Gratitude is a discipline

Today was beautiful. It was full of laughter with the boy I work with, and real tears, almost on my part out of empathy, that he had to work instead of play outside. I was reminded of the importance of tending to my heart and relationship with Jesus with the diligence of weeding a garden...let things grow and fester and you have a way bigger mess than if you would have dealt with the issues, the doubts when the sprouts first poked through the soil... I was also SO encouraged by an unexpected dinner with a rep from SIM and his nephew--and later humbled that I'm so naiive and faithless that I doubt that Jesus will continue to encourage and nourish me just when I need it...I'm all too much like Israel. But I'm thankful for every aspect of today...and so grateful for the gratitiude project I've embarked on...a challenge to write down 1,000 things I'm grateful for... It is a discipline, it takes intentionality and time, just like weeding a garden. Hope you're having a blessed week!