Thankful on a Thursday

"Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances. . ." 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

I believe that at the center of a life of contentment and joy is a heart of thankfulness.  It can be easy to become wrapped up in the daily grind or the difficult situations of life and lose sight of all the blessings.  But I think that when we make the dedicated effort to continuously call to mind what we have to be thankful for, we allow ourselves to be filled with joy and we bring glory to our Creator.  

I want to cultivate a life of thankfulness, to always have my eyes open to the good things God is doing in my life - even in the midst of the hard stuff - and to strive to have an "Attitude of Gratitude." In that effort, my goal is to take time out every Thursday to jot down a few of the things bringing me joy during the week.

On this Thursday I'm Thankful for:

1. Being just a hop, skip and a jump away from breathtaking ocean views and towering redwood forests.
2. Lunch breaks at the park with a cup of coffee, a good book and a warm breeze.
3. The love-filled prayers and counsel of a wise woman who shares in my joys, understands my tears and always reminds me that God is working.
4. Seeing the broad grin and sticky donut smeared face of my son greeting me in the rear view mirror, as he laughingly says, "I'm saving the chocolate in case I get hungry during class."
5. The sound of the littlest one's feet as she runs back to the door at daycare, yelling "One More Kiss!"

What are you thankful for today?