blessings

Every had something that keeps at you? Well this week there have been a few things that have happened that have really made me think......4 things to be exact. Here they are...

1. I got this email from my friend Tiff....it was cute and had some cute pictures that went with it, but this is just of it. I copy/pasted the words.

I AM Thankful:
FOR THE WIFE WHO SAYS IT'S HOT DOGS TONIGHT, BECAUSE SHE IS HOME WITH ME, AND NOT OUT WITH SOMEONE ELSE.

FOR THE HUSBAND WHO IS ON THE SOFA BEING A COUCH POTATO, BECAUSE HE IS HOME WITH ME AND NOT OUT AT THE BARS.

FOR THE TEENAGER WHO IS COMPLAINING ABOUT DOING DISHES BECAUSE IT MEANS SHE IS AT HOME, NOT ON THE STREETS.

FOR THE TAXES I PAY BECAUSE IT MEANS I AM EMPLOYED .

FOR THE MESS TO CLEAN AFTER A PARTY BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE BEEN SURROUNDED BY FRIENDS.

FOR THE CLOTHES THAT FIT A LITTLE TOO SNUG BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE ENOUGH TO EAT.

FOR MY SHADOW THAT WATCHES ME WORK BECAUSE IT MEANS I AM OUT IN THE SUNSHINE

FOR A LAWN THAT NEEDS MOWING, WINDOWS THAT NEED CLEANING, AND GUTTERS THAT NEED FIXING BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE A HOME.

FOR ALL THE COMPLAINING I HEAR ABOUT THE GOVERNMENT BECAUSE IT MEANS WE HAVE FREEDOM OF SPEECH.

FOR THE PARKING SPOT I FIND AT THE FAR END OF THE PARKING LOT BECAUSE IT MEANS I AM CAPABLE OF WALKING AND I HAVE BEEN BLESSED WITH TRANSPORTATION.

FOR MY HUGE HEATING BILL BECAUSE IT MEANS I AM WARM.

FOR THE LADY BEHIND ME IN CHURCH WHO SINGS OFF KEY BECAUSE IT MEANS I CAN HEAR.

FOR THE PILE OF LAUNDRY AND IRONING BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE CLOTHES TO WEAR.

FOR WEARINESS AND ACHING MUSCLES AT THE END OF THE DAY BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE BEEN CAPABLE OF WORKING HARD.

FOR THE ALARM THAT GOES OFF IN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS BECAUSE IT MEANS I AM ALIVE.

AND I AM THANKFUL: FOR THE crazy people I work with BECAUSE they make work interesting and fun!

AND FINALLY, FOR TOO MUCH E-MAIL BECAUSE ? IT MEANS I HAVE FRIENDS WHO ARE THINKING OF ME.

I thought that it was cute and left it at that. It even made me chuckle a little and think that I really should look at life a little more like this.....I don't tend to be a person that wears rose colored glasses.

2. Sunday in Church one of the hymns that we sang was called 'Because I Have Been Given Much'. This song really really really has a special meaning for me....I wont go into it right now-I am sure that this blog is going to be long enough. Here are the words...ah....sorry I couldn't copy them...something about copyright laws, I was going to put a link but the church doesn't even have it up. So just know that this song is another thing this week that made me think of being thankful or blessed.

3. Reason 3, I was reading a friends blog and she had mentioned that a friend of hers was writing about something that she was thankful for and posting it on her blog everyday in November leading up to Thanksgiving. My friend liked the idea and so she too is writing in her blog about something that she thankful for. She started a little late, but boy has she ever caught up. Reading each of thankful things has really made me think....it is the little things in life isn't it?

4. A little background....in church we have Home Teachers. Basically it is 2 guys that come over once a month or so and see how our family is doing, give us some kind of spiritual lesson, check on us to see if we are doing okay. They are there for us...if we need anything we can call them up and say "I need some help" and if they are unable to do it, they help us figure out someone who can help. There really is more to it than that but you get it. So, tonight our Home Teacher came over....great guy. We like him a lot. Our lesson tonight was on enjoying the journey. It was good. Crazy with how the kids were acting but really good. And it seemed that it was perfect timing for me. I really needed to hear what he was saying. At the end of the lesson he suggested that each of us (Kris and I) sit down tonight and write a list of the blessing that we have in our lives. What a great idea!! Really I was thinking of doing the "Thankful" list like my friend....but then I thought.....it is already so close to Thanksgiving I will just write a blog about the things that I am thankful for on Thanksgiving Day night. More time to reflect and stuff.

Can it get any more clear. I feel like I need to be hit upside the head with a brick! I am not counting my blessings and being grateful for the things that I do have in my life. It seems like when things get .... weird.....or like I am struggling with things.... this is weird for me...writing this and knowing that people are going to read it. I see others write down their feelings in a blog but I am really not so into sharing my feelings or I guess my struggles. (Now this is me totally ranting....) When I am irritated at something I don't want be thankful for it....but I know I know...I really need to be. So in my mind writing down a list of things that I am thankful for or list of things that are blessings in my life are the same right? The more I thought about this to me they really aren't. BUT as I think about the things that I am blessed with I begin to be thankful for them. Does that make any sense? Just like the words in the email that Tiff sent.... I really wasn't thinking that I am thankful for husband in the other room, because he is here and not at the bar (as if)....but when I think about my blessings I am blessed to have Kris for husband and thinking of it that way makes me grateful for him.....so here is my list of blessings...not only because that is what my great home teacher suggested and I know that for me the list of blessing will be longer (reason explained above) but because I know that I really need to recognize these things in my life at this time. If I have time later I will go back through and write why they are blessing.

1. yes, he has to be #1 Kris

2. each of kids so that would be Elaine

3. Drew

4. Izzy

5. Evan

6. extended family members and the relationships that I have with them

7. my testimony

8. the friends that I have

9. technology-adding explanation later

10. the school and the teachers that my children have

11. blow dryers-I know -random

12. recipes-I don't have any imagination what so ever when it comes to cooking, but boy can I ever follow a recipe!

13.my home

14. hobbies

15. Home Teachers & Visiting Teachers

16. church

17. music

18. books

19. my van

20. gas prices that are going down

21. the weather

22. insurance

23. running water

okay for now this will have to do.....I really want to get to bed and enjoy some sleep before the baby wakes.