Give Thanks with a Grateful Heart ~

I remember singing this song as a little girl and I have always loved it:

Give thanks with a grateful heart ~

Give thanks to the Holy One ~

Give thanks because He’s given Jesus Christ, His Son. ~

The weather has been kind of blah & I’ve been sick and that combination is enough to make one become a Gloomy Gus (or maybe a Gloomy Gail since I’m a girl).  Sometimes it is especially hard for me to be thankful and joyful in the winter.  Then I hear this song in my heart and I am reminded that the sun may not be shining and it may be cold but I have Jesus Christ and the gift of His salvation.  That makes me smile because I’ve got the greatest blessing of all.

Today, I reflect on the gifts from God.  The little blessings in my life that bring me joy on these gloomy days.

I am thankful for…

~ the sun that broke through the blah this week ~

~ the lively noise of kids having fun that fills my house tonight since we have a friend over spending the night ~

~ bright sunflower yellow mugs filled with hot tea that bring a bit of color to the winter grayness of of the outdoors ~

~ the hidden little surprise in the cup seen after the picture was snapped ~

~ the little dog friend who came to visit us for two days and sent us on visits to the vet trying to locate her owners ~

~ the kids who adored their new little puppy friend and who were sad when she didn’t come back for a third day.  One day we hope to have our own little puppy friend ~

~ the chicken noodle soup and the beef stew that we always crave in the winter ~

~ the beauty of carrots, celery, and potatoes waiting to be cooked ~

~the heavenly aroma that fills the house when beef stew is cooking in the cast iron dutch oven for hours~

~ the cast iron dutch oven that I pulled out to use after setting it aside for a while.  I sure do love cooking with cast iron ~

~ the many plants, herbs, and resources that God has put upon the earth to take care of our human bodies during times of wellness and sickness ~

~ the doctors and the healing they can provide for us when our bodies need a little extra help ~

~ the shot (yes, I said the shot {smile}) that I got today that is making me feel better all ready ~

I hope you have a wonderful weekend full of many blessings!

and before I go…

~ the wonderful parents that David and I were blessed with.  I love them all and am so thankful for my Moms and Dads.  ~

Thankful ~

Remember when I said this would be a year of thankfulness for me?  Today, I am spending some time counting my many blessings.  ~

I am thankful for:

My new coffee pot which was a Christmas present.  Today, we received these in the mail and I was giddy.  I am now an official member of the coffee club.

Homegrown tomatoes ripening in my kitchen window in January.  Store bought tomatoes do not even compare.  Now if I could just make these last until June!  {smile}

My new little office.  We have received this desk and chair for free.  I can not tell you how much more I feel like doing the paper work side of my {job} since I have this neat little work space. 

Music to worship and praise God.  How awesome is it to share my praises with God in such an enjoyable way that speaks to the very depths of my own soul?

Pipes that froze but did not burst when they defrosted so that I could wash the clothes for my family.  And as much as I don’t care for folding socks, I am thankful for the little and big feet that fill each and every one of these socks. 

Weather that warmed for a bit after the cold so that we could get outside and enjoy the sun.

 

Pansies ~ They just make me want to smile. 

Kids who use their imaginations to create new and wonderful things.

I hope you are having a blessed weekend. 

 

Giving thanks ~

I love Thanksgiving.  You get food, family, and fun…what’s there not to like?  {smile}

On Thanksgiving and during the month of November, we often take time to express our thanks to God for His many blessings.  And that is a good thing. 

However, it helps me to focus on giving thanks through out the year.  Earlier this year, I had a serious case of the grumpies.  It was then that I found out that focusing on my blessings would help cure those grumpies.  It really does work. 

This new year (seriously, is it almost 2011?)  I want to focus on giving thanks for the many blessings in my life.  But I don’t want to wait until 2011 to start, so I’m going to start today!

• My parent’s RV which is their summer, holiday get-a-way, and vacation home  {and they generously share it with us}

• My sweet Baby Boy who insists that the RV is actually a fire truck

• Sunshine Girl who thought climbing up the Magnolia tree would be fun and was a bit upset with me when I wouldn’t climb up to get her down but insisted that she wait until her daddy came back outside.

• A much happier Sunshine Girl who was not upset any more once she was closer to the ground.

 

• Sweet girls who let me spend the morning curling their hair even though the curls fell out before we got to Great Grandma’s house. 

• Sweet girls who like to climb trees with curls in their hair

• Boys who like to explore the many things in Great Grandma’s garage

• Black and white photos of loved ones tucked here and there in my Grandma’s house

 

• Boys who amaze me by how grown-up they are becoming.  One is almost as tall as me.  The other will be before I know it.  {sigh}

• Time spent watching football with my boys.  We (unfortunately) watched LSU lose.  And we were a house divided during the Saints/Cowboys game.  But all the same, it was fun as we hooted and hollered during the LSU game.

• Time spent with my family as we talked and laughed after Thanksgiving dinner.  There’s just something about everyone gathering on the front porch, isn’t there?

• A porch swing that rocks my children just like it rocked me as a child

• The first frost…ok, I don’t know if I’m thankful for that or not.  I’m not big on the cold weather!  {smile}

• Gathering around the fire at my Mom & Dad’s house

• The warmth of a fire

• The guys (including David and my Dad) who got up early to go hunting.  They didn’t get anything but they had a good time.  (And it was cold!)

 

• My wonderful husband who helped my Dad take care of a little maintenance around the house.  He is such a servant-hearted person.  Of course, my Dad is too.  They are two absolutely wonderful men!

• I don’t have a picture of her but I am thankful for my Mom too.  She loves to cook for us.  We never leave hungry from her house.

I have so much for which to be thankful.  This year will be a year of focusing on my many blessings from God!