Can You Find Something to be Thankful For?

Let’s just be real for a moment.

Sometimes, it is just really hard to be grateful.

Money’s tight.

Someone is sick.

Kids aren’t getting along.

Car breaks down. Again.

Toilet’s clogged.

Spouse is away.

The holidays are upon us and that just means extra pounds and family drama.

There are just always seems to be so many things that make us want to shake our heads, crawl under a rock, or a really comfy blanket, and stay there.

Sometimes, we might even ask, “What do I have to be thankful about?”

Honestly, I think we’ve all been there, so I’d like to offer you some suggestions based on my personal “thankful list.”

God

Mentioning God first may seem a little obvious, but how often do we truly THANK HIM and are THANKFUL FOR HIM.  Just knowing that God loves me no matter what, on my good days and my bad days, well, that just becomes overwhelming.  And the sacrifice of Jesus Christ for our sins??? If I had nothing else to be thankful for, that would be enough! I’m thankful for God’s Word as well.  Where else can I find love, friendship, advice, and food for the soul?

Spouse

Yes, maybe another obvious choice, but don’t we often take our spouses for granted?  We rush off to our day to day business and just expect they know we love and appreciate them.  But really, we need to live daily knowing we are not promised tomorrow. We need to be thankful for the little things:

a morning kiss, bad breath and all

a fresh cup of coffee you didn’t have to pour

an unexpected lunch date or take out dinner

sharing your favorite dessert at your local DQ

help doing the laundry or dishes

butterflies when he still flirts with you

flowers for no reason or to make up for a fight

the sacrifice of his little part in making this world a better place

For those of us that are military wives, we can’t afford to take our spouses for granted.  No matter what rough patch we may be going through, we should show our thankfulness for our husbands.

Children

Whether ours or someone else’s, children are a gift from God (Psalm 127:3). Yes, this morning I was annoyed with the fussing and demands of my 3 children just moments after posting on Instagram they were a blessing.  Really and truly, they are a blessing.  God chose me to be their mom, and I am thankful for them, messy rooms, stinky socks, and all.  We can learn so much from children.  Their innocence is refreshing and life changing.

Friends

Whether lifelong or brand new, friends are important.  God didn’t create us to be alone. He created us for a relationship with Him, after all.  And part of that relationship is being in fellowship with others.  Some friendships are learning experiences, while some friendships are only for a season. Others are for a lifetime.  Either way, I believe that God places people in our lives for a reason, and I’ve found that all of my friendships have made an impact on my life.

America

Some complain there is a lot wrong with our country, but there is also a lot right with our country.  I still believe that this is a great place to live.  Our country was built on a strong foundation.  We can choose to let that foundation crumble, or we can fight to keep it strong.  I am thankful to be here, in America, because I know first-hand the sacrifice of what keeps this country free.

Career (or not)

Whether you choose to work or stay at home, either is a blessing. For me, I get frustrated with the “business” and secretarial parts of education, but I love teaching. I love seeing the students “get it” after all their hard work.  Yes, some days, I want to stay home. Some days, I want to change careers, but I’m blessed to be able to help provide for my family while doing something meaningful.

Home

Whether you live on post, in an apartment, or the nicest house in town, you have a roof over your head.  The number of homeless increases each day.  I am thankful that my children are able to come home to the walls that make our house and the hearts that make it a home.

Laundry, Dirty Dishes, and Toys

“Stuff” can be overwhelming. As I’m writing, the washer and dryer or running, the dishwasher is almost full, boxes from our summer move remain unpacked, and there are toys and crumbs on the floor.  But for all those things, I choose to be thankful. 

Dirty dishes mean we had food to eat.

Laundry to wash means we had clothes to wear.

Toys mean that my children are able to play and pretend with things that interest them.

Changing Seasons

Ecclesiastes 3:1 says, “For everything there is a season, as time for everything under heaven.”  For me, the changing seasons are a reminder of that.  When the leaves start to fall, when the first snowflake floats across the sky, when the flowers start to bloom, and when the heat of the day takes our breath away, well, those moments serve as reminders that life is full of change. There are beginnings and endings and stories and moments in between.  And honestly, I am thankful for that change. I don’t want to stay in November forever and relive that moment my husband boards a plane for Afghanistan. I don’t want to stay in the season of deployment or sickness or family crisis. I need rebirth. I need change. I crave the smell of freshly cut spring grass and the sound of summer thunderstorms.  Changing seasons remind me that there is always hope.

Online Communities

For someone who feels socially awkward, online communities have helped me live my dream of being a writer, giving me the chance to share words.  I’ve met new friends here, friends that although I’ve never met in real life, we still have this bond that is strong.  Communities such as Wives of Faith, Planting Roots, and Five Minute Friday will always have a special place in my heart.

You see, there is so much to be thankful for. We just have to open our eyes, get out from under that blanket and look.  Blessings surround us and are never too small to mention. So, I ask you, what do you have to be thankful for?

Can You REALLY Be Thankful and Find Joy In All Circumstances

My cousin found out this week that she has breast cancer.  No woman wants to hear that diagnosis.  I have been amazed at the number of people posting scripture to her Facebook page.  I can tell from her comments that she is finding comfort in God's Word.

Words for finding comfort and strength are filling her heart and mind.  They are giving her courage during this difficult time.  This afternoon, I found this gem on Pinterest to share with her.....

What was I thinking, right???

Be joyful????

Give thanks?????

Seriously????

Yes.

Be joyful.
Give thanks.

Seriously.

First, let me be clear.

I have never been diagnosed with cancer. There was a time I was fearful due to some changes in my breasts.  I saw my doctor, had an ultrasound, and got the all clear.  So, no, I don't know what it is like to get that diagnosis.

I do know heartbreak in other ways.

I know what it's like to watch your husband walk away from you at the airport not knowing if he will make it back home from Afghanistan. I know what it's like to be Skyping with your husband while he is deployed and there be an attack. I know the uncertainties and hardships that deployment can bring.

In those instances, I prayed.  I found joy knowing that God would hear my pleas (that He wants me to let my requests be known).  I found joy knowing that my children grew in their prayer lives and relationship with Christ.  I found joy knowing that my husband was serving God and country. He was doing something he felt strongly about.

And I gave thanks.  I gave thanks for the amount of communication we had: Skype, texting, email, phone call, snail mail.  We had it all, and I can't imagine the days when women couldn't communicate with their deployed Soldiers like that.  I gave thanks that each time there was an attack my husband was safe.  I gave thanks that he was able to minister to the Soldiers and provide them with Christian guidance.

I gave thanks for answered prayers.

I know what it's like to find evidence in the toilet, the first clue that something was wrong with your pregnancy.  I know what it's like to tearfully find your boss to tell them what you think is happening to get permission to leave work to go to the doctor. I know what its like to cry all the way to the doctor not knowing what exactly is happening.  I know what it's like to see your baby on the ultrasound monitor to find that, yes, it's true, your baby stopped growing.  I know what it's like to have a natural miscarriage and lay weak on the bathroom floor knowing you will never be the same. I know what its like 2 years later to cry, remembering that day, and yearning for that baby.

In all of this, I prayed.

And I found joy.

I found joy in the fact that there is hope in Christ.  That I felt His presence, and I may meet my baby one day in Heaven.  He brought me comfort in the banana popsicles that my husband urged me to eat while I was weak, causing me to remember the love of my grandfather.  He brought me comfort as I laughed about laying on the bathroom floor on my son's toddler bed. He reminded me in so many ways that He was right there with me, that I wasn't going through that miscarriage alone. I found joy in the scripture cards my friend Leslie sent to me.

And I found joy in the things I was thankful for:

I had an amazing medical staff that was honest, yet compassionate and went beyond the call of duty for us. 

My coworkers held my hand (literally) and cried with me.  The love they have for me is amazing.  

My husband and mom never left my side. They cleaned me up, held my hand, and took such good care of me. 

My in laws took care of my children because I was too weak to be there for them physically and emotionally.

I was thankful for those three healthy children, those boys who are my sunshine.

I was thankful for the phone calls and texts I received from those checking on me.

I was thankful for the meals provided for us.

So, I say YES, we can really be thankful and find joy in ALL circumstances. For me, being thankful and finding joy are choices I can make. And let me be clear on this: Happiness and joy are NOT the same thing.  When my kids behave, I am happy. When the bills are paid, I am happy.  When I have a terrible day, I find joy in the comment of the kid that says, "You are an A+ teacher," as he reads my coffee cup.  I find joy in the fact that a dreaded faculty meeting is cut short.

I make the choice to be thankful.

I make the choice to find joy.

What about you?  What choice are you making?

Wives of Faith: Military Family Gratitude Day 2: Light

I am thankful for the light of a new day. I have learned through the storms of life that "joy comes in the morning.

Military Family Gratitude Challenge Day 1: Friendship

I am thankful for friends both old and new. I am thankful for friends during the changing seasons of life.

I am thankful for those who love my children as their own and allow me to love theirs as my own. Those that our children share friendship as well.

I am thankful for the women I share my life with.

We've laughed together.

We've cried together.

I know we will be through so much more together.

I am thankful for those friends who walked through my first deployment with me. Those who took care of me in ways that others wouldn't.  They may not have understood what it was like, but they stood beside me nonetheless.

I am thankful for friends who share their faith, who face unimaginable battles, but yet, find their strength in Christ and share the story of His love and mercy.

I am thankful for the friends that get your weird sense of humor, those that you share inside jokes with. You know the ones: you can look at each other and tell what the other is thinking.

But yet,when there is no laughter, only tears, they are there to hold your hand. In the messiness of life, they love you anyway.

Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work:  If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! Ecclesiastes 4:9-10