We recently watched the movie Soul.

I highly recommend it.

Soul is a poignant reminder that our life’s spark is not purpose. Life is not about what we do, for we are not human doings. Rather, life’s spark is about the sheer joy of living, those magic moments when life sings.

Gratitude is the Attitude 
© Priscilla du Preez on Unsplash

I’ve been thinking a great deal about joy this year.

How do we step into JOY?

I believe that gratitude is key!

GRATITUDE…

Simple, easy, yet it has a profound effect on our state of mind, our resilience and health. Working with refugees for years, I truly believe it is key to their coping and thriving after years of persecution and fear.

Each January our family celebrates what we are grateful for, and as we do, we write a list of hopes, dreams, plans, desires, goals for the year(s) to come. We check off fulfilled goals and dreams, and review others. For example – my daughter was travelling as an exchange student to France this Christmas. This did not happen. BUT other wonderful things have instead… we recount these, we are sad for the missed trip; but so grateful for so much else that life has brought us in this season.

Nothing is too big or small to write on that list.

I am grateful for my health, that my legs work, my arms work, my hands work (I honour you Bill Sweeney of Unshakeable Hope & family).

I am grateful for music, that I can hear music.

I am grateful for fresh air, the wind, walks, and Nutella on crepes.

I am grateful for family, friends, opportunities…

I am grateful that I know and love a good God, who makes Himself known to me in profoundly personal and real ways…

Nothing is too big or small to celebrate.

January is great for us in Australia because our school year starts in February; but any time works.

We will do this again in the early days of 2021.

In fact, we did this a couple of months early, when Melbourne opened up from hard lockdown a little, and we could sit at a cafe for a cup of coffee. As we reviewed our list written in January 2020, we delighted at just how many things we had to be grateful for, how many fulfilled desires were on our list, and how many unexpected blessings had come…

If we ever hit really challenging times, we find anything to hold on to, to be grateful for, and speak them out, even when our emotions do not match!

Gratitude is even more crucial in these days – it’s how we hold strong in the storms of life.

Jane Berry, a dear friend, has recognised that gratitude is the attitude.

She has written a free 40 Days of Gratitude e-journal.

You can get yours here on either of her blogs:

Unlocking the Gold

Raising World Changers

Let me know how you get on, and as you complete each day remember that…

God is Good!

Oh and…

Happy New Year!