Yesterday we heard a message in church about being thankful. I considered myself a thankful person, but after hearing this, it really had me reflecting the state of my heart.
The pastor gave an example phrase that people often use: "if only i had ____ , then I'd be happy" Fill in the blank. A new car. A better job. A bigger house. A lot of money. Nick and I chuckled because I have totally said this exact phrase to him. If only I had a store, then I'd be happy. If only I could travel wherever/whenever I wanted, then I'd be happy. If only Nick & I could start a business together, then I'd be happy. Hmm. But would it ever be enough? Even if I got all those things I think would make me happy, would I truly be happy? Probably not. I'd probably want even more. A lot of it is related to being content. If I'm not truly content, I find myself complaining about things in life, which is silly because I have so much to be thankful for. I don't want to be an ungrateful person or be someone who constantly compares and complains.
Anyway, he told us at the start of November, he writes down 10 things he is thankful for each day. a little challenge to himself, and none of them are repeated. 10 things a day! Hmm. I was kind of stumped because I thought to myself, that is a lot of things to come up with, hehe. But I was a little embarrassed and ashamed because surely there is so much to be grateful for in my life.
So for today and the rest of the week, I'm taking up the challenge and writing 10 different things I am thankful for. Feel free to join in, I'd love to hear the things you're thankful for! Or post on your own blog. Here are my 10 things I am thankful for today. in no particular order.. :)
1) love
2) my husband
3) grace
4) my mom
5) my brother
6) education
7) health
8) laughter
9) oh, hello friend
10) life
Hm, my first list today may be a little general/cliche..but I am thankful for them. Well, this week I am really going to reflect on things I take for granted everyday. Things I should be truly grateful for. What are you thankful for today friend?
thanks to sixth & main for the beautiful graphic above!
What a lovely post. I don't have trouble thinking of things I'm thankful for, but I know that I tend to split my life up into three parts - physical home; love life; work - and can only accept that two of them are wonderful at any given time. I have to keep reminding myself that my WHOLE life can be good, all at once, and stop looking for problems in any one part of it.
ReplyDeleteStrangely, friendship never gets clumped into this - I always have faith in my friends. :)
I love this! Our pastor did a thankfulness message that really hit home for me yesterday too. It truly is amazing how easy it is to take things for granted.
ReplyDeleteI think I'll tackle this challenge when I get home from work later tonight.
I love those moments sat in church where you think "oop, definitely said THAT this week!" ... What a great list though =) Lots to be happy for!
ReplyDeletehttp://jenniferball-fineart.blogspot.com/ i have just done my list - quite cheesy, thank-you for helping me stop for a moment and give thanks x
ReplyDelete1: God's saving grace. 2: my husband. 3: my family. 4: my eyes and the ability to see. 5: my ears and the ability to hear. 6: my nose and the ability to smell. 7: my mouth and the ability to taste. 8: my legs and the ability to run. 9: my hands and the ability to touch. 10: God's beautiful creation that we have to see, hear, smell, taste, and explore!! AMEN??
ReplyDeleteLove this idea...and love your list.
ReplyDeleteMy 10 things for today include:
1- my family 2- good friends 3- sunrises 4- sunsets 5- the ocean 6- books 7- my camera
8- Google 9- the color blue 10- time...just to be able to take time in the morning to read the newspaper and drink a cup of hot tea.
Love this. I've been doing a "Week of Gratitude" over on my own blog (www.lovelyindeed.com), but here are my 10:
ReplyDelete1-music. 2-husband. 3-niece. 4-good pizza. 5-friends that feel like family. 6-my computer. 7-faith. 8-mom & dad. 9-board and bed. 10-liking myself.
Have you read One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp? It's wonderful, full of gratitude and grace and some wonderfully poetic prose. It formed out of a challenge to list one thousand things for which Voskamp was/is grateful--to write out thanks for one thousand different things.
ReplyDeleteIf giving thanks is on your mind, I'd definitely check it out.
You may have heard of the book "1,000 gifts" (Ann Voskamp) -well it's about how to be thankful for the everyday. How learning to be grateful for even the tiniest or even mundane things of life and understanding God's giving, saying no, blessings, etc. I haven't finished the book, but I do read her blog (and cry a lot reading them) and I haven't taken the time to make a list every single day or even once a month, but after reading this I hope to try and make that effort. There is much to be thankful for!
ReplyDeleteYou can subscribe to her website to receive the "daily devotionals"
www.aholyexperience.com
:)
@Katie so funny- we wrote our suggestions at the same time :)
ReplyDeleteAw, that's so lovely, Danni! :) It's funny because I've said that EXACT phrase so, so many times before too! And I've been reading quite a bit on happiness lately, and I learned of a fun example (actually, I learned about it when I studied psychology, but I was reminded recently) - on a survey of people who've won the lottery, psychologists measured their happiness levels. After they won the lottery, their amount of happiness spiked a lot higher, but over time, it came back down to the level of happiness that they had BEFORE they won the lottery. It's just as you said - nothing will ever make us happy unless we can make ourselves happy with what we have!
ReplyDeleteThis is such a great lesson - today, I'm grateful for: friends, Mardy, my blog, my health, my family, good food, rejuvenating conversations, feeling loved, giving love, and new perspectives :)
This is a lovely idea and yes, seems like a lot for every day. Today I am thankful I did not fall when I tripped over my own feet. Happy Thanksgiving...
ReplyDeletethanks so much for sharing, Danni! I've been thinking a lot about contentment and about comparing your life to others' too - so i joined the challenge for today and posted my 10 things here:
ReplyDeletehttp://applejane-lizzimarie.blogspot.com/2011/11/grateful-10-things-challenge.html
Happy Thanksgiving! :)
Beautiful list, Danni! I think the key to life is being timelessly grateful -- for all you have now, for all you have had in the past, for all you will have. It's one of the best ways to combine your gratitude for what you have with your desires for all you want to achieve.
ReplyDeleteI'm grateful for this post on a hectic day and how it is giving me a moment to stop and think of good things. Thank you! :)
ReplyDeletei love this danni! you always come up with new ways to encourage and inspire others!! that does sound really difficult to come up with 10 things every day, but i guess it would be easier if you get more specific!! :)
ReplyDeleteI was just thinking these thoughts while bloggin today, good reminder :)
ReplyDeleteToday I am grateful for:
ReplyDelete1. Friends, especially Diveesha (its her birthday)
2. Health
3. Family
4. Water
5. Blogs
6. The MTR (Hong Kong Train)
7. My Boyfriend
8. My Bed
9. Nylon Magazine
10. Music
Thanks for this post...x
i know what you mean. one must be thankful for the little things in life on a daily basis. and i'm convinced that this draws more happiness to a life.
ReplyDeletethis year i've started to write down the things i'm thankful for every day and it made such a great difference.
if you want a nice little book to write your lists down as well - just yesterday i've published a little giveaway on my blog. it's a gratitude journal that you can download for free and where you can write down everything you're thankful for. maybe you like it. feel free to stop by :-)
happy thanksgiving dani. and a special hug to your mom.
Your post reminds me of one of my late mother's favorite quotes...
ReplyDeleteContent is not the fulfillment of what you want, but the realization of how much you already have.
i like the sounds of that sermon. for me - i do always have work dreams, and i know some of them will make me more happy b/c they will help me to spend more time with the people i love the most and to be more fulfilled and challenged on a day to do basis. interestingly tho - we've taken in a rescue dog as "foster parents" for the next little while. and this dog - he lives in the moment. that's all he seems to know, and he's brought me a lot of happiness just by forcing me to do the same. i hope i can carry that with me once we've found his new family.
ReplyDeletethis is a great idea!
ReplyDeleteToday I am grateful for....
1. My Husband
2. My Cat, Ruby
3. My Mother
4. My Cameras
5. My friends
6. Yarn
7. Blogs
8. My laptop
9. Fallen Leaves
10. Ocean Breeze
mine are here, http://www.bonitarose.com/2011/11/my-10-things-on-tuesday.html
ReplyDeleteJust wondering what font you used for "grateful;" it's beautiful!
ReplyDeletei am grateful for the love i have in my life, for family and friends who choose to call me family and for the desires, unfulfilled, that God will one day fill or allow to pass. :)
ReplyDeletethis was moving. thank you for posting - i needed to read something like this.
ReplyDeleteearlier this year, a colleague challenged us to write down a few things each day that we're thankful for. so since jan. 1, i've been doing that in a calendar. it's been fun going back and reading through it because it's reminded me of everything God has brought me through and given to me - little and big.
ReplyDelete