Choosing Thankfulness

Today I am overwhelmed with thankfulness. Could I look at my day yesterday and be mad? Sure. I could focus on the fact that my husband travels a lot and I miss him- his company, his love, his help and I know the girls miss him too. What I choose to focus on is how proud I am of him. He works hard and he is really good at his job. He provides well for us, so well in fact that we can live (comfortably compared to so much of the world) on one income. Do we budget? Yes. Do I clip coupons, shop the clearance rack, and cook most of our meals? Yes. But I'd bet there are a lot more people out there who think they need 2 salaries but could live on one and their children would be better for it. I digress...

Things I'm thankful for today:

1. My Bible Study. The Study itself (John Stott's study of The Sermon on the Mount) and the ladies in the group. They challenge me, they help me see scripture more clearly, they have been in my shoes and encourage me as a mom.

2. New friends. Just 2.5 years ago we moved to Memphis and though I'm from here, I only had one friend left still in town (who has since moved to Nebraska) I now have quite a few friends and even a couple friends I'd call best friends. WOW. That's a blessing.

3. Awesome neighbors in our cove and recently connecting with another stay at home mom in our neighborhood and meeting another SAHM in our neighborhood later this week.

4. Health. I don't take it for granted that the 4 of us are very healthy. I try to provide a clean, healthy home for my family but it's God who really provides us with this blessing.

5. Nearness to my family. I love this season of life. Someone told me my first year in college that I'd get over my homesickness. I never did. I missed them the entire time I lived far away. I am thankful that, at least for this season of life, they are just 15 minutes up the road. I love being able to eat dinner with them usually at least once a week or just call them to stop by. I think having been so far away in the past and also knowing we could move abroad again someday helps me keep this thankful perspective.

I never want to take all of these things for granted. Even on hard days (like yesterday) when my girls give me a run for my money, I'm tired/have headaches, my husband is on a trip, etc. my life is so blessed. Blessed as in- God's goodness in my life. I don't deserve it, not one bit. Without him I am "poor in spirit"- meaning utterly depraved- but with Him I experience abundant life. Wow. How could I choose anything other than thankfulness?