Thankfulness = Therapy

This week I have consciously been trying hard to look for things to be thankful for to help me get out of the "grumpy pit" I had fallen into the previous week or two :) I have learned from Ann Voskamp's book ("One Thousand Gifts") that sometimes we have to force ourselves to actively look for God's blessings... It's not that God is ever hiding Himself or withholding blessings, it's just that sometimes our selfishness and sin clouds our vision and we have to work a little harder to cleanse the lenses of our souls to see what has always been right in front of our eyes. And when we do cleanse our soul (by seeking forgiveness for our sin over and over again) and start consciously counting the blessings (over and over again until it's a habit), joy is the result. JOY. Habitual joy...wouldn't that be nice to fall into the habit of being joyful and thankful all the time? That's what we all long for, and it is always within reach no matter our circumstances when we have the eyes to see God's blessings all around us. Thankfulness is like free therapy! :)Here's just a spattering of what my eyes have seen this week to fill me with joy:

• Nathanael sleeping, sleeping, sleeping all through the night, nearly every night now...I never thought it would happen!


• Joseph immersed in art for hours


• the summer reading program at the library inspiring 3 little boys to love books


• Michael's sweet singing at church, causing sweet tears to fall by those standing near


• family tennis matches, sweating and running and laughing together


• making surprise gifts for others


• listening to three boys giggle at pictures in old photo albums


• sweet, salty, celebratory margaritas


• 2 weeks of morning devotions with my spouse, helping our devotion to each other and our Lord increase


• beautiful brown eyes under new glasses


• failed plans revealing God's better ones


• boys doing boy stuff with their daddy in the mountains


• the lulling sound of my freshly oiled sewing machine...it's like free therapy for me! :)


• Dominic's ginormous smile...more free therapy for my soul :)


• boys biffing on bikes, but no trips to the ER yet


• letting my boys cross the street to play baseball at the big baseball fields (a big step for this over-protective mother and a big boost for their wings of independence)


• Nathanael looking adorable as he speed-crawls all over the house