Today is a day of gifts.

Right before we left for the sunny Caribbean, I heard a very simple, yet remarkable podcast with Oprah and Sarah Ban Breathnach, the author of several Simple Abundance books (for years, I’ve had the Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort of Joy, but have never read it).

Sarah was touting a simple thing.  To give thanks for 5 things every day.  Just 5 things.  And if your day is, in your opinion, too horrid to dredge up 5 things, then you must start with what you do have.  (I’m in bed.  I made it through my  day.  I have a warm home.  A roof over my head.  Enough food to eat.)

The deceptively easy task of saying thank you works wonders…on how you see the world…how you treat people…what you focus on…how you look at your life.

As I was driving and listening, I resolved to do this thing she was suggesting.  Put a gratitude journal on my night stand, and scribble in it before I go to sleep.  Of course, it will only enhance what I’m seeing throughout the day, if I know I’m going to have to write something down!  Sarah claims that your entries get better and better as time goes on.  That sounds utterly delicious to me.

So.

I’m ordering an official Gratitude Journal for myself, and I’m dragging two more of you along, if you’ll join me in this endeavor.  If your desires run along the same lines, please either comment below, or you can e-mail me at comment4elissa at gmail dot com, if you feel more comfortable being less-than-exposed.

Deadline: Wednesday, December 16, 2009, at midnight, EST.

Winners announced on Thursday morning.  Journals ordered and sent directly to the winners that same day.  You’ll receive them before Christmas.

Can I just say that I’m grateful you read this blog?  I don’t know how many of you there are, and it’s not important.  I’m just grateful that I’ve found others who might wonder the same things I do.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart.  That would be my first entry.

[Post image: Gratitude placard at Oak Tree]