If gratitude is to become habit it must be continually practiced.
1. Privilege to write a Newsletter others will read
2. Fan to keep us cool and provides white noise
3. Sleep
4. Thought of mowing lawns - help Mum and Dad
5. Ideas I'll get mowing lawn
6. I can urinate and get rid of pain of a full bladder that way
7. Fresh safe water to wash my hands with
8. Facebook browsing... curiosity I experience
9. Connecting with a friend's world
10. Being able to see statistics for my blogs
11. Get feedback about how my article is going
12. Thought of my son waking up in 31 minutes time
13. The books are packed!
14. I submit articles and they're so quickly approved
15. I sleep with my wife
16. Message from a mate that gives clarity
17. Grass underfoot
18. Park across the road to walk around
19. The ball I found and the skill I have to enjoy it
20. The clothes I'm wearing
21. The concept of time and creation - being about to create imaginatively
22. My left knee cracks, but there is no pain
23. Cuddling my wife in bed
24. Wrestles with my son, the fun we have
25. I am able to make breakfast for son and lunch for wife
26. I was going to skip breakfast and my son got me a bowl and filled it
27. Being thankful for our food
28. A laugh whilst having breakfast
29. A car and time to be able to run errands
30. The barista smiled his joy my way
31. I received and returned the smile
32. Received a free coffee when I didn't expect it
33. The pleasure of giving my son a chocolate frog
34. God reminded me to pray for one of my daughters
35. The way my son says 'trees'
36. Watching him play
37. Listening to him sing while he eats
38. Him singing 10,000 Reasons with me in the car
39. Overcoming the temptation to leer at another motorist
40. Being able and willing to assist my parents with the household tasks they can't do
41. Experiencing the will that says I don't want or need thanks for helping
42. Realising the therapy in work
43. The joy of establishing order
44. Another revelation: everything is a process; i.e. tying rope; respecting the process
45. Traffic delay reminds me I'm here at God's pleasure
46. Traffic delay makes me thankful I'm not the one involved in the collision
47. Knowing that while I have a sore back I can still move and do many physical things
48. Realising how important expectations are in the process of gratitude
49. Realising how grief is helped by gratitude
50. Realising gratitude is a process
51. Realising gratitude sown reaps patience
52. Smoke alarm and RCD maintenance done on home to keep it safe for us to live safe
53. In preparing to shower, found myself looking at my naked body, and instead of saying 'you need to lose weight' I said to myself, 'perfect, you are looking just like you'
54. Having clean clothes to wear, and a very generous selection to choose from
55. Having the wisdom to negotiate with my son to model care for his needs
56. The sight of a business card that reminds me of a time of insight and learning
57. For the two-dozen eggs we're given every fortnight
58. The wonderful Lego creations my son comes up with
59. For the phone call from a friend that I just received
60. The idea I was given for a series on gratitude
61. For the mess my house is in that reminds me that it's a home
62. The work my wife has that brings in much needed income
63. Reminded that what God gives not the time for ought not be done
64. Indecision is good when there are two equal options - just choose one
65. Listening intently to my wife share her work day
66. Learning about the work processes she tells me about so I have better context for her life
67. Realising that making a list of 100 things per day means I am forced to look for items to be grateful about
68. Listening to my wife read to my son; she is a beautifully expressive reader
69. My opportunity to clean up the tea dishes
70. My opportunity to pray for safe travels for my wife as she travels to and from worship practice
71. The opportunity to write my wife a sneaky love note - okay, reminder note she will laugh at
72. God has shown me over only the first day that gratitude is hard to maintain
73. Realising that fear creeps in insidiously
74. For the stake I have in others' lives I minister with
75. The sheer luxury I have in my life to do many things at any one time
76. The story behind a piece of furniture
77. Three pairs of glasses - that's right, three!
78. Engaging my son not going to sleep and his response to accept what I say
79. The prayers I make for my wife while she's out
80. Anticipating time camping this weekend - time to be with wife's family
81. Challenges of tomorrow; at least a few jobs not sure how they'll go, but they're always a success
82. The books are packed! Oh yeah, I said that already
83. The thought that this challenge might beat me
84. Blinds to close for privacy, blinds to open for light
85. For the legacy of three daughters making their way in life
86. The fact that God is dealing with the envy in my heart
87. I can praise God that this is 950 words already and I don't know how I'll sustain this for another 99 days
88. Paper - to write on
89. Coffee at 7pm
90. Pumpkin Patch button
91. The number of times I've thought about graduating this year
92. I got to see my Mum and Dad today
93. I'm 50 and they are still alive!
94. Thought of having 2 more Sundays to prepare for my next sermon
95. The theme for it - Jesus is Always the Answer - has me excited
96. Realising 10,000 Reasons is forcing me to look, to see, to discover, to find
97. Admitting that passion for God wanes over time, but can be excited afresh
98. I am nearly there for today
99. For reminders... to put the bins out
100. For substances that do their job - lens cleaner
101. Feeling the time pressure, but an equivalent pressure to maintain this list, I overcome
102. I am forced to stay positive
103. Wife makes it home safe
104. Finish PKS Perspective Newsletter
105. Making good progress on Sermon
106. Thinking about the role of gratitude and a series - this could be big
107. Bickford's cordial on a summer's night
108. Still lots of energy at 2117hrs
109. Back is feeling okay
110. Reminded by my wife about keeping good business hours etiquette
111. Sprained ankle isn't as bad as it could have been
112. Son is sound asleep - beautiful to watch my children asleep
113. Thankful for this project. Woke up not wanting to be grateful
114. Getting out of bed sore improves after some stretches
115. Grateful for a mate's courage
116. Prayed for that friend, thanking God for him
117. Sore back but still functions
118. Sore knee but that still functions too
119. 'Last man standing' vision - part of my self-image that I'll be the last man standing
120. Good night's sleep last night
121. Plans for today - another big day ahead
122. Thankful for young Matt's help at work
123. Banana bread, coffee, yogurt and muesli
124. Peace even at McDonald's
125. The sanctity of life even when there is such unrest in the world
126. For the employees in this fine establishment - yes, I just prayed for you
127. The architecture - for architecture - what a wonderful applied science
128. For the driver's licence I've had for nearly 34 years - 2/3rds of my life
129. For the fact I cannot think of everything I ought to be grateful for
130. This process forces me to look, to search, to find
131. Numbers and letters to make intelligible language
132. 130 reasons for my heart to find in 24 hours - Lord, help me sustain this
133. Even eating involves science - the physics of napkins
134. Weather on my phone
135. After standing so long, now I sit, to change my body's position and ease pain
136. Is this hard? Training oneself to think gratefully? No. It's just one thing at a time
137. Being lost browsing... the sheer luxury that I have moments like this
138. The fact that life goes on all around me
139. For the 50 or so pens I had to choose from this morning
140. That nice car I saw drive past... I don't need to own it to enjoy it
141. School years starts again next week... welcome back, routine
142. Reflecting on the word 'goodness'... for all your goodness I will keep on singing...
143. Acknowledging the fear for rejection I experience in sharing (posting) myself
144. Seeing others' ulterior motives at times, forgiving them, but not going their way
145. Having time to 'waste' on rest... the opposite is the case; thankful to invest
146. Arriving at work with a full day of experiences to look forward to (not lament!)
147. Opportunity to offer to help two staff - offer accepted by one
148. Able to help a third employee twice
149. Helped by an employee to do something more efficiently
150. Willingness to depart from plan and no chagrin of heart
151. Receiving well bad news about a loved one that will change their life
152. Supporting the bearer of that bad news - commending them on what they have done
153. Corrected by an employee of supplier I was picking up from - enforcing safety
154. Happy in my heart to be corrected
155. Engagement with same employee on two subsequent occasions - exemplary safety standards I appreciated
156. Load moves so I pull over and tie on better - thankful there's no incident
157. Staved off temptation to panic
158. God gets me safe back to workplace with loaded trailer
159. Good interaction with a salesperson named Steve
160. Thankful for air conditioning in the car
161. Thankful for fine fast food
162. Even though my body aches in several places, God sustains my movement
163. Realising that life for every single person is a faith journey. Life is easy for nobody
164. Realising each person has anxieties to manage and emotions to contain/express
165. Having the opportunity to hear my son ask his Mum to have a play picnic
166. Radio interview on teenage brains prompts me to call a daughter
167. Thankful to be led to pray for her
168. Got more done than I thought I'd do
169. A job that has some outstanding concerns forces me to have faith
170. Feeling sore after a hard day's physical labour - the body still works
171. Somebody connected with me on social media who I've been praying for
172. Help from a younger man to dig holes I needed dug
173. Reward for work done on a hot day - an ice cold soft drink
174. My wife has been busy cleaning lights, which is something I don't think of
175. A daughter is becoming a home owner within days
176. Watching Big Bash cricket in air-conditioned comfort
177. Privilege to make dinner for the family
178. The beauty in a didactic moment - wife to son - on why not to lick the sauce bottle
179. The choice of fine foods for dinner - just about every night!
180. A gardening wife
181. Realising I'm glad of my failures, because without them I'd not have seen my responses
182. Whilst watching my nearly five-year-old son play, he asked me to read him a story
183. Called one of my daughters and we chatted for a while
184. Capacity to be honest - am I doing the right thing here, God?
185. For anxiety, because it puts me in touch with what I care about
186. For my wife's determination to stick to a plan for moving house
187. In struggling for something to be grateful for, I bless the Lord - I'm limited
188. Realising that concerns are merely worries that haven't been prayed
189. My son has plans to play cricket with me tomorrow
190. There are so many ideas I want to write about
191. Knowing when I feel rejected that I'm loved by God who never rejects
192. Blessed to again be called, 'pastor'
193. Blessed in the knowledge that I don't need to be called, 'pastor'
194. Thankful that a key ministry relationship is shored up
195. Wonderful to see growth in a particular person
196. Inspired by a couple's journey - they celebrated a milestone today
197. My wife works so hard, and apart from tiredness, never complains
198. For tenacity - I don't give up easily
199. For plans I discussed with my son tonight - to change the oil in a car together
200. My mother loves my Dad so much - she is doing things that scare her to care for him
201. Realising in order to be grateful, it helps if I do something or interact with someone
202. Fixing something that was broken for two years took just initiative and effort
203. Packing house, I realise I'm blessed with so many (perhaps too many) material memories
204. In doing work I don't enjoy God makes a way for me to enjoy it
205. In reminders of failure, there are fresh learning opportunities
206. A bloated tummy is a sign of a full belly
207. An appropriate laugh shared by reflecting on family dynamics
208. Realising I don't need to look back anymore if I don't want to
209. Nathanael's memory piqued by a song
210. Instead of not enough time, spoilt by choice
211. Computer updates can be annoying, but whilst I waited, I reviewed historical documents
212. Prompted to attend to administrative things I wouldn't have otherwise
213. Birth Certificate - made myself aware of details I should know (father's birthplace!)
214. The pleasure it is to write
215. To study an ancient church father - Chrysostom
216. Cuddles with my wife
217. What a gloriously sunny morning
218. Making lunch for my wife
219. Realising I'm tending toward fear and arresting it
220. Realising gratitude is better than complaint
221. Thought of coffee on our first errand for the day
222. Free meningococcal immunisation for son
223. Realising waiting invites patience
224. Realising the power of ONE - in a world in love with numbers
225. Getting rid of clutter (dead batteries)
226. Receiving my free copy of Unofficial Chaplain
227. Realising the antidote to frustration is gratitude
228. Realising that busyness facilitates frustration
229. Realising that patience reminds us to slow down
230. Realising gratitude could be the antidote to many ills
231. Realising gratitude wards against worry
232. Realising gratitude rewires the brain positively
233. For the therapy of a physiotherapy friend who can give discounts, plus great care
234. For friends who genuinely care
235. For the purpose wired into my heart
236. Realising that to seek is to take the journey forward positively
237. Circumstances that could frustrate are cut off; the brain is already working in gratitude mode
238. For the fly buzzing around me, reminding me I don't need to be annoyed by it
239. An engaging chat with Henry who picked up the lounge
240. How biting one's own tongue puts me in touch with the delicate wiring of my nervous system
241. Fresh bread, butter and cheese in a sandwich. Thank you for bakers and dairies
242. For tiredness, which is the blessed invitation to rest
243. Becoming aware of those sneaking 'shark' thoughts
244. Realising the link between gratitude and humility
245. Appreciating the engineering mind in my son
246. The image outside of lawn to be mowed; what it will look like when it's done
247. A free mind is enjoyable
248. Great to see my son drinking a lot of water and running outside
249. I can see the progress being made
250. How easy it is to pray to God
251. Invited to watch son's television show with him
252. Realising seeking gratitude challenges my mindset when I'm anything but grateful
253. For the physical world where all is predictable, yet nothing is
254. Thought to ride to the park
255. Choosing to praise God for the warm temperature
256. Realising that looking within, not without, is the key to this gratitude thing
257. Thinking fondly on my daughters
258. Life is never boring
259. A great thing it is to realise self-control is about staying the moment
260. Good to get bad news and watch my sinful heart respond
261. Good to meet resistance in the role of parent with patience
262. Good that my pride is tested - to see how putrid my heart is
263. Good when things don't go 'my way', because that's the only time I can respond in a godly way
264. An emergency averted
265. Wife's interest in the garden
266. Oh, to be alive - the risk, the return, the fear, the failure - all in abundance
267. So thankful for my marriage - working in the conflict within other couple's marital lives
268. Conflict abounds, yet I can still be content
269. One moment in time - thankful for that song
270. God, You give and You take away - praise Your holy name for both!
271. Numbers... praising You for numbers... numbers that build pressure
272. Music that inspires and makes me want to be more
273. Energy, especially at 9pm
274. Hopes for a solution in a particular conflict
275. For my wife's tenacity with online insurance
276. For my son's acceptance of an early night for poor behaviour
277. A day's work tomorrow - it will be hard work, but it is work
278. For a good boss
279. Interactions tomorrow that are God ordained
280. Reading a very sad story makes me grateful for my life and relationships
281. For a mobile phone that gives me immediate access to my world
282. The little book my son 'wrote' for me
283. The little home my son has made for his cuddle friends
284. For the work that is done and no longer needs doing
285. Great to have the 'luxury' of time, but don't waste it!
286. Thankful for the relationship I have with a certain person who was once an enemy
287. Happy for the hope in my heart I can get to 300 by 'close of play'
288. Great to see response from son when harassed by an older child in a playground
289. Love our rides to the park
290. Thankful son is learning to count-on and subtract
291. For texture of food
292. For symmetry in the written word
293. Modern camera technology
294. Son sleeps so well
295. Son's bowel movements
296. My wife's wisdom, for which I would suffer more if I didn't have access to it
297. We have two cars
298. That my sprained ankle isn't worse than it could have been
299. Great physio session today
300. Good feeling in my body after those back stretches
301. Nice... 301
302. Seriously want to be so committed to repentance
303. Can I desire not to get my own way?
304. The teary emotions I enjoy
305. My heart beats, I breathe, I am still alive - keep me alive until all my children are grown, Lord
306. So thankful my wife reads the fine print
307. I can do anything I put my mind to
308. For the new school we're enrolling our son in
309. Staff BBQ function tomorrow night
310. Been safe in this house since June 2015
25 January 2018
311. So value the vision given to me that far exceeds all of this
312. Really good to embrace the delay to progress ordained by one's peers
313. Actually, this (312) is the key to progress - really embracing it
314. Another morning - a fresh day of life on this earth
315. My son's imagination
316. When he drags me off to show me what he's made
317. The thought: what have I to be grateful for?
318. Noticing exactly what it is that God wants me to be aware of in the singular moment
319. Listening into people's public phone conversations when you cannot get away
320. Praying into 319's struggles
321. The computer updates: I didn't ask for them, but they came to me
322. Clean water today wherever I open a tap
323. Today is Friday. It's Thursday, but it's Friday!
324. Broken the beginning of year funk
325. Thankful for brother-in-law's new lease on life
326. Happy today to know God - refine me further, Lord, make me cleaner of thought, word and deed
327. For the staff here at McDonald's
328. When I'm aware of the truth of my thoughts
329. How words nourish me in my mind, heart and soul
330. Sun beaming through reminds me to be thankful for warmth
331. Realising that the things I don't like have a lining of gratitude begging to be understood
332. Time. When it is in abundance
333. Dirt under my fingernails
334. Off to work I go
335. Praying large sign would be fitted and posts solid
336. Arriving at work safely, before start time
337. #335 prayer answered...
338. Grace given to me to accept something said that could've been unfair
339. Feeling my mind is working acceptably well
340. Feeling doubly, triply grateful for my good wife!
341. My wife is fair and just
342. A lack of recognition helps me understand how hopeless I am without God
343. The desire to one return to the fullest vision of health, but not perfection
344. Good heart responses to changes in plans
345. Privilege to pray for two sisters in Christ
346. Thankful my father's knee operation was completed a week ago
347. Realising that this list is only the means; the end is the mindset God puts me into when my subconscious mind is working on gratitude
348. Looking forward to returning home, though sore
349. Realising this life is so busy that it's easy not to try - though I will not stop trying
350. Realising nobody can take anything from me that God chooses not to give.
351. Home cooked meals
352. Glad of the things I don't know, and gladder still to know it
353. Dinner at home with family and dinner out with friends
354. I want to do the dishes
355. Thankful to have an important chat with somebody I've been praying to have for some time
356. Nice to be recognised for something I do to encourage people
357. Lovely to enjoy a night out with people I'm only beginning to get to know
358. For the joy my wife gets from watching River Cottage
359. The joy I experience following Western Australia cricket
360. Bless the Lord O My Soul, a song for the heart in such a season
361. That I have the freedom to do so many things I want to do
362. The two or three adult lives I've lived (1st marriage, single dad, 2nd marriage)
363. For the phone call just now with Mum about Dad's knee
364. The heat pack applied to my lower back
365. For the fact that 100 Reasons is always a stretch
366. For the hope that I will really institutionalise gratitude
367. For the idea I can and should do 10,000 Reasons indefinitely
368. Tough conversations that need to be had - thank You, Lord
369. Hoping to do anything I can to support people take responsibility for their lives
370. Realising that I really do want God to get His own way
371. Wanting this to be tedious so I'm prepared to pay a good price for gratitude
372. No matter if nobody reads this
373. Would it be okay if this ended tonight - short of target? Yes
374. Nothing to be grateful for, but for the fact I'm still looking
375. Waiting is bliss when you know the point of it
376. Imagining the wonder of God's gracious Presence in suffering
377. For tiredness, not far from bed
378. The creep of sleep and trust that God will wake us again
379. Calendars and diaries help us structure our lives.
380. 4 sugary drinks tonight - a treat
381. Purposes for the morrow
382. Realising there are appropriate things to add here (and inappropriate)
383. Intimate time with my wife
384. I have slept with my wife in our bed nearly every night of our married lives
385. The fact I can see through glass
386. Hopes for a future I believe in
387. Truly fortunate to have 4 degrees
388. Proud of daughter 1 for accepting her university offer
389. Would be equally proud of her if she had not have
390. Weeties and sultanas with milk
391. God sustained my body again today
392. Realising that while physical labour my give us more tangible results, it also brings pressure and stress regarding others and when see those results
393. Weeding done
394. Conversation with Luke today - lost everything in the wake of the Paris crash
395. The house our son made
396. The design of this house - great houses in this country
397. The possibility that the future could be brighter than the present
398. About to go to bed
399. Yep, eyes wait to be closed
400. Pray that the opportunity will come to mow the lawns
26 January 2018
401. Son wakes early and my 'great!' reminds me to be great-ful!
402. Thought of the dream I was having
403. Cuddles in bed together
404. Assisting my wife by starting the computer
405. Opportunity to assist a relative financially
406. At least three opportunities to respond in frustration, but didn't
407. Working together with my wife and son to set up a garage sale
408. Allow son to help move the cars
409. Hearing wife and son engage with each other
410. Thought of a weekend away
411. Hardest thing being many little things to do - good to be busy
412. Birds tweeting
413. Sunny day
414. Time to reflect this weekend
415. The way my wife uses Gumtree
416. Son playing and singing to himself
417. Feeling empowered in a busy season of life
418. Accepting the things I cannot change
419. About ten times resisted seeking comfort for faith
420. Not one argument packing the car
421. Worked together, balancing the complexities in faith
422. Appreciating the cooling breeze
423. Patient when the breeze dies down
424. Cricket on the television even at a caravan park site
425. Appreciating the science of setting a caravan up
426. Family times
427. Son enjoying his new little bed
428. Thought of going for a swim
429. Thanking God for life in this country
430. For the aboriginal people - thank You for them Lord
431. For the neighbour's music- Queen, John Farnham
432. Facilities to do the lunch dishes
433. For the receptionist's joy
434. The fact we can survive without forgotten items
435. Back in better order today
436. For wisdom provided in responding to a precarious email
437. God, You truly are great!
438. When family get on with things without me
439. For thoughts of delivering chilled meals to this site
440. Memories of Yvonne W at #148
441. Thought of the power of faith and resilience
442. The diligence with which my wife applies sunscreen to our son
443. For sisters and brothers in law
444. Swimming to loosen the body up
445. Cool body on hot day
446. Being splashed by surprise
447. Accepting the fickleness of life
448. Keeping the children safe
449. 3 cousins playing together
450. Being man enough to do the hard thing with a smile
451. Watching children manage their own relationships
452. Feeling sore yet satisfied in my body
453. Appreciating mathematics
454. Privilege of showering my son
455. For vegemite sausages
456. For the cooling evening breeze
457. Significance of numbers
458. For the many things I don't appreciate
459. Awkward moments managed well or poorly
460. For the things I want but cannot have
461. Times God shows me myself when things go too well or poorly
462. Wonder for what the morrow holds
463. Missing my first and second family in good prayerful ways
464. Realising the only value in life rests in the hard circumstance
465. Realising the imposter that triumph is
466. The book of Ecclesiastes
467. Tiredness - what a beautiful thing rest is
468. Watching my son in his little room
469. Realising that though we have capacity for change, we cannot ourselves change
470. Reading bedtime stories
471. Thought of a quiet night
472. Realising that great is life, too great at times
473. Realising we can change only ourselves, and still there's that thorn in our side
474. The enormity of this challenge
475. Sitting peacefully, enjoying another person's music - whatever he plays
476. Learning about a camp Weber BBQ
477. Appropriate autonomy in children
478. Massaging my wife's feet and back
Steve Wickham holds Degrees in Science, Divinity, and Counselling. Steve writes at:
http://epitemneinepitomic.blogspot.com.au/ and http://tribework.blogspot.com.au/
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Steve_Wickham/145110
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