I often put too much emphasis on the externals. What is happening around me. What I look like. How heavy I am. The things I’ve done wrong in my life and how I can never redeem that time.

I struggle with depression from time to time. Thankfully, it’s not bad enough to have to take medication any more, but I get the blues too often. When I find myself in that place, the dark and negative thoughts take captive in my mind and the emphasis is placed on what’s not going right, what I don’t have, what I don’t feel like doing.

I want to live life full, overflowing to the brim, the way God intended. In order to stay in that place, what I focus on or what I place emphasis on has to change. Even on those days when I am not feeling my best emotionally I can make a decision to find something positive to dwell on — I am healthy, my children love and serve the Lord, I have a job that I love, we have everything we need.

Even on those days when I am not feeling my best emotionally I can make a decision to find something positive to dwell on

Today I am making a decision to focus on the good in my life. Perhaps I will begin counting the gifts God has given to me again here in this space. It was always a great way to put emphasis on all that I have to be thankful for.

Enjoying life has been a goal of mine. I don’t want to walk through life with a sour look on my face. I want to approach each new day for the gift that it is and truly live life to the fullest.

When we embrace the awe and wonder of each new day, we proclaim our faith and trust in God.

It’s hard for me sometimes to get out of my box of “work, clean, kids, repeat”. I sometimes get stuck in a rut, in my day-to-day routine and forget to find the joy that is truly available to me in every day living. To be honest, I sometimes think other people lead so much more glamorous lives than my own. I see their lives unfold on social media and I often fall into the “comparison” trap. But I know that no one’s life is perfect. And though there may appear to be laughter, love and beauty on the surface, that doesn’t mean there isn’t pain underneath. And perhaps their lives are really as perfect as they portray. Who am I to judge?

The enemy comes to kill, steal and destroy. He would like nothing better than to rob us of the joy that is ours in Christ. For me, it starts with boredom, feeling stuck, comparison, complacency. Soon it leads to feelings of hopelessness and questioning, “Is this all there really is to life?”

I am reminded that I have a good life, and it is a life worthy of enjoying. It may be routine and there may not be much happening in the day-to-day, but it’s all about how I choose to embrace every moment that is given to me.

Life is beautiful. Enjoy the ride!

Today the #write28days community is linking up with the #fiveminutefriday community. We are given a word prompt and write for just five minutes. No perfection here, just words flowing freely from my heart to yours.

I love getting up in the morning with the sunrise. It’s like a smile from God to remind me that I’ve been blessed with another day.

About a week ago we had stormy weather here in California, more than normal. The winds were howling and it was just dark and dreary for about a week. For someone who suffers from mild depression which is exasperated when there is no sunlight, I wasn’t handling life too well that week. Work was hard to get through as I could feel a weight settling in upon me.

But the sun eventually came out and on that morning as God smiled his warmth upon me with the sunrise breaking through the darkness, I was reminded that even when we are going through struggles and the days seem dark and dreary, there is a sunrise just around the corner. It may not always look like a physical sunrise. It could be the smile on your child’s face as he tells you he loves you. It could be the call that comes for the husband who has been waiting for work. It could be the message from the doctor that says the report is clear. It could be the hope that you are clinging too now despite your challenges.

Today may you be blessed with the warmth of the sun upon your face and reminded that no matter what you are going through, God’s grace is shining upon you.