Year ago, someone wrote a tongue-in-cheek article, “What Your Favorite Color Says about You.” It was quite amusing. Sure wish I had saved it. Alas.
Anyway, I remember thinking, Oh, this will be so much fun to share with the girls at lunch. Those girls would be the other fourth grade teachers at my school.
Sure enough, my colleagues not only enjoyed it, they laughed till they cried. In fact, I did, too. A few times I could hardly get the words out before a giggle-fit would overpower me.
Had the happy-tears come while reading to myself? No. I don’t even think I laughed out loud. Only when I shared it.
And once again I experienced the phenomenon:
To share a joy is to expand the joy.
It’s a blessing booster!
C.S. Lewis explained such occurrences this way (and with extreme eloquence, I might add): “We delight to praise what we enjoy because the praise not merely expresses but completes the enjoyment.”
Yet sharing joy to expand the joy is not the only way to appreciate more fully God’s blessings.
Paying attention to details also heightens our awareness of God’s glory around us. Let’s face it: How often do we miss his blessings because we’re so distracted?
I’m still striving to learn this blessing-booster: living aware. Too often my thoughts are focused on events, what-ifs, the to-do list. I need to:
- Take note of the graceful sway of Spanish moss in the trees.
- Breathe deeply the aroma of a crisp spring morning.
- Listen to the happy chirps of a sparrow.
- Truly taste the nutty goodness of freshly brewed coffee (not just gulp it down).
- Focus on the cool smoothness of a rose petal.
To live aware is to experience constant joy in the wonder around us.
Another blessing-booster is the natural result of living aware: gratitude. Expressing contentment for what we already have, even the little things, can profoundly effect our spirits.
For example, I am deeply grateful for:
- Steve’s three squeezes when he holds my hand. It means, “I love you;” and we’ve been passing that silent message back and forth for over forty years.
- Color. Any color of the rainbow. God could have created the world in shades of gray. It probably wouldn’t have mattered. But the variety, the interest, and infinite number of combinations add such great pleasure to our lives.
- The dimples on a baby’s hand. The epitome of cuteness.
As I contemplate each one, I smile, because:
To be full of gratitude is be full of joy.
And perhaps that’s the best blessing-booster of them all.
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What blessing-booster expands your joy? Tell us about it in the Comment section below!
(Photo credits: www.writeamberwrite.com; http://www.bridgetolife.de/administrator/moss-tree; http://www.peacefulplanetcommunication.com)
From the Inside Out 
This is so great! I’m glad you shared. I’m blessed when I do life with other ladies and laugh uncontrollably. I love when my husband says my name in “just that way.” My kids? When I see them soaring in what they do best. 😀
Please forgive the tardiness of this reply. I’ve been out of state visiting family.
You’ve listed some delightful blessings! Thank you for bringing them to our attention.
Such a lovely post, Nancy! Thank you. The small things that make me say ‘thank you?’ My youngest granddaughter’s fierce hugs; my husband’s wild hair when he wakes up (not much of it left, but somehow, he manages to gloriously ruffle it whilst sleeping!); the view out my bedroom windows – mountains and trees and sky. Thank you, Lord.
Please forgive the tardiness of this reply. I’ve been out of state visiting family.
The comment about your husband’s hair made me smile. How wonderful that you find his wild morning-hair endearing!
Great reminder, Our family has the three squeezes to mean I love you too. Blessing boosters is a wonderful phrase. need to practice it more.
Please forgive the tardiness of this reply. I’ve been out of state visiting family.
So glad you found “blessing boosters” meaningful!
I wonder where that three-squeeze “I love you” originated.
Hi Nancy, I found your blog through Heidi Viars site. I love how you reminded us to slow down and pay attention to God’s creative hand working all around us. My blessing booster would be when I witness people using their creative gifts to serve God!
Oh, yes, that’s a good one! I, too, marvel at the expertise of vocalists, instrumentalists, artists, etc. who honor God with their talents. You’re right: they are a supreme blessing and do give us great joy!
Remembering God’s faithfulness is a blessing booster for me and fills me with joy and gratitude… Love the statement “To be full of gratitude is to be full of joy.” Thanks for sharing this!
Please forgive the tardiness of this reply. I’ve been out of state visiting family.
Oh, yes–remembering God’s faithfulness is a definite blessing booster! Problem is, I can’t always trust my memory. That’s why I’m so glad I started a blessings journal years ago.
Thank you for stopping by, Lisa, and leaving a comment! Love to you and yours!
Priceless words conveying your joy. Thank you for sharing these wonderful thoughts. This world needs more joy daily.
Please forgive the tardiness of this reply. I’ve been out of state visiting family.
Amen to more joy! The world needs the joy of Jesus, don’t they–the joy of knowing his peace and presence, and the assurance of eternal life. Then the other joys of life take on greater significance because they are love gifts from Him.
Thank you for stopping by, Jeanne, and taking time to comment!
“To live aware is to experience constant joy in the wonder around us.” Profoundly simple, Nancy. I really needed this reminder today. I’ve been in a busy season lately (theater production with my kids) and I forget to slow down and be aware. How easily I allow joy to get squished out with all of the to-do’s. Blessings to you.
Please forgive the tardiness of this reply. I’ve been out of state visiting family.
Living aware is one of those disciplines that takes time to develop. Thankfully, God isn’t interested in perfection, he’s interested (and takes great delight) in progress. Don’t be too hard on yourself, Rebeca. It sounds as if you don’t just have a full plate right now; you have an overflowing platter! My guess is, you are taking great joy in your kids’ performance practice. That’s a wonder in itself, isn’t it!
Your post reminds me about one of the Caregiving Support Group Meetings, I had everyone chuckle and it became contagious. Then, we raised our hands and laughed more deeply. When we were finished with our laughing session everyone had a smile on their face. It was good to see the smile, because when they came through the door there was no smile.
Seeing the beauty around us is a joy. Taking the time to look is something you reminded me to do. Blessing to you Nancy for your posts and your love of God and others.
Oh, yes, such an uplift occurs when we have a good laugh in the company of others!
Blessings to you, too, Laura. You are always an uplift for me!
Wonderful ways that a Christian can expound and expand upon the joys the Lord sends our way, Nancy. I receive great joy in sharing blessings. The C.S. Lewis quote is wonderful. And I love the part about Steve squeezing your hand three times…that is SO special and unique.
You are so right: sharing blessings with others does indeed expand our joy. It IS more blessed to give than receive. Thank you for the added blessing booster!
Just catching up on my emails, and realised I’d missed this post. We too had the three squeeze ‘I love you’ when my kids were small and we walked to school. We also had the four squeeze reply ‘I love you too’.We would all walk in line, and pass the squeezes back and forth. My son is now grown up and married – next time he holds my hand when we walk the dog, I’ll have to see if he remembers! 🙂
For sure he’ll remember! My guess is he’ll finish off the three-squeezes with a hug. Thank you for sharing your heart-warming memory, Gil!