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Attitude of Gratitude

This is the time of year that I love. The season change from Summer to Fall. The weather has cooled down some and I can finally go outside for longer than ten minutes, without getting sweating armpits, my face melting off causing me to look like Alice Cooper or my hair turning into a Brillo pad; from the intense humidity that comes with living in South Texas. It’s easy to say, I’m so grateful for this time of year.

During hurricane Harvey I watched so many people lose their homes and businesses. It was devastating! We were very fortunate that our home wasn’t effected.  Although I experienced what some might call survivor’s guilt, I was and still am so very grateful for God’s protection over us. I am also grateful that I was here and able to help some of those that were effected by the destruction of Harvey. It changed me. I’m very grateful.

Our daughter came to visit a few weeks back. We had made these plans a while ago, she had some personal days to use up and Jim was traveling. I knew it would be a fun time for us to have a little girl time. Though I cherish anytime I get with all of the kids. There is just something special with that one-on-one time. As they have gotten older those times are rare. So I am truly grateful for the sacrifice she and her husband made to make that trip happen.

I took her to Chip and Joanna Gaines’ place in Waco. Fixer Upper is one of her favorite shows. I had been a couple times before since having moved here a little over a year ago. It is an incredible place that people travel from all over parts of the country to visit. Usually it is packed with people. This day it wasn’t. We had the best time as well as the best cupcakes and cookies from the Silo bakery. I am so grateful for that time we had together. In fact, I bought this sweet, over priced pillow. 

There was something about it that caused me to stop in my tracks. I wanted it for our home because we have so much to be grateful for and I so need that reminder.

I don’t know about you but often times, the world and everything in it can look pretty gloomy. I can focus on the devastation, the ugly, the negativity, the seemingly unanswered prayers or the what’s- not -happening in my life that I think should be happening. That always leads to discontentment. And discontentment always robs me of joy.

I’ve read or heard or maybe both, that one sure fire way to combat discontentment is to turn to gratitude. Make a mental or even physical list with a good old fashion pen and paper, of all the things you are grateful for. Even the things that you might not necessarily want in your life or daily circumstances. It's easy to be grateful when things are going well. When the weather is great and everything is going my way in life. But we can be grateful even when they aren’t. Even in the day to day stuff.

 For example,  in my case. Ironing. I so dislike ironing. I can work myself into a real mess over ironing. But I put this into practice as I was ironing my husband’s work clothes the other day. It’s no accident that the ironing board was facing the bed that holds this little overpriced pillow.  Grateful! I am grateful for the chore of ironing because…. 1) I can physically do it. 2) I have a husband. 3) My husband needs me. 4) He has a job that requires he wear pants- praise God! 5) I have electricity that I can plug into. 6) I have a beautiful home that was spared the rising waters of Harvey and so on. I just needed that reminder in that moment of wanting to complain that I am yet having to iron again. This applies to so much in my life on the daily. It’s just so much easier to complain. But if I want to break that cycle I need to remember to be grateful for all that God has done for me and all that He promises to continue to do.

If I want to see change, it begins with me. Most of the time it begins in my head, my thoughts. Because those thoughts develop into an attitude. An attitude of resentment and bitterness that causes discontentment or an attitude of gratitude that fills me with joy. I just needed to be reminded of that today and everyday really because this isn’t a one-and-done thing. It’s a daily choice to decide that I will be grateful for all that God has given me and even the things He has chosen not to. Because He knows what is best for me better than I do. I am so incredibly grateful for that too.

Pressing On


“Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days” Psalm 90:14

“I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.” Philippians 4:12

“ But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. 8 But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.”

1 Timothy 6:6-8

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