Rut Repair

The Answer?

Gratitude.

It's really the answer to many things: boredom, grumpiness, discontent, being in a funk, feeling overwhelmed, fragmented living, and more.

I began a tiny journal for a place to jot down the things for which I am grateful. Things I could include in this list I'm sporadically attempting to keep on my blog. Perhaps I should make more use of it.

23. ClayGuy's interest in driving

24. the shelter of our home

25. ability to turn the heat on when it's cold

26. The Comedian getting himself up at a decent time

27. our electric blanket

28. this Francis Chan interview

29. a borrowed monitor

30. my robe; threadbare, 17 years old, wearing away, but it keeps me warm





31. iced vanilla chai latte



32. freedom to homeschool

33. winning a $50 gift certificate for Lisa Leonard jewelry. I LOVE her work.

34. reading books on the iPod Touch

Habit of Gratitude

I know that habits are not developed overnight.

Nor in a week.

Or even two.

But I SO want the habit of having a grateful heart to take deep root in my life. I want to live what Madame Blueberry learned. I want The Thankfulness Song to spring from my lips regularly.

Clearly, this is going to take some time.

However, by participating with the Gratitude Community and listing my One Thousand Gifts, I think it will begin to be more present in my thoughts. I've begun a small journal where I can jot down these things throughout the week to post on Mondays. Otherwise, they slip through my memory before I can get to this list.

8. good, close friends

9. free pie at Village Inn

10. John covering my tomatoes each night

11. an awesome chiropractor

12. Kinesio tape

13. shortbread

14. ceiling fans throughout the house

15. a well-running van which can carry many people.

16. short fingernails

17. a postcard for a free Starbucks drink

18. the cat

19. family game night

20. Good Eats & Alton Brown

21. free long distance

22. boys who let me take their pictures - even if they don't want to

And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him. Colossians 3:17

Gratitude

My day started out somewhat crummy. I was up a few times during the night, my head still hurt this morning, and my knee seems to be a little worse again today (probably too much up and down the stairs). To top it off, I'd spent no time preparing for the week before the alarm went off this morning. Nothing like flying into the week with no specific plans.

But God.

But God doesn't want me to be hung up on my circumstances, focused on them to the exclusion of HIM. In fact, the teaching at church on Saturday night was very much about that. It's not as if I'm unfamiliar with Paul's letter to the church at Philippi. It's one of my favorite books in the Bible.

In light of Christ and all of eternity, what I'm dealing with today is minimal. Compared to what many others live with all the time, this is hardly worth mentioning. Yet it's so easy to focus on that which is uncomfortable, bothersome, or annoying. But it's fleeting. Really, all of this life is fleeting.

Whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. James 4:14

And then I remember.

Ann at Holy Experience hosts the Gratitude Community each Monday. Exactly the perspective adjustment I need. What am I grateful for? Focus upon those things and the other, more bothersome things will fade to the back.

#1. a husband who loves, supports, and encourages me

#2. beautiful & inspiring piano music of David Nevue

#3. sons willing to help when I need to rest my knee

#4. meeting a new friend last week

#5. plenty of work for John

#6. bills that are paid

#7. playing Liverpool Rummy with Mom & Dad



The goal is to reach one thousand gifts - one thousand things for which to be thankful. Seven isn't very far, but it's a start. I plan to jot these down throughout the week and post each Monday. Here's to a lifelong search for gratitude.

He Knows

It's one of those days. One son alternates between obnoxious provocation and angry tantrums. Somewhere in the midst is the place of cooperation and motivation, though he's seen it only once today. At least to the best of my recollection.

I read a new cookbook while eating lunch. The boys are rude, dishonoring, and inappropriate. It's enough. I grab my meal and my drink and retreat to the studio. I will not spend my lunch with these unruly juveniles. They know clearly why I've left. I told them. Apologies are offered, yet it continues once I'm gone.

Lord, will these boys ever mature? Ever be friends? Ever make the right choices? Myopic vision keeps me in the here and now, unable to see a day when they'll grow beyond this childish nonsense.

Holy Experience has arrived in my inbox. I read the title of Ann's current post - When Life Heats Up and know that God sent this. He knew I would need this. Right now.

He always knows, doesn't He? He's omniscient, after all. He's GOD. There's nothing He doesn't know.

But I forget. I need reminders. I'm ever grateful that God is such a faithful reminder - through His word, His Spirit, His people, the internet, and so much more. He uses any and everything He chooses.

Thank You, Lord, for Your perfect timing as You brought me to my desk and to this post. I am, yet again, humbled and reminded that I need to let the pressure do its work. Give me the patience, the mental time-out, and the grace to stay the course.

A Miracle

Their voices carry easily up the seven stairs to my room where I work on the laptop. I hear them discussing phylum Firmicutes, Gracilicutes, and Tenericutes. I hear spelling help - "How do you spell Scotobacteria?" I also hear burping. But that's beside the point.

My boys are working on their Biology TOGETHER! They're NOT fighting, bickering, or otherwise causing trouble. They're doing this entirely on their own! You must understand that in our homeschool, this is nothing short of a miracle!

I will stay up here in my room and remain very, very quiet so as not to disrupt this amazing moment in our homeschool. The laundry and dishes can wait. As can my errands.

Thank You, Lord, for bringing this little miracle moment into our day!


These two angels? Bicker and fight?



Nah, never. Maybe monkey around a bit, though.

Gratitude

I found this terrific idea over at We are THAT Family who found it at Domestic Accident. And I like it. So I'm going to copy it, too.

Right here and now, in mostly no particular order, I am thankful for:

1. Jesus


2. My hubby & best friend


3. ClayGuy & the Comedian


4. Our new home


5. Extended family who we love and enjoy hanging out with


6. Our chubby kitty


7. Starbuck's Iced Venti Chai


8. Canon Digital Rebel


9. My craft room


10. Being a stay-at-home mom


11. Cozi


12. My girlfriends


13. Heated leather seats


14. Playing cards with my family


15. Bloggy & Twitter friends


16. Macro photography


17. Healthy family


18. Our awesome living room rug


19. Cordless phones


20. DVDs in the mail


21. Being silly with my mom and/or sister


22. Front screen door


23. Low gas prices


24. Morning sunlight


25. My Bible


26. Indoor plumbing


27. Lavender oil


28. Bathrobe and slippers


29. Laughing so hard my stomach hurts


30. My laptop


31. Playing Scrabble


32. Our church


33. Fine point pens


34. Sony DSC-N2 digital point & shoot


35. Autumn leaves


36. Homemade bread


37. Trader Joe's Dark chocolate raspberry sticks


38. Rocky Mountains


39. Contact lenses


40. The library


41. Woodwick Redwood candles


42. The internet


43. Electric blanket


44. Photoshop CS3


45. Paperback Swap


46. Digital scrapbook supplies


47. Fuzzy mittens


48. LG Dare touchscreen phone


49. Curly hair


50. Blues music