Smile

All my life I have been a "serious" thinker, not something I am proud of.  I remember when people would stop and ask me if something was wrong and I would be startled. Nothing was wrong, I was just deep in thought. 

I have noticed recently that I need to smile more, especially at my children.  If you are like me and need to work on this, smile on purpose at someone and watch what happens.  I remember when I first did this some months back.  I, on purpose, smiled at my daughter. It took her a moment, but after the initial surprise, she smiled back.  It was wonderful, and a little sad at the same time. The fact that my smiling unexpectedly would take her off guard revealed to me that that this was something she was NOT used to.  

How many times have I missed opportunities to smile at my children, my spouse, and others?  Not anymore!  A sincere smile is a valuable gift that we have the ability to offer freely to others.  It can to brighten days and instantly offer encouragement.

Did you know that a smile is not just good for those around you, but it has health benefits for you as well?
So, in addition to counting my blessings and personal devotion time discovering joy, my challenge for this week is to practice smiling more often, intentionally, to bless others...
joyfully yours,
lisa