The Gifts in an Ordinary Day

"This is a wonderful day. I've never seen this one before." ~ Maya Angelou

Good days, bad days and everything in between. We all have them, but I sincerely hope your bad days are in short supply in your corner of the world.

For quite some time my family was riddled in deep grief and sorrow after a lengthy period of profound loss of several family members, including my precious mom. Since that time I have personally declared this year THE YEAR OF JOY for that reason.

I am bound and determined to find joy anywhere and everywhere, even if some days it is harder to spot.

​Most of our days generally speaking seem quite ordinary, yet even those run of the mill days are full of many gifts if you open your eyes to see them.

​Let's highlight a few of my personal favs.

The gift of waking up

On one of our local radio stations the DJ would always say "If there is air in your lungs today, praise the Lord as He is the one who put it there."  This little phrase has always resonated with me. Every day we wake up to face a new day, as mundane or routine as it may seem, is a true privilege that some do not get.

My mom unexpectedly died in her sleep. We were totally shocked and heartbroken. No one even considered that that particular Thursday would be her last, and that she would go to bed and never wake up.

For this reason I am MORE thankful for EVERY day God gives me to love and honour Him the best I can. For a while I had been caught in the rut of "counting the days" instead of "making the days count." 

It is my goal now to strive to find meaning in each and every day to the best of my ability. I woke up to face another day. I am blessed.

The gift of God's word

Photo by John-Mark Smith at Pexels

Starting each day with a devotional and reading God's word sets a wonderful tone for my day and gives me something positive to take with me as I head out the door.

Since I was a child, my mom would help us memorize scripture and tell us to "tuck God's word in our hearts."  I continue this routine and find God's word so meaningful and comforting on all my types of days.

If reading scripture is new for you, there are many different translations and types of Christian bibles and you can find what suits you. Some examples are: the King James version, which is more like old English writing, using words like thee, thou and thus. Then there is a version called The Message Bible which puts scripture in everyday words that you and I use today. It is a matter of personal preference. The important thing is to READ the Bible, and a good place to start is Psalms and Proverbs if you are new at this.

Having God's word at my fingertips helps me to know I am blessed.

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The gift of hot coffee

Where are my coffee loving friends at? You are my people! That first cup of coffee, especially in the morning, really hits home.

It is very special to wake up in the quiet of the morning before all the activity picks up and savor a hot coffee and some peaceful moments. I am drawn to all my favourite mugs. Lots of them have cool stories behind them, like the Charlie Brown one I just got from one of my students. This is my current favourite hands down.  Sip, savor and smile. I can wake up and have a warm cup of coffee in my hand in minutes. I am blessed.​

The gift of so much clothes and food

Photo by Liza Summer at Pexels

Every day I get to CHOOSE what I will wear. I am sure many of you are like me and have many options of what to wear. Recently I packed up 3 bags of clothes for the thrift store and it did not even make a dent in my closet. My fashion options are many. I am blessed.

My fridge and cupboard are also full and I realize this is often not the case for many. So much food for my family, and I do not have to worry about where our next meal is coming from. I am blessed.

The gift of my own car

Photo by Mike Bird at Pexels

For many years we had only one car. I felt stranded all the time and often had to walk or bike places. Then we got a second car and well with two young adults sharing it with me, let's just say I was the one often asking friends for rides. 

Recently however, my daughter purchased her first car and something AMAZING happened for me... FREEDOM!

With my own car now I feel very liberated. I can come and go as I please without making an elaborate car sharing schedule. Having a car to myself is a daily gift I am enjoying immensely. I am blessed.

The gift of my career

Photo: Little Lessons Learned by Dana

My teaching job is a BIG answered prayer. For many years I tried to get a teaching contract but it was difficult as full-time jobs were scarce and in Ontario, Canada you must supply teach, day to day for quite a while before getting a permanent job.

When I FINALLY got a contract, my superintendent told me to "shout it from the the mountaintops," and my principal at the time literally danced with me up and down the hallway. IT WAS A BIG DEAL! I have a great job. I am blessed. 

Well my friends, I hope my little walk down the path of the ordinary day, gave you something to think about. I know it sure did for me. I am working on being more grateful in all areas of my life.

Being thankful for ALL my days, even the ones that are less noteworthy, is a great place to start!

Until next time,
Dana

Ephesians 5:20 ~ Always give thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Little Lesson Learned: Always remember the things we often take for granted every day is what some only dream of.

Author
​Dana Romualdi is a Canadian elementary teacher, blogger, author, and speaker. Dana desires to "love God and love people" whole heartedly. She has a passion for helping others and spreading much needed encouragement. Dana lives in Canada with her husband and two grown children. When she is not working in the classroom or blogging, she enjoys drinking coffee, watching Netflix and reading great books.

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Copyright: © 2024 littlelessonslearnedbydana (Dana Romualdi)  ​

Tags: blessings, gratitude, ordinary days, thankfulness, perspective