Thankful Thursday…

I thought that today, I would try something new. No, not Thankful Thursday, but by starting my day with my post as part of my quiet time. I’ve started looking forward to Thursdays. I missed it last week because I was out of town and the computer was not a priority, but I thought all week of the things that I was thankful for.

I think this is such a great exercise. My pastor is big about telling people to lead a better life and not a bitter life. Thankful Thursday is one of the ways that helps me to do this.

So, here goes…

• I am thankful for the warmer weather that seems to be creeping in now and the wild flowers that are beginning to bloom and the signs of new life. While we didn’t have a bad winter, we had a very dull, boring, brown winter.)
• I am thankful for the business trip that I had last week. While it’s tough to get everyone packed to go off to their final destinations and it’s tough being away from my norm for a week, it was what I needed to start pulling me out of the funk that I seemed to have slipped into. I’ve come back and am now looking for ways to make this place and this life better — not in material or cosmetic ways but in ways that bring joy to our lives. I am also thankful for the pilots that got us there and back safe and sound.
• I am thankful for my new blogger friends who showed concern when I posted about my tears on the tarmack. I wasn’t looking for any kind of response. It was something that happened that I felt compelled to write about, but the fact that I had people take the time to ask me how I was doing gives me a renewed hope that there are good people out there. So, thank you all!
• Oh, and I’m really thankful for my mom, for many reasons, really, but this week for making me face my problem and work on over coming it, even though I bet you anything she had NO IDEA that she did this.
• I am thankful for the recommendation of the book “Sisterchicks on the Loose”. I haven’t read a book since October for lack of free time and not only am I thankful for the time that I had to read on the plane, but of the message that the book carried. There were so many life lessons that I took away from the book and am anxiously awaiting the arrival of “Sisterchicks do the Hula”.
• I am thankful for the generosity that Connie and her family showed in allowing me to stay with her family and I am thankful that we were able to brainstorm in person and share that margarita that we’ve been talking about for over a year. I am thankful that we were bums for most of the weekend because I think we both needed it. (You work too much, Connie. )
• I am thankful that Lisa suggested downloading some sermons to my iPod so that I could have my own “church” coming home on the plane on Sunday. I feel different this week since I didn’t get to church (and ok, I missed my buddies there) but I was able to worship on my own. I can honestly say that I have never done that before and it was nice. The sermons that I listened to were on the Covenant of Marriage (wish I would’ve heard that one about 10 years ago…lol, but I’ll tuck the information away for later and the difference between happiness and joyfulness. Something I needed to hear.)
• I am thankful that my children missed me. Sometimes we tend to think that they just don’t care and when I returned and got the biggest hugs and kisses and it was a full 5 minutes before they asked me what I brought them overjoyed me. I enjoyed the break, but I missed them…and I’m thankful that I missed them. Absence does make the heart grow fonder and bring out feelings that might have been buried a little deeper than they should be.
• I am thankful that I will have the kids the next 4 weekends. Their father needed to cancel one of his weekends and then we’ll be going to Tennessee for Spring Break. Originally, I was a bit miffed that I was giving up a weekend that I had plans to bury myself in the finances and get the taxes done before we go to Tennessee, but the more I thought about it, the more I was excited about being able to share this time with them (especially since it’s getting warmer). So, it will be challenging to get it all done but I think we’re going to be doing some fun stuff.
• I am thankful that I am gainfully employed and that I have additional streams of income despite my complaints yesterday of everyone wanting a piece of me. I’m also thankful for the additional energy and quiet time that I had last night to work a bit more to give me a sense of catching up and taking care of some of the smaller tasks on my list.
• I am thankful that there is a chance that both of my children will get Big Brothers and Sisters through the Big Brothers Big Sisters program. BBBS is a wonderful organization and I hope that my children are matched with people who can help make a difference in their lives. As a mother, I know that I should be doing this, and I think that I do, but I’m still mom. I want to raise better, not bitter, children, and I think that this is a great opportunity for them, so please pray that they are matched if they are meant to.
• I am thankful that I have God in my life and for the wonderful things that He is doing in my life. I’m thankful that I am able to start openly talking about my faith, spirituality and my relationship with Jesus Christ and not caring what other people think. I am thankful that He has put so many wonderful people and resources in my path and that I (most of the time) am able to stop and recognize them. I’m excited to see what He has in store for me!

I have so much to be thankful for this week! I’m sure that I could go on and on because there are other petty little things that I am thankful for, but these are the biggies…

Until next time…

Heather