Things I'm Thankful For

Started a new book today: Simple Abundance by Sarah Ban Breathnach. It's been in the media and was featured by Oprah. Has been on my shelf for a long time but just now getting around to reading it. I'll let you know how it goes (it's a BIG book). The basic gist is to be thankful for the basic everyday things that we would probably take for granted. I like the idea of putting down in writing every day things I'm thankful for. You should try it!

I wrote this next section last year and tucked it away. When I started reading this book it came to mind.

Cool fall mornings are definitely a gift from God, there's just nothing like them. After stifling heat, scorching winds, and blazing sun the refreshing change ranks right up there with hot-fudge sundaes. (Pretty high ranking, if you ask me). Even though I sometimes grumble about the oppressive heat or biting cold, deep down I really do give thanks for the change of seasons. Tropical consistency is great but I look forward to the changes in seasons, and I'm thankful for them.

Sometimes it's so easy to get caught up in the daily grind that I forget to step back and appreciate all of my blessings.

When I was elbow-high in dirty dishes and laundry, it was hard to be thankful for the rowdy little creatures that created such a mess - until they grew up and left home and I was only doing dishes for two.

When I was still up at midnight waiting on one of them to get home, it was hard to be thankful - until they had a place of their own and I wondered if they were okay.

It was hard to be thankful when Grandmommy told me I had put way too much sage in the cornbread dressing - until she was gone and I had to make it by myself.

It was hard to be thankful for rules when I was growing up - until I was faced with temptations later on didn't know how to deal with.

It was hard to be thankful for pouring rain - until I looked out over a parched wheat field dying in the hot sun.

It was hard to be thankful for painful shots and doctors' offices - until a good friend was diagnosed with cancer and those shots were her only hope.

There are so many things to be thankful for, where do you start? We live in a free country where we can worship as we choose, elect our own government, be protected from criminals, and dream dreams with the realistic expectations of fulfilling them. I'm thankful for that.

I'm also thankful for my family, warts and all. They're not perfect, they're not always completely normal, but what is normal anyway? Sometimes I think normal is overrated. For the most part, they're a pretty good bunch - full of love, laughter and forgiveness. I was blessed to have a mother and father who loved us, took good care of us, took us to church on Sundays, and taught us love, respect, and compassion. Even when we disagreed, we always knew we were loved and that we would always have each other. I'm thankful for that.

I'm thankful for my husband. I'm thankful for his strengths, and also his weaknesses. I'm thankful that he's honest, loyal, responsible, disciplined, and that he's such a great father to our children. I also give thanks for his weaknesses, because if he didn't have any, he wouldn't be human, and he wouldn't need me. Hopefully our strengths and weaknesses balance out, and hopefully I can give him something that no one else can. God gave me the perfect mate, and even when we don't see eye-to-eye, I'm thankful for him.

I'm thankful for my children. Parenting isn't easy, but the reward is SO worth the effort. I thank God for their health, their smiles, their individual personalities, and yes, even for their tempers. I don't always like their stubbornness or outbursts, but it does teach me patience and diplomacy. And the hugs and heart-to-heart talks make up for all the down sides.
I'm thankful for that.

Most of all, I'm thankful that I have a God who loves me and forgives me, even when I don't deserve it. He guides me, comforts me, and picks me up when I feel I just can't go on. I'm so thankful for that.

And I'm also thankful for all the little things in life. I'm thankful for a note from a long lost friend, a delivery that arrives on time, a kind word when I'm sad, short check-out lines, re-chargeable batteries, self-cleaning ovens, a crocus in spring, a child's giggle, a good harvest, hot-fudge sundaes, and cool fall mornings. Life would be bleak indeed without each and every one of these things.

What are you thankful for?