An Attitude of Gratitude

I recently began a Bible study called, "Lord, Change My Attitude", a study that I'm thinking could teach us all something. I mean, how many times a day do we complain about things.......and I'm talking about little things as well as big ones. We complain about the weather; we complain about our bodies; we complain about our hair; we complain about our jobs; we complain about our busyness; we complain about having nothing to do; we complain about our ________; you get the idea. We seem to be complainers by nature, but what if we all started turning our complaints into gratitude? What if we took the time to turn our thoughts to thankfulness everytime we opened our mouths to complain about something? So instead of complaining about the weather, we would be thankful for God's provision; instead of complaining that we're too busy, we would be thankful that we have our health and the ability to BE busy! We could all be such happier people if we made a concerted effort to turn our negative thoughts into opportunities to praise God. (I admit, it's not easy.....I've struggled since we started the study a couple of weeks ago, but I'm prayerful that God will continue to touch my heart in such a way that I will learn to turn my complaints into praises.)

One of our recent assignments was to write a poem, verse, or prayer thanking God for all of the little things we often overlook in our daily lives. Since I like to write rhyming verses, I wrote the following:

1/18/2010

For the dawning of a new day
And for the setting sun
I lift my voice in praise to you
For Lord, you are the one

Who showers me with blessings
Though I don’t always see
How all of my life’s journey
Was created just for me

I thank you for my family
Those near and far-away
And for the friends I’ve made through You
To make it through each day

For things I often overlook—
My home, my health, my all
I thank you for your patience;
Help me always hear your call

I thank you even for the strife,
Because of it I’ve grown
And learned that even in the dark
You always find your own.

Yes, perhaps of all the lessons I've learned in the past few years, it's that even when we feel overcome by the darkness, God is always there waiting to bring us into the light. Oh Lord, please always give me an attitude of gratitude!

You Say It's Your Birthday? It's My Birthday, Too!

So today's my birthday......double nickels, as my brother called it. I was born in 1955, and today I turned 55--seems like there should be some sort of special name for a birthday like that. Whatever it may be called, it's amazing to me how grateful I am to get to celebrate another one. I AM, after all, growing older and definitely showing signs of it, but I am so blessed to just GET to grow older. More about that in another post perhaps.........I have much to say on the subject.

My day started out like most of my birthdays from recent years--I got a beautiful card from my wonderful hubby, the kind that is so unbelievably sweet that it brings tears to my eyes. How blessed I am to be married to that man. At work, I arrived to a gift bag on my desk with a bottle of chardonnay tucked inside and a card about "not being old if you can still bend over and touch your toes". Surprise! I actually CAN still do that, although I don't think that excludes me from the "growing old" club. I just happen to still be pretty flexible...for an old broad, that is. Throughout the day, my friends and family called, brought me cards, and popped in to my office for a chat. The highlight of my workday, however, was being serenaded by no fewer than eight different groups, from co-workers to students, the students all being under the age of six and more precious than I can begin to describe. One by one, several of the kindergarten classes came into my office and proudly sang "Happy Birthday" to me--there is absolutely nothing sweeter than the sound of little voices joined in song. One class even came bearing gifts: each student in the class proudly gave me a paper clip upon entering my office--too cute! This class, in particular, then sang to me, ending each "Happy Birthday to you" with a resounding "cha cha cha" complete with a little booty shaking! I wanted to squeeze each one of them. So adorable.

I came home to a fabulous home-cooked meal, prepared by our favorite girl from Savannah--the one I call my "daughter from another mother". What a lovely surprise! She even baked a red velvet cake from scratch! I didn't know people even did that anymore! Isn't that what Betty Crocker is for? Nevertheless, it was all delish! I felt so pampered watching someone else do the cooking! And now it's after 10:00 and everyone has gone to bed except me. Man, and I thought I was the old one! Haha! Guess I'm not so old after all......although at double nickels, I sometimes don't feel worth a dime! (Ha!)

Cheers to a New Year

and another chance

to get it right.