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Everyday Blessings: January 2014

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"This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it." ~ Psalm 118:24

Everyday Blessings is a monthly series about capturing the joy in each day. My goal is to share one thing I have been grateful for each day. The blessing I share may not be the biggest or most important thing that happened that day. The idea is to capture joy for all the little things that make life beautiful.

Here are my blessings for each day in January 2014:

  1. Ringing in the New Year with family.
  2. Was singing Jingle Bells with my oldest, and my 20-month-old started singing along. She couldn’t enunciate well, but she really knew it! It is such a gift to watch my kids grow and learn.
  3. A phone call with a loved one and trust in God’s plan.
  4. My kids are so adorable when they say goodnight to each other. Completely turns my heart to mush.
  5. We had guests attend church with us today.
  6. My 3-year-old is so enthusiastic when he dances. It makes me smile.
  7. Being able to comfort my little one, who has not been feeling well. Have to admit, I enjoyed the snuggles.
  8. Holding my favorite coffee mug and breathing in the warmth while enjoying the beauty of sun shining on snow.
  9. Breathing in the fresh, crisp air outside after being house-bound for three days due to a sick little one.
  10. I had a tough morning, and a stranger at the grocery store was really nice to me & the kids. You really never know when a just few kind words can lift someone up. They did for me on this day.
  11. Seeing my son have a lot of fun at a birthday party. The smile never left his face.
  12. Grateful to God for always listening and guiding.
  13. Grateful for the ability to give my kids some down time when they’re not feeling well. This time it was my oldest that was sick with a cold.
  14. I left my travel mug filled with coffee in the car while I was grocery shopping, and when we returned my car smelled like coffee. Love that smell! (Bonus: My mug is great at keeping coffee hot for a really long time!)
  15. It felt nice to able to help some people today.
  16. Sneezed in the bathroom, and then heard a knock on the door. It was my one-year-old bringing me a tissue. Too cute! (In case anyone is wondering how I ever managed to be in the bathroom by myself: Henry Hugglemonster. Another blessing. Double dipping today.)
  17. Putting on pants right out of the dryer. So warm!
  18. A much-needed Mom’s Night Out and a husband who was willing to put both kids to bed by himself.
  19. Family time and the sweetest kids ever.
  20. Ice cream.
  21. My son was upset at bedtime but still was able to come up with something to be thankful for today. Easily. Heart-warming. (Yes, he does everyday blessings, too.)
  22. Husband had an unexpected day off work and we decided to take the kids out for breakfast. Always good to have some bonus family time.
  23. Singing along to Billy Joel in the car.
  24. Love being able to pick up my little one easily with one arm. These days won’t last forever.
  25. I have two legs and I can run, even if those runs often don’t feel good lately.
  26. Really smart and helpful friends.
  27. The helpfulness of friends… again!
  28. Animal footprints in the snow.
  29. Google. It’s so nice to live in an age where information is so easily available.
  30. Sunshine, nice and bright.
  31. Warmer weather today was a nice relief from the cold month we’ve had.

What are you grateful for today?

Can You Be Joyful Everyday?

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"Every day we are engaged in a miracle which we don't even recognize." ~ Thich Nhat Hanh

 The rising sun. A new day. A breath of fresh air. A child’s laughter. Food to nourish. Warm clothes. A home to shelter. Family. Friends. Neighbors. A church community.

These are just a few of the blessings that have been part of my day today. The list of blessings is endless, and these blessings surround us everyday. What is on your list?

How often do we take the time to experience joy, true joy, in all of the blessings, large and small, that surround us?

How often do we get so consumed by all of life’s challenges that we forget to notice and give thanks for all of the blessings in our lives?

Even for those who are good at gratitude, it can never hurt to have an extra nudge to take a moment and reflect on those things for which we are grateful.

Are you noticing all of your blessings? Are you experiencing all the joy you can?

And what about life’s challenges? We are all fighting a battle. Perhaps we or our loved ones are not in the best of health. Perhaps there is conflict in our lives. Perhaps we are busy and overwhelmed. These things can consume us if we let them. They can put on our blinders. They can make us forget that even being given this day is a true blessing.

No matter what challenges are happening in our lives, we can still experience joy in our blessings.

I’m not writing this because I am a master at this. I am writing this because I fail all the time. I am writing this because I want to do better. I am writing this because I know I can do better.

When I wrote my post reflecting on the New Year, I wrote that I had many goals for areas in which I could do better, and this is one of them.

I have always tried to appreciate all of the beautiful things in life, but at times I get consumed by life’s challenges and I let that focus rob me of the joy I could be experiencing. At times I forget that I can still take joy in life’s blessings, even if I am not at my happiest for other reasons. It doesn’t have to be all or nothing. At times I focus on what’s wrong or missing and forget to give thanks for the multitude of blessings in my life.

Life is so beautiful, I don’t want to miss any chances to experience its joy.

To become more mindful, I have decided to write down one blessing each day. (I started on the first of the year.) Every month, I will share the blessings I’ve captured in a series called Everyday Blessings. The blessing I share may not be the biggest or most important thing that happened that day. The idea is to capture joy for all the little things that make life beautiful. I invite you to capture your daily blessings as well and keep your own list.

By the end of the year, there will be 365 blessings to be thankful for on the list, and the number will only keep growing. What a great and tangible reminder of life’s joys!

What is one thing you are grateful for today?