Journal of Gratitude

Writing in a journal...

Such an easy concept.

Most of them you can pick up for less than $10.00 in the store,

but how often do people write in a journal? 

when do you write down what you are thankful for?

I've mentioned before that when my Mom passed away, 

I got 4 of her journals (some written to me, some for herself, some to my Dad, etc.), 

well they are surely my most prized possessions. 

She may not be here, but she still inspires me daily. 

How cool is that?

She is still inspiring me in my daily life, thanks to these journals.

The gratitude journal above is one that my Mom and I wrote in together in 1998 (I was 12). 

She made it one of those mommy-daughter bonding times.

While her thankful items mainly consisted of family time, days that she was in good health, hot tea, long walks (and talks) with friends...

Mine consisted of: food, boys, and AOL. 

Good to know things haven't changed since then. 

Also, my screen name was aNgLbAbyK3, I used the upper and lower case mix of letters, and I took hours to perfect my away messages.

Even though I've read each journal multiple times from front to back cover, 
from time to time I re-read them, like the other day at breakfast.
My Mom's words and soul blow me away.

The above excerpt is from January 1998..
 shortly after she got the news that her most recent MRI showed
 cancer had spread to her spine.

My Mom wrote:

"I am grateful that Tim's love for me is strong enough to see me with his heart; surely his eyes look upon a body scarred and now magic-markered for radiation. I am most grateful for Katie, who I will look cancer for in the face again, and again, and again, and not back down for this child, my gift from God, and I will fight to be here for. I will love her, cry with (and for) her, love with her, and say no when necessary so she becomes the woman she is meant to be - as special as the child she is now. I am so greatly blessed."

Words that could move a mountain (and for me, to tears.)
Here is a woman who, at the time, had been on and off battling cancer
 for just under 10 years. And this is her attitude? 

She is without a doubt my role model. Forever.
Her words got me to thinking,
We are so quick to label "I'm having a bad day", but most of these so called bad days,
 are just average days. Days that we are grumpy, cranky, and that challenge us. 
Those not so bad days make the wonderful days we always rave of.
The next time you are having a "bad day", think to yourself:
"do I have my health?" 
"do I have my family and loved ones around me?"


because our health and family are the things that matter the most.
Today, I'm thankful for these life lessons my Mom is continually teaching me years later.

("being physically able to clean" - Isn't that so true? I hate to clean. But if one day I wasn't physically able to do it, I would go crazy.)

Now, go, and be thankful, for this day you are given
and sorry, for the extra deep Thursday post.


PS-One last favor. 
Hop on over to my girlfriend Stephanie's new blog, Blonde Kitchen.
Steph and I have known each other since we were like 5 years old (and she knew my momma!), and now she lives in California and posts all these amazing pics that I'm jealous of. She blogs some great recipes!
Don't believe me that you will love her blog? 
She has Wine Fridays...
where she shares a favorite bottle of wine and what foods to pair it with.
Yeah, you guys will be friends too.