10 DAYS OF GRATITUDE – Day 1

Memories of sitting at a desk, seeing a journal prompt written on a chalkboard, overhead, and then whiteboard, so vividly fills my mind. Pulling open the cardboard cover a new journal, seeing a blank, fresh, white piece of paper lay before me, waiting to be filled with dreams, thoughts, possibilities, and convictions. Strangely I eagerly anticipated journaling days. And, well, I suppose I still get those same feelings of anticipation and excitement when I open up WordPress and click “Add New Post”. A blank slate before me.

I am an early Christmas decorator. Studies have shown that those who decorate early are actually happier! There is something magical about a twinkling light, music in the background, warmth from a fireplace, you name it. Now this also means I decorate before Thanksgiving, but honestly, it makes me that much more eager for Thanksgiving because I’m already starting to think about what I’m grateful for when I decorate. Christmas is the ultimate gift we could’ve been given – the birth of our Savior!

So what do blank journals and decorating for Christmas have in common? An opportunity for GRATITUDE. It’s easy to ask someone “what are you thankful for…” and we can always think of the typical “my family, my house, my friends, etc.” And YES! What GIFTS! But sometimes I think it’s worth while getting out a notebook, opening up to a fresh page, and journaling about ONE thing.

Why just ONE? It helps us notice things that maybe we didn’t think about or take TIME to notice before. It makes us go that much deeper. We start to look for things that bring simple joy. Unexplainable excitement. A thankfulness that maybe only you uniquely feel.

With all my lights hung, with music playing in the background, with my “journal” freshly opened before me, I want to share ONE question for you to consider each day as we near Thanksgiving. I challenge you to think outside the box with these. To go deeper. Maybe this ONE question will cause you to have numerous answers, and that’s okay too! I already see myself in that boat. But I challenge you to look around. Ask God to show you something you may not have noticed before. Open up that journal, and journal away.

God has given us more than we could ever deserve. Including His very own SON, so that we may have life. As we think about Thanksgiving, may we consider how His gift to us, may spur us on to turn around and thank HIM for all the gifts He has given us.

So I challenge you to answer the question either here by commenting below, writing it down in your own special place, but then speak it to God. He wants to know. And you know what? He cares. He LOVES giving gifts and what better thing could we do, than thank the Giver of those gifts?

DAY 1…

I love that I live in the town that Dan and I dreamed of living in years ago.

We were living in a different area at the time and were heading back home. While driving down one of the town’s main streets, I vividly remember Dan saying, “I could live here someday…”

And wouldn’t you know, that’s exactly where Dan and I are living now. In the town just south of where I grew up, on a quiet street in a town that’s filled with small town feels, Christmas lights year-round, stores and restaurants lining the main street, unique homes at every turn, many places within walking distance and everything else we need within driving distance. Including solid medical advancements.

God surely has given us “the desires of our hearts!”

How about you? Please comment below!