As I’m laying in bed this morning, I am overwhelmed with gratitude.
On Monday’s my husband is off from work so he gives me the morning off. He gets the kids up and ready, packs their lunches and takes them to school.
To be honest, most of the time I’m sleeping while all this is going on.
But not this morning…
As I’m laying in bed, listening to all the hustle and bustle coming from downstairs, my youngest pops in my room and climbs up in the bed with me and snuggles for a few minutes. My heart is overwhelmed with gratitude!
Gavin goes to finish getting ready for school and I’m left laying here, thanking God for how blessed I am.
With that gratitude comes conviction. I am reminded of all the times I’ve complained about the things I don’t have. When honestly I have more than enough. Literally as I write this, I’m laying in my nice comfy warm bed, when just a few miles from me there is a homeless camp.
I often get frustrated with our tiny two bedroom townhouse. But just a little over two years ago I didn’t have a home. I bounced from my dad’s house to friends untill my welcome wore out. The night I was arrested I was trying to steal a tent. In my crazy drugged out mind, living in a tent sounded like a great idea.
I am able to look back now and see that me going to jail was one of my greatest blessings. I’m sure you don’t hear very often someone say they’re thankful they went to jail lol but God used that awful situation to save my life!
When I reflect on where I came from, suddenly my townhouse doesn’t feel so tiny.
It is so easy for me to get consumed with wanting more, wanting a bigger house, better clothes, nicer car, etc. But are those things really necessary to live a happy life?
I think the key to being happy is being satisfied with what we have. Being grateful is a game changer!
Honestly it’s not any of my material possessions that bring me true happiness. It’s the people God has placed in my life! It’s knowing I’ve been redeemed and bought by the blood of Jesus! It’s knowing my sins are not only forgiven but forgotten and I no longer have to spend eternity in hell.
I know the holidays can be one of the most loneliest times of the year and it’s easy to focus on what we don’t have, but no matter what, we have the love of our heavenly Father who sent His only Son to die so we can have eternal life. We are not promised a life without struggle and pain but we are promised an eternal life free from any hardship, where God will provide an eternal home for the redeemed and a perfect environment for everlasting life, love, joy, and learning in His presence.
I pray as Christmas approaches we all celebrate the true meaning of Christmas and that is the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ. That in its self is enough to have an attitude of gratitude!