Thankful........

To be honest, there was a period in my life when I had a hard time being thankful. As a woman, especially a mom, there is great tendency for me to believe I shouldn’t be thankful for things like, Tim taking out the trash, because HE SHOULD, or my children unloading the dishwasher, because THEY SHOULD, or my mom or in-laws babysitting our children, because THEY SHOULD.

Even as far back as Eve believing she deserved to taste that piece of fruit, I believed I deserved my family and others to serve me. Even worse, when I let those thoughts loose in my mind, it creped to my heart and soon, I believed that I deserved all the good things that was going on around me because I simply didn’t believe that “Every good and perfect gift is from above.”, therefore, I wasn’t thankful.

As a mom and wife, we carry a lot of responsibilities, so of course we make an easy target for Satan to sneak up and tell us that we don’t have to be thankful for all those petty things your family is doing, you have done them a thousand times and no one has ever thanked you. I remember wondering if I would ever come out of that sin. I would pray about it, but my mind would still go off to the “well, THEY SHOULD do that or me” attitude. I read a book a few years ago that made me laugh and cry all on the same page! Barbara Barker’s words in the book Faith Points jump from the page when I read,{ and I can’t quote it because I don’t have it in front of me as I am driving back from Mobile, but it was to the effect of} “ I would pray and pray and pray for God to soften my heart and make me thankful but I wouldn’t be if I didn’t start practicing it!”. What I got from that was, God will soften my heart, but I have to stop continuing to harden it in the process, so start saying thank you.

I had a friend once tell me that “sometimes you just have to stop praying and start doing”, meaning, put your feet to your prayers. I started doing things like thanking Tim for things even if I didn’t think I had too, or my children even if they should obey, or my mom or in-laws even though they offered. I will never forget the day I felt truly thankful. When I would walk into the sanctuary at church and cry just when I looked at the cross hanging because it reminded me of the sacrifice that was made on it for me, not because I deserved it, but because I didn’t deserve it. God’s word says to “be thankful in all things”, that means the good and the bad.

This Thanksgiving I am thankful, though many times I fall in to the deception that I deserve it or better. Praise God that his mercies are new every morning!

I am very thankful for you all and I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving, because you have much to be thankful for. We will be closing at 3pm on Wednesday, November 24th, to get my home in order for the large group of family member that will be joining us this holiday! Below is a coupon for you to enjoy!! Please note that all items wrapped purchased using this coupon or any other discount will be charge a $2.00 wrapping fee per item. Enjoy and see you soon!