Gratitude - The Daily Grind

There's nothing like the crises of life to remind me how much I value the daily grind. The "normal." The wonderfully mundane, ebb and flow, ups and downs; the good and the tough days.

I reminds me to be CONTENT. Here. Now.

This summer (sans paint job!!), that's what life became for me. I feel ... settled. Not always happy, but deeply joy-filled. Not always without worry, but generally calm. (A tad edgy and grumpy too somedays, just to keep it really real :P.) It's a lovely plateau for me and I enjoy it.

This week, I am grateful for those seemingly unremarkable things that make my day delightful.

1. Climbing into bed with freshly laundered jammies (knowing that the rest of the laundry is folded and put away is an added - albeit not exactly necessary!! - bonus :P!!).

2. Taking time to play the piano. This is something I seldom do unless I am preparing to lead music in church. I miss it. To sit and play can be discouraging, because I am no where NEAR as technically "refined" as I used to be when I was taking lessons. But a few hard shakes in life have added depth to the music that cannot be learned. It is that expression that adds dimension.

3. Enjoying my morning cup of coffee, journal and bible in hand, before any one else in the house is up. During the work week, J is now up earlier than I am, and so it's not quite the same. However, on the weekends, it is sheer delight to get up before the sun, before the peeps :), and listen and learn.

4. A bubble bath. Sheer heaven!!

5. A day that actually "unfolds" like I've planned!! I tackle the things on my list, I make time for the girlies and J :P, we fit in some ABCs and developmental learning AND the ever-awaited for afternoon nap. Most days are not like this. And that's okay. But some days are. I like those :).

6. For the first summer in a very very veerrry long time, I wore t-shirts, shorts and bare feet 99.9% of the time! KUDOS goes out to whoever brought Bermuda shorts fashionably back into style!! Bye bye short shorts!! However, now that the cooler days are back (well, in MB they never really left this year, but now our nights are accompanied by frost!!), I enjoy my slippers. On in the morning, off at bedtime; very very cozy.

7. Phone chats. Really, what's a day without any outside social contact!? I love having time in the day to visit with a friend or sister or mom :) while I tackle the mundane chores.

8. Easy reading. AKA surfing my favorite blogs and websites :). Always a nice little "coffee break" :).

9. Disciplining. Not that I ENJOY it :) - but I am GRATEFUL for it. Teaching little ones teaches me. Whether it's practicing sharing, speaking with kind words, correction for wrong-doing, learning our ABCs, or fitting in development exercises, shaping little hearts takes prayer, intentionality, rest :) and more prayer!!! And since this takes up a good chunk of my day these days :).... best to come at it with the most optimistic attitude one can muster :P.

10. People. I am so blessed by the people in my life. Friends, family, J, the girlies, Jesus. They've sustained me through crisis times and graced my life with laughter and love in good times. Love makes the world go 'round, right :)?

I am thankful for the normalcy of these days.
I cherish it as a gift.
You never know when tomorrow might be different.