“At the end of the day, give up your worries and give thanks for the journey.” – Ben Vereen

Day 18 of the 30 Days of Gratitude Challenge: Your favorite time of day.

Answer: Right now. This very moment is the best part of today. The time right before sleep has become my favorite…my favorite way to relax, my favorite everything. Propped by a large stack of pillows, I sit back and (usually) post to my blog, read a chapter or two from a book, jot a few things in my prayer journal and finally, pray. Finn settles in beside me – always right up against my leg, snoring and dreaming about dog stuff, as evidenced by his twitching and muffled barks in his sleep.

The whole routine somehow affords me the feeling that the day is closed — for better or worse, it’s done, in the books. I can close my laptop, close my book, close my journal; it’s over. I’ve expressed gratitude for the day’s blessings, addressed its challenges and spent my last waking minutes focused on quieting myself in God’s presence.

Then it’s time to sleep and give myself over to rest; tomorrow is a new day.