When things don't go right, it helps to look back through a journal, unintended as that journal may be, to look at the past. And I found this back in August. Before I found the Gratitude Community, and before I began counting. And before I begin counting today, a prayer is in order, to 'create in me a clean heart', to straighten things out again. Our path seems to be muddy & rutted, the shoes I'm wearing seem not to fit, and I just sit down. If someone asks me to get up and walk, I don't respond nicely. Understatement. Serious understatement. Lacking purity, loveliness, truth.... So before I count, the innumerable blessings, I need to take off the mask I've put on covering my eyes to the loveliness around me and, ask for some forgiveness. I need a bottle of that Garden Soap to clean out my brain & mouth, to make it ready to offer thanks. Gratitude is the antidote, but one must know their sick. And I'm sick, & tired.
So I'll count, because I need healing. I need to see the truth of the abundance of God's gifts.
- birds to watch eat from out feeders we made in studying 'Flying Creatures'.
-I have hot coffee.
-more than enough milk for a quick cereal breakfast.
-sunshine instead of mood altering rain.
-art class with 2 special family's children.
-a fun field trip to Oakley House to see where John James Audubon stayed.
-seeing a young, strong Marine home from training, that inspires my son to do his best.
-a husband who works on a pinewood derby car, tirelessly.
-a fun night out with husband.
- a gentle, godly & fun babysitter to watch kids.
-all the books I could want to teach my children at home.
-a car that runs & can tote kids to & from a store full of food.
-running water, both hot & cold.
-a budget friendly library system where I can check out books & all sorts of media.
-2 healthy children.
(26-39)I'm feeling better, my attitude is better, thank you Lord, for seeing what needs to be cleansed from my mind. Help me to focus on these gifts. Just a few out of the thousands.
If you would like to join the Gratitude Community go over to A Holy Experience, to see what others are noticing in the abundance of God's Gifts.
4 comments:
Those are just the words I needed to hear this morning. : )
Oh, how true... we must ask God to clean the heart again and again. And when it is swept clean, we must fill it anew with good things - gratitude - because if we don't, sin seeks to come back twelve fold!
Your list was so sweet - brought tears to my eyes. We truly DO have much to be thankful for.
The journey to heaven does get "wearing doesn't it? I have been realizing that the God given expectations we have for ourselves and our children does make life more difficult. Jesus promised abundance, and many times abundance to me seems to mean more difficult (Can you tell...I also have boys:)But I think it is the long-term investment that brings us so much joy. Your post was such a good reminder to me why it is sometimes so hard for me to find something new to be thankful about. I need to take off the Mask and the blinders so I can see God's working more clearly. Thank you for the beautiful post Laura and for dropping by my blog:) Many blessings to you.
I feel we may be a kindred spirit...watching birds feed from my feeder, a gift indeed!
A heart that needs to be cleansed and an attitude that needs to be changed, yes, that is me, too!
Taking off the mask...how honest and transparent you are! That is hard to put out there for the whole world to read. You are an inspiration and a reminder that we must all look ourselves in the mirror and see ourselves as God sees us, forgive ourselves as God forgives us and love ourselves and others as He loves us.
Grace to you...
Love your list.
Feel very refreshed after spending time with you.
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