Relentlessly pursuing Gratitude in 2011

If you follow my blog, thanks for not giving up on me. It's been a little while-ahem-a long while since I've put a lot of time into this thing, not because of lack of desire but more or less-a constant feeling of not enough hours in the day! I've been busy-busy learning how to balance this crazy, fun, exhausting, full of joy overflowing plate of responsibility God has blessed me with in His abundant grace-aka-my precious family. I love being a mom and a wife more than anything in this whole wide world but I'm so busy putting my whole heart into it-that I sure haven't found a way to fit in writing about it-consistently anyways! However, I am daily inspired by following this blog. And, I think why I love it so much is that this mom deeply treasures the small things in life as I do, but is much, much, much, did I say much?, more gifted with eloquent words than am I and she often speaks straight to my heart as a mother. She just knows how to say it...to make the little things in life come alive. She has 6 children herself, or as she calls them, "a half dozen" :) and that is double what I am responsible for! But what I love, is that she is so real and honest in describing the struggle all human's can get caught up in-the internal struggle of focusing so much on the daily chores and demands of life that you miss life itself. It's so easy to do...the day begins and you already feel behind as you begin making mental notes of all you need to get done..

today for example..the clutter quickly builds around me while the girls take their herd of dinosaurs on a journey through the entire downstairs and my curious little toddler is unleashing a multitude of tiny cars and balls from their once neat little cubby holes, as I make my way to the buzzing dryer that I just unloaded, while making a mental note of what needs to be prepped for dinner, and the phonics lesson waiting to be taught, and then I get a whiff of the stinky baby pulling on my pants leg because he just wants his mama to pause and hold him, all as my sweet husband is coming in the door for a quick lunch break...whew! makes me tired just thinking about it. But what's great about all of that-and what I so desperately want to remember when moments of weakness and feeling overwhelmed come-is that all of that is here because God has blessed us with life-full and abundant life-inside of our home. All the glorious mess and busyness that comes every day reflects the pursuit of our living. And, I don't want to waste precious hours that God has given us focusing on the mess and not the reason for the mess. If nothing else I want to look back at 2011 and know that I grew in joy-That is why Thankfulness is something that will be relentlessly pursued in the busyness of daily life this year, and that I hope to impress on my children to do the same-if we grow in nothing else, I pray it will be that...because 'true Joy comes from daily seeing Gods goodness all around you'. If we are busy being thankful, it will be a lot harder to be discontent.

So, I am joining in with the community of other bloggers to commit to posting online things we are thankful for each week. Because, you see, quoting another mom and blogger "I believe in this principle, the principle of being thankful in all things....daily naming your 'gifts'...so that you see Him in every.moment.of. your.life....slowing down to be really present and rejoice in the moments of life. ...I believe this to be absolutely vital to my victory as mom, as a wife, as a friend...and most importantly...as a follower of Jesus.

So for today, and (hopefully many more weeks to come...I begin my gratitude list. My journey to record in 2011 a list of 1000 things myself, my children, and my husband are thankful for-

1. the way Caleb always lays his head so content on his daddy's chest each night and opens his mouth up wide as I lean in for a kiss when Jeremy tells him its time to go 'night-night".

2. hearing Kate say today after her friend left "Mom, I had a hard time sharing today and wasn't a very good friend. I want her to come back and I will do better next time" Such sweet evidence that the Spirit is at work in her little heart, giving her a longing to be more like Him, and she is sensitive to conviction. Thank you Jesus!

3. having a husband who encouraged me to get away by myself for 30 minutes before dinner for much needed time to exercise and get some fresh air.

4. sitting by my husbands side in a quiet, cozy living room at night drinking tea together while our little ones sleep peacefully right above us-safe and sound.

5. the joy in Caleb's face today as he threw his beloved football to his daddy (a daily ritual when he gets home from work) and hearing him say "kesh" aka "catch" for the very first time and he is obviously proud of himself.

6. Kate's sweet toothless smile and how her generous heart showed through this morning when the tooth fairy left her two dollars and the very first thing she said was "Daddy, I want you to take this with you to Cambodia on Friday because I want to give it to one of the little kids over there"

7. Anna working so hard to make her bed all by herself, first by pulling and tugging at the covers until she had them in place and then how she arranged all of her beloved stuffed animals "just so" by putting all the "specialist" ones in front.

8. that my girls are best friends and spend hours upon hours using their imaginations and taking their dinosaurs and little dolls on adventures all over the house.

9. seeing the excitement in Anna's eyes as she is beginning to sound out some of "Kate's" school books. She works so hard, and is so eager and hungry to learn.

10. listening to my husband talk about how much he loves what he is doing at work and his hunger to learn and do more to make a difference. We are so blessed he has a job that he loves to be at that provides just what our family needs.