At church on Sunday, I over heard a friend of mine asking another friend, "how do you stay thankful everyday? I know what I am and should be thankful for, but how do you live that everyday?" I nosed my way into that conversation a little bit. Her point was a good one. When you try so hard to be the good wife, mother, daughter, friend and employee sometimes your life is so busy that it is hard to remember all the wonderful things we have and should be thankful for. Even more hard to remember if you do have something wrong healthwise or your loved one does. If you are going through tough financial times it can be hard to remember how beautiful the morning sun can be and be thankful for it. If you have been left by someone you care for deeply either by death or decision, thankfulness that your heart is beating can be tough. What do you do then to remind yourself of the little things?
...the tiny hand that can hold your heart...
...love of whatever makes your spirit soar...
...God's presence in all that we do...
...food that is here to nourish our bodies..
So many incredible things, that are just everyday things, to be thankful for. Small ideas, like the sun came up today, there is a breeze blowing to cool our house on such a hot day, there is food in the fridge and we are hungry, the toilet flushes, we have a home, our van works, we are healthy, we have medical insurance, we have wonderful friends, we have a good dog, or I got to sleep for 4 hours before the baby woke up. Then there are the personal bigger things, learning to walk for the first time, getting that job you always wanted, being able to afford an addition to your home. There are amazing things to be thankful for, children saved from burning homes, people donating money to build water wells in drought ridden lands, education to people who have not been given that opportunity. It ranges from tiny miracles to angelic miracles that are around us everyday God has given to us.
For me, my glass is always half full. Maybe because life started out not fair with my father leaving that I had to choose how to look at life. No I will never be over that. But I had to put that into perspective and not let his bad choice rule my life. I am thankful that he donated his sperm so that I can be here and be the mother of 4 incredible children and the wife of an amazingly wonderful man. Without his sperm how many different lives would be affected negatively because I was not there? I would not have been the shoulder to cry on or the smile that changed someones day. I might not have been there when someone needed a ride and saved them from a situation that could have been very bad. Who would my husband have married? Would he be happy? Would she take care of him the way I do? I would not be here kissing my baby and feeding her grapes seeing the sweet smile on her face. These are moments and reasons and people to be thankful for and about.
I know that I am just going on and on but I think that God does not make mistakes and he gives us certain challenges for reasons that we just can't comprehend. When you look back later you see how strong you were and are thankful for getting through the experience.I try to be thankful every day and teach my children to see in their everyday life all the blessings they have received, from getting up and being able to, all the way to the end of the day with all their great adventures with friends and family.
A friends simple question has started me on a "thankful quest" to acknowledge the gifts I have been given everyday and to find even more on the days that are driving me crazy, and even more on the days that I just want to give up.
What are you thankful for? Do you remember to thank God for that everyday? See, it was a good question.
For me, my glass is always half full. Maybe because life started out not fair with my father leaving that I had to choose how to look at life. No I will never be over that. But I had to put that into perspective and not let his bad choice rule my life. I am thankful that he donated his sperm so that I can be here and be the mother of 4 incredible children and the wife of an amazingly wonderful man. Without his sperm how many different lives would be affected negatively because I was not there? I would not have been the shoulder to cry on or the smile that changed someones day. I might not have been there when someone needed a ride and saved them from a situation that could have been very bad. Who would my husband have married? Would he be happy? Would she take care of him the way I do? I would not be here kissing my baby and feeding her grapes seeing the sweet smile on her face. These are moments and reasons and people to be thankful for and about.
I know that I am just going on and on but I think that God does not make mistakes and he gives us certain challenges for reasons that we just can't comprehend. When you look back later you see how strong you were and are thankful for getting through the experience.I try to be thankful every day and teach my children to see in their everyday life all the blessings they have received, from getting up and being able to, all the way to the end of the day with all their great adventures with friends and family.
A friends simple question has started me on a "thankful quest" to acknowledge the gifts I have been given everyday and to find even more on the days that are driving me crazy, and even more on the days that I just want to give up.
What are you thankful for? Do you remember to thank God for that everyday? See, it was a good question.
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