"When it comes to life the critical thing is whether your take things for granted or take them with gratitude."
G.K. Chesterton
I try to align my thoughts with gratitude and not take things for granted. So often, we assume we deserve everything to be just the way we want. We assume we deserve health, wealth and success. But, everything is a gift of grace. This is why I join Friday Fave Fives every week--to remind myself and others to take everything 'with gratitude'.
1. I am grateful for a warm home. As I write, the temperature outside is frightful 15F. I know Susanne is thinking, "Is that all?", but this sunny Cal girl is turning into an icicle! Instead of focusing on COLD, I choose to think, "WARM house".
2. I am grateful for health. As I mentioned last week in FFF, The Professor tested positive for the big bag virus. Well, in the afternoon, Younger Daughter, granddaughter, and I started feeling yucky. Yep. Positive. Two things to be grateful for--- our symptoms were fairly mild. And we had been able to procure home test kits.
3. We are all fine, now.
4. Outdoor wear is wonderful. I am grateful for warm layers, hats, jackets, gloves and scarves. Yesterday, we took a very short walk. It was (almost) pleasant because we were well layered in warm clothing.
5. I am grateful for time confined to the house. Yes, really. I was able to tackle the paperwork pile. I love a tidy home, and a home with papers all over is not tidy. So I spent a day just filing and shredding papers. Since I enjoy filing, it was actually pleasant and not physically taxing work for me. But I'm grateful it's done now for awhile.
Let us not take anything in our lives for granted. Let's be grateful. Every day.
12 comments:
It sounds like a very nice week, in spite of the C-bug:( I love how you present that gratitude is a choice. I'm trying to make that a habit. Stay warm!
Well said! Perhaps many of us are doing our best to make gratitude our underlying view of life these days. Thanks for the good reminder. I don't know about you, but I do need frequent reminding. So, I am grateful today for you and your post!!
I'm so glad you had a mild case of the big bad virus......and i love your outlook...a WARM home vs the COLD that has quickly set in! We ended up getting snow today....a 2 hour delay from having to go see my little students....and only 4 showed up!!(out of 12). I love that you were able to take a nice walk with your warm layers. I also don't mind filing because i hate my desk to have a paper pile-up. ENJOY the weekend...stay cozy!!
Glad to hear you are feeling better! Ther is a lot to be thankful for! I do understand about the cold. We are not use to it. We are freezing when it is 50! Ha, enjoy your weekend.
I like the title “tidy house”. That’s what I enjoy, too. I am also working through papers, cleaning out old files, and shredding. Is it a January thing? Unlike you, I don’t really enjoy filing. I do, however, really enjoy the result. Mary
I'm sorry you all got the virus but glad it wasn't too severe and you're feeling better. Yes I can imagine that the cold feels quite dramatic after California but yes having a warm home and being able to wrap up warm when out and about must help. I don't like it when my paperwork gets out of control either but I do hate filing lol. Enjoy your weekend.
Good to hear everyone's symptoms were mild and you are all well now. My first real paying job was a filing job. A warm house and a hot shower are top on my list of thankfuls in the winter for sure. Happy weekend to you!
Grace and gratitude -- well said, Willow.
Glad you all seem to have gotten over the big bad flu and are staying warm and enjoying it all despite 15F. That is frightful!
So glad you and your family are OK, and had mild Covid symptoms. Glad you are all feeling better now. Amen, about having a warm home. So glad you got some filing done. You are right - paper clutter can make a home feel untidy. Have a great weekend. See you again soon.
I'm sorry you got the virus--but am glad it seemed to be pretty mild. I enjoy sorting and filing papers, too, when they aren't overwhelming. It has been in the teens here as well. I am so thankful for a warm house. They also say hard freezes kill bugs and their eggs, so I try to remember that's a benefit of the cold--fewer bugs in the spring.
It's true we take things so for granted. What we consider normal would be luxurious in some places.
I love that quote and this whole post's attitude to find what to be grateful for. You made me laugh out loud with number one. Yes, we in Alberta were doing the happy dance when we warmed up to 15*F. LOL. The chinook has arrived and we went from -20.2F the other day to 48.2F predicted for today. I am very thankful for heat and warm clothes during winter months. Good for you for tackling the paper clutter. I so need to get to that! Have a great week!
I so agree with you. I recall a friend who was going through breast cancer over two decades ago (she is doing fine now), made it a point to keep a "5 Blessings a Day" journal. At the end of every day she would open her journal and write down 5 blessings she had received that day. It kept her focused on God's goodness, and she has continued this practice every day, even after surviving the cancer and being cancer free all this time. She has inspired me to be conscious of the many blessings in my life. And I do thank God for every one of them. Hugs.
Post a Comment