Long Overdue Lessons on Gratitude

I know...Thanksgiving is OVER! But I have been out of the blogging world for far too long, and never took the opportunity to publicly GIVE THANKS!

I have SO MUCH to be thankful for:

1. My health. It is something I take for granted every day. It is a blessing to be able to get up out of bed, and exercise whenever I want to. On Thanksgiving, I ran 4 miles, then went to a 90 minute cycle class. I know...I'm a bit crazy, but to me, burning 1200 calories in one session is actually fun! I'm grateful for my body allowing me to do what I love! BEING ABLE TO EXERCISE IS A BLESSING!
2. My family. I rarely go a day without complaining about the joys of motherhood. But my children and husband really are my greatest joys. My life has so much more purpose and meaning than it would without them. Being a mom is by far the hardest thing I've ever done, but also the most rewarding.
3. Good people! So I'd like to think I can use pregnancy as an excuse for becoming seriously brain dead these last few weeks. On Saturday afternoon, before heading to watch The Holy War with my SIL (without my hubby...all he wanted for Christmas was to go to the game...hopefully he remembers that he got his wish come December 25th!), I made a quick stop at the post office. With kids in tow, my head was obviously not screwed on tight. Later that night, I arrived home to find a message on the phone from a nice lady who had FOUND MY CREDIT CARD (AT THE POST OFFICE) THAT I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW I'D LOST! I promptly drove over to her house, and was so grateful that there are still honest people in this world! Phew.
4. Loving (extended) family and friends. A few nights ago, I honestly thought I was going to die. Beginning at about 10:30 pm, I was in the bathroom throwing up (not to mention what came out the other end) every 20 minutes all. night. long. At one point, I woke up passed out on the bathroom floor. My mom lives 1700 miles away. My sister lives 250 miles away. My husband was recently left with no employees and couldn't stay home from work the next morning. So my awesome sister-in-law and mother-in-law came to the rescue. They fed my kids, changed poopy diapers, cleaned up potty mishaps, and loved my friendly beasts while I stayed home and slept on the couch all day!
5. Miracles! I was devastated when I got sick that I would have to miss singing with some of my favorite people in the world. Each week, I get together with a group of girls to sing and chat! Last night, we planned to perform a Christmas Kickoff Concert for all of our family and friends. I miraculously woke up yesterday feeling like a whole new person. I know it wasn't by accident...miracles still happen! Before the concert, one of the girls prayed in gratitude for Jesus Christ, and the opportunity to celebrate His birth. As I sang a solo during one of my favorites, "Still, Still, Still" the tears couldn't keep from flowing. You know what happens when you start crying, but have to sing (or talk) anyway? Ugly cry face, and frog-in-throat-voice. I'm sure I sounded terrible, but I was actually really grateful for the chance to feel the true meaning and spirit of Christmas.

So as you kick off the month of December, remember to have an attitude of gratitude! It makes life worth living!

"Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow." --Melody Beattie

What do you have to be grateful for this holiday season?