Jan 1, 2018
A Thankful Life Thanksliving 2018. Encourage your spouse to live thankful with 365 days of noticing all the blessings the Lord provides in your life. As husband and wife, Rob and I are going to focus on being thankful – in all circumstances during 2018. THANKFUL will become our OneWord365. Thankful Life. Thanksliving.
I’ve been focusing on being thankful or grateful for the last months of the old year. We wrote a post on Lead Like Jesus about our thoughts on the words “thankful” vs “grateful” at Thanksgiving, and then the discussion between us continued. Two particular books left a significant impression and are shaping our ideas…
“365 Thank Yous ~ A Year a Simple Act of Daily Gratitude Changed my Life” by John Kralik
and the “Gratitude Diaries – How a Year Looking on the Bright Side Can Transform Your Life” by Janice Kaplin
To practice this art of being thankful THANKSLIVING – we are planning on sending a thank you note (either via snail mail or an e-card) every day of 2018. It’s a real challenge because I (Lori) am not good at things that are on-going. Rob’s going to encourage me. 😉 (That’s what John Kraliks book is about.) As the year progresses I’ll let you know the other things we will be doing for a thankful life THANKSLIVING.
To commemorate our year of living a thankful life THANKSLIVING – here’s a poem that expresses very well what 2018 could look like for Rob and me:
Thankful life. The art of thanksgiving… or thanksliving.
The Art of Thanksgiving
by Wilferd A. Peterson
The art of thanksgiving is thanksliving. It is gratitude in action. It is applying Albert Schweitzer’s philosophy: ‘In gratitude for your own good fortune you must render in return some sacrifice of your life for other life.’
It is thanking God for the gift of life
by living it triumphantly.
It is thanking God for your talents and abilities
by accepting them as obligations to be invested for the common good.
It is thanking God for all that men and women have done for you
by doing things for others.
It is thanking God for opportunities
by accepting them as a challenge to achievement.
It is thanking God for happiness
by striving to make others happy.
It is thanking God for beauty
by helping to make the world more beautiful.
It is thanking God for inspiration
by trying to be an inspiration to others.
It is thanking God for health and strength
by the care and reverence you show your body.
It is thanking God for the creative ideas that enrich life
by adding your own creative contributions to human progress.
It is thanking God for each new day
by living it to the fullest.
It is thanking God
by giving hands, arms, legs, and voice to your thankful spirit.
It is adding to your prayers of thanksgiving acts of thanksliving.
Join us! Thankful Life Thanksliving.
Want to live a thankful life Thanksliving this year – regardless of your circumstances? Janice Kaplan, author of the Gratitude Diaries divided her year into areas in which to be thankful, including her marriage, food, money, things, health and more.
What would you focus on first in your life as husband and wife if you were going to be living a thankful life – THANKSLIVING?
Check out
Hannah’s YEAR of Thanksliving! <- She did little “thank you notes” each day and put them in a container.
Crystal’s Blessings Jar – she’s using it to make note of all the blessings in her life.
Jan 1, 2013
One Word to focus on for the next 365 days. Have you ever done this?
Yup. It’s 2013.
A new year.
Again.
If only we had a memo from God detailing what to expect…
(I don’t know about you, but I’m never on that mailing list!)
The new year is an imaginary line in the sands of time, and I kinda think it doesn’t mean much to God. But it could mean something to us – if we choose to use this mile-marker as a focus.
A focus for what, you ask?
That’s for each of us to decide.
Have you heard of OneWord 365?
It’s a concept.
Not about resolutions or goals, but rather a direction or focus…
May 29, 2012
Robert and I are spending time at our son’s business – Your Local Studio. He has a ‘green room’ with a couch, etc. and the studio where he films. Rob and I are in the ‘green room’.
Both of us are writing. Or trying to write…
Robert is preparing to write about optimism in marriage for his Thursday blog post and is researching quotes on optimism. (Optimism is one of our differentiating values as a couple.)
Neither of us are getting much writing done, because all we’re doing is laughing and quipping about all the quotes! Here are a few that have us in stitches:
- “Negative thinking destroys your brain cells and causes global warming. Source: The Scientific Institute of GetOverIt!” ~Dodinsky
- “Just because you’re miserable doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy your life.” ~Annette Goodheart
- “Every thought is a seed. If you plant crab apples, don’t count on harvesting Golden Delicious.” ~Bill Meyer
- “A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort.” ~Herm Albright, quoted in Reader’s Digest, June 1995
- “Men who never get carried away should be.” ~Malcolm Forbes
OK. Back to writing. Really.
What do you laugh about with your spouse?
Apr 27, 2012
I love to learn. Well – if I’m being candid, then I’d say I love to learn in certain areas. Relationships, marriage, encouragement, writing, history, and other sundries. (math, economics and finance are not one of these topics – I’m being candid here, after all.)
So, I’m constantly and consistently drawn to places that cause my brain to stretch.
When it comes to the topic of writing, one of my favorite spots to “stretch” is found at a blog called Goinswriter.com. It’s written by Jeff Goins, and he is a writer.
He shares his insights, tips, and resources for those who want to write. (Here I am writing, so I guess that’s me!) Since I’ve discovered Jeff – he signs his emails with “Jeff” so I think I can refer to him with his first name, and not a stuffy and stodgy “Mr. Goins” – I’ve worked through a few of his resources, read his Manifesto, and a few other books he’s recommended. I’ll just sum it up. He’s one of my trusted resources.
Today I’ve completed reading his newest eBook: You Are a Writer: So Start Acting Like One
The premise? The last sentence is key: “Remember: You are a writer. You just need to write.” Of course that’s simplistic, but aren’t all truths simple?
He begins the ebook with words of encouragement, a bit about his story, and more affirmation. I love feeling encouraged, don’t you? He set me up to be ready to hear the practical stuff.
He says things like:
Passion is contagious. If you treat people like human beings and write from a place that is deep and true, you will find your audience.
My favorite practical stuff included: Building a Platform, Establishing a Brand, and Channels of Connection. In these three chapters, Jeff Goins spells out how these three areas could be covered. I found myself nodding in agreement – a lot! (and realizing where I need to improve)
Throughout the book, Jeff is very clear about one thing: writing is hard work. You must persevere. And a writer – writes. Perhaps not well at the beginning, but as time passes and the person learns, the writing develops a unique ‘voice’.
Toward the end of the book there was a statement that made an impact on me:
Every milestone affords a new vantage point. You realize how much there is left to explore. The trick here is to learn to be content with the journey, because you never fully arrive. However, the true masters of the craft are those who never grow complacent. They’re never fully satisfied; they’re always pushing themselves a little further.
Hmmm. Push myself. Be content with the journey. I think I can do that…
Do you write? You are a writer!
If you’d like some encouragement on how to view yourself as a writer, along with the practical, solid strategy, take the time to read Jeff Goins’ book, You Are a Writer: So Start Acting Like One.
It’s easy to read. It’s easy to understand. But like all good things, writing is never easy to do. I’ll finish with another encouraging word from Jeff,
You don’t need to take a giant leap. You just need to take the next step.
All reviews are my candid opinion. I don’t receive any compensation (financial or otherwise) for a review. A review copy was provided by the author.
Apr 6, 2012
Wishing everyone a weekend that is m-o-r-e…
more than sunny skies,
more than fuzzy bunnies,
more than jelly beans,
more than green grass and lilies,
more than ham and green beans,
more than family around a table,
more than pastel colored eggs,
more than chocolate in every form…
I wish that you
… may be encouraged in heart and united in love,
so that you may have the full riches
of complete understanding,
in order that you may know the mystery of God,
namely, Christ,
in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
~ Colossians 2:2,3
Have a blessed Easter!
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