1. I am thankful for my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and that He died for me.
2. I am thankful that He had the foresight so bring Jared and I together. My husband was made just for me. He knew what He was doing.
3. I am thankful that I get to wake up next to the man of my dreams every morning.
4. I am thankful for a warm shower to get my day going, breakfast on the table and my Bible open waiting for me to read. Many of the kids I teach don't have this luxury...it breaks my heart.
5. I am thankful for the beautiful sunrises I see every morning as I drive to work. I may complain about having to get up so early and driving in the dark, but those images of the rainbow sky stick in my mind and remind me of how fortunate I am to be alive to see another day.
6. I am thankful for my career. It is so rewarding and I love the kids I teach. Days may be long and I may get exhausted, but I could not imagine doing anything else. When I see that "ah ha!" moment on their face after they've mastered a concept we've been learning, it makes me feel like I've touched a life. Forget about that business degree I was so actively pursuing and all of that money I was going to make. This is what I was called to do.
7. I am thankful for my car. Though she is old and I need a new one eventually, at least I have a vehicle that is paid for that gets me from point A to point B.
8. I am thankful for a loving family that is always encouraging and supportive. We have a wonderful relationship and they've shaped me into the woman I am today. Having my mom and dad in my life has meant more to me than I can put into words. Their love and support for one another taught me what a marriage is all about.
9. I am thankful to have married into the wonderful family that I did. I don't think there could have been a more perfect fit.
10. I am thankful to have found a church family where I actually feel like I belong. For so long, I searched and never found what I was looking for. Now, I look forward to going to church every Sunday and hearing the Word preached.
Sappy, right? I don't care. I want to look back on this on those "off days" and breathe in my blessings. When I stop to think about all that I do have, it puts things into perspective for me. Like today, for example. Since moving into this house, it has been very apparent that we do not have enough furniture to fill it. Today we continued our furniture hunt and I felt so discouraged because it's just not possible for us to furnish our whole house right now. Though we want it to be perfect for our family during the holidays, it's just not in the cards. But you know what...none of that matters. What does matter is that I have a roof over my head and a family to share my home with. Who cares what I fill it with as long as it's a home that serves the Lord. So if you think I'm a big mush ball, maybe I am, but this is what I need to do to reflect on myself and snap back to reality. I saw this quote and thought it was appropriate for how I felt.
"Count your blessings instead of your crosses; Count your gains instead of your losses. Count your joys instead of your woes; Count your friends instead of your foes. Count your smiles instead of your tears; Count your courage instead of your fears. Count your full years instead of your lean; Count your kind deeds instead of your mean. Count your health instead of your wealth; Count on God instead of yourself."
So often we compare ourselves to others and try to be something we are not. Stop it. You have too much to be thankful for than to worry yourself over what other people think or trying to be something you're not. It took me a long time to get to that point in my life. I mean, it was literally just a few years ago when I went through some really tough trials. But I will never forgot how FREE I felt for the first time in my life. I learned to love myself and keep only the people in my life that truly love me for me. Ever since then, I've made it a point to count my blessings, not my troubles. One day (maybe) I'll post about my previous insecurities and all I've learned and overcome and still struggle with. But not today.
On one last note - I have to say that Pinterest pulled through yet again. I made a big dinner for my little brother and his wife tonight. We had pork steaks, baked beans, mac and cheese and buttermilk chocolate cake. Amber brought over a yummy cucumber salad. I pulled new recipes for baked beans and mac and cheese from pinterest, all homemade, and they were so delish. They're going in the permanent recipe book.
Macaroni and Cheese Casserole
Source: browneyedbaker.com
Homemade Baked Beans
Source: the-girl-who-ate-everything.com
Monday's Meal Plan will incorporate even more Pinterest recipes. Oh boy, can't wait to try them out! Enjoy the rest of your weekend and GO HOGS!!
XOXO
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment