I love Christmas!\u00a0 The joyful music, the decorations, the way we make time to show family and friends how much they mean to us, and the change in attitude it seems to bring to everyone. \u00a0We dedicate time to the beauty and love in our lives, and it makes life more joy-filled for that magical season.\u00a0 Then January 2nd rolls around and the decorations are returned to their boxes and we go back to work.\u00a0 \u00a0The house looks naked, the holiday music seems out of place,\u00a0 and the whole month seems rather cold and bleak.<\/p>\n
Instead of focusing on the beauty of winter, it’s been too easy for me to let the problems of life take center stage again.\u00a0\u00a0But this pattern changed for me a few years ago when I hung a giant Post-It pad on my pantry door.<\/p>\n
I had been reading Ann Voskamp’s book, One Thousand Gifts<\/strong> and how creating a list of the “gifts” in her life, had changed her outlook on life from anxiety to joy.\u00a0 The practice of keeping a \u201cgratitude journal\u201d has also been scientifically proven to raise the level of happiness in the lives of those who keep them.<\/p>\n I have a tendency to worry and focus on what needs “fixing”, rather than what is positive and beautiful in my life, and I knew I could use a “reset” as well.<\/p>\n So I started the list in a journal, but it was not visible enough for my forgetful self to remember every day, so I bought this pad of paper – two feet wide and two-and-half feet long – and hung it in the kitchen.\u00a0 It was hard to miss.<\/p>\n Initially, my first entries were the more obvious blessings:<\/p>\n –\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Children to love<\/p>\n –\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Parents who pray for you<\/p>\n But quickly they changed to things that I took for granted:<\/p>\n –\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 My grandmother’s wedding ring on my finger<\/p>\n –\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Laughter on the screened-in porch<\/p>\n And then I started looking for them. And it was not difficult to record at least three every night.<\/p>\n –\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Breakfast with Andy<\/p>\n –\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 A pink sunrise<\/p>\n –\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Taking a Bible class with Allie<\/p>\n –\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Rain that makes the gutters sing (some were more poetic than others!)<\/p>\n Interestingly, a number of them are food or food-related:<\/p>\n –\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Coffee<\/p>\n –\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Coconut Cream Pie<\/p>\n –\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The smell of bacon cooking<\/p>\n –\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Mexican food (I don’t know what it says about me that this is number six!)<\/p>\n And many are about nature:<\/p>\n –\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Chick-a-dees at the bird feeder<\/p>\n –\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 A sleeping cat curled on the bed.<\/p>\n –\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Bright orange pumpkins.<\/p>\n But most were about people:<\/p>\n –\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 An “I love you” from Kasie<\/p>\n –\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Meals made with the family<\/p>\n –\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Game night with the 20-somethings<\/p>\n –\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Shopping with Allie<\/p>\n –\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 A visit from Jill<\/p>\n With many repeats:<\/p>\n –\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Laughter around the table<\/p>\n –\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 An unexpected call from a dear friend<\/p>\n And answered prayers:<\/p>\n –\u00a0\u00a0 An opportunity to heal a wound long forgotten<\/p>\n –\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Epiphany’s that relieves you from a lie<\/p>\n –\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Friends with Godly advice<\/p>\n What I found as I recorded my gifts every day, was that\u00a0the list was not the purpose of the exercise.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n It was a catalyst to change my mind-set.\u00a0 \u00a0<\/strong><\/em>My list was documentation of a pattern of beauty and joy, and evidence of God’s goodness and faithfulness in my life.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n And as I recorded the blessings of the day on the ever-growing list, I became more aware of God’s presence in my life,\u00a0because “All good and perfect gifts are from above.”<\/p>\n And that\u00a0awareness became my default instead of worry and fear<\/em><\/strong>.<\/p>\n The reminder of the certainty that I will find Him in every day has brought peace and insight.<\/p>\n The List is also a reminder that many of the things I have to be thankful for are not in my control.\u00a0 This epiphany helped me realize a lie I had lived with for quite awhile – that I had to do everything right in order to be blessed.<\/p>\n But He loves me relentlessly, bringing beauty into my life every day.\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n After a while, when keeping the list became more habitual, I moved it to a journal, where I could record\u00a0 the evidence of goodness in my life before I went to sleep.<\/p>\n But I\u2019m thinking of bringing the pad back to the kitchen this new year \u2013 where the blessings that are \u201cnew every morning\u201d greet me each day.<\/p>\n Have a joyful\u00a0 year!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" I love Christmas!\u00a0 The joyful music, the decorations, the way we make time to show family and friends how much they mean to us, and the change in attitude it seems to bring to everyone. \u00a0We dedicate time to the beauty and love in our lives, and it makes life more joy-filled for that magical … 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