When I was teaching in the school system, I had my students keep a "Thankful Journal". I had actually long forgotten about that. But in the past few weeks, I have been reminded; and challenged to start again. My life is over flowing with blessings. Sometimes those aren't the things that get the focus. Sometimes the busyness, the challenges and the hectic things in life overshadow the blessings, and because we don't take the moments to sit and reflect on all of our blessings, they go unnoticed.
We, and hundreds of others, had hiked by this amazing tiny flower and never noticed the intricate beauty of it. It was certainly almost lost in the rest of the terrain surrounding it. As I bent to tie my shoe, I finally noticed it. I am in awe of it's beauty. That an almighty God, creating the universe, would create something so tiny and with such perfection. He didn't have to. He could have made everything black and white, monochrome, and we would never have known the difference. But He didn't. He loves us and His blessings are everywhere. I'm going to start counting.
I've been told it is life changing. Told that it becomes a bit addictive, and that you start to notice the little blessings all around you. I'm counting on it!
1. First and foremost, above all else I am eternally thankful for a loving God. Whose love, grace and mercy ARE my life.
2. My Mom and Dad. Amazing people. Gifts to me from God above.
3. The family as a whole that I grew up in. The experiences, the memories, the life.
4. My brothers. All three of them. Do they know that I count them as blessings in my life, that I am so thankful for them? Maybe I should tell them too.
5. My amazing husband. Through all of life's ups and downs, joys and challenges, he is a massive blessing. He is a gift to my life, in my life. I can't imagine this journey without him.
6. My children. Three of them. I'm sure on my way to counting a thousand gifts and blessings, they will appear many, many times. In the things they do and say. Today in the simplicity of the beginning, I am just going to say... my children.
7. My friends. Again, through the counting, they will come up again and again I know. I have many treasured friends.
8. My heritage. I have thought of this recently. In one branch of my family it goes back generation after generation (beyond what we can count) of people who knew and loved the Lord, whose lives were in Him. My children have been prayed for for six generations, (my brothers and I for at least five.) A Godly heritage.
9. The ability to be home with my children. To spend my days learning, exploring and creating with them.
10. The quiet moment that I have right now; in this space. For it won't last long. The kids are outside "helping" daddy build the waterfall. For this moment in time, I'm alone. It's quiet and peaceful. And I am thankful.
My heart is full.
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