Thankfulness

Negativity. It's everywhere around us. On the news. In the paper. On Facebook and Twitter. People being negative. People being greedy. People being unkind to others. In light of all this negativity, I've decided to make a list of things I'm thankful for.

Let me preface this by saying I've decided to focus on making a big change in my life: I'm not going to be negative anymore. I'm going to be positive and optimistic. Does that mean my life is perfect? NO! Does that mean I have it all together? NO! It only means I've decided to be thankful for what I DO have rather that be upset about the things I DON'T have. Here goes...

1. A God who loves me more than I could ever ask or imagine.

2. A husband who works almost as many hours as 2 people yet is willing to spend time with me when he gets home from work.

3. My kids who have become better people than I could have ever imagined.

4. My grandsons who are the light of my life

5. Movies

6. Springtime

7. Flowers

8. My front porch

9. The Bible 

10. The freedom to read my Bible

11. An amazing group of teachers that I get to spend 180 days working alongside.

12. A job that is more like a mission than work

13. A summer job that's being flexible enough to give us some income yet give me the time I need to go to workshops for my licensing and have weekends with my grandsons.

14. Fire pits

15. Cool shade on a hot day

16. The ability to laugh with students

17. Hearing a student say, "Thank you for encouraging me" after I spent the day cheering on kids as they ran field day relays.

18. Visits with my neighbor

19. Quiet evenings at home with my husband

20. Grace

21. Cool lotion to put on sunburned skin

22. The ability to spend the day outside and enjoy every minute of it

23. Yard work

24. God's creation

25. Forgiveness

26. Mercy

27. God's unconditional love

28. My education

29. My friends - I'm blessed with many that I don't see regularly but we can pick right up where we left off like there was no time in between

30. The ability to make a list of things I'm thankful for

This is certainly a working document. There are many other things for which I'm thankful. How often do you take time to sit and think about all the things you have for which to be thankful? Or do you get like me and wish you had more or better this or that? I resolve to stop wishing I had more or better this or that. I resolve to be truly thankful for what God allows me to have at any given moment. If He chooses to give more or better, great! If not, I will trust Him for what's best.