Gratitude...Sometimes It's Hard

“If we do not feel grateful for what we already have, what makes us think we’d be happy with more?” — Unknown 

When I saw this on a post this morning, I knew it was God talking to me.  I'd been listening for him this morning and he spoke to me through someone else, which he often does. After the quote it says unknown...I believe it was spoken by God.

I live in a community where oil production has become a huge industry.  While it has trashed our countryside with oil tanks and pump jacks, gravel pads and destruction of the land, our roads are littered with 18 wheelers carrying bad water, gravel and oil.  I grumble about it all under my breath.

It has however, created great wealth for many, some who already were doing financially well and some who were not.  I've often asked "why not me"?  I've judged who should get it and who should not based on their character or what I think I know about them.  Seriously?  I know nothing this side of heaven.

The truth is, it indicates I'm not grateful for what I have.  And seriously, what I have is all I need.  I'm not doing without.  I'm not hungry or thirsty.  I'm not walking naked or in torn and tattered clothes.  I'm not scraping the bottom of the barrel.  I'm not sleeping in the street.  I'm not walking 10 miles into town.  I'm not begging on a corner for money.  I am not alone without family nor am I friendless.

I've eaten breakfast this morning and had tea on the front porch of my quaint little house in the country. I'm dressed, after a good night sleep inside with the air conditioner on.  I'm ready to go where ever I need to in the car sitting in my driveway.  I kept my healthy grandson for two days and an overnight this week.  I have a pup I adore.  I'm headed to a friends for a holiday weekend.

This stuff is all temporary anyway.  The greatest prize is heaven.  I just needed a reminder.

I am blessed abundantly and I must keep my eyes on my prize.
My God is a God of many blessings.
I pray to be a child of gratitude and the greatest prize is my goal.  What more do I need?

Philippians 3:14 

I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

Encourage One Another, continuing the journey on fresh paths.
Blessings and love to you, oxox.

2013 Tax Day

Every year I worry a bit about taxes, or the fact that I might not have paid enough in and owe some bucks to Uncle San. With the changes in the tax laws via the President, I was even more concerned this year.  My brother in law is kind enough to do my taxes for me. This year I was blessed.   The tax form indicated that not only would I not have to pay, but in fact, I would get a return of some $640. A big yahoo and a sigh of relief!!

I didn't think too much about it as I signed the form and sent it in to the IRS. After a few weeks, I began to think “that check ought to me coming in any time. What have I been putting off and wanting to buy?” The thought easily came to my mind of a want and a need, a sewing machine and a vacuum cleaner, in that order. I've been wanting a sewing machine for a long time. I have only had a place to put it and use it since I got my art/bedroom set up. So now I have the place. My current vacuum cleaner just doesn't work. It's not even that old, it just doesn't have any suction. It needs to go in the trash. In a country house with three carpeted rooms I need a working vacuum cleaner.

So there. Sunday I in fact wrote on my little “project/need to do/activity” list these two things...

With income tax return,

1. buy sewing machine from Walmart and

2. investigate and buy one of the Dyson Ball vacuums that has the best reviews.

Yesterday, Monday, the income tax refund arrived. Woo hoo! Yesterday, Monday, I called the local auto shop to see about getting my brakes checked. They've been making a weird noise. Truthfully, I don't know what bad brakes sound like. The car continued to stop just fine. I just didn't know what else it might be so have them checked I thought. The lady at the shop said to bring it in tomorrow, Tuesday (which is today).

So today, on my “to do in town” list, I had drop off car and deposit tax return check, in that order. So I did. I wasn't going to have time to shop for either the sewing machine or the vacuum today, but they remained on my list to do. I still needed to do a little “discovery” work on which ones to buy, which ones had the best reviews and were the easiest to operate.

As it turns out, fixing the brakes (which were worse than bad) turned out to be $460. Bummer! That only leaves about $180. I have to say I am disappointed. I was looking forward to getting these two things off the list. I was looking forward to sewing and getting something I would enjoy creating things with. I was looking forward purchasing something to create a cleaner house. I know I cannot buy the vacuum with what is left over. It's not enough.  So do I go ahead and get what I want or save a little more and get what I need, putting off the sewing machine a little longer.

I have a friend who says “I'll have to wait for my next oil check before I buy that". There will be no oil check here.

On the much more positive side, I need however, to be grateful that God provided this IRS check just in time to pay for my brakes which I obviously needed much more than a sewing machine or a vacuum. God provided just in time. That's what he does.

Philippians 4:19

And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.

Gratitude is something I work on all the time. Being content in my circumstances is what I work on all the time. Knowing God is good, that I do know all the time.

I thank him for meeting my need, my most important need. I am truly blessed.

1 Timothy 6:17

Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.

Encourage One Another, continuing the journey on fresh paths.

Blessings and love to you, xoxo.

(I apologize if this sounds a little too "poor me".  It's not really, it's just how I was feeling when I wrote it.)

The Other Room

OK, I hate to admit it.  This is the second bedroom months (October) after I moved in.  The room just overwhelmed me.  I did not know how I was going to get through all this stuff.  I wanted to keep it all and I had NOWHERE in this house to put it.  I wanted this room to be a bedroom for baby Gray and anyone else that came to visit and a studio for me.  Like I said...overwhelming.

After a little work the boxes dwindled but I still had a long way to go.

Here are more photos of even more days of work and several months later.  Boxes were disappearing still.  It's a bit like the clowns that keep piling out of a VW.  They just keep coming and coming.  Where do they all come from and where do they all go!

A few weeks ago I bought two of the smaller 36" shelves.  After working to get the first one "filled" I knew another small one was not going to be enough.  So yesterday I went and bought the larger, 48" one.  This is the room today, six months and 16 days after I moved in.  While there is still a great deal of organizing, switching around, grouping etc., at least all the boxes are gone.  Every last one of them have been unpacked and disassembled.  Almost everything has a place.  Praise God!

This is the work table, my spot, my creative area.  It sits in front of the window so I can see out as I work.  My inspirations on the window sill include a little butterfly painting painted by my mother, a jeweled cross made by me in 2002 (one of the last ones I made but still have), a photo of my parents holding my very young daughter, and a sign "dream" to keep me dreaming and creating.

It's not finished yet.  The room still needs a day bed with a trundle which I'm still on the hunt for.  I'm hoping to find it soon.  I'll move a few more things around then to make it work and fit.  Perhaps some of the organizing will be finished by then.  Perhaps I will have started and or even finished my first project.  My thought about that first project will be a cross.  One created in my little house in the country that I love so much, symbolizing my gratitude for a wonderful life.

I'll keep you posted!

Psalm 105:1-6 It is good to give thanks to the Lord.

Encourage One Another, continuing the journey on fresh paths.

Blessings and love to you, xoxo.

Be Thankful Psalm 100:4

Psalm 100:4

New International Version (NIV)

⁴ Enter his gates with thanksgiving
    and his courts with praise;
    give thanks to him and praise his name.

Just last night the friend I had dinner with said "how's it going".  I told her, "in my life, I have no complaints.  I still strive to be content no matter what my situation is.  I don't always succeed at that, however, it doesn't take long for me to listen to someone else's story and realize how blessed I am.  My family, my home, my health, they are all great.  My life is good.  My life is "going" great".  Of course that quote is not exactly what I said but the content is accurate.  We discussed the health of some of our dear friends, the financial situation of some, how HARD and long hours some of our friends have to work.  We discussed "life".  At any time, life can take that downward turn, that turn that sends you straight toward God in a rapid pace.  Until then, strive hard to live grateful, live blessed, and stay close to God.  Try not to wish for someone else's life, someone else's stuff.  If possible, enter everyday in a feeling of gratitude, and be blessed.  

I found this poem on a friends blog.

Be Thankful

Be thankful that you don’t already have everything you desire,
If you did, what would there be to look forward to?

Be thankful when you don’t know something
For it gives you the opportunity to learn.

Be thankful for the difficult times.
During those times you grow.

Be thankful for your limitations
Because they give you opportunities for improvement.

Be thankful for each new challenge
Because it will build your strength and character.

Be thankful for your mistakes
They will teach you valuable lessons.

Be thankful when you’re tired and weary
Because it means you’ve made a difference.

It is easy to be thankful for the good things.
A life of rich fulfillment comes to those who are
also thankful for the setbacks.

GRATITUDE can turn a negative into a positive.
Find a way to be thankful for your troubles
and they can become your blessings.

Author Unknown

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Philippians 4:8 NIV

Encourage one another, continuing the journey on fresh paths.

Blessings and love to you XO

In a Leafy Silence

Two days ago I wrote about the brown ugly leaves that cover my yard.  Someone (A Quiet Life) changed my focus and reminded me how the leaves protect and cover the tender growth below them, for promises of grass and plants in spring.
Today again I am prompted to change my focus of the brown ugly leaves.  The reminder is of my gratitude in my ability to hear.  I'm sitting on the porch with Ikey, enjoying the "spring" weather I spoke of two days ago...it's 74 degrees.

I hear a rustling of those brown crunchy leaves as the cattle walk in the pasture up close to my house.  I hear!  There is enough silence and peace around me that I can "hear" the rustling of those leaves.  I can also hear the turning of the windmill that turns, pumping water from the ground for the cattle to drink.  As the breeze blows I can also hear the tingling of the chimes that lull me to sleep at night along with the singing of the coyotes.  My gratitude includes my life in the country minus the car horns, police sirens, and the loudness of city life.  Oh how grateful I am for my little house in the country.
So, brown, ugly leaves, I am grateful to you after all.  I thank you for the blanket you provide and look forward to your spring surprise!

Romans 10:17

Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.

Encourage One Another, continuing the journey on fresh paths.

Be blessed and love, xo