Saturday, November 8, 2014

Thankful, Grateful and Blessed

'Why is it that it takes the month of November for many of us to sit back and truly be thankful for all the blesssings that we've been given?! I try to not take things for granted and acknowlege my blesssings all year long, but in the month of November I challenge my friends, family and self to find one thing each day that we are thankful for.  Really lets you see how blessed you are...

Thankful Day1: my boys! While there are days when they drive me absolutely out of my mind, I more often grateful that I have 2 healthy boys. I have been blessed with two healthy (and mostly) happy boys with which to love, support, encourage and shape.  I pray that I'm doing a decent job!

                                                  

Thankful Day2: my husband! Since November 2nd is his birthday, I guess it's the ideal day to be gratefull for him. After 18years of marriage he's still here enouraging me, putting up with me, helping with laundry and dishes and saying "I Love You"! Wow, lucky me...

                                                        

Thankful Day3: my job and co-workers! Most of us will have multiple jobs and bossess in our lifetime... some we will like and some that we will... NOT.  I am  so fortunate to work with a group of peole that are dedicated to bettering themseves, the children they come into conntact with andd the people they work with.  I work with educators that consider one another family and in an elementary that is a true blessing!

Thankful Day4: heat! I know it sounds silly, but as the temperatures begin to drop and the north winds begin to blow, I can't help but be so thankful that I have a warm car, a toasty home and clothes that keep me warm inside and out...this is not the case for many. I try to be mindful of the cold and those that don't have everything that I have to keep themselves warm and safe.  

Thankful Day5: my parents! Yes, God knows exactly what he's doing when he choses the people to be our parents.  I am so fortunate to have parents that have always and continue to love and support me, teach and encourage me, laugh and cry with me... God is Good! I am blessed to have an example like them.

Thankful Day6: my own health! I know so many people; family and friends, that struggle with constant illness or worse, but I am blessed with a healthy life.  I could lose some weight and drink less wine, but we all have those kinds of things we wish we could change, right?! :) 

Thankful Day7: CoCo kitty! Last October this beautiful little black fluffball was found in a dumpster at only 2 weeks old and I fell in love.  Even though Jake strongly dislikes cats he let me nurse this little boy back to health, bottle feed him and hold him everyday while we all fell in love with him.   He  loves us andd Dallas and the feeling is totally mutual.  

                                                        
  
Thankful Day8: my friends! Thank you, Lord for putting people in my life that I need! I am so fortunate to have friends that laugh and cry with me, love and reprimand me, act crazy with me and love me when I'm crazy.  I can't imagine what my life would be without some of you...

Thankful Day9: weekends! While I love my work and he people I work with, it wears me out.  I love that I can have the weekend to rejuvinate myself and go back on Monday ready to take on another week!

Thankful Day10: Starbucks! No I'm not being smarty pants and I'm not trying to be funny... Monday mornings come around and I'm not always certain tha I can do this... pumpkin spice lattes in the fall and peppermint mochas in the winter give me that boost that I need to push on through :)

                                                      

Thankful Day11: military! I am eternally grateful to the men and women that have and continue to make it possible for me to rest each night without fear.  Freedom is NOT free and for years there have been brave souls willling to sacrifice for me... 

                                          

Thankful Day12: my grandma D! I have been blessed with an amazing grandmother that has taught me so much. Being the oldest grandchild, I feel like I have a relationship with her that goes beyond the rest and I know that I've been fortunate to learn so much from the woman that helped shape my mother, who helped shape me... thank goodness myy boys are getting to know her too!

Thankful Day13: books! While I was working on finishing my new teaching degees, I didn't have the time to readd for fun and I MISSED it dearly.  I love the ability to just disappear into another world... to forget all the worries and troubles of the day.  

                                                      
       


Thankful Day14: prayer! The ability to share my burdens with my Heavenly Father, to thank Him for all the blessings and lessons and to know that there is someone always there for me.  There is so much in this life that I can't image walking through wiithout prayer...

Thankful Day15: wine! This is not meant to be funny nor is it meant to say that I can't survive without it, but after a long long day at work sometimes the best thing in life is to curl up in my comfy chair with a nice glass of Chardonnay.

Thankful Day16: Natalie Grant! I know it sounds silly, but tonight I was lucky enough to get to go to her concert at church and it was just the worship that I needed.  I'm grateful that God uses people like her to reach, heal, teach and bring to worship our Lord.  Amen Sista!

Thankful Day17:  faith! This last week was an amazingly painful one for a dear family who was holding their 7month old son while he struggled to survive another day.  Without their faith they might have been crushed, without their faith they might believe their son was doomed, and without faith those that love them might feel lost, but because of faith they know they'll see him again, they know he's now healed and they know they'll make it through this pain they're feeling.

Thankful Day18: my students! It never ceases to amaze me that I'm supposed to be the teacher and yet it's those little kiddos that constantly teach me; patience, compassion, tolerance, love, determination and so much more.  

Thankful Day19: freedom! The freedom to love my God, the freedom to make my own choices, the freedom of speech, the freedom to love and be loved.  Freedom is so easily taken for granted...

Thankful Day20: Dallas! He's the best dog anyone could ever ask for and he's given us as much as we've given him.  Knowing that there's always someone to greet me when I come dragging myself through the door, someone that loves me when I don't love me and someone to hug me when I'm unhuggable.

                                                        

Thankful Day21: creativity! While I didn't always realize that it was a blessing to be a creative kind of person, I always knew I enjoyed it.  As I get older, I see that it's not a talent that everyone posseses and I also see that it's a way to relax and de-stress.

Thankful Day22: health... of myself and m loved ones.  It is so easy to take for granted that we havve healthy children, are healthy ourselves, have parents and grandparents and even great grandparents that are all healthy and happy. God Bless us ...

Thankful Day23: music! when the world seems to be falling apart, when we're ontop of a mountain, when we're alone or with friends music is something that can fill our hearts and minds and take us to the greatest place here on earth.  There have been so many times in my life that music has been the key that healed or comforted me like nothing else could.  It's often the simple things that make such a huge difference.

Thankful Day24: Thanksgiving! A day that forces us to remember. A day that forces us to be grateful. A day that brings us together with family both near and far to eat, laugh, hang out and just spend the day enjoying life!

Wow, there is so much to be thankful for this year and every other year.  I hate that it's often only once a year that we truly sit down and remember all the blessiings in our lives, but I'm grateful that we take the time at least this November.  

Bless and be Blessed...









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