I. AM. SO. BEHIND! It’s not even funny. I have been thinking about what I’m thankful for each day even if I haven’t managed to get it typed out and posted. I promise.
With that in mind…
I am grateful for grace.
The word seems to get tossed around a lot. We ‘say grace,’ some of us have grace (while the rest of us trip over our own feet), we may even talk about someone who has fallen from grace. But grace is so much more! Grace is a gift…an undeserved, unearned gift. I am so thankful for God’s grace, ’cause you know what? I screw up every. single. day. I start out with good intentions. I try really hard. Then I slip, or trip, and sometimes I seriously step in it. And His grace covers it. I’m forgiven. I get to start over. Try again.
Now, grace is not a license to do whatever I want and behave abominably because “it’s already forgiven” and I’m covered by grace. Make no mistake, that is not the point. Grace is God’s recognition that even at our best we are not good enough and grace fills the gaps.
God isn’t the only one from whom I receive grace. My Hero and kiddos are pretty good at it too.
Day 14 –
I’m grateful for good days.
Good days are not perfect days, they are just the days were the mistakes and the bad stuff doesn’t overshadow the good stuff. Days where a spirit of peace prevails even if nothing goes according to plan. Things have been a little nuts around here for a while…like maybe the last few weeks…or years. I get so frustrated some times with not only not ‘getting it all done’ but not even getting the basics done, doing just enough to keep us alive and maybe not doing that very well. Thanks to a lot of grace (see above) and tidbits of wisdom gleaned here and there, we are getting back to an even keel…maybe. This week we (the kiddos agree with me) had a Marvelous Monday, a Terrific Tuesday, a Wonderful Wednesday, a Thrilling Thursday, and Friday is shaping up to be pretty Fabulous. It hasn’t been perfect. There have been some downright horrible moments but they have been overshadowed by the good things, the sweet moments, the things that went according to plan, the fun things…
Day 15 –
I am thankful for scripture.
It is Truth and Life to me. I am constantly in awe that I hold in my hand God-breathed words, words that are as relevant now as when they were first penned. The scriptures are full of promises to which I cling, they are my daily bread. Although I don’t always stop to partake. There are times when life gets rushed and time for Bible study is skipped. It does not take a full day to feel the affects…it is as if a part of me is starving inside and soon every part of me, my attitude, reactions, concern for anyone other than myself, starts to shrivel from the lack of nourishment. But, oh, when each day begins with His Word, what a change. It is not a magic formula for good days– a chapter a day keeps the bad days at bay– rather it is like vitamin C, strengthening my immune system to handle whatever ‘germs’ the day may bring.
Because of scripture, I believe in grace (see above) I have hope (see Day 7) and I have a future (see John 3:16)
Day 16 –
I am grateful for albuterol.
If you have never experienced an asthma attack, you may not understand. Albuterol = the ability to breathe! As a kid I dealt with asthma regularly. It was scary. I am very grateful that, as an adult, I have outgrown most of my symptoms. Every now and then, however, I run into a perfect storm of my triggers and my lungs seemingly cease to function. I haven’t had any severe problems in a really long time but I am still grateful that relief– and oxygen!– is as close as my inhaler.
Day 17 –
I am thankful for Home Education.
I was “home teached” as we used to say, (much to the chagrin of my mother!) and I feel it was truly a blessing on my life. My relationship with my parents and siblings because we lived, learned, and worked alongside each other. My relationship with Christ has been strengthened because my parents put Deuteronomy 6:7 to practice. I am firmly convinced that there are certain tendencies in myself that would have put me in a bad crowd, had I had the opportunity. The direction oft life could have been totally different but because of home education my life was saved (perhaps literally) and there is a whole boatload of baggage I don’t have to carry around.
Now I am home educating my own children. What an adventure! Not only do I get to see them learn each new thing, I get to be the one helping them! I get to spend every day with my kiddos all day. (yes, I need & want breaks sometimes and I do get them…there is another thing to be thankful for!) It doesn’t always go according to plan and it isn’t always pretty but I wouldn’t trade this for anything!
Day 18 –
I am thankful for date night.
Seriously. If you and your spouse don’t date each other YOU SHOULD! Life is busy and difficult, Satan will do anything to build a wall between spouses. Miscommunication and a lack of time invested in each other gives him a toehold. It doesn’t matter if the budget doesn’t allow for a babysitter and dinner out…so put the kiddos to bed a little early, make some hot chocolate, and go over your agenda for this business meeting stare lovingly into your beloved’s eyes. The point is, you have to be intentional, you have to make it happen. (talking to myself here) Anyways, we aren’t as good about making date night happen as often as it should but when we do go out we are both blessed by it.
Day 19 –
I am thankful that even if satan stomps all over you on one day, you still get to begin again the next day. He got me yesterday but, by God’s grace, today is not his (satan’s) day. (go back to the beginning and read about grace! Don’t you love how it all circles back around to grace?)
Musings of the Bleary Eyed 