Hey y'all. Welcome back to The Paisley Texan Creates. Some of you may have heard about or seen this 30 Days of Thankfulness craze on Facebook. The past few years, during the month of November, seeing everyone else giving thanks, I never took the time to sit down and actually purposely think about what I was thankful for. This year I decided to give it a whirl and see where it would lead me.
The past 11 days, I've taken the time daily to stop and think about those things that I'm truly thankful for. I feel like it has enriched my life and given me a great start to my day. It has opened up some great time in prayer for me and my days have been less stressful, I feel, and given me a more positive approach to my day.
I think I will continue this daily routine, past the 30 Days of Thankfulness. Giving thanks for the many things I take for granted and don't recognize enough, should be a part of everyone's daily routine. Isn't that something that God would want us to do? Give thanks for those things He blesses us with? Pray for those things and not take them for granted? I'm so thankful for having started the 30 Days of Thankfulness, it is changing me because I've opened myself up to accept that change. I'm loving what I see and loving putting it into words.
I've decided to post them daily here on my blog as well as on my Facebook. I hope you will join me and take the time to give a quick thanks for something or someone different daily. I think you will find it to be fulfilling and a great start to your day!! You don't have to post it for everyone to see, but I've enjoyed being able to go back and look at what I've been thankful for.
I recently found this idea on Pinterest for a jar where you write something good from your day and put it in the jar. You do this every day, then on New Year's Eve you take them out and read them, or as a family you each take turns reading them. I thought, hey, that could be done with a 30 Days of Thankfulness approach. You could write down daily what you are giving thanks for, then at the end of the year, read them. Would be a great way to recap your year and focus on the positive and thankful things, not the negative or hard things. Also, a great New Years resolution too, purposely give thanks daily for something or someone specific.
I'd love to hear about your journey with 30 Days of Thankfulness, if you decide to add this to your daily quiet time, or take a few minutes on your drive to and/or from work, or take a second during nap time. It doesn't have to take longer than 5 minutes.
Here are the past 11 days, including today, of what I've given thanks for daily.
Day 1: I'm thankful for my wonderful husband
who is a fantastic father, the perfect best friend who loves me for me,
a devoted son, blessing of a son in law (backs my dad up with all that
estrogen in the house), and over all hard working, loving, christian
man! Thank you boogie for being my prince charming. God gave me you ♥
Day 2: Today I'm super
thankful for my 2 precious girls. They bring me such joy and happiness
on a daily basis, that I can't imagine life without them. I've known
all my life I wanted to be a mommy, and it is the most awesome job title
I hold (besides being Amazing Wife to Garrett) ;). I'm thankful I get to be home with them on a daily basis, even on the not so pretty days,
I still wouldn't want to be anywhere else. I'm proud to say I'm Ava
and Emma's mom, and honored that God tasked me with being able to raise
these 2 firecrackers in a Christian home full of love, laughter, jumping
on mommy and daddy's bed, bedtime stories and prayers, water sprinklers
on the trampoline, 38 chickens, a dog named Johnny Cash, peanut butter
and jelly sandwiches, and so much more! My cup runneth over ♥
Day 3: Today I'm thankful for my relationship with my
Heavenly Father. Without my faith I would not be who I am or where I am
today! I'm thankful that no matter what human mistake I make today, He
is always there and ready to forgive me. He has carried me through many
downs, and praised along side me through the many ups of life. As a
mom, I can't fathom giving one of my children freely to die for the sins
of sinners, but God sent his son to die on the cross for our sins.
That's how much He loves me and each and every one of you. Today, I'm
thankful for that love ♥
Day 4: Today I'm thankful for my amazing parents.
They are always there to support me when I need them. I'm thankful they
didn't execute their famous Cosby saying they loved to recite when
necessary, "I brought you into this world I can take you out of it." I'm
sure there were a small handful (okay probably many) moments of
exasperation, but they never gave up and always continued to help guide
me and lead me to where I am today! I'm thankful to have been raised in a
loving, Christian home with a wonderful example for me to raise my
girls! Thanks mom and dad for being you! I love y'all!!
Day 5: Today I'm thankful for my baby sister. She has
been there to support me through thick and thin. I know that no matter
what, she will always be there for me. I'm thankful I know I can always
count on her. I'm thankful that she loves her nieces oh so much with a
love that is unconditional. She is always up for the challenge of
babysitting and always seems to enjoy it. I'm thankful I can call her my
baby sister. I don't know what I would ever do without her!! I love you
sissy!! ♥
Day 6: Today I'm thankful for my right as an American
citizen to vote. To have the ability to voice my opinion without
fearing for my life is something most take for granted. I'm thankful for
every man and woman who have fought for that right and fought for the
freedoms of our country. I'm thankful for the families and friends who
support those soldiers who have and are fighting for this amazing
country! I'm also thankful that I believe in a mighty God, who will
still be sitting on His throne tomorrow morning, no matter who wins this
election. ♥
Day 7: Today I'm thankful for faith! My faith gives
me the comfort I need to know that no matter who is in control of our
country, God is still in control. I'm thankful for prayer. I'm sure
God's ears are full of prayers today. That's what will get us through
these next 4 years, is praying for the state of our country. Praying for
the leader of our country, that he makes sound decisions and focuses on the important issues. I'm thankful for freedom. I have the freedom to believe in Jesus Christ and am able to go to church when the doors are open and worship with my fellow believers. We will help each other through these next 4 years. We need to focus our eyes on Jesus and work at being fishers of men. Lets put our energy there, not being mad about the election. Lets vote for Jesus and focus on campaigning for Him. ♥
Day 8: Today I'm thankful for our many friends. I
appreciate each and every one of you for blessing my life and my family
each in your own way. I'm thankful to know that you will always be there
when we need you and are always so supportive. You are truly like
family and we love each of you!! You all know who you are :) Thank you
for your unconditional friendship ♥
Day 9: Today I'm thankful for my church family. We
found Waller Baptist Church at a point in our lives where I had just
been laid off and Garrett and I were in need of an amazing church
family. Everyone there welcomed us with open arms and have loved on us,
prayed for us, laughed with us, loved on our kiddos, and accepted us,
proving to be a wonderful church family. Thank you all! We love you guys
♥
Day 10: Today I'm thankful for 5 wonderful years of
marriage to an amazing man! We have been blessed many ways in those 5
years, so much so, that I can't wait to see what blessings will come in
the next 5. I'm blessed to have the man that I will grow old with. Thank
you Garrett for a fantastic 5 years! I love you oh so much and thank
God for you daily!! Happy Anniversary boogie!! ♥
Day 11: Today I'm thankful for the small things. I'm
thankful to wake up in a quiet house (minus my snoring husband) with a
roof over my head in a comfy bed. I'm thankful for the way my oldest
daughter says every morning, "Good morning Mommy. Did you sleep good?"
I'm thankful for the way my youngest daughter will patiently lay in her
bed until you come get her, and when she sees your face, her face lights up and she says "Mommy" almost as if this is her first time seeing you. I'm thankful for the way my husband always kisses me good morning, even if his good morning comes much earlier than mine. I'm thankful for my sweet little family. God has truly blessed my life beyond belief. My cup runneth over ♥
Don't forget to stop and give thanks today. Come back tomorrow for Day 12 of my 30 Days of Thankfulness!
Loves and Hugs!!
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