Weekly Gratitude Journal

I love Christmas! I love the Reason for the season, Jesus Christ. I love Christmas music. I love Christmas decorating. I love Christmas baking. I love gift giving. I love Christmas get togethers with family and friends. I get as excited about Christmas as a kid. But this year, our youngest daughter and her family are moving clear across the country right after Christmas. (Just a few months ago our middle daughter and her family moved across the country as well.😢) Because of this there's a lingering sadness mixed with the joy of the season. The past few days some stress piled up on top of the sadness and I forgot to verbalize my praise and thanks to God and instead my mind was focused on being separated by distance from my daughters and grandkids as well as the long list of to-dos I was facing. Sitting down to type this post and re-reading this past week's list was a much needed reset of my mindset. And for that, I am thankful.

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Since 2009 I've been counting my blessings thanks to the prompting of Ann Voskamp.

 I continue to count my thanks, 

piling up gratitude day by day in my journal.

(and capturing some of my blessings via my camera or iPhone)

#15,163-#15,186

12-6-2021-

-Ann Voskamp's Advent book, The Greatest Gift

-a refreshing walk

-my brother coming to see me

12-7-2021-

-God's grace and help to get things done

-spending a few hours with my daugher and grandkids

-my nephew-today's his birthday!

12-8-2021-

-listening to worship music as I walk

-a good phone chat with my brother

-a friend to talk to

-my Visionary Leadership Team to laugh with, plan with, pray with

12-9-2021-

-a cup of tea and chat with my friend

-God speaking to me through His Word

-family photos from my daughter

12-10-2021-

-catching up on sleep

-finding exactly what we needed for an upcoming event

-a yummy date day dinner out

12-11-2021-

-a beautiful homegoing service for a dear one in our church family

-our church's volunteers

-an encouraging word and prayer

-a fun FaceTime call from my youngest granddaughter

-a sweet gift in the mail from my middle daughter 

12-12-2021-

-a beautiful time of prayer and intercession together

-God growing our church

-a big answer to prayer

still following,