Thankful Thursdays ~ October 18th

Do I have some things to share with you!! 🙂

You know that book that I was telling you about last Thursday? One Thousand Gifts, by Ann Voskamp… Well, it has truly inspired me to be even more thankful.

Thankful..Grateful..for even the not so good things. It’s becoming a habit..a positive change by choice, to count it all joy. Sometimes it takes longer, but I eventually get around to it.

 

 Like…on my gratitude list..

#32 clean sheets for when the puppy decided to tinkle on Alden’s sheets

#77 being able to be honest with God about my feelings (when I am not loving a situation, etc..when I don’t feel like joy is possible..)

#58 not losing my temper when Marleigh (the puppy) chewed my daughter’s bottom retainer.

#59 only the bottom retainer was chewed up

#60 if the bottom retainer is too expensive to replace right now, at least it is the bottom retainer.. 🙂

 

Those are all things that I would have gotten angry and frustrated about before. Yet, GRATITUDE and THANKFULNESS and looking for JOY in every single thing is changing me. Changing me for the good!

 

Every GOOD thing comes from GOD.

 

James 1:17 (NLT) ~ Whatever is good and perfect comes down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.

 

GOD is good. God is love.

 

AND...the truth is, that good can be found in everything that God created. Every single day is a gift. The yuck..it can even be made into something good and useful..to glorify God.

 

Romans 8:28 (NLT) ~ And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.

 

 Will you choose to see the beauty in everything with me? Will you try to count it all joy? Will you begin..right now..by naming just THREE things that you are thankful for today. In this moment. Look around and be thankful.

 

 Philippians 4:4 (NLT) ~ Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again – rejoice!

 

Deuteronomy 28 :47,48 ~ If you do not serve the LORD your God with joy and enthusiasm for the abundant benefits you have received, you will serve your enemies whom the LORD will send against you. You will be left hungry, thirsty, naked, and lacking in everything.

 Will you?

 

For me..right now in this very moment, I am thankful for:

1) Coming home from the gym and finding a card from my husband that expressed his love for me. AND, he shared the beginning of his list of 1000 gifts with me.

 

2) A clean and organized laundry room..Thanks to a selfless best friend that gave of herself…

 

 

 

 

3) memories…that I can remember times gone by..good and bad ones..because it is important to remember. To grow and be thankful and move forward..

     

   

 

 

 

 

 ( The thing is..I don’t even know if I  realized at the time..that these were moments to be counted all joy.. these memories..time flies, slow down and count them ALL..All of the moments count.)

 

 

 

Thankful for each one of you!

 

Until Next Time,