Monday, November 2, 2015

30 Days of Grateful - Day 1

I haven't blogged in forever and a day but I'm just jumping right in here with a personal challenge... I want to write for the next month about things I'm thankful for.  I know it's a tad cliche and we shouldn't work on thankfulness only in November.... I've thought that myself and probably even said such things out loud to Jonathan.  It's kind of like how I don't like getting treats and flowers just because it's Valentines Day, thankfulness and appreciating our world is something that should be happening constantly.  Buuuut unfortunately isn't the case, at least not with me.  I let attitudes of entitlement and frustration and impatience creep in and before I know it I am looking right past the gifts and right into that downward spiral of being unsatisfied, frustrated, and ungrateful.  I'm praying that sitting down to really look for, appreciate, and call out the things that I am blessed with will make a thankful heart even more of a habit in my life - and therefore in the lives of those who I am blessed to influence....

Ok...so to start with, let me also say that my list is in no particular order of importance.  I am not more grateful for the things I list first or less grateful for the last few things.  I know that might sound silly to point out but welcome to my brain, where one states the obvious and worries about the ridiculous =)

Now that allllll of that is out of the way.... whew....

I am thankful for my home... for the walls that keep us dry and warm and together.  I am thankful for the floor that is all too often covered in toys and shoes and littered with cheerio crumbs and for the space that I share with the people I love best in the world.  It's easy for me to find the flaws in this gift - it's too small, it's rented and not something we own, the days where it's messy trump the days when it's not...etc, etc, etc.  I can find the flaws so easily - and I don't like that.  I want to be grateful that, while it's a home we rent, that brings it's own perks and is not a sign of failure to be an adult.  When something breaks, we have a team of kind, hardworking, and efficient handymen that come and - poof! - the broken things is fixed. (Thank you Jesus for them because I am not known for my ability to fix things properly.)  We don't have to worry about cutting the grass or painting the trim... It's all beautifully maintained for us.  That's a blessing.  I am grateful that the slightly disheveled space is made so in part by a cheerful toddler and busy, hardworking husband and that, thought sometimes messy, it's safe and clean and somewhere I chose to live. Those are blessings.

So,  let me start my Days of Gratitude with this -

Thank you Jesus for my home, for a physical space in the world that is a solace from the hustle and bustle.  Thank you that it is safe, clean, and lovely.  Thank you Jesus that, in this space, there are treasures that remind me of great adventures with my husband, books and journals that take me back to places where I was stretched and grown as a person and believer, photos of people and places I love deeply, and, generally, thank you that this home houses physical reminders of your goodness in this life I've lived so far.  Thank you for the roof over my head, the carpet under my feet, and the walls that keep out the wind and rain tonight.

Thank you Father for the gift of our home... I am so grateful.

PS - I realize that I am publishing this technically on Nov. 2nd...I'll get caught up =)

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