Gratitude Journal

(Facebook post from 5-8-20)

40,000. I hit a milestone today. On 2-10-11 in a journal Lucas gave me on our wedding day a month earlier, I started counting my blessings and naming them one by one. Almost 3 years and 6,000+ blessings later, I finished out that journal. I pulled it out last night -- it is a record of God's faithfulness from our first years of marriage, Carter's birth, finishing my time at the Boys and Girls Club and getting my first teaching job, beginning my years at Providence, getting pregnant with Calvin...

Today, I finished another gratitude journal, and this one ended exactly on 40,000 (a wink from God, who knows I like numbers!). My life has changed over the years -- this journal records adding our fourth boy to the mix and
35,826. gratitude even when I don't feel like it
35,851. systematic Bible study and memorization
36,526. that Dawn was my maternity sub
37,426. sweet potatoes
38,251. prayer stations chapel
38,651. blue chair snuggles with my littlest
39,426. up early (5:05!) with Jesus
39,901. how Colson gobbles up lasagna

My default can be complaint, so this has been a discipline for me to see all the good in my life and keep a written record. Many people from all walks of life recommend keeping a gratitude journal, but for me, this isn't just positive thinking. James 1:17 says that every good and perfect gift is from above. So, this gratitude overflowing in my heart isn't a generic thankfulness but is directed TO Someone, to the Giver of all these gifts in my life.

My original goal, as challenged in Ann Voskamp's One Thousand Gifts, was 1,000. Then, I worked toward 10,000 in reference to the song "10,000 Reasons." Now, I've made it my lifetime goal to record 100,000 blessings in my gratitude journals, and I'm well on my way.

For all Your goodness, I will keep on singing. 100,000 reasons for my heart to find...