Grateful: Would you describe yourself as a grateful person? Make a list of 50 things you can thank God for.
This is a tough question. My first instinct is so say, "Of course I am a grateful person!" But taking a deeper look at my thoughts and my actions may offer a different view.
My prayer is to be full of gratitude.
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever. Ps 136.1
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. James 1:17
They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. Lam 3:23
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. Rom 8:28
Do my thoughts and actions display gratitude?
We have had an exhausting week. We have things happen this week that were completely out of our control. Those things don't feel good. It feels like I am a grape and I am being squeezed beyond recognition. But in the midst of the storm, God's love is constant and His mercies are new every morning. My treasure is in those truths and not what I see crumbling around me.
I heard a great quote from a Casting Crowns song yesterday...
"I'll take a shack on the rock, over a castle in the sand."
50 things that I am thankful for ....
(some are in random order as are the thoughts in my head sometimes)
1. My relationship with the Lord
2. My husband
3. My children
4. Our health
5. God's provision in our family
6. That my husband has a job
7. That I have been able to stay at home with our children for 7 years
8. My children's teachers and school
9. Our extended families
10. That my mother had us in church every-time the door was opened
11. That I had such a great relationship with my grandparents growing up
12. That I met a lifelong best friend in the 6th grade
13. For God's word
14. That I have friends and family who pray for me and my family
15. For a pastor who loves God, loves his church and teaches truth
16. For Godly friends that Mackenzie has made in school
17. For freedom to worship
18. For freedom to hear Christian songs played on the radio
19. That God has opened my eyes to the call of believers to serve orphans and sometimes adopt them
20. For all the pink in my house
21. For the talent to be able to sing
22. For my outspoken personality
23. That God helps me calm that outspokenness when needed
24. For the friends who walked away from me
25. For the friends who will never leave me
26. For the unique personalities of my children
27. For the experience of having a precious child who has gone to be with the Lord
28. For the freedom to educate our children in the way that God leads us
29. For the legacy that I will leave my children
30. That God is leading Tim and I to step out of ourselves and focus on others
31. For a church that God used to heal our hearts when our hearts were so very broken
32. For the "new baby" smell
33. For modern technology and the discernment to use it wisely
34. For the online adoption community
35. For coffee
36. For transparent people who aren't afraid to admit their faults
37. For parents who will have those tough discussions even when I sometimes don't want to hear it
38. For women who give the gift of life to their babies knowing that they will not be able to care for them
39. For the different seasons we have here in the US
40. For my nanny and her prayers and Godly example for me throughout my life
41. For my parents support when I decided to choose life for my baby at 16
42. For the lows in my life that forced me to turn to the Lord for my strength
43. For the deliriously happy times where I feel my heart will burst
44. For this blog that has become my children's story book
44. For this blog that has become my children's story book
45. For chocolate
46. That God saw fit to grow our family even when we thought it wasn't the right time
47. For growing up in a "blended" family
48. That God saw fit to make all of his children different in color, size, abilities, gifts, etc49. For my love of decorating and using old things to make beautiful new creations
50. For missionaries who give up their luxuries and sometimes their lives to spread the Gospel to all nations
What are some things that you are grateful for?
For more January Reflections check out The Glorious Impossible.
1 comment:
I love this post! It will give me something to think about today! I may do a similar post so I can actually take the time to think about that I'm grateful for! I don't do that often enough! Praise the Lord for He is good!!!!
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