my thoughts on thankfulness.

 

Disclaimer: this post might be long, it might be deep, it's sort of some thoughts I've been having lately and feel like I need to get out.  You've been warned.

As I sit here to write this post with my hot cup of delicious peppermint tea, I wonder where exactly to begin.  You see, I've been thinking.  I've been listening.  God has been speaking.  And I've been wondering.  Nearly every morning I wake up at sunrise (not of my own will, but of the dog's) and leash up the pup and we go for a walk.  No one else is out yet, the birds are just waking up and singing their songs and the sky begins to paint a beautiful picture.  I cherish these moments and the peacefulness that they bring.  And it's in these mornings that I find I hear His voice.

Lately I have been prompted in the area of thankfulness.  Let me give you a brief background.  Since graduating college and getting married, Nick and I have had some major financial goals that we are striving to achieve.  These goals are hard, they make me want to cry (and I do sometimes!) and they require some extreme sacrifice.  But the rewards of the end results will be so much better.  In the meantime though, we often have to give things up that we really want.  Want, not need.   But sometimes those wants feel like needs and that's when I become ungrateful, throw myself a pity party and don't even remember to count the blessings I've already been given. 

So, during the past several weeks (perhaps months?) God has been teaching me to be thankful.  To be content with the life He has given me.  And as I look around at the blessings in my life, I am nearly brought to my knees with gratitude.  I don't deserve any of this and yet I have it.  I have found myself whispering prayers of thanks lately and yesterday morning when I was able to share these deep thoughts and feelings with Nick on a glorious morning walk, I was once again amazed with the amazing beauty surrounding me.  

I am concerned that this may sound cliche for November.  I think it's wonderful that people recognize their blessings this time of year and in no way do I want to demean that.  But why do we think we only have to be thankful this time of year?  Why is it that 30 days out of 365 seem to be enough?  And maybe it's something we don't even recognize we're doing.  But I think that if we could remember to take time to just notice the things around us, stand still for a minute, and just be in awe of the life we so undeservedly live, things would change.  Our hearts would change, our society may change, and instead of greediness we would find gratefulness.

For me, I find that peace and stillness in looking at the sky and all of the magnificence it holds.  It's then that I find myself standing still, just watching the sunrise, the stars, or the clouds move, and I think of all of the things and people that I have been given.  And here it is that I whisper my prayers of thanks.

It is my hope that this post touches who it needs to.  In no way did I want to offend anyone, but these are my thoughts, this is my heart and my only intent was just to share it.