Image from:  http://www.amazon.com/Framed-Praying-Religious-Picture-Art/dp/B002RSAJ7C ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

One of the places we can go on Sunday is into our minds. There we can find a place of gratitude that is not only good for us mentally, emotionally, and soulfully, it is also good for us socially and medically, as the research shows. 😮

I have a special place of gratitude for family, especially for my wife Jeannette, and her family and extended family.

I am filled with gratitude for my sons Jim and Robert, and for my daughters Tanya, Seana, Lori, and little Deborah, who died at birth. And for the families of these children. And for their mother Loretta, without whom they would not be the great people that they are.

I am also very grateful for my sisters Anita and Emily,  my brothers Chet, Gary, and Norm, and their families.

I am also filled with great gratitude for my deceased father, “Mr. Integrity,” and my still-living 91-year-old mother, without whom none of the rest of this immediate family would be here. 😮

I am also very grateful for all the members of my extended family. All together, including my 91-year-old mother, I think we number more than 60 now. I guess I should do an exact count one of these days? I’ll have to count 0.7 for the little one Lori is about to have, eh? 😮

And I am very grateful for all my friends who are tried and true, even though I may not keep in good contact with them over the years. ………………………………………………………………………………………

Here is our Sunday Guest Article, for which I am very grateful. From: http://staceygrewal.com/what-is-a-gratitude-journal/

Why You Should Keep a Gratitude Journal

Ever since the release of The Secret in 2007, there has been a lot of talk about gratitude journals (aka gratitude lists).  Even Oprah admitted the many benefits she experienced since starting her a gratitude journal.  But what exactly is a gratitude journal and why should you keep one?

A gratitude journal is a daily inventory of the things for which you’re grateful.

Whether you choose to start your day off on a positive note or end it with deep appreciation, a gratitude journal is guaranteed to get you into the daily practice of being grateful.

A gratitude journal helps you focus on solutions.

A daily gratitude journal will free you from the negative, allowing you to focus on solutions rather than problems. It inspires you to become proactive by setting and achieving new goals.

A gratitude journal creates results.

A daily gratitude journal makes you results-oriented by keeping you focused on your goals and accomplishments, rather than your failings. It helps you visualize outcomes and guides your plan of action.

A gratitude journal is personal.

A daily gratitude journal reveals your loving, adventurous, honest and fearless side. (Don’t stifle your creativity for fear that your journal may be read. Find a secure place to hide it if this is your concern.)

A gratitude journal creates an “attitude of gratitude.”

A gratitude journal is designed to help you get into the daily habit of gratitude. Continually look for things to be grateful for, and then write them down, until gratitude becomes habit.

A gratitude journal raises the vibration of your entire life.

The daily practice of gratitude will do more to raise your overall “life frequency” than just about any practice you can think of. Combine it with prayer and/or meditation to really turbo charge your inner and outer life.

By writing down what you’re grateful for every day, you will begin to …

• Take responsibility for your life, your thoughts and actions
• Radically improve your outlook on your past, present and future
• Be inspired to take action
• Accept and forgive
• Live in the moment
• Shed fear and worry
• Love more; blame less
• Increase your overall confidence and courage
• Grow spiritually

A daily gratitude journal is an ongoing connection with your Higher Power. It’s more than a list of things you are grateful for; it’s the foundation of a beautiful, spiritual journey. The purpose of a gratitude journal is to reshape your way of thinking, and ultimately your life, by replacing old, negative thoughts with a new attitude of gratitude. Once you’ve adopted the habit of gratitude you will know the kind of ongoing serenity, peace, love and joy that you’ve always craved but perhaps never knew how to obtain. And it takes only few minutes each day to achieve.

Excerpt taken from Gratitude and Goals: Create the Life You Would Love to Live: http://staceygrewal.com/gratitude-and-goals/ …………………………………………………………….

Thank you Stacey!

I posted a comment about this article on Stacey’s blogsite:

Hi Stacey, I bought your book, GRATITUDE AND GOALS. Love it!

I am grateful for your reminder here in this article about the importance of keeping a gratitude journal. The brain is certainly susceptible to daily thinking habits, good or not good. I used to keep a daily gratitude journal and I am going to go back to doing that, thanks to you!

I found that my morning gratitude journal was completely different from my evening gratitude journal. Not sure why. My morning gratitude journal tended to contain hope for the day, while my evening gratitude journal tended to be more reflective.

I was determined to keep the journal daily. One day I wrote in my journal: “Too tired to write in my journal.” 😮 …………………………………………………………………………………………………

Blessings, Doc Meek, Sunday, July 25, 2010, at South Jordan, Utah, USA

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J. Collins Meek, Ph.D. (Doc Meek)
“What if you are smarter than you think?”
Learning Specialist https://docmeek.com

For brain health, ensure heart health (short video):
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Ph (801) 971-1812 (Jeannette); Fax [801] 282-6026

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