The degree of thankfulness in your heart depends on what you focus on.
What you focus on is determined by how you spend your time/money &
what you think about.
Thankfulness has everything to do with satisfaction and contentment.
"...you will me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand."
- Psalm 16:11b
"Praise the Lord, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise His holy name. Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits - who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's."
- Psalm 103:1-5
Did the week of Thanksgiving spur actual thankfulness in your heart? Or did it represent a hurried massive dinner followed by a mad rush to stand in line for hours at your local department store?
Was it full of family time? Or was it just another week on the calendar of a million things to do?
My goal is NOT to make anyone feel guilty - by any means! (If that were the case, someone would need to gently remind me to take a look at my OWN life.)
I just think it's good to reflect on the correlation of what we say and what we do.
We celebrate THANKSGIVING. We get excited about holidays.
Shopping is not bad - but shouldn't we balance it with giving of our time, selves, possessions?
Work and chores are definitely essential - but we also must schedule in and prioritize free time, rest time, and family time. Actual face-to-face conversations. I know, it is somewhat of a foreign concept. But, seriously. It's crucial.
Personally, my level of contentment and thankfulness skyrockets when I acknowledge God for what He has already blessed me with, rather than constantly seeking MORE. All I want is more of HIM. There will always be something else to do or somewhere else to be or something new to buy.... but the thing that lasts is a real relationship with Jesus.
So what are YOU thankful for today??
I am thankful for --
- A calm morning in front of the fireplace with my journal
- A surprise trip to Portland to visit friends and family for Thanksgiving (my mom and aunt screamed and my sister-in-law cried when I walked in unannounced... it was perfect!)
- A night with dear friends and encouraging conversations
- So much quality time with my best friend this week (which included making new journals!)
- A great meeting with a Professor yesterday who had great things to say about my semester writing project... what a blessing to be encouraged in one of the things that I am most passionate about!
- Christmas music. Christmas trees. Christmas lights. Christmas socks. Need I say more?
- God's plan that is GOOD and will continued to be revealed little by little...
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