365+1

i never thought i'd end the year with reflections of thanksgiving, but it really is important to remember to be thankful. we as humans tend to nitpick at the littlest things. there's a saying that "you can do 99 things for someone and all they'll remember is the one thing you didn't do". sadly, it's so true. why do we not see the good in the 99 good things? why are we not thankful for the many things we are blessed with, but gripe at the few things we are missing.

most of the time, when life isn't insanely good i.e. on an uphill, or terribly bad i.e. rolling downhill, we tend to be on plateaus. plateaus sound good when you're facing a downhill but plateaus tend to get mundane. it's dreary. it's ordinary. that's when we grumble. we forget the awful downhills we survived, we dream of the exhilarating pleasure of the uphills. what's there to be joyful in the ordinary? isn't it just the everyday grind?

i like how the pearls of wisdom each day slowly form a precious priceless slab of gold:

Finding Joy in the Ordinary

(consolidated excerpts from Brittany Rust)

Joy is not the same as happiness. While happiness is momentary, joy is not fazed by your circumstances. What’s going on around you shouldn’t determine your joy. 

Joy is not based on our circumstances but is based on our ability to be thankful. 

Know that your suffering is producing steadfastness and making you the person you need to be. Take joy that God isn’t done with you or has forgotten you; He sees so much value in you that He wants to work in your life. Embrace this and find joy in the suffering! 

You might have a heavy heart and your pain might seem incurable, but under the shadow of His wings, you can find the one thing this world can never offer you in your suffering -- joy. 

Remember that joy doesn’t just affect you, but it pours out into the people around you. It can be good medicine for their heart as well. 

Find joy today, no matter where you are or what you are going through. Find joy in the ordinary.

i'm thankful for the closing reminder to radiate joy, to have my joy be contagious even when i'm obviously walking along a plateau. should there not be joy in the everyday because there's so much to be thankful for? i am thankful for a simple thing like having an extra day in this year, because it's a leap year. it's an extra day to blessed and be blessed, to love and be loved, an extra day to be thankful.

give thanks with a grateful heart.