This year I have been a bit more down in the dumps and frustrated with life - and I think that might be because I haven't been focusing on the things I'm grateful for, the blessings I have. I've looked too closely at what I don't have, or the things in my life that aren't perfect. So I'm going to work on being grateful a bit more in my life, and specifically this month. Here are just a couple of things I'm grateful for.
- The gift of sight - We get a lot of comments from people about being "BLIND" - since our business is The Blind Guy. And we joke about it right along with them - but I don't think there's a comment that goes by when I don't think, "Man, I'm lucky not to be blind!" To absorb the sights of our world - or more than anything - see my little boy's smiles - what a gift!
- Colors - (this kind of goes along with the last one....)I love that there is variety in life. From hair color, wall/paint color, color of people - I love that there are different colors of sunsets, clouds, grass, trees. I love that I can wear different colors, eat foods that are different colors, and decorate in different colors.
- Taste - This weekend when we were up in SLC for our anniversary we ate some tasty food. (ZTejas and Rumbi Island Grill both have AMAZING salads!) I feel so grateful that I can taste things and marvel at the different flavors. YUM!
- Technology - I think about life as I was a little kid and it was pretty great - but WOW! life is so amazing with all of the technology available to us. The thing I love the most about technology is how it can help us stay closer and in contact with the people we know and love. I love being able to chat with my mom on the webcam or instant messenger at any time of day. I love that my little sister can instant message me a question, or that my kids can talk to their grandparents on the computer. I love that we can have blogs, email, and other amazing things all because of technology.
- Books and libraries - The whole world can open up to us because of books. How sad it would be to not have books at our convenience. I was reading a story about "The Little House on the Prarie" times and thinking about how the pioneers and our ancestors from years ago didn't have bookshelves full of books - or libraries to borrow books from. We are blessed by books in so many ways. I love that I can teach my boys by reading them books. I love that we can be silly, we can learn gospel principles, or journey to a far-away land through the pages of a book. I feel blessed that we have 2 local libraries and a bookmobile! (And today is bookmobile day - yay!)
- Modern medicine - our lives are made better by medicines, doctors, and technologies that can help us live our best lives. I'm grateful for doctors who follow inspiration and promptings, and who better the health of those of us who need it.
- Music - I often complain that since I have had children I don't get any time to listen to my own music. I have thousands of songs on my ipod and computer - but we are frequently found singing the ABC song, a song from Primary, or something from Sesame Street. But you know what? I love it all! I love singing Gabe's night-time songs to him. My favorite in our night-time line up is "A Child's Prayer". As I sing him the words, "Heavenly Father - are you really there?" I feel like I am singing my feelings in a lot of ways. I love that music can have such emotion and feeling to it. I love how listening to a song can make me want to dance, relax, or think of love. Such power!
- Family who I love so much! I think one of the things in life that causes me so much saddness and frustration is not living closer to any family. I get so sad that we don't have family around for Sunday dinners or family shopping trips. I hate that I have a neice that was born in APRIL and I haven't even met her yet because she lives in Dallas - and another neice that was born in August and I've only held her for like 1/2 hour! I hate that our family has to travel at least 4 hours to see any of our family, and that every trip to see family feels so strained for time. I feel so conflicted trying to choose who we're going to see, and know that we can't do it all. (anway - this was supposed to be a GRATITUDE post - and I'm just complaing about this one) - but the only reason I'm complaining is because I am so grateful for the family I do have and wish we got to spend more time together!
- Sunshine
- Comfortable shoes and sandals
- Warm slippers to keep my cold toes warm at night
- flannel sheets
- Changes in seasons - I might not enjoy the cold - but it is nice that it's not hot all the time.
I could go on - and I probably should - but I am grateful for so many things. Please - leave a comment and tell me something YOU are grateful for today!
6 comments:
Thanks for reminding us to be grateful. We've been talking a lot about it in Primary since I'm doing sharing time this month. We also did an FHE on Monday night about saying more thanks than asking for blessings in our prayers. During the prayer (Jessica gave it), I set a knife down for every "Thank thee" and a spoon for every "Bless" that she said. We ended up with more spoons than knives. It seemed to hit home with her, because after some discussion about how to say thanks in a prayer and what we could thank Heavenly Father for, she has been much more conscience about saying thank you as have I.
Mostly, I'm just grateful for my testimony and my wonderful family. I'm pretty lucky most of the time. Even my heart aches and challenges seem to have added positively to my character so how can I complain? Life is good.
Right now, I'm grateful for my cupboards and drawers in my kitchen. Beause, you see we have a dirt, and sometimes mud, basement. Mice tunnel in and have easy access to my house. Now, that it's colder outside, just guess where they want to be. I'm so sick of mice I could scream. oh yeah I've already done that. :) Anyway, I've spent days cleaning mouse "tracks" from behind my canisters on my cupboards and elsewhere around the house. But I have never found even one "track" in my cupboards or drawers. They might not be new and fancy, but I love them, because they keep out mice, so my dishes stay clean. YEAHH!!!!
Eeewww! I couldn't take it. I have a HUGE phobia of mice. Can't even look at them in the pet store - behind glass.
I don't think I would be able to even go in the kitchen had I known they were in there.
I'm right there with you - just thinking about mice makes me totally sick to my stomach!
We pay a pest control guy to come and set traps, bait station, etc. It really has helped the last 2 years! And I'm GRATEFUL for that!
I'm a little ungrateful right now...or at least...complaining a bit too much... :) Stress will do that to you if it doesn't kill you
thanks for posting a great reminder. I ***KNOW*** there are tons of things to be grateful for...here's one off the top of my head and then I'll try to remember to post a few more.
I'm SOOOO grateful for my work schedule that allows me to be off at 4:30. Silly I know! I worked until 6:15 the other night when I had to switch with someone, and by the time I drove home IN THE DARK it was close to 7 and I didn't see the girls much before bed. So that made me SOOO grateful for my normal work schedule!
Also---grateful for 9am church (big grin) About to lose that to the 1pm schedule which I hate...so I was trying to make that a positive spin. hehehehe
Lots going on with our business...trying to get things started...ugh...hope to post some good things SOON!
I'm grateful to be in primary. Today I was doing sharing time and reading the stories of how Christ blessed the children. I've been blessed to be with the children, too for such is the kingdom of Heaven. I'm really going to miss them when I get released in a couple of weeks. Sorry - can't tell ya where I'm going yet - but I will as soon as it's official.
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