Being thankful

I've been through a lot of crap in my life, the kind that when you look back you wonder how on earth did I ever survive that and why am I so happy now? To be around me very long these days is to hear me say things like "it's good to be me", "my life totally rocks", "I love being 34", "it's gettin better all the time"! But I wasn't always that way.

I remember watching Oprah one day, years ago, and she was encouraging everyone to have a gratitude journal. I remember her saying to write five things you're thankful for each day; as I listened to her, saw her excitement, all I could think was how am I going to come up with FIVE?? Then she said, "if you're struggling with this, be thankful your breathing". If you look at my journal from that time frame, you'll see entries where I literally wrote five times I'm thankful I'm breathing. And then you'll find some entries that I couldn't even say that because I wasn't sure I was thankful for that.

Slowly, over time, those entries started to change. I was thankful for a card my kids gave me, I was thankful for the storm that passed through the night, I was thankful for coffee. It's a matter of perspective, I love my life simply because I started to focus on the joys I have, the blessings God has given me, the promise of tomorrow. Trials will forever be...and so will joy! And THAT is something to be thankful for!!

Today, I'm thankful for...

My kids all being home
A gift from a good friend
Seeing the heart of someone I love begin to thaw to the touch of God
Vulnerability Ministries
Healthy boundaries

How about you? What are you thankful for? It's ok if you start with breathing. ;)

Till next time...