Gratitude

Do you ever have days when you wish you had this or that? Like I wish I had a new house, new clothes, a new career (not really, but I dream about other careers), a new computer, etc, etc, etc... I'm hoping you are nodding your head right now thinking, "Yeah I do that sometimes, too."

It's on these days that I try my very best (although it's hard to do sometimes) to put on my "ATTITUDE of GRATITUDE!" I stop. I think of all the many things that I have to be thankful for... a roof over my head, clothes on my back, a wonderful job that I love, a loving and supportive husband, an adorable, growing, healthy son, family that loves me despite my many quirks, hot coffee in the morning, warm blankets at night, etc, etc, etc.

When I first met my husband and his family, his mom told me about how she used to write a daily gratitude journal. I think she said she got this idea from Oprah or somebody on TV. :) Each day she would write down one simple thing that she is thankful for... a picture that one of her kids drew her at daycare, her husband filling up her gas tank, her co-worker going out her way to do a favor... just the little things that make your day.

As we approach this Thanksgiving, I challenge you to think about what your own gratitude journal would contain. Maybe you'll start a gratitude journal. I have one... it's pretty intermittent... kind of like my blog posts. I do, though, try to keep a mental gratitude journal.

Today my entry would have been... Harper enthusiastically yelling, "Mama!" when I walked in the door and then running to give me a hug.