For any of you that’s been reading what I’m up to these days through Twitter or Facebook, you know I’ve been having a tough time.

I’m working on doing all the right things, juicing more, eating better, spending time in the morning before I start my day with prayer and meditation.

On my way in to church yesterday I was praying that God would speak to me.

Well, sure enough!  The sermon was all about a heart of discontent and all the consequences it brings in to a person’s life – trust me when I tell you I have all the symptoms – and the power of gratitude to transform it.

I’m putting myself on a personal gratitude challenge.

I’d love to have you join me (and if it’s easier to make it a conversation look for me over on Facebook), but here’s this morning start and the beginning of my prayer and meditation for the day.

I’m grateful that I have a new laptop to keep up with my online activities on.  My husband bought me the laptop (and even though we got it at a FANTASTIC! price with another thank you to Sam’s Club) it took a lot of courage and faith for me to take the leap and spend the money on it.

I’m grateful that our Golden Retriever Rina is slightly offended that I’m on the laptop and is coming over to push it out of my lap.

I’m even grateful that my husband leaves his little shavey bits all over the sink.  (Well, I try to be, anyway )  My husband and I found each other late in life and I know there could easily come a day when I would give ANYTHING to still be cleaning up behind him.

I’ve lost touch with many of my friends since moving to Virginia (from Miami, Florida) and I’m grateful that many of us are the kind of friends that can pick back up and make up for lost time.

I’m grateful that Rina is such a wonderful companion.  She’s silly and wonderful and loving and a bit wacky some times.  She makes me laugh every day and is relaxed and easy and brings so much life to the house.

I’m grateful that my husband Scott is such a hard worker.  He has a difficult job and he gives it his best and always takes his heart to work with him.

I’m so lucky to have a husband that’s affectionate and romantic and loves to snuggle, pat and smooch.  I’m also grateful that years of kickboxing have given my husband like the best butt and legs EVER!  EVER, people.

I’m grateful that my husband takes good care of himself and is my strongest advocate for taking better care of myself, too.  I’m grateful that he’ll take time off from work to go the doctor with me because he thinks I’m being too polite about telling the doctor about how sick I’ve been feeling.

I’m grateful that my husband will spend a long, hard, exhausting week at work and still come home and do an amazing job setting up the shelving and reorganizing the garage.

I’m grateful that I’m sitting here in a warm glow of gratitude to start my day.

Tonight’s challenge?  To dwell on at least five things I’m grateful for as I fall asleep.

What are you grateful for?  I’d love to hear about it….