Giving Thanks Day Two; Digging Deep.

 

For little boys who remember bible verses learned;
For the gift card that came in the mail;
For the friend who just showed up;
For a well deserved latte;
For free printables, pretty little pictures to adorn our home;
For impromptu pizza night with family;
For little boys overnight stay at Grammy's house;
For his voice, Oh! I love his voice!;
For little boys using manners;
For storytime anytime;
For finding something thought to be long gone;
For hearing "I love you so so much mommy!";For the baby boy who is finally once again sleeping through the night;
For the way the middle boy's hair does that cowlick thing;
For the salvation that He so freely gives to even me, so undeserving of His sweet grace;
For the man who works so hard, working 16 hour days trudging through the muck, the snow, in the cold rain, "to give his family more". (Not always getting that we just want him. That he is enough.)

For the Grandparents who love their grand kids deeply. Who drop everything to be with us, do for us.
For waking up;
For the little boy who wants to know what every sign on the highway says;
For our home, it's perfect position; the way the sunshine invades our home in the mornings on one side and bids us a bright goodnight on the other side;

For living in the country, where we have room to roam, to adventure and breathe, Oh! how we can breathe out here;
For consignment stores;
For a new day, full of promise (here's hoping I don't squelch it with all my expectations and "plans");
For the infallible and refreshing, Word of God, lifting my spirit and renewing my soul daily

......
Why bother?
(-Ann Voskamp, A Holy Experience)

It’s habits that can imprison you and it’s habits that can free you and when thanks to God becomes a habit, so joy in God becomes your life.
Maybe a life needs change over and over again — that constant turning to God? Not so much new month resolutions but revolutions.
And why bother keeping a gratitude list of His gifts?
Because those who keeping a gratitude list:
1. Have a relative absence of stress and depression. (Woods et al., 2008)
2. Make progress towards important personal goals (Emmons and McCullough, 2003)
3. Report higher levels of determination and energy (Emmons and McCullough, 2003)
4. Feel closer in their relationships and desire to build stronger relationships (Algoe and Haidt, 2009)
5. Increase your happiness by 25% — (Who wouldn’t want a quarter more happiness!) (McCullough et al., 2002)

Who doesn’t want all that? 
(-Ann Voskamp, A Holy Experience)