Step Over The Bad And Celebrate The Good

Imagine with me if everything that happened to you in the last week was represented by something tangible. Some of it is a little gross, like a three week old bag of fast food trash that got shoved up under your car seat, only to be found on the hottest day of the year. Some of it is beautiful, like a small note from your kid, left on your bookshelf right where she knew you would find it. And some of it appears muddy, until you wipe it off and find a glittery stone hiding inside all that dirt and grime.

You are holding all these things in your hands.

It is time to drop all the things that are gross (and maybe more than a little smelly), and step over them. What is left is the beautiful things, and the things that have the potential for beauty once they are given a little love or looked at in a new way.

This is how I see Ten Things Of Thankful each week. It is a chance to share the beautiful things left in your hands once you step away from all the bad. It doesn't mean the bad didn't happen, or that you won't have to deal with it (hopefully it will be as simple as throwing away a bag of trash, but we all know life tends to be more complicated than that), but for just a few minutes you are letting all of that go to celebrate the good.

That being said, step close. I have ten things in my hands, ten thankfuls, that I want you to see. I hope they inspire you to find the good in your week.

1. Yellow flowers.

2. Last night we watched The Odd Life Of Timothy Green after borrowing the DVD from the library. I remember seeing the advertisements and previews for it, but they all left out one very important aspect of the film - it is basically all about pencils. Yes, there is a lot of family issues and an adoption story in there, and even some magical moments with a kid who has leaves growing on his legs. But for me, it was all about the pencils. I'm sure any lover of office supplies would agree we need more movies that concentrate on this special niche.

3. Finding out the official date for the Universal Studios Diagon Alley opening, and learning that wizard wands will actually work there. It makes every inch of my geek-heart happy.

4. A rainbow loom puppy to keep me company while I work.

5. Have you ever had a business meeting where every second was awesome? I did this week. It was great. Plus it was one of those weeks when I felt wondrously productive. Now I just need to work on making that happen every week.

6. Books arrived in my mailbox this week. A long-awaited book I haven't yet read, and a book I have read and loved but did not previously own.

7. Last Friday Katarina had all her teeth pulled. Well, not all of her teeth, just all seven remaining baby teeth.

I am thankful for every bit of support we both received through that process: a ride to and from the dentist in a torrential rainfall, text messages sent to keep me sane in the waiting room, ideas for food that require very little chewing, kind and encouraging words sent to Katarina, and all the love and prayers.

8. The Ten Things Of Thankful facebook group, which has made me smile all week. I'm loving it. I even mentioned it in my post about how social media makes me stronger, because I really believe it is a force for good.

9. Blueberry bagels with cream cheese eaten early in the morning before the sun comes up to say hello.

10. Emails from people who really get you. This week I got an email that made me laugh, sigh with relief, nod with agreement, and want to do a happy dance. Everyone should get an email like that at least once a week.

What are you thankful for today?

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