A few years ago, my wife and I spotted this folk proverb on a sign hanging in one of our favorite Smoky Mountain restaurants: “Simple pleasures are life’s treasures.”  It reminded me of an old tv commercial that proclaimed, “Life’s simple pleasures are the best.”

Whatever one’s station or mission in life, little blessings should never be taken for granted.

During this week designated to remind us to count our blessings, I will certainly be giving thanks for faith, family, friends, and freedom. But there are a few things that popped up in my gratitude inventory that some folks might label as minor blessings. For me, however, they are a big deal. Some are simple pleasures, others are personal preferences, and a few are stress relievers.

These twelve represent a longer list of blessings that add richness and meaning to life, simple gifts that I never want to take for granted:

• A hot cup of coffee on a cold November morning.
• A multi-colored sunrise over the Blue Ridge Mountain or an autumn sunset over the Gulf of Mexico.
• Snuggly hugs from nieces and nephews, both young and old.
• A timely phone call from a friend.
• Artwork given to me by a child.
• Immersing myself in a good book…a novel, a biography, or a little theology.
• Home-made cards or hand-written notes of encouragement.
• A song emanating from my soul.
• A refreshing Sunday afternoon nap.
• An occasional walk between 18 holes.
• The freedom to gather with others to worship.
• The honor of walking alongside others through all the seasons of life, including dedicating, encouraging, baptizing, marrying, and even eulogizing a few of them.

This week as we give thanks for the big things, let us also take time to give thanks for the simple things that bring joy, fulfillment, and affirmation to our lives.

Paulo Coelho, popular author of The Alchemist, insists, “The simple things are also the most extraordinary things, and only the wise can see them.”

What would you include on your list of simple blessings?