30 Days of Gratitude & Thanksgiving 2013: Day 9

I AM THANKFUL FOR:

Texts from my sister

Cinnamon rolls fresh from the oven

The male offspring being in a good mood in the morning

DIY embellished sweatshirt

 

30 Days of Gratitude & Thanksgiving: Day 8

I AM THANKFUL FOR:

Visits with my dad

Clean kitchen

Starting a new crochet project

Laughter

 

Defined By Circumstances

 cir·cum·stance

noun\ˈsər-k^əm-ˌstan(t)s, -stən(t)s\

: a condition or fact that affects a situation

circumstances : the way something happens : the specific details of an event

: an event or situation that you cannot control

Circumstances are the conditions we find ourselves in at any given time.  It's the time, place, or situation.

Circumstances do not define who we are. Let me repeat myself.  Circumstance DO NOT define who we are.

And we don't have to allow them to determine what we do or how we act.

Having a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day?  We all do. Maybe it's even a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad week.  Or year.  It happens.

But that is not who you are.  You can't let it determine how you live your life or how you treat others.

People may have hurt you.  You don't have to be hurtful towards others.

The skies may be gray.  You don't have to be full of gloom and doom.

You may be surrounded by turmoil.  You don't have to seek out or start drama. 

Circumstances change all the time.  Constantly.  If you allow who you are to be ruled by them, you will be as unpredictable as the weather.

So, when life gets messy - remind yourself that you are not a mess.  It's your circumstances that seem hopeless.  You are not hopeless.

You have the power to rise above your circumstances. You can move past what has happened to you, or the mess you created for yourself, or what you have done and be the person God created you to be.

Raise you head up.  Hold tight to the one constant in life - God and His unfailing love and promises.  Remind yourself who you are.  You are his child.  You are loved.

And His love can see you through even the worst circumstances life has to offer.

30 Days of Gratitude & Thanksgiving: Day 7

I AM THANKFUL FOR:

Weekend roadtrips to Pigeon Forge

Birthday freebies

Finding an awesome deal on a new shower curtain
The perfect mirror for the living room
The Bear in the Big Blue House

 

30 Days of Gratitude & Thanksgiving: Day 6

I AM THANKFUL FOR:

The Man of the House's softball team went undefeated in the tournament

Good books

Curious George

Leap of Faith

The grand baby loves to jump.  He will climb onto the couch... or the ottoman... or the stairs... or the bed, then he will turn around, and just leap into your arms. Often with a squeal or a laugh.

There is no hesitation, no pause to see if you are prepared, no hint of fear in his little blue eyes, no doubt.  Just joy at the leap.  Trusting that you will be there to catch him and not let him fall.

Oh friends... isn't that exactly how our Lord wants us to trust Him?

To leap out into His arms with a laugh.  

To jump right into the plans He has prepared for us with joyful abandon. 

Trusting Him completely.

Pushing past any fear.

No doubt.

No hesitation.

Fully believing that He will be there to catch us and keep us from harm.

30 Days of Gratitude & Thanksgiving: Day 5

I AM THANKFUL FOR:

This...

30 Days of Gratitude & Thanksgiving 2013: Day 4

I AM THANKFUL FOR:

Rude awakenings by the cat

Quiet mornings

Seeing other people be kind to strangers

Sunny Autumn days

Thinking of Others

I saw this on CBS Sunday Morning show a couple of weeks ago, and it made me cry a little. And smile.



These are kids in middle school!  I have lived through middle school.  I have seen two offspring through middle school in the not so recent past.  I know exactly how selfish... and even cruel... middle schoolers can be.

But if you have ever looked at middle school kids and had any worries for the future, these boys can renew your faith in the next generation.

This is a bunch of kids who were willing to put themselves aside for one evening so that someone else could have a moment of glory.

And let them be an inspiration to all of us. What could we do at any given moment to brighten someone else's day?

30 Days of Gratitude & Thanksgiving 2013: Day 3

I AM THANKFUL FOR:

Being by myself

When God talks to me

Football Sundays

Meatball subs

30 Days of Gratitude & Thanksgiving 2013: Day 2

I AM THANKFUL FOR:

Blackberry tea

A warm heating pad

The grand baby saying "BOO" and laughing

Someone else cleaning the kitchen

30 Days of Gratitude & Thanksgiving 2013: Day 1

I AM THANKFUL FOR:

The grand baby saying "Happy happy happy!"

Bright crimson tree

Birthday sushi lunch

Being another year older

The first frosty mornings

30 Days of Gratitude & Thanksgiving Revisited

For a year now I have been keeping a gratitude journal.  Sometimes writing several things a day, sometimes nothing at all.  Sometimes for several days in a row it goes untouched. 

It's so easy to get wrapped up into the busyness of life and to overlook all the beautiful things. 

We often forget that even in the hard times, the sad times, the hurt-filled times - there is still good.  There is still something for which we can give thanks.  There is always something, no matter how small, which we can be grateful for.

We notice the big things.  The births.  The weddings.  The parties and celebrations.  The unexpected promotion,a gift, a vacation, a raise in salary, a visit form a loved one.  But what about that few seconds of solitude when our soul can rest, the sound of silence, the song on the radio which has us singing along, the moment something makes us smile briefly. 

Life is made up of all the small things that happen between the "Big Stuff".  Those are the things we should perhaps be most grateful for. 

Scripture says in Matthew 25:23, "His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!' "  Perhaps when we take the time to notice and are faithful to thanks for all the we consider "small", then we will be showered with even more blessings.  

Again this year for the month of November,  I am keeping a series of posts entitled "30 Days of Gratitude & Thanksgiving".  A sort of gratitude journal to remind me of all the blessings (big and small) in my life.