….this is EXACTLY the reason I write. I literally have to give myself pretend assignments to find and savor the sweet moments…and blogging has become the venue to help me savor and truly “count” these blessings! So thank you! Did I mention I love this??
I didn’t quite craft my post to fit the Tuesday Unwrapped so I won’t link to it – but Hubby and I have found great delight in quiet dinners on our porch the past few nights. We’ve slowly pieced together an outdoor living space on our tiny patio and even though we’re eating off an itty bitty table while sitting in Harris Teeter folding chairs, the time together has been cherished! Thanks for letting us share our stories and reminding us to keep our eyes open for the beauty that always manages to come our way!
I loved doing this! So nice to just let go and notice the tiny things in my day that usually escape me.
Thank you for having us over again today, emily, dear. Can’t wait to take in all of the wisdom your friends offer up…
I’ve noticed lately how quick I am to complain or how quick others I know complain. In a society that has more than any other time in history, I think we just complain too much! So, I loved what you said, “My Dad says if you look for the good, you’ll find it. It’s there. If you look for the bad, you’ll find that, too. Allow yourself to look for the good.” I love it.
So good! Today after the kids were off to school…I was somewhat complaining to my husband that the grass was not cut well{my son is starting to do it}..I have “issues” with the grass and it drives me crazy if a blade is out of order{no just kidding..kinda of}.
My husband looked at me and said “Well, at least it’s green..emerald green”….he was right…it was pretty…..
sandy toe
I love Tuesdays now. Thanks for leading out in a fun effort to be more observant and intentional.
First — thanks for this prompt.
I am in the process of changing my blog as it was a Lenten journey , and am trying to decide if I am going to continue it in another format. I have received much grace through this blog world .
So I will unwrap my thanks in a comment if that is okay.
Sun setting and early spring heat pulling energy down. Spent hours with people not of my choosing, place not preferred, gathering for something that didn’t sit well with my sour self. Hormones clouding the blue skied day spent spinning housework wheels , tongue sharp and short with busy loud children coming and going into my pounding head, my heart.
The drive home in a borrowed van , soccer smell, rain and mud remnants cornering me closer to the passenger side door, eyes turned from joy filled husband, list making as returning home girl makes 5 wanting tomorrow. Feeling the holes leak ambition.
Then 3 daughters joined as one in song, spontaneously glorifying. Warming my heart with the light from the Halo.
” Everywhere I”m looking now
I’m surrounded by your embrace
… I can see your halo
You know you’re my saving grace”
In the grit of tangled day, to the underserving soul of a blessed mamma, their angelic voices lifted me.
Thanks doesn’t seem like enough, being thankful should be.
Thank you for this reminder to appreciate the small things, the quiet moments. I need that reminder!
Hi – I saw your post last Tuesday, and decided to link up this week! Sometimes I find myself focusing on the “negatives” a bit too much…thanks for helping us slow down and enjoy our blessings.
I’ve been looking forward to this day. Thanks for urging everyone to share! It’s a beautiful way to start a morning back in the United States.
Katie
thanks for another week of this!
it definitely helps me enjoy the daily grind.
Sorry, forgot to do the permalink the first time and now I’m on there twice. Hope you can take off my first entry.
This is a great idea. Can’t wait to check out everyone’s gifts.
Tuesdays are so much fun!
This is such a wonderful idea! Thanks Emily. You are truly an inspiration!
i finally made my way over to link up
i love the way you unwrap a day, emily… thank you!
Better late than never! Thanks for helping me to see the EXTRAordinary in this otherwise ordinary day!
I always wait until the end of the day so I can squeeze every bit of “sunshine” out of the day. Whether the day begins with a warm cup of coffee, and ends with a bubble bath and kisses…..it’s all worth waiting for.
oh boy I needed to be reminded to look for something good right now! thank you!
I have recently been reading your blog and enjoying it. I saw the topic for today and had to share what happened today…I hope I did it right, I’ve never done one of these before!
I am so lame at this linking stuff. I posted a link to my blog, not the blog post.
Here it is where I meant to send people:
http://acatinmylap.blogspot.com/2009/04/rose-lovers-come-hither.html
and I have no idea how to make a link appear at the bottom of my post directing people here. I do it and it ends up posted at the top of my blog as a new post. wha?
I’ve so been waiting for today to roll around and vavoom it never takes long for a week to go by. Thank you Emily for continuing this chance to share our story and to read other peoples stories as well.
Our day did NOT start off well, and at one point, between kids fighting and a fall in a muddy rain puddle, I actually thought about the fact that it was Tuesday Unwrapped and I thought, “Nothing exciting to unwrap here today!”
While eating lunch with my kids, we noticed that two butterflies in our habitat had emerged from their cocoons after we’d watched them for weeks. We spent the day watching the rest emerge and picking out food for them. I don’t think they’ve ever been so happy!
I think I fixed the link but #43 needs to be deleted again. I think #44 is right. Sorry!
Lovely idea, Emily. Thanks for the opportunity to share our very exciting news!
Donna
I approved your comments on my post so they are there now. Thanks!
Such a beautiful idea. So important to look for the good…
Thanks for sharing!
Kali
I know I’m late, but I think this is wonderful. It’s like your dad says. You find what you’re looking for. I’m going to try to look for the good more often than the bad. Thanks for encouraging us to do so.
Hi! This is my first visit to your blog, but I can so tell we are kindred spirits…………
Thanks for the inspiration, and Oh, I have so much to learn about blog layout!! You’ve got it going on!!!!!!!!!!!
Love,
Tammy