When faced with life's challenges,
it is Important to Remember
that although Daniel was saved from the lions,
he was not saved from the Lion's Den.


Saturday, June 22, 2013

Gratitude Brings Peace


"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

My first thanksgiving as a mother and a wife,  found us very poor.  Living on a meager serviceman's salary, made making the ends meet, nearly impossible.  We weren't in military housing yet, and so were renting a small house off base.  There was just enough food in the pantry to make it paycheck to paycheck.  Thanksgiving came and it was right before a payday, so there was very little to eat in the house.  The only meat we could find were fish sticks frozen in the freezer.  We used those for our turkey, and made some homemade french fries with some canned peaches for dessert.  It wasn't the best Thanksgiving meal that I have ever had, but it was one of the most memorable.  I know I cried before dinner.  I was so discouraged.  I didn't cook well even if we would have had the right materials for dinner, but I learned an amazing lesson.
No matter what our circumstances from moment to moment, there is something to be thankful for.  Over the years, I remember the fish sticks instead of turkey, with much gratitude.  We laughed, we played cards, we played with the baby, and we enjoyed our very first Thanksgiving.  Fish sticks and all.
I have learned that we all could benefit greatly from the results of gratitude in our lives.  So, why don't we commit to a practice of being grateful on a daily basis.  Did you know that it takes a multiple number of positive comments to erase one negative comment in our daily interaction?  Let us consciously dress ourselves in gratefulness every morning as we get ready to begin a new day.  Living a life of gratitude carries a sense of peace and bliss, a sense of fulfillment, a sense a enough.    

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