There is one profound truth I learned by participating in a month of giving thanks in my blog posts. I am NOT as thankful as I thought I was. At times it was not easy to think of what I am thankful for, beyond my relationship with the Lord and my family that is. I had to work at it. If I can’t even think of what I am thankful for as I sit to write, am I really thankful for it? I want to be the type of person who walks through life with my eyes wide open ready to behold the wonderful gifts the Lord gives us each day. Making the list on the 28th day was a reminder to me of all there is around me to be thankful for. I don’t want to miss it. As I look around, I often see the clutter, the distractions, and the challenges instead of the multiple good things that would surely lift my countenance with a minute of pondering.
As Christmas is approaching, I find that I have to continually pull myself out of the list of “duties” that are floating around in my head. What does our calendar look like? What am I going to purchase for presents? What is my budget? When are we going to finish decorating? What is my budget? Time to clean again…has my daughter practiced for the Christmas Concert? I forgot to give money for her Choir Teacher’s Gift! I need to order Concert Tickets for a friend’s concert…and another friend’s concert. These are all good things and yet they get caught up into the my “to do” list and instead become burdensome. Oh, how much I miss when I don’t pull myself out of the “mind clutter” of the season and remember what a joyous time it really is!
So, today, I am thankful for life lessons. And, I am thankful that there is hope for me to change. I am committed, by God’s grace, to enjoy this wonderful season and to help my family and friends to enjoy it as well.
This is one of my favorite lines in the movie Elf. Elf believes he is an Elf…he is very often misunderstood and awkward in life because he grew up at the North Pole. My husband and I jokingly quote this line often:
For me, this season, instead of making “work my favorite”, I am going try to make “a thankful heart my favorite”.
Blessings to you!
