Reason #683
I am officially exhausted. Good thing I've waited until 12:30 to start my blog. I hit the ground running today and haven't had a single moment of down time. It is my goal to complete all of my Christmas shopping this weekend. I have one more store to go, and I think I'm done.
Tonight was my company's Christmas party, which was a blast. I love any excuse to get dressed up and be social! Thankfully, Aaron made it back into town on time so he could accompany me. And although it was painfully cold, my outfit came together just as I had wanted. I know it sounds silly, but sometimes wardrobe issues can make or break your day. Anyway, the party was all the way across town, near the interstate. I drove through blocks of old homes, apartments, and duplexes, and I slowed down to really get a good look at them. For some reason, I was really drawn in and intrigued. I wondered who lived in these places. I wondered what they looked like on the inside. Many of them had sheets covering the windows, and I wondered if the people inside were warm. How much did they pay to live there? What did these people do for a living? Had they lived there forever, or were they new tenants? Why was I even thinking about this stuff? Why did it even matter? I drove on to the party, where I entered into a room full of people who have a lot, and it showed. We ate a ton of delicious food, surrounded by beautiful decorations and lively conversation, and on the way home I thought more about those blocks I had driven through earlier.
Gratitude. The Lord just keeps laying this on my heart over and over and over again. Maybe because this is the season of "things." I don't know, but He just keeps laying this on my heart. First, with my car. Now, with homes. And I think it's because maybe I've gotten comfortable and I've forgotten to be thankful. Or maybe, it's because I'm really guilty of being a one-time thank you say-er. "Thank you for _____________" and then I never mention it again. But the truth is, although we might just need to say thank you once, our hearts should constantly reflect gratitude, and I think that's where I might be falling short.
Gratitude. Because maybe gratitude is the position of your heart. Maybe authentic gratitude is contentment. Being content with what you have because, although there may be a lot of people in this world that have more than you, there are so many more that have less. Being content because your needs are met, whether or not your things are brand new or a few years old. Seeing everything you have as a blessing straight from the hand of God rather than due to your hard work. Because the truth is, it really is from Him. At a moment's notice, it could be gone. Remember Job? Gratitude isn't based on quantity or quality, but rather on the fact that you simply have. And whether you have a little or a whole lot, you have. And so I drove through those blocks and I thought, "Thank you, Lord, for my home. Thank you for the warm air that is blowing out of my car vents right now. Thank you for my jacket and gloves, and for the fact that I have this job so that I can go to this party tonight." Because ultimately, gratitude isn't just grateful for the things, although they are nice. It's grateful to the One who is the giver of such things. Of life, of health, of ability, of protection, provision, and of hope.
Gratitude. Because it's not a one time thing, it's a lifestyle. Grateful hearts don't just see things once and then never again. Grateful hearts constantly see and they are thankful every time. And so thank you, Lord, for today. For a good day from start to end. For all the blessings you poured out, both big and small, and even the regular ones. For friendly conversations, pleasant surprises, good relationships, safe travel, close parking spots, warm clothes, for seeing me, hearing me, using me, and being so good to me. Thank you.
#683 - For the daily blessings He faithfully pours out.
"...that I might sing praises to you and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give you thanks forever!" - Psalm 30:12
Tonight was my company's Christmas party, which was a blast. I love any excuse to get dressed up and be social! Thankfully, Aaron made it back into town on time so he could accompany me. And although it was painfully cold, my outfit came together just as I had wanted. I know it sounds silly, but sometimes wardrobe issues can make or break your day. Anyway, the party was all the way across town, near the interstate. I drove through blocks of old homes, apartments, and duplexes, and I slowed down to really get a good look at them. For some reason, I was really drawn in and intrigued. I wondered who lived in these places. I wondered what they looked like on the inside. Many of them had sheets covering the windows, and I wondered if the people inside were warm. How much did they pay to live there? What did these people do for a living? Had they lived there forever, or were they new tenants? Why was I even thinking about this stuff? Why did it even matter? I drove on to the party, where I entered into a room full of people who have a lot, and it showed. We ate a ton of delicious food, surrounded by beautiful decorations and lively conversation, and on the way home I thought more about those blocks I had driven through earlier.
Gratitude. The Lord just keeps laying this on my heart over and over and over again. Maybe because this is the season of "things." I don't know, but He just keeps laying this on my heart. First, with my car. Now, with homes. And I think it's because maybe I've gotten comfortable and I've forgotten to be thankful. Or maybe, it's because I'm really guilty of being a one-time thank you say-er. "Thank you for _____________" and then I never mention it again. But the truth is, although we might just need to say thank you once, our hearts should constantly reflect gratitude, and I think that's where I might be falling short.
Gratitude. Because maybe gratitude is the position of your heart. Maybe authentic gratitude is contentment. Being content with what you have because, although there may be a lot of people in this world that have more than you, there are so many more that have less. Being content because your needs are met, whether or not your things are brand new or a few years old. Seeing everything you have as a blessing straight from the hand of God rather than due to your hard work. Because the truth is, it really is from Him. At a moment's notice, it could be gone. Remember Job? Gratitude isn't based on quantity or quality, but rather on the fact that you simply have. And whether you have a little or a whole lot, you have. And so I drove through those blocks and I thought, "Thank you, Lord, for my home. Thank you for the warm air that is blowing out of my car vents right now. Thank you for my jacket and gloves, and for the fact that I have this job so that I can go to this party tonight." Because ultimately, gratitude isn't just grateful for the things, although they are nice. It's grateful to the One who is the giver of such things. Of life, of health, of ability, of protection, provision, and of hope.
Gratitude. Because it's not a one time thing, it's a lifestyle. Grateful hearts don't just see things once and then never again. Grateful hearts constantly see and they are thankful every time. And so thank you, Lord, for today. For a good day from start to end. For all the blessings you poured out, both big and small, and even the regular ones. For friendly conversations, pleasant surprises, good relationships, safe travel, close parking spots, warm clothes, for seeing me, hearing me, using me, and being so good to me. Thank you.
#683 - For the daily blessings He faithfully pours out.
"...that I might sing praises to you and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give you thanks forever!" - Psalm 30:12