Healed by Thankfulness

I’m not sure where this finds you, but I feel for most of us, this has been a chaotic and confusing season. In the last weeks, I’ve had to work hard to simply feel grounded and yet at times felt so unmotivated I’ve wasted so much time doing nothing. Perhaps this action of doing nothing was so that I would feel nothing rather than the weary ache inside my soul.

Yet this morning as I began to unpack our fall decorations (it’s not too soon right?) I was affronted by 2 simple words on one of our small decorative signs,

“Be thankful.”

As I read these words, a small spark of hope leaped into my heart. While I feel this season has been one of moving backwards, the practice of thankfulness and gratitude pulls me forward with hope for all the gifts I’ve been generously given. So in this season, here is a small list (in no particular order) of things I’m thankful for:

- Coffee - made by my husband each morning

- Cuddles from Woody and Collin in bed on a rainy night

- Days of silence and solitude after a tiring week at work

- Yoga and breath

- House plants

- Hugs from my kindergarten students

- My new Bible

- Late afternoon swims in our stock-tank pool

- Dancing shadows on the wood floor from trees swaying in the evening breeze

- Obscurity - living a life known and loved by Jesus and those closest to me

- Having enough - blessed to save, give and spend on only the things that matter most

- Jesus - never giving up on me despite my backwards and badly motivated actions - He draws me in, molding me more into my true self

- Friendship - friends that check in, comfort, challenge and affirm

- Learning adaption and resilience - 2 hard characteristics I’ve struggled with, but with the year’s circumstances have been gifted to learn

- Family - they check in, support, give and provided opportunities to give it all back

I’d also love to share with you a passage of scripture that has encouraged my heart this morning as I was journaling this post:

”On your feet now - Applaud GOD! Bring a gift of laughter, sing yourselves into His presence. Know this: God is GOD, and God, GOD. He made us; we didn’t make Him. We’re His people. His well tended sheep. Enter with the password: ‘Thank you!’ Make yourselves at home, talking praise. Thank Him. Worship Him. For GOD is sheer beauty, all-generous in love, loyal always and ever.”

(Psalm 100 - MSG)