The Thankfulness List

So today I’m driving and listening to the radio and this song “Beautiful Day”by Jamie Grace comes on.

Its got lyrics like:

Can’t let a day go by
Without thanking you for the joy that you bring to my life .
And ooh there’s something ’bout the way Your sun shines on my face.
It’s a love so true, I could never get enough of You.
This feeling can’t be wrong, I’m about to get my worship on.
Take me away, It’s a beautiful day.

And I was thinking, “wow, it is a beautiful day!” The sun was shining and yet there was a crispness to the air. Beautiful. Perfect weather.

And I felt . . . .nothing.

Yes, back in the heart of my suffering, I see the beauty. I know it’s beautiful. I cannot feel it.

But still, it reminded me of something that I’ve done in my prayer life both in this time of intense suffering and before–to end each day thanking God for all the blessings of the day, every small little thing and big things.
Like:

Thank you for the people who helped me out today, my friends by listening to me pour my heart out, my mom helping me straighten up, the people who take a basket of my laundry every week and bring it back clean.
Thank you that I had time to read with my son today and play with my toddler.
Thank you I got a close parking space when the baby was asleep so I didn’t have as far to carry the heavy car seat.
Thank you that I got some quiet time to work on my blog.
Thank you for anything I accomplished.

It varies each day, but everyday that I try this, I always have a list.

There are blessings everyday.

No matter how much pain I’m in, no matter how deep in my mourning, there are blessings.

I also keep a blessings journal. I put in it things that have spoken to me throughout this time period. There are song lyrics, poems, quotes from movies, dried flowers and pictures of things of beauty that have meaning to me or that God sent to help me through.

Its a journal of my journey. Here are some samples from it: