Gratitude Documented Day 16 | Smiles [Proverbs 15:30]

Hello Gratitude Documenters! We are over halfway through this month of intentionally journaling our gratitude and thankfulness to God. What a wonderful month!

Today’s prompt is “smiles” and our verse is Proverbs 15:30:

A cheerful look brings joy to the heart;
good news makes for good health.

I’m so thankful for extra kindness like a cheerful smile. My favorite coffee stand will sometimes draw a smiley face on my drink lid. Just a little something extra, but it makes me feel so special.

When I was a little girl, I was sick in the hospital, and someone gave me a big yellow chrysanthemum flower with a pipe cleaner smiley face. I had forgotten this memory until I was cutting out the large purple flower for this page! How cute and how thoughtful was someone to cheer up a sick little girl?

A few years ago while house hunting, I visited a little house that had smiley faces everywhere. Sketched onto little scraps of paper and taped up here and there, they were placed in spots frequently viewed – like a light switch or mirror. They hardly drew attention, yet once I saw them, I looked for more. In the garage, there was a large one painted on the wall so it was the last thing you saw while leaving, and the first while coming home. After the tour, I saw the owner returning home and she smiled cheerily and waved. She looked so joyful!

All of these memories bring a smile to my face. As a child of God, I have so much to be thankful for, and that brings joy to my heart. Joy that I can pass on with a smile, a little extra patience, unexpected generosity, or a few words of kindness. I’ve seen the effects of these little gestures. How little it takes to put a little cheer in someone’s heart! I’m thankful for smiles and the people who take time to sprinkle kindness wherever they go. :)

Thank you for joining me today and taking the time to read my post. I will pass along a design note:  I took my slightly dried paint brush that I used to paint the background and quickly swiped over the flower cluster and washi strips to make everything look a bit weathered (like the background). The elements as you purchase them will be brighter in color! I glued the flower cluster together first, then added decorative stitching. Afterwards, I glued it down as a giant embellishment. Having a separate journaling card in this month’s kit from Dayspring allowed me to fill the whole page and still have plenty of room for journaling!

<3, Cristin

additional supplies: Apple Barrel paint: Caribbean 20247E