Archive for April, 2005

It’s About Gratitude Dude!

Thursday, April 28th, 2005 by Alyice

I put my head on my pillow and prayed that I would drift off to sleep. Instead, my mind began to churn and churn as I thought about the little things I could include in a new e-book I plan to write. Not being able to take it anymore, I got out of bed, went into our walk-in closet, turned on the light, and began to jot down my ideas. Once all the ideas ran out of my mind, I looked down at my journal and began to write, “Dear God.”

Dear God, what? I wondered.

My mind was a blank. What must I write that I couldn’t possibly say with words? Then I felt as though God had a message for me, “It’s all about gratitude, Alyice. When was the last time you sincerely thanked me? When was the last time you took the time to appreciate what I’ve given you? When was the last time you were truly sincere about the words coming out of your mouth? Was it just a passing phrase to jumpstart or end your day? Tell me, Alyice. What blessings have I bestowed upon you?”

Gratitude: a feeling of thankfulness and appreciation.
Appreciation: an understanding of the magnitude of something.

God was right. I’ve been saying thank you, but more as a passing phrase than as something with real heart, understanding, and feeling. Writing causes me to ponder (reflect) my words, to think about what I’m saying, and to embrace the good around me.

“Okay God,” I thought. “I’ll start a gratitude journal.”

I tore out my weight loss entries (they weren’t doing any good anyway) and made a vow: I may not always remember to write in this journal. I may not always be eloquent. But I will always be sincere.

Today, I can honestly say that I am grateful God loves me so much that He takes the time for me, even when I forget to take the time for Him!

Give thanks…

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Thank You For Renewed Energy

Thursday, April 7th, 2005 by Alyice

I woke up with a renewed sense of energy this morning. I don’t think I’ve felt this great in months.

And the irony is that the only thing I’ve done different is give myself permission to take time off—each day—to enjoy the simple pleasures of life:

a walk in the cool evening air;
a listening ear as my daughter read a book;
a watchful eye as my children played at the park;
a late morning wake-up call;
a good laugh as I watched movies starring comedian/actor, Bob Hope;
a challenging game of poker with my son;
a lunch date with my husband;
a heartfelt conversation with a friend; and
an evening reconnecting with my Lord and Savior.

Hans Christian Andersen once said, “Every man’s life is a fairytale written by God’s fingers.” Perhaps if we’d just stop long enough to enjoy the script God has written for us, instead of always trying to rewrite it, we’d find more joy in the simple pleasures surrounding us.

Give Thanks!

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