'Yay!' Moments

“Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin...” (Zechariah 4:10 NLT)

Look over your day so far. Have you had any small accomplishments? Maybe you found a lost item or finished a household task that you had been putting off or made a new recipe or planted a tree or picked the last raspberries before the frost or made a new exercise goal or trained your dog to do a new trick. Perhaps you had a strenuous day, but you managed to just hang on without backsliding into previous bad habits. You managed to not eat the donut in the breakroom at work. You didn’t check your phone during time with your loved ones. You added another day of sobriety to your streak. You didn’t yell at someone, even though you wanted to. Do not discount these small victories. 

Even if nobody else notices them, make a point to recognize these little blessings. Make a mental note. Whisper ‘Yay!’ under your breath. Ask your loved ones to share their highlights. Rejoice with them in their ‘Yay Moments’ as well. Inspire each other. Celebrate even on the days of small progress. Give thanks for the times you did not regress. Take an inventory of the parts of your body that are still functional, the relationships that are still intact, and the dangers from which you were shielded. Notice the beauty of nature--the brilliant colors, the susurration of the wind, the predictable rhythms of seasons, the ever-present stars that become visible on certain nights. Praise God for every little blessing. Take nothing for granted.