Weekly Gratitude Journal

Here I am again, behind in posting my weekly gratitude journal. Last week I was blessed to watch our two middle granddaughters, ages thirteen and ten, while my daughter and her husband were out of town. I neglected to bring my computer to their house, so that's my excuse for missing last week's post.

Goodness, life is crazy isn't it?  I feel like we are smack dab in the middle of living Matthew chapter twenty four. Wars and rumors of wars, devastation, betrayal. The last two days in my morning quiet time I have been reminded that most of the time the only thing we have control over is our own self, our own attitudes, our own thoughts, our own decisions. Too often we look outside of ourselves, wanting the circumstances and people around us to change. We get disheartened and hopeless when nothing changes. Sometimes, we  choose to "run away" from it all.  We quit our job, cut off that relationship, change churches, move to a new location, hoping that these things will make a difference. But, as the old saying goes, "wherever YOU go, there YOU are." You can't run away from your old ways of thinking, reacting and responding. You can't run away from the way you respond to people and problems and stress and world catastrophes. What you can do, what I can do, is change our own thoughts, our own attitudes, our own responses and reactions. You and I can choose to love people that are hard to love. We can choose to pray instead of fret. We can quit being paralyzed with hopelessness about war and racism and crumbling economies and all the other ails of our sin broken world and choose to love and care for those God brings into our lives, the people right in front of us, even those that frustrate and annoy us. We can quit focusing on life's "what ifs," on the things we lack, on the things that disappoint and frustrate us, and choose to focus on God's blessings. We can choose to give thanks. 

I can't make world peace happen. But I can let God's peace rule in my heart and mind. I can't stop betrayal, but I can vow, with God's help, to never be a betrayer. I can't shore up the crumbling economy, but I can choose to obey God with my finances and trust that He will supply all of my needs. Helplessness brings hopelessness. I am not helpless. You are not helpless. There are things we can control and change. Why not start here, smack dab in the chaos of today's topsy turvy world, and choose to be grateful, choose to notice God's good gifts, choose to give God thanks. 

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Since 2009 I've been counting my blessings thanks to the prompting of Ann Voskamp.

 I continue to count my thanks, 

piling up gratitude day by day in my journal.

(and capturing some of my blessings via my camera or iPhone)

#15,436-#15,478

2-22-2022-

-a day to stay home and work on projects

-this beautiful sunny/cold day

-finally taking time to blog

2-23-2022-

-finally getting the shiplap wall repainted

-an afternoon off with my guy

-God working in relationships

2-24-2022-

-unexpected snow

-my South Carolina son-in-law being here for a few days due to work

-a clear blue hour sky full of stars

2-25-2022-

-Friday Date Day

-a delicious Thai food lunch with my guy

-our FamBam groups texts

2-26-2022-

-God's help to get my to-do list done

-D's baby shower

-getting to see my daughters old roommate and her baby girl

2-27-2022-

-my guy's birthday

-the sound of the birds-spring is coming!

-a surprise birthday dinner for my guy at our nephew's

2-28-2022-

-a strong support system

-time with my grandgirlies

-our family

3-1-2022-

-praying with my granddaughters before school and before bed

-my cheery yellow raincoat on gloomy wet days

-clearance sales

-taking my grand girlies out for Mexican food

3-2-2022-

-fog along the Willamette River

-my guy steam cleaning our carpet for me

-good reports from our church's men's gathering

3-3-2022-

-God never leaves me or forsakes me

-an early morning walk with our pup

-friends that pray with and encourage us

3-4-2022-

-drove clear to the beach with our pup and she didn't get car sick

-listening to audible books on the drive

-the sea

-pale pink clouds in a blue sky as the sun set

-knowing Jesus never lets go of me

3-5-2022-

-plans for our next trip to see our east coast grandkids

-good friends

-this sunny day

3-6-2022-

-God is completely trustworthy even with people fail or disappoint me

-lunch with friends

-planning and praying with my Visionary Leadership Team

still following,