There are days when I wake up and all is right with the world! My relationships are in order, my house is clean, and my schedule is smooth and unconflicted. “Good morning, God!” I say with a smile and a leisurely stretch.
On the other hand, there are more days than I’d like to admit when my first thoughts focus on what’s wrong with my world. Relationships are out of kilter, laundry and paperwork are piled up, and an overcrowded schedule reveals conflicting priorities. “Good God, it’s morning!” I groan as I drag myself out of bed.
What’s the quickest remedy for my mood for foreboding? GRATITUDE!
Recently, I bought a lovely book entitled 40 Days of Gratitude: Finding Joy Through Giving Thanks. This little gem of a book lifted my spirits first thing in the morning for more than a month at a time when I was undergoing a radical change in my life. Each day author Patrice Fagnant-MacArthur presented a reflection about an aspect of her life for which she was thankful. her thoughts resonated so strongly with me that I found myself feeling grateful right along with her!
Take Day 26, for example: First Day of Warm Weather. “Winter’s grip can be relentless,” it begins. “Day after day, there are grey skies and long, dark nights, occasionally punctuated by snow, which can be beautiful as long as it isn’t a blizzard, or freezing rain, which is always a nightmare. There is nothing good about ice falling from the sky, making every step treacherous and creating hazardous road conditions. It is bleak and cold and miserable, and my mood tends to match the weather. But then, in February or March, we get a day or two that is a preview of spring… The sun is out and it is amazing to lift my face to the sky and drink it in… Everyone is smiling and full of joy. What a beautiful day! … There is hope! I start thinking about the things to do once spring truly comes. I just might make it through winter after all. Thank you, God, for warm days that offer the promise of spring.”
Now, doesn’t that thought plant seeds of joy and peace in your heart? I liked this book so much that I bought several more copies to give as gifts to my friends! It’s available on Amazon.com in both eBook and paperback formats. If you choose to buy it and read it, you will be glad you did. Indeed, you will be grateful!
Enjoy!
What’s next? How about a peaceful way to track of your daily life as it unfolds, so that you can stay on task and be able to reflect on the events of your day and your week? That’s what bullet journaling has done for me. More on that next week!
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