I adore birthdays and celebrating, yet this year dread threatened to detach my joy. I am naturally an optimistic person. Birthdays are reasons to refill one’s glass and toast to life, love, and God’s amazing grace. So why was I feeling glum about this birthday? I don’t know.
Taking a cue from the sign in my kitchen I decided to count my blessings.
Research proves gratitude is a powerful influence on mental health. I decided to list forty-three things for which I am grateful. At first, the list lurched and stopped, like someone learning to drive a manual transmission. Then, the blessings flowed faster than I could write.
Count Your Blessings
Here is my list:
Today I woke Able to walk today Being able to smile Faith anchored in Christ God’s amazing grace God’s provision God’s chronic presence in my chronic illness
Quiet mornings and #CoffeeWithJesus Chris, my beloved and rock Rachel, the compassionate “noticer” Andrew’s strong-willed analytical mind I’ve never missed a soccer or softball game in three years. My family True friends
Living in the Blue Ridge Mountains Our one-level home Finding Joy Laugher Coffee Daisies Fiddle Tunes & Irish music
Travel memories to Ireland, Hawaii, Canada, Eh! The sound of wooden roller coasters The crunch of walking on leaves Beachcombing Waterfalls Strolling on cobblestone paths Tiramisu
80’s music and Flip Flops
Encouraging words Chocolate Journals Books Colored Pens
Sewing Stained glass Hammock naps Handmade anything Hydrangeas Chris’ garden Grandma’s quilts Mama’s pickles
Join me in counting our blessings. Recounts are okay.
~April White
Copyright 2018 April Dawn White| Images by author & Pixabay
Commentaires