A Spirit of Gratitude

As with most things in the blogosphere/blog land/world o' bloggers, I have no idea how I originally stumbled upon Ann Voskamp's Holy Experience blog.  She is truly inspirational - a devout Christian, a loving wife, a devoted mother, and a truly gifted writer.   She has put me on my face multiple times, as she has a way of humbling me in a way I can't explain.

One of the things she has done is start a Gratitude Community, which you can read more about here.  In summation, when we stop and thank God for his many, countless blessings we "begin to feel more joy, less stress, better health, more connected in our relationships, and more delight in our everyday life."

And you know what? That sounds good to me!

My goal is to list at least 20 things for which I am thankful each Monday, beyond that, additional blessing are a bonus.

Without further ado...

20.  Involved grandparents.
19.  The fine teachers in my life and my kids' lives.
18.  Seeing the look on my kids' faces at the sight of snowfall
17.  The beauty of a roadside of spring flowers
16.  The beauty of a hillside of fall leaves
15.  A tolerance for Georgia summers which has provided me with a deep appreciation for cooler fall temperatures.
14.  Bedtime stories, sandwiched between two eager kids.
13.  A passionate sister.
12.  A generous father.
11.  A frugal mother.
10.  The privilege of knowing each of my grandparents into my adulthood (or close to it).
9.  The opportunity to witness something "click" in my child's brain.
8.  Smiles, on anyone at anytime.  They're more contagious than yawns.
7.  Dave Ramsey and his financial peace.
6.  The people in my life who've challenged me, because they give me perspective and resolve.
5.  Parents who raised me in a Christian home.
4.  The joy I feel when my 15 month old grabs my hand with her hand so we can walk together.
3.  Three kids who beg me to stop tickling them only to throw their arms up "asking" for more.
2.  Those little sun rays that peek through the clouds on overcast days.
1.  The peace that comes with knowing You have a plan for me, specifically, according to Your Purpose.