Gratitude Journal Monday

Start saying, "Thank you, thank you, thank you!" Stars are aligning for you and I can't tell you how good things are going to turn out for you, just like I've always known they would. But receiving always begins with giving. No matter how you fight it, there's no denying the unquestionable Law of the Universe: what ever you send out will come back to you! I wish you would just try it and see what I mean. It's a Law more true than a cloudless blue sky. It's more pure than a baby's giggle. Once you choose to accept this Law as truth, you'll have so much fun anticipating what the Universe is planning for you as you spread joy, love, and gratitude. Be thankful that you're about to get something to be thankful for. Anticipate it and it will come. As long as you're giving with a pure heart, you will be taken care of and you'll receive so many unbelievable blessings in your life. Just be thankful for the big, be thankful for the small, be thankful for the miracles, and be thankful for the simple.

506. I am thankful for the prettiest blue I've ever seen blanketing the sky this morning.
507. I am thankful I have the eyes to see such beauty in nature.
508. I am thankful I have the right heart to be able to enjoy the simplicity of life, to notice the little things, and not take the basics for granted.
509. I am thankful that I am forgiven on the days when I fall short, forgetting to look up at the sky and notice its color and enjoy its beauty.
510. I am grateful that my heart is changing little by little each and every day and I am beginning to see all that I have, not all that I have not.

"Only by grace and gratitude will the heart become strong enough to change the mind."
- Lilly Slater, LOVD

Gratitude Journal Monday

The weather is fully aware that it's Monday morning. Cloudy and gray, the rain falls, not in droplets, but in a constant mist that surrounds your entire face, hair, and body as you try to get your morning walk in. I think about how much this same mist treatment facial would cost at a ritzy spa? I knew I should have done my morning walk in a bathrobe and slippers. Maybe next time.

Happy Monday to you all! Now, let's get to some gratitude...

501. I am grateful for ordinary days.
502. I am thankful for the warm cup of coffee I hug between my hands this misty morning.
503. I appreciate the good smells that hit you when you enter a home that just made apple crisp.
504. I am grateful for the start of Autumn.
505. I am thankful for the nice weather promised this week; upper 70's and sunny!

 

Gratitude Journal Monday

Maybe things didn't turn out quite the way you had anticipated. You're not alone. The majority of people in this world seldom see their plans work out as they hoped and wished they would. But, that's why they're called dreams; an intangible goal that is so sweet to the spirit it entertains us on our journey while we try to capture its reality. Sadly, there's a lot that goes into converting dreams to real life. Sometimes it doesn't matter how hard you work or how long you struggle, the dreams you've been dreaming may not be yours to hold. Some times it's bad luck, some times it's poor timing. Some times the dream is not worth the compromises that must be made to attain it. But, those are only excuses to why we aren't living our dream. The real point is, we may be chasing after the wrong dream.

Has your dream gone stale? Every so often we have to take stock and reevaluate what it is that we're so busy chasing. We need to remind ourselves that it's OK to change a dream we visioned years ago, when we were different people, not the person we've become. Change the dream to fit your new goals. Say a little silent prayer for the death of an old dream and rejoice at the prospect of trying to take hold of a new one.

Lean in close, friends, because I want you to hear this. Whether or not you ever achieve your dreams just doesn't matter. What matters is the attitude you have during your chase. Don't get depressed, upset, or feel devalued because things didn't turn out the way you expected. The true dream we all should be striving for is enjoying the chase and being flexible to handle the turns, be strong when we are on the downward slope, and be humble and thankful when we find ourselves on the upswing.

I know even the most positive people get down at times when things don't seem the way they should be. This is when my declarations of gratitude get real nitty gritty, down to the most simplest of thanks. Will you join me?

496. I am grateful for my life, just as it is.
497. I am grateful for Super Hubby and Kiddo, just as they are.
498. I am grateful for my parents' love.
499. I am grateful I can pay my bills.
500. I am grateful I have a fridge filled with good food.

Happy birthday, Betty!
 

Gratitude Journal Monday

Good Monday to you! To refresh your memory, I like to take Monday's to rejoice in the peace and plenty of my life. 490 gratitude declarations ago, I began my Gratitude Journal. Click here to see my beginnings and my reasons for getting started. My hope is for you to be inspired to begin your own Gratitude Journal.

This is probably the most important post I write all week! It doesn't matter what you are going through, gratitude is the key to happiness. Gratitude is your missing puzzle piece to peace. Gratitude is the spark that ignites joy, love, and understanding. Gratitude is the root of all things good.

There may be days when getting out of bed is a challenge. You're probably sitting there at your computer right now saying, "Oh, Lilly, you don't know my problems." I may not know your specific burdens, but I do know that issues are a part of everybody's life. I know that troubles will always be in our paths, even on our bestest of days. But, stop your complaining and start saying thank you for all that is good in your life. Declaring thanksgiving and abandoning the negative perspective on your life is a natural lifter of spirits. There is power in that action!

What if your life is peachy keen and you're sitting there thinking, "Life is good. I can't complain. I'm thankful enough, even though I don't officially declare it." Uh-oh! Don't be fooled by a complacent attitude of gratitude. You've got to record your blessings and tuck them away for when you truly need a reminder of all that you're thankful for. It's when times are bleakest that we truly forget our good fortunes and our simple blessings. It's in those times when we can't get our minds off ourselves or our problems that we must take out our Gratitude Journal and begin to be reminded of what's truly important and how the darkness we may find ourselves in will be unveiled by grace and thanks.

So, you see, it doesn't matter. In bad times, give thanks as much as you would in good times. It's a habit you want to own. See how wonderfully blessed your life becomes when you make gratitude a priority in your life. I hope you give it a try. Nothing is too big or too small to declare!

491. I am grateful for apple picking season - love those Honey Crisps!
492. I am thankful for my family's understanding, grace, good humor and patience.
493. I am grateful both surgeries that occurred last week on my grandmother and my father yielded successful outcomes - thank you God!
494. I thank God for giving me the strength in the morning to get myself out of bed and spend time with Him through His Word.
495. I am grateful we arrive to and from school safely and without too much trouble.

Gratitude Journal Monday

We've hit the 2-year mark at feel LOVD everyday! Thanks so, so much for being here with me. My only hope when I started this blog was to reach out to those needing a bit of encouragement and inspiration on the days when you needed it. This blog also became a source of creative spark that glowed around the world thanks to many What I Made Wednesday projects. The power of the Internet is real and daunting all at the same time. Although my numbers don't even come close to some "professional" bloggers, I'm pretty proud, anyways.

515 Posts.

85,436 Page Views.

1684 Comments.

75 Countries.

486. I am thankful for 2-years of inspiration and finding the right words to share with you.
487. I am thankful for the blogging community and all its wonderfully talented people.
488. I am grateful for my brand new camera that allows me to capture moments so beautifully.
489. I am thankful Feedburner started working again for my e-mail subscribers.
490. I am grateful for you, LOVD reader, and your interest in visiting my blog; thanks for being here with me.

Here's to more inspiration, more creativity, and more love in the next year of LOVD! 

Gratitude Journal Monday

There will be days of gloom, days of sorrow, days of not being the awesome person God made you to be. You gotta shake it off and change your view. Perspective is a funny thing, you know. Whenever life is going pretty well, I sometimes still find something to complain about. How silly is that? I almost feel my Father uttering the parenting phrase, "If you don't stop, I'll give you something to complain about." Ok, ok, let's not go that far. I'm just fine with the way things are and I am truly blessed and, sometimes only the fear of God will make me see it. It's time I stop looking for a crisis and start thanking the Universe for not having one. That starts with gratitude.

I'm coming upon my 2-year bloggy anniversary. That would mean almost 2-years in keeping a Gratitude Journal. I cannot detail for you all the amazing things that have happened to me since I've started a Gratitude Journal, there just isn't enough Internet space for the entire testimonial. But, I can tell you that declaring gratitude in a purposeful way will change you as a person. Sure, there will be setbacks and days of questions and confusion and, dare I admit it, selfishness, but no matter what, there will always be progress. If you want to be the best self you can be, the self you know was meant to shine in this world, then I don't think you can achieve your full potential with the absence of gratitude. It is the foundation, the root, the catalyst, to being the person only God could have created to "go about doing good". If your mindset isn't naturally there, take time to declare gratitude on a regular basis and your heart will soon change your mind.

You can start right here, right now. Leave a comment declaring some gratitude and see what happens. My beginnings began almost 2 years ago. Click here to see my start.

481. I am grateful for the audience that has been drawn to my blog, receiving positive messages that are delivered at just the right time to so many.

482. I am grateful for the unchanging and steady love of God; regardless of my many setbacks or my occasional triumphs, His love is constant.

483. I am grateful for my caring and loving family; we're tight and we're mighty, unwavering with God's grace and protection behind us.

484. I am grateful the differences between good and evil, excellence and mediocrity, are clear and very black and white in my mind, with no gray area to confuse me and send me down the wrong path.

485. I am grateful for choosing to follow God's light as he reveals His path for me, little by little, and reminds me I do not walk alone.

Only gratitude can give you what you seek in your own life. But you cannot receive these precious gifts until you get started on your path. Plant the seed of gratitude today and see what blossoms in your life.

Happy Monday, friend!  



  
 

Gratitude Journal Monday

If you think it, it will come. So far, the summer weather around here has been looking a lot more like the beginning of Autumn. I've been wearing fleece jackets and closed-toe shoes (of all things) since summer break began. Even the house is confused as the these "summer" days have triggered the furnace heat to come on. Oh, goddess of summer, please come soon. You don't have to wait until June 21st, do you?  Days are a-wastin' and the outdoor pool is calling us. We just don't want to hear teeth chatter. We don't want to see lips turning blue. And, we don't want to wrap ourselves up in 3 towels just to stay warm during swim breaks. Come summer, do not be afraid. We welcome you like an old friend we've missed for far too long. And, I'll try to remember this post when it's 95 degrees, hot, humid, and I'm in the midst of healing a sunburn on my shoulders, wishing for Winter. It's OK summer, come anyways!
I'm waiting...

476. I am grateful for the simple gifts summer gives us.
477. I am grateful for ice cold lemonade on a hot summer's day.
478. I am grateful for the smell of sunscreen.
479. I am grateful for the ice cream truck and it's little tune, Music Box Dancer.
480. I am grateful for the char-grilled flavor of hamburgers and hot dogs - yum!

To read my gratitude journal beginnings, click here. I hope you are inspired to join me in my journey. You can begin right here, right now. Just leave a comment declaring some of your own thanks! Welcome to the club!

Gratitude Journal Monday

I don't care who you are or how much or how little money you have. I don't care where you live, what opportunities you've taken or even how many you've missed. I know that you are human. I know that you are living a life. And I know that when we are born, we are born to suffer. Life is hard. There's no way around it. By design, life will test you and, at times, cause you heartache. But despite this, there is so much beauty in life and in living. It is because this life not only serves us in moments brought by suffering, it also gives us the right to pursue happiness.

"I believe that the very purpose of our life is to seek happiness. That is clear. Whether one believes in religion or not, whether one believes in this religion or that religion, we all are seeking something better in life. So, I think, the very motion of our life is towards happiness..." - His Holiness the Dalai Lama

The Dalai Lama has also uttered the following words, getting in the ying with the yang, the black with the white, merging opposite ends of the spectrum.

"There's really no avoiding the fact that suffering is a part of life. And of course we have a natural tendency to dislike our suffering and problems...I mean on your birthday people usually say, 'Happy Birthday!', when actually the day of your birth was the birth of your suffering. But nobody says, 'Happy Birth-of-Sufferingday." - His Holiness the Dalai Lama

At one point we find ourselves in the land of both extremes. But, it is the way in which we handle both extremes that determines our everyday living. Without sadness, can one appreciate happiness? Without failure, can one appreciate triumph? It is between both extremes where happiness lives. It's time to be grateful for the emotional bookends that hold our lives in place.

471. I am grateful for the tribulations that help me to appreciate the triumphs.
472. I am grateful for the sadness, for it allows me full appreciation of happiness.
473. I appreciate the struggle that leads me to victory or defeat.
474. I am grateful our happiness has more to do with how we set our mind and not how we accumulate possessions, power, or praise.
475. I appreciate the entire journey as a whole, not just the ups, but also the downs.

The excerpts found above were shared from a book written by His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Howard C. Cutler, M.D. called The Art of Hapiness: A Handbook for Living. 

My hope is you enjoy your week somewhere in the middle. Happy Monday! 

Gratitude Journal Monday

When words of gratitude don't seem like enough...

Remember the reason for today.

Happy Memorial Day, America!

Gratitude Journal Monday

Shhh! All is quiet. The party is done. Eight over-the-top excited boys have left the home (well, Kiddo stayed, of course). Clean-up is underway, S-L-O-W-L-Y, because Super Hubby and I are still in recovery mode. Ahhh! We pulled it off and, although we're a bit worse for the wear (if I'm lyin', I'm dyin'), it is done!

I'm treading slowly into this week. How about you, friend? Any recovering from the weekend going on at your end? Let's take it slow together.

466. I'm grateful the party is done and the all-consuming planning is over.
467. I'm grateful a good friend came all the way up from Cincinnati to be here, in Cleveland, to celebrate Kiddo's birthday.
468. I'm grateful for leftover birthday cake and ice cream - YUM!
469. I'm grateful for Advil.
470. I'm grateful Stride Rite had hiking boots in Kiddo's size for camp this week!

I find there is always something for which I should be grateful. Want to see my beginnings? Click here.

Gratitude Journal Monday

It's not even 9:00 in the morning yet, but my Monday has been, well, a Monday. One of those stereotypical days that "jumpstart" you out of that relaxed, easy-going hangover from the weekend. The luxury of rest is gone and the heart-thumping beat of the week is upon us. In the midst of the morning bustle to get to school on time, my car refused to start. Quick thinking has Kiddo grabbing Super Hubby's keys, confiscating his car, and we hit the road. We get there on time, I call the dealership to prepare for my soon-to-be visit.

When I get home I grab the jumper cables and hook it all up only after I watched a YouTube video to make sure I was doing it right. (How did we ever know how to do anything before YouTube?). With a quick prayer and a crank of a key, my Honda Odyssey with 125,000 miles on it revs up like a purring kitten. When the car is finally juiced with electricity I notice a light in the way back of the van that was left on. It must have moved to the "on" position when Super Hubby and I  retrieved an 8-foot folding table from my parents on Saturday for Kiddo's upcoming birthday party.

I call the dealership, cancel the appointment, and begin to feel many emotions. First, I'm a little proud of myself that I didn't over react to the situation. I was calm, cool, and collected. So much so that I took care of it myself. Super Hubby is still sleeping and has no idea what my morning has entailed. Second, I feel relief that my day won't be spent at a car dealership waiting around for an answer to my car's issue and a huge repair bill to go with it. And, finally, I'm most grateful for simple fixes. Gosh, I love jumper cables!

461. I am grateful we have 2 vehicles so issues like ones this morning are not a big deal.
462. I am grateful for jumper cables.
463. I am grateful for YouTube videos that are well-done, informative, and confidence-building.
464. I am thankful the rest of my day can go on as planned.
465. I am thankful for my work-horse of a mini-van that just keeps going, and going, and going.

Happy Monday, folks. Hope yours is a better start than mine was.   
  

Gratitude Journal Monday

I am so grateful you are here today. Browse around and say hello! Follow if you'd like. There are so many ways to get LOVD: Facebook, GFC, LinkyTools. Have a LOVD day!

Gratitude Journal Monday

It's Monday and my throat is on fire. I'm not congested, I'm not ache-y. I just have this pain of a sore throat that keeps reminding me how I want to take a back scratcher and plunge it down my throat like a carnival act. Ugh! It reminds me how much I take good health for granted. A couple days ago I did not give my throat a second thought. It was just there, doing it's thing, without nary a whisper of conceit. This week, it's crying out to be heard. And, I notice you sweet, sore throat. I notice your cries for attention. Perhaps a couple of spoonfuls of honey would make you happier? Perhaps some soothing raspberry tea? I will get it for you because I want you to be unassuming once again. Sweet throat, just because I don't pay attention to you, doesn't mean I'm taking you for granted. So, I start today's gratitude declarations by honoring my health and hoping it returns to me soon.

456. I am grateful for the health of each body part that allows me to not think about it.
457. I am grateful for simple pleasures like cradling hot water bottles and sipping hot teas.
458. I am grateful for light traffic and easy drives into school making Monday mornings tolerable.
459. I am grateful for Kiddo's quick recovery from a cold last week that didn't interfere with Opening Night.
460. I am grateful to have wonderful, caring people as clients who appreciate my work just as much as I appreciate helping them.

Starting a gratitude journal? Click here to see my beginnings.
      

Gratitude Journal Monday

Gratitude is hard when you're impatient.
Gratitude is hard when you're wanting more.
Gratitude is hard when your amidst the chaos of the day.
Gratitude is hard when things don't go your way.
Gratitude is hard...but necessary.

Join me in sharing some gratitude today. Here's where I started, click here.

451. I am thankful for a snowless yard.
452. I am thankful for the smell of Spring in the air.
453. I am thankful my shy daffodils have made an appearance this year.
454. I am thankful for resilience and perseverence.
455. I am thankful for who I am.

Tread lightly, friends, and have a good Monday.         

Gratitude Journal Monday

Good morning, beautiful LOVD readers. Thank you for joining me today for another Gratitude Journal Monday, where I share my heart and release some thanks into the Universe. Making these weekly declarations have truly helped me keep things real in my life. I know it sounds self-centered and ungrateful, but sometimes I get so bogged down into my own life's issues that the true blessings that surround me get blurred into the tapestry. I begin to take for granted the importance of each single little thread that makes the bigger picture. Each thread should be appreciated because it makes the piece of artwork whole and complete, just like your life. It's time for me to start recognizing some of those individual threads. Are you with me? Declare some gratitude today to begin your beautiful masterpiece.

    
446. I am grateful for  being blessed with such an awesome family; thanks for being so cool Super Hubby and Kiddo!
447. I am grateful the blessings of good health have found their way into our lives at the moment.
448. I am grateful we all worked together and kicked it into high gear to clean the house for the priest's home blessing today.
449. I am grateful for my parents' love and constantly giving hearts.
450. I am grateful for the stage in life I am currently enjoying and savoring for all its worth.

Need some help in getting started? Click here to see where I began.

Gratitude Journal Monday

PLAY BALL! It's opening day in our town: the home opener! The first pitch is less than 7 hours away. The city is electric with excitement. And whether you're in Cleveland, Boston, Chicago, Seattle, or St. Louis, it's always the same; that feeling of optimism and hope, that anything is possible. It's anybody's title to win. Sure, sports experts analyze, speculate, and determine champions based on the numbers far before any bats have been swung, but, it's baseball. Sometimes, the numbers don't tell you a thing because spirit can't be measured and determination can't be weighed.

Maybe, perhaps, that's how gratitude works? Every time you step up to the plate to declare a thanks, the slate is wiped clean for you to declare some more the next time you're up at bat. When you start a Gratitude Journal, it, too, is anybody's game. But, at least your chances sway in your favor of a win. Be the champion of your life.

What I love about Opening Day is all the world's trials and tribulations are set aside at least for one day. The plunging unemployment numbers don't get mentioned, the Nuclear Korean crisis gets blurred behind larger-than-life team mascots at the ballpark, and who wouldn't want to drown their sorrows in a tub of nacho cheese sauce? It's nice to escape with America's favorite pasttime. Go Tribe!

441. I am grateful for Opening Day because it means the boys are back in town and the city is alive with excitement again.

442. I am grateful because Opening Day means summer is just around the corner!

443. I am thankful for a promising starting line-up this year - there's hope.

444. I am grateful to live in a city with a baseball team; I think I take that for granted?

445. I am thankful the Cleveland Indians ballpark invited our school's Glee Club back to sing the National Anthem in May - fun times ahead!

Happy Week!    

Gratitude Journal Monday

Happy Monday! I hope your weekend was great and your jellybean high lets you down easy. Easter and Spring time is a gateway to renewal, transformation, and hope. New possibilities await each and every one of you. Will you be climbing aboard? The train of gratitude beckons you, but will you go? The ticket price is steep but not out of reach; it's trust and time and patience. Trusting that your declarations of gratitude will change your life. Devoting time consistently to the thoughts necessary in realizing your current blessings. And, patience in waiting for your true needs to be met by forces you do not control.

Begin Spring with creating your own Gratitude Journal. Why did I start mine? Click here to find out. My own experiences have left me with peace and contentment. Gratitude does not occupy my mind with future wants and desires, but opens my blinded eyes to the wealth of blessings I hold in my hands today. It can do the same for you, but you must begin. Pay with trust, time, and patience and reap the dividends that cannot be monetarily measured.

You can begin today by declaring some gratitude, right here with me. Nothing is too small to be thankful for. Comment here, and begin.

436. I am thankful for a brand new day, brand new week, brand new season, of possibilities.
437. I am grateful for a pain in my arm that seems to have subsided.
438. I am grateful for the My K-Cup accessory from my mom; now I can use my own coffee when I run out of the pre-made K-Cups (cheaper and more environmentally friendly).
439. I am grateful my son has the capacity to understand a movie like Primer; if anyone develops a real time machine one day, it'll be him (but if he learned anything from the movie, he won't do it, even if he can).
440. I am grateful for an awesome Spring Break we enjoyed as a family and we're ready to finish off the school year, starting tomorrow!

Peace.