Cultivating Gratitude: Slowing Down for What is Best

Sometimes the best thing I do in a day to find gratitude is SLOW DOWN.

With so much going on, the list of events and projects that I choose not to do is quite long, even though my calendar's days are still scribbled full of excitement! Suddenly I look at my gratitude notebook sitting by the computer on my desk and realize that a week has gone by without me adding to my list of blessings. Big oops. Then, looking back, I remember how much more I complained that week, how much more selfish I was, how much more quick to anger, how much more prone to forget to center my thoughts around the Word. Even bigger oops.

The minutes fly by, the days are a whisper.

Am I prioritizing my time correctly?

A morning begun with the Words of peace, truth, grace, and compassion is the recipe for a good day where I can step outside the little frustrations, handle the problems, and focus on the good. Bringing my attention to gratitude right away when I get up is the way to set the tone, because nothing brings my heart into the right place better than thanking Him for everything He has provided. I need to slow down so I can remember what is best.

For the next month, I'll be writing for NaNoWriMo, so blog entries here will be postponed until December. But writing down my blessings, Lord willing, is a priority that comes before any other writing. If I am grateful, then I am able to see the world and the One where they are meant to be. That is more important than anything.

~ Stepdad fixing the fuel lines in our car, saving us a ton of money we would have had to spend to fix it

~ Fall break, a chance to stay home with Harmony

~ Camping trip in the beautiful autumn weather

~ Catching a cold on the weekend, not the work week (is this really a blessing? at least I didn't have to miss any work and could focus on getting better!)

~ Sister enthusiastically preparing for NaNoWriMo with me

~ Gaining a great appreciation of Bach as one of my students learns new music

~ Knitting Harmony's winter hat in record time while recuperating from illness (see, getting sick this weekend had blessings)

~ Learning anew how deeply we are loved in Christ, even when we don't deserve it (Romans 5)

Linking up with Rachel as we Cultivate Gratitude.