Joy Spotting

 

Daily Gratitude Year 14-Day 287:  Today, I am grateful for joy spotting.

"Life is what to short to let people make you feel silly about the things that bring you joy." 

Our school district has a podcast that did an episode on "joy spotting" that was really fun. Some are overwhelmed by the idea of keeping a gratitude journal. "Joy spotting" is definitely a related action. Both are intentional. Joy spotting is intentionally looking for the little things that make you smile. It is a simple exercise.

Taking a picture of little things that make you smile is one way to document joy spotting. It is noticing the shimmer of dew on a flower petal in the last days of summer. It is the way a little guy named Silas who is only 8 months old cradles the face of a favorite Uncle when he holds him in church. It is a four year old... or a thirty one year old... finding delight in a gift given (Happy Birthday to Nora & Ciara). It is sunflowers finding the sun and lighted, glittering snow globes. 

"And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." -Ephesians 5:20

Often, when I read this verse, I think of being intentional about giving thanks in the good and in the difficult seasons. Today, I am reminded that "all things" and "everything" can also be the tiny moments that make your heart smile. 

I am deeply grateful for the practice of joy spotting. 

Today, I am grateful for joy spotting.

Same God, New Day

Daily Gratitude Year 14-Day 286:  Today, I am grateful for the same God on a new day. 

The reminder to be strong and courageous and not afraid or discouraged because God is omnipresent is a scripture that is a favorite passage for many. I love it, too. Joshua 2:9 is an encouragement followed by a promise. You cannot go wrong with that mantra in your head. Yet, today, I was stuck by the little sign on the tree that says:

"Same God, new day." 

It is another promise we can claim anew each morning. Whatever the day might bring, His character is consistent. He does not change with the wind. We can be sure of his care and concern in the smallest details of our lives.  

“For I the LORD do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed." -Malachi 3:6

Not everyday is easy, but there is a good God in every day. 

Today, I am grateful for the same God on a new day. 

Work Hard at the Right Things

 

Daily Gratitude Year 14-Day 285:  Today, I am grateful for reminders to work hard at the right things.  

"You gotta work hard at being happy just like some folks work hard at being miserable. " -Dolly Parton

There is something about Dolly's words that land somewhere between a laugh and common sense revealed as wisdom. There will only ever be one Dolly Parton. 

Miserable people seem to need to share their discontented hearts with others on a regular basis. I'd rather be marked by optimism than misery. Those who survive hard times do so by not giving in to the temptation to join the "complain train" that leads nowhere you really want to be. 

We could spend days writing a long laundry list of what is wrong with the world, but where does that lead? Nowhere we want to live! Press on. Press through. Press into what is true, right, and good. This is where the sweetness in life is found. They are often in the most simple things. 

"Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." -Galatians 6:9

Working hard at the right things changes our days and can have a positive impact on the world around us. Changes in culture happen when we look for the opportunities to be the hands and feet of Jesus. Doing the right things in simple ordinary ways can be an encouragement to those who need it the most... and it is good for our souls, too.  

Today, I am grateful for reminders to work hard at the right things.  

Quiet Blessings

 

Daily Gratitude Year 14-Day 284:  Today, I am grateful for quiet blessings. 

"Blessings are everywhere, quietly waiting to be noticed." 

Some of our blessings brighten every day. They are big and bold, like HVAC, hot water, clean drinking water, and a grocery store abundance. What are the quiet blessings that often go unnoticed? Little things we take for granted. 

Toilet paper, indoor plumbing, and modern refrigeration and freezers come to mind. We do not think about them until they are gone or broken. They are the quiet blessings in our days. 

"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change." -James 1:17

Tonight gave me one of my favorite quiet blessings... our sons and daughters-in-love around the table. No special occasion. Just the gift of time and conversation. 

Today, I am grateful for quiet blessings. 

Vintage Skills

 

Daily Gratitude Year 14-Day 283:  Today, I am grateful for vintage skills.

My friend, Connie Guillquist, shared this quote earlier in the week:

“Every convenience gained is a skill lost.”

I've been letting it brew. I've been thinking about the many skills we are losing because of the digital age we live in. There is nothing like a handwritten letter or home canned garden foods. Cooking from scratch is one of my favorites on the list. These are skills we will lose if we do not use them. 

I am always stunned when people say they cannot sew on a button. Surely, common sense, a good needle, and thread are the only things required. A thimble makes it easier, if you have one. There are better ways than others of button repair, so I guess there is some skill. 

How many skills are lost in our convenience driven, throw away society? Listening to good advice and accepting instruction help us gain skills and wisdom that future generations need. 

"Listen to advice and accept instruction, that you may gain wisdom in the future. Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand." -Proverbs 19:20-21

This week, we had a power outage that went on most of the day at work. It threw chaos into a day that was already planned. It all came together, and teamwork was the key to everything coming out alright, but it was a reminder of our growing dependence on being plugged into the power grid and the internet. 

What happens when we "unplug?" By intention or in response to an unexpected circumstance, I think it is good for us to slow down and remember the skills we used for generations before electricity, the world wide web, and Wi-Fi. I am not anti-convenience, but I am concerned about lost life skills.  

Today, I am grateful for vintage skills.

Autumn Leaves

 

Daily Gratitude Year 14-Day 282:  Today, I am grateful for autumn leaves.

"Come," said the wind to the leaves one day. Come o'er the meadows and we will play. Put on your dresses of scarlet and gold, for summer is gone and the days grow cold." -George Eliot

Fall is spectacular in the Midwest. Every tree variety offers up something special. Some trees have brilliant crimsons and golds, others look like the tree tops are on fire as the colors change from the top down. Too often, I forget to pause and take it in. One in particular caught my eye, and I hope to capture it in a picture before the effect is lost. 

Every year we are blessed with a masterpiece of color. It is never exactly the same twice. The temperatures and waterfall over the summer impact the fall colors. So can skipping over the moderate temperatures, right into the cold. Fall always seems to bring something unexpected, even though it arrives every year. 

"To everything, there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven." -Ecclesiastes 3:1

Take the picture. Breathe in the scents unique to the season. Pull out the cinnamon and pumpkin spice. Look for the unique. Savor the glow and the glory that belongs to autumn. It is the big show before much of nature goes to sleep for the winter. 

 Today, I am grateful for autumn leaves.

Soul Medicine People

 

Daily Gratitude Year 14-Day 281: Today, I am grateful for the soul medicine people.  

"Some people are soul medicine in the way they hear you, love you, support you, and believe in you, always." 

You know who they are. They make you laugh. They cry with you. They are a gift simply by being present in your world. They are good for your soul. Soul medicine people often come from long relationships, but some show us unexpectedly when you need them most. They are kindred spirits who many times help us find balance. The relationship is reciprocal.

The people who weep with us when our hearts break and laugh with us until our abdomens ache from the muscles used to laugh are priceless. They are to be treasured like gold. To live, laugh, and love together builds kinship. We are especially blessed when we find some of these people around our family tables.  

King Solomon had Godly wisdom that led to great wealth. I imagine there were times he was frustrated by the people who only wanted to be near him for his power, riches, and influence. Perhaps that is what brought him to pen this proverb:

"Sweet friendships refresh the soul and awaken our hearts with joy, for good friends are like the anointing oil that yields the fragrant incense of God’s presence." -Proverbs 27:9

 

Sweet friendships are good for the soul. They bring joy and are like the "anointing of oil" that is healing, fragrant, and is often associated with God's presence. Treasure them. Make time for them. Be fully present... or "be where your feet are" as my friend, Stephanie says. 

Today, I am grateful for the soul medicine people.