An online friend of mine, Kelly, sent me a link to her blog, which I enjoyed reading-- but I was particularly struck by her "Gratitude Checklist." My friend Ann Voskamp also writes a lot about gratitude and has a little online club going where you can register your blog and catalog your blessings in a community of other blessing seekers.
As I read Kelly's post and thought about Ann's, I realized that being intentional about noticing your blessings is huge. It is the key to experiencing joy, seeing God's hand in all things, and living a life of abundance, as Jesus talked about in John 10:10. In today's shaky economy and unstable environment, I would dare to say that this intentional seeking of blessings-- this ongoing awareness of gratitude-- is paramount to not caving in to the depression and gloom and doom that are floating around out there right now.
And so, here's my challenge-- leave a comment here and share at least one thing that you noticed you had to be grateful for today. If you choose to write a whole post on it, then leave the link to the post. Let's all encourage each other to find our blessings, because we know they are out there, just as God promised, no matter how grim the circumstances we are facing.
I will share the blessings I found later today. Can't wait to hear yours!
12 comments:
This is a fantastic post! Thank you for this great reminder.
I am thankful for my family. As crazy as it can get with 4 teens and one young drama queen, I never want to take it forgranted how much I am blessed to be called mommy.
I am also getting more intentional about thanking God for my husband. Sometimes it's easy to slip into a comfortable autopilot view of my marriage.
But I long for more. So, I'm trying to get much more intentional about making wise investments in our relationship. The more I decide to make my love like what's described in 1 Corin. 13, the more it is.
Again, thanks for this great post. Have a happy day friend!!!
Thanks for the shout-out, Marybeth!
Today, I am very grateful for the city library! I am going over there at lunch to get a book and a video I had reserved. I am thankful to have the online service where you can look at the library catalog and reserve books, etc. and then pick them up. My husband's machinist union is currently on strike with Boeing and it's been a month with no paychecks from him, so I am becoming more and more resourceful and paying closer attention to little blessings. I love to read and can easily spend a lot of money on books and magazines, but have restricted myself right now. So I am very grateful for the library and all of its blessings!
Kelly
What a wonderful reminder in these days that can be so stressful. I am thankful for a wonderful Saviour and my family! I am also thankful that my husband and I have our jobs. Thanks for a great post!
Lynn
This is such a good reminder for me because I, too, tend to forget to be thankful for what I have and gripe about what I don't. I'm not even talking about material possessions. Just other stuff, lol.
Today, I am thankful for a husband who is proactive in his family, even if he is not always here when "I" think he should be. When he is here, he pours all his time into his family. My husband gets home from work close to 7pm most nights and also has online classes working towards his masters degree. On top of that, he has many people calling him for help on one thing or another.
Sure, I miss him - Tons - when he's not here. But he is not being selfish either. He is an amazing man! :) Thank ya Jesus!
Marybeth,
First I have to say, thank you for your wonderful writing. I look forward to popping over for a daily dose of inspiration.
I am grateful our Lord is ever-present-so inspiring, and has a good sense of humor! :)
My hubby and I will ask each other-"What was your God moment today?" it really helps you focus on all the positive events of the day(even the little things) and really brightens our hearts.
Some days, I'm grateful I didn't trip on the stairs! Most times I'm grateful God is alive and working in my life- like when I'm touched by an awesome sunset, or a friend calls at just the right time and encourages me, or the right words come- at the right time- to help someone on their journey.
God is so amazing and in all the details. It's awesome!
Blessings,
Jodi :)
Marybeth,
This is something I really want to be more faithful in doing, so I've finally started a prayer journal (handmade! and sooo pretty so I want to use it!) where I can also keep track of God's many blessings. That being said, I realized today that I am truly blessed with good health. My health issues have been relatively minor - praise the Lord! Today I made two meals for the family of one of my son's teammate on his baseball team. His mom just had several cancerous lumps removed from her breast and is recovering at home. Even though most of us haven't even met his mom this season because of her health, the coaches decided they wanted to do this. We are also blessed to be on a team that prays and is made up of all Christian coaches and mostly Christian families. Praise the Lord!
Linda
This is so great, I decided I had to do my own gratitude list and almost got carried away! I posted it on my blog because it was too long to leave as a comment. It's so easy to complain all the time, but how much better it is to be thankful for God's many blessings.
Thanks to Kelly also, may the Lord take her through this trying time and bring her out 100 times stronger. God bless.
Gratitude is something that I'm all about, Marybeth! I count my blessings every day and on Thursday post them. Not all of them, because God blesses my socks off all the time. The biggest thing I'm grateful for today is the long wait at my father's cardiologist appointment. Daddy was not a happy camper, but he told me stories I'd heard before and some that were new to me. It also gave me some downtime from chasing Nolan, my 13 mo. old grandson (I had him all day yesterday and last night and this morning since his mommy had our new grandson). Waiting 2.5 hours was a huge blessing to me.
I will be original, I think, and say that I am thankful for my relationship with my in-laws. My father-in-law is here visiting and I appreciate his help so much when he's here. In fact, he's driving the kids around right now so I can take a few minutes to enjoy the web! What a lucky girl I am!
I did a post about my gratitude on my blog. Check it out if you'd like!
sktbaker.blogger.com
Marybeth,
I came by your blog today to let you know I left you an "award" on my blog....I know you several of these but I just wanted to say that you were one of the first blogs I ever started reading and all that you accomplish and your posts are really encouraging to me.
I was just discussing at lunch today with a friend the idea of being intentional about our blessings and gratefulness for them. Our thanksgiving can become so routine that when someone puts us on the spot to list a few recent blessings, we often can't even name some.....shame on us.
I truly am thankful this week for the friends I have made in the short while I've been blogging...and for the group of friends God gave me while at P31 conference this year. That friendship has lasted and had an amazing impact on all of us!
Thanks, Marybeth, for all your insights - and sharing with us.
Jennifer
Ok I am crying a bit as I read your recent posts ... We are in the middle of a dark season in our home right now, my husbands job is ever stressful and now we fear his job may even end ... and he is slipping into a depression. Today I am so greatful that he still has a job, I am grateful for my 2 little boys (6 & 2) who are healthy, I am greatful for my mom who lives nearby who helps me both physically and emotionaly (especailly when my in-laws become more distant with no desire to help their son), I am greatful that my grandfather - who suffers with alzheimers is now getting better medical care and that his meds are slowing the process of this horrid disease, I am geatful that my grandmother is taking such loving care of him. See you got me going. I was crying in frustration as the baby was up all though the night but now this morning my weary body in front of the computer for a few minutes I've found encouragement. And am realizing now I've much to be so very thankful for!!
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