Throughout our days many of us may deal with irritation, anger, frustration, bitterness, worry, and just not feeling like we are in tuned with life sometimes. A friend and I were talking when some of these issues of life came up. One thing that came to the forefront of my mind was the act of being thankful. In the past I have kept a gratitude journal, and looking back at that journal, I realized that the words that I wrote were pretty meaningful things in which I was thankful for. Since I have spoken to my friend, I have thought of even more ways that a gratitude journal can be affective, such as how it can help many of us with the issues stated above as well as others that we are faced with throughout our days.

So I encourage you to make a special trip to your local Wal-Mart, craft store, book store, or anywhere else that sells journals or blank books. Browse the books. There are all kinds. Some of you (like myself, who just wanted an excuse to buy something) may have an empty journal at home that you have yet to use. If you have one at your house and you're not picky and you know that this is a book that you can treasure, by all means, be thankful that you have it, and use it;or just make it a special outing and pick something that will take you throughout your year. It can be a calender book, a journal with lines or no-lines, as big as you want it, or make your own if you're creative! No matter how you do it, practicing this Godly principle of acknowledging and being thankful for the things, the people, and the obstacles within your life will offer you clarity and growth on a daily basis, effecting all of our lives positively.