Gratitude
The Ugly-Beautiful
I’m blogging over at Scrapartist this morning on artist dates and the ugly-beautiful.
Today I’m grateful for…
It’s been a rough week around here with my husband gone on yet another work trip. He’s been gone three of the last five weeks and it’s starting to wear on us. We’ve cried, we’ve complained, we’ve lost our tempers. But now as I’m counting down the hours to him getting home, and wanting to just feel relief that we’ve made it, I’m wondering if I’ve missed something–or someone. Somewhere between the tears and complaints, I’ve missed God. He’s been giving me little tokens of his love all week, and I’ve been too busy just trying to survive to see them. Isn’t this the way it always is?
So tonight as I sit here, looking over happy memories from Christmas, and listening to the peaceful silence as little ones slumber, my heart is suddenly full. I am blessed. I am BLESSED. Today I am grateful for…
- A mother in law who took the time to bring over dinner and dance around the living room with the kids, while I got to sit down and rest.
- My sister and mom who came over earlier in the week with smiles and laughter when I wanted to cry.
- Our Thursday morning playgroup, getting to make new friends having a place to go where you are loved and accepted no matter what crazy thing your kids just did.
- My kids, who love to dance and sing and live life.
- Airplanes, because waiting six months for James to come home on a covered wagon would not be cool. LOL
Have a blessed weekend!
Learning Gratitude
“Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it.”–William Arthur Ward
I’ve been given so many gifts, but how many times do I just grab them and run, ignore them or even reject them? And I’m missing out. With every blessing that God gives me, I have an opportunity to bless God back. I am going to learn to be grateful. It doesn’t come naturally, and it’s not easy, but I am willing to learn. To look past what I don’t have and see what I do have. To appreciate and savor, and to praise him for these endless gifts. So today, I begin.
1. Dinner and laughter with old friends.
2. Children who pile into bed with me in the morning.
3. The hush at the end of the day.
Father, teach me to treasure these gifts from your hand and may my life be a life of thankfulness.
