Anticipate something every day (no matter how small)

As I sit down to write and reflect this Saturday morning, one of my favorite things in life is brewing on the kitchen counter: Chocolate macadamia coffee. Family friends send us a package from time to time, and it's always a treat to make a pot and enjoy the aroma as it's brewing and the taste when it's done.

One of my favorite film soundtracks is playing on the stereo, and I managed to sneak a couple of chocolate chip cookies out of the cookie jar on the counter to snack on (breakfast of champions, right?).

It's the small things in life like these that I have learned to focus on when the "to do" list seems overwhelming. One day it's my morning cup of coffee. Another day it's a lunchtime trip to the gym to spend an hour walking on the treadmill and catching up on my favorite magazines. Yet another it's getting to the end of the day so I can go home, share stories of our days with my kids, then curl up on the couch with my wife and watch a movie or TV show. And most days it involves music -- either listening again to familiar tracks or discovering new ones that I can add to my growing list of favorites.

Maybe I'm just shallow, since every day should be a joyous opportunity to serve God in whatever ways He is calling us to serve, right? But I think we all should have something small we can look forward to each day. Although we certainly have easier, more spoiled lives than many around the world, we can easily let the little challenges get us down.

Whether its battling the elements outside, breaking the small piece of plastic that holds my car visor in place or taking a call from a reader who doesn't like something we've done (or not done) with that day's newspaper, it's easy for me to let the little things turn my mood from sunny to sour.

Yet if I can find a way to move past these little disruptions quickly and on to something I like, life quickly returns to enjoyable.

Although I may have implied otherwise with last night's post, I truly enjoy my job. And one of the best parts about going to work each day is that I enjoy all of the people I work with. They make me laugh, talk with me about things we have in common, share my frustrations and support me in countless ways. Even after 12-1/2 years in the same job, I still feel incredibly blessed to work where I do.

In fact, my coworkers have a great sense for when things aren't going so well for me at the moment and rarely ever fail to crack a joke or do something to put a smile back on my face.

But that doesn't mean I love EVERYTHING about my job. As with any means of employment, there are small tasks I don't relish, and I have days (like yesterday) where it's a constant struggle to find the positive, rather than focus on what's gone wrong. (A good part of my frustration yesterday came from kicking myself for what I didn't do to prevent some of the problems, since I should know better by now.) If there's one thing I've learned by doing the same job this long, though, it's that tomorrow is another day.

Thank you, Lord, for the clean slate you give us each morning. For the people you put in our lives who make each day enjoyable. For the new opportunities to help be the bright spot for those who are struggling. For the challenges that help us grow into stronger, more resilient people.

And, of course, for the chocolate chip cookies.