Thankful, Grateful, Blessed and Breathing

This week I tried to write out the things I am thankful for each day and it has made such a difference in my perspective. The fear, sadness and all those other negative things that I have been feeling were just annihilated by the realization that I have been blessed beyond measure. So, I decided to try and change my way of dealing with the sadness/fear moments. When they hit me, I’m going to try to stop and be thankful for something.

Here’s my short list of the things I am thankful for:

-I’m thankful for daylight savings because my runs just got that much warmer and happier.

-I’m thankful for these guys (my brothers, sister-in-law and parents) for the way that they have loved my through a lot of my stuff, the years I was crazy with school and all the times I stole their toothbrushes.

-I’m so grateful that my parents planted a deep desire to serve other people in each of our hearts, that they taught us to start by serving each other, and that they encourage us to listen to people during conflict.

-I’m so blessed by the people I get to work with at the church, especially my boss, our team, and all the precious kiddos.

-I’m grateful for the great outdoors, for rock climbing, hiking, mountains and the ocean. Whew! It amazes me how beautiful the world is!!!

-I am so amazingly thankful for these two, the girls who have really known me for 11 years now, and who have chosen to stick with this friendship even when it is work. They are my laundry ladies, prayer partners, and accountability. They have dried my tears and belly laughed with me. What a joy it is to have them.

-I am thankful for perfect beach days and for my Gemma jam and Sharkey.

 

-I am grateful for the adventures that I have been able to have, for the enormity of God’s love for the world, and for the many friends that I have made along the way.

-I continue to be blessed by the way that God provides for me, whether it was how I expected that provision to come or not. And I am grateful for the reminder that I am a part of something bigger than myself, which means that it doesn’t have to happen MY way to happen at all.

-I’m so grateful for the huge community, the blanket of people who know and have known me, those who helped me to grow and fed me encouragement.

Seriously, I’m overflowing here guys. I can’t describe what has just happened in my heart as I wrote out this list and put up these pictures. I’m sure there are people and things here that I have forgotten to mention. I really do have THAT much to be thankful for. But, every single time I have stopped to be thankful this week I have felt God’s pleasure. It’s like He’s saying, “Yes, that’s right. I gave these things to you. I love to give good things to my children.” He is taking pleasure in the things that bring me to life.

He’s doing that for you too, can you hear Him?