At my house, we love to celebrate. We celebrate the usual stuff that most families do, like holidays and birthdays. But we also have been known to celebrate small victories like making it through a tough week (or sometimes even not so tough!), report cards (whether good or bad), a good dental check-up, or that a child finished a test in a difficult subject and now the stress of that is behind her.

It’s easy to get caught up in the busyness of life. We often rush from one thing to the next without a pause to stare wide-eyed at what we accomplished. Some things stand out large in our life picture, like a new book release or a job promotion, or straight A’s. But let’s face it, most of life is made up of smaller, but equally important accomplishments. These small things are what weave the very fabric of our lives. Zechariah 4:10 (NLT) states it this way, “Do not despise these small beginnings, for the LORD rejoices to see the work begin…”

So here are a few ideas to help you get your mind into celebration mode. Look for small things, small beginnings, to celebrate and keep your family’s attitude positive and upbeat. Things like:

1. The first sprout in your garden. Followed by the first harvest.
2. The first day of school.
3. A first tooth, and every tooth that falls out.
4. A positive note from a teacher.
5. A difficult report written.
6. Learning to ride a bike.
7. A good review at work.
8. An opportunity to share your faith.
9. The first day you start an exercise program.
10. A good mood.
11. A beautiful sunset.
12. A clean house.
13. The first time your baby sleeps through the night.
14. When your favorite TV show begins a new season.
15. A finished project.
16. Then there’s all those crazy, lesser-known holidays just dying to be celebrated. You can find a list of them here.

Now mind you, celebrations don’t have to be big or expensive. They can be as simple as putting on some music and dancing in the living room, packing a picnic and heading to the park, or having a compliment party where everyone takes a turn saying something nice about each person present.

Some of our small celebrations have turned into traditions. After doing yard work in the blazing heat, we always go to Sonic and get a Cream Slush. It refreshes us and gives us something to look forward to as we work. We’ve found ourselves saying as we work on a tough job, “This is going to call for a Cream Slush.” (Our favorite is the strawberry, in case you’re wondering.) It makes something not-so-fun into something fun.

The point is to pay attention to life’s positives. When we take time to stop and notice all our blessings, we’re apt to see more and more of them and it changes the trajectory of our lives. We become thankful and nicer to be around.

And believe me, that is a huge gift not only to our families, but to our own little corners of the world.

Share in the comments what types of things your family celebrates. How do you celebrate them?

Linda