In Alcoholics Anonymous they have a phrase "Fake it til you make it" which basically means "think thankful thoughts and you'll start to be thankful" (and, in the converse, "think worrisome thoughts, and you'll start to be worrisome!) Thinking unthankful, selfish thoughts as I have this week has just brought me lower and lower into self pity instead of paying attention to all of the reasons I am blessed.
Isn't it just like God to have me scheduled to write a blog post about thankfulness this week? He, in his sense of humor and perfect timing is giving me a good opportunity to refocus. So here I am going to start to fake it 'til I make it and can list some of the obvious things for which I am thankful. Even as I start to write these, one of my favorite hymns "Seek Ye First" (which quotes Luke 12:31) runs through my head:
• My warm home
• Food in my fridge
• Snow in which to play
• Good health in my family
• The promise of eternity when I'm gone from this earth
• My sweet husband and son
• My employer who has worked around my crazy schedule and the job I love
Wow, now that I've started... I think I could keep going!
Then Jesus said to his disciples: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?
“Consider how the wild flowers grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you—you of little faith! And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.
Luke 12: 22-31
This is a good day for me to read this too.
ReplyDeleteI could easily list the things I am upset about today. Like...my food was not cooked properly at McDonalds and that I was almost in an accident because of the ABS.
Instead...I am thankful that:
I have a microwave that I can nook my son's hamburger on a sesame seed bun and he is a happy guy. (Mom, still not so much)
We were NOT in an accident.
My son wants me to play Wii with him.
I have friends who bring me gently back into reality, even when it's not near as much fun as Jenland.
Two days of no school!
Snow!
A warm home with plenty of food, fun and love.
Steeler football!
Thank you so much for this good reminder! So true that the battle is in our thought life...being thankful is a great antidote to the blahs or having a pity party. Your blog is timely as two of our sons are returning to college this weekend and I was feeling sad about that today. Thinking "thankfully", I will remember how blessed I am to have such wonderful sons! They are so appreciative of all I do for them - what a blessing!
ReplyDeleteThanks for being "real " Wendy.
ReplyDeleteI think the snow is great, but the lack of sunshine and warmth makes me more vunerable to "gloomy" thoughts.
These thoughts lead me to look up 1 Peter 5:7,8,9
(was about to quote, but Elim screaming... GTG)