One of my very favorite things to do is READ!! When asked what my favorite season is my first response is fall because of the beauty we get to see unfold around us — and the cool temperatures. But, I think summer is quickly catching up, and that is not because of the hot temperatures. Selfishly, summer is the time when we have no school, which means no homework, no bedtimes, and no sports practices to get to for the kids. This, in turn, gives me more time to do what I love … read!!
Years ago, I had the opportunity to be part of a book club with some of the finest ladies I know. We read anything and everything, and it was my goal to finish every book. Some I could not put down and read into the wee hours of the night, and others took everything I had to complete. Nonetheless, I embraced the opportunity for the discussions that followed and to hear everyone’s different perspective.
One of my favorite books is a very simple, short, easy read that still impacts me today. The Ultimate Gift, written by Jim Stovall, was the book choice of my sweet friend Holly Ehle. This book is 155 pages, 15 chapters, that helps us to remember the “gifts” we are given … a few of those being “The Gift of Work,” “The Gift of Problems,” and the “The Gift of Gratitude.” You might be thinking that work and problems are not your idea of gifts. I encourage you to read the book to gain a different perspective on these things.
Of all the gifts Stovall talks about in the book, my favorite chapter is the “The Gift of Gratitude.” In this chapter, Red shares the Golden List with his nephew Jason. The Golden List is the idea of waking up every morning and spending time thinking about 10 things you are grateful for that day. I can’t say that I do this every day, but I try.
Some days my list is ongoing, and there are days when I struggle to find 10 things. What I have found is that when I take the time to do this, my days are brighter, and I am acutely aware of the blessings I have been given. Mentally taking the time to create my Golden List always reminds me of the ultimate gift our Father provided to me and you …”For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life,” (John 3:16).
Will you begin your Golden List today?
Wendy Bentz,
Director of Development Services