This year I bought the book One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp. It’s literally been changing my life. Ann’s concept was to write a list of 1,000 Gifts, little every day things that she was thankful for. They could be as simple as a pile of laundry {because it meant they had more than enough clothes to wear} or as beautiful as a sunset to end the day. Either way, she jotted down things to be thankful for in a notebook every day. And choosing to look for the beauty in everything changed her.
I have jumped into this project as well. I have a list going which is somewhere in the hundreds now. There are times when I stop making the list and get busy and it falls away. Other times I’m very good about writing at least a few things every day.
I have noticed that the times when I’m paying the most attention to my blessings are the times when my life feels the most joyful. There still might be tough things going on, but choosing to see the beauty of life or the Lord’s blessings over us even in the tough times surely helps turn my heart toward joy and not complaining.
The other day I sat on the couch in the morning having my quiet time while the sun was just beginning to pour into the room. I looked out the window and saw this fat grey squirrel running across the power wires 30 feet above the ground. Just like a high wire act, this squirrel raced along that narrow wire. And I just smiled. How funny and cute and yes, even the laughter it brought to me was a GIFT.
In the moments like these when I find myself thinking ‘is it silly to be thankful for a fat grey squirrel on a high wire?’ but I know that it’s NOT silly – this choosing to see the beauty all around me. To slow down enough to notice those things, no matter how small or silly or inconsequential.
Having an attitude of gratitude is one of the surest ways to be a joyful wife and mother. Simple thanking God EVERY day that you get to BE a wife and mother. There are countless women in the world who wish they were married or wish to have a baby but might not be able to for whatever reason. So if you have both of those things – please, please don’t take those blessings for granted. Thank the Lord daily that you are so blessed!
God gave you a gift of 86,400 seconds today. Have you used one to say "thank you?" ~William A. Ward
Today’s Challenge:
If you have the time, stop over and read Ann’s blog, A Holy Experience. She’s a wonderfully gifted writer. Her posts about weekends are some of my favorites, with little ideas of things you can do with your family given each weekend. And if you can, pick up a copy of her book, One Thousand Gifts.
Perhaps you could start your own thankful list? Just grab a notebook or sheet of paper and begin by writing 2-3 things each day. Once you get started you won’t be able to stop! Next month Thanksgiving is coming up, there is no greater time to commit to being thankful. Another simple idea is to make a thankful tree or thankful jar that your whole family can add to as we lead up to the holidays. It’s a great example to our kids when we choose to be thankful for everything we’re blessed with.
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