a gratitude mosaic

Every year I choose a word for the year.... a word that I explore, read about, think about, ponder.... this year my word is gratitude. I have had a wonderful time exploring gratitude throughout the year. This past summer I read the book One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are by Ann Voskamp. In this beautifully written book, Ann challenges herself to write down 1000 things that she is thankful for. 

Well, this got me thinking. I am the chair of the Stewardship committee at our little church this year. I wondered if our congregation (usually less than 100 each Sunday) could write down 1000 things that they are thankful for? Then the idea began to snowball. I created a mosaic on graph paper with 100 squares. Then my sweet husband built us a board, 8 feet high by 12 feet wide. My friend Cheryl and I covered it in black paper and created a grid with yarn. Then we challenged the congregation to begin writing down what they are thankful for on 3 inch pieces of colored paper. 

Each week we would put the papers up on the mosaic. We had so much fun reading each one as we worked. One child was thankful for her frog every single week! At first it was hard to tell what the picture was going to be (and I honestly wondered if we would be able to fill it!)

 The second week it still looked pretty obscure.

 but then the picture began to come together and letters to emerge.

 Ah! Now you can tell what it says!

 And today I put up the last squares in the picture. We did it!

What are you most thankful for today?