An Exercise in Gratefulness and the Reset Button

My Mother-in-Love gave me the book One Thousand Gifts.  It took me a few minutes to get into it, but it wasn't too long before I was both convicted and inspired.  Being grateful is one thing.... living a life that reflects gratefulness is another.  I want to live in a way that my gratefulness changes me. Today, I start my list of gifts.

Hey, do any of you play Angry Birds?  Moment of truth here... when you pull that slingshot back and launch your very first bird of the round, what do you do if it's a crappy toss?  Me?  I hit reset and start all over again.  There is nothing in me that wants to finish that round of play.  I just want to start fresh, will all my birds intact and hope for something better this time around.  If you're anything like me, that happens every once in a while in life.  It's not necessarily a crappy toss, but sometimes you just feel like you're living in mediocre land and you just want to hit the reset button and start fresh.  Sometimes it's the feeling that you've been inspired or motivated to start being a better version of yourself.

Today is a fresh start for me. I'm inspired.  Inspired by a friend who challenged me to the Game On Diet.  Inspired by the life of a man who I met once in his life, who mentored my husband before I knew him.  Inspired by his words that will echo in my ears long after his life ended.  Inspired by a new friend who encouraged me (without actually telling me to) to start putting words to my thoughts again.

It's a new season.  I am thinking about updating/changing my blog, but for now the most important thing is that I'm here.  And here is a short list of gifts from today:

1. The sweet smiles of my son as he woke up this morning
2. Breakfast in a cup (greek yogurt smoothie)
3. Friends who inspire me to be a better version of myself
4. The reset button
5. Breaking a sweat on a fast walk with my little family as the sun sinks lower in the sky
6. This incredible feeling of grace mixed with hopefulness that is permeating my being today

Thanks for reading.  Goodnight world.