Thankfulness

I'd be remiss if I didn't post about my thankfulness - it is the official month for being thankful, right? I truly find myself constantly being thankful even for silly things like good parking spots, a warm bed, a full 2 liter of Diet Dr. Pepper waiting for me in the fridge, you get the picture! This morning when I was getting ready for the day I was praying and thanking God for my blessings but God showed me something - I was thanking God for what I didn't have. I find I do this much to much!!

My life is sorta divided into BC and AC - before cancer and after cancer. It dramatically changed my life. I think differently than I used to think. I tend to view everything through a somewhat morbid state of mind. I am so grateful to be alive and well to share my life and share in the lives of the people I love. I tend to find myself being so grateful for not having cancer, not having a child facing a life threatening illness, having all four of my precious children alive and well and other such thoughts. There are so many people in my life who are facing these things that I am at times, consumed by thoughts of such things.

Then in the midst of my thanking God for all those horrible things I am being spared, I felt in my spirit Him speaking to me so clearly. "What about all the things you do have, are you not grateful for those things?" Oh, believe me, I am but clearly my focus is much too often thankfulness for the things I am spared. I am thankful he speaks to me and consistently reveals Himself to me!! I am thankful for God's mercy on my life.

I looked back at my post a year ago this time. I would link it here if I knew how but basically I listed all the things I was thankful for even during a time that was personally very difficult for my family. But according to scripture we are told, "Do not be anxious about anything but IN everything, by prayer and petition, with THANKSGIVING, present your requests to God, and the peace of God, which transcends all undertanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Phillipians 4:6

I have much to be thankful for daily. Too many to list but what a blessing! Even when things are not as I wish they were, I have so much to be thankful for and I never want to take those things for granted. I am first and foremost thankful that God, in His love, sent His one and only Son to save me. I am thankful that I am married to an amazing man who I love deeply and who loves me and our kids so much, I am thankful for my children who I not only love but I genuinely like , I am thankful for a mom and a dad like no other and even though my dad isn't how I wished he was healthwise, I am thankful I can go see him and he knows me, thankful I get to talk to my mom daily, thankful for brothers who choose to be my friend, I am thankful for some lifelong friends who show me the true meaning of friendship, I am thankful for new friends God has purposely brought into my life, I am thankful for a home that we can gather in as a family, I am thankful for God's word - I depend on it daily, I am thankful for daily having all my needs met by a God who is a God of detail, I am thankful for a christian education for my children that I get to be a part of each day, I'm thankful that Hunter chooses to spend the weekend with his dad, I am thankful my girls like to be near me and thankful for those times we share doing puzzles, watching movie marathons, baking and laughing together, thankful for the gift of today and I pray that I will glorify God by living in a state of thankfulness for all the goodness that comes from Him. I am very thankful for excellent health for me and my family! I pray that not only during the official time of Thanksgiving do I give thanks but daily in all things and that He will continue transforming my heart!