Gratitude robber #2 is the same as blog stopper #1. Both are selfishness. Selfishness causes you to think you deserve things and as a result you aren't grateful for them. Selfishness causes you to have your priorities out of order. Writing a blog becomes a chore you don't want to stop and do. At least that is the case for me.
My wonderful husband and I were discussing my negative attitude toward my two adult daughters. I realized that my expectations are getting in the way of my gratefulness. I need to concentrate on what they and others do for me instead of what they don't do. It's so easy to focus on what we think we need from others than to pay attention to what they give us.
The best cure for selfishness is focus on the needs of others. The most important thing to remember is that we should do all things with a willing heart of love. That said my sweet little boy needs me to focus on him for awhile. LOL! Have a good night!
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Thursday, January 17, 2013
No Excuse for Laziness
I knew that life would get in the way along this journey. It's not that I haven't been thinking about gratitude. It's not that I haven't been working on my angry attitude. It's not that I couldn't have made the time to blog. It's that I haven't made this blog a priority. I have let all the unimportant things become important. I have been just plain lazy.
It's time to get serious about having a continual attitude of gratitude. I have much to get done in preparing my house for a home study to finish Dixie and Will's adoption, but this journey is as much for them as for me. So as I clean and organize over the next ten or so days I will focus on being grateful for what God has given. He has given me a wonderful family, a huge house, and hopefully friends to help.
Well off to bed so I can start anew tomorrow.
It's time to get serious about having a continual attitude of gratitude. I have much to get done in preparing my house for a home study to finish Dixie and Will's adoption, but this journey is as much for them as for me. So as I clean and organize over the next ten or so days I will focus on being grateful for what God has given. He has given me a wonderful family, a huge house, and hopefully friends to help.
Well off to bed so I can start anew tomorrow.
Monday, January 7, 2013
Gratitude Robber #1
I believe that gratitude robber #1 is the anger that comes from unforgiveness; bitterness. It is impossible to show true gratitude to people you are bitter towards. So first has got to be to truly from the heart forgive those I am bitter towards. Would like to say this will be quick and painless, but I know better than that. Tomorrow I will pull out my material on how to accomplish this and get started.
Well time to put sweet Miss Dixie to sleep. Good night.
Well time to put sweet Miss Dixie to sleep. Good night.
Sunday, January 6, 2013
Still Comtemplating
Figuring out how to have an attitude of gratitude 24/7 is proving to be more difficult than I had hoped. This I know that when the murmuring and complaining that accompanies unthankfulness appears I need to follow 2 Corinthians 10:2. "...and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;" So my goal for now is to take captive all my unthankfulness thoughts, words, and actions. First, I need to kill the gratitude robber before I can consistently show gratitude. Time to begin step one. Tomorrow we will look at the underlying causes of murmuring and complaining. I am going to have to understand what drives it if I am going to drive it out of my life.
Well, this is enough deep thinking for one night. Have a good night's sleep.
Well, this is enough deep thinking for one night. Have a good night's sleep.
Saturday, January 5, 2013
Attitude Adjustment
The biggest hindrance to gratefulness is your attitude. My attitude was not good yesterday and even though I realized it and readily acknowledged it, I found myself in the same place today. So what do I think is driving this attitude? I think for me it is selfishness. I would rather be doing something other than the task at hand.
Now that I recognize it, how do I fix it? That is where contentment comes in. Contentment is a choice. I need to chose to be content with what I am having to do at any given moment. Now contentment is very different from resignation. Resignation is I am stuck here, while contentment is I have chosen to be here. Recognizing a problem is half the battle. I will have to get back to you on the solution. Contemplation time.
Now that I recognize it, how do I fix it? That is where contentment comes in. Contentment is a choice. I need to chose to be content with what I am having to do at any given moment. Now contentment is very different from resignation. Resignation is I am stuck here, while contentment is I have chosen to be here. Recognizing a problem is half the battle. I will have to get back to you on the solution. Contemplation time.
Friday, January 4, 2013
What is Gratefulness?
Today as I was contemplating the definition of gratefulness I realized that I was complaining because things were not the way I wanted them to be. My house was not as clean as I wanted it to be. My daughters were not cleaning in a way that pleased me. Dixie and Will were not cooperating with my plans. I definitely was not thankful.
The opposite of gratefulness is unthankfulness. My favorite definition of gratefulness is an operational definition that says, "Making known to God and others in what ways they have benefited my life." Instead I spent the better part of today complaining about the fact that they were not benefiting me at this moment in time.
Truth is my husband, Brian, benefits me everyday by going to work to provide for our family so that I can stay home and concentrate on our children.
Truth is my oldest daughter, Christina, benefits me by going to work, paying room and board, and still helping with the house and the children.
Truth is my younger daughter, Mary, benefits me by acting as nanny, housekeeper, and yard caretaker while she looks for a job.
Truth is my special son, Stephen, benefits me by teaching me what unconditional love is.
Truth is my precious Dixie benefits me by always being willing to help.
Truth is my sweet William benefits me by always lifting my spirits with his smile.
When we focus on the problems we always miss the truths. And the truth is that God placed these people in my life to build His character in me and that I should always be grateful for that.
In closing 1 Corithians 4:7 says, "For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou didst not receive it." I may do a lot of things in my home, that is my job, but I do not do all of it. I need to show gratitude for the help that I do receive.
Many of you will have tomorrow off. Enjoy your family!
The opposite of gratefulness is unthankfulness. My favorite definition of gratefulness is an operational definition that says, "Making known to God and others in what ways they have benefited my life." Instead I spent the better part of today complaining about the fact that they were not benefiting me at this moment in time.
Truth is my husband, Brian, benefits me everyday by going to work to provide for our family so that I can stay home and concentrate on our children.
Truth is my oldest daughter, Christina, benefits me by going to work, paying room and board, and still helping with the house and the children.
Truth is my younger daughter, Mary, benefits me by acting as nanny, housekeeper, and yard caretaker while she looks for a job.
Truth is my special son, Stephen, benefits me by teaching me what unconditional love is.
Truth is my precious Dixie benefits me by always being willing to help.
Truth is my sweet William benefits me by always lifting my spirits with his smile.
When we focus on the problems we always miss the truths. And the truth is that God placed these people in my life to build His character in me and that I should always be grateful for that.
In closing 1 Corithians 4:7 says, "For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou didst not receive it." I may do a lot of things in my home, that is my job, but I do not do all of it. I need to show gratitude for the help that I do receive.
Many of you will have tomorrow off. Enjoy your family!
Thursday, January 3, 2013
What Gratitude Isn't
If I am going to work on gratefulness then I need to know what I'm looking for. Many people, including me, find it easier to understand what something is by deciding what it isn't.
Gratefulness isn't merely thank you.
Gratefulness isn't liking something.
Gratefulness isn't necessarily smiling about something.
Gratefulness isn't easy to fake.
Gratefulness should never be confused with graciousness.
Now that I have established what I think it isn't tomorrow I will tell you what I think it is.
I am very grateful that God chose for me to be a mom and those wonderful mom duties are calling. I pray that you have a great night's sleep as you with me ponder what gratefulness truly is.
Gratefulness isn't merely thank you.
Gratefulness isn't liking something.
Gratefulness isn't necessarily smiling about something.
Gratefulness isn't easy to fake.
Gratefulness should never be confused with graciousness.
Now that I have established what I think it isn't tomorrow I will tell you what I think it is.
I am very grateful that God chose for me to be a mom and those wonderful mom duties are calling. I pray that you have a great night's sleep as you with me ponder what gratefulness truly is.
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