Thursday, December 27, 2012

Day 57

Do you ever have days that you're just grumpy?  Days where you don't even really have a reason to be grumpy, but you are.  Yep, that was me today.  I had lots to be thankful for... a shopping trip with my mom with 4 kiddos in tow, Chick-fil-a for lunch, my son getting a jogging suit that fits, getting milk at Target so I didn't have to make an extra grocery run, and FINALLY finding the three drawer storage chests I've been looking for... but I still had little patience and was grumpy.  Not a good way to be.  And unfortunately, I was not putting 1 Thessalonians 5:18 into practice: "Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."  Maybe if I was choosing thankfulness, my mood would have been better...

Some days, it's hard to be thankful.  Sometimes, you really have to work at it.  Today was one of those days for me.  I ran across a great Psalm that helps me remember why I should be thankful.  It's Psalm 145.

Psalm 145[a]

A psalm of praise. Of David.

1 I will exalt you, my God the King;
I will praise your name for ever and ever.
2 Every day I will praise you
and extol your name for ever and ever.

3 Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise;
his greatness no one can fathom.
4 One generation commends your works to another;
they tell of your mighty acts.
5 They speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty—
and I will meditate on your wonderful works.[b]
6 They tell of the power of your awesome works—
and I will proclaim your great deeds.
7 They celebrate your abundant goodness
and joyfully sing of your righteousness.

8 The Lord is gracious and compassionate,
slow to anger and rich in love.

9 The Lord is good to all;
he has compassion on all he has made.
10 All your works praise you, Lord;
your faithful people extol you.
11 They tell of the glory of your kingdom
and speak of your might,
12 so that all people may know of your mighty acts
and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.
13 Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
and your dominion endures through all generations.
The Lord is trustworthy in all he promises
and faithful in all he does.[c]
14 The Lord upholds all who fall
and lifts up all who are bowed down.
15 The eyes of all look to you,
and you give them their food at the proper time.
16 You open your hand
and satisfy the desires of every living thing.

17 The Lord is righteous in all his ways
and faithful in all he does.
18 The Lord is near to all who call on him,
to all who call on him in truth.
19 He fulfills the desires of those who fear him;
he hears their cry and saves them.
20 The Lord watches over all who love him,
but all the wicked he will destroy.

21 My mouth will speak in praise of the Lord.
Let every creature praise his holy name
for ever and ever.
 
Wow!  That's a thankful list if I've ever saw one!  And it's a reminder to me that when I'm not feeling very thankful, I should read Psalm 145 out loud and it can help me shift my thoughts to things that are true, right, noble, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent and praiseworthy (Philippians 4:8).  I like how verse 5 reminds me to meditate on God's wonderful works.  Ouch!  I was not meditating on God's wonderful works today.  But I can start doing this in the future.  I love how God's word gives us tips on how to become more thankful.  Let's meditate on God's wonderful works and praise His holy name!!
 
Tonight, I am thankful for...
 
1.  A shopping trip with my mom with 4 kiddos in tow
2.  Chick-fil-a for lunch
3.  My son getting a jogging suit that fits
4.  Getting milk at Target so I didn't have to make an extra grocery run
5.  FINALLY finding the three drawer storage chests I've been looking for and they actually fit where I need to use them!!
6.  Discovering that a meeting needed to be rescheduled today rather than later
7.  Flexibility of others
8.  Psalm 145
9.  Praying scripture
10.  God's forgiveness
11.  God's grace
12.  I can have a fresh start with being thankful tomorrow... and even right now
13.  My son's excitement about helping his Daddy with a project
14.  Watching my sons learn new things
15.  God's design
16.  God's patience with me
17.  God not expecting perfection
18.  Closet cleaned and organized
19.  My son helping me with the closet organization
20.  Clean sheets and towels
21.  Chatting with a dear friend tonight and cracking up over our graduate school memories
 
Here's to 10,000 reasons... Only 3,697 to go...

10 comments:

  1. I am thankful for
    1.My morning coffee.
    2.My morning devotations.
    3.Going shopping.
    4.Grandsons finding jogging suits that fit.
    5.Grandkids playing games and watching movies in the car.
    6.Atley taking a nap
    7.Leftovers for dinner.
    8.Starting a new book that isn"t Christmas.
    9.Staying home again.
    10.Going to bed early.
    Gina

    ReplyDelete
  2. I am so thankful for #21 on your list - I needed a good belly laugh that made me cry :)!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Been off of here forever. Still thankful but just got busy... and then lazy (or less than mindful of visiting to post, let's say).
    Anyway,...back at it.
    I am so thankful for
    1. Our gift, Jesus Christ, sent by God to come live with sinners to save us from our sin. Truly a gift. Undeserved but given freely.
    2. Happy memories with my family.
    3. Health.
    4. Abundance.
    5. The contagious excitement of children during the holidays.
    6. Hearing my baby girl sing so sweet on Christmas Eve Eve.
    7. Relaxed timed.
    8. Cold medicine.
    9. Hanging out with my girls.
    10. Seeing my long-time friends at our yearly breakfast.
    11. The hearts of my co-workers.
    12. A moment of bravery and strength granted by God when it was needed.
    13. Hugs and sweet words from my precious students. My school babies.
    14. Good news from an MRI.
    15. Learning new patterns of behavior/interacting.
    16. Watching my girls loving each other.
    17. The love they put into their gifts and how they LOVE to give.
    18. Sweet, kind words they speak to me.
    19. My mom and my aunts and uncle, all together.
    20. Cousins...perfect friends.
    21. My friend coming to church. A prayer answered.
    22. Watching all the birds in my backyard.
    23. Comfy things...socks, pjs, blankets.
    24. Washers, dryers, dishwashers, stoves, microwaves, etc. Can't imagine living like my great-grandmother.
    25. Old pictures that help keep family memories alive.
    26. Still being able to see and hear the loved ones that have passed clearly in my head.
    27. The strong, godly foundation my grandparents gave me.
    28. Watching movies as a family.
    29. Making crafts.
    30. Laughing with my husband.
    31. Waking up before anyone on a morning where I can sit in the quiet.
    32. Having a friend who knows what you are thinking with just one look.
    33. Heated seats and a lap blanket in my car.
    34. My oldest daughter's relationship with me that will, hopefully, be a strong foundation as we navigate the teen years together.
    35. Getting my own cordless drill/screwdriver for Christmas.
    36. Things I think are beautiful.
    37. Making our traditional cookies with the girls.
    38. Watching their uncle play with my girls.
    39. When the girls realize how blessed we are and when they remind ME to be grateful.
    40. Knowing Jesus is right beside me, every step of the way, no matter what.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Been off of here forever. Still thankful but just got busy... and then lazy (or less than mindful of visiting to post, let's say).
    Anyway,...back at it.
    I am so thankful for
    1. Our gift, Jesus Christ, sent by God to come live with sinners to save us from our sin. Truly a gift. Undeserved but given freely.
    2. Happy memories with my family.
    3. Health.
    4. Abundance.
    5. The contagious excitement of children during the holidays.
    6. Hearing my baby girl sing so sweet on Christmas Eve Eve.
    7. Relaxed timed.
    8. Cold medicine.
    9. Hanging out with my girls.
    10. Seeing my long-time friends at our yearly breakfast.
    11. The hearts of my co-workers.
    12. A moment of bravery and strength granted by God when it was needed.
    13. Hugs and sweet words from my precious students. My school babies.
    14. Good news from an MRI.
    15. Learning new patterns of behavior/interacting.
    16. Watching my girls loving each other.
    17. The love they put into their gifts and how they LOVE to give.
    18. Sweet, kind words they speak to me.
    19. My mom and my aunts and uncle, all together.
    20. Cousins...perfect friends.
    21. My friend coming to church. A prayer answered.
    22. Watching all the birds in my backyard.
    23. Comfy things...socks, pjs, blankets.
    24. Washers, dryers, dishwashers, stoves, microwaves, etc. Can't imagine living like my great-grandmother.
    25. Old pictures that help keep family memories alive.
    26. Still being able to see and hear the loved ones that have passed clearly in my head.
    27. The strong, godly foundation my grandparents gave me.
    28. Watching movies as a family.
    29. Making crafts.
    30. Laughing with my husband.
    31. Waking up before anyone on a morning where I can sit in the quiet.
    32. Having a friend who knows what you are thinking with just one look.
    33. Heated seats and a lap blanket in my car.
    34. My oldest daughter's relationship with me that will, hopefully, be a strong foundation as we navigate the teen years together.
    35. Getting my own cordless drill/screwdriver for Christmas.
    36. Things I think are beautiful.
    37. Making our traditional cookies with the girls.
    38. Watching their uncle play with my girls.
    39. When the girls realize how blessed we are and when they remind ME to be grateful.
    40. Knowing Jesus is right beside me, every step of the way, no matter what.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Been off of here forever. Still thankful but just got busy... and then lazy (or less than mindful of visiting to post, let's say).
    Anyway,...back at it.
    I am so thankful for
    1. Our gift, Jesus Christ, sent by God to come live with sinners to save us from our sin. Truly a gift. Undeserved but given freely.
    2. Happy memories with my family.
    3. Health.
    4. Abundance.
    5. The contagious excitement of children during the holidays.
    6. Hearing my baby girl sing so sweet on Christmas Eve Eve.
    7. Relaxed timed.
    8. Cold medicine.
    9. Hanging out with my girls.
    10. Seeing my long-time friends at our yearly breakfast.
    11. The hearts of my co-workers.
    12. A moment of bravery and strength granted by God when it was needed.
    13. Hugs and sweet words from my precious students. My school babies.
    14. Good news from an MRI.
    15. Learning new patterns of behavior/interacting.
    16. Watching my girls loving each other.
    17. The love they put into their gifts and how they LOVE to give.
    18. Sweet, kind words they speak to me.
    19. My mom and my aunts and uncle, all together.
    20. Cousins...perfect friends.
    21. My friend coming to church. A prayer answered.
    22. Watching all the birds in my backyard.
    23. Comfy things...socks, pjs, blankets.
    24. Washers, dryers, dishwashers, stoves, microwaves, etc. Can't imagine living like my great-grandmother.
    25. Old pictures that help keep family memories alive.
    26. Still being able to see and hear the loved ones that have passed clearly in my head.
    27. The strong, godly foundation my grandparents gave me.
    28. Watching movies as a family.
    29. Making crafts.
    30. Laughing with my husband.
    31. Waking up before anyone on a morning where I can sit in the quiet.
    32. Having a friend who knows what you are thinking with just one look.
    33. Heated seats and a lap blanket in my car.
    34. My oldest daughter's relationship with me that will, hopefully, be a strong foundation as we navigate the teen years together.
    35. Getting my own cordless drill/screwdriver for Christmas.
    36. Things I think are beautiful.
    37. Making our traditional cookies with the girls.
    38. Watching their uncle play with my girls.
    39. When the girls realize how blessed we are and when they remind ME to be grateful.
    40. Knowing Jesus is right beside me, every step of the way, no matter what.

    ReplyDelete
  6. 1. the sound of blocks and towers being built and knocked down.
    2. angie always including lillian
    3. friday!
    4. last night, and the group of friends i have made
    5. extra help getting things cleaned up around here
    6. dan
    7. my dentist appt. even if i dp have to change it
    8. this jar of bible verses from karen
    9. friends
    10. my family being gifts to me!

    e

    ReplyDelete
  7. 1. bubble baths
    2. take out dinner
    3. day of nothing scheduled
    4. dogs getting to like each other
    5.excellent photos to remember all of christmas
    6. my funny mom
    7. a clean kitchen
    8. possiblity of snow
    9. the office and all in it
    10. that nod of understanding!


    e

    ReplyDelete
  8. I am thankful for...
    1. Safe travels
    2. Snow everywhere in Ohio
    3. My niece who is just a performer
    4. My nephew who is hilarious!!
    5. My niece who gives hugs to my daughter a lot
    6. My brother
    7. My sister in law
    8. My new nephew or niece that is due in may
    9. My mom who has a heart of gold
    10. My dad who loves so deeply
    11. Fun family game night
    12. Kiddos asleep by 830 for fun adult time
    13. Childhood memories
    14. God's grace and patience
    15. Cousin laughter
    16. Cousin bath time
    17. Eleven people crammed into 3 bedrooms and a living room
    18. Eleven people sharing 1 bathroom
    19. Love of family even in hard times
    20. God hearing my prayers
    21. Broccoli rice casserole
    22. Sugar cookies
    23. Matching cousin pajamas
    24. Joy of children
    25. Parents who raised me and my brother to love God

    ReplyDelete
  9. I am thankful:
    1. that my 7 & 10 year old still like to cuddle with their Mom.
    2. for some days off.
    3. for being able to stay up late reading a good book because I know I get to sleep in.
    4. for a beautiful snowy night.
    5. for a good dinner with good friends.
    Karen

    ReplyDelete
  10. I am thankful for:
    1. waking up to the beautiful snow-covered landscape
    2. a working heater on a cold day
    3. a brisk walk in Cherokee Park
    4. the blessing of grace
    5. the birth of my son 20 years ago today
    6. the joy that my son has brought us over the years
    7. hysterical laughter at the restaurant - hearing about military kung pao beef and fatty bags
    8. sweet friends for my daughter
    9. the privilege of praying for people
    10. my tattered Bible

    ReplyDelete