Count your blessings...try it!

This year at New Year's I started something new.  I tend to have a more pessimistic view of things and to forget to count my blessings.  When I get down or frustrated, sometimes I neglect to see the positive things that happen in my life daily or to appreciate the countless blessings bestowed upon me and my family by our wonderful God.  So, I started a "blessings" journal.  I already have a calendar journal, on which I put one or two sentences a day about our daily events, but I wanted something different.  This blessings journal is a simple idea.  Each day, write one or two lines about "unexpected" blessings in my life.  Perhaps it's something that could have been an obstacle but can be seen as a blessing.  Or, maybe it's something "ordinary" that, in reality, is something special bestowed upon me by my Lord.  In just one month, this has helped me so much in recognizing God's hand in my daily life.  I also am trying really hard to not just repeat the same things over and over as blessings.  I'm trying to find something unique to each day to record.   Here are a few examples from my first month.

1.  Jan 3 - 2 hour delay for cold weather this morning = extra time with my daughter before school!

2.  Jan 4 - unexpected chance to teach my son's Sunday school class when the teacher couldn't make it.

3.  Jan 6 - a ton of grocery coupons stretched my budget this week!

4.  Jan 7 - Date night with my hubby!

5.  Jan 10 - amazing kids' storytime at our local library with the best chidlren's library staff ever!

6.  Jan 14 - new paint color on the living room is so peaceful!

7.  Jan 16 - long weekend for hubby and daughter!

8.  Jan 22 - chance to worship with my church family twice today!

9.  Jan 24 - lunch with Nana

10.  Jan 27 - daughter cooked dinner...fun times!

As you can see, most of these are normal, everyday things for a family with young children.  However, I can choose to see them as boring, mundane tasks, OR I can realize just how blessed I am to have the opportunity to stay home with my children and to impact eternity by the choices we make!  Making an effort to choose something each day for which to be thankful has really improved my outlook, even in such a short time.  Also, trying not to choose the same things over and over really makes me meditate on the countless blessings God bestows on me daily.  I challenge you to give it a try.  You'll be glad you did!